Part One - The Dead of Winter

[andyw666]

Fraser has been happily noting the locations of discovered items with a notebook and pencil.

"Wee boats and a sealie. Must be those poor lads were hunting along the coast then?"

"Mr Lewis, is there any chance your friend up there could guess where they were going to or from if we know they must have been hunting along the coast?"

OOC:   Can Fraser have a look at a map and try to make a Navigate roll to guess a likely nearby hunting/fishing point along the coast? He's hoping to work backwards from where they caught the seal.

[ghill]

As Patrick looks to the top of the cliff, such as it is, he can plainly see the shape of Poo-Yet-Tah standing guard and looking out to the west, rifle slung across his shoulder.

Patrick moves along the cliff face until he is able to climb to the top of it without over exerting himself. Then walks towards Poo-Yet-Tah squatting beside him he addresses the Inuit. "'Na nuq' did not kill these men, but I think you know, or think you might know what did. Will you tell me"

[Cearlan]

Poo-Yet-Tah looks at Patrick, his face unreadable.

"Sorry, I have already told you all I know ... and a lot of that may be nothing to do with what happened here. But you are right, This was not done by either other men or what you term Polar Bear, so what else could it be?"

[andyw666]

If Fraser has no inspiration from his study of the map, he'll start circling around a bit further out from the depression, hoping to find tracks or something else of interest. Fraser will gradually spiral further out but get no more than 50 feet away.

[Cearlan]

Any tracks that did exist have been obliterated by wind and snow.

OOC:   Idea rolls please from everyone present at the site.

[drone232]

Professor Harding takes an assessment of the situation and considering the evidence discovered by the team, attempts to formulate a new course of action.

Spoiler:

In other words, Idea roll
Professor Harding Idea skill 80%
[dice]0[/dice]

[dustakr]

Conroe starts to get bored once finished with collecting samples from around the site. He moves away from the area and stand outside of depression watching over team working through debris..

rolls,[dice]0[/dice]

[ghill]

Patrick Lewis

The polar bear is Na nuq to me Poo-Yet-Tah, I came to the North to escape the White's words and their ways. Yet here I am still. says Patrick with a heartfelt sigh. He watches the others wandering the site with no success. Who are the nearest tribe to this place? He says to Poo-Yet-Tah If these are their lands should we not go and see them? Is this not the piqujait fo something like this?

OOC:   Been reading Wikipedia about the Inuit and apparently there are ways to do things (laws seems to rigid an concept) they are maligait refers to what has to be followed piqujait refers to what has to be done. tirigusuusiit refers to what has to be avoided.

[Cearlan]

OOC:   Those that passed their idea rolls realise there is nothing more to be gained out here and that by the time they return to base camp, the two doctors (and whoever feels they can assist) can, after a brief rest start the autopsies.

[andyw666]

With a frosty sigh, Fraser trudges back to the others, double checking his notes of the scene to make sure he's left nothing out. Once that's done, he jumps on the back of a sled.

[NFVD]

On the return trip Dr. Newton keeps thinking about what kind of creature could be responsible for the scene the group witnessed. Thoughts of a living fossil, perhaps a Pleistocene survivor or offshoot of the Cave Bear cross his mind, as well as what such a find would signify to science. As the group nears the camp his thoughts turn to the mental readiness that performing the grisly autopsy work will require.

[Cearlan]

You all arrive back at camp without incident, navigating by sight of the tall radio mast.

As you get closer your thoughts turn towards getting a hot meal and drink inside you as well as a short rest for those who need it. Those of a more medical persuasion, or who are conducting and/or assisting with the two autopsies make their way almost straight away to where the bodies are being stored. Whilst the outer bodies are close to being thawed, the internal organs still seem to be slightly frozen. After conferring with each other, Dr Brand suggests that it will probably be another four to six hours before they are ready for autopsy, which your medical opinions concur with.

OOC:   Make medicine or other appropriate rolls as you wish

Before dismissing everyone to get some rest, Chris says "I think we should take the next couple of hours to review what we know so far, little though it is, and once the ah 'examinations' of the two unfortunates have been completed that we have a conference to discuss where we go from here - Does anyone have a better idea?"

[ghill]

Patrick Lewis

OOC:   Ummm, have we decided to go back to the camp? Because I (Patrick) was erring towards going to question the local Inuits. I don't think there is much an autopsy will tell us other than something large and heavy has torn these men up. I'd like to add this before we head back to the camp.

Patrick stands by his sled watching as the others prepare to leave.

Patrick thinking:   Anything which tore these dogs apart was [i]not[/i] small and even allowing for the time and weather Patrick is surprised something that big has left no obvious visible sign. If its a bear hunting men for sport then we should be out trying to find it before it kills again.

I have nothing to add while you brains check the bodies out. I'd like to go and talk to the local Inuit. Its the right thing to do.

[NFVD]

Dr. Newton takes one last look at the bodies before retiring, and later voices his agreement with Chris' suggestion.

Spoiler:

Dr. Newton's Medicine roll (70%) [dice]0[/dice]

[dustakr]

Conroe looks over to Dr. Hamilton, 'Now he wants to talk'... , 'I think we should delay this conference at least till end of day, I don't even got to my stash of rocks on tables for analysis, and I would suggest that we should be out first thing tomorrow to find, atleast 1 inuit who can tell us something... '

[andyw666]

Agreeing with Hamilton, Fraser sheds the snow and ice from his clothes and beard quickly and heads inside. Cold weather gear is peeled out of, the beanie is removed and replaced with his sailor's black peaked cap. Weaponry is stowed away neatly, Fraser makes himself a nice cup of tea, lights his pipe, sits at a table in the dining room and starts transcribing his expedition notes.

Fraser awaits the others arriving for Hamilton's proposed meeting.

[andyw666]

OOC:   Of course, my secondary PC - the rather messy Docteur Balzac - will offer/attempt to assist the assorted medicos and quacks in their autopsical efforts.

[Papa Gateau]

Patrick Lewis

OOC:   Ummm, have we decided to go back to the camp? Because I (Patrick) was erring towards going to question the local Inuits. I don't think there is much an autopsy will tell us other than something large and heavy has torn these men up. I'd like to add this before we head back to the camp.

Patrick stands by his sled watching as the others prepare to leave.

Patrick thinking:   Anything which tore these dogs apart was [i]not[/i] small and even allowing for the time and weather Patrick is surprised something that big has left no obvious visible sign. If its a bear hunting men for sport then we should be out trying to find it before it kills again.

I have nothing to add while you brains check the bodies out. I'd like to go and talk to the local Inuit. Its the right thing to do.

OOC:   Sorry, late to the party. Jesse also would like to go and speak with the local inuit

[Cearlan]

OOC:   To get to the nearest Inuit camp - if they are still there, remember they are a largely nomadic people, you would have to pass within a few mile of base camp before heading to their camp in the extremely severe weather. From the map posted in the map section, the base camp is close to the top of the Adelaide Peninsula whilst the nearest Inuit camp is about 50 - 60 mile South East, as the crow flies. Do you want a more detailed map drawn up - if so I can get one done in the next day or so?

[ghill]

OOC:   Don't worry about the map. This sudden bad weather is that the polite way of saying you don't us want to split the party?

Patrick thinking:   bearing in mind something has killed two armed Inuit, it's seems more important we warn the Inuit something large and extremely dangerous is out there, an autopsy is a complete waste of time and is unlikely to tell anybody what killed them.

Patrick looks at the weather, then turns to Dr James, Doc, I don't aim to stay in camp. The dogs can travel over 100 miles in a day they can easily handle the 50 miles to the Inuit camp. A small snack here, check booties there, little stops to care for the team but we'll get there easy enough. I have more than enough supplies to last us if we get caught on in the weather. We should be warning them something dangerous is out on the ice. Not pretending we're back in Boston making reports for the coroner and the police