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CHAPTER 213
295 AC
POV THIRD PERSON
The approach to Moondrift Port revealed a dramatic transformation of what was once a small harbor village with nothing but warehouses. Now, it stood as a thriving trading hub, bustling with life and commerce. The town's evolution was evident in every corner as Aermir's army observed the scene before them.
Tall houses and warehouses clustered along narrow cobbled streets, their facades adorned with colorful banners and painted signs displaying various trades. These buildings stood shoulder to shoulder, creating a labyrinth of structures that spoke of prosperity and industry. Among them, the occasional inn provided respite for weary travelers, its doors open to patrons from lands near and far.
Encircling the town was a formidable wooden palisade with ledges rising to a height of six meters. This defensive structure bore witness to the town's growing wealth, a clear sign that Moondrift Port had become more than just a peaceful coastal settlement.
The atmosphere was electric with the ceaseless activity of merchants, sailors, and traders who moved with a sense of purpose. Market stalls lined the streets, their wares on display, while sailors haggled with street vendors over goods from distant shores. Barrels of salted fish and exotic spices were rolled through the thoroughfares, their aromas mingling in the air.
Amidst the maritime activity, a cluster of ships lay anchored in the harbor, including Aermir's own ten trading carrack. Alongside them were an additional twenty ships belonging to Essosi and various traders, a testament to the port's growing importance in regional commerce. The banners of different houses and merchants fluttered in the sea breeze, representing a diverse array of interests converging upon Moondrift Port.
Aermir's trading carracks, while primarily designed for cargo, were more versatile than they appeared. Each of these formidable vessels boasted an impressive capacity, capable of carrying 800 tons of goods. However, Aermir was thinking of using them for the impending campaign.
If these ships were repurposed for carrying soldiers instead of cargo, each one could potentially transport up to 300 soldiers, significantly bolstering Aermir's naval force for his planned invasion of the Sisters.
Rather than readying a full contingent of 3000 soldiers, which might have raised eyebrows since that was the maximum number of soldiers his ships could carry with other necessities and items, this way he could order his men at Moat Cailin, and they could ready 1000 more soldiers and come to Moondrift after they were ready.
As Aermir and the other lords made their way towards Moondrift Port, they were accompanied by a formidable escort of around 2000 soldiers. These loyal troops provided security and protection for the nobles on their journey. Amongst them, there were the Umbers, Karstarks, Flints, and other houses that had also brought along their own contingent of escort soldiers and knights, totaling around 200 soldiers each. Four hundred of them were Aermir's men who were part of the Moat Cailin's standing defense force.
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As Aermir and the other lords entered the fortified harbor town of Moondrift, the bustling activity was immediately apparent. Paladins, Templars, and Knights of Drasil, along with all the soldiers, joined forces with the smallfolk to fortify the town's defenses.
Within the protective embrace of the wooden palisade, they toiled diligently, stacking sacks filled with soil to create an additional line of defense. The atmosphere was charged with determination and a shared sense of responsibility as they prepared for what lay ahead.
The clatter of wooden carts filled with sacks of soil resounded through the town's narrow, cobblestone streets. Groups of men and women, young and old, lifted and stacked the sacks to construct a formidable barrier. Each sack, heavy with dirt, was meticulously placed to form a protective bulwark that would help shield Moondrift from impending danger.
Harlik, a commanding figure among his men, issued orders with unwavering authority. His troops moved in unison, a well-trained and coordinated unit. As he hustled to carry two sacks of soil at a time, those who observed his actions couldn't help but marvel at his strength. Harlik's leadership was a source of inspiration to all who witnessed it.
With his current strength at 17, there was the potential to further enhance it using buff jewels, a precious resource granted by their lord. These small jewels, etched with intricate runes, held the power to augment a person's abilities. However, Harlik chose not to squander these valuable and limited assets on mere displays of strength.
The creation of buff jewels stood as a testament to Aermir's unparalleled craftsmanship, an artistry known only to him. These precious gems demanded an intricate process that incorporated the infusion of mana during the rune-etching, a unique method that endows each jewel with its distinct spell. Aermir's mastery of the arcane arts allowed him to craft these remarkable items, though their application was not without limitations.
One notable constraint was that buff jewels could not yet be employed for attack spells. The execution of an offensive spell required a high level of control over the elemental forces harnessed, lest the caster found themselves harmed by their own incantation. Thus, for the time being, these jewels were exclusively reserved for enhancing and fortifying abilities. He had experimented on using damage spells, but when he tested it using prisoners when they activated it, it exploded in their hands.
The rarity and complexity surrounding the creation of these jewels limited their production. These diminutive, bean-sized treasures were not mass-produced; each one was a meticulously crafted work of art. However, their value lay not in their size but in the substantial enhancement they could provide. With a mere touch, they granted a noteworthy augmentation of 2.5 in either strength or speed, but the drawback was they were one-time use only when the spell was cast, the jewel turned into dust.
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As Aermir's men diligently prepared for an impending invasion, the Sistermen Lords remained under the illusion that their assault on Moondrift would catch the defenders by surprise. In their opinion, the fleeing sailors, who had narrowly escaped the fiery encounter, hadn't been able to gauge the true size of the Sistermen's fleet accurately. All they had witnessed were Sistermen ships aflame, intertwined with their own, and the abrupt retreat of their foes.
The Sistermen Lords remained oblivious to how their intended victims had managed to slip away from their clutches just before their boarding actions commenced. Their lack of concern for this puzzling escape was partly due to their confidence in their own martial prowess and the speed of their ships. They believed that even if a few survivors reached the safety of the shore in a small sailboat, it would avail them little time. With an hour or so head-start, they believed it wouldn’t amount to anything substantial against their great fleet. In their estimation, the open sea offered no respite, and they presumed they would be mere hours behind these fugitives.
In that brief span, they fully intended to descend upon Moondrift like a tempest, determined to plunder the harbor town down to its very foundations, savoring the spoils of their raid. Not knowing they had a special something that helped add speed to their small sailboats. Aermir had readied fake shipwreck sailors beforehand and used them long ago, and the real sailors that fled from them had arrived in Moondrift 8 hours ago and reported to Kegan since most of them were from Ravenguard.