An Invitation to Sanvell

We has a good celebration last night.  These Hznaman were something of an attraction.  The Gnaeblin do not often see visitors from their lands, and they were full of questions and calls for stories and songs.  They did not disappoint.  Kenner, once the beer had kicked in, was entertaining in the worst possible way - and he is paying for it this morning with an almighty headache.  He was quite a draw for many of the Dzarraf, whom he insisted on trying to out-drink.

Barr seemed to drink very little, and in the end of the night he was running a dice table.  Several hardy Gnaeblin and a couple of Dzarraf were in good spirits despite being fleeced quite badly by the gambling expert.  The others seemed keen to try and keep their profile a little lower, especially Mullory who seemed at pains to keep his beer intake to a gentle level.

Hushmaz and Daran took turns at telling tales of their battle, and at one point I was called upon to relate my time spent at the hands of the gruesome Gurgam.  I'm not normally a storyteller, but there was silence when I recounted my tale of suffering and final joy.  I let Daran relate the end, of how we assaulted their lair and defeated them.  He and Mullory shared this part of the tale between them.

We all rose late this morning, and I sat with Elenhugh and the others over breakfast.  We were discussing what to do next; in the heat of the battle Barr hadn't claimed enough bounty ears and he was a little concerned that their income was going to be less than they'd hoped, so they were discussing a plan which lead them back east to try and pick a few bonus Gnaeblin up.  Right in the middle of this, Hushmaz came to join us.  He was accompanied by Gallanarre who had arrived only a couple of hours ago, while we were all still asleep.  I was overjoyed to see him again.  He had been riven with guilt since my disappearance, he had been blaming himself, thinking that he shouldn't have left me there on the ground when we did badly in the fight I fell in.

I forgave him everything - I really do not know how he could have done more.  But he wasn't just here to renew his acquaintance with me, he was almost grinning when he told me of an invite me back to see Banneghenn who is rewarding his most faithful friends in this whole dirty matter.  My Hznaman friends were invited too.  When Barr explained what they'd been planning, Gallanarre pointed out that Banneghenn is the one paying their bounty, and he was in a very generous mood.  He suggested that it may pay them to talk to him directly.  They quickly changed their plans.  This is good news, I will be able to spend much more time in the company of people I've become very fond of.

The overland route is only two days journey from here to the gates of the under-land, and from there only another day to Sanvell.  There's no need for any night watches, either - we'll be journeying with Hushmaz's troops, and these, he said, will be an honour guard for heroes.  I think he's playing this up far too much.