Qilak

Qilak is a Canadian mystic hero and member of the Northern Guard. Her name loosely translates to "the Heavens" in Inuktitut.

## Biography

Amka was once a normal girl living with her tribe on the shores of the Bering Sea. Life was hard in the destitute village, and Amka, a born troublemaker, was frequently the target of her father's violent outbursts. During a particularly rebellious moment, Amka was approached by Tilimak, one of the few certified shamans remaining in the tribe. Tilimak had a spark of magical power and recognized similar abilities burgeoning in Amka. Seeing the old shaman's tutelage as a great way to piss off her parents, Amka accepted and joined Tilimak as his apprentice.

Amka learned her master's few mystical tricks with ease, then began to improvise her own sorcery. Tilimak soon became jealous of her prowess, and eventually decided he didn't need an apprentice after all. He conspired with Lumaag, a wicked aquatic demon, to devour Amka while she collected shells on the shore. But when Lumaag attacked, Amka thought quickly, and manipulated the prideful demon with flattery. She convinced Lumaag to spare her life and he took her on as a servant instead, whisking her off to his fetid underwater lair.

While held captive below the waves, Amka carefully observed the demon's spellcasting while pretending to be nothing but a clueless maid. She then practiced her own magic in secret every day while Lumaag slept, and after years of toil, she eventually secured her freedom by trapping the demon in an enchanted conch shell of her own creation. Brimming with magical power, Amka returned to her people's village, rejoining the family that had long given her up for dead. She forced her former mentor Tilimak to admit his crimes, and the people cast him out.

One day she was contacted by the shamanistic hero Ravenspeaker, who had heard rumors of a powerful magic-using hermit living on the shores of the Bering Sea. Ravenspeaker was desperate for aid in banishing an undead sorcerer who was then in the process of mentally enslaving the population of Toronto. Weary of her secluded life in the wilderness, Amka accepted Ravenspeaker's offer and traveled to the city, where her skills so impressed him that he arranged for her invitation to the Northern Guard. Taking the alias 'Qilak,' she has been a valuable part of the Guard ever since, providing powerful magical assistance to combat Canada's many foes. Though still a junior member of the Northern Guard, she has established herself as a fearless hero and one of the most powerful mystics in all of North America.

## Personality

Qilak is a very driven, brusque workaholic who has little patience for foolishness. Though wise beyond her years, she still struggles with a great deal of suppressed anger over her tumultuous upbringing and the plight of her tribe. She finds it difficult to defend the citizens of Canada knowing that her people's strife is mostly the result of the Canadian government's depredations. On the other hand, she still has a love/hate relationship with her tribe, and many First Nation citizens consider her a disappointment for not taking a more prominent role as an advocate for the native population of Canada.

Although she is content to play a supporting role in the Northern Guard, Qilak is far from a meek subordinate. She is quick to criticize any plan she deems inefficient or ineffective, and she often keeps Forceknight on his toes with sharp critiques and challenges to his leadership. Nevertheless, she is fond of her simple and straightforward leader, and despite her criticism she is actually Forceknight's most steadfast supporter.

Qilak has no desire to act as a public figure, never giving statements and even holding herself apart when alone with her teammates. Despite upholding the law, she can't help but occasionally sympathize with villains who want to see the whole rotten structure torn down. Ultimately she fights more to oppose needless suffering than out of any support of the status quo.

## Powers

Qilak is a potent spellcaster whose abilities have been honed through long practice and a great deal of mystical combat in the Spirit World. Although her abilities appear shamanistic, she is in fact a wizard whose magical powers are the result of practice and study rather than any gift of the gods. Qilak's spellcasting is quite versatile, and she can conjure a wide variety of spells for both offense and defense. She eschews elemental attacks in favor of pure force; where another mage would throw a fireball or lightning bolt, she manifests invisible telekinetic blasts.

Qilak has one major edge over other spellcasters: she has forged bonds of servitude with a number of powerful Spirit Beings, who can aid her directly in battle by boosting her magic or sending ghostly animal totems to fight alongside her. The spirits also aid Qilak outside of combat by providing her with a source of mystic insight and wisdom. On her own, she is formidable, but when backed by a mighty spirit Qilak can potentially overpower the most learned archmages. Her own magic has no obvious signature, but as she calls upon the power of the Spirits, flashes of brilliant auroras begin to manifest around her as their influence extends into the world.

In order to avoid being helpless against magically-resistant foes, Qilak has also undergone extensive training similar to that of an UNTIL agent. She is a competent hand-to-hand fighter and marksman, and she carries an UNTIL-issued energy pistol for emergencies.

## Weaknesses

Qilak's greatest strength is the bond she has formed with certain powerful spirits, but this is also her greatest weakness. As she defeated, tricked, or otherwise coerced these spirits in the forming of her bargains, they resent her requests for aid and can sometimes cause more harm than good. If a third party managed to intervene and release these spirits from their bondage, their revenge against Qilak would likely be swift and terrible.

Qilak is immune to the effects of cold environments, but this has given her a corresponding weakness to fire. Although mundane heat sources are no threat to her, any magical flame can pierce her defenses easily, and she is careful to avoid any direct confrontations with pyromancers as a result.