Chapter 1-2 Summary

The story opens with Pug and Laurie working in the swamp where they are slaves to the Tsurani. Pug is from the land called Midkemia and was an apprentice to a sorcerer but doesn't tell anyone. Laurie was traveling the land to learn ballads. He was a musician by trade. Pug has been a slave in the swamp for four years. The slaves in the swamp are treated badly and don't live long in the swamp camps. Anyone that is not Tsurani is called barbarian. The overseer is named Nogamu. He is a slave that has attained the highest rank in the swamp camp. Pug and Laurie try to tell him that a tree they are to cut down is rotten and should be left but Nogamu becomes angry and tells them to cut it down anyway. A branch from the...