The Great Raid on Braeknge

The Great Raid on Braeknge (Old Rakki: Úfriððr i Bræknge) was a large-scale battle that took place on 14th Eleasis -1778. It was a huge conflict launched by the Darim-Rakki Summer Army on the city of Bræknge, the seat of power of King Æthelwulf. 
== Set-Up ==
The Summer Army was created after Richard Dread and Neveah bore news to Kjotverð Jarl of the impending Brackian plan to invade Kol Darim at some point in the near future. The army was formed just over a month later. They remained in Kol Darim for a couple of days, feasting and drinking, before they set off after sunset on the 14th for the great raid. 
== Under Falling Fire ==
The hundred-strong fleet was organised into several waves. The first wave was commanded by Richard Dread and the Klemmuvængválf, whose job it was to storm South Sickle Island and take down the great harbour chain to allow the fleet to enter the city. The Brackians were alerted as the fleet approached, and launched several counter-attacks with rains of flaming arrows that decimated many of the ships. This led to many ships of dead raiders becoming stuck on the outside of the chain and blocking up the entrance to the harbour, as fires raged on the longships. Raiders and the Brackian Militia fought valiantly with one another on the flotilla. 
== The Storming of South Sickle Island ==
A brave few (the Crew of the Klemmuvængválf) hopped from ship to splintering ship, dodging the ballista bolts of the fort defenders. They rowed on an abandoned militia rowboat in under the fort gate, shooting the fort's banneret knight off the bridge. They faced down a pair of tower-shieldbearers on the dock, then stormed the castle, looting and killing. They steamrolled over several housecarls who were enjoying some bread and cheese, and then they faced down a huge number of the militia in the halls of the castle. A bloody and quick battle was fought, with Richard and Hallbjorn's crew taking some losses but leaving few enemies standing. 
In true Richard fashion, he burnt a housecarl's face off, slew a goliath in ten seconds, and the pair of them also defeated two of King Aethelwulf's knights on the castle wall (though not without heavy wounds being taken, from poleaxes, flaming arrows and more).
Hallbjorn, empowered by Ham's last soup, wrenched the crank off the chain and it began to fly out, loosened. Just as another knight and some bowmen arrived, the chain reached the end of its tether. The entire front of the castle sheared off roughly, bounding across the flotilla like a flai, splintering many of the abandoned ships. 
== The Battle for the City and the Throne ==
The fleet pressed on as the horns of war sounded, and the army set upon the city, battling the militia in the streets, burning houses, looting, pillaging and ransacking. The raiders were enjoying themselves, and had no intention of leaving Bracken in any good shape.
Meanwhile, Richard and Hallbjorn stormed the palace with many others, looting silverware, gold, art, statues and more. In the throne room, they came face-to-face with Thegn Ecbert of Lyndes, who stood between them and the King (it seemed). They had a brief duel, with Ecbert wounding Hallbjorn, but Richard shooting from the rafters to gravely harm the thegn. Hallbjorn allowed the man to die proudly, and kicked Ecbert's sword to him as he died on the marble floor. They however found out that King Aethelwulf had fled down south, and this 'king' was little more than a servant boy with a fake beard. Nonetheless, the king was deposed, and the city was half-ruined. The raiders burnt and looted a little more, returning to Kol Darim to celebrate and drink even more. Hallbjorn brought the majority of the contents of a few breweries back on the ship with him. 
The day was a glorious day, and many people ended up in the great halls above.
Category:Events