"You think they are ones who are maintaining the traps all the whole city?" Silas question as he watches the kobold more about, "Anyone understand what they're saying?"

Mal will make sure the group gets some berries and some nuts as well (if there are plenty) before venturing on, you do never know.

At each of the kobold encounters Mal will make it a point to listen in on what they are saying if they are speaking Draconic.

(OOC: Mal speaks Draconic.]

If we are close enough to be within 30 feet, Badger will use his helm to Detect Thoughts while Mal listens to their speech.

If we are NOT within hearing range, Badger can offer to cast Invisibility on Mal so she can get closer.

The first group Mal comes across is quiet. They don't speak as they move through the jungle ruins.  Everyone is handed about 10 berries. If you eat them now, they'll help you resist poison and disease for about a day.  If you don't eat them soon, they lose their potency anyway...   You're also are each handed a fist sized nut that glows like a torch for a minute when you shake it. 

At the shrine, the group is chittering away loudly. "No, don't pull that moron!"  "Ug, Dalka, pull harder you oaf!"  "Why me why me, I don't like these..."   "Baffoon, hook the chain around the pin dumb dumb!!"  "On three, pull!!!"  "You never said one and two!"  "Is he going to count?" "How many is three?"  "I'm bored."

You're not within 30 feet so the helm can't be used, but...you fear if you did use it on them, you may lose intelligence by listening to their thoughts.  You'd have to do some sneaking if you really want to use the helm (roll stealth if you want to get within 30 feet).  But you are close enough to hear them talking. 

Badger will eat the berries and take a nut.

If no-one has any other ideas, then Badger will recommend or attempt the following:

- cast Invisibility on himself

- Stealth to approach within 30' 4 (advantage for being invisible? or if this counts as rocky terrain? 23) and then Hide

- Regardless whether Stealth worked, use helm to cast Detect Thoughts on the kobold that most appears to be in charge. If Stealth worked, then can take a round or two to 'scan' for a kobold in charge (new spell will cancel concentration on Invisibility, hence the need to hide first)

- Use bonus action to send telepathic message that "a big boss is coming who must be obeyed (Grenk)"

- Use helm to cast Suggestion on the kobold-in-charge, suggesting that they disarm the traps for the big boss, escort Grenk, Badger and the others into the shrine, and assist them until they leave with the cube

Badger vanishes and presses forward into the yard of the Shrine. As he passes between the two obelisks, he hears a caucophony of monkey yells in his head.  Momentarily confused he stops, but they don't seem to hurt him, and as he steps forward through the obelisks that monkey noises vanish.  He finds a good hiding spot and uses his helm. 

The kobold in charge ignores your first attempt but eventually the helm is able to convince him as he suddenly yells out, "Wait!  Stop!  What was I thinking. Some big bosses are coming, we can't reset the traps yet!  So silly, so silly, stop you all.  I told you before."  There's some momentary confusion, and then they all stop what they're doing and stare at him.  He looks about, somewhat embarrassed.  "Big boss come here? Why?"  "Kakorol come here? Why?"  "Hey, how come you no say before, how long we wait?"  "We wait, lets go eat."   

He gets angry at them, "No more dumb questions you lot.  Just....sit down and wait."  

They all shrug, and grumble and sit down to wait.  

Stepping out from his hiding place, Badger will say in a voice loud enough for his companions to hear: All hail GRENK! Mightiest of warriors, Favoured of Ubtao, Slayer of the Black Beast of Hisari, Lord of the Peaks of Flame, and ... Boss of Kakorol! Grenk is pleased with your labours. It is the will of Grenk that you now escort him and his entourage into the shrine and await his pleasure....

While maintaining concentration on Suggestion, also cast Minor Illusion cantrip to create the sound of beating drums.

Deception: 17

The kobolds all leap to their feet, glancing about the ruins for the arrival of the boss of Kakoral, while also glancing at their boss.  Their boss heaves out his chest, with a wide stance, as if attempting to impress with his stature. "See, told you, boss comes!  Grovel fools!"  They don't grovel but they look about with great curiosity. 

One of them scratches his head, "Kakoral is top boss. Me not know there more bosses. Boss structure is unclear. Me want more transparency in leadership situation." 

The one next him cuffs him in the back of the head, "Gosh Puka, you always say most dumb things, shut up your dumb face." 

Mal closes her eyes, sighs and then shrugs, as she gets up and comes forward talking in Draconic, "Kneel before your lord, dogs!." And then bows her head waiting for Grenk to come walking up.

in a not too far off hiding place, Silas will faceplam at this. 

Grenk had been waiting patiently.  He was waiting for Badger to give the cue and he would rush in and start cutting the creatures down.  He gripped his swordbin preparation when Badger stepped out and declared him a mighty warrior.  Scare tactics he thought, could work.  Then it was a Lord and Big boss and he deflated a bit.

He looked at Mal and she shrugged and joined in.  Grenk stares in disbelief but the die was cast.  Anything short of his performance would mean killing them and risking the traps themselves.  His thoughts went back to the acid bath and he decided he'd not like that.  

Grenk takes a deep breath and puffs out his chest a little.  He begins to make a show of heavy food falls and steps into their line of sight.  He casts a glare at the little creatures.  He moves forward to tower before them.  "I'm here for the inspection and already it seems lacking.  You were to kneel and did not.  That is one fault.  Scribe," he says turning to Badger, "mark it down."  

He turns back to kobolds, "If you don't pass inspection...  you will be relieved of your duties and your heads and a new team will be dispatched to take over your duties.  Clear."  He doesn't wait for an answer.  "Now take us through the shrine, show me the traps, the triggers and how they reset.  If I'm satisfied of the work, there may be a reward."

Deception or performance?  Both have the same modifer 19

When Mal steps out and shouts at them to kneel, many of them hop in fright, wondering where this ghost had suddenly emerged from.  Though the site of the lithe female didn't seem to particularly worry them, they seemed impressed that she spoke in Draconic. One mutters, "She nice body." The one next to him turns sideways to look at him, aghast and embarrassed. 

Grenk steps out of the shadows and, with the beating drums, and his massive presence, the group themselves almost buy that he's the kobolds boss.  The small creatures, many with mouths hanging half-open, start by staring at his feet, and then their necks crane upwards until they finally are looking at his fearsome face.  

One of them whispers in a revering voice, "It IS Kakarol's boss...."

As if the ground beneath them had given out, they immediately all drop to a knee..... except for Puka, who puts his hands up and shouts, "yay!  Relieved of duties!"    His friend looks up at him, "and head dumb dumb...and head..."   Puka realizes his mistake and looking around as if wondering if anyone noticed, quickly drops to a knee.

The one in charge looks up as Grenk approaches, the other kobolds staring at Grenk's huge feet as he walks past them.  The one in charge speaks in broken common, "Hey big boss.  Yeah..you big boss.  Even bigger when get close. So big.  What saying?  Oh yes....inspection, we just resetting many traps as Kakarol tell us we must. This one tough, lots of heavy gates. But no slimes to eat Muca, and no lava to fall in like Rara, so...that good."

This Shrine actually has 5 entrances you note as you get close.  There are five hallways all leading in, all seemingly going straight. All except the center one have portcullis that the kobolds are attempting to reset in an open position, but were closed.   As Grenk passes through the obelisks out front he also hears the chittering of monkey's in his head that fades away as he moves through them. 

The lead Kobold, "Big boss come this way..."  He leads Grenk, his scribe (Badger), and his herald (Mal) past the kobolds into the shrine.  A thirty foot long hallway is unadorned and leads to the main chamber in the shrine.  A ten-foot-tall stone statue of an evil-looking monkey balances on its tail atop a stone dais in the middle of this twenty-foot-high chamber. The statue's limbs are splayed, with hands and feet cupped. On the wall behind, a sculpted relief shows a monkey-like creature tearing into a giant serpent. Cuneiform inscriptions are carved above and below the relief. Four masks of painted stone protrude from the walls; they depict the heads of a lion, a zebra, a boar, and a vulture.

The Kobold pulls out his water skin and reaches as far up as he can, pouring some water into the statues left cupped hand.  Nothing happens.

He turns to the three of you, and makes a "see?" motion with his hands towards the statues head.  "Cube gone. But...we reset traps anyway. They no kill monkeys.  No monkey guts to clean. That good." 

Grenk watches and nods like he understands.  "Right, so you reset the traps and clean out any killed, but no monkeys.  Monkey's are safe."  He pauses and looks up at where the cube would have been.  "Tell me, do you know who took the cube?  It is not right that it is gone."

The kobold scratches his head, "Um, no...sorry boss. No know. Lots of cubes missing now. Not sure if someone going to get angry. Maybe Grenk's boss get angry?  We make sure traps good though boss! We do our job good!" 

While Grenk converses with the kobolds, Badger will have a look around the shrine for any clues on who took the cube, or whether their friends might have been here. 

Investigation: 15

Badger glances about the room. He bends down, finding a torn bit of rotting cloth.  He sniffs it. Ew. Ya, it stinks like undead and is the same material that Mandra wore. It seems she was here.  A few bits of torn cloth lay around, but not enough to account for a large amount of clothing or anything.  No sign of blood or wounds.

Badger will inform his companions of this, without disrupting their ruse, and indicate that they should leave and continue their search. 

(How far north did we come?)

Mal will keep an eye out on anything useful that might have been left by previous adventurers coming into the shrine that the kobolds might have missed.

Perception: 13

Mal doesn't spot anything helpful unfortunately.  Either the kobolds are thorough, or there was nothing to be found. 

Silas, you see a troop of Kobolds coming out of the jungle. These ones look less like menial labor and more like warriors.  The lead warrior looks around, they chatter in Draconic. 

Inside you hear a commotion outside and then a warrior kobold with a spear, dressed in jungle attire walks into the room where you're about to leave.

Speaking in Draconic (if your character know Draconic, please read):  

In common, Mish, the new guy, says, "It is with most generosity and niceness that we offer you all a meeting with your....uh....underling.....uh...Kakarol. He most eager to....uh...report to you.....his good things....and progresses and such.  You will come with us now.  And maybe not mention to Kakarol that you his bosses....."

Grenk stride up to the new one and draw his sword and attempt to remove his head.  "I am the boss and some cuts needs to be made."

Attack: 18 Damage: 4

Attack: 24 Damage: 5

If I get advantage ill add two more attack rolls. 26, 25