Gusty keeps The Reaper on course back to Babel, and the Yodhrephath are still on alert - just because they stopped one enemy attack doesn't mean there might not be one laying in wait.

Alptraum has had a chance to change back from Scourge, which freed up some room for Cyprian to bring Caradoc back in. The mage is bound and has the isolation helmet back on, but is also clearly unconscious still. "I want Trilby to take a look at him," he tells Alptraum, "Unless you want to freeze him again? Do you need a checkup as well? What happened out there?"

"I'm pushing my limits a bit, but I'll be fine. Trilby should examine him first, then I'll lock him back in stasis. As for the question, what do you mean what happened? With him? The old city? It's a bit of an open ended question," Alptraum points out. "With him, the spell activated a black heart, something I know all too well," he explains and holds up his right hand, "And is responsible for this. It's a remnant of the monster weapon I took from Amenlichli a while back. Nasty piece of alien necromancy, can turn anyone into a nigh-indestructible undead monster. It was originally forged from the remains of an ancient dragon that devoured whole civilizations."

"So, only someone in league with Amenlichtli could have one of those then, correct?" Cyprian asks.

"Correct. Since I store the source, whatever remains of them is scarce, and would be in her hands. I captured that bit of flesh and isolated it in here," Alptraum explains and wiggles the fingers of his right hand. "Well, partially, but a full explanation gets complicated quickly."

"I don't think we'd need to produce it as evidence," Cyprian admits, rubbing his chin. "If there are still any sympathizers for the Royal Mages or the General, this is the sort of thing that would make them turn tail rather than risk being linked to a devil-worshipping cult."

"I could produce it, but i don't quite think it's a good idea. Look what one of them did to me, and I'm warded up and down against undead," Alptraum points out. "None of you are, it could eat you alive."

"How'd it not eat him sooner then?" Cyprian asks, just as there's a knock at the door.

"It was contained within something. And as for how bad it could have been, it would have given him some of the same abilities I have. So, imagine me, without morals and determined to take out the city," Alptraum says, "And that's what you'd be dealing with." He heads to the door and opens it.

Trilby looks up at Alptraum, and squints slightly, before saying, "Say 'ahhhh', I need to see your mouth and tongue."

"Because I'm a doctor," the Skeek squeaks, raising her hands in the air. "I need to see if you're alright. Eeee tongues are an easy thing to check that reveals many health factors."

"Of course I'm not all right. I haven't been all right for a long time. You know what I am," Alptraum points out and rolls his eyes. He also does stick out his tongue. "Ahhh."

The mouse grabs it of course, and squeezes it here and there. "Hmmm, yes. Hmmm. HMMMM..." she goes as she conducts her examination. "You need to drink some water," she prescribes before releasing her grip.

"I could drink your blood," Alptraum suggests. But he does go look for one of the water jugs to drink from anyway.

"Water is better right now," Trilby says, and comes in to poke at Pancrazio with a what looks like a knitting needle, trying to elicit a response. "Also, you might want to get some pants."

"Switching between three bodies, one of which was a full dragon, is not good on clothing. Why does it even matter? Who am I going to either impress or embarrass here?" Alptraum asks.

"Did you strain anything by changing shape?" Trilby then asks, as she checks Pancrazio's pulse.

"Well.. this one is still alive for now," Trilby says, and looks back to Alptraum. "Eating the hearts of your enemy isn't something you should do," she points out. "How does your stomach feel?"

"It's not that kind of eating. You ... do know I'm not entirely Eeee, right?" Alptraum reminds. "I had to absorb its life essence so to speak, and lock it away. An unnatural piece of flesh.

Well, he's still barely alive," Trilby says. "No reflex responses though, so can't say if there's anything going on in his head."

"His consciousness is in the other head I brought back. That's why I went into the city and took on the decaying ship," Alptraum explains. "So, Cyprian might want to look at reversing it."

"Of some sort. That thing was the part that controlled the entire ship. Welcome to Old Eeee technology and Amenlichli magic," Alptraum mutters.

"So.. it was actually part of how the old flagship worked?" Cyprian asks. "I knew they manipulated insects in the Tower, but I didn't think they used people like that."

"Part of the Tower worked like that too. One of the first daughters of Dronnell was used similarly in the deep sub-levels. I put her out of her misery," Alptraum explains and sort of foot-kicks the head towards Trilby.

The Skeek grabs up the head by the hair, turning it this way and that. "I suspect the flesh has actually been treated with something. I'd need to examine it in the lab to see if there are any actual biological processes going on."

"We need that to.." Cyprian begins to say, then pauses. "We don't have a way to transfer a mind. That's what the Royal Mages were capable of, supposedly."

"You're a mind mage. Try to isolate the spell he used from any echos, and see if you can walk it backward. You don't have to know how to do it, just how to unweave what he did," Alptraum points out.

"I'll need Rostre's help," Cyprian says, looking uncertain. "I doubt he had a piece of this thing's brain implanted. We'll need to remove everything he's got sewn into him as well."

"That's assuming there's an actual mind in this thing," Trilby notes, shaking the head a bit. "Why would you need one? It doesn't even have eyes or ears."

"It had the entire array of sensors of the ship to connect through," Alptraum points out. "That's the center of the old Eeee flagship."

"Creepy," Trilby says. "I'd still like to study it when you're done though, and don't need it back intact for anything."

Alptraum goes searching for spare clothing. "So, how freaked out is the crew after seeing me take on the mage?" he asks. "I don't think they quite believe me when I've told them I am a monster."

"I haven't spoken to the crew," Cyprian notes. "I'm not sure the passengers didn't see something though."

"They're still wonky from being cut off from Pancrazio," Trilby says. "It was hard enough getting them back on board. Like herding drunks."

"Great," Alptraum sighs and rubs his face. "THAT said it was trying to protect us? That monster? Surprised they aren't in here demanding I'm burned on the mast."

"They were also busy trying to get the ship ready, and getting that Ptera in place," Cyprian says. Apparently there are extra pants. They're Eeee cut, so likely from the crew (or leftover from the prize crew that brought it in to Babel).

They're on the snug side. "Need me to let those out a bit?" Trilby asks. "Where are they too tight?"

"Everywhere," Alptraum says. I feel like I'm being squeezed upward. And things are really compressed in bad ways." Off those pants go.

"Can't you make yourself smaller?" Trilby asks. "I'll see if I can swap them for something bigger from the men in the hold. None of their pants fit either. And there are the Yodhrephath too."

"Yes, I could make myself smaller. I am also running low, and do not know how long I could hold it," Alptraum points out, sighs. "I literally just did three massive body shifts, a defensive shield, and jailed a black heart. Give me a break, okay? You've got to know how much magic it takes to actually change mass up, and I did that twice."

"I'm not aware of any magic that can do that actually," Trilby says. "I'll try to find you something bigger."

"We can probably get away with not freezing Pancrazio," Cyprian says. "He can't jump back from that head into his body with the helmet on."

"You know how much it takes to heal a wound, right? It's many times that," Alptraum points out. "And I can recover, I do have the light source on the ship to siphon off of."

"Here," Trilby says, handing the head to Cyprian, who looks uncomfortable holding it. "I'll to swap out these pants. Stay hydrated! I'm sure changing size leads to dehydration."

"Hey," Alptraum says, "Just think, in an outpost like Babel, you still managed to get a head." He grins.

"Hmmm," Cyprian replies, while Trilby cackles on her way out. "You could use it in lieu of pants," he offers to Alptraum. Then sets the head down in Pancrazio's lap.

"If I wanted head, I'd rather get it from one of the women on board," Alptraum jokes.

"They scare me," Cyprian says. "Even more than most female Mages do. Would they even know what to do? And if they do, what does that imply?"

"They wouldn't have a clue. The joke would be lost on them," Alptraum says and shrugs some. He grabs a free chair and sits down heavily in it. "I could have handled this better. I should have predicted the black heart," he says.

"It must have been shielded from you somehow, if you can normally detect them," Cyprian suggests. "In one of those implants, probably. Or via something so old we don't even know to look for it."

"Had to be, I should have been able to sense it. I always have in the past," Alptraum says. "I mean, part of it is part of me, there is symbiotic resonance."

"And it's a real one?" Cyprian asks, and looks to Alptraum's right hand. "How big is it, anyway?"

Alptraum holds up his hand with his finger and thumb spaced out about the size of a moderate nut. "It's smaller, but very much shaped like one, and it pulsates. With head pump, it takes over more and more of the creature it is implanted in. It's a nasty weapon. It was common on the Sylvanian Necromancer wars."

"Odd," Cyprian notes. "Does it take over and give control to someone else, or does the person maintain control over themselves but become some sort of super-undead?"

"I believe it's mostly the latter," Alptraum says, "However Amenlichli can assert control at any time and force them do to whatever they want. And no, don't worry about me. I'm neither undead, nor can she exert any control over me."

"Has she tried?" Cyprian asks. "You say you ate the source of these things. Does that mean you can make them as well?"

"I've never tried, nor do I want to," Alptraum says, "And she's talked to me, and yes, tried. It didn't work."

"She actually has tried to bargain with me since she cannot influence me," Alptraum clarifies.

"I wonder what she offers that seduces so many," Cyprian muses, and shakes his head. "I suppose the climate has to be such that her offer seems preferable."

"Eternal life. People are afraid to die, and a promise to live forever will sway most," Alptraum points out. "And from there, power, wealth, influence, the usual sort of crap."

"Though what she turns you into is hardly alive," Alptraum clarifies. "Did you know the famous Eeee Opera singer is one of hers?"

"The one who died performing The Sylvanian Heresy a few years back?" Cyprian notes. "Abednego bar Abbas, wasn't it? I heard there was some confusion about the body."

"Him. He's still around. He's an undead of Amenlichli's now. I've had some encounters with him. I've just kept it quiet due to the native of his fame, and what he became," Alptraum explains and nods.

"The Abbas family collapsed recently didn't they?" Cyprian asks. "I'm not very up on what the Babelite nobility has been up to."

"I might have had something to do with the collapse," Alptraum admits and shrugs. "I do a lot from the shadows."

"Well, shadows are your specialty, aren't they?" Cyprian asks, smirking slightly. "Most of us aren't free to act, even with the knowledge of something going on."

"Exactly that. I can act, and I can do it behind the scenes. I've been involved in a lot of subtle downfalls or changes," Alptraum says and nods. "And I probably shouldn't be telling you that."

"I couldn't act on the admission anyway," Cyprian notes. "The Guild does not get entangled with governments since the last war. Self preservation."

"No," Cyprian admits, leaning back a bit. "Those are the people that propped up the Sabaoth and the High Princess, started a war that decimated the mages, then started a heretical ritual involving the entire city and corrupting the mages even further, all so one person could be a god."

"Good. It's also why I trust you and tell you. Plus, so you can check me too, if ever needed," Alptraum says.

"I have issues with you," Cyprian notes. "But they're largely from my religious upbringing. The Lore of the Barsunala is a bit sparse, generally relegated to the same coverage of the many lesser gods and demi-gods that people don't care about as much. But it's still hard to think of you as someone who would hang out with mortals."

"Issues with me? As if you prefer I do not exist?" Alptraum inquires, and arches his brow.

"No, it's just that I never expected to meet any of the Kindly Ones or demi-gods," Cyprian says. "In one sense, it validates my beliefs. But it also means accepting that they're like real people."

"Blame me, I've influenced things a bit," Alptraum admits. "I want to be reachable and not feared."

"I assume then you're behind the changes in the Yodhgorphat, as well as the Yodhsunala? Did you influence the Yodhrephath as well?" Cyprian asks.

"Any others I should be watching?" Cyprian asks. "The Yodhblakat hosting refugee camps probably. Will the Yodhbarada be opening public libraries, and the Yodhzakaro.. well, I don't know what to expect of the Yodhzakaro, if there are any left."

"There's one, I need to go see her. And yes, I have connections into the Yodhbarada too. One of them is my personal agent now," Alptraum says, grins, and shrugs. I am the puppeteer."

"Her? Just a friend from Sylvania. She was cursed when fighting a dragon and became one," Alptraum explains. "She's afraid to be it, but I wish she'd embrace it a bit more."

"Interesting, if confusing," Cyprian says. "You being able to transform I can accept as a miracle. I've heard of Sylvanian were-people though. It's not something that's been well studied."

"She's not that. Her condition is the result of a magic artifact that fused with her," Alptraum explains and shrugs. "Does she worry you?

"No, it's just that she seems be in league with you somehow," Cyprian says. "It makes me think you have a secret squad of.. Yodhalptraum."

"Hah, no, I have no sect of my own. Nor do I want one," Alptraum remarks. "Friends, allies, but not worshippers."

"I never really though of the Yodh as worshippers," Cyprian supposes. "Mortal agents of the divine."

The door opens on that, and Trilby says, "Talking about me behind my back?" She's got several pairs of rough canvas pants with her.

"I really don't want of to be thought of as greater than anyone else," Alptraum says. "I want to be one of you."

"So, instead of one naked guy, you have a bunch. Dodn't think that through huh?" Alptraum asks as she starts checking pants for sizes.

The pants are made for barrephath, with slight variations, so at least one pair should fit. "For the smaller men, these are all too big anyway," Trilby claims. "There aren't any actual Eeee-sized men in that bunch."

Alptraum picks a pair and slips into them. "Well, these should work for now, I think," he says and sighs. "How are the passengers doing?"

"Still wobbly," Trilby explains. "Mild shock, mostly. They don't argue when a doctor tells them to take off their pants. You'd think they were kept naked before or something! I'll take back the pairs you don't want."

"Not yet," Trilby says. "Although some seem more lucid. Is there any reason they'd be reluctant to mention you?"

"I turned into two different monsters?" Alptraum points out. "Hardly normal, now is it?

"Well, you're a demi-god of death," Trilby notes. "Not sure if they knew that though. Also the bossy kitty wants to see you once you're ready to leave the cabin."

"Tulani? All right. I'll go now," Alptraum says. He stands up and heads to the cabin door. "Keep an eye on the heads," she says, then slips out

Things aren't too hectic on deck. The Yodh are in their usual positions, and Spinner is out there somewhere as well since the Ptera isn't harnessed to the ship anymore. There's no sign of Tulani though.

"She went up to the Korv's Nest," Gusty calls from the steering deck. Apparently he's on break. "Looking for trouble."

"All right" Alptraum says and wings upward, then starts climbing towards the Korv's next. "What did you need?" he calls out

Tulani looks down the hatchway. "Ah, you found pants," she says. "How are you feeling after all of that? Do you need a recharge?"

"That's all it was about?" Alptraum asks as he climbs in. "Yes, I could, I expended a lot out there dealing with all of that. I don't feel bad, but I can't be that charged right now."

"Any other problems?" Tulani asks as she partially unsheathes the Light. "I was too caught up in getting the airship moving to see what happened after the Mage dropped."

Alptraum extends his hand and starts to absorb. "Well, I pulled a black heart out of him and recovered the head he transferred himself to in the ship," he explains and shrugs. "S'bout it? Hope the crew isn't too freaked out about what happened. Not sure why you folks didn't leave like I asked."

"We did leave.. the area," Tulani claims. "We couldn't move fast yet. These men work with Yodhrephath, so they know better than to act upset. I'll talk to each of them and make sure they're alright, or come up with an explanation they'll accept. If not.. maybe that evil mage had some sort of trick that makes people hallucinate."

"Lame excuse for not leaving," Alptraum says, "What if that ship actually did get airborne? Or sent out attack flyers?"

"Gusty couldn't prepare any spells while in the Forbidden Zone you know, and one Ptera couldn't pull a ship this big," Tulani lectures. "All that matters in the end is that we all got out alive, and the enemy didn't. If it got desperate.. I could have pulled us out."

"You should have. One person is not worth risking the entire crew for. I could have made it back on my own," Alptraum points out, and sighs.

"We weren't hanging back waiting for you!" Tulani insists. "Airships take time to get going, and there's no wind out here. And me turning into a dragon would have definitely caused a panic."

"Are we taking everyone back to the Mages Guild tower?" Tulani asks, changing the subject. "They're going to take the men to cure them right?"

"As far as I am aware," Alptraum says. "They're not ready to be released or sent home."

"Alright, good," Tulani says. "Because I don't think the Yodhrephath will take them back now that the key Royal Mage is.. whatever he is now. And we don't run into more on the way back. I haven't spotted anything in the air so far, but if they'd have had time to set up in the mountains if they're going to try anything more."

"Do you think they will?" Alptraum asks. "I'm not sure they'll go to that much trouble if their main assault failed."

"I have no idea," Tulani admits, leaning on the edge of the basket. "It's unlikely that they know what happened, and the forces on the other airship didn't seem that impressive. But they wouldn't have had time to get something more effective into the air. That was probably their escape ship. And the Yodhrephath will also be out on the mountains."

"Or it was to make us have a false sense of security," Alptraum notes, "And they have an armada waiting. Especially if they know I'm out here, I would be a huge target."

"They had some countermeasures for you before, at the Tower, didn't they?" Tulani asks. "But being prepared for you doesn't make them prepared for the Yodhrephath. You can sense where people are too."

"Until they learn how to mask that," Alptraum points out. "And yes, they did. So have the various mages we've caught."

"Do they even know how you detect people though?" Tulani asks. "Or that you can at all?"

"Then I'm going to assume they can't hide from you," Tulani says, standing up straight. "We haven't seen a second airship. So either they don't have one, or their only Air Mage was on the first one."

"I bet they have another. They may not care much about the mage we have, either, really. They could be launching a huge attack against the city while we're out here," Alptraum points out.

"They'd need a lot of forces for that," Tulani says. "Everyone is still on high alert after the first attack. But.. did we ever find out just what they were going for besides the Tower stuff?"

"The General's spare parts, and the timestone weapon," Alptraum says, "Is all I know of at this point."

"And any tools they left behind," Tulani suggests. "If they were stashed away in secret spots they probably have them already though, while everyone was focused on the higher profile targets. We really need to take someone alive that can tell us where they keep their stuff."

"Assuming anyone knows all the spots. It would be stupid, though. More likely the knowledge would be divided up," Alptraum points out. "To prevent exactly what you're suggesting."

"The first one, the Doctor, didn't seem to know the whole plan either," Tulani says. "Babelite paranoia would prevent anyone from knowing everything." She points off into the distance, towards some clouds. "Mountains ahead, should reach them in a few hours. Then we'll need you to do your aura sensing thing."

"All right, I may take a nap for an hour or two then to be fresher for it," Alptraum says. "So, wake me when we start to get close, hm?" And with that, he sits in the next itself and closes his eyes for a brief respite from the day.

With no natural winds (the return journey is avoiding the higher altitude 'river' that blows the other direction) the ride is smooth enough that Alptraum gets uninterrupted rest from quite some time. Until the explosion wakes him up. It's rather loud, after all, even though the airship doesn't seem to react.

Alptraum jerks away! "What in Dagh's name was that?!" he blurts out and gets up, almost falling out of the Korv's Nest.

"Airship exploded," Tulani says, looking forward. They've reached the foothills that spread out from Babel like ripples. The Sisters are further on. "Not ours of course. I can see the smoke.."

Alptraum rubs his face. "Great. That means there are more out here. Is everyone else on alert?" he asks as he starts trying to scan the horizon for other ships.

"I imagine so," Tulani says, and hands a spy-scope to Alptraum. "A bit to the left, you can see the smoke from behind one of the hills."

Spinner and her Ptera block the view for a moment as they head out in front of the Reaper. But past that is a large plume of smoke rising up from the ground, but above that is a bigger, airburst cloud of smoke that's still dissipating. Smaller moving shapes aren't Eeee, but Ptera and Rhaktors.

"Should I go check as well?" Alptraum asks and offers the spyglass back to Tulani.

"See if they need help keeping things calm down there, yeah," Tulani says, spreading her wings. "I'm going to check on Gusty."

Alptraum hops out of the next and glides down to the deck below. From there he moves quickly to the walkway down into the hold.

The men are definitely awake and disturbed. Mr. Fluff is practically bouncing off of the walls in his panic, while the other small one, Mr. Fingers, is curled up in an alcove. The tiger Khattas are also upset and tense. The Rhians and Naga seem calmest, and Mr. Bright seems frozen. Trilby is trying to catch the Lapi. "Someone grab him!" she calls.

Alptraum sighs. He doesn't bother running after the lapi, ie just extends a burst of shadow tentacle to try and ensnare the running-about rabbit.

Caught by the foot, Mr. Fluff face-plants to the floor of the hold. "Good work!" Trilby tells Alptraum as she grabs onto the scruff of the bunny's neck.

Alptraum withdraws the shadow-lasso and shakes out his hand. "Everyone, just stay calm," he says, "There was a ship that exploded in the distance. We're fine," he says.

"What exploded it?" Mr. Sackcloth asks. "Was it another of the Royal Mage ships?"

"The crew is checking on that. It was quite a distance away," Alptraum answers. "Could have just been an accident for all we know right now."

"Right, an accident," Trilby says soothingly, rubbing the Lapi's neck until he calms down. "Probably. Just seemed bad because of the acoustics in here."

"He's still alive, so to speak. Broken, and his mind is not part of his body, but we have him. He is safely secured," Alptraum answers and shrugs. "I make sure of it."

"Oh, so his people or.. whatevers.. could still be after him?" Sackcloth asks, rubbing his chin. "Too bad you couldn't just let everyone off, let the enemy take the ship, then blow it up. But that's probably an expected tactic."

Sprinkle calls down into the hold, "We're going higher, prepare for thinner air."

Alptraum rolls his eyes. "Look, you have me on board. They will be hard pressed to have any hope of capturing this ship. Scuttling it would be apointless gesture and a waste of a good ship," Alptraum says. "So, just everyone remain calm. I'll go up deck and see what is what."

"Make sure nothing else explodes," Trilby tells Alptraum as he heads up to the deck. The Yodhrephath are restless, with the warriors patrolling the deck and the archers at the bow and aft. Tulani is near the center of the deck, talking to Cyprian.

"We're gaining altitude, but the sun is in front of us," Tulani says. "Cloaking would be handy, since we're still likely too far out to have been noticed."

"Cloaking it is," Alptraum agrees and moves back to center of ship. "Concealment in progress! No panicking please," he requests as he kneels down to the deck, then places his hand on it. Like before, it's a deep breath in, then a long breath out as shadow flows out from his body, rolling over the ship and its occupants, encasing it in a sphere of his protection.

It makes the daylight look odd, as if everything is in shade and there are fewer colors available. But at least he doesn't need to dull sound as well. Gusty's chanting seems louder though, somehow, but luckily Air and Shadow magics don't interact.

"Spinner can't go this high," Sprinkle notes. "So she'll be zig-zagging to hide our course once she notices the cloak."

Alptraum has to remain kneeled with his hand on the deck, eyes closed to concentrate. "Why wasn't she on board before I cloaked? I don't like putting her at risk," Alptraum says.

"She was out on watch already, heading towards the explosion," Sprinkle explains. "We already had a plan in place if she was out and you had to hide the ship again. But it's probably Yodhrephath that took down the other ship."

"Probably, but you don't know for sure," Alptraum says. "I hope you're right, though."

"No airships come this way from Babel," Sprinkle claims. "And it can't be one of ours since.. this is our only extra one. But it could have been another group of Yodh that took it down."

"That is not exactly an encouraging analysis," Alptraum concedes and sighs. His attention shifts as he now tries to sense outward from the shell he's projecting.

There's nothing within range.. even aura sense can't pick up anything other than Spinner. They may already be too high for him to sense anyone on the ground though. They've lost speed, since there's a headwind now at this altitude, but they're also moving northward, towards the main air route into the city (although that's pretty far off). Gusty may just be trying to get them out of the wind.

"Then nobody is likely to have seen the vanishing act," Tulani says, and seems to relax her stance a little.

"I'm just here to report that I still haven't sensed anything from Caradoc or the head," Cyprian says. "Is everything alright below decks?"

"They're nervous last I checked on them. Hardly surprising; explosions tend to make anyone nervous," Alptraum comments from where he's still crouching and focusing.

"Worried. I don't like this. It feels like something is wrong, but I don't know what," Alptraum admits. "I may just be overly worrying."

"I don't know what the hills are like," Cyprian says, and turns to Sprinkle. "Any old fortifications?"

"I don't think so," the Yodhrephath replies. "Might be old caves or smuggler hideouts. Nobody cares what happens in the hills."

"There are old smuggler fortresses," Alptraum notes, "I've seen a few when I've been out here."

There's a brief flare of blue light in the distance. An odd color if it's an explosion. Tulani runs to the prow to get a clearer look. Even after a few seconds, there's no sound of an explosion though.

"It was over the crash site," Tulani calls out from her better vantage point. "Could be a signal, or there could still be some fighting going on. I don't see anyone in the air through the spy-glass."

"I can't go check it without dropping the cloaking," Alptraum frets. "I want to know what is going on over there, but I can't drop the cloak and risk everyone."

"The way we're moving the area will be hidden in a short while," Tulani says. "Koth, right?" she asks the black barrephath archer at the prow. "Any blue Yodhrephath stuff?"

"I wouldn't know," Koth says. "Spinner uses the miracles, and I don't see her changing course."

"I've never heard of blue combat magic," Cyprian says. "It's usually fire magic after all. Lightning might flash like that, however."

"It could be a signal flare," Tulani calls. "Still not seeing any activity in the air other than Spinner, who isn't anywhere near the crash yet. Things may just have moved to the ground." She then moves to the other side of the prow and starts scanning the hills in the direction they're now going.

"Then we should make haste back to the city. We're vulnerable out here," Alptraum says, and sighs.

Tulani moves around the edges of the deck, checking in other directions, and behind them as well.

The Reaper slips out of the headwind and begins picking up speed again. "Nothing can get to us now," Tulani says. "We're too far from the Valley of Mists, and too high. An airship launching now wouldn't be able to match us before we're over the city. I think the plan is to come straight down, more or less, to the Mages Guild tower."

"Mmmm," Cyprian goes, and heads to look out through the slight haze of the cloak.

"Keep the cloak up, or drop it?" Alptraum asks. "I can hold it until we're over the city if that's desired."

"Maintain it please," Cyprian says, as he walks around the deck like Tulani was. "It will block scrying spells, which is still vital. Just because an airship can't get to us doesn't mean an artifact-powered spirit being can't. And one of those could also be invisible."

"Alright, keep watch if you can then," Cyprian says. "There isn't anything I can do to help, unfortunately. Unlike Mage Gusty, high-altitude magic is not the sort of thing I excel at."

"Will do, then," Alptraum confirms and foes quiet. He needs to keep his focus external, on what's ahead and around.

It isn't too much long before Alptraum senses something. It's below them, but high enough up for him to notice. It's a cloudy silver color, and doesn't seem to be moving, or at least not moving in the direction the Reaper is. It doesn't give off the vibrancy of something alive, either.

"There's something below us. I can sense a shape. It's definitely some sort of spirit from the color it appears to my senses. It's not moving, just sitting there like a cloud on a windless day," Alptraum calls out. "We're not going to hit it as best i can tell."

"Probably a sentry," Cyprian says.. and still leans over the railing to try and see something. "There will probably be others. As long as it doesn't vanish then it probably hasn't detected us."

"I doubt they are sentries," Sprinkle claims. "The enemy already knows we will be going to the Mages Guild or Mr. Rephath. All the sentries would do was give them some warning."

"Hopefully. It's just a blob to me. It's not doing anything, just ... sitting. I wonder if it's keyed to anything in the mage or the victims, though," Alptraum comments.

"Air Magic, possibly," Cyprian suggests. "Something to affect our Air Mage, which makes us much more easily captured."

"Spirits were used to attack non-Spirit Mages in the last war," Cyprian explains. "Just knocking a mage unconscious with a shock could be enough. But that could set off any held spells, also, which isn't ideal if they want to take back Caradoc alive."

"Whatever they are, we just need to avoid them," Tulani says. "If you sense any near our altitude, call out."

"Well, now that I have a better idea of what to look for, it should be easier. Will do so," Alptraum agrees.

It becomes a bit nerve wracking in practice. Alptraum starts to notice them more often, and apparently slightly different types as well. There are some very high up that so diffuse as to be barely noticeable, but that require course changes. Others aren't the cold silvery sort, but warm yellow, although those were always lower. And there was a blue, which was actually moving, but at an angle to their direction. The all but vanish once they're over the Sisters though (casting magic of any kind over one of those mountains was just begging for trouble).

Alptraum calls out each one, describing how it looks, and how it moves. Fortunately only a few required minor course corrections. "Does anyone find it worrisome there have been this many?" he asks. "Wouldn't tkat take a lot of effort?"

"They cheat with artifacts," Cyprian says, sounding unhappy. "They could all be controlled by one mage, but still.. that means at least one mage on the loose. Unless they were killed on the downed airship, and these things are just following whatever the last command was, so long as the artifact exists."

"I'm not aware of any living artifacts," Cyprian says. "Not ones that can be used to create magic effects anyway. That would be like claiming Sunala is an artifact."

Now the airship begins to descend, as the city proper comes into view. It looks odd from this high up, like some dark amorphous edged eye, with the Wound forming the pupil at the center.

"So, how many people will we scare when I drop the cloak and the ship just appears?" Alptraum remarks. "People might want to stay away from the edges where arrows might reach."

"I don't know," Cyprian admits. "Can you not drop it until we're at the Mages Tower?"

As they get closer, the Vigilant Eye can be seen over the city as well.. circling the Mages tower. It's probably using Rhaktor power.

"Or when we appear, they'll blow us out of the sky," Alptraum says, "As they have gone over to the other side, and now serve the General."

"That seems highly unlikely," Cyprian notes. "As the Guild Tower is not on fire."

Something changes subtly in the air, and isn't just the pressure. The crew is guiding the ship now, rather than Air Magic.

"Gusty will be recharging until we're ready to dock," Tulani explains. "Or if we need to move quickly."

Once the windows at the top of tower are visible, Cyprian says, "It should be safe to drop the cloak now, so the mooring crew can see us."

"You'll have to tell me when that is. I can't see it from here after all," Alptraum points out.

A breath out, followed by a long inhale. It's on the inhale that the shadow draws back from the edges of the ship and the bubble around it begins to collapse as he pulls it back into himself. This is the most he's used his abilities in a long time, and it's starting to feel tiring.

There are suddenly lot of whistles and clicks, as the crew drops the mooring lines for the crew at the Tower to connect to the winches. The airship is then reeled in, and the Yodhrephath are on guard again. Trilby pokes up out of the hold to ask, "Are we there yet?"

Cyprian also offers Alptraum a hand up. "Being on your knees for extended periods can be difficult if you aren't used to it," he notes.

"Spoken like a Yodhinala," Alptraum jokes as he accepts the help up and immediately winces. He takes that time to stretch out his knees a bit, they seem to have decided to cramp up on him. Ugh. "And yes, we've arrived, Trilby. You can come out, you timid mouse you."

"I want to get the patients out before the properly evil mage," Trilby says, and starts ushering the men up out of the hold.

"We need to carry him back down to the cell," Cyprian says. "But having his mind and body separate should help us get the rest of those implants out."

"Can someone get Rostre? She can carry him easier than any of us. I'm honestly tired," Alptraum admits. "It's been a long couple of days with little sleep."

Mr. Slither is coming up out of the hold, as Rostre shows up. She must have been asleep since she has a very out of place nightcap held on with string. "She can carry you too, if you like," Cyprian notes. "I'll have the Dragon Suite prepared for you."

"Rostre, can you grab Cardoc? He should be reasonably safe to touch, but lets get him back down to his cell quickly. I'll grab the head and bring it along," Alptraum offers and gestures for her to follow.

"You cut off hisss head?" Rostre asks as she climbs onto the deck and heads for the aftcastle.

"No, I mean his other head. The one he sent his mind into. It's a long story," Alptraum explains and shrugs. "Just grab his body, I'll bring the head."

Rostre doesn't ask further questions yet, and does go in to collect the limp body with the boxed head of the old mage. "Sssso, anything interesssting happen?" she asks instead.

"No," Alptraum replies as he picks up the mutilated head from the other ship. "Completely dull trip. Nothing at all of note occurred. No black hearts, nothing."

"Where did the extra head come from then?" Rostre asks as she carries out the old mage. Most of the men have been moved into the tower by then.

Trilby is still directing traffic, even though everyone ends up standing around in the reception area. "Make way!" Rostre calls out. "I've got boobsss!" This does work in clearing a path, certainly.

"Yeah, I ... nevermind," Alptraum sighs as he follows along. He's got the head, he's sort of carrying it by the wires and such as it swings beside him.

There are some tower staff, novices and other mages that have to hurry out of the way. But that at least means they make it to the holding cell in good time. The guards take the body from Rostre and strap it back into the chair. This distraction lets Rostre look at the dangling head a bit more. "Ssssss.. can I hold that?" she asks Alptraum.

"Why would you want to?" Alptraum asks as he holds the head out. "It's part of the old Babel warship the General crashed in the old city."

"Which is something that should stay lost, don't you think? Alptraum inquires as he hands the head over.

"Tower tech," Rostre says, and.. sticks her tongue into one of the holes for a moment. "Hmm, no pressservatives. General probably similar, I imagine." She hands the head back. "Sssso, Caradoc in there? You put him there?"

"He put himself in there when he tried to escape his body after I captured it and neutralized the black heart he had implanted. That was the trap, it would have made him a nigh-unkillable undead thing. Fortunately it's something I know of all too well, and how to deal with. It has been quarantined."

"Hidden inssside?" Rostre asks, and looks at the body. "Could use sssome way to look inssside better."

"I'm not sure what it was contained in. The creature they originate from is not of this world, nor I suspect the container was. I've only dealt with one once before and it's what did this to me," Alptraum notes and holds up his right hand. Nasty piece of work.

"Most likely," Alptraum says. "Unless it was a purely magical one, but I would think I would have detected it."

"You're all disturbing," Alptraum comments and sighs. "How you can even want to do that is beyond me."

"If it iss dangerouss or mysteriouss, a mage will want to poke it," Rostre claims. "Or they go into agriculture and make beer."

"But drinking beer makes you want to do sstupid thingss," Rostre counters. "Full circle."

"But at that point you're too stupid to do them well, so less dangerous," Alptraum counters.

"No," Alptraum says and sighs. "Lets just get this stuff secured. I want to get some sleep."

"I don't know if we have one.. just.. put in his lap for now I suppose," the Eeee guard suggests.

"Or you could hold it and whisper sweet nothings to it to keep it calm," Alptraum suggests.

"It looks like it's been pickled," the guard notes, but does hold out his hands for the mangled thing.

"No, geez. You people have no sense of humor," Alptruam says and he sets the head into Cardoc's lap instead. "Why anyone takes me so seriously, I'll never know."

Dragon Suite
Geometric patterns of red and gold spell out the walls and recesses of a tall chamber that is bathed in sunlight focused through a lens in the ceiling, constructed such that so long as the sun remains over the mountains of Babel, light comes down directly from above, and when that is gone, bronze braziers sculpted to look as if held aloft by flights of tiny dragons hang from long chains from the four corners of the ceiling. Polygrams and circles are described in ornate mosaics in the tiled floor, radiating outward from a raised dais in the center of the chamber. The floor changes levels at several points, with many rises and recesses, and there are many nooks and recesses in the walls, and many perches that fliers could exploit. A pair of double doors of stained thistlebark are guarded by twisting bronze serpents represented in relief on their surfaces.

"Here you go!" Rostre claims, and drops Alptraum onto the bed. "Oh, did you want to hang upside down instead?"

"No! No, this is fine. It's all good. I'll figure out what I want in a bit," Alptraum blurts out. "You can go ... lick the head or something. Wait, no, please don't do anything stupid with it, we have no idea what could happen."

"Don't fret," Rostre says, and pats Alptraum. "I promise to get drunk before I try anything."

"That ... doesn't help," Alptraum says and sighs. "Just .. let me get some sleep."

The big Naga then transfers her sleeping cap over to Alptraum before slithering out and closing the doors.

"I .... fine. I don't care. I'm going to bed," Alptraum says. And he heads fight over to one of the chairs in the room and sits down heavily in it. He doesn't need a bed, or a perch, or anything. It's no more than five minutes in and he's completely out.