The Scout : Unulaq

[DSIGFUSS]

Unulaq crept ahead through the brightly lit ice tunnel, his spear at the ready. Twice now he had spotted similar black patches of creeping oil lingering on the icey floor of the tunnel but the Dorset Hunter pressed on.

Then the tunnel suddenly opened up into a large cave with giant icicles hanging from the ceiling. There, again, Unualaq noticed two of the ruby tipped spears lying on the cavern floor. This time however, a brilliantly decorated helmet, the color of the sun sparkled beside one of the spears.

ooc- Spot Hidden.

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq paused at the entrance, taking a few moments to look carefully before entering any further.

Spot Hidden (78%) (1d100=52)

[DSIGFUSS]

Unulaq notices a small pool near the far end of the carvern. He spots a scantily clad figure washing her hands in the icy water. As large boulders of ice and long dangling icicles surround the pool's edge, she is mostly hidden from view.

The pool appeared to continue out of Unulaq's line of sight, but the Dorset Hunter could tell that the cavern continues for a short distance further than what he could see. As Unulaq looked closer at the woman, he quickly began to realize that her skin was blue as the arctic sky. She whispered softly as she bathed and it was obvious that she hadn’t noticed Unulaq was watching her.

There was, however another exit more openly situated in the cavern that continued along the same path he was now on.

OOC- Listen check to hear what she is saying.. or you could try to get closer by making a successful Sneak roll.

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq couldn't quite make out what the woman was saying from his distance, and it was too important to leave to chance of possible misinterpretation. He looked left and right again, making sure there wasn't some large, black, looming figure ready to pounce upon him before sneaking in for closer observation (ahem... I mean listening).

Sneak (65%) (1d100=19)

[DSIGFUSS]

Unulaq crept closer to the pool and his worst fears were soon realized... Sitting further into the alcove of the ice cavern was a large black shape of a bear sipping from the cavern pool. The blackness surrounding the bear was unatural and writhed and squirmed before Unulaq's eyes as if thousands of dark maggot-like shapes had taken root in the creatures skin and were fighting with the bear for dominance. Then as the bear lifts it's head out of the water, Unulaq could see the brilliant white fur that lied beneath the terrible blackness; the bright blue soul filled eyes of Nanook, the bear god. Just as Aglakti had said.

As Unulaq got closer, he could hear the blue woman's words as clear as the water from which the shadow bear drank.



Rest Nanook! Let this terrible curse wash away from your spirit. No.... I cannot let you harm her... no matter your lust...

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq positioned himself kneeling behind an ice column to avoid being perceived by the black bear and tried to place the woman. He knew Nanook from all the tales told to him and the tribe throughout the years, but a blue-skinned lady... well, it was alien to him. He picked up a small piece of ice and tossed it into the water infront of the woman to catch her attention and hoped beyond hope that she wasn't aggressive.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc- Roll Inuit Mythos check. Unulaq's skill is 15%

[ImpInTraining]

Innuit Mythos Check (15%) (1d100=64) = No clue.

[DSIGFUSS]

The Blueskinned woman's head darts to Unulaq like a startled arctic Hare. Nanook slowly backed away into the small alcove, the black writhing mass of pestilent oil quickly covered the soft white fur and blue eyes of the bear god.

Crouching low, the blueskinned woman shakes her hands at the wrist and her black nails extend another 3 or 4 inches from her fingers. She hisses. ...

Human!

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq backed up a step throwing a hand up (palm out) as he said, "I just want to help. Seeing him like that... it breaks my heart." He looks back to the blue-skinned woman and asks, "Is there nothing I can do to help?"

[DSIGFUSS]

The Blueskinned woan remains crouched and seemingly ready to punce. The Shadow Bear.

There is nothing you can do mortal! Nanook is cursed!

The Blueskinned woman takes a few carefully thought out steps towards Unulaq.

How did you get here? Men from your world are not welcome!

Behind her, the Shadow Bear lifts it's nose to the air and begins to sniff.

[ImpInTraining]

"I came with my Shaman. We have come to see if there is some way to lift this blight from our lands. I left her behind for her own safety as I found out what was causing the black oily sludge marks up and down the cavern," Unalaq explained as he started to backstep, trying to keep his distance from the dangerous looking blue female. "Maybe she could do something for him?" he offers hopefully.

[DSIGFUSS]

Your Shaman? Nooo! It's too soon!

The Shadow Bear continues to sniff the air until he finally catches wind of something. He stands up on fours and opens its massive maw. Black oily strings stretch over its jaws and dark shapes spring from it's mouth as it bellows its battlecry.



WROOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAR!

Then the Shadow bear darts past the blue skinned woman and Unulaq, tearing off down the ice tunnel the Dorset Hunter had come from.

The blue skinned woman quickly begins pursuit calling to Unulaq.



Hurry human if you wish to see your Shaman again.

Spoiler:

ooc, It's a long run back to Yuralria.. You can keep up with the blue skinned girl easily enough. I encourage you to talk as you sprint. Makes for a very comic book dramtic chase sequence.

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq took chase after the blue-skinned lady and asked "Too soon for what? Who has put this curse on Nanook? Was it Loki?"

Spoiler:

Couldn't even try to trip him up... heh. When I get close enough to shout to the others so that they can hear me, I will in effort to give them heads up. I'm guessing I walked too far to do that right away.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc - You're right,I should have given you that option. He's just a reaaly Big Bear. I figured you would want to be out of its way. I didn't take you by surprise so you could stab him if you want... Or try something else. I got no problems backtracking.

[ImpInTraining]

ooc,It's ok, I don't think Unalaq would have done anything anyway... the bear charging would have probably intimidated him into inaction and uncertainty until the blue lady said something about going after Yuralria.

He also asks, "Once we catch up with him, what are we supposed to do?"

[DSIGFUSS]

The blue skinned woman races just in front of Unulaq, darting over the icey cavern floor with the grace of a winter swan.

Loki! Who is Loki? If your Loki has done this to my beloved Nanook I will flay him and serve his inards top the Quallipuk.

Unulaq and the blueskinned woman gain some distance on the lumbering bear god. In the Shadow Bear's fury, bits of dark squirming matter drop from the bear and slither for whatever darkness can be found in the the crooks and crags of the ice tunnel.

oc- Unulaq is about 15 ft from the bear and may try to do something. You still have at least a few more miles to run before you reach Yuralria.

[ImpInTraining]

"Not my Loki," Unalaq responded... "The Norsemen brought him ... their witches call upon him and bring his curse down upon us. I think he may be disguised sometimes as a black wolf." He kept running to keep up, admiring the woman's poise and grace through athetic excercise. "We have befriended one Norseman who has come to try to stop his bretheren... together, maybe we can find an answer. But if Nanook can't stop his rampage, then I'm afraid there might not be answers for any of us."

Unalaq called out to the great black bear, "Nanook! Stop! This is not you... it is something else forcing you... urging you! You are stronger than this! Fight it!"

He hefts up his spear and waits a moment or two longer to see if the bear has any reaction.

[DSIGFUSS]

To Unulaq .. The Shadow Bear turns as the Dorset Hunter calls his name. He slows momentarily and a large patch of ethereal blackness sloughs from his face revealing the remnance of the pearly white fur beneath the darkness. The black quickly overtakes him and the Shadow continues pouncing forward, each massive step cracking the ice below his paws like egg shells.

The Blue skinned woman grins nervously and continues her pursuit.

You're getting to him child of the Frozen Rain. Nanook! Stop this! It is the Norsemen you want! The white skinned devils!

The Shadow bear ignores the blue skinned woman's pleas and charges forward through the ice tunnel.

[ImpInTraining]

"The great bear of Qilugtûssat, now free of the dogs that once pursued him, but in battle with something more evil. It saddens me to see him bested like this." Unalaq commented in his dash, admiring the situation, though not liking it one bit. He began to wonder if this was the black bear that Aglakti had the history with. "Nanook! You are the mightiest creature of the north. When I was young, playing with the other children, I always played Nanook, the great bear - and the others were the dogs chasing after me, trying to pin me down. I would call upon my inner strength and shake them off with a fury unequalled. I would show them that Nanook was no creature to toy with!" He shouted forward, "Shake it off!"