SHIPWRIGHT COUNCIL MEMBERS
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Raid on Ianda The night sky was a kaleidoscope of stars with the three moons shinning their glow brightly upon the Thassan waters. Unbeknownst to the people of the Port City of Ianda their quiet night was about to erupt in chaos. In the soft wake of the dark night, the Raiders began their siege on Iandan harbor. Silently the raiding ships split in two groups to begin there siege on the Port, hoping to make there first strike without being spotted. Alas they are seen and the men upon the docks scrambled to man the catapults, archers ran to grab their weapons to defend the Harbor. The catapults aboard the attacking ships were loaded with flaming jars of oil, as the Raiders' ship moves closer towards shore. The Captain gave the signal for all the ships to hurl there loads into the docks of Ianda at once. Catching the dockhands unprepared, the warehouses burst into flames, and a cheer from the Raiders aboard ship is heard as there first assault is successful. Several long boats where lowered into the harbor from each ship, the rowers stream through the still waters towards the preselected ship they wanted to capture. More flaming jars of oil were sent from the raiding ships keeping the men on the docks watching them, rather than the long boats slicing through the waters. This time the attack was less successful and small fires are set upon the docks. The ill prepared men of Ianda attempted to fight the flames, buckets of water and wet furs to smother the fire out. The guards manned their weapons, but the fire is so great the diversion gives the raiding ships the edge they needed for the assault. The courage of the Iandans was strong as they manmed the Port defenses. The pirates upon the ships, in a symbol of early victory, were heard laughing at the Iandan dockhands and guards. Quickly the crew of the Raiders long boats scrambled up onto the deck to seize a round ship by force. The crew onboard stand aghast at the arrogance of the Raiders on the ships, but were easily overtaken by the pirates. The ship was captured and the crew sent overboard into the waters, the anchor lines cut free the ship is towed to the Raiders fleet. The ships catapults scream into action with a clatter of thunks and flaming jars of oil are once again sent through the sky towards the docks. The Harbor Master's bellow is heard "MAN THE CATAPULTS, PREPARE THE FLAME PITCH!!!" ARCHERS STAND THE LINE!!! The docks erupted in fire as the ballast is aimed at the center of the fleet of ships. Huge flamming bolts from the Iandan archers are sent flying into the hulls, Raiders are skewered as many men onboard are hit. Screams are heard and death comes to some of the raiders as the bolts spear into them. The second longboat cheered on by the crew of the first scrambled up and attacked the crew of a Ram, butchering the Ianda crew. The overpowered crew were thrown into the Thassa, the bloodied bodies bodies turning the night waters into a scarlet pool. The Raiders cut the ship free from the docks, the newly acquired Ram follows the Round Ship out of port. The fleet then began forming a single line across the docks. Raiders onboard fired flaming cloth wrapped bolts, towards the men upon the docks. No flag flying, no ensignia was seen upon the mast of the ships as they made their assault. Screams were heard as the men on the docks fall the bolts taking more life. The docks were overrun by slaves carrying buckets of water and wet furs in an attempt to control the fires. The cats are then readied and flung burning pitch to the ships, flames licked upon the decks as the men desperately threw water upon them to quelch the fires. The dead and dying Raiders were thrown overboard as the catapults are set once again, the ships turn make the deadly pass by the docks once more. The crew of the third long boat prepared to climb the side of the second Iandan Ram, having seen their comrades go to there death they move to take the ship with the determination only seen in brave warriors. The ship was taken, the Iandan crew on board easily become shark and harbor eel food, more blood covered bodies were thrown overboard adding to the already red, warm waters of the bay. The water churned a deep scarlet as sharks were seen taking chunks from the bodies of the dead and barley living. The cats are loaded by the men of Ianda there intention to sink the entire fleet of Raiders, when as the last of the captured ship pass the line of the fleet the signal is raised and suddenly the fleet turns from the port of Ianda. The Harbor catapults are set with their flaming loads and upon the Harbor Masters signal, was flung towards the retreating ships. Although they hit the mark the flames are put out quickly. The final ships of the raiders, bring up the rear moved to skim the dock, the men snatching a kajira who had been putting out flames upon the dock. Tying the Iandan slave to the bow of the ship, they cheered in victory. The cats upon the docks are loaded with rock and hurled at the retreating ships, a cackle is heard from the Harbor Master as he sees his attempt to slow the pirates retreat has worked and he screams to his men, "GET THEM !!!.....THEY HAVE SLOWED.... FULL PITCH LOADS TO THEIR SAILS." The flaming pitch is released, taking a light Ram to the bottom. The Raider turned to his rowers on his ship, "PUT YER BACKS INTO IT OR I SWEAR BY ODINS SHORTENED MEMBER I WILL BLOODY YER BACKS!!" and he takes up his kurt "NOW PULL YE SONS OF THE THASSA... PULL!!!" The hulls shutter upon impact, men ran screaming to throw themselves into the Thassa burning from the pitch, as the Captian of the Raiders starts whipping a few of the men, "NOW PULL !!!!!!" As the men on the docks send catapults loaded with rock towards the ships again, the men are heard singing a version of the Sinking of The Molly Brown, the leader of the Raiders screams at the men again, "OH YOU BUGGERS OF DRUNKARDS YE ARE DOING THIS JUST TA PISS ME OFF" as he sidesteps a boulder landing close he looks to the men "NOW YE SON'S OF SATAN PULL!!!" The Harbor Master just cackles seeing the boulder just miss the Raiders leader, but the fleet is now out of range of weapons, and a report is made and forwarded to the Ubar, three ships stolen from his ladies fleet. Once clear of the Harbor the sails are risen and they disappear into the horizon. Taking with them one Round ship and two Rams. |
