Mal tosses the torch into the room and then slides up against the wall, hoping to become hidden in the darkness, ignoring nay kobolds that come her way, unless they act aggressively towards her.

She keeps her crossbow pointed at the new talking kobold, prepared to fire if need be.

Stealth: 32

Mal has vanished like a ghost into the shadows, while a seemingly real ghost stands in the open before Kurik. The ghost responds, "Well myself...and these other kobolds I have been living with, sought refuge in this mine after being chased out of the foothills of Kelvin’s Cairn by a yeti. The miners got scared and ran off before I could explain that myself and the kobolds meant no harm. The everlasting winter has made the wilderness unsafe for these kobolds, and the preternatural cold dulls their wits. They only want a place to stay so they can keep out of the weather. They can work, and they won’t cause trouble. Termalaine would be richer for having them help. Perhaps you could entreat with the humans and form some sort of agreement on our behalf?”

Badger snorts derisively. Under his breath, but loud enough for his companions, he jokes: Kobolds can work. Kobolds won't cause trouble. And troglodytes smell like primroses. Still, if the humans were to agree, what was that to Badger? The filthy creatures are capable enough miners, no doubt about that. Perhaps they could be put to work in the mines under the lash. After all, Badger's intentions on sending a dozen of them to wait at the entrance was simply so that he could kill them and raise them as zombies, in order to have them do his bidding. Why not let the townsfolk try their luck with live ones? Badger says nothing further, but waits to see how Kurik replies.

... and yet... something doesn't ring true. Badger thinks about the kobolds at the entrance. There was a sign at the entrance. Kobolds Only. Not exactly the sort of thing you would post if your intentions were to share the space with others...  The gnome waits to see what Kurik says...

Kurik readjusted the hold on his blade but doesn't let his guard down.  "The safety of the other kobolds is all well and good but you speak of 'they' and not we.  I'll ask one last time.  What is your goal."

Intimidation 12

The ghost kobold looks impassively at Kurik, "I seek safety for these creatures so that they may live their pitiful short lives just a while longer. Beyond that, goals set against the landscape of infinity are like dust in the wind." 

Kurik stares at the Kobold possessed by the ghost.  He mulls over the words unsure if he should believe what it's saying.  Ghosts lie, at least that is what his father said and he is an authority on killing all things undead.  

insight 10

Kurik stares at the impassive face of the kobold. He has no idea if the thing is lying or not. It's impossible for him to tell. 

Kari has been listening to the conversation, and the perfectly reasonable explanation. There's something there that she just can't quite accept at face value. She quietly shrugs one shoulder out of her pack so she can get her pouch of rune bones, then replaces her pack and shoves the pouch into a pocket instead. She decides to do a quick reading, only feeling around one-handed for 3 rune stones instead of dumping them all out. The creature says it just wants the Kobold to live, and Kari focuses on that intention, and her own feeling, and rolls the bones around unseen in her hand. Out loud she says What are you, or what were you if you used to be something else. And why haven't you approached the town people on your own? Surely they must have come down once or twice to see what was happening in the mine, couldn't you talk with them then?

"People do not talk to what they fear. They try to destroy it. They sent some folk back but we scared them off. I was a man. Once. Long ago. Cursed. Bound to this world."  He glances at her warily. 

 Would you want to be free then? If you knew the kobold would be safe, would you want your own rest? She keeps her posture non threatening, the butt of the glaive on the ground, but knows she can quickly be ready if action is needed.

He seems to consider this for a long moment. "Those that are slaves always seek freedom. Though I think they hope for freedom not through death."

 Kari looks thoughtful, and quietly repeats Freedom, not death. She pulls her hand with the bones out of her pocket and looks at them, hoping her own ancestor spirits will have some insight.

That sounds like an insight check to both the spirit and the towns people.

The bones in her hand align in a complex shape, different marked sides showing their marked side up or down. She glances at the two meanings tied up into the revealed bones. "Weal and Woe". 

"What of the body you have enslaved to your will?  Did you politely ask him if you could inhabit it's body?  Did you you ask me before you tried to take over mine?  Don't answer because we know it's no."

"For all the freedom you are proclaiming to want, your actions betray you.  I trust you not.  Speak your purpose plainly but if I'm still not satisfied, you will be put to rest this day."

The kobold raises an eyebrow. "I believe you slew my previous body without warning or provocation. As I see it, you owed me a body. What of our kobolds set on watch in the tunnels above? Did you entreat with them or negotiate your passing, or are the vital fluids draining onto the floor even now? This kobold I inhabit, he prefers me here. I can communicate with you, represent his brethren better than he could. But I suppose might makes right. Come then, put me to rest, if you can."

Chuckling to herself, This ghost sounds even worse that Asscerak. He was all just doom and death but this one seems to be talking us into a corner. I kind of like him.

Walking out of the shadows, "Hold creature. We are just attempting to do our due diligence. We all don't really have a personal interest in what happens here, but we would prefer the hammer to land on the side of good. What are you truly offering to the townsfolk so we can potentially make an arrangement."

While the conversation progresses, Badger activates his Third Eye to see into the Ethereal Plane, checking for the presence of any other supernatural creatures. He then concentrates on using his helm to Detect Thoughts, trying to read what is going through the possessed kobold's mind, unsure whether he will hear the thoughts of the ghost or of the trapped kobold within.

Badger detects two minds there in that one body.  The first....the surface thoughts are roughly.... "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH".    The second set of thoughts are much more....complex, thoughts seem to be racing. They contemplate the body being destroyed but isn't overly concerned about it. The kobolds ending up at the town are fine, but how to keep the bones hidden...they mustn't find the bones, nor must the town folk....

Badger whispers quickly to Kurik: He's lying... about everything... but before you lash out again... ask him where the bones are hidden... Just ask!

Badger prepares to read the ghost's thoughts, hoping for some images of the hiding place of these mysterious bones, but probing deeper into the ghost's thoughts...  (WIS save DC 13)

(Just reading the spell description for Detect Thoughts, it sounds like once you have cast the spell and read the surface thoughts of the target, you have to use an action to either move to another target or probe deeper into the same target. You can't just keep skimming the surface of the same target? In any case, Badger would probably be curious and arrogant enough to probe deeper, hoping to gain more info...)