The group stands a distance away from the stranger; who has just mounted a large Smilodon. It is snowing softly; though the flakes are still sharp enough to score any uncovered skin. The group has to decide what action they would like to make; attack now, or wait it out and track the stranger as he heads towards the Felton Tower.

 

Gorland is silently weighing his options, letting the others make a decision.

 

Mina speaking silently "Wouldn't it be better to follow him rather than get into a meaningless fight?"

 

Kansu nods, "I like that idea."

 

<+Goroh> "I agree. Plus, it makes us more likely to be able to actually stop the world from being destroyed."

 

Mina nods "Time is something we do not have much of."

 

<+Gorland> "I concur."

 

It seems as if the group has decided to follow the stranger rather than take a hostile move against him at this time. The stranger guides his mount towards the bleak and ongoing wasteland of ice and heads off in an instant. The pair move incredibly fast and are quickly out if sight; the group better get moving before the snow covers their tracks.

 

Goroh heads off, trying to follow the tracks

 

Mina attempts to keep up with Goroh

 

Gorland scoots behind Mina, and nudges her up onto his back with head, scooping her up more or less, and takes off.

 

Kansu travels across the snow like normal ground, hurrying along with Gorland.

 

The group seems to walk for some time without spotting their foe in the distance; it seems he has outpaced them greatly. To most the tracks appear completely filled with snow and are completely blended in to the smooth surfaces of ice and snow they cross on their travels.

 

However, Gorland is able to make enough sense of the fine impressions and subtle marks to keep the group in the right direction. They seem to walk for hours through the frost bitten world before seeing something other than snow. A frail looking kobold stands holding a hand mirror, shivering against the rising wind.

 

Mina "What’s a kolbold doing all the way out here?" *mina says pointing toward it*

 

Kansu eyes it, "Holding a mirror, apparently... Is it dangerous?"

 

<+Gorland> "I don't know, but if we stop, we won't be able to keep pace. I'll lose the tracks."

 

The kobold takes a step forward, tentatively offering the mirror to Goroh.

 

Goroh looks concerned

 

Mina frowns "ummm this is suspicious."

 

The poor thing looks frost bitten.

 

Goroh takes the mirror

 

<+Kansu> "Perhaps you shouldn’t..."

 

Kansu watches apprehensively.

 

Mina "It doesn't look like it'll last much longer out here, should be help it, I mean it doesn't look that dangerous."

 

Goroh hunches over the tiniest bit, flexing his fingers as though trying it out. "Ah, that's much better." He swings a fist at Kansu, grinning. "You have no idea how cold it was, waiting for someone to pass by..."

 

And smacks him square in the nose, with an unpleasant crunch. Now would likely be a good time for initiative.

 

Kansu reels back, feigning being hurt terribly but actually chanting a spell. As he finishes, he grins grabbing Goroh's fist with his hand, which is now solid ice.

 

Over as quickly as it began; however, this does leave Goroh stuck as a kobold for the time being.

 

<+Gorland> "..Don't tell me we have to lug the body around."

 

Kansu rubs his nose, "Well that was fun. How do we change him back?"

 

<+Kansu> "You know, before I unfreeze him and get punched again."

 

Kansu looks for the mirror.

 

Kobold holds up the mirror

 

Awfully pretty, the reflections are; however, it doesn't seem to have an effect.

 

Kansu takes his scarf off and covers his hand with it before taking the mirror.

 

Kansu frowns, "Hmm."

 

Kansu looks at the Kobold, "I assume you're Goroh now?"

 

Kobold nods

 

Kansu speaks in Draconic, "What exactly happened? Can you talk?"

 

<+Kobold> <Draconic> "Grabbed the mirror, felt something affect my mind, now I'm this."

 

<+Kansu> "So the question is, does he have to take it willingly, or can you just force it on him..."

 

<+Kobold> "No idea."

 

<+Kobold> <Draonic still> "Does anyone have spare clothing? I'm freezing."

 

Kansu covers kobold Goroh with his Cloak of Comfort.

 

<+Kobold> "Ahh, thank you."

 

Gorland tilts head, and then sighs. "At this rate, it’s going to make it difficult to track...Any other ideas?"

 

<+Mina> "Think this was meant to slow us down or something?"

 

<+Kansu> "Can you subdue him, Gorland? I'll turn him back."

 

<+Kansu> "We'll experiment with switching them back, but he needs to be not-ice."

 

<+Gorland> "I would assume so, Mina. If you would kindly step off, I shall pin the ice-statue."

 

<+Mina> "Alright" (Mina climbs down)

 

Kansu backs off and begins casting Ice to Flesh once Gorland is positioned.

 

Gorland precariously places paws on Goroh's shoulders, holding him down*

 

'Goroh' finally turns back to flesh, immediately spitting into the polar bear's face. "Get off of me, damn it."

 

Kansu hands the mirror back to kobold Goroh, "Make him look in it, I suppose."

 

Kobold walks over to 'Goroh'

 

Kobold holds up the mirror, in front of his face.

 

'Goroh' slips out of Gorland's grip, backing up away from Kansu. "You can't make me go back that easily! I spent a lot of time freezing out there and I'm not going back now!"

 

<+Kansu> "We need our friend to help us not destroy the world."

 

<+Kansu> "I could give you my cloak if you go back. I don't need it."

 

<+Kansu> "Just don't... Punch me again."

 

Mina gestures at the ground around 'Goroh', a sphere of ice growing around him. It's somewhat hard to see through, but still transparent enough.

 

Mina sighs "Okay lets just get this mess sorted out, we don't have time to mess around."

 

"You can't keep me in here!" He screams. "I'll get out! I'll get out and make you pay!"

 

<+Kansu> "Show him the mirror now."

 

<+Mina> "Uhh right, what ever."

 

Kobold shows Goroh the mirror, if possible

 

Goroh's gaze meets the mirror for a moment, but the ice surrounding him warps the image just enough to render it ineffective. He turns his back on the group. "You can't hold me in here. I'll break out if I have to."

 

Kansu ponders, "The ice might interfere, or he may need to hold it."

 

<+Kansu> "Either way, let him break out."

 

Kobold circles around, holding up the mirror again.

 

He wanders the inside of the sphere for a moment, running a finger along it, before pausing on the other side. "And then what will you do? You can't touch me for the next few hours without causing yourself a little bit of a problem."

 

<+Kansu> "I don't need to touch you."

 

He swings a fist at the wall of ice. "Really?"

 

With no effect, unfortunately.

 

<+Mina> "You can't get out just give it up already would you."

 

Kobold attempts to show Goroh the mirror again

 

He crosses his arms and closes his eyes. "I have time to spare...and from what you mentioned earlier, you don't."

 

<+Gorland> "...Can you make it colder?"

 

<+Kansu> "A lot."

 

<+Gorland> "Do it."

 

<+Gorland> "please"

 

<+Kansu> "My current cloaking spell won't protect you from it."

 

<+Gorland> "How far away do we need to be?"

 

<+Kansu> "What's your plan?"

 

<+Gorland> "He doesn't like the cold."

 

<+Gorland> "Thinks that being in Goroh's body will fix that."

 

<+Gorland> "Lets prove him wrong."

 

<+Mina> "Sounds like a plan...well as long as we don't damage Goroh's body"

 

<+Kansu> "Stay back about twenty feet."

 

Kobold backs up quickly

 

Mina does the same

 

Kansu casts Control Temperature on the area around Goroh.

 

Gorland backs up as well

 

'Goroh' swings at the ice wall again, panicking a little. "Let me out of here, damn it!"

 

<+Kansu> "I'll raise it again if you return back to your own body."

 

"Go to hell!" He shivers, throwing himself at the wall again. "I won't go back willingly! You can't make me!"

 

<+Kansu> "You'll be cold either way."

 

Gorland blinks suddenly, and then turns head to Mina. "Mina...What if the Kobold's not his original body?"

 

<+Mina> "Wait you mean that this guy fell for same trick?"

 

<+Gorland> "It would explain the unwillingness to return. Leaving your OWN body just to escape the cold? Doesn't fit."

 

<+Mina> "Now that you mention it..."

 

<+Mina> "Okay but lets figure out this "kolbold's" problem later; after we get this mess cleaned up we need to hurry before the world ends."

 

<+Gorland> "Hrm..I was just thinking aloud."

 

Goroh simply gives up with the wall. "I'll be out of here soon enough. Just you watch."

 

<+Kansu> "It isn't working. I don't want to kill him."

 

Time seems to pass by rather slowly as the group waits for 'Goroh' to make his move; however, eventually the duration of the ice wall wears out, and it sinks back into the landscape.

 

Gorland frowns

 

Goroh springs to his feet, charging at Kansu instead of trying to run away, teeth chattering.

 

Kansu splits into multiple images of himself as Goroh charges.

 

Kobold runs over to Kansu and Goroh, pointing the mirror and Goroh

 

Gorland starts to approach the encounter.