The Burning of North Haven BR18 December 683

Bagsecg the Bloody stood proudly on the prow of his war galley The Reaver as his fleet sailed into the harbour of North Haven. He had resisted the urge to assault any of the weak cities and settlements he had encountered up until now, instead he had sold captured ships and goods in order to improve his fleet. He had turned down a perfect opportunity to burn the harbour of Mercanthor, which the captains of the fleet had never forgiven him for. North Haven was a good place to season his troops, and far less of a risk. The alliance of northern men was not tied to here, and until his cousin Egill the Red arrived from Eldarad he would not risk open war against the combined fleets of these soft northerners. It was not their strength he feared but their numbers. Egill would balance that out, and would be the first of many more raiding fleets from Eldarad, Holtag and Castile Klasring. The fleet was in good formation behind his war galley, and their raid would be unopposed as he expected. The settlements harbour defences were non-existent, and there were only two long ships defending the docks. As his scouts had reported there were a further three long ships sat uncrewed in the harbour alongside five merchant ships that were empty of goods judging by their waterlines. A good haul that would be easy for his ships to take, and would counter the foul mood of

his men. These prizes would be taken in combat which was far more the Varyag way. He sent orders by the usual flag system to the port side, and the war galley captained by Guthrum, his most aggressive captain and the man who was most for assaulting Mercanthor, moved in to deal with the two defending ships. The rest of the fleet carried on as planned, sailing straight past the defenders into the harbour. The men who would be minimal crew on the captured ships were readying themselves for their assault, though Bagsecg noted that most of the men in the docks were already fleeing. He checked behind to see Guthrums war galley following in, leaving the long ships burning behind him. Shouting the order the fleet made the next move. The skeleton crews leapt to the decks of their new ships, whilst the raiders tossed oil soaked bales down among the crates and goods on the docks. Once his crews had made ready their prizes he ordered them to move out of the harbour, and for the remaining war galleys to light the bundles. The guard of the settlement had finally made their way to the harbour, but now had a wall of flame between them and their attackers and were looking for ways to put it out. Bagsecg ordered the last ships out of the harbour, and as The Reaver turned he took a good look at the fleet that stretched out ahead of him. He had nearly doubled their number of ships, but would most likely sell the prizes as they were of little use to him. He smiled at the prospect of what would come next. Clantium had finally felt the touch of the Varyag, and its people would know fear.