Chapter 3 : Braving the Storm! - Tornuaq

[Andrew]

Spoiler:

OOC: Of course he fails, from now on I'm not even going to roll anymore. Just assume I failed my rolls.

[DSIGFUSS]

What does it matter if I am simply in your head young hunter... I am here and I am wisdom beyond your years. I am the circle I will help you achieve your goals. I can point out goals you were not even aware were possible. I will help you find the knife and I will help you disover what you truly seek.I I can give you the Shaman.

[Andrew]

Tornuaq shrugged, 'Sure why not. I can't say I'm happy not knowing who you are but I guess in the long run it doesn't matter. More than likely I will be forced to leave my tribe for my foolishness... big help you and your wisdom were there.' Tornuaq finished the sentence with a chuckle and then continued, 'Let's find the knife and see where we go from there, Unulaq said he hid it on the beach.'

[DSIGFUSS]

Yes... Unulaq! You're brother.... and long time friend. Were you aware young child of the frozen rain... of his betrayal? He has bedded Sashila. The details are something to be desired. What makes you think he speaks for your best interests?

[Andrew]

"HA!" Tornuaq shouted. 'Unulaq would never do such a thing and even if he had Sashila would be better off with him anyway. I know he speaks for my best interests because he is my brother. Do not try to break my trust in him or my other brothers. You will fail, I will stop listening to you because I know then that you have nothing but harmful intents.'

[DSIGFUSS]

The Voice concedes..

Very well Tornuaq... I will no longer speak of such things. He is your friend and I admire your loyalty. I simply wished to point out the failings in man. Your friend follows his heart and cannot be blamed for what he does. Just as you too follow your own heart; child of the frozen rain. You trust Unulaq because you know he has honor inside him.. despite his failings. just as you have honor, despite yours. Do not feel guilt for what you have done boy. Unulaq feels it and it will soon be the death of him if cannot come to terms with it. You are men.... hunters.. gatherers... you have taken what is yours since the time of your creation. I took what was mine many moons ago if you can understand the irony in that? You will win the Shaman... This I can see... Only your methods will come into question.

Now tell me Tornuaq... Do you beleive the Elders will give you the rights to the Shaman once you have fulfilled your destiny and saved your people from these dark times?

[Andrew]

Tornuaq suddenly stopped the sled dogs. The last question hit home, in his fantasy they treated him like a chieftain, Yuralria on his arm and Unulaq beaming with pride, nudging other Dorset people that that was his brother... but the reality? "I... I don't know. I suppose they'll thank me and than banish me. The elders are pretty uptight about appeasing Sedna. Personally I think Sedna wouldn't care, if she was a good goddess she'd care more about the happiness of her children and not some silly rule about her shaman never knowing a man. Obviously in Yuralria's case it is upsetting for her, not making her happier or even a better shaman. I think the elders have interprated Sedna all wrong. I think she's alright and it angers the goddess that her children have it all backwards, that's just me though."

He then got the dogs running again and added, "But yes, I will definitely be banished maybe even killed but it will be well worth the price. Save my people and dying knowing that a good woman loves him, I cannot think of a better way to meet Sedna face to face."

[DSIGFUSS]

Tornuaq feels an excitable calm come overself. As if he had just discovered a truth that set his mind at ease... The hollow voice continues and Tornuaq finds himself nodding as if he were agreeing with his own words.

There is wisdom in your words Tornuaq! You are right.... Sedna cares little for the preferences of men or which of us her chosen few choose to bed. You have more to fear from my sister than the godess of the sea. But she has little power now in theses dark times.

[Andrew]

Tornuaq smiled, "Thank Sedna for small blessings?" he said allowed as he raced to the beach once again.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc- I'm waiting for something to finish before you get to the beach. Would you rather wait or talk with the voice for fun? It will probably take a few days maybe a week? Your choice! The voice will pretty much chat your ear off on any subject...

[Andrew]

OOC: We can wait. I can't think of anything to say to the voice. Now if the voice has things it wants to say then who am I to stop a voice?

[DSIGFUSS]

Tornuaq continues to guide his sled through the night and the snow. The mysterious voice in his head keeps him company most of the way. It tells him ancient stories of his people so old, they have been lost through lack of telling. Stories of triumph over the laws of man and stories of victory over the gods themselves. One story sticks out in Tornuaq's mind. The story of Agoolik the hunter; who had tricked the godess herself into offering him a place in the Shaman's bed.

Agoolik, like Tornuaq, had fallen in love in with his tribe's Shaman but she would return none of his love. Not only was she not permitted to be with men as Dorset law still dictates today, but she had no interest in the hunter and was too absorbed with her magics to even care. Agoolik could not be denied, so he journey across the plains to the birthplace of Sedna. There, for ten days and nights he offered sacrifice to the ocean godess until she was forced by hunter's right to answer him. The blood of the bear and the whale darkened the waters and Sedna rose through it all to honor his tribute. It was then that Agoolik showered the godess in compliments and praised her beauty til he had no more breath to speak. Sedna was smitten with the hunter's persistance and asked him what he wished in return for his praise. Agoolik asked only that he be allowed to express his love physically. That he be granted permission to make love to his heart's most deepest desire. Sedna was vain and assumed that Agoolik desired only her so he set him on a quest for an ancient tusk filled with the mystery of the spirit world. Then, she smiled... will you finally get what you most desire.

Agoolik did as Sedna asked and after enduring much hardship he returned with the tusk. Sedna in all her wisdom did not see what would happen next. As Sedna removed her furs in preparation for the hunter, the hunter raised his hand and refused her.

"You promised me my heart's desire godess and I desire your Shaman... not you! Sedna was outraged but was bound by her own words to give Agoolik what he desired. She summoned the Dorset Shaman to him and when she finally arrived, the godess ordered her to bed Agoolik. The Shaman had no choice but to obey her godess and after Agoolik was spent, the Shaman fell madly in love with the hunter.... so in love, that she gave up her position as Shaman and chose to live with Agoolik in exile.

Sedna's wrath, however, was obsolute and she eventually murdered Agoolik and the Shaman in a terrible storm. Their death came quick, but not before Agoolik fathered three sons with his wife..... the Shaman.

What do you think of this tale Tornuaq? I wish only that it will give you hope. Not hope for blasphemy or defilement............ but for possibilty!

[Andrew]

Tornuaq swallowed hard after the tale and said, "If nothing else it tells me that I am truly in trouble. Live my life in torment over never knowing Yuralria's touch or we can live our lives in exile. At least if we're exiled I know how to provide for her."

[DSIGFUSS]

That is true Tornuaq... You could provide for her in the wild much easier than most in your tribe. You could protect her better than that fool Ogtuk-Luk. In addition, your children will be most powerful... Sons of a valiant hunter and a wise Shaman. Could there be a better match?

In fact...

The voice suddenly shouts out.

Get down Tornuaq! Get down. There are eyes on us.

ooc- roll a ride dog sled roll to stop your sled or do as you please.

[Andrew]

OOC: Crap. Failed of course. Rolled an 86%

Tornuaq tries to stop his sled and gets down.

OOC: Worst damn Inuit dog sled driver ever!

[DSIGFUSS]

Tornuaq rolls off his sled and his dogs continue for about 30 feet before coming to a slow stop themselves. To the west, Tornuaq sees a line of Vikings moving North. There must be 20 of them with no less than four horses between them. They are far enough away that they may not notice Tornuaq and his run away sled.

Then a horn blast echoes across the flat plains from the mountains to the north. The sound is like nothing Tornuaq had ever heard and seems to startle even the Vikings marching towards it.

[Andrew]

OOC: How far is Tornuaq from the beach still? Also are the Vikings headed in the direction of the Dorset people?

Tornuaq rolled into a crouching position and watched wide eyed at the vikings and then nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the horn. His instincts told him to run but he knew he wouldn't last long out here on his own. Slowly he made his way to his sled, cursing to himself how he lost control of them again. He also thanked Sedna that they stopped fairly close.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc -You are about an hour's sled from the beach. The Vikings are heading North to the mountains. Your tribe is North east. If the Vikings continue along their present course, they will not come within site of the tribe.

As Tornuaq crawls to his sled the voice cautions him.

Careful Tornuaq! The Vikings head North to the mountains. Where the knife beckoned you... There is much legend and lore in those mountains... Gods walk with mortals there! But not your gods....

[Andrew]

"If I just understood what the knife was trying to tell me I'd know whether this was stupid or not. For all I know it's trying to tell the Vikings something. I think it's important because when I first fought the Vikings with Thoriin one of them practically searched his body and I'm betting it was for the knife. I believe if nothing else that it must be kept from them at all costs." Tornuaq thought to himself as he slowly crept to his sled.

[DSIGFUSS]

The knife is searching for someone... Viking or Dorset it does not matter. Do not think anything you do to be stupid Tornuaq! You act with your heart at all cost.. Your actions will decide the fate of these lands., we are sure of it, my sister and I.

The Vikings don't notice Tornuaq and soon their backs are to him.