ESKIMOS : Chapter 1 : BLOOD AND SNOW (Imp and Andrew)

[DSIGFUSS]

Chapter 1 : BLOOD AND SNOW

Baffin Island : Just South of the Artic Circle, Jan 22, 1003




Tornuaq, Maniitok and Unalaq moved swiftly up the snow bank, spears in hand, eager to begin the hunt. All three men knew the icy beach that lay just over the peak of this final snow drift had been their favorite hunting grounds since they were just boys. They had left their sleds and their dogs just a mile back with the gingantic wall of Mount Qaisualuk silouetting the landscape behind them. Maniitok had insisted on leaving the sleds behind. He always insisted. The hunting was always better when they aprroached the ocean on foot. The best prey would always sense the dogs. They would have to settle for the oldest and the slowest meat if they were not careful in their approach.

It was mid morning and the Sun had risen just a few hours ago. If they hoped to make it back to their village at the base of Mount Qaisualuk before dark, that did not leave them with much time for the hunt. All three warrior's hearts pounded with excitement.



Maniitok smiles at his friends, as he hurries up the slope.

I will spear a Narwhale Tornuaq, before you lay that long knife of yours on a single seal. You couldn't hunt a wounded walrus. Ha!

[ImpInTraining]

Unalaq smiled at the friendly jesting. He hurried beside Maniitok up the slope. "I heard there were many caribou out east of here, just a couple day journey. If we don't do so well here, maybe we should consider a short trip... just a few days to a week to load up our sleds... then run home."

[Andrew]

Tornuaq gave Maniitok a sideways look and said, "That is if you remember that the pointy end of the spear goes into the whale this time." then with a broad smile he looked to Unalaq and said, "You know, I could go for caribou meat, it's been awhile and besides, I need a new blanket for when I marry Maniitok's sister." He finished with a slight devilish grin.

Standing in-between his two best friends, Tornuaq felt on top of the world (no pun intended) and thought that life couldn't really be any better, with the exception of marrying Maniitok's sister of course, the most beautiful woman in the whole village. This was the life and it was hard to imagine what life would be like without the two men by his side.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc- In the north, on the Artic Circle, it is compleyely dark for only a couple of months around January and then light for a couple months around June. Right now in late January, in the game. The sun rises at 7:30 and sets at 12:30 pm. Right now the time is 9:00 am and sun is rising to its peak. There are 5 hours of light and only three of those hours could be considered full daylight. The sun barely passes over the horizon when it rises at this time of year.
Maniitok is your buddy. The three of you are friends. Andrew made up the sister thing but I like it. Maniitok has a super hot sister and he has promised her to one of you. He enjoys pitting the two of you against each other in direct competition for her hand. Neither of you know if he will ever make good on his promise.



Maniitok's smile widens at the mention of his sister. This has always been his favorite game.

If you can catch a walrus with that long tooth of your Tornuaq, I will let you marry my sister tommorrow and then Unulaq and I will finally be rid of you and your tooth. Ha! Ha! Hey Unulaq?

[Andrew]

Tornuaq laughed, "You will never make good that promise. You enjoy the torment too much. Last time you ask for a seal with skin so black it seemed to take in the light, I do so and you say it was not dark enough. I swear you'll be the death of me with all these tasks!" Tornuaq slapped Maniitok on the back and moved towards the beach with his friends.

[ImpInTraining]

Unlulaq chuckled and asked Tornuaq "Why would you want to marry a woman who's heart belongs to me? She's seen the many catches I return with every hunting trip - so obviously she would want a great provider for her husband." He looked out on the horizon and lifted his snow glasses up to get a better view.

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok laughs out loud as the three old friends reach the summit of the last snow drift.




The only catch is my Tiilaqiia (Maniitok's sister) and if you are both the last to the water's edge my friends, you won't even catch a cold.

Maniitok quickens his stride as Unulaq and Tornuaq keep up the pace with the ease of movement only the the Inuit possess in the deep snow. Tornuaq quickly passes Maniitok and reaches the top of the drift ahead of his two friends smiling wildly with the excitement of the hunt close to all of their hearts. If he was lucky a walrus would have wandered far from the shore. Reaching the beach first would mean his pick of the hunt. The walrus would be his and he could carve the tusks into a proper gift for Tiilaqiia . Tornuaq stopped dead in his tracks when the beach finally opened up to him. Maniitok and Unulaq came crashing in behind Tornuaq but Tornuaq did not move. His whole body stiffened in shock and terror at the sight before him. Maniitok and Unulaq quickly rose to their feet and joined Tornuaq in his horrified bewilderment.

The beach stretched for at least a mile before ice and rock engulfed the fine gravel on either side of it. All along it lay dying Beluga whales. A hundred at least all lined up as if they had all tried to to test their evolutionary lot in life and walk on land, only to hit the same imaginary wall just 20 feet from the water's edge. The Beluga whales were all spaced evenly down the beach, no more than 10ft apart from each other. It was as if Sedna herself had thrown them all out of the water to die.

As if on cue, the Beluaga whales began to cry out to the three friends and brothers. It was the most beautiful and saddening sight either three men had ever witnessed. Tears began to form in all of their eyes as the Beluga's song began to grow louder and louder. It was impossible to ignore the idea that the whales seemed to asking the three men for help.

ooc - sanity checks please! (1/1d6)

[ImpInTraining]

Sanity check (1d100=59) My current sanity is 80 as well. So I lose 1.[/color]

Unulaq, startled, said "By Nanook's fur ... what has happened here?" He looked and counted all the whales and said "What are we to do with this? I wanted a good catch, but this is too much."

[Andrew]

OOC: Sanity Check (1d100=56) Thanks guys for clearing that up and yes, I know Mr. Handy.




Tornuaq stood there next to his brother speechless for a moment as it all sunk in, looking to each man next to him he said, "Perhaps this is a sign from Sedna, telling us that we should not have such petty contests for the hand of a woman."

[DSIGFUSS]

The long stretch of Belaga's continue their sad, helpless song of hopelessness.

Maniitok lowers and shakes his head....

Something is very wrong here Tornuaq. I do not believe our petty squabbles would cause the godess to bring such pain to her own creatures. Look at them all. They still live.

[ImpInTraining]

Unulaq said, "You're right ... that's exactly what it symbolizes. So thanks for stepping down." He gave a wink and a smile as he started down toward the beached whales. "Maybe we can wet the ice behind them to make it slick, and push them back in one by one?" He wondered just how thick the ice was out there. Had to be pretty sturdy considering how much weight was resting atop.

[Andrew]

Tornuaq smiled at Unulaq and said, "Not a chance I'll step down but what are we going to do with the whales? Sliding them back on ice would be a good idea but I don't think we could even get them to budge."

Tornuaq frowned as they stood there wishing he had an answer to save them. Knowing there was nothing he could do from the crest, he walked down towards the beach.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc- this is the only gravel beach for miles. There is ice but the Belugas are all beached on the fine gravel and flat stone ground just past the ice leading to the ocean. There is an inlet running through Baffin Island that passes by Mount Qaisualuk and continues North. See map when I get it up.

Maniitok smiles solomely at Tornuaq and follows Unulaq down the slope leading to the gravel beach.

The chorus of Beluga's grow louder as the three warriors approach. Maniitok approaches one of the whales and places his hand on its slippery skin.

They are still wet.....

He walks around the great white whale and examines its trail leading from the ocean across the ice and snow and onto the rocky beach.

This snow was just broken. They have only been here for a few hours.

Maniitok looks at his two friends with great concern and compassion for the whales.

What happened here? What do we do Unulaq?

[ImpInTraining]

Unulaq struggled to find a reason why the whales might have been so beached, but fails:
Inuit Mythos (15%) (1d100=49)
Natural World (45%) (1d100=77)

He shrugs to the question. "We can't lift them up and carry them back to the water... each of them. They are too heavy. My suggestion is we make the best of it. This much meat could feed our whole clan for a year. Might take a few trips with the sleds... but if we slaughter them here and take only what we need, we could make the trips lighter. Send one dog sled back with the meat while the other two of us stay here and keep working on the next - keeping scavengers away."

[Andrew]

Tornuaq nods in agreement, "I can't think of anything we can do for them and Unulaq is right, we might as well make the best of it, maybe it is a sign of good fortune for us?"

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok stands up and sticks his spear straight into the ground.

Yes Tornuaq! Perhaps this is a gift from Sedna! There will be no need to hunt the cariboo if we can harvest these whales in their place. Perhaps Yuralria will know what this means for our people. The hunting ceremony is tommorrow and Yuralria will dive down to meet Sedna for her first time. She can ask the godess....

Maniitok stops and eyes the Beluga in front of him. He sighs deeply.

It is a shame. Our whole village could not consume all of these creatures, Many of them will freeze when the sun falls. A painful death at that.

We should take all we can and then come back tomorrow in greater numbers.

[ImpInTraining]

Unulaq nodded, and said "Before we begin, I want to take a look at the sea ... to see if something chased them out. If these waters are dangerous, we need to know before accidentally rowing our kayaks by."

He started walking out toward the water's edge.

[Andrew]

Tornuaq looked at his two brothers and said in a bit of a skeptical tone, "You don't think that the Qallupilluk would be able to do something like this do you?"

[DSIGFUSS]

Maniitok face becomes very intense at the mention of the Qallupilluk

I do not rule anything out Tornuaq....

He trails slowly after Unulaq and looks out into the water.

ooc - (Tornuaq and Unulaq ) - Spot Hidden.

[ImpInTraining]

Unulaq shook his head at Tornuaq, "The Child-Snatcher has never been said to chase the sea mammals out of the water. No, I think if it's not Sedna's doing... then it is something yet unfamiliar to us."

Unulaq scans the horizon (and his eyes fall out) but doesn't see anything.