Ell Bastis is the smallest of the
Holy Cities and one which is shunned by most city dwelling
pilgrims
although it sometimes finds favour with parties from barbarian tribes. The indigenous
population consists of orcs and gnolls who are largely descended from former slaves freed by
the
Mycretions although many of the businesses in the settlement
are in fact owned by humans. Most of the orcs are employed harvesting
the locally grown cobblefruit so that it can be turned into desert wine for export. Before
the occupation by the
Viridians the local taverns were tightly controlled
but an agreement between the field owners, the tavern-keepers and the Viridians means
that alcohol is now sold round the clock leading to a serious problem with drunkeness
in what was already a boisterous settlement. The Viridians feel no obligation to
intervene in what they see as 'personal disputes' on the streets so the city is virtually lawless.
In such an environment only a fragile agreement keeps the entrance to the caverns open
and pilgrims from being molested. Even those pilgrims who are hardy enough to feel safe
in such a town sometimes shun it simply to avoid the temptation to break the rules of the
pilgrimage. The typical pilgrims who seek this entrance are therefore orcs, gnolls and
barbarian humans.