Mal will grip her weapons, "This is what happens when you anger your bosses boss."

And if the initiatl strike from Ghent does not kill the kobold, Mal will also strike it down where it stands.

Scimitar #1: Attack: 11 Damage: 10

Scimitar #2: Attack: 22 Damage: 9

(sneak Attack if I get it: 9)

Then will turn back to Donka, "You now take his place in the tribe."

Donka's mouth drops open as Mish's head does two, full, blood splattering, circles in the air before coming down across the floor, bright red everywhere.  The small kobold body drops to the ground in a heap, his spear clattering to the ground.

Donka stares at Mal, his mouth still open....then says, "Yes."  Then his mouth claps shut. He does not look towards Grenk at all. 

Grenk swings his sword fo whip some of the blood off the blade before sliding it back into his sheath.  He nudges the corpse with his food, "Easiest way to down size."  Turning around he looms at the kthers hard then smiles, "where were we...  Ah yes, the inspection.  Well, it seems you are keeping this shrine in order with the exception of the cube missing.  Why has this not been reported to me.  Is this your error?"

Without a word being spoken Mal will walk over to the dropped spear and pick it up and then walk over to stand in front of Donka and hand him the spear, "This is now yours."

Then she will turn around her back to him and walk back to stand slightly behind Grenk.

Still without looking at Grenk, Donka accepts the spear from Mal, as if it were a viper about to bite him. To Grenks question, he looks about, "No! Definitely reported cube gone to Kakarol!  He knows! Sorry you not told!"

"Scribe, mark it down.  Kakarol omitted information," he says with disappointment in his voice.  "He could have thought he could correct the situation by bringing the cube back but he did not.  Makes me wonder how many other cubes have been removed."  He lets his eyes wonder about the shrine for a moment before bringing them back to the kobolds.  "Tell me true and earn more favor.  Point out which shrines you know the cubes are safe."

Based on his face, it seems like Grenk asked Donka to solve an set of NP-Complete problems to save his families life.  He breaks out in an instant sweat and starts looking a bit jittery.  "Uh, uh, ok, hold on, hold on, wait, Donka know this.  Ok, Mitt say Unkh's shrine cube gone two days ago..yes..that one gone...uh....I'jin's one gone...Wongo one...obviously gone, Shagambi's one gone, seen myself yesterday...Kubazan's one gone too.  Whoolly molly.  Donka not realize so many gone.  Uh, that leave only Moa's on lava place....man...that one hard to get to....don't like it, and Papaztols's still there, and Obo'laka's, and Nangnang's.  Just four left. Oh man. Dark god not like this one bit...."

(OOC: I'll just summarize for you: 

1) Kubazan's (giant frog guy) : you guys have.

2) Shagambi's (cat with snakes) : was missing. You haven't located this one.

3) Moa's Shrine (snake dude, lava place) : you guys have. Though the Kobold thinks it's still in the shrine.

4) Unkh's (snail) : you guys have.

5) I'jin's (rabbit) : you guys have.

6) Wongo's (monkey, THIS SHRINE) : you guys have, you took it off the captured Thayan wizard.

7) Papazotl's (bird) : haven't found, he says it's still there.

8) Nangnang (frog) : haven't found , he says it's still there.

9) Oba'laka (koala like thing) :  haven't found, he says it's still there.) 

Badger slaps his knee in frustration for not realizing they already had the cube from this shrine. Still, their success in dominating the kobolds might have been worth it, and perhaps could be used to their advantage in seeking out the other shrines. He continues to concentrate on the mind-control spell, wondering whether the conditions he set will allow it will last after they leave the shrine...

From what Badger knows of this magic, he believes that even after the spell ends, the target is unlikely to be aware they were affected.  Based on how the situation has evolved, he doubts there will be any change of behavior from these kobolds regardless of the spell ending.  You can never be certain with mind manipulation, but he has a good feeling about this one, seeing Donka shaking in his boots.

Well at least we know where we need to head to next, Mal thinks.

"Thats a fair amount missing.  Let u s focus on the ones that are still there.  Take me to the nearest shrine with the cube still there.  Let's focus on those traps first.  Yes, lead the way," Grenk commands.

Donka nods, "Right away!  Yes sir!"  He marches out of the shrine, and looks around at the Kobolds.  

One of the spear wielding Kobolds scratches his head, looking at Donka holding the spear and says, "Um...where Mish?"  

Donka points the spear at him, "Mish been relieved of duty....and head...you worm...so...you too shut up or be relieved of duty too.  And head too."  

The kobold he yells at appears to have....hurt feelings perhaps?  He looks glumly at his shoes...."Me thought Donka friend.....ok."   

A ripple of surprise runs through the warrior Kobold but they keep their comments to themselves.  Donka looks around, scratching head, then looks to Mal, "Um, so...does big boss man want all us to go? Maybe we leave builders to fix traps...and take hunters?" 

Assuming Mal / Grenk / Badger agree, they leave behind the 'builders'....Donka leaving Puka of all people in charge.  Puka salutes smartly, "Me do best trap resetting of all time. Me do it best, traps so good no one ever survive, they be crushed by...."  

Donka, "Just fix traps Puka...."  

Puka, "Right away!" 

Donka looks about, "Um, ok, we go to Papazolts' first. Other three on Yuan-ti side of river, need go long way."  

Donka leads you through small foot paths that wind through ruins and amidst the brush, avoiding the worst of the natural fauna. You near the waterfall that plummets from the cliffs above down to the ruins below.  The hunters follow, unconcerned about this new change in leadership, and seemingly pushing and shoving to be the first in line and with the closest view of Mal's bottom which seems to hold them, mesmerized, as she walks. Near the base of the waterfall where the mist and waves of the deluge mix the water about is a shrine in the center of the flowing water.  Crocodiles wallow in this muddy lake bed, from which rises the walled ruin. Two columns flank the entrance, carved with images of a long-legged bird with a needle-like beak. At the building's front, slimy steps ascend to an entry arch.  

Donka leads the group over to a swampy patch of ground covered in vines and shrubs.  He points to a number of small canoes hidden in the vegetation.  "This one pain in butt to get to unless swim. Oh...uh...our boats maybe too small for you."  He looks across the rippling water towards the mist shrouded structure and scratches his head.  "Um...."  he turns to Mal "...um...me no know how big boss get there." 

Badger scoffs at the kobold's lack of trust in the power of the big boss and his entourage. Foolish minion, the mighty Grenk will simply float across the water!

Badger will then ritual cast Tenser's Floating Disk, which the rest of the party can stand on while Badger rides in the canoe.

The Kobolds all "oooh" and "aaahhhh" as Grenk and Mal stand upon the floating disk.  Badger hops in a canoe as the Kobolds begin paddling.

Silas and Sickle crouch in the dark jungle, having followed the troop of Kobolds, and watch from a safe distance. 

As the kobolds near the shrine, and the crocodiles lazily swimming about the outside, they all begin to making yelling noises, and banging the sides of the boat with their spears.  The crocodiles look annoyed, and slowly swim far enough away allowing the canoes to reach the slimy steps that emerge from the water.  Looking around, it appears as if the water in the yard of the shrine is only a couple feet deep. The kobolds hop out of the canoes and walk boldly into the shrine.  Mal and Grenk hop off the disk and Badger hops out of the canoe and you follow.  Moss clings to the stonework throughout this hall. The mosaic floor depicts a tall bird using its long, pointy beak to pin a monstrous frog-like creature with tentacles sprouting from its shoulders. Set into the far wall is a set of heavy stone doors.  

Donka strides forward and then all the kobolds line up against the door and push with all their might.  The heavy door grinds slowly open.  Breathing heavily, the Kobolds peak inside, and walk into the next room.

An empty pedestal stands in the middle of this chamber. Six statues face it from alcoves on the walls. They depict bare-chested humans with the heads of different animals. From left to right, the heads resemble those of a lizard, a jaguar, a lobster, a toucan, a bat, and a frog.  

Donka shrugs to the group, "No traps in this one. Just dumb puzzle. Me check secret room...."   He wanders over to bat statue, and crouches down, and walks directly through the wall, revealing part of the wall to be an illusion.  He comes back a few seconds later.  He shrugs again, "Check's out."   He looks over at Mal, avoiding Grenk's eyes.  "Uh...so, me check if cube here.." 

Donka ruffles around inside his small bag and pulls out six bands of cloth. He passes them out to the kobolds who clamber up the statues and wrap them around the statues eyes.  

While they're doing that, Badger notices some inscriptions written, unusually, in common on the base of the pedestal.  It reads, "Comes with sunshine. Leaves with night. Hides in darkness. Does not bite. Always joined to its caster. Never strays from its master."   

Once the kobolds have wrapped the eyes of all of the statues, there's a grinding noise in the pedestal, and the cube rises up from its center.  

Donka sighs a heavy sigh of relief.  "Phew...good thing it there..."  

He moves to untie the wrap around the statues eyes. 

"Wait!" Genk commands before the kobold can release the cloth.  He holds up his finger and then takes on a contemplative look.  "This shrine has the puzzle but no traps... No, no, no, this won't do.  We need to put at least one trap here.  It's just not safe enough," Genk says.  "No, I best take the cube now and order additional traps," he says as he moves in and takes the cube and moves back towards the entrance.  He spins to the one on the statue.  "You, I think pit fall near the entrance that fills with water from the river and drowns people.  What do you think?"

He tries to avoid looking at Grenk. He speaks haltingly, “Oh, um, yes. That best idea. Thank you. I go get builders and we start making right away!”

"No, don't get them yet.  Let's finish assessing the others." Grenk responds.  He motions for them all to come and says, "We will head back to the other side of the river," and then signals for Badger to do the floating disc again. 

Assuming he listens and begins the ritual, he looks at the Kobolds and asks, "The other three are on the Yuan-ti side of the river.  What are you thoughts on them are they as dedicated as you all are?"

Mal continues to defer to Grenk as the leader and eyes hard any kobold that she finds staring at her, resting her hands on her scimitars.

Donka scratches his head and looks confused. The other kobolds look about confused, but too nervous to say much.  Donka eventually nods, "Oh, um, the Yuan-ti ..... me no know what to say."  

They clamber into their canoes, with Badger, and begin paddling back, Grenk and Mal hovering behind them.  They disembark and load the canoes.  Then Donka says, "Lead you to bridge now. It long way."  He begins a winding path west along the rivers perimeter. The path has a lot of narrow spots.  The group is approaching a particularly large ruin, and Donka ducks through a smaller hole that Grenk will need to probably crawl through, or go around.  A few of the other kobolds follow, but a moment later you can hear the sound of them running away on the far side.  The kobolds left on this side momentarily look confused, then everyone bolts. 

?

Badger takes the cube from Grenk and adds it to the bag, careful not to allow the kobolds to see that they have a whole collection already.

Interesting puzzle, Badger thinks. Perhaps the answer to the riddle is 'sight', thus the blindfolds. Typical of surface-dwellers to think everyone can't see in darkness though.

While Grenk is ordering the kobolds around, Badger will take a peek at what's under the bat statue. It didn't seem to be essential to the puzzle.

(Oops, didn't see the newer posts).

Badger will look through the hole the kobolds escaped through to see where it goes.