Skarvi's Hammers
Skarvi’s Hammers is an all Jolnir group of merceneries and pirates of opportunity founded in Ostland by Skarvi Eightfingers, a refugee Skjoldir noble turned regional warlord. Unlike mercenaries such as the Society of Bastards and Second Sons, the Hammers are for sale purely to the highest bidder, without regard to race, nationality, ethics or religion.
What has made the Hammers successful, aside from natural Jolnir size and bloodthirst is their mobility. The Hammers are excellent sailors and can bring their forces to bear with quickness. Skarvi has also had the foresight to install shipwrights in Jolnir villages he controls on the Ostland coasts who repair and build ships for his fleet.
The Hammers are thought to be a little over a thousand strong in fighting men and operate at least 30 vessels, consisting of traditional longships, but also more advanced vessels. Like many such organizations, Skarvi’s Hammers have grown stronger as the Kalmasan navy, stretched out, overworked and underpaid, cannot police its territories and spheres of influence as it had at the height of the Samraj's strength.
The Kalmasan Navy can no longer spare the ships to patrol the northern waters in force, which has allowed the Hammers to grow rich from pirating and protection schemes. Skarvi, seeing his window of opportunity, has expanded out of his home waters and sent expeditions south to Barendar and even as far as Kemesh, intent on establishing his own bases of operation in unclaimed or weakly contested territories.
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