I was alone in my room, just after dinner, it was the best room in the inn, double bed, washstand, a wardrobe and a view out to sea. I had just finished packing, as I had finished my business and was due to leave in the morning, when the shout went up. Rushing to the window and the noise brought me to the window of my room, I saw their strange boat, a large twin hulled canoe. It was low in the water and difficult to see in the dusk light, but it was moving forwards quickly, so quickly that it was on the beach almost before I saw them. As soon as got to the beach, the Orcs poured ashore across the bows, 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, that I think are called falchions.

The last few were less well armoured, and some of those looked barely out of their youth. They pulled the canoe high up the beach, so there was no chance of it sliding back out to sea, and started looting the buildings closest to the beach, and stabbing at anyone who came close with their spears. The main band made a beeline for the town square, presumably looking for the stores that surrounded it, but a few came straight towards the inn - the inn where I was staying!

I turned back, and moved the bed across in front of the door, just in case. It wouldn’t stop them, of course, but it would slow them down and give me a chance. I have an ‘emergency’ feather, that will allow me to fly for a minute or two, but it is expensive, and I only have one of them. Stuffing as many valuables as I could into my pockets, and clutching the feather, I made my way to the open window and watched.

The marauders split into 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. Then a horn sounded and the raiders rushed back 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 taken from the blacksmith’s, 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 could find - ale, mead, wine, spirits … they didn’t care. Others carried women or children, having 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 orcs climbed aboard and pushed off from the beach – just as the guards from the castle came into sight, shooting their crossbows at the retreating orc.

It was over almost as quickly as it started, less than half an hour from start to finish. 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 the guard standing uselessly on the beach, shooting crossbow bolts into the darkness. When they were out of sight, I closed the window, moved my bed back to its proper place and tidied up the room, where I had scattered things in my haste. Fortunately, they hadn’t got as far as my room, but the ground floor had been ransacked, the bar-room almost completely destroyed, and I don’t think there was anything left to drink in the whole place …