"Yeah, I am ok. Thanks for asking. Don't you bother about a man who was pinned to a deck by a dead man and had something literally crawl into his chest and around his heart.

Now can someone please explain to me what exactly happened around here?"

Lars you now have a demon heart like most of us do...the pain will somewhat go away soon...we have to go on our mission now..are you going to stay here or go with?

"I see ... I ... I ... WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN I HAVE A DEMON IN ME?"

Lars jumps to his feet and starts pawing at his chest, but does not find any wounds, hich certainly does not make him feel better.

"How do I get it out?" he says in a somewhat calmer voice.

For a brief moment Rael eyes drift to his knife and the subduing slaver drug... it was tempting but after but a heart beat he banish the temptation from his mind.

Instead he walks to Lars both palm open in a non threatening manner "Calm down Lars... my friend is rather bluntly direct but for all appearances it does appear to be the case."

He sighs "As for getting it out, my guess would be that you need to come with us when this mission is over and meet queen Pollidemia she is the one that charged us with the mission and gave us these demonic hearts..." he shakes his head "Once we accomplish our mission one of her rewards would be the return of our own hearts."

Giving a brief moment for the panicking Lars to get his bearings, Valmir stands patiently near the pilot roost. It looks as if he is about to further the conversation when you see him crook his head to the side. "SHH!!!" He gets deathly still holding his left hand out, index finger raised. The tension in his posture reminds you of a cat about to pounce.

Wup.... Wup... Wup....

You hear some strange noise. It is similar, yet just a bit more mechanical, to a sail which has blown free allowing it to flap in the wind. Valmir's hand flattens into a stop motion. "Everyone hold still, it's a patrol!" Off along the horizon, where you just came from, you see a silhouette of an airship making a long sweep near the lands edge you just passed.

Valmir springs into motion, hurriedly talking as he rushes about the boat. "I'm sorry my friends, time is up, I need to move this boat now. If we are caught lanside we are all done for!" He shimmies down the rope ladder and unhooks the anchor. The shadow of the patrol boat appears to maintain it's distance, however it is hard to tell given the lack of landmarks in the sky. "This airship has no defenses other than stealth and speed, and it is not all that fast." As he clambers back on deck. "If you want the underground's assistance, I need the map and I should be back within 30 or 40 cycles. Otherwise I can pick you all back up after your deeds are done in 15 to 20 cycles."

He finishes trimming a few lines and stoking the furnace. "The choice is yours and it needs to be done now. If you want any hopes of assistance whatsoever I need to get hidden or on the way."

Angrboda walks up to Valmir and takes the map back, "Or you can go inform your resistance that we have the map and are planning an incursion.  If they do not believe you it is most likely because they actually lack the conviction to back what they say they are going to do.  Whatever the case we need this map to do the things we are going to do."  she says as she moves to get off the ship gathering belongings as she goes, "By the way, if you do not come back for us," her eyes narrow as she turns to look at the coward, "you can rest assured that the rest of your life will be demon plagued." she then exits the ship and moves to the cover of some trees.

Angrboda....take a slaver sword and I will be your slave...are you able to carry my axe...otherwise I must leave it here...looks down at Angrboda..

Angrboda turns to Viktor, "Just bring your axe, I have a plan." she says as she hefts a large bundle of clothing taken from the ship.

Rael quickly stuffed all his thing into his herb pouch and moved to the exit "You will get this map when we are returned." He tells Valmir "You have my word, the map will be returned to its rightful owner."

"I'll have the map please." he tell Angrboda his hand outstretched.

Lars shakes his head, grabs his stuff, especially his new Axe, and goes. There will be time to figure things out later and then someone was going to pay for what happened to Lars!

Once Angrboda gets undercover so the approaching airship will not see her, she sits down and begins copying the map and information into the journal acquired from Hraal, "You seem to laboring under the impression that you have permission to give me orders." she replies to Rael as she sketches, "Simply put, you do not.  I shall return the map to you when I am done copying it."

Rael look at her sketching and slowly speaks "Simply put you are not like the rest of us... the others may alley with you but in the end of the day if our mission will not be fulfilled it would be our hearts that would burst out of our chest not yours."

He take a slow breath "So I ask you again kindly... give me back our map."

Eclair sighed heavily as the group bickered... more then looked at Angrboda and only nodded slightly. This one seemed capable. She remained silent as she took the map and exited the ship but followed silently.

On the ground, she took cover near the woman and had decided that following this one seemed the best way to stay alive until she could do... what? As Rael amde his demand and was rebuffed, Ecalir eyed the medic and her hand trailed to her sword as her eyes got icy calm. As far as she was concerned, Angrboda was the leader and director of operations until such time as anyone showed more intelligence.

Eclair was still not sure what this fucked up world was about or what she was going to do about demons, witches, and floating mystical islands, but for now she had to do what was in front of her to stay alive. If that meant that just the two of them, then so be it though the axe wielder seemed a capable tool. She eyed Rael cautiously as Angrboda worked.

Khazim lets the situation play out between Rael and Angrboda thinking that they are adults and need to work it out. He is just pleased to NOT be going unarmed as a slave. He was practically BORN with a bow in his hands in the desert and can't imagine going without it.

Gathering his things he quietly disembarks from the ship. He had looked at the better armor that Hraal wore and thinks about the added protection but knows it would drastically affect his stealth. Having a vague idea what Pan Tangian plate is worth he does gesture to it as he passes; "Regardless of anything else we should not just lose Hraal's armor, it could bring a fortune if sold assuming no one else can wear it." He had taken the 8 remaining arrows from Hraal's bow but leaves the bow as his bow is finer.

Making haste to exit the ship, things are gathered, and conversations are cut short. Khazim quickly scoops up the belongings that were organized on deck into a large sack with little care other than it made it in the bag. Every gets down and hunkers into a small stand of trees and brush hoping that the dimming light will help conceal them from the approaching patrol boat. Valmir quickly pokes his head over the side and quickly retracts the rope ladder. "Twenty cycles I'll be back here to pick you up![Secret to Angrboda: Good, now it is time to feed!]"

The airship quickly begins to pick up speed as it rises into the air. It quickly crests the tree tops and takes off in the opposite direction of the patrol. You can see that the speed of the slaver vessel is barely faster than that of the patrol ship. Regardless, you see the patrol vessel alter course in an attempt to get within range of the smaller vessel. Calmly readying yourselves so that you can move as soon as it is clear you are able to take note of the situation. Once again in a foreign land, little direction on what to do or where to go, and to top it all off, within the hour it will once again be dark.

Taking note of your location, using what information that Valmir passed during your journey, Armaht (and Media's Palace) is about 40 or so minuets walking distance from where you landed to the "west" of your location. On your approach you noted no light sources from your landing area to the city itself, and few areas that would indicate established roads.

Taking stock of what was scooped into the bag you find the following
Several sets of clothes (Hraal's and Slavers)
Hraal's Broadsword
Hraal's Plate
Small satchel of Hardtack (about 8 biscuits)
1 Graple-anchor from the ship

Edit's to earlier posts:
Hraal's clothes and Plate are Size 10 not 13, It should be able to "fit" anyone but Viktor. I looked at the wrong attribute.

Angrboda finishes copying the map and the information on it quickly then hands the original to Rael, "There you go." she says, smiling.  She then looks around the group and clears her throat, "I know that my help and input is not desired by some of you but I have a couple thoughts on how to do this quest of yours." she says pointedly not looking at Rael, I have a spell that will allow me to disguise the two of you," she indicates Lars and Viktor, "as women for a short time.  That should help you get into the keep as long as you hurry.  As for you," she says turning to Rael, "Since you consider magic to be so abhorant I can disguise you with some of the clothes taken from the slavers.  Your features are feminine enough that it should be undetectable.  After that I propose that Eclair and I work on killing this Media woman while you three go to rescue your friend.  I don't know how long these cycles are that Valmir was talking about but I will need time to summon some assistance before I cast the spells.  Though, if you don't want my help that tree over there looks quite comfortable, and I am fully willing to just wait here for the ship to return."

Rael take the map and give a short bow "Thank you." he says "I do not think killing Media is in our best of interest. I think that our employer want to vex her and have her annoyed at losing what we steal from her." he shakes his head "Simply put the queen is to volatile and unknown to be sure how she would react to us killing Media. She might praise us or she might take her hearts back through our rib cages."

He shakes his head making sure the map is tuck back in its safe place next to the small oval sphere "I for one am not eager to tempt my life on it. As for magic, any sane man should be wary of such a force for it give power but at a steep cost. If you are willing to pay such cost to cast an illusion on me." he shrugs "I have no problems with it. However, for how long would the enchantment would last and how hard would it be to pierce? for myself, I have no problem acting as your personal servant slave or whatever they call such position here."

He looks over the direction Media palace "Media is not an ordinary woman, beside the fact she rules a whole sky island, she is strong enough to be in conflict with Pollidemia. Because Pollidemia  unleashed on us half a dozen or so demons only to test our mettle, no doubt Media is more capable if Pollidemia resort to hire the like of us."

still covered in blood and holding his axe with most of his armor still on the ship...what kind of negative effects does this magic have of making us look like women? will I still have my strength and I thnk it might look funny if I was to carry a big axe around as a weapon..I think Rael is right...we should just find this person and get out of here...

Eclair looked to Rael and her lip curled, "More like the witch hired us because no one suspects the mouse would kill the lion." Ecalir knew absolutely nohing of magic or how it actually worked so she kept silent on that remark and watched their surrounds carefully. They had just been about to be spotted by a patrol after all. This little mouse had claws and a desperate will to not only live but figure out the puzzle that was her existence.

The other would argue for a time so she sat on her haunches and watched for the enemy.

Several moments go by as you watch the patrol ship shrink in the horizon sky. By now you can see that the ship that Valmir is piloting has vastly increased the distance from the patrol. Eclair keeps a wary eye out as verbal barbs are passed among the group. Small tasks get finished and gear gets pack for your imminent departure when Eclair calls out noticing that the patrol ship begins to make a turn around. Knowing full well the airship they were chasing is now far beyond their attempt to catch they seem to be turning around in your general direction.

With night time falling, the distances involved, and the general foliage of the area you can easily clear out in the 20 or so minuets that it will take for the airship to get withing threatening range. It seems that for every boon the higher powers give you, other powers seems just as determined to undermine any luck on your part. You have nearly an hour of careful travel till you reach the city. If luck were to hold the city itself will not have an encompassing wall allowing for easy access in and out. Getting the men into and out of the city, on the other hand, is going to take a bit more planning.

Time passes, it is night in a forested area and you are easily several minuets ahead of any patrols. You will make it to the outskirts of Armaht "easily".

You look upon a large sprawling city. Off on the "west" border of the city is the large lake mentioned by Valmir. Two structures dominate your view The first is the large octagonal keep of Media looming near the center of town. The second is a large octagonal tower under construction near the "north" end of town. The houses and buildings of the town form a mix of single story and two story dwellings built of mud brick and wood. Streets form a tidy pattern indicating that at one time order dominated the thinking of the land. Moonlight is barely enough to see the outlines of the edge of town. Occasionally you see movement, possibly patrols, near the outskirts. However it is evident that the outskirts favor the poor and patrols should be fairly inconsistent.

From what is printed on the map, the Black Lizard Tavern, should be somewhere between the lake and the Fortress. This puts you on a direct approach to the keep first. From what has been told the night holds both a benefit and a problem. Night would be easier to get around in thanks to the shadows and ability to ignore most people. However most of those people would more than likely be patrols, and who knows how well a spot tax would shake down.

Angrboda, about to speak when the warning comes of the patrol ship, merely packs up what she can carry and heads off.  When the group is sure that pursuit is left behind she begins explaining, "You truly know nothing about the way magic works do you?" she inquires, "Given a small amount of time I could summon a dozen demons to wait for my bidding.  The amount of demons has nothing to do with the power of the sorcerer, you would do well to be more worried about the sorcerer who summons one demon that is tough enough to give your whole group a challenge."

When they reach the edge of town she pauses, "Perhaps we should pool our money and rent a room in this inn?  if there is already a secret passage there it would make our entry a bit easier.  Considering that I have not had the time to summon a teleporter it seems that we shall have to make our way both into and out of the keep the mundane way.  Although, if we can afford to stay at the inn for two nights I would still have time to summon."

It would be nice to get this blood off me...I have silver of 8...reaches in his pants and pulls out a small sack of money..chuckles and tosses it to Angrboda........

Rael glance over at Angrboda nodding "I know very little of magic but I have seen enough sorcerer felled down by the very demon they summoned to give magic a healthy respect and to know to steer away from it."

He glance over "Perhaps for you summoning demons is trivial like breathing for the rest of us, you certainly make the impression of it but as long as you alone would pay the price if you misstep I care not, alas I fear that in such a case we would all be forced pain and suffering and thus I advocate caution."

He glance at the pouch at his belt "We took some money from the slavers, perhaps it would do."

The talk of money seemed to cheer Lars up a bit. "Taverns are ... good." But then he remembered that he had no money "Perhaps we can sell some of the things we do not need. A lot of tavern owners have a sideline as fe ... buying and selling stuff. If the owner is willing to deal, I am sure I can get us good value."

Ecalir is mollified some as the group makes headway in its mission by approaching the city then stalls again outside its limits. She looks around as they speak of money and shakes her head, "I haven't got much in the way of cash but I don't think that is the problem. Let's worry about getting to the place and then sorting out the money issues, kay? I find that minor business often has a way of working out anyway."

Ecalir eyed the town and shook her head. How were they going to avoid a random shakedown? They were an odd party for this place, if Valmir was to be believed. IF they were spotted, questions seemed likely. Still, sneaking was even less likely to succeed and more likely to draw questions.

"Elf, can you disguise the brute, the poppinjay, and the nomad? You, I , and the medic can easily pass amongst these people... more or less... under cover of darkness, but not them. If we proceed with some caution and some confidence, we should make the Tavern. I recommend heading in as fast as possible to get past the increased patrols quickly then making our way to our destination."

She looked at her erstwhile allies and raised a questioning eyebrow.