Gunther's First Prize

The Vestenmannavnjar longboat the Grijze Orkaan was nestled in a cove when the hunting party returned. The sun was starting to peak the horizon and would quickly burning away the morning fog so they needed to work fast. Siggeir reported that they killed 5 deers and trapped 8 rabbits, and with their current stores they would be able to feed the nearly 60 Vestenmannavnjar raiders for a month. Gunther watched as his men skinned, salted and loaded the meat below decks. The skins were also saved which they would they would be later used to trade with in the winter months. "Thank you Siggeir," Gunther said, "Plan on going out tonight, unless we take a prize today. You and your men go rest and eat."

"Thank you Captain." Siggeir replied before finding a calm place to rest as did the 5 other men that were part of the hunting party.

Leif, went and woke the rest of the men. With the sun coming out they all needed to be alert. If a passing Vendel privateer were to spot them they would at risk of getting taken. If that happened they would all hanged. They have been sailing closer and closer to Kirk the past few days in hopes of catching a merchant vessel sailing the Kirk/Montaigne shipping lanes. The closer they sailed to Kirk the greater the chance of encountering one of the Vendel privateers. It also increased their chances of finding a Vendel ship leaving or heading to the Capital city of Kirk.

Gunther had not been captain for very long. But he had been on many raids in his youth and knew the tactics well. Use the land and fog for cover, hit them at an angle to avoid their guns and as you sail up rain arrows onto the decks and if possible use flaming arrows to light their sails on fire. Generally create chaos before you even set foot on their decks. For weeks Gunther had drill this men in these tactics just as he was drilled many years ago. The weeks of training were over now. His crew was still green, but they were eager for a prize.

* * *

Gunther scanned the horizon with his spyglass. All he saw was the water meeting the sky. Yesterday Gunther let three ships past. All of them looked over-gunned, overmanned or sat high in the water and not worth taking. He lowered the glass looked up into the sky and saw the sun was about over head. The Cove was no longer providing any cover. He could either row back deeper into the cove which would block his sight of any passing ships until it was too lot or he could move out and get a better look. He ordered his men to row out of the cove. Excitement started to build but that came to halt when about a hundred yards out Gunther ordered his men to stop. Gunther raised the glass to his eye once again. Scanned the horizon and waited. The crew whispered as the longboat gently bobbed in the still water.

"SAIL HOY Captain." came a voice from atop the single mast longboat. The voice was that of Bjornson, he was the youngest member of the Grijze Orkaan but has the keenest eyesight of all the crew.

"Were?" Gunther asked.

"Two points off the starboard bow captain."

Gunther raised the glass again and pointed it two points off the bow as Bjornson said. On Gunther’s second pass of the area he saw a topgallant sail poking out. He watched the ship as it came into view. Some of the crew began to whisper amongst themselves as a tiny speck appear on the horizon. Questions of would this be the one or would it also be too big to take were exchanged. Gunther looked to his men and smiled.

“This is it men, this is the ship we’ve been waiting for.”

The crew began to shout in excitement.

“SILENCE” Gunther ordered. “Do you want them to hear us before we are in position to take them? Set sail and man the roms.”

The shouts quickly died, but the excitement could still be observed as the men set to work.

Gunther looked up to the boy as said "Good work, Niclas."

"Thank You Captain." Bjornson said.

Gunther always used Bjornson real name, Niclas Bronkhorstson. Bjornson, which means Son of a Bear, was given the nickname by the crew because they say he is built like a bear. He is taller and stronger then most his age and has the fierce nature of a bear. Bjornson was recruited at the last Althing after Gunther saw the boy nearly take on a man twice his size and age in a fight. Although Bjornson was beaten in the fight, Gunther liked the boys spirit. It reminded himself of when he was young. Bjornson mother had died in childbirth and his father and brothers were killed when a Vendel landowner came to kick them off their land. His father and brothers tried to fight them off and sent him and sister to his uncles house for reinforcement. When they returned his brothers and father were dead and a group of Eisen mercenaries were posted to prevent any retaliation. He lived with his uncle until he was twelve, at which point he ran away to attend the Althing.

Gunther continued to watch the ship. It was too early to tell the nationality of the ship. It was a merchant ship, that he knew. She sat low in the water which means she's heavy laden or was taking on water. Gunther figured the first because if she was taking on water would be headed for nearest land. She also appears to be having trouble navigating the currents and winds. Which means she is undermanned or has an unskilled crew. She has no escort and unless she has hidden gun ports, was probably under-gunned.

“Jacque,” Gunther called out, “Stir up this wind.”

Jacque Paix looked out of place aboard the longboat. He was the only one who was not Vesten. He is Montaigne and his dark hair and eyes makes him stand out amongst the blonde hair and blue-eyed Vesten. Jacque is not weak by any means but in comparison to the burly battle harden raiders, he is thin and petite. There was something else that makes Jacque stand out from the other crew. He possesses a gift, one that grants him great respect among the Vesten people. Jacque knows the stories of the Runes and can channel the energy from those stories. He is a rune mage or Skjæren. Traditionally only the Vesten and a few of the Vendel have understand the stories of old well enough to be able to channel their power.

Jacque’s eyes roll back into his skull as he mummers the story of Nød. He traced the outline of a symbol with his staff onto the deck of the longboat. The symbol looks like a † and a Y placed on top of one another. As he finished his chanting, the breeze begin to pick up. Quickly it turns into a strong wind, stirring the leaves of the nearby trees and blows thought the long blonde hair of the Vesten raiders. The sail snaps tight as the canvas catches the newly inspired wind. Gunther orders his men to row and the Grijze Orkaan starts to glide out towards the ship.

The oncoming ship looked to be Montaigne build, a three masted merchant class ship. Gunther figured she has a crew of about 60 men at most. She looked to be an easy target and a good one for their first time out. The ship was still having difficulty sailing. She was not trying to evade them and was not trying to engage them either. Gunther lifted his glass once again. She had just spotted them, but it was too late. Gunther was about to put the glass down when he saw something else on the horizon. Another set of sails appeared.

“Captain,” Jacque says as he turns towards Gunther, “It appears someone else is messing with the wind, someone more powerful then I am.”

Gunther nodded in acknowledgment, but said nothing. He continued to look at the horizon as he reviewed his options. The new ship provided a problem but he was not about to abandon his prize just yet. Gunther figured if we sail up, engage the ship, board them, and if they surrendered fairly quickly we could make off with good portion of their cargo before the other ship was in range. A risky move for a green crew, but Gunther figured they could pull it off. “Weigh colors!” Gunther called out. A sailor grabbed the flag of the Grijze Orkaan, a red flag with a black square in the center and grey Villskap rune, and hosted it up the mast. The Villskap rune looks something like a lightning bolt and was the rune for Fury. That was exactly what Gunther intended to do, unleash fury upon those that traded with the Vendel. “Bjornolf prepare archers! Starboard roms, give me three hard strokes. Larboard roms, three reverse strokes.” Gunther bellowed out as the longboat started to turn slightly to the left as the men rowed. This moved the longboat out of a more favorable wind position but put them in a better position for the archers. “All Roms five hard strokes.”

“Archers ready Captain.” Bjornolf shouts.

“Fire when in range.” Gunther replies.

Arrows rained down onto the decks of the merchant vessel. She answered back with musket fire. But the advantage to arrows was the quicker rate of fire. After the third volley of arrows, smoke spewed from one of the swivel gun as a loud BOOOOM followed. The shot smashed into the deck of the longboat, sending slivers of wood flying into the air.

“Direct fire to musketeers and topsman.” Bjornolf ordered.

“Leif,” Gunther shouts.

“AYE.” replied Leif.

“Prepare grapples and boarding weapons.” Gunther shouted. “Roms, row till we’re in position to board her. Grapples away when ready.”

Moments later a dozen grappling hooks were thrown and hooked into the deck rails of the ships. The order to repel boards could be over heard from the ship. Gunther glanced one last time to the ship on the horizon. It was moving faster then he had anticipated, but it was too late to change plans now. There was also something odd about it. She had a dark cloud followed her. Gunther pulled out the glass and took a peek. A shiver ran up his spine when he saw that he cloud was a flock of birds. Ravens to be exact. They were still too far off to be seen but he knew the Morrigan’s ship the Grey Fate. What is she doing here? Gunther thought as two more sets of sails appeared on the horizon. Gunther expected them to be the sails if the Uncharted Destiny and the sloop that accompanies the Destiny. The seas are getting a little too crowded, Gunther thought, before putting down the glass and pulled out an axe and led the climb up the ropes unto their prey’s decks.

A sailor aboard the merchant ship was trying to cut the rope that Gunther climbed. Gunther steadied himself against the hull of the ship, hefted the axe he carried and threw it. The axe tumbled through the air and smashed into the sailor’s skull. He fall backwards, another sailor move to replace him when Gunther shouted a war cry and hefted another axe. The axe flew though the air, near-ally missing the man as he halted his advancement to the rail. Gunther was not trying to hit the man. He was keeping him at bay so he could over the rail. Had the man continued towards the rail he would have been hit. This pause gave Gunther the time he need to charged up the rope, swing over the rail, and pull out a couple of axes and whirl into combat. Within seconds more Vesten raiders where over the rail and fighting the sailors of the Montaigne ship. The fighting was fierce and bloody, the crew of the merchant vessel managed to put up a good fight but as quickly as the fighting began it was over as the swarming Vesten raiders overwhelm them. The Montaigne Captain ordered his men to lay down arms. Upon seeing this, Gunther orders his men too stop fighting as well. Even Ulfson, his bearserker, stop fighting. Gunther sighed in relief at this. He must not of built up to his frenzy, Gunther thought. A Vesten cheer rang out in unison as the colors of the merchant ship descended the mast. Gunther’s men had waited a long time for this moment. Gunther thought his men had performed well for their first test and would only get better with more raids. The initial boarding action took longer then he would have liked, but they had performed better then he had expected in the fight.

Just as they had finished securing the ship, the Morrigan’s lugger sailed up with a flock of ravens flying about her masts. Gunther had forgotten how fast that ship could go. Gunther was also sure Della was manipulating the winds in her favor as well. The crew looked to Gunther for orders.

“Secure these men. Get their doctor to see to the wounded. Send for Janson if they have no doctor. I'll deal with the new ship.” Gunther ordered. “Also find out what she caring.” With that Gunther proudly walked up to the rail of the Montaigne ship to greet the approaching lugger.