he arena was impressive indeed. The outside may have looked old and tired, but inside it was as fresh as a daisy. Seats wound their way about the arena, climbing up to the very top of the walls. I managed to get a position near to the action in the third row and it was very raucous. The crowds were so loud, with their cheering and shouting, and a few of them descended into violent rages when the battles didn’t go their way. I’m guessing they were the ones that lost their bets. I was tempted to place a couple of bets myself but I’m still very new to this sport and I don’t know any of the competitors. Maybe this will be something I’ll do in the future but for now I’ll keep saving the coin for my journey.

The battle mages summoned all types of monsters, taking on the visage of famous summoners that are well known throughout the land. I’d heard of a few of them myself from my grandgoblin’s stories. There was Alric Stormbringer and the mighty Prince Rennyn. I even saw the Oaken Behemoth we used to hear so much about in the legends. The event went on for the entire day and by the time the last battle came to an end, the sun had started to sink behind the rolling hills beyond the city.

When I got back to the shop, Ghark was sitting in front of the fire drinking rum. I joined him and told him of the day’s events. He listened intently and wanted to hear every detail about who won and what summoners and monsters they used. It turns out that Ghark is quite the gambler and usually bets half his weekly income on select bouts, being more successful than not if I’m to believe his boasts. Apparently in the middle of summer they have the biggest games of all, where folks come from all over to watch the battles. It's these particular days that you can change your future with one careful bet. It sounds too good to be true and, to be fair it probably is, otherwise Ghark wouldn't still be scratching out a living with old leather in the smelliest quarter of town.

Tomorrow I'm going to catch up with that trader again and try and tie him down to an exact date of when we might be leaving. I enjoy tanning again and Ghark is the nicest hobgoblin I've ever met, but my feet are itching to be on their way. There's so much to see in this new land and I can't wait to get started!