The ritter’s reaction to his warning made Torsten all the more aware that this was not a person to cross.  ‘I beg pardon if I gave offence, lord, but there have been many who have thought to sate their needs in the ghetto, both human and otherwise.  After all, the Jews are moneylenders, not warriors, and seem an easy target for those who seek to rob, rape - or hunt.  As far as I know, none who try it in Vistina come out unscathed, if they come out at all.<br/><br/>‘As for burning Kola’s ships and warehouses, it might work, but there have been attacks in the past which give me pause.  Two years ago, a raiding party came in from the Norse lands, three longships of fighters and a good third of them skinchangers.  They pirated a few trading ships, then took one of Kola’s, and looted and burned a village downriver which had his boatyards in it.  Two nights after that, the only raider ship still floating limped back to Gotland with a skeleton crew, and Kola was wearing a new fur hat.  His shipyards were up and running within the month and he had a new ship before the year was out.  It might work if we could hit enough of his holdings at once, to keep him busy, but it would need careful planning and absolute secrecy.’  Torsten sighed, thinking of the spider’s web their foe had built around himself with envy.  ‘Anyway, tactics are not for me to dictate, sir, so you decide how we proceed and I will provide what you need for your plans.’<br/>