Wisdom save vs DC 13: 17

Badger finds his spell repelled from the dual mind with an abrupt mental shove.

Kurik nods at Badger and turns his head back towards the ghost.  He slams the tip of the sword into the ground just far enough for it to stand on it's own while he makes a show of adjusting his gloves.  Then he picked the sword back up.  "Say what you will but I still have a bone to pick with you.  At least I will once you tell me where the bones are."

The kobold sneers, "A blind lust for power. Mortals are all the same."  Then the kobold's facial expression changes to terror....and then relaxes.  He glances about at the large heavily armed group in front of him, a new look of terror appearing on its face, and then it drops onto the ground, prostating itself before you. "Bigguns no hurt Goshtock. Bigguns Goshtock master. Good masters no hurt Goshtock."  He mutters all this in draconic. The other kobolds who've been cowed into sitting look about in fear. 

"We came to deal with the threat in the mines," Kurik says.  "If you do want to work with and not against the townsfolk then you aren't the threat.  But that ghost is.  With it gone your body is your own again.  Tell us where it's hidden bones are and we can make sure it never over takes you again."

The kobold looks up at Kurik, "Bones?  The bones?  I need the bones!  They are inside me! Please don't take my bones!  We have some other bones if you want!  Just don't take my bones ok?!?!"   He points to some bones laying discarded on the ground, "Take those bones, they're free!  No charge!" 

Kurik grimaced slightly.  "I don't want the bones inside you, I want to see the bones that the ghost has hidden.  With that, maybe we can free you of it and get you and the others settled up nice with the villages."

Mal sighs, and smacks her forehead. Stupid kobolds, worthless creatures that should just be eradicated from the land as if they were rats.

"If the ghost is gone we need to stay alert, there could be anything else down here that it could posses, ask the kobolds if there re any other creatures down here." The she swears, "They probably don;t know where the creatures bones are. As the one who buried them was probably possessed and that would be that smoking one back there we have already killed. Ask them where their Leader forbade them to go."

Mal's questions are passed on.  A kobold points in a small cave that looks like it goes about ten feet and then deadends. "We were not to, under any circumstances, enter this cave."  He points into it, then takes a few cautious steps, then points some more, then another step, then, glancing around, takes another step.  "No in here no matter what!" 

Another kobold pipes up, "There is a cave up above. Kooshytwo went that way. Then we heard terrible screaming. None of us went that way after that." 

Another kobold pipes up, "Across the bucket bridge there is a weird rock. Maybe that's the bone you were looking for. We were not supposed to touch it. He said, 'no touchy touchy', and so we didn't. Though I think Gungmore did." 

Another kobold, presumably Gungmore, speaks up, "Did not did not did not lier lier!" 

 Kari looks around, not understanding the conversation. She put her rune bones back into the pouch in her pocket and now looks untrusting at the multiple kobold who are speaking up. With only a glance at Kurik and Mal, she says What's going on, is that one leading us somewhere? Are they arguing? She looks ready in case fighting breaks out.

Badger doesn't understand the speaking either. He could probably tune in by magic, but figures a conversation with kobolds is probably not worth the effort. Instead, he moves into the room the kobold was pointing at, and looks around inside...

Investigation: 18

Badger walks past the Kobold who follows him in, looking around with overflowing curiosity. The space contains a sleeping mat, a bag full of herbs, and some fruit and nuts and dried rations.  Also, in a crack tucked into the back wall, Badger finds a leather satchel. Opening it up, he finds what appear to be a full human skeleton, but the bones are coated in gold. They tingle with magic. 

After listening to the kobolds, Mal leans against the wall and massages her temples, I should just kill them all and be done with it.

After a few moments she moves from the wall and looks around the room to see where her companions are and where all the Kobolds are. At which point she sees Badger go into the cave with a kobold following him. "Badger, find anything in there or are we done with getting "help" from these kobolds?"

Badger takes the bag of herbs, saving it for later so he can search it for spell components. He calls Mal over to see the gold-coated bones, then squats down and prepares to cast an Identify ritual...

Whispering to Badger, pointing at the bones, "Did that seem way too easy to find these? Remember old Assface, did you ever find his bones? These can't be the real thing."

Then holding the bag, waiting for Badger to finish his spell, she thinks to herself, OK you cursed Ring make yourself useful, are these bones legit or just a fallacy. And if they are a fallacy, can you point me in the right direction to where the ghosts real bones are hidden?

Mal gets no response from the ring, but the edges of the bag cover with frost and extra puffs of cold air emerge from her mouth. A vision of this entire cave filled with ice and the kobolds all frozen solid flashes through her mind. A feeling of satisfaction fills her...and for a moment she confuses it with her own emotions, until she realizes its coming from the ring. 

Meanwhile Badger identifies the bones.  These "bones of the servant" are coated in gold and allow the "owner" (attunement required) to command the servant spirit to do their bidding. The servant spirits powers though are not revealed by Badger's identification spell.  

Badger mutters in response: The ghost certainly wanted to keep them hidden, so I presume these are the bones referred to. I'd like to take time to investigate them further... The gnome bundles them up and stows them before turning back to Mal and the others. So... what do we do now? The ghost is still here somewhere. The kobolds too. And apparently another unknown monster up where Kooshytwo went missing...

(Badger would like to scan the area with his ethereal sight, and see if the ghost is nearby in the ethereal plane)

Badger suggests: Well, the ghost is either gonna show itself or not. Meanwhile, let's see about this other scary monster.

The gnome finds the idea of putting the kobolds to work amusing, but has no personal use for them (at least not this many... and not so alive). He points out that they have no master any more, that they might find safety in Termalaine if they can work, and suggests they leave the mine and go into the town and seek out the mayor, offering their services as miners. But Badger would be willing to bet they can't keep a promise for long and will probably be dead within a week.

Unless there is anything else to do here, Badger leads the way back up to where the single footprints were seen.

Badger scans around, but the spirit appears to be avoiding the area...or not on the ethereal plane...or maybe invisible, or...well, there are many possible options that shift through Badger's mind but they become less and less important the more he stands there. 

Mal, Kurik, and Kari stare at him without comment when he asks what they should do next.  The all glance about at each other. The simplest solution seems somehow...cruel? 

Moving out of the small cave, Badger announces to the Kobolds that they no longer have a master!  They cheer, though seem unsure if they should be cheering and the cheers are punctuated with a clear "aaayyy?" at the end that trails up an octave into a question.  Then Badger tells them to go to Termalain to seek out the mayor. They all nod hardily in agreement. Clearly this gnome knows whats what, he's got their best interest in mind. Perfect!  They stand around not moving. Shrugging, Badger leads the group back out and up the winding cave.  The kobolds follow. You pass through the shaft that leads down into darkness, with the bucket bridge that leads to two other caves, but ignore those for now and head back up the winding caves.  You pass through the room with the two dead kobolds. The other kobolds gasp in horror and some cover their eyes as they continue to follow the group.  Eventually you reach the elevator shaft and the cave that leads away with only a single set of foot prints.  The kobolds all mill about, waiting to see what the group is going to do next.  The natter on in Kobold about the 'wise one' and 'he's half as tall so must be twice as smart' and make other completely infallible logical statements as they observe the group with interest. 

Kari cautiously walks a few feet into the tunnel. She turns to see if the whole group of kobold will be following.Turning to her companions she says Would our old travel arrangement work for you? I'll let you know if I spot anything, or yell if I get caught in some trouble. She looks back at the kobold who are talking incomprehensibly among themselves. Are they- can they stay behind? They seem a bit loud.

Everyone seems very agreeable, and so Kari, stepping into a crouch, sneaks forward into the darkness.  The kobolds see that she's going into "stealth mode" and all quiet down, whispering amongst themselves about how quiet she moves, and looks like a great cat stalking its prey, while others "shhhhhush" each other.  Still, with them following 10 feet behind the group, and her 30 feet ahead of the group, their distant whispers and shusshing shouldn't be an issue. 

Kari, stealth roll please!  Also a perception check if you don't mind!