Nunu

Sometimes bonds of friendship become stronger than even bonds of blood. When those bonds link a fearless boy to a fearsome Yeti, the bond becomes a force to be reckoned with. Given the responsibility of taming a terrifying beast, Nunu forged a friendship where others would have forged chains. Now Nunu and his burly pal Willump are an inseparable pair who combine youthful exuberance and brute strength with the mythical powers of the Yeti to overcome obstacles insurmountable to any ordinary duo.

Nunu had only the vaguest memories of his parents or the time before he was part of the reclusive Frostguard tribe. Never welcome among his caretakers, Nunu’s wanderlust and compassion often put him at odds with the tribe’s elders and the boy frequently dreamt of places far beyond the shadow of the Frostguard citadel. Sometimes he would do more than just dream, much to the frustration of his minders. This was never more apparent than when Nunu was apprenticed to the tribe’s beastmaster and charged with the care of the creatures under his yoke.

The Frostguard held a menagerie of the Freljord’s wildlife at their beck and call, but unique among their collection was the Yeti: an uncommon creature with mystical qualities and raw physical strength. The beastmaster taught Nunu that it was only a lean diet of plants and regular whippings that kept the vicious beast tame, but the more time Nunu spent caring for the creature, the more he learned that the Yeti was no feral monster.

As he saw his new friend Willump growing weaker and sicker, Nunu began to sneak the Yeti scraps of meat, hoping to restore his health. Day by day, Willump grew stronger and not the slightest bit savage – contrary to the beastmaster’s claims. Nunu had hopes of convincing him that the Yeti posed no danger, but it wasn’t meant to be. The next time Nunu came to deliver Willump a meal, he found the Yeti’s cage shattered, with only a crude drawing inside signaling the Yeti’s farewell. Without hesitation, Nunu rushed into the wilderness in search of his friend.

When Nunu finally caught up to Willump, he found the Yeti cornered by the beastmaster alongside a group of Frostguard warriors. Afraid that the men would hurt his friend, Nunu threw himself between the Yeti and the beastmaster’s lash, but the brutal man would not stay his hand. As the furious beastmaster raised his whip once more, the Yeti swelled up with uncharacteristic fury. Even after so much mistreatment, it wasn’t concern for himself but for the boy who’d shown him kindness that finally pushed Willump too far. The Yeti raged and left the man bloodied in the snow.

Terrified by Willump’s fury, the remaining Frostguard warriors fled. Nunu realized there was no going back. He yelled at Willump to run before the men returned to kill him, but the Yeti refused to leave the young boy. Nunu was faced with a hard choice: abandon his sole friend and lead a life of captivity with the Frostguard, or strike out into the harsh wilds and leave behind the only home he knew. Nunu chose the only path that made sense. Leaping onto the back of the mighty Yeti, Nunu joined Willump in his great escape. The pair took their first steps into the wide world from which they had been kept for so long.

“Willump and I have a whole world to explore. Don’t get in our way!”
— Nunu