The Hire 104.

The Duchy Of Phelm...

Onboard the krean strikeship Flídiablo. The undead wardog Axe makes his way below deck.
The massive undead canine is in the firing hold. Nosing around the magetubes, and the below deck crew members who operate them.
The crew members are careful not to accidentally touch the massive animal as he sniffs at everything that takes his fancy.
Which is sometimes the crew themselves. Who all stand completely still if the undead wardog stops by them, and snuffles the tops of their heads.
It seems Axe likes the scent of some of the dragon like krean who are part of the crew.
One of whom is the below deck officer on duty. One of the navigators, or krean spellcasters onboard.
Who stands completely still as Axe, the laziest of the two undead wardogs onboard. Sniffs at his head and along his wings for a few moments.
Before he trots over to one of the magetubes which is out of it's cradle like swing arm at the moment.
The officer just hopes the massive animal doesn't play with the magetube, and gnaw at it. As it's done already to a couple of the heavy magical weapons since it's been living on the strikeship with it's master, ever since they left the Krean Protectorate in northern Farque.
The navigator, the youngest one onboard. Lets out a sigh of relief as the undead wardog just lies down and sniffs the out of action magetube. Which needs to be refilled with power.
Then Axe lifts his head, looks back, and looks directly at the young officer. The navigator always finds that uncanny. As a couple of moments later he gets a message from the wheelhouse above deck, by way of a mindspeech spell from one of the other navigators.
The young officer clears his throat, then says "Ah Axe, you are wanted up in the wheelhouse".
The massive canine is already up and moving before the navigator adds "There is something up there you need to look at".
The undead wardog softly barks, then makes his way between the rows of magetubes, and the crew members who operates each of the magical weapons.
Each of the magetubes in the firing hold is on a swing arm cradle that's affixed to the bulkhead above, and the hull below.
Which is operated by a lone crew member. The swing arm device is such a genius design. That a single krean can operate even the heaviest of the magetubes. Which weighs in excess of fifteen hundred pounds.
Or roughly the same weight as Axe, who wanders through the firing hold to the nearest ladder.
Once there, the undead wardog makes his way up the steps, and out of the firing hold. Much to the relief of the young navigator, and the others in the crew who have duty below deck today. Which is another fine, and warm, sunny day here in the north of the kingdom of Nastell.
Even here, a few thousand feet above the duchy of Phelm. The day is relatively warm as it gets closer and closer to midday.
Axe pops up onto the flat, and mastless deck of the Flídiablo. He's just forward of a midships. And the massive animal, whose breed is the rarest of all the canine breeds on the world of Volunell.
Looks aft, to the wheelhouse. Where he sees his brother Anvil. Who is nearly as lazy as he is. Sitting on the deck, looking into the wheelhouse through one of the front portals.
Axe makes his way aft along the flat deck of the strikeship. That's not flying  particularly quickly. Only traveling at about dozen knots. And flying level too. Which isn't it's normal way of flying. Which is usually far more dynamic, to say the least.
As he wanders to aft, Axe looks around, spotting high flying birds in the distance to the west. He briefly wonders if the airship will head that way. But alas it doesn't. Much to the disappointment of Axe. Who would like nothing better to do, than to bark at some birds as they're in flight.
The massive undead wardog, who along with his brothers Anvil and Hammer. Are the largest of all the wardogs of Farque. Either living or dead. Or undead in their case.
Reaches the wheelhouse of the Flídiablo. Where his litter mate Anvil. Glances his way, before sticking his head back in through one of the open portals. To watch what's going on inside the wheelhouse of the krean strikeship.
The fastest, not to mention the most manoeuvrable airship ever designed and built on the world of Volunell.
Axe could look through one of the open portals along the front of the wheelhouse himself. But he doesn't bother with that.
Instead, the massive animal that stands six and a half foot tall at the shoulders. Who easily tops seven foot in overall height. Who weighs in excess of fifteen hundred pounds.
Squeezes in through one of the doors that allow access into the wheelhouse from the side.
The undead wardog softly barks in greeting to those in the wheelhouse. Before he walks through the large illusion spell that's in the middle of the wheelhouse. An illusion spell that Axe promptly sits in the middle of. Lies down, and rolls onto his back. The massive animal who died about four hundred and fifty years ago, lies there on his back. Wiggling about as he scratches his back on the decking here in the wheelhouse of the Flídiablo.
Rolling his eyes, the undead wardog handler Jessup says in the ancient language of command "Move Axe". As the undead wardog lies across the city of Almaic. To be precise, through the north wall of the city, with his hindquarters, and tail out on the open ground amongst the battlelines to north of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
Jessup rolls his eyes again as of course Axe doesn't listen to him. And continues to roll about through the city of Almaic as he scratches his back.
"Sorry about this" murmurs the undead wardog handler in the krean language to the others here in the wheelhouse with him.
"Come on boy, out of the way" says Jessup, this time in the common language, for he only has a basic understanding of the language that commands the undead wardogs from his homeland.
Amazingly Axe actually listens, and after stopping in mid scratch, the massive canine rolls to one side. Though he's still across part of the east side of the city of Almaic, as well as the river Mareb. And the countryside to the east of the river that runs along that side of the city that's the capital of the duchy of Phelm.
"Good enough i suppose" mutters Jessup, as Axe lies there on his side looking at the intricate illusion spell, with his stubby tail wagging furiously.
The undead wardog handler glances over at captain Kalrissian and shrugs his shoulders. They both then look at the chief navigator who is the main one casting. As the three other navigators here in the wheelhouse are assisting him with the intricate illusion. Which shows them the city of Almaic, and it's surrounds. Right at this exact moment. Where a battle is taking place.
"There's the warleader" says the chief navigator, who then adds "He's rather easy to find" as he points to where the large ork, Dorc da Orc. Is fighting the enemy within one of their fortifications, less than a hundred yards from the north wall of the city.
"What the hell is that fat ork wearing?" mutters Jessup as he watches the ork warleader and his goblin battalion for a few moments.
"As for spellcasters, especially those who are hiding themselves, that's a bit more difficult" says the chief navigator "For you and me both" dryly says Jessup, who can't sense through the spell to locate certain spellcasters. He has to rely upon his enhanced sight and hearing as he looks at the illusion. Which is so good. You can actually hear the battle, and sees it up close when the navigators concentrate on a specific area.
"The field commanders armies to the north of the city are definitely advancing now" says captain Kalrissian, the senior wardog handler nods in agreement with the captain of the Flídiablo.
Then after a few moments as he watches the army on the eastern flank to the north of the city. Jessup says "There's the mage Reinholt" he continues in a slightly dry tone with "He's the only one who'd wear a black hooded cloak on such a warm day like today".
Looking over at Axe who is still on his side watching the illusion spell as his tail continues to furiously wag.
Jessup says to the massive animal who died the exact same day as he did "Axe, where's the envoy?" followed by "Prince Helbenthril".
After a few moments of lying there, the undead wardog suddenly sits up, and looks down at the illusion spell, that's about two and half foot tall, and at least fifteen feet wide across the center of the wheelhouse.
Jessup knows the undead wardogs have far more senses at their disposal than he or any other undead human. And though they too can sense the living and dead. As well as magical creatures and practitioners of magic.
They have other abilities that other undead beings like Jessup doesn't have. The main one of which, is that they're totally immune to all clerical powers as well as holy ground.
For the simple reason they don't understand the concept of a higher being like a god. Hence they're immune to it unlike other undead.
But they also have the ability to sense through a spell, something that Jessup or any other undead being cannot do.
Though there is a sole exception to that last one. But even then he needs assistance from someone else, who only he communicates with.
Bending his head down, so that his nose almost touches the roof of a building in the eastern part of the city. Axe softly barks, and wags his tail as he sits across the Mareb river, and the countryside to the east of it.
"Freeze it" says the undead wardog handler, and the navigators casting the illusion spell in unison, which also happens to be a viewing spell of the city of Almaic which is thirty five miles to the southeast of where they are at the moment. Goes completely still at the command of the chief navigator.
Looking carefully at the roof indicated by Axe, Jessup points at it. And the image of it grows in size as the chief navigator manipulates the spell.
After a few moments, the senior wardog handler slightly nods, then says "There's a slight bending in the light there".
The chief navigator nods his head in understanding, then says "The blur spell his highness likes to cast".
"That's the one" murmurs Jessup, who then looks over at the undead wardog "Axe, where's the prince going?".
The senior wardog handler doesn't even have to tell the chief navigator to unfreeze the spell. The illusion spell resumes all movement.
And Axe, after softly barking. Scoots back on his butt through the Mareb river, then sticks his snout down at the boulevard and river docks along the east side of Almaic.
The massive undead animal softly growls, as does his brother Anvil, who is watching through one of the portals in the front of the wheelhouse.
"What is it boy?" asks Jessup, who got Axe to help him out. As the laziest of the undead wardogs, who also happens to be the most lethal and destructive of them all. Is also along with his sister Spear. The smartest of the undead wardogs.
While Anvil, though smarter than any other animal. And a fair number of people too. Who is almost as destructive as his brother Axe. Would rather eat bright coloured flowers and roll around in horse dung. Than try to work out something a bit more complex like tracking individuals through a powerful illusion spell.
Anvil wasn't exactly the smartest one of the litter that makes up the seven undead wardogs of Farque.
"He's looking at those near that tower there" quietly says the captain of the strikeship, the senior wardog handler nods in agreement. And the chief navigator enlarges that spot along the riverfront that Axe has indicated.
Jessup immediately spots the elven spy Dalinvardél Tanith off to one side of the enlarged section of the illusion showing the battle for the city of Almaic. The elven spy is with a small squad that has a couple of dwarven mercenaries in it.
They seem to be looking at a group closer to the tower. And that's where Jessup concentrates on.
"That's a nobleman for certain" says the undead wardog handler, who continues with "That fellow in the red armour".
Jessup glances at Axe who does a soft growling bark. Which causes the senior wardog handler to lift an eyebrow in surprise. As that's the bark for a spellcaster.
"He's a spellcaster" quietly says Jessup, both Axe and Anvil bark once for yes. While the krean navigators are surprised to hear that.
"Axe is his highness following that fellow in the red?" asks the senior wardog handler, once again Axe barks once for yes.
"Can you focus on what they're saying?" asks Jessup as he glances over at the chief navigator. Who nods his head, and a few moments later they're able to listen to what the enemy noble in the red armour is talking about to those with him.
He's a local noble by the name of sir Yarrim. And most of those soldiers along this part of the riverfront are from his household. He's telling their squad leader about the progress of the battle so far to the north of the city.
And also warns the squad leader to keep a lookout for anything or anyone out of the usual. Who might be using the nearby rooftops.
Does he know about the royal thief? Jessup thinks to himself, as they continue to watch and listen to the local noble. Until he and two of the soldiers with him disappear as he teleports away.
As the chief navigator returns that part of the illusion back to the same size as the rest of the spell.
The senior wardog handler asks Axe "Where's that spellcaster going boy?". The massive animal stands up, takes a step forward through the city of Almaic, and brings a paw down onto the palace of the duke. Which though is roughly in the center of the city. It's more in the southern quarter of Almaic.
"And his highness is still following after him?" asks the senior wardog handler, the undead wardog barks once for yes again as he moves back, and sits in the Mareb river, and the countryside to the east of it.
Then both Axe and his brother Anvil, followed by a moment later by Jessup. Glance towards the ladder that comes up into the wheelhouse.
A few moments later, and up the steps walks the large, heavily armoured figure of lord Farque. And everyone in the wheelhouse quietly says "My lord".
"Report" says lord Farque as he stands beside Jessup and captain Kalrissian.
The undead warlord then dryly adds "Axe you big lump, move" the heavily armoured deathlord continues with "We can't see general Halvane's army with you sitting there like that".
The massive animal growls, a growl that definitely sounds like a mutter more than anything else. Then he gets up, and moves away, and finally sits outside of the large illusion spell.
The lord and ruler of the lands Farque, who is also known by the name of Draugadrottin by his people. Or Des'tier by elven kind. Nods his full helmed head for Jessup to tell him of the progress of the battle for the city of Almaic.
The senior wardog handler, along with captain Kalrissian as well as the chief navigator of the krean strikeship Flídiablo. Explain to their lord and ruler the progress of the battle so far. And what they expect their forces to do as the battle continues.
Lord Farque listens in silence as he watches the illusion spell that shows the battle for the city of Almaic as it's actually happening right now . . . . . .