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As they reach
the valley harbor, Raevil is surprised to see the number of ships
waiting in the small opening. He disembarks and finds the stronghold
has been expanded and the city is actually filling with people from all
over the norse isles. Many say they escaped Gripir's conscriptors or
left their home at news of Gripir's impending attack. Still others told
of Gripir's first attacks on the closest towns; killing the young men,
stealing the stores and valuables, and burning any noble found.
The ship Raevil had commisioned late in the cold months
was nearing completion, with the help of the new immigrants it would be
completed well in time to attack the castle and slay Gripir. With
Vertin's aid in setting up the ballista and brewing some of the
dragonsblood oil it would be the most dangerous ship to ever roam the
seas.
The Paran had perfected the ballista and the various heads
to their projectiles that made it a formidable weapon, they had also
developed dragonsblood oil, a sticky oil used to coat ballista that was
said to be undousable. These advantages were what Raevil needed to get
his men into the castle and to defeat the huge host Gripir had
assembled.
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The
Miklarikkar, as the new class of norse ship was called, was the largest
ship to ever grace the seas. Holding over a thousand men with ease and
carrying six pivotting ballista, it could take care of itself on the
sea or coast. Raevil named the completed ship the Seahawk after seeing
it glide through the waters of the harbor. With the vessel complete it
was time to arm and return to Vikare.
He collected one thousand volunteers from among the
warriors of the valley and set them aboard with fifty horses and his
crew, then set sail for Vikare. The men rowed for much of the day, then
rested for the upcoming battle as the day ended and night crept in. The
night was foggy and covered their approach well.
First they slid into the Kingsdock and disembarked four
hundred warriors quickly and quietly. They crept into the holds of the
docked longships and awaited the signal to attack. Then the Seahawk
slipped back out and put in up the coast allowing the horses and
warriors to land. As they set up lines of archers and skirmishers, the
Seahawk returned to the sea and headed back to a position off the coast
from the castle. Within ballista range of the castle but outside their
ability to move a hitting target with their catapults.
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