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--- consolidated:draishon:fjord-orcs [2025/12/16 13:06] – [Village life] johnb
+++ consolidated:draishon:fjord-orcs [2025/12/16 13:07] (current) – [The tale of a raid] johnb
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-===== The tale of a raid =====
-It was  only when the shout went up, and the noise brought me to the window of my room, that I saw them.  It was the best room in the inn, double bed, wash stand, a wardrobe and a view out to sea.   The ship was low in the water and difficult to see, but it was moving forwards quickly, so quickly in fact that it’s prow was on the beach almost before I noticed.  The ram at the front sitting proud, it must have been just on or above the water line.  As soon as it arrived on the beach, the Orcs poured ashore across the bow of the boat, they were all dressed in some sort of chain shirt, although each was different, one had pauldrons attached to the shoulders, another had a buckler set in the middle of their chest, while others had various animal skins draped around their body – no two were alike.  The leaders, alone, bore rams’ horns on their helmets and carried great axes, while the rest of the marauders carried great swords wielded in both hands, Falchions I believe.
-The last few were less well armoured than the raiders, and some looked  barely out of their youth.  They pulled the boat high up the beach, so there was no chance of it sliding back out to sea, and started looting the buildings closest to the boat, and stabbing at anyone who came close with their spears.
-The main band made a beeline for the town square and the guard towers there, hacking their way through the door and making short work of the paltry town guard, although I didn’t wait for the outcome.  Stuffing as many valuables as I could into my pockets, I made my way to the back of the inn, and then used a potion that I reserve just for this sort of occasion.  Before long I was up on the roof, and settled down between a couple of chimneys, just peeking over enough to see what was happening.
-The marauders then split into three groups and started going through the buildings as they saw fit.  Some were spared completely, others ransacked while a few were set alight, even before they went in to take their plunder.  As the raiders returned to their vessel, each carried something taken from the town.  I saw barrels of wine, and even a barrel of fine brandy, the arms and armour stripped off the guards, and a whole series of things from the blacksmith’s in town, sacks of grain accompanied by sides of bacon from the town’s winter store -  and all the while the marauders are drinking from whatever bottles they couldfind - Ale, mead, wine, spirits … they didn’t care.
-Then came the women and children, dragged from their hiding places and cuffed into silence.  One brave man, perhaps trying to rescue his wife or child, rushed out into the street with an old spear and shield.  He was cut down in seconds, and left dying on the beach, while the shield and spear were thrown aboard as extra booty.
-Half an hour after they had arrived, they had gone - heading back to wherever they came from.  The town was devastated, half-a-dozen buildings put to the torch, dead and dying on the beach and streets, wives and children abducted, shocked survivors barely able to understand what had happened - and next to no one left to tell them what to do.
-When they were out of sight, I slid back down the roof and climbed back into the inn.  They hadn’t got as far as my room, so I might have saved that potion.  However, the lower floors had been ransacked, and the bar-room almost completely destroyed.  I don’t think there was anything left to drink in the whole place ...