The Journeyman from Ryu-Kyu

[RangerShade]

Death winces.

"Trading Long term capital for short terms benefits to use against people who embody the very same problem, Nature really does have a sense of irony."

Truly, a double edged sword. And one Death hopes he will never experience again.  Power holds no real interest for him, especially one with this high a price.

Death decides to rest.

[Brian]

You doze off almost instantly.  When you wake up again, you're on another island, this one covered in snow.  Ferocious winds scream across it, evidenced by the gouges in the rock formations about the island, and the beaten, nearly sideways trees.  A bear-skin has been tossed over you, and you're not cold at all.  A small fire burns nearby, and the eagle again nestles overhead on a rock outcropping.

Windward, someone -- probably Ezmereth -- has stuck a handful of snowdrops in the snow.  The wind gently ruffles the flowers, but does not blow through the campsite.

The man is again staring moodily into the sea, this time towards an island you can see to the north-east.  "No further north," the druid declares, not turning to look at you.  "Something wicked sleeps there."

Turning to face you, he pulls a wooden skewer out of the fire, some unidentifiable animal-meat on it, and offers it to you.  It smells good, though you're not sure you want to think about what it is.  "Where do we go?"

[RangerShade]

Death considers.

Now he realizes what he forgot to ask Rez and the others in the dream.

Where were they? And more importantly, where were they going?

The Oracle had spoken of Bjorn being held by the crow woman. Unfortunately he didn't know exactly where they were.  And then there was the darkness that had pursued Ginrai, it had found him in Albany, but it had been sent from San Franciso. And finally,  Ezmereth had spoken about being a key, but a key to what? And where?

Death eats and thinks.

"I'm not really sure at the moment. It would depend on what priorities we have. The enemy after my friends is in San Franciso, California. But I'd sorta like to find out what Rez and the others know before barging in there, especially given that he seemed to know the Oracle pretty well.  Unfortunately I don't really know much about where they live, the only place I know about is Albany, which last I heard Gin was leaving with all due haste."

And then a thought hits Death

'I don;t suppose you know how to contact any wolves in the world of dreams, do you?"

[Brian]

"I do," Ezmereth says, nodding slowly.  "But this is not the world of dreams.  Few live in the world of dreams fully enough to speak with another.  You may be one, with practice.  Are your friends such?"

He motions you to eat, then squats opposite the fire and rubs his hands together, despite the fact that it doesn't really seem that cold.  "San Francisco.  I remember that place, and you would do well to avoid it."

[RangerShade]

"I don't think so, but the Oracle seems to be. But she's not the one I had in mind, more like a wolf assigned to keep an eye out on me. Big as a boulder, sharp teeth, quirky sense of humor, doesn't bother with a name. Don't suppose you know him?"

Death finishes eating.

"What's in San Fransico anyway? The Oracle  and Kanon have both been vague about the details but I find it easier to avoid things if I know what I'm trying to avoid first."

[Brian]

"If you've seen one wolf, you've seen them all," he opines, drawing another chunk of meat-on-a-stick from the fires, and tearing into it messily.

"The worst of men reside there," Ezmereth says humorlessly, after a few thoughtfull mouthfuls.  "I do not know Kannon, but the Oracle you speak of ... she and I have crossed paths long ago."  Ezmereth considers something for a moment, then adds, "I think, in all truth, those in San Francisco are much the same as those we fought before leaving the lands where I slumbered."

[RangerShade]

"You've obviously never been to D.C., if you think the fruits and nuts in California are the pits of humanity."

"I guess its too much to hope for that you know about any women who like to control crows?"

[Brian]

He grimaces.  "The crow is her sign in the world of dreams," he spits.  "In the waking world, she merely preys on the minds of men.  Spinning deciet and confusion through the gullible.  There is one such as she, and she is with the men in San Francisco.  They call themselves ... the Workshop."

[RangerShade]

"I was afraid you'd say something like that."

"So San Franciso it is."

Death decides that since he has some time that now is good to check all the items returned by the Yakuza for any unwelcome surprises (such as homing devices, wires, boobytraps..etc).

[Brian]

You don't see anything out of place, even if you open up the laptop they gave you.  Except for the fact that it looks like they stuck an old hard-drive in the new casing, everything is as it should be.

Ezmereth shakes his head, and mutters.  "I will take you to Drake's Point," he finally decides.  "But I will not again go to San Francisco."

[RangerShade]

Death nods.

"That's fine."

"I don't suppose you can unlock whatever it is you unlock before we reach there? Frankly I think we're going to need all the help we can get."

[Brian]

"There are not enough of you," Ezmereth says, shaking his head.  "As I said, at least three others are required.  You may be one, but you must find your friends, first."

[RangerShade]

"Of course."

Death would rally against Fate, but knows its a futile gesture.

"Okay, if I know Dracos and Rez they'd probably go gung ho headfirst into danger without thinking twice. I dunno about Ginrai but Bjorn in San Franciso definitely makes four."

Death sighs. Wonderful, he's going to have to find Dracos, Rez and Bjorn before any of them get their fool heads enslaved by a witch who likes crows or this "Workshop" gets them.

"Can you at least give me a way to contact you once I find the others?"

Death decides to setup his new laptop in preparation for the long hunt ahead.

[Brian]

It's a new laptop with your old laptop's hard-drive.

Ezmereth actually looks a bit annoyed.  "You woke me on the call of the oracle," he gumbles.  "I require you and your friends so that I may do my work, and then sleep.  I truly care little for the affairs of men, but I owe a debt."  He sighs, flinging the remainder of his meal upwards -- the eagle you had thought was sleeping snags it out of the air without effort, then settles back down.  "Earth and fire," he mumbles to himself, staring into the flames.  "We will sleep here," he decides.  "We will reach Drake's Point in the morning.  I will wait for you there."

[RangerShade]

On a whim, Death checks to see if he can get online before going to sleep.