In the basement of the manor stood a large pot, filled to the brim and boiling, under which burned a strange, greenish fire. While that wasn't exactly normal, it wasn't so far out of the ordinary either.
The thing that hit you the hardest if you weren't prepared for it though was the smell of iron or copper in the air along with a rancid, acidic smell.
Along the far wall, away from where the pot was bubbling, was a wall lined with cages, in which sat hundreds of imprisoned elves, huddles together into groups as they tried to find some sense of comfort from one another, the children being places behind the adults while the older children attempted to quiet the younger ones.
As the adults looked on in horror, the cages furthest away from the pot were being opened by robed figures who went in and dragged the occupants out, even if they were kicking and screaming.
