And there it was! As they came around a long left turn, the town appeared suddenly between the sides of the river valley.
‘That, as you can see, is the town of Narvi,’ Pran told them.
As they drew nearer, Ralph and Doc could see that five stone bridges of varying architecture spanned the river, and that the town lay more or less equally on both sides of these. There were no large structures. Most were smaller than Pran’s house, and there were no real streets or proper rows of buildings. The scene was a bit chaotic at first. There were several areas populated by brightly coloured tents with awnings, which were obviously the stalls of various outdoor markets. Even at this distance, Doc and Ralph’s senses were assailed by the smells of wood-smoke, refuse, cooking and livestock.
As they neared the town, with its throngs of people coming and going, Pran was hailed often by Elves, Dwarves, and Men, their aspect at once deferential; a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by his companions. As before, all eyed the newcomers with frank curiosity, no doubt guessing that their attire was that of some far-off country of Men. Doc and Ralph didn’t know it, but news of their presence had spread quickly, and many had now heard of the powerful Magi residing with Pran who had miraculous powers of healing. Of Ralph they knew little, but from his size and the fact that he was armed, they suspected that he was a well-travelled warrior of great renown.