A Grand Design 28.

Winter. Central Girdane.

In the duchy of Wostin in central Girdane. Tovis the war engineer walks along a road that cuts through farmland.
The young engineer originally from the kingdom of Druvic, stops and looks at the scene before him.
Next to him, Larris the sorcerer has stopped too. As they look at the line of wagons, many of them burning.
It's a supply line of the king of Girdane's army. That was attacked by a substantial force from the lands Farque.
Who left the kingdom of Girdane, and traveled across part of the Kaldel Plains. Before turning back south, and coming back into Girdane.
Into the central region of the kingdom, after leaving from the western part of Girdane.
They attacked the supply line a little earlier this morning. Wiping out everyone in the various wagons.
From soldiers in the king's army, to mercenaries hired by the king's army. To carters and wagoners, to camp followers and auxiliaries.
All killed, and those that fled, they're being pursued at the moment by elements in the army from the lands Farque.
A mercenary army hired by the three dukes from western Girdane, who have rebelled against their king this winter. And are at war with him at this moment in time.
The war engineer, who is a captain in the armies of Farque. Who has spotted Dorc da Orc wandering through some of the wreckage. Looking for anything that might take his interest.
Tovis suspects it's booze the large ork is searching for. That tends to be the main thing the ork warleader looks for whenever they go somewhere new.
The war engineer who previously served in the army of a baron Harkonin in the east of the kingdom of Druvic.
Has also spotted sir Percavelle Lé Dic standing off to one side of the road. Full helm off, tucked under his right  arm. With a scowl of disapproval upon his face, as he looks at the big, burly ork who is from the southern polar region of the world. Who is now a general in the armies of Farque.
The young engineer is just about to ask Larris the sorcerer something, where he hears someone calling out his name.
The war engineer, along with the sorcerer turn, and spot a messenger running towards them.
"War engineer" says the runner when he gets to them, who then adds "My lord Farque wishes to speak with you". The messenger, a young teen, points eastwards, to a nearby hilltop, then says "Up there".
"Very well" says Tovis the war engineer, who follows that with "I'll be there shortly" as he can see the undead warlord up on the hill that the messenger has pointed to.
After the runner takes off to deliver another message, Tovis quietly says to Larris the sorcerer "Come on, let's go and see what he wants".
The spellcaster in the armies of Farque nods, then Tovis calls out "Dorc, Percy we're going" the young engineer points to the hilltop that the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is on.
"Up there!" adds the war engineer when the ork weaponsmith and the former paladin turn and look to where he's pointing.
The captain in the armies of Farque nods to the sorcerer who is a subaltern in the same army.
And the two of them set off for the nearby hilltop that the deathlord of Farque is on. Leaving the line of burning wagons behind them.
Up on the nearby hill, lord Farque or Draugadrottin as he's also known by, to the people of his lands.
Stands there, looking away to the east, sensing as he does so.
The heavily armoured deathlord is sensing an airship, a warship to be exact. Some ten miles or so away, heading westwards, more or less in this direction.
Here in the heart of the farmland in the duchy of Wostin. That's now being affected by the war between the three most western duchies of the kingdom, against the crown and the king of Girdane.
Larris the sorcerer teleports himself and captain Tovis partway up the hilltop. They walk the rest of the way to where the lord and ruler of the lands Farque is standing, looking to the east, on this cold, winter's morning. Here in the middle of the kingdom of Girdane.
"My lord?" says Tovis the war engineer after he and Larris come to a stop near the still figure of the undead warlord, and bow to him.
"There's a warship heading this way" says lord Farque, who continues with "No doubt it's in the king's fleet".
Both Tovis and Larris nod, as that seems certainly likely to them. As they've seen very few merchant ships in the skies since the rebellion began.
Well, very few flying the usual trade routes across the kingdom of Girdane.
"It's moving at a fair clip too" adds the undead being who also has the elven name of Des'tier, which translated to the common language, means The Destroyer.
Gesturing down at the road to where the burning and destroyed wagons are, the lord of the death realm says "If they've got lookouts with any ability, or any non humans onboard, they've probably caught sight of the smoke from the burning wagons" he continues with "If they weren't heading this way anyway, they are now" Draugadrottin then adds "Just to see what's happened, more than anything else ".
Both Tovis and Larris nod, then the lord and ruler of the lands Farque, says to the captain and the subaltern "Might as well see what they're up to".
"Do you want me to bring it down my lord?" asks the powerful sorcerer.
Behind the faceplate of his full helm, the undead warlord faintly smiles at the eagerness of one of his spellcasters wanting to destroy, what's probably an enemy airship.
"Not quite yet" says the heavily armoured deathlord, who can now see the airship that's under ten miles away, as he looks eastwards.
It's a cutter, and moving pretty quickly for a twin masted airship.
"Since they're being so obliging in coming this way" says the lord of the lands Farque, who continues with "We might as well find what they're up to".
Tovis looks back down the hill, and spots both Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic now heading up it.
The large ork and the heavily armoured knight might be going the same way. But they're definitely keeping as much distance between themselves as they walk up to the top of the hill.
The war engineer looks back at the deathlord of Farque, who is saying "Larris i want you to get me up on that ship when it gets near".
The undead being, whose nation lies faraway to the south, then adds in a slightly dry tone of voice "And that fat fucking idiot Dorc too".
"Yes my lord" says the sorcerer in the armies of Farque, who then nods when his lord tells him "You'll be coming with us".
Then turning to the young engineer, who is originally from the kingdom of Druvic, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque says to him "Tovis you'll remain down here" followed by "As the subcommander's second".
Lord Farque points down to the road, and says "He's already getting our force off the road, and to cover".
The war engineer nods as they look down to the road, and see the substantial size force, numbering about three thousand, that's left the rest of their army. Back west, with the main bulk of the rebels of the duchies of Dalmar, Girnath and Falosen who are at war with the crown and the king of Girdane.
Are moving to cover where they can find it, amongst woods, or behind hills, going around to the western side of them.
The undead warlord, who has taken direct command of this force in his army. As he usually doesn't do that, as he tends to let others take command of his various armies.
Knows that something is amiss with this conflict, or what's essentially a civil war.
First with the magically created plague that hit the remotest areas of the three western most duchies in the kingdom of Girdane.
Then the sudden appearance of waagen of all things. Attacking both sides of the conflict between the rebellious dukes, and the crown and king.
Then with the wyvern rider in the king's army, that he took out of the sky a couple of nights ago.
Who though a courier and messenger in the army of the king of Girdane. Was also a spy for someone else. Who, they're not sure of.
For when Larris the sorcerer read the mind of the wyvern rider that lord Farque and Dorc da Orc had tortured.
The courier in the king's army, didn't know who he was actually spying for. Just that he passed on his information, to various people. All he had never met before, and all he only met the once.
He was doing it for the gold he was paid. Not for any ideals or beliefs.
And now with a warship, heading quickly westwards, from presumably the capital Oaklynn. Out to the king's army, who are fighting the armies of the duchies of Dalmar, Girnath and Falosen.
The undead warlord suspects there's more going on here, than just a sovereign trying to quell a rebellion in his kingdom.
"What we fucken doing?" asks Dorc da Orc when he gets to the top of the hill, at the same time as sir Percavelle Lé Dic. Though thirty yards apart from one another.
"I'll tell you in a moment cunt" says Draugadrottin in the ork language.
The warleader of the ork race grunts, then he looks to the east, and spots the airship that's now about eight miles away.
"Oooohhhh a ship" murmurs Dorkindle in delight, the large ork who is from the frozen bottom of the world has always liked airships, as he enjoys flying. And fancies himself being a captain of many a ship.
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks grunts, when the lord and ruler of the lands Farque says to subaltern Larris "You should be able to see it with a farsight spell now".
Then the ork weaponsmith sourly smiles as lord Farque switches to the elven language, as he continues to speak with Larris the sorcerer and Tovis the war engineer.
The large ork, who is a general in the armies of Farque. Looks over at his rival, sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
Who also has a sour expression on his face. As he looks at the undead warlord, the powerful spellcaster and the young engineer.
All of whom are speaking in elven now, a language he doesn't understand. Just as his rival, the ork warleader doesn't.
The two of them have to wait to know what's going on. Though the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world has the advantage of being able to actually see the approaching airship with his naturally enhanced eyesight.
After a little while, the other three start walking to the backside of the hill. Lord Farque gestures for Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic to follow them.
Then speaking in the ork language, Des'tier says "We're going onto that ship cunt".
Dorkindle grunts, and the lord of the death realm tells him "Kill the crew, but leave the officers and any fucking passengers alone".
The large ork nods, then the undead warlord says in the common language to the former paladin "Percy, stay here with Tovis" he continues with "He'll inform you what to do".
"Of course good sir" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, who is just glad that by the sounds of things, the ork warleader is going to be somewhere else. Which is always a good thing in his opinion.
"The spellcasters onboard will be able to sense me once i stop holding my power within myself" says Larris the sorcerer a bit later as they can all see the approaching airship now, flying quickly, dropping in altitude as it heads this way towards the road.
Lord Farque nods his full helmed head, then says "It can't be helped, just get us onboard" the heavily armoured deathlord momentarily pauses as he senses, then he says "A pair of wizards are onboard, one below deck, and one on deck, near the wheel".
The undead warlord looks at the sorcerer, and says "The closer you can get us to aft the better".
Larris nods in understanding, as that is where the officers on deck are most likely to be, and where one of the wizards onboard is as well.
Tovis the war engineer and sir Percavelle Lé Dic head down the backside of the hill a bit.
While the other three remain near the crest of the hill, looking eastwards at the approaching airship, which can clearly be seen as a warship flying the king of Girdane's colours.
Taking his mace from his belt when the cutter is about half a mile away, lord Farque glances at Larris and slightly nods.
The sorcerer stops holding his power within himself, then touching both the undead warlord and the ork warleader who are standing to either side of him, the subaltern teleports the three of them after casting a farsight spell again, so he can clearly see where he's going.
They appear on the aft deck of the cutter, which is often called the poop deck. Which Dorc da Orc has always found hilarious when someone has mentioned that to him.
As they appear, the lord of the death realm throws his mace. Which slams into the wizard who turns their way. Shattering the spellcaster's skull to pieces.
Draugadrottin then leaps forward, landing by the wheel. Where he grabs the helmsman, and biffs him backwards over the aft rail. While grabbing the stunned looking captain at the same time.
Meanwhile Dorc da Orc, roaring as only an ork in battle can roar. Has taken off, running at the nearest crew members. Who are stunned at the sudden appearance of the three who have just shown up on their vessel. And as the large ork cuts them down, and also runs them down.
Larris the sorcerer casts a still spell on a couple of nearby officers. Who have only just moved after the sudden violence from the heavily armoured deathlord, and the ork warleader.
Then the subaltern in the armies of Farque hurries over to where his lord is near the wheel. Where the undead being has just kicked a crew member overboard, and punched in the skull of another who has run at him. All the while as he keeps a hold of the captain, who is punching and kicking at him, to no effect.
"Would you fucking stop that" mutters Draugadrottin, who then squeezes the right arm of the captain he's holding, breaking it.
The ship's captain screams in pain. Though he stops kicking out and punching the large, heavily armoured form of the lord of the death realm.
After Larris teleports an air sailor overboard who runs at them wielding a cutlass, the subaltern nods then says "Yes my lord" in elven in response to the undead warlord asking him in the same language "Cast a truth spell on him" as he nods at the ship's captain.
After the spellcaster in the armies of Farque does so, the lord and ruler of the lands Farque gestures along the main deck, where Dorc da Orc has left a trail of destruction on his way before going below deck.
"You better go below and deal to that other wizard down there" says the lord of the death realm who follows that with "And make sure that big green psycho doesn't go firing off any magetubes" he then dryly adds "Knowing him, he'll probably blow us out of the sky".
The next moment, lord Farque sourly smiles behind the faceplate of his full helm, when there's the thud of a magetube firing from below deck.
And they see a magetube shot head out from the port side, streaking through the morning sky.
Larris the sorcerer winces, then the subaltern in the armies of Farque hurries to the nearest ladder that goes below deck.
"Right you, time to answer some questions" says the undead warlord to the ship's captain who is groaning in pain, as he has slumped to the deck.
The deathlord of Farque stands him up, and says "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Des'tier continues with "And why are you in such in hurry to do so?".
The captain in the king's fleet who is under the truth spell cast by Larris the sorcerer, has to answer, and he does so.
And when lord Farque hears the answer from the ship's captain as the vessel heads due west, with the undead being at the wheel.
Draugadrottin blinks in surprise, and is astonished to hear what the captain has to say.
The fuck is going on? the deathlord of Farque thinks to himself after learning that the king of Girdane, Jarnard the Second of his name, has along with his family, been killed in the palace of the king in the capital city Oaklynn.
Apparently by the forces of the three dukes from the very west of the kingdom, who have rebelled against the crown and the king . . . . . .