Nords: Raiders

‘The only real prospect of advancement for the average northerner is to win a place on one of the raiding ships. Every year, immediately after Kapp-a-Görask, hundreds of free men flock to the southern coastal towns where the longships dock. Of those who make the journey, only a few are selected to join the raiding parties: when the plan is to sail into enemy waters and land on enemy shores, isolated and cut off from reinforcements, a captain only wants to be surrounded by the best, the strongest and the most reliable. For those who make the journey and attract the attention of one of the captains, the sky is the limit.

The wealth that can be amassed from a single successful raid far exceeds anything a Northman could hope to achieve by working his own land. With a bit of luck, a raider could obtain enough captives, riches and booty to truly secure his home and devote himself entirely to perfecting his martial skills. In time, armed and armoured by the riches of the southern kingdoms and forged in the heat of battle and the unforgiving cold of the north, a raider might hope to attain the rank of Huskarl, a dedicated elite warrior bearing arms for his Jarl.’