Play@YSDC

The walk home was filled with a strange mixture of excitement and anxiety. Excitement for the initiation of a new Shaman to the Dorset tribe and anxxiety for the troubling times ahead. The Norsemen were on the move.. They had already conquered the Thule.... Chief Kalituk had assumingly abondoned his post and his people, forcing two of the Dorset tribe's most successful hunters (Faroo and Mannitok) to pursue him. Tornuaq had run off (in the direction of the Norseman) after a weapon that may have corrupted the hunter's mind. The ancient race of shape shifters, the Ijiraat, bearing the mark of the Norse god Loki, had started hunting the Inuit openly on the plains. Alglaki, the exiled Shaman, had returned to give warning to her people that a dark spirit had corrupted the Bear God Nanook and now the Shadow Bear wanders the spirit world for whatever dark purpose.

Unulaq, holding the chieftain's spear, walked in the front with Yuralria and her protector Ogtuk-luk, as was custom. Qannaq and Arrluk rode the two remaining sleds keeping wach for the tribe on its flanks.

When the tribe finally arrives back at the village, it was as if a New Hope had suddenly washed over them. Families embraced and settled back into their hutts to light their fires. Some milled about the village gossiping with each other. Most had smiles on their faces and looked to Unulaq and Yuralria often, pointing and smiling.

Ogtuk-luk grunts.

They seem to think that since they are home, they are all safe. They are fools.

The four Elders walk quickly past the group, and file into the Elder's Hut.

Unalaq nodded to Ogtuk-luk. "I hate to agree, but you are right. They seem to have no idea that at any moment the Norsemen can come into sight and come right to our village, or that any of the Ijiraat disguised as a sled dog can infiltrate and attack us from within. We need to be on guard." He looked to Yuralria and said "You are on very friendly terms with young Torngusak. Would it be too much for me to ask of you to take the boy and speak with the Norse man Thorrin to see what he might suggest as a defense against his bretheren?" He turned his head to look at the Elder's Hut and said, "I have to address the Elders... and then I will start looking for brave people to stand watch."

"Of course, Unulaq. The boy has proven useful with Thorrin, although I must warn you. He takes no liking to him whatsoever. " Her eyes look sad, and she continues, "Torngusak is just a boy, and has lost his family. You must remember this when he speaks with Thorrin, because to a degree, he holds the man responsible. The last time he spoke to Thorrin, he wound up in tears. If you like, I will speak to him before he goes."

Yuralria gazed about the village and knit her brows together while deep in thought. "Do you think we would be best off moving the village? It might be prudent to move closer to the hills. I must address the elders as well, Unulaq, and given their recent.....difficulty......I feel it best if we go together." She looked up at Ogtuk-luk, then to Unulaq, and added softly, "Sedna is warning us of grave danger ahead. We will need to use our best defenses, and disguising our village is crucial."

Unalaq nodded, "In that case, the discussion with Thorrin can wait. Let's go speak with the Elders now. We cannot just sit around waiting for our demise like the Thule. We must be proactive." He nodded in the direction of the Elder's hut and started walking, keeping pace with Yuralria. He asked her quietly, "Um... does the Chief walk in front of, behind, or beside the Shaman? I never paid attention."

Yuralria chuckles, looking at Unulaq with a newfound affection, "You're not chief yet, Unulaq. You shouldn't worry. And.....I never really noticed. I saw Chief Kalituk in many different circumstances, to which he never seemed to worry about where he stood, or walked, or even if he were wearing clothes." She smiles at him, trying to make light of the conversation. Then she turns to stare at the snow thoughtfully, trudging along towards the elder's hut, "Although I remember the feeling of a new role, how odd and foreign it seemed. If you are chosen to be Chief, Unulaq, it will seem very different for a while. People will treat you quite differently, especially Sashila. But there is no one I can think of that is more fitting."

Unalaq blushes at the compliment and lifts up a hand, waving the compliment off, "You are just saying that to make me feel better. I am like a husky pup stuck in the lead dog's position on the sled."

Yuralria and Unulaq walk into the Elder’s Hut and find them all seated save for Elder Sikuak who is busy starting the fire.

Elder Kakoratuk smiles pleasantly at Yuralria, his tone having changed quite drastically since last they spoke at the combing ceremony grounds.



We are pleased that Sedna has given you her blessing Shaman. In due time we would like to know what was offered to our people in lieu of our pending crisis with the Norse barbarians.

Elder Makittuk smiled as well… though his friendly nature seemed more genuine than the others. He had always been a strong supporter of Yuralria and had offered Unulaq sound and concerned advice to the hunter since he was just a boy. Elder Makittuk rose and approached Unulaq. He holds out his hand and stares respectfully at the ivory spear in Unulaq's hands.



The chieftain’s spear please dear boy. There is no doubt in my mind that it belongs to you Unulaq, but this must be decided by the Dorset people.

Unalaq looked down at the spear in a moment's hesitation. How quickly the position was thrust upon him, and how quickly the Elders took it away. No matter, there were more important things to do than to babysit a whole village of people. He handed it over to Makittuk. "Yes, of course. I did not mean to assume... but someone needed to lead the people lest we remain there, exposed to the Norse fury when they happened upon us with no protections."

He looked to Yuralria and nodded, letting her say her piece first before speaking his mind.

Elder Makittuk took the spear from Unulaq and placed it carefully next to the fire. Unulaq may have been slightly surprised that the Elder could hold it for that would mean he would have dealt the killing blow to one of Nanook's polar bear's



You did well my boy. There is no shame in stepping up for your people, no matter the protocol. There are very few left indeed amongst us who've earned the right to hold that spear.

Elder Makittuk sat back down with the other three and waited patiently. Elder Pamiruq shifted slightly as Makittuk held the spear. Both Unulaq and Yuralria could feel the Elder's eyes burning the back of Makittuk for some past regret. When Makittuk took his seat at the Elder line, Pamiruq glared at Yuralria now with a similar intensity.

Yuralria bows her head respectfully, nodding in the Elder's direction. Inside she seethed. She hated speaking to the Elders, and enduring their arrogance.

She cleared her throat, looking around the room cautiously, her eyes flickering over Unulaq's nervously. "Sedna.....warns us of the Norsemen. Thorrin is a good man, but they are all not good. We are in dangerous times, and must protect ourselves. We cannot face them openly and win. I feel we must disguise our village, to protect our people."

She looks at Elder Makittuk, for he was the only one she seemed to have a way with anymore, "Sedna has blessed our village, but she has also given us due warning of the norse Witch. The norsemen are divided. Some are good and some are evil. Those that listen to the witch do her bidding, and we must find the witch and kill her. Only then will they leave our homeland and leave us alone. We have seen the Thule village burned to the ground. And Torngusak...the boy...." Yuralria's voice cracks with emotion and she pauses for a moment, swallowing hard, "his family is dead. There are many Thule killed in the fire. We must save ourselves from a similar fate."

Unalaq nodded and stepped forward, "I had a plan for how we might be able to disguise our village, but it will be a lot of hard work and we will need everyone capable. If we stack ice in a slanted wall all around our village, then anyone looking from a distance would mistake it for a simple mound. It is not perfect, but it would mean the Norse would have to literally trip over our village to find it at all. It may buy us time to prepare if we have a couple roving guards at a time."

Yuralria turned her head to one side as though contemplating Unulaq's idea, "Unulaq, with all my respect, your idea is a good one, but only if we know for certain that the norsemen don't already know where we are. If they know where we are already, disguising will make no difference to our fate. They found the Thule already, and they are only a few hours north. If we move our village, it may be wiser for us. The foothills are best, or even up the mountain a bit, so that we will have a lookout position."

She smiles at Unulaq, "I know it would seem a lot of trouble to pack our things and move everything, but there is still the possibility that Thorrin knows how to contact his own kind."

The Elders listen to Yuralria with growing concern on their faces. When Yuralria finishes, the Shaman is surprised at how quickly they come to agree with her interpretation of Sedna’s guidance.

Elder Kakoratuk quickly inquires to the finer details of the combing ceremony.

This witch the goddess warned you about. Where can we find her? How can we hunt her?

To Unulaq the Elder’s are slightly less enthusiastic, but agree that preparations must be made on the tribe’s behalf. As usual, the bitter voiced Kakoratuk speaks on behalf of the four.

Go then Unulaq. Take the Shaman's words to heart... With Klituk’s reckless abandonment of his people, the tribe will be searching for guidance. Put them to work and see for yourself how they respond to your leadership. If they wish you to hold the white spear then you will hold it. For now this council will trust that your interests are for the safety of the tribe. Once we have discerned our next course of action, we will advise you.

Elder Makittuk rises and escorts Unulaq out of the Elder's hut. Once outside the hut Makittuk puts an arm on Unulaq's shoulder.

Speak with your Norse friend. Use the boy! Learn what must be done for yourself and lead our people. There are few who would opose you. Arrluk has slain a polar bear despite what other will tell you. If you wish the spear then take it boy.

Unalaq doubted the Norse had found their village yet... for an hour's travel was quite an expanse over the vast tundra terrain. And with nothing to note their position... even if they found it, returning to it might be a bit difficult as well. Still, there was a chance that it had happened.

He looked to Elder Makittuk after his wise words and said, "If I am destined to hold the spear, then let it be gained through the proper means. If Sedna has someone else in mind for such a position of honor, then I will not hold a grudge." He started walking away and said "I will speak with Thorrin. And while I am at it, I will look for more tracks of those strange creatures they use. They are heavy and will show up in the snow and ice well."

Unulaq spots Thorrin waiting outside with the Thule boy Torngasak. The boy had quickly warmed up to Thorrin on the long walk home. The two converse quickly in the Norse tongue and smile at each other often.

Unalaq walked up to the two and nodded to Thorrin. To the boy, he said, "Torngasak, can you help me? I need to speak with Thorrin about the Norse men. Could you be my voice?"

The boy smiles and nods. Thorrin says something long winded in Norse and the boy translates.



Thorrin says he has been waiting along time for this conversation. He wishes to thank you and your brother Tornuaq for saving his life. He thinks of you as a brother and would stand with either of you. He is no longer a Norseman.

Torngusak winces, unsure of whether he had translated Thorrin's last remark correctly.

He has turned away from his people for what they have done to you.

Unalaq nodded, and slapped a hand down on Thorrin's shoulder, "Brother, I would stand by you as well. But we can share our feelings about all that later. Right now, we need to find out if this village has been found already by the Norse men, and discuss a good way to hide our people from them. The Shaman has suggested to the Elders about moving the village, but if we do that we risk losing our friends, Tornuaq, Faroo, Mannitok, and our chief, Kalituk. So I need options on how we can stay here and be kept safe." He looked to Torngasak to translate for him.

Thorrin nods to Unulaq as the Thule boy translates.



Good! Your friend Tornuaq is in great danger… That knife he took from me was an ancient compass. It will lead the witch Gelga and her Viking soldiers into the mountains for a much darker purpose than slaying your people. The knife had a hold on me as well for a time, but when Tornuaq took it, the scramasax (Viking knife) released me. It favours Tornuaq now, and will not likely give him up for another… save one of your Shamans I suspect.

The Vikings will be searching for the scramasax. Gelga needs it to navigate the mountains in this area, so Tornuaq is safe as long as he holds it. My people will not kill him if he can be of use to them.

As long as Tornuaq stays far from here, then Gelga will have no means or reason to track your people to the village.

Thorrin looks around at all of the Dorset people lighting fires and milling about the village. Torgusak seems to mimic his movements, settling into his roll as Thorrin’s translator.

These fires are not a good idea.

Unalaq nodded and turned to the others, shouting, "Put out the fires! We cannot expose ourselves!" He ran over and kicked snow and ice on the fire pits. "We are not safe, do not fool yourself. Sedna may have blessed us with her grace, but she will not protect the stupid. There are still bloodthirsty Norsemen out on the Tundra. We do not want to end up like the Thule!"

He looked around, having made a spectacle of himself, and just hoped what he said had sunk in. Then he headed back to Thorrin. "So these cousins of yours, they will not stop until we defeat the Norse. But Yuralria said there were others like you. How can we find them? We can join together and fight the witch."

Everyone stares wide-eyed at Unulaq for a short time as he panics. It doesn’t take long, however, for his words to ring true in the eyes of his people. Ogtuk-luk nods and sprints through the village calling out to the Dorset to douse their hut fires and ready themselves for travel or war or whatever new surprises the gods have in store… Unulaq is surprised at how quickly the others listen and take his orders to heart.

Thorrin continues as Torgusak translates.

Good Unulaq… Now listen carefully… I will explain this to your elders, but they will not listen… If they banish me or worse, you must know the truth so you can help your people weather this storm.

Thorrin sighs and Tongusak looks to Unulaq with intense fear engraved on his face.

Our chief sent three ships to this shore we call Helluland. Upon each ship he placed a witch of my people. Powerful rune casters dealing in ancient magics. It was their task to find a rune long kept secret by Odin, our most powerful god. Long ago he had found 18 symbols of powerful magic… He shared 17 runes with man. The 18th rune, he kept for himself.

Our chief wants the 18th rune… He believes it will give him unimaginable power and sent us to retrieve it for him. A task I take great honor in completing. On the voyage to Helluland, I uncovered a plot. The three witches Gelga, Melkorka and Brunhilde plan on stealing the 18th rune for their own devilish goals. Gelga held a scramasax or blade that would lead him to Mount Odin. I stole it from her to keep her from the 18th rune. I am certain that Tornuaq has found the blade, for I feel no connection to it now. It has bonded to Tornuaq… it will accept no other master. They say only a bard such as myself can properly wield the scramasax. I find it strange that it called to your brother so readily.

Thorrin shakes his head, real sadness in his voice.

Gelga will not rest until she has Tornuaq and the knife.

Unalaq nodded, listening to Thorrin's words through the youngster's lips. He responds, "So, if Tornuaq has the knife, and they have him, they could already be on their way into the mountains. And if they trek into the mountains, we have no hopes of following because we have no knife to show us the safe way. But could we track them? Walk where they walk?" He sighs and says "And what of others like you. Are there any we can hope to call allies? Or is this something we are destined to do alone?" He paces back and forth then asks abruptly, "What of your Odin? Why doesn't he do something to stop this from happening since it is his rune? Does he not know what transpires before him?"

Thorrin lowers his head.

I am sorry brother. I can only assume any that are still loyal to Odin and the chief of Norway are still with the witch and the crew of the Icebreaker. They were scheduled to arrive on the shoreline of those Inuit you call the Thule but yesterday. Captain Gunharr and his man Osvauld will surely oppose the witch Melkorka if she makes her inrtentions clear. I would try to contact the bard Alrik if I knew where his loyalties lied. Gelga made her attempt to seduce me to her devlish plot but I resisted and am now hunted by my own people. I don’t know if Alrik has the courage to do the same.

Unalaq looked downward thoughtfully, running scenarios through his head at an amazing rate. Then he asked, "What happens when the witches get the rune they seek? Will they all leave our land and go back to your own?"

Thorrin looks concerned for his friend and tries to explain. The Thule boy now seems detached from the content of the conversation, focusing as hard as he can on relaying the Viking’s words accurately to Unulaq.

I don’t believe so Unulaq… Unless my chief has other plans for your island I am unaware of, or we find some treasure we cannot bring back home. My people will settle on fertile lands alone… We have named your island Helluland which in my tongue means land of flat rock. There are lands south of here we have named Vinland… they are much more suitable for colonization.

Whether or not my people find evidence of the gods here will most likely determine the fate of your people. Gelga spoke of Asgard, the village of my gods, as though it were here in your mountains. That, of course, is ridiculous and blasphemous, though if it were true, it would turn the whole eyes of our nation on Helluland.

"Is the hidden rune supposed to be in Asgard?" Unalaq asked Thorrin. "If we find proof of Asgard being here, it probably doesn't matter if the witches live or die. Our fate will be the same as long as one of the Norse men return to their homelands with the tale. So that tells me that we have little choice in this matter. It is in our best interest to find the knife, kill the witches, and send the Norse back home empty handed."

Tornugusak translates...

Yes... the witches must die if your lands are to be spared. We must not wait for them to come to us. We need to lead them away from your people or they will burn everythng in their path to gain hold on the 18th rune. The others... my people will be lost without their witches to guide them. How do we find them Unulaq? Gelga surely heads north as we speak... Melkorka could be anywhere?

Unalaq shook his head uncertain on the answer. "We will ask for the Shaman to assist in giving us direction. I will ask for volunteers to help. But in the meanwhile, can you take a look around the village and make sure there are no tracks of the Norse? We need to be sure they haven't found us here while we were at Sedna's ceremony."

After Tongusak finishes translating for Thorrin, The Viking nods and saddles one of the horses Tornuaq and Faroo had captured from the burnt down Thule village. Torngusak holds his hands out to Thorrin. It seems the boy has taken a liking to the Norseman.

Thorrin lifts the boy up onto his horse and smiles at Unulaq.

I’ll search the perimeter Unulaq. The boy will be safe with me. I give you my word. If the Vikings have been anywhere near this village, I will know it.

Unalaq smiled for a moment and nodded... but it was a fleeting smile. There was little to be happy about, after all. He turned about and looked around the village thoughtfully inventorying every villager... every able-bodied man... and then started to wonder just what it would mean if he took them with him. The villagers would be defenseless. He sighed and shook his head looking down at his feet. The mission, it seemed, would probably require a small party. Unalaq wouldn't be surprised if that meant just him and Thorrin.

He headed back to the Elders' hut, ready to tell them his suggestion, and hoped they wouldn't oppose him this time.

ooc,Let me know when I can enter the Elder's hut.

Yuralria emerges from the elder's hut to run near square into Unulaq in her hurry.

"Oh!" She appears startled, then avoids his glance and pushes past him. "Excuse me!" she throws over her shoulder as she scurries in the direction of her hut.

"Yuralria," he called out to her as she was hurrying away. "What is the matter?"

Yuralria stops walking and turns, then smiles, calling back, "Why would you think something's the matter, Unulaq?"

Unalaq paused and looked Yuralria in the eyes, saying "You usually rush when you are very emotional about something. If you are not in a hurry, I would like you to join me in the Elder's tent. I have something to say that is very important... and I know you should hear it as well."

"Oh.." Yuralria fidgets, appearing to wrestle with her decision. "Well, not always! Do I?" She scratches her head, thinking. "Well no matter, if you feel it's important I hear it, then I'll come back in. " she says, beginning to walk back to the hut.

OC I think it's official....Yuralria has a life of her own. Woo!

As Yuralria and Unulaq barge back into the Elder’s hut, they notice the Elders are all busy carving small pieces of ivory. What they are shaping with their carving stones, neither the Shaman, nor the Dorset Hunter can tell… They quickly hide their pieces away and look rather annoyed for the intrusion.

Elder Sakiuk is the first to dawn his political smile.



Shouldn’t you be attending to your duties Shaman. From what I understand from our meeting, you have much to ponder… As do you Unulaq!

Yuralria looks annoyed as well, and furrows her brow at the elder.

"I am here at Unulaq's request. He wishes to discuss something important, and requested my presence just as I was leaving." She looks at Unulaq expectantly, waiting for him to begin.

Nodding to Yuralria, Unalaq says "Yes, thank you." Then to the Elders, he first apologizes, "I am sorry for such an abrupt interruption, but this is very important. First off, I should inform you, Thorrin is looking at the surrounding land looking for signs that his people have been by. I suggest against moving our village. We have four tribe members who will be hopelessly lost if the village is moved without their knowing. But if Thorrin has found evidence that the Norse have been by, then I ... I guess it is your decision at any rate."

He looks down a moment at his feet, getting his words right, then spoke looking the Elders square in the eyes, "I had a talk with Thorrin, and he has enlightened me quite a bit about what really is happening with regards to the Norse men. He says that there were three boats, and each boat had a witch. These boats have been sent to find a sacred rune hidden perhaps in our mountains. It is said that this rune was the only one that their god Odin had kept for himself. The knife that Tornuaq was entranced with tracks the rune and finds a safe passage through the mountains, even in such a deadly condition as it would be this season. It is the knife that the witches hunt, and Thorrin was thought to have the knife. However, the knife is now attuned to Tornuaq, so if the witches find Tornuaq with the knife, they will use him for a guide."

The hunter paused a moment to let this sink in before continuing. "If the Norse are successful in finding the rune in our mountains, we could expect them to return, for they might look for the very land their gods live at. Our best bet for survival and to rid ourselves of these foreigners from invading again is to find and kill the witches." Unalaq threw his shoulders back and said, "I will take Thorrin, and we will attempt to do this. We will take the fight to the Norse. Hopefully, if we have the chance, we can perhaps persuade some of the Norse into siding with us."

He looked to Yuralria and asked, "Can you tell me, will the spirits advise you where I can find Tornuaq? We must get the knife... they must not have the knife. Or, if not him, the nearest Norsemen - excluding Thorrin of course. To go off without knowing would be foolish."

He looked back to the Elders and said, "I know we need as many men here to protect the village in the event that there is an attack. Can we spare anyone to come with Thorrin and myself?"

"Well.....Unulaq...." Yuralria begins, choosing her words carefully, "It would be a terrible time for you to leave the village, with the chief gone and you assuming his position, however temporary you feel it might be."

Unalaq shook his head looking at Yuralria, "I do not hold the spear of leadership. I am not the acting chief. I have no ties that bind me in place, and no responsibilities that require I remain here. By taking Thorrin on this mission, I am doing what is best for everyone, because if we can turn away the Norse, they will no longer be a threat to us." He looked sternly and determined to the Elders and said "Unless you propose we do nothing until the Norse come to attack us, which is foolish."

He looked down and sighed. He was tired of being ordered around when he knew clearly what was best for everyone. He commented looking to the ground thoughtfully, "Two important tribe members have wandered off on their own agendas today." Looking back up he added, "It may be a third, depending on what your response is."

The Elders seemed shocked and alarmed at Unualq's report. For the longest time there is silence as they take in his words.

Finally, Elder Makittuk looks sternly at Unulaq.



It would appear to us that your council is wise Unulaq. How the spirits will react to this news is an entirely different animal. If the Norse have found our village we cannot stay. We will retreat into the mountains as we have done so in the past; long before our time. If they have not, then perhaps we have missed their onslaught as your Norse friend believes is inevitable.
The Elders then speak to each other in hushed tones leaving Unulaq and Yuralria little to do but stare blankly at each other.

Then Makittuk turns back to Unulaq.

Tornuaq and Kalituk have turned their backs on the Dorset people. Though their absence will be missed, we will spend no more of our resources racing around the plains for their benefit. Perhaps you and Thorrin will have better luck in discerning the proper course when you accompany our Shaman to the spirit world.

Elder Elder Kakoratuk speaks, holding little of the anger and disrespectful tones he has normally shown both Yuralria and Unulaq.



Hunt these witches if you must Unulaq but do not rush into these matters. Let the spirits of our ancestors guide you as they always have the Dorset People.

Unalaq nodded, "I will do my best. Thank you." He turned and headed out, waiting outside for Yuralria.

Once she came out, Unalaq said, "Accompany you to the spirit world? We can do that?"

"Yes, it was a gift from Sedna when I spoke with her." She beamed at Unulaq, joining him outside, then sets off in the direction of her own hut, "Exciting isn't it! But I hope you are prepared. I have been chased before by....." She falters, then averts her eyes, "Well it isn't always a lovely adventure. It sometimes is terrifying. I am grateful that you will be joining me. Although I must warn you. You may have your eyes opened about Thorrin. I'm not sure yet what to expect when he comes with us. It may alert the witch to our presence, considering she is looking for him."

Walking next to Yuralria back to her home, Unalaq shook his head as he said, "Somehow, I do not think she is looking for him anymore."

"Why would you think that? " Yuralria stops and turns, and looks at Unulaq quizzically. "Never mind, this is not the place. We will need Thorrin to join us as well. Where is he?"

"He has taken one of those large beasts and is riding around our village looking for tracks," Unalaq states. "If the other Norse have been by our village, he will know, and we can tell the Elders." He looks out to the distance looking for Thorrin and little Tornugusak saying, "It shouldn't take them too long. Why don't you prepare what you need, and I'll bring Thorrin in as soon as he comes back." He pauses a moment and asks Yuralria, "Will we be able to speak to Thorrin in the Spirit Realm?"

"Yes, Unulaq, we will. Wonderful, isn't it?" She smiles, "Alright, I'll meet you at my hut. I will start my preparations in the meantime."

Ogtuk-luk returns before Thorrin and stands in front of Unulaq like a devoted soldier to whatever cause the Dorset hunter has aligned himself with.

All the fires are out Unulaq. I made our people understand the danger we are in with these Norse killers hunting the plains.

Then soon after, Thorrin and Torngusak ride up. Torngusak translates for the red haired Viking.

The Vikings have not been within a short ride of this village. This horse is amazing!

Unulaq is certain his last words are the boys own.

"Thank you Ogtuk-luk," The Dorset hunter responded. "We will be safer without our fires darkening the skies. I expect there will be a lot of cuddling going on tonight."

After Thorrin and Torngusak returned, he listened intently on what they had to say and was greatful there was no signs of any Norse having been by earlier. "Horse?" Unalaq repeated and looked at the creature. "That's what it is called? It does seem a bit heavy for deep snow use. I think I will stick to my dog sled."

He looked to Thorrin and said, "Thorrin, we are to take a spirit trip with our Shaman. Will you be all right with that? Within the spirit realm, we will be able to speak to one another without need of an interpreter." He looked to Torngusak and said "Sorry, that means you'll have to stay here."

He looked back to Ogtuk-luk and asked, "Can you take Torngusak and tell the Elders what Thorrin and he found with regards to the Norse not having been nearby? I don't think our tribe should be moving, what with Faroo and the others still out on their missions."

Ogtuk-luk looks sternly at Unulaq.

My place is at the Shaman's side. I will protect your mortal coils while the Shaman guides you through the spirit world. Your bodies will be vulnerable as your spirits leave them.

"Of course," Unalaq stated, "My mistake." He knelt down before Torngusak and asked him, "Can you tell the Elders about your trip with Thorrin and what he said about the Norse not having come across our village yet?"

Ogtuk-luk nods and rushes away without a word.

Thorrin and Unulaq then make their way to the Shaman's hut. Thorrin says something to



Tongusak and the Thule boy protests for a moment before turning to Unulaq.

I'll be staying with Sashila's family until you get back Unulaq. Please come back soon.



Smoke billows out of the Shaman's hut archway as Thorrin and Unulaq approach. Thorrin smirks at Unulaq and then shrugs unclear what is custom. Unulaq knows that it is Dorset law that no man may enter the Shaman's hut without the permission of the Shaman or her protector. Chief Kalituk had broken this law many times when Aglakti was Shaman. It was quite scandalous at the time and proved to be a source of wonderful gossip.

The Dorset hunter nodded to the child, "Yes. Please, take care of Sashila while I am gone. She is not feeling well, and needs someone to look after her."

Unalaq called within to Yuralria "We are here, may we enter?"

Unalaq looks to Ogtuk-luk questioningly. "Perhaps she is deep in a trance. Should we go in? She is expecting us."

OC very funny....sorry for the wait.

"Yes.....you may enter" they hear from the other side of the deer skin, and as they part the fur, they see Yuralria bent over a large fire, throwing a grass on the flame. It billows smoke and the flame quickly disappears, leaving nothing but a noxious gas to fill the tent and burn their nostrils. After a moment, they feel quite light headed, and euphoria follows. "Please....sit down." Yuralria motions to sit cross legged near the fire, where they may sit and watch. They seem to find it mesmerizing all of a sudden, like they can't help their will to sit and stare at the curious fire all of a sudden.

Yuralria moves over to her desk, where she has several bowls laid out with different colored pastes in each one. She reaches into the bowl with two fingers, and paints her own face with a striking red, first on the forehead, then down the cheeks in vertical lines, then to the chin. She places her feathered mask over her forehead and eyes, so that only the cheeks and chin are visible. Unulaq and Ogtuk-luk will have heard her murmuring whilst she painted herself.

"You next" she says to Unulaq, and begins to chant the same song while painting his face. She runs a white finger down his nose, black fingers down his cheeks and red across his forehead. While she does, he hears the same words over and over again. "tatkret ulureasukpok piktaungitok " which he would know means 'moon god, protect him from evil'. She leans in close, staring at him, as though possessed. He notices a distance in her eyes he'd never seen before, like she were replaced by a different soul. "You are responsible for him" she says plainly, then abruptly moves on to Ogtuk-luk.

For each man she uses a different combination of colors. Ogtuk-luk wears red down the nose, white on the forehead and black on his cheeks. She seems to take a few extra moments with him as well, with a slight coy grin as she does. "nalunaikuta sapputiwok uitayok "she utters while painting his face.

Unulaq could sense a certain reluctance when she moved on to Thorrin. Or was it uncertainty? Either way, her mood was definately subdued. She motioned to him that she would include him, and painted his face in all black. " takungartut talikpa " she chants, taking extra time with him and staring quizzically at him. It seemed as though Yuralria was not herself in the least. She stood abruptly and picked up her staff from the wall, shaking the bones tied to the long bone over the fire.

"Kakiaktok krauyimatauyo kublarpaluk "she murmurs, first softly while shaking her staff, then getting louder. The rhythmic motion grows faster and louder, and the beat seems to make the air swim and electrify. The men feel the scent of the room thicken, and their bones feel tired and heavy. Their eyes roll with sleep, their heads seem foggy and lay back with a thud on the ground behind them. They feel perfectly virile and alive in their own minds, but their bodies seem glued to the ground despite their best efforts to fight. It seems useless to bother, but better to enjoy the weighted feeling of bliss and ecstasy that filled their imaginations.

"Yes......yes......yes!!!!" Yuralria shouted, falling to her knees herself, in a heap of grinning triumph. She gripped her staff tightly, fell backwards next to Ogtuk-luk, her arms lay heavy on his side, and her own eyes rolled back. Her grin was a mocking sign of the incomprehensible joy of the moment that they all felt grip them.

Thorrin Unulaq and Yuralria all awken suddenky sprawled around the Shaman's fire... Ogtuk-luk is missing....

The hut seems just as they left it at first glance, but as they rub heavy sleepb from their eyes, they begin to notice very suttle differences to the Shaman's hut's decour. Small items, both Yuralria and Unulaq know to belong to the old Shaman Aglakti, are strewn about the hut. A ritual bax carved from Driftwood, a Shaman's rattle bearing the face of the seal god, an assortment of furs the Shaman kept and had certainly left the village with...

Thorrin's eyes are wide with amazement and he runs his hand in front of his face. The movement is echoed by a near simultaneous blur that follows his movements closely. He smiles at Unulaq and speaks with a slow unnaturally hollow voice.

By the gods! We have crossed over!

Unalaq smiled and nodded, "I guess we have." He lost his smile quickly as he said to Thorrin, "We are in the spirit realm. And though your body remains behind, you are not safe from danger. Be on guard, for we cannot be sure what to expect with the witches influencing things on their end."

He looks to Yuralria and says, "You did well, Yuralria. Every day, you impress me more and more. So, where do we go from here?"

ooc,Are my weapons with me, or should I be gearing up as we go along?

Unulaq's weapons are with him, as is Yuralria's gift from Sedna.... the narwhale spear. They familiarity grounds the Dorset warrior and the Shaman in this disturbing place.

Outside the hutt they all hear the sounds of wolves howling far off in the distance.

Thorrin draws his sword and looks curiously at the Shaman.

What next Yuralria?

Yuralria stands and begins to pick up and inspect Aglakti's things, then moves to the door to peek out the flap.

"We must find and interpret what the gods tell us." She says simply, as though this were an everyday venture. To her it was, but it felt different with Thorrin. Enticing and unfamiliar......

She pulls the flap back and steps out, looking around quizzically.

Unalaq stepped out behind Yuralria, but would be quick to jump to the front if anything looking dangerous appeared. "The witches, and Loki... are there any signs we should be looking for that might lead us in their direction?"

"I don't know, Unulaq. The last time I met Loki, there was a certain.....absence.....of anything else in the spirit world. As if, I was meant to go there, and meant to meet them. Not every time we visit this plane will things appear the same. Like, for instance, Aglakti's things are everywhere. And she wandered off and so did Chief Kalituk. It worries me that something may have happened to them. Or that the gods are trying to tell me something about her. I fear it's a sign they are annoyed that she left our village, and perhaps they are upset that we were somewhat happy to see her leave. It is all difficult to understand."

Yuralria turns to look at Thorrin. "We must focus on Thorrin and why he is here. We must take him with us, because I believe he has answers to the looming questions we search for." She waves at Thorrin for him to follow her.

"Have you been here before?" She asks him, once he stands and joins them at the door. "Here.....crossed over?"

When the three step outside the hut, the light is overwhelming.... The godess Malina shines brighter than they have ever seen her shine before and they all shade their eyes from her glory.

ooc- Idea

The Shaman's hut is located at the base of a 100 ft tall wall of ice, stretching off in either direction to the horizon. behind them, a flat snowy plain continues for as far as the eyes can see.

Thorrin squints in the blinding light and answers the Shaman.

None of my people have ever crossed over. Our people tell many tales of brave Vikings who have explored many of the planes of this realm. Asgard, Niflheimr, Muspell... even Hel. Never have our witches or rune casters ever discovered a rune or means to cross the outer threshold of Midgard. Not even the gods tread these lands.

Thorrin laughs...

Not my gods at least. Thankyou for this moment Yuralria. I will be forever grateful to you both.

Unalaq shielded his eyes from the light lifting his hand before his face and looked at Thorrin correcting "Loki apparently made it here, if what I understood Yuralria had said earlier." He looked at the cliff and pointed out, "Apparently, this is not the way... but I can't help but wonder what might be on the top side. However, we might be better off heading toward the plains. Maybe head toward Malina since that's really the only thing we can make out here."

failed my idea check,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1948970/]Idea (60%) (1d100=83)[/url]

OCIdea check successful

"That's right, Thorrin. I met Loki, and his lover Sigyn. I even held the jug to catch the poison dripping over him for a moment. " She smiles at him. "Malina's light is strong this evening.
It is better if the men don't leave the hut when she is out like this. I wonder if my protection spell will make a difference."

Thorrin squints.

ooc- roll spot Hidden -25%

Yuralria pauses just inside the doorway to the hut, reaches down to the floor, and retrieves three pairs of snow goggles. "Here, shield your eyes. Malina is terribly bright this evening." She hands a pair to Thorrin and one to Unulaq, then dons a pair of her own.

OC Rolled spot hidden -25%. Failed! (no surprise) Will the penalty be lifted next round then?

With his hand sheilding his eyes from the glare of the light, Unalaq thinks he sees something. Absently, he grabs the goggles from Yuralria and puts them over his eyes... keeping them locked in on whatever it was he thought he saw as he says pointing, "Look over there!"

Unulaq puts the goggles over his eyes and the glare immediately subsides. Thorrin copies Unualq and the red haired Viking looks quite comicly out of place wearing the walrus bone snow goggles.




Unulaq then spots something quite clearly. Two sets of foot prints moving east along the glacier wall. (Or at least what the Dorset Hunter perceives to be east.) Upon closer inspection, Unulaq can tell that one of the tracks is made by a large four legged animal. The second by a man.

ooc- roll track to identify tracks.

OC Not sure if Unulaq was supposed to roll track but either way, Yuralria succeeded.

ooc,I'm bettin' it's the black wolf.

Unalaq looked again at the tracks with the goggles in place and could easily identify what made them.

Unulaq and Yuralria both notice that the larger tracks were made by a polar bear, but a polar bear larger than any they had ever seen make tracks in the real world. The smaller tracks are childlike but move with cunning purpose through the snow behind the bear.

"Do you suppose..." Unalaq asked looking to Yuralria, "Nanook? And who is the child that follows?"

Yuralria muses, "It is larger than any polar bear I have seen. I would wonder.....if it is not from our world at all. Last time I met someone from Thorrin's background. Perhaps this one is the same."

Yuralria kneels to put a hand in the large bear track, and her hand is dwarfed by the impression. "Thorrin...do you know what could have made this? "

Thorrin shakes her head... These are your lands Shaman. My people have little experience in this strange place.

Thorrin bends over and puts one of his hands on the tracks.

They are fresh. For whatever purpose that information holds.

The Viking smiles and looks along the towering wall of ice overhead.

Should we follow Yuralria?

"Uh....yes....we should." Yuralria says decisively, and sets off in the direction of the footsteps. "It will be important to keep our distance if they near however. I can't imagine how large that animal who made these tracks could be. The size of a mountain!"

Unalaq hefted his spear up, getting it ready for a fight. In these strange lands, he didn't want to be unprepared. "Yuralria, maybe you should walk behind me... I would not want you to fall here."

The two Dorsets and the Viking follow the tracks with Unulaq in the lead, followed by Yuralria, then Thorrin.

Yuralria knew that the footprints had to mean something to her. The Spirit World had a way of showing you things that even you didn't know you needed to see. If they were not meant to follow the tracks then they would not have been there.

The sky overhead soon grew dark and the light of Malina grew dim. Now Aningan, the moon god shone brightly overhead and the dancing green lights of the Aurora Borealis danced and flickered in the night sky. The trek was filled with the strange and hollow sounds of the Spirit World. Bones and Ivory clicking and clacking... echoing off the horizon. The ever distant presence of wolves, howling and laughing with delight as they made their best efforts to torment any who heard their call. Strange and familiar faces glared from within the wall of ice and then sunk back apologetically if anyone chose to investigate.



Soon the three were standing in front of a geat tunnel leading into the face of the mile high glacier wall. The tracks went in. At the entrance to the tunnel, scraped onto the ice like blubber onto bannack, a stange black oil dripped and writhed onto the snow.

Unalaq looked at the strange oily substance ... and knelt beside it smelling at it carefully... but not touching. "What is this? Whatever that creature was... could it have been made of this substance? Could it have scraped this off in an attempt to hide inside?" He looked to Yuralria and said, "I've seen a few strange black creatures these days... and they all forebode ill happenings. This cannot be good."

"Strange..." Yuralria furrows her brow and rubs the black substance between two fingers. "If it is hiding in here, it would not be wise to go in after it, considering we will likely get trapped inside. Do you have any ideas?"

OC Are you going to bother npcing unulaq or just wait for him to get back from surfing?

"Or ... we could be the ones doing the trapping. We could corner whatever it is and prevent its escape. We might fare a better chance at success in battle while it is confined into an area far too small for it than to confront it out in the open," Unalaq counter-offered as an idea. He smiled to Yuralria nearly-apologetically as he said "Once a hunter, always a hunter."

Yuralria raises her eyebrows in surprise and curiosity, "But the footprints! They're massive! If we do find it inside and it attacks us, we may well be unable to get away. Do you.....have a plan to overtake it? Rope to tether it or lasso it? What have you got planned?"

"This is unfamiliar to me, this spirit world. I do not know what sort of creatures wander about, especially in these trying times. But I think we should find out what we can about it. Maybe we can stalk it and observe from a safe distance then decide what to do after," Unalaq suggested.

"Yes, perhaps." Yuralria says thoughtfully. "We need to follow these footprints. Otherwise they wouldn't be here. But we are physically still in my hut, with Ogtuk-luk watching over us. So we..we should be fine. " Her voice falters like she's doubting her own logic, however.

Thorrin is still hunched over the foot prints.. He dips his fingers in the black goo and it seems to writhe slightly along their tips. He flicks it to the ground with disgust..

Odin's beard! This is stranger a place than I have ventured Yuralria, even with my own magics. I will trust your judgement. If you think our answers lie down this hole then I will follow.

Unalaq nodded with a smile, "Yes, indeed. It is your call, Shaman. We are but your humble servants."

"Yes, of course." Yuralria gives a feeble smile, breathing in laboriously, and trudges forward. "Would you like to go first, Unulaq?"

Oc Bait first? LOL

Unalaq nodded, "Of course. It would not be right to send you in first. You are more valuable than I am. There are dozens of warriors, but only one real Shaman of our people."

He readied his spear and headed on in, trying to keep quiet with his footfalls. It certainly helped that his boots were made of skins (or it should at any rate. Do I get a bonus?).

ooc - it's more that you don't get a penalty with leather boots.

Unulaq, Thorrin and Yuralria enter the tunnel carved through the ice by some long forgotten astral river. Light is not a problem as the rays of Malina's brilliance penetrate deep into the ice, illuminating everything around the spirit walkers. They travel for only a few minutes into the heart of the giant iceberg before they spot something ahead on the icey floor. The glint of sparkling red stone, tied crudely to the end of a long pole. There are others just like it, scattered around the ice tunnel. At first glance, they appear to be spears of some sort made from a stone neither Unulaq nor the Shaman had seen before.

Thorrin looks wide eyed at Unulaq and the Shaman. He draws his shiny Viking steel and waits patiently for the others.

Curious, Unalaq approached the first of the red-stoned spears for a closer look at the rock.

Yuralria lets out a gasp of excitement, and approaches one of the spears to inspect it. She looks quizzically at the rock before experimentingly touching it.

"It's beautiful. I wonder what it is, Unulaq!"

"It's like... red ice," Unalaq stated. "Thorrin, have you ever seen anything like this?"

Thorrin nods.

They look like rubies. A valuable gemstone to my people. To use them as weapons... A single spearhead... a ruby of this size could feed an army for months with its worth.

He picks one up and holds the spear in his hands testing its weight.

Impressive. It is remarkably balanced.

ooc- spot hidden both of you.

Unalaq grabs up one of the spears as well and tests its balance. That's when he notices something.

Whatever Unulaq is looking atis lost on Yuralria, as she's too fixated on the beautiful 'ruby' in her hand.

"Ruby...what a pretty name. And will it penetrate a man in battle, like your shiny weapon, Thorrin?" She asks.

Thorrin puts the spear hread up to his lips and begins to sing softly to it. The gem glows brightly and then Thorrin turns back to Yuralria.

I beleive so... The rubies are enchanted in some way, though it could just be this place. Their magical properties will allow the ruby tip to penetrate most forms of armour. Much like my runes...

Thorrin then turns to Unulaq who seems interested in something else besides the spears.

Blue-ish blood nearly the same color as the icey walls is scattered throughout this section of the of the tunnel. He also spots some of that same black material he had found at the entrance to the ice tunnel.

Unalaq asked the others, "Do you think there's some reason they are all located right here? I think we should take them. I am very good with a spear." He starts scooping the spears up. "Did you notice? There was a fight in here. Something was injured... with blue blood. Whatever squeezed in here was involved... the black bear?"

ooc- Yuralria. Make an Inuit Mythos check.

Yuralria rubs her fingers in the black substance, then leans back to sit on her heels and stare at it quizzically. "Seems to me....I've heard of this before."

OCInuit mythos passed

Yuralria yelps in fright, jumps to her feet and stares, horrified, at the black smut on her hand. "Oh no! No no no! We have to get out! I have to get out! I can't stay here, not with them!" She turns to grab Unulaq by the furs, staring at him with desperate maddened eyes, "The shaman killers! They'll hunt me and kill me! Unulaq, it's me they're after and I need to go now!"

Unalaq nodded, not too hasty though to leave the spears behind. He made sure he grabbed a few, handing some off to Thorrin. "All right, calm down... we're leaving." He understood the woman's anxiety, but hoped she could contain her volume lest the echoes throughout the cave carry her voice to the very thing she was trying to avoid... whatever that was.

Thorrin picks up one of the spears and examines the ruby tip. He slides his fingers along the gem's point and holds them up to Unulaq who hasn't yet lost his nerve as the Shaman surely has.

Whoever held these spears seemed to feel the same way as you Yuralria. The Shaman Hunter's blood is all over this one. As is the black un-natural slime we found near the cave's entrance.

"So the blue blood is that of the shaman hunters? Maybe the creature of black took them all out," Unalaq stated trying to keep positive. "It might be worth scouting ahead and checking before we run away." He looked at Yuralria and said, "Can you wait here with Thorrin for a short while as I go on ahead and scout it out?"

Yuralria looked at the ruby quizzically, then looks calmer. "They travel alone. I didn't realize.....yes of course. But also, blood is no indication that it's dead...just wounded. Yes, yes I'll wait here."

"Thorrin," Unalaq said looking at the Norseman, "Could you stay with her ... just incase. And if something should happen to me, do not trouble yourself over it, just get the both of you far away from here as quickly as you can."He left the spears with Thorrin... "They obvoiously weren't any good against whatever may still be back there."

Unalaq proceeds down the cavern with his stone spear and bone club handy, trying to walk stealthily to see if he can find out what manner of creature this black bear is.

ooc,If you need them... [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2005431/]Sneak (65%) (1d100=41)[/url] [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2005432/]Hide (50%) (1d100=86)[/url]

Thorrin grabs Unulaq's shoulder with one hand and his massive bone club with the other.

Let me help you brother...

Thorrin then begins to sing. The song fills the ice tunnel and all hearts who hear it.

Those songs I know, which nor sons of men
nor queen in a king's court knows.

FA

The first is Help which will bring thee help
in all woes and in sorrow and strife.

fehu fehu fehu
f f f f f f f f f
fu fa fi fe fo
of ef if af uf
f f f f f f f f f

FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.....


The gentle voice of Thorrin fades away and the Viking smiles at Unulaq.

Use this weapon of bone without fear...Their defenses will mean nothing now.. Go! I will guard Yuralria with my life.

Unalaq lifted the bone club curiously, twisting it to the left and right to see if anything looked different about it. He brought his eyes back to Thorrin and smiled, "Thank you. I will not be long." He turned and headed further into the cave, careful about where he put his feet that he might make the least ammount of noise.

Yuralria sat in the snow, mesmerized by Thorrin's beautiful singing, and once they were alone she couldn't help but blurt, "Can the witch hear you when you sing, Thorrin?" She bit her lip and watched him imploringly. His response determined their fate.

Not in this place, I am certain of it.

Thorrin thinks...

Melkorka could no doubt hear the song if she were on the island. Gelga is an new initiate and having just received her gifts from the gods; she would most likely not recognize the suttle undertones using rune magic has on the world around us. Brunnehilde on the other hand; our most powerful rune caster, could hear my song no matter where I was. She is on her way to your island and she brings my king with her.

Even still...
No Norseman has ever set foot in your spirit world Yuralria. I do not think even Brunhilde could hear me in this place.

"But Thorrin, if you were singing, wouldn't you also be singing back in the hut where our bodies lay?" Yuralria looks confused. "You have a beautiful gift. But unfortunately it is one that will soon get us all killed if you use it. Many a time I have been chased in the spirit world and been in very grave danger. That is why Ogtuk-luk is left behind to protect us."

Of course Yuralria... I will be more careful....

Thorrin thinks to himself before speaking again.

Tell me Shaman... When you dove down to parlay with your godess... What was she like? I have worshipped a pantheon of gods all my life, not so dis-similar to your own gods in a sense... yet I have never met one. I was raised to beleive that if one finds glory in death, they will earn a seat at Odin's table in Valhalla.

She was.....warm. Despite the freezing water. And crippled, in a way because she can't comb her own hair. I dove down to comb her hair, as she can't herself. She's no fingers left. We also believe that meeting the Goddess is a certain rite of passage to becoming the true Shaman. See I am.....the replacement....after Aglakti was sent away." Yuralria peers down the tunnel that Unulaq disappeared down, then turns back, "Who is Odin?"

Odin is the king of the gods. The ruler of Asgard. There are those amongst my people that believe our history is tied to this place. We seek a rune that Odin has forbidden mankind to learn. Of the eighteen runes of power... the last rune is special and secret.

Thorrin thinks to himself before reciting a page from his own Holy Book.

This is from the Eddas.. The Havamal...

An eighteenth I know: which I ne'er shall tell
to maiden or wife of man
save alone to my sister, or haply to her
who folds me fast in her arms;
most safe are secrets known to but one-
the songs are sung to an end.


It tells of a rune that Odin kept to himself and told none but his sister... though there are no stories of Odin ever having a sister.

Yuralria sits, thoughtful, then asks, "These runes, what kind of powers do they hold? And is it Gelga that seeks it? Is she the one that is looking for it? It is you she is after, Sedna told me. She needs you to sing a song for her, and she won't let up until she finds you. That's why you mustn't sing."

Yuralria pauses, looks down the tunnel Unulaq disappeared in, then continues. "Thorrin, do you know the one eyed man? He chased me out while I was with Sedna. Chased me out of a dream sequence. He spoke your language and pointed his sword at me. He was quite unfriendly.

Yes... Gelga is searching for the Rune. She wishes to keep it for herself and the other witches... That is why I left. Someone must tell the King what they are up to. The rune holds unimaginable power; enough that Odin kept it for himself, not even sharing it with the other gods.

Thorrin thinks thoughtfully on Yuralria's last statement.

Odin appreared to you in a vision while you were with your godess Sedna? That is most strange... Is there a connection bertween our two peoples... Why was Odin upset with you? What had you done to give him cause to raise his sword in anger?

Yuralria blushes fiercely, thinking back on the tumultuous experience of being in bed with Sedna....changed into a man....how could she ever admit it to Thorrin!

"Uh....er....many things are not as they appear in the spirit world Thorrin. Sedna and I were......intimately tangled. It happened very much.....by accident. You see Sedna is a lonely goddess, banished to the sea by her father. I'm not sure why Odin was so angry, or why they are connected. Perhaps Sedna holds the missing rune. Perhaps.." Yuralria's sentence trails off, and she spends a minute turning the spear Sedna had given her over and over. She rubbed her fingers up and down the intricate details, trying to make it out. What secrets did Sedna hide from her people? Is it possible.....

Yuralria's head snapped up in shock and she stared at Thorrin with mouth agape for a moment. "Thorrin!" She shouted excitedly, hardly able to blurt the words out fast enough. "Is Odin married? Or was he ever married at some point? Because Sedna, in the long lost days when she still had her fingers. She was given to a man who disguised himself, to have as his wife. The man pulled of his hood once he had her at his nest, and he was a raven man. Does Odin ever appear as the raven? Perhaps Sedna is his long lost wife that left him, and he was angered that we were together." Yuralria suddenly stops, staring at Thorrin wide eyed at the grave details of her new conclusion. "Oh, Thorrin. Is it true?I have angered Odin. What do you think will happen to me now?"

Thorrin is surprised to hear the words come out of Yuralria’s mouth.

That could be true. Odin has had many lovers… I doubt your goddess would still be alive if she had crossed him. Odin is a vengeful god.

Odin rarely changes his shape. That sort of mysticism is for the trickster god Loki.

Thorrin thinks again…

Odin’s pets are Ravens…. They serve as his eyes and his ears in the real world. However, I do not believe you have angered Odin, Yuralria. What you experienced is similar to what our people call a god walk. To learn the history of gods, certain religious figures have been gifted with visions… They experience events through the eyes of the gods as they themselves lived them. We have used these experiences to write most of our own literature.. Our Eddas were a collection of such visions.

I believe you were experiencing what Sedna had experienced or the Raven for a different perception of the event…

These are powers of the Aesir.. My gods. Descendants of Bor… No mere concubine of Odin would have such power…

Yuralria blinks for a moment, thinking on taking the shape of Sedna's horrible husband....the half man half raven. No wonder she'd appeared like a raven in the mirror. It was exactly as Thorrin was describing it....experiencing an event that had been written as well.

"They have to be tied somehow. I wonder....if Odin had a long lost sister...one that didn'texist in your culture, or there was no mention of her anywhere, perhaps it could be Sedna? It seems strange....but it is possible, don't you think? Which would mean the rune lies with Sedna as well. Thorrin! How can we find Gelga? We must find her...do you have any way of finding out where she is?"

A sister of Odin...

Thorrin thinks to himself...

There are old texts that tell of such a thing. We believed them to be riddled in metaphor. If they are truth then Gelga and the other witches must not come to learn this. I have no way of finding that evil wench.

Thorrin suddlenly becomes edgy and grabs Yuralria by the arms.

You must tell anyone of this Yuralria.

He shakes her hard and screams at the top of his lungs with wild crazed eyes.

PROMISE ME YOU WILL SAY NOTHING!

Yuralria screws up her face in disgust and slaps Thorrin across the face. "Pull yourself together man!" She shouts, then rips her arm away. "In my culture, no one must touch the shaman. And besides which there are many secrets I know that I won't go about telling just anyone. This secret is safe with me."

She rubs her arm and inspects the spot for a minute, her eyebrows knitted into a perplexed expression. "Gelga will stop at nothing to find this rune, then? We must convince Unulaq that we need to find her and kill her. If we don't stop the witch your people will come and kill ours, all because of their silly witch running the show. I think I need to cast a spell to find her. But which one...."

Thorrin is surprised by the slap and he can see anger build in his face before he quickly composes himself and steps back from Yuralria listening intently.

Agreed.. I know of no such magic that could help us find the witch. Gelga will be further into your territory. Her men burned the village we saw on the plains so she must be close. I'll help you Shaman.. You and your people for the sake of us all. There are two witches that must die... Possibly three...

OC

Yuralria looks squeamishly down the dark side of the hole where Unulaq disappeared.

"Perhaps....we should wait outside the cave. I'm a bit worried....y'know, about being trapped." She turns back the way they came and begins to walk out. "How do you suppose we'll find the witches, Thorrin?"

Thorrin looks down the ice tunnel and perks an ear before turning back to follow Yuralria.

If we could find where they landed, we could track them from there. Or we could just follow the wave of destruction my people leave in their wake. They will not be making efforts to conceal themselves. Melkorka will be the most difficult of the witches to track. She is cunning and cruel.

ooc- Listen check.. and your post please.

OC What a horrific roll.....listen check

Yuralria listens but can't make anything out. She grimaces at Thorrin's words about Melkorka, "So do you think she was at the Thule village then? Or could that have been any one of your people. What do you think Thorrin?"

"She will pay for what she intends to do," Yuralria says darkly, staring off into the tunnel where Unulaq disappeared. "I will send a pack of ravenous wolves after her, when I leave this dimension. I would very much like to know her weakness, Thorrin. She must have one. It's a mystery to me, just like the song you sing. Tell me....what makes it seem so magical?"

Her weakness? Witches are powerful and prideful women. Their magic is a gift from the gods. Her writings brings pain and destruction. Her only weakness is her hands. Take her hands and you take her magic.

Thorrin thinks deeply and scowls. His eyes then suddenly turn quizical as he perks an eyebrow.

Do you hear something Shaman?

ooc- roll listen and spot Hidden check.

"Her hands!" Yuralria exclaims, "yes I will need to chop them off.....or..." She trails off however as something catches her attention.

Yuralria hears a whisper in the distance.

"Yuralria.... Run....."

Thorrin lifts his head towards the noise as if he heard it too.

Was that....?

Yuralria then spots something behind Thorrinl. A shadowy figure was slowly passing through the icey cave wall and reaching for the Norseman.

"Behind you!" Yuralria screams, temporarily frozen in terror at this new, extraordinary sight. She grabs Thorrin's arm and swings him around quickly, then holds on and begins to drag him with her, "GO GO GO!"

ooc - make a dodge check.

ooc - which direction do you run? Down the tunnel or back where you came. Voices came from down the tunnel.

OC Yuralria is headed back the way she came. AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

Yuralria grabs Thorrin and pulls him back just in time. The shadowy figure's arms close around cold air.

Thorrin resists for a moment and draws his sword. Then another figure walks through the other side of the narrow cavern and Yuralria gets a closer look at the creature.



It holds a red crystal spear similar to those they found earlier on in the cavern littering the floor and surrounded by patches of black blood and ooze.

Thorrin quickly agrees with Yuralra's assessment of the situation and the two dart down the cavern.

It's a long run to exit Shaman! We need a plan.

ooc - roll Inuit Mythos check and post actions

OC Inuit Mythos passed

OOC I'm going to wait on her dialogue/action (beyond heading down the tunnel) until I hear via pm what she would know about these creatures. And which way is up! aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

OOC- You recognize the creatures as Taqriaqsuit or "Shadow Poeple"

See Link to Homework

http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/viewtop ... 881#p31174

If you run back you are running out of the tunnel adn back towards your Shaman Hut. If you run down you are running towards the noise you heard and Unulaq.

Yuralria runs to just past its reach, then pauses, seemingly weighing a decision in her mind. She turns and looks back, then looks at Thorrin uncertainly.

"These are creatures from my heritage....no one has really seen them or knows much about them. I would like to......well....I just wonder......"

She takes a long moment to look them over, then uncertainly reaches out her hand.

OC Omg I'm sweating bullets.....

One of the Taqriaqsuit tries to prod Yuralria back from where she came.

When Yuralria holds out her hand in seeming friendship, the Shadows whisper to each other. One finally approaches, his spear held aggressively in front of him.

The Shadow Bear will kill you Shaman. And his power will grow and spread to everything in the Spirit World. Go! Run!

Yuralria hears a sudden deafening roar come from further down the tunnel, from where Unulaq had scouted ahead. The Taqriaqsuit turn nervously towards the sound and ready their spears.

Thorrin draws his own sword and stands close to the Shaman. He puts a hand on her shoulder.

Unulaq! What should we do Yuralria?

"Ruuunnnn!!!!" Yuralria wails, then catches Thorrin by the hand. "Hide us please!" She begs of the shadow people, but to what avail she had no idea. Who has ever met a shadow person anyways? Who knows what their talent or world is like.....

OC Yuralria is running back the way they came.

We cannot hide you in this place Shaman! You must escape these tunnels. We will hold the bear for as long as we can.

The Shadow then addresses one of his own.

Follow the Shaman. See to it she escapes this place. Show her the side tunnels if you must.

With that, Thorrin, Yuralria and the lone Taqriaqsuit race down the ice tunnel. Seconds after their departure, they hear the cries of the Taqriaqsuit they left behind paired with the painful howls of the Bear God.

They reach a fork in the ice cavern and the Taqriaqsuit stops suddenly looking back.

Give me your spear Shaman... it still has the scent of Sedna. Nanook will follow it.

"B..but I MUST get it back!" Yuralria pleads, handing it over, but still keeping her hand around it, in a moment of hesitation. What choice did she have but to trust these creatures?

"No, please....I can't lose it. It means everything to me!" She says as she pulls it back with her and turns to continue running with Thorrin.

So be it.

I will stand against Nanook.

Thorrin spurs Yuralria forward having much more Endurance for the forced march than the Shaman.

Hurry Yuralria! Hurry!

Close behind them, Yuralria hears the Taqriaqsuit squeel in agony as the massive shape of the Shadow bear comes into view swiping through the Taqriaqsuit as if it were made of snow. The Taqriaqsuit's spear and shield drop to the ground as he dissappears into nothingness and the great Black bear continues forward directing torturous growls at the Dorset Shaman.



Far behind the Shadow Bear, Yuralria hears her dear friend Unulaq calling to her.

"Yuralria! Thorin! Come this way!"

"Unulaq I can't!" Yuralria bellows down the tunnel while still running in the other direction (out the tunnel) "Just wake up if you must....you can't be hurt....but I caaaaan!!!!"

She scrambles out in her panic, clawing at the tunnel walls if she stumbles. "Is there a shortcut??!" She begs of the Taqriaqsuit. "Please....the sidetunnels...you must show me!!"

ooc- Your Taqriaqsuit guide just got smashed by the Shadow Bear but it's still a terrifying scene so your reaction makes sense.

Thorrin pulls on Yuralria's shoulder.



Come Shaman! We are alone in this!

Thorrin and Yuralria take off again down the tunnel as the Shadow Bear turns to face some other pressing foe. From the sound of Unulaq's approaching voice it must be him.

Thorrin! Yuralria!

Then suddenly a shadowy arm reaches through the icey wall of the cavern. A deep voice whispers to Yuralria.




Take my hand Shaman.

Yuralria graps firecely onto Thorrin's hand, then with her other she reaches out to the shadow person.

"WAAAAAAKKKKE UUUUUUP UNULAQ!" She yells out down the tunnel.

The Shadow pulls Yuralra through the wall of ice. The sensation is strange. Like floating through a room filled with lantern oil. She sees Thorrin reaching for her and then bang furously on the ice as his grasp falls short. The ice soon falls way to a side tunnel and Yuralria has to clench her throat to avoid vomiting when she finally solidifies from her Shadowy form she had taken.

The Shadow, still nervously lookng from side to side, pulls on Yuralria's arm in an attempt to move her forward down the side tunnel.

Come we must hurry!

Yuralria begins to run at full speed, holding onto the Shadow's hand firmly. "Where does this take us?" She gasps as she starts to pant a little from the exertion.

The shadow runs to a another fork in the narrow ice tunnel. These tunnels appear different than the main ice tunnel. The main cavern seemed natural... The smaller, narrow tunnels seemed more chiseled than anything else. The echoes of battle dim and Yuralria can hardly hear the sound of Unulaq's pain as the Shadow bear Nanook tears through him. But she can most definitely feel him. Unulaq's pain rips through Yuralria's heart as if she was strunk herself. She falls to one knee but the Shadow quickly helps her back to her feet.

Your friends will die. You must hurry if you are to learn what you must.

The shadow puts his hand on the wall of the tunnel at the point where the cavern forks.

Now focus. We must shadowslide one last time.

ooc- roll a POWx4 check to summon the strength of Will to phase through the wall.

Ooc Is that a 1d100 roll? If so she passed.

Yuralria quickly calms her mind as the shadow advised and the Shaman passes with quite some effort through the ice tunnel. An icey cave opens up before her. A path as clear as the lake in spring opens up in front of her. Three shadowy Taqriaqsuit immediately turn and raise their redy ruby crytal spears at Yuralria. Her guide waves him off and hurries Yuralria down the trail leading to the long lostt Taqriaqsuit city. Yuralria is the first of her people to find this place as far as the legends say. Tall icey spires lined with stairs stretch as high as the eye can see. Higher than most mountains in her land. Complicated structures spheres hang in the air, held by nothing but magic. Yuralria could feel the godesses presence in this place. Her magic was strongly linked here. Black figures move about in the hundreds phasing in and out of existance as they walk through walls of ice in and out of the strange looking spirit structures.



Yuralria's gide turns to her and pulls her forward into the city. His touch seems warm and strangely familiar.

Yuralria gasped to herself. She couldn't help it. The beauty and priveledge were second to none. She stared, mouth agape for a moment, taking the scene in, and her steps slowed as she felt Sedna's presence here.

"It's beautiful, " she managed to murmur, then followed her guide down the path he led.

Something about his touch was familiar....but whom? She'd never met this Taqriaqsuit before, had she? Or was it Ogtuk-luk....trying to lure her back to reality? Her heart lurched as she thought of Ogtuk-luk, now saddled with the responsibility of waking Unulaq and Thorrin. Would he know to rouse them? A lump formed in her throat suddenly and amidst the beauty and strangeness of this far distant place, she began to cry.

The Shadow stops and looks quizically at Yuralria. He pauses for a long momemt and regards the Shaman. As if he were missing something he had long given up.

Come we must hurry!

Yuralria hurries along after him, wiping at her eyes embarassedly. "Where are we going? Is there someone you want me to meet? Or can the bear come here too?"

Curious how he looked at me.....who does he remind me of? And who do I remind him of? I'm certain I haven't met him before.....have I? Odd....

Not someone you must see, but some-thing......

The Taqriaqsuit continues dragging Yuralria through the streets of his spirit world city. Shadow people stop what they are doing and stare facelessly at the Shaman. There are so many of them. Yuralria can see tools in some of their hands similar to those she might find in her own village, but being used in wild and strange ways. One Taqriaqsuit was carving the air with a Thule fishing axe. The air parted and snow gently blows through the opening the shadow had made before she quickly closes it and makes another.

Yuralria finds it hard to walk quickly after him with all the exciting sights. She openly stares, mouth agape at the shadow with the fishing axe. "What is she doing?" She asks, pointing.

Where on earth was he taking her? "Wait!" She finally says, feeling exasperated. "Where are you taking me? I feel as though I'm following you blindly....what do you want me to see?"

The Shadow answers Yuralria quickly and respectfully as he rushes her through the Taqriaqsuit city.

She is learning to make doorways to your world Shaman. It is a precise art and takes centuries of practice to master. Our people consider it a noble profession.

The shadow then picks up on Yuralria's aprehension adn stops to explain.

I am taking you to the citadel of time. Our history is captured there. You can learn what you seek. Few Shaman's have seen it outside our fold.

Yuralria blinks, flabbergasted, and faulters for words. "Ok, I would be honoured." She finally stumbles over the words, in a detached manner. "But one more thing....it's bugging me. Why....do I feel like you're.....familiar to me? Can you tell me....have we met before?"

The Shadow shakes his head to Yuralria.

I do not think so. I have been with the Taqriaqsuit and part of the Spirit World for hundreds of years now. My life in your world ended long before you were born.

"Really?" Yuralria replied, still following his lead. "You lived in my world? That is very....interesting. And unbelievable! Was it in another form? Did they invite you hear afterwards and make you one of their own?"

The shadow stops again.

I was Thule..... We all were... Thule or Dorset or one of the First people to settle your homelands. Those that crossed the ice bridge at the dawn of man. We were all me or women. Still are in some sense. I empathize with Yuralria. You have troubling times ahead of you. I was still a part of your world the first time, the black wolf escaped his bonds.

"Oh! The black wolf....you know then? Tell me please! Tell me what happened to you!" Yuralria looks at him quizzically.....that would explain the odd looks he had been giving her....the fact that he was once human made her realize that.

The shadow holds Yuralria's hand as he tells his tale.

My name was Agloolik and I hunted the Fenris wolf as a Dorset tribesman when last the great black wolf showed himself in our lands. I died destroying the beast. We fought atop one of the largest mountains on this island. Mount Tyr, the gods call it. Named after the white god that lies dead within it's rocky walls.

ooc- roll Idea.

ooc- roll listen

ooc - roll sanity check

ooc- sorry for all the rolls. lol

Idea 80 passed
Listen (40) rolled 38 passed
Sanity 58 rolled 20 passed

Yuralria can't help the electric feeling of the shadow holding her hand. He wasn't human, and yet it was so wrong for anyone to touch her, that it sent warm tingles all throughout her. She couldn't help herself, she found her thumb stroking his hand absent mindedly, and her other hand toyed with his arm, dragging a finger up and down his forearm.

dsigfuss wrote:My name was Agloolik and I hunted the Fenris wolf as a Dorset tribesman when last the great black wolf showed himself in our lands. I died destroying the beast. We fought atop one of the largest mountains on this island. Mount Tyr, the gods call it. Named after the white god that lies dead within it's rocky walls.

Yuralria arched her brows in wonder, "You fought and died? How.....valiant.....of you."

Agloolik quickly pulls away as Yuralria responds affectionately to the sahdow's touch.

I am sorry Shaman, it has been so long since I have seen a Shaman. I forgot myself. You are not to be touched.... Please forgive me.

As Agloolik retreats, Yuralria remembers her time during the combing ceremony and a vision she had concerning a Dorset Hunter named Agloolik.....

As Yuralria takes the comb a rush of memories flood her mind. Memories of her people... Past Shamans, elders, hunters, and families. She recalls deeds performed by her people in Sedna's name for good and evil. Then one memory slows and Yuralria finds herself watching a Dorset Hunter climb the face of a mountain. Snow falls all around Agllolik as he pushes himslef up the cliffside, the chieftain's spear on his back.
His hand finally reaches flat ground as he pulls himslef up to a small plateau near the mountain's peak. Yuralria can feel Agloolik's ehaustion as he finally stands and views his surroundings, panting from the climb.
His eyes widen as he takes it all in. All around him, Agloolik saw statues of men holding swords like Thorrin's and suited in even heavier armour. They looked so real, as if they might come alive. Yuralria could feel his heart pounding inhis chest. Hundreds of carved rocks, perfectly fitted, form walls and corners so sharp, Agloolik was afraid to touch them. It was a garden like none she had seen. A path of massive flat square stones lined end to end made a path that led into the mountain. Two stone collums marked the entrance.

Agloolik gathered his courage and then followed the path holding the chieftain's spear out in front of him. As he approached a Black Wolf emerged from the dark tunnel. The beast stood taller than Agloolik and Yuralria felt the hunter's courage quickly fade as his mind rolled with fear and despair.

The Wolf then opened his jaws and through long sharp teeth he spoke to Agloolik. Yuralria could not hear the beast over the pounding of Agloolik's heart. The wolf moved closer continuing his rant and Agloolik just stared in horrified disbelief. Then fear turned to anger and he raised his spear shouting at the top of his lungs.



That's not true.... That's impossible!

The wolf laughs...



Now Die!

His Black hair stands on end before he lunges at Agloolik. Agloolik stabs his spear deep into the belly of the wolf and beast howls in pain. Both the wolf and the hunter then tumble over the cliff side......

Yuralria comes out of her trance and Sedna is smiling down at her, cradling the Shaman in her arms like she would her own child.

Do you see?

Yuralria's eyes widen and she steps back in disbelief. "You're.....you're him! You met that awful creature....I saw you....I saw it all! Sedna showed me your pain.....I could hear your heart beating wildly! Tell me what happened to you!"

The Shadow that used to be Agloolik lowers his head, almost shamefully.

Sedna showed you this? I am humbled... The great Balck wolf I later learned was named Fenris survived the fall. So did I, but without the use of my legs. The wolf was arrogant and told me that there was a spear in a chamber at the top of the cliff that could be used to kill him. The Odin's spear, Gugnir... And that the spear had a brother.... Wanatom... the chieftain's spear.

Fenris challenged me... that if I could climb the cliffside and retrieve the Odin's spear, he would offer his throat as payment for my deeds.

The Fenris wolf is a liar and a beast. He has no honor to hold his words. Without food or water or legs, I climbed the cliffside for five days. When I reached the top, the Fenris wolf devoured me. I have been in shadow ever since, having prooved myslef worthy to the Taqriaqsuit. My spirit may still linger in your world but this place is my home now.

"You are a hero, Agloolik, whyever would you be ashamed!" Yuralria fought back tears at the moving story. "There are strangers here in our land now. I think the Fenris wolf is from their world. They must be evil people to have such a beast amongst them. They have already burnt a village down."

Agloolik nods, agreeing have heartedly with the Shaman.

The wolf continued to kill my people for years because of my failure. It wasn't until a stange whiteman named Tyr bound the beast that its murderous rage was stopped. I failed my people... it has been long since I have thought on such things. It pains me Shaman...

Yuralria's heart is suddenly filled with pain and sadness. She reaches instinctively for Agloolik to support her. She would have surely fallen if the shadow was not there. At first she believes the pain comes from Agloolik's tale and that she is simply reacting stongly to his story.

She quickly realizes, however, that the pain washing over her is coming from where the Taqriaqsuit were practicing opening dimensional gateways into the real world with their carving axes. The sadness and fear was beating her down as if the feelings were solid enogh to be spears aimed staright at her heart.

Agloolik holds Yuralria upright

Wht is wrong Shaman? Is it the Shadow bear?

ooc- roll spot Hidden
ooc- roll Cthulhu Mysthos
ooc- make a Sanity check

OOCSpot hidden rolled a 6 (38)
Inuit mythos rolled a 41 (60)
sanity rolled a 1 (58)
That's a big ol success on each one o' those.... Rolled on D&M....follow the link for all three

Yuralria doubles over in anticipation. What was it about those knives.....were they cutting her from the other side? It couldn't possibly could it?

"Oh....I'm feeling weak.....hold my hand!" She begs of Agloolik.

Inuit Mythos check- Yuralria recognizes the feeling. It is the feeling one shares with a loved one. Often, when a loved one is in pain or dies, their other half can sense the pain across long distances. Shaman's are extremely suceptible to this. They feel the pain of their people. Her people have simply been at peace for so long that she had forgortten the feeling. This ability seems to be enhanced in the spirit world and the pain is nerve wraching. She is handling it well though (see sanity check results)

Spot Hidden check - Yuralria spots one of the gateways that one of the shadows is cutting. In the portal she sees Tornuaq running across a lake of ice. The ice is thin and Tornuaq falls through. Yuralria can feel the presence of a dark spirit chasing him under the ice through the murkey frigid water.

Sanity check - you get back some sanity for the critical sanity check. Yuralria is tkaing this one like a champ. The supernatural stuff going on does not even phase her. She is a rock.

"Tornuaq!" Yuralria calls out, and her voice cracks in heartache. "We must help him! Let me through! I need to go through that entryway....he needs me!" She bolts for the hole the shadow had carved in reality and attempts to clamber through.

Agloolik grabs hold of Yuralria's hand just before she charges for the portal. When she breaks free, she is holding a clear blue crystal covered in runes similar to those she saw scribed on the Ijiraat's that attacked her and her people. She hasn't the time to examine the crystal as she leaps through the portal.

The shadow formerly known as Agloolik calls to Yuralria as she leaps from the spirit world into her own snowy lands.

The answers you seek are in the crystal. Simply.....

Agloolik's words are cut short as Yuiralria slips through the portal in her worried state.

A flash of cold bites at her skin as she plunges into the frigid waters. Her spear immediately begins to shed light and warmth and Yuralria finds herself breathing the water as if Sedna herself had offered the Shaman her own lungs for the task.

She looks down and spots Tornuaq sinking to the bottom of the figid lake with a peaceful expression on his face. He seems to have quickly come to terms with his won fate and is awaiting the enevitable darkness to come to him.

ooc- spot hidden.

Oc Spot hidden successful

Yuralria paws through the water desperately, with a twisted knot of anxiousness deep in the pit of her stomach. Was he already dead? The look on his face made her believe she was already too late....

What had the shadow wanted to tell her? She glanced curiously at the crystal before swimming up to Tornuaq. She put his cheek in the palm of her hand and embraced him to share her warmth. "Tornuaq!" She pleaded out of heartbreak, then leaned in and kissed him, warmly, sweetly, slowly breathing out so that he might survive these angry depths.

"Are you in there!" she begged again, wrapping her arms around his solid shoulders, and kicking her legs to pull him up.

Please post in Chapter 5: The Good the Bad and The Eskimo: The Deep (Tornuaq and Yuralria)