In the morning you return to your tasks...
At midafternoon on February 26th, Kailar, Sian, Aron, Vastelle, Kadlian, Dor, Malvis, Rage, Carburator and Niko are surprised to see some slightly familiar faces come walking into the library. They are: Op Code the ranger, Equinox, Tully the bard, Al the cavalier/high priest, Drinor the paladin, Tracey the cleric and Vardui.
"Great," the mage known as Rage says, "There goes the neighborhood."
"Hello, Kadlian, Kailar, Sian, Aron, Niko and Dor," says Vardui, greeting those whom he knows or chooses to know. "Small world, isn't it?"
"Indeed. Still going North?"
Vardui nods.
"Seems like the thing to do. Still planning to go east?"
"Yes. Once we figure out exactly where we have to go. Thor did not tell Al or Equinox where you have to go?"
"I don't think so, so we're heading to Omaha I think to meet a ranger there who knows the North really well. Perhaps he can give us some leads."
"I have never heard of Omaha. Where is it, exactly?"
"Along the Mississippi a few hundred miles north of here. Just follow the Northern Road."
"I have never been there. Good luck on your journey."
"I hope you packed a lot of warm clothing. It is cold here, but it will be far worse further north. You might want to think about snowshoes for the lot of you."
"'Cold here'?" says Vardui. "This is tropical! Let me tell you about cold! I just spent three months in Demon's Neck!"
"You may have, but most of the others have not. And most of the others have been in Hell, so it is going to be quite an adjustment for them. Just make sure they are prepared, since you have been North before."
Vardui shrugs, then smiles.
"Al and Op Code came down from the north just a little while ago as well. Don't worry about us, dad."
"Equinox, which way are you going?" asks Aron.
"North, of course. We are just here to do a little research, Aron," replies Equinox.
"Are all going north followers of Thor?"
"I thought we were following Kadlian," Dor replies.
Vardui chuckles.
"I think he means followers of gods. Kadlian isn't quite there yet. To answer your question, Aron, no, we are not all followers of Thor. I know that Drinor the paladin follows Tyr."
Op Code, Equinox, Tully, Al, Drinor, Tracey and Vardui bid Kailar, Sian, Aron, Vastelle, Kadlian, Dor, Malvis, Rage, Carburator and Niko farewell, and head off into the library stacks, while the rest of you get back to your work.
Dor's brow creases with heavy thinking. "I don't want to freeze. Maybe I need better gloves and such."
"Before we head east, we will make sure that everyone is properly equipped for the journey, Dor. Unless you are thinking about going north with the other group?"
You notice that Aron seems to have followed the other group into the stacks.
"Are we going north now, Kadlian?" Dor asks, clearly perplexed. "I thought we were going east."
Kadlian looks at the others and shakes his head.
Dor sets off to find the warmest possible gloves, hat and scarf he can, scouring as many shops as possible.