I am unable to visit the Toad Shaman without getting that gentleman hopping mad and uncommunicative, by killing one of his idiotic villagers - you know, that one who hangs around the tunnel on the way to the Shaman's hut and simply WILL not get out of the way to let me pass without a good bludgeoning. How is this wretched minion dealt with or circumvented? - or is he a bug as well as a toad?

You must talk to Mekdawa near Nymph Lake! He will give you a word, you repeat it to the guard in question.

Hope that helps.

Windeye

Ekbu will not let you pass until you give him your 'honorary' title, which you are told by Mekdawa.

I am getting past the guard OK with the title - it's the toad villager who hangs around the corridor and stands in the way who is the party pooper!

I got by most blocking NPC's by moving forward and wiggling the mouse left-right-left. Eventually you inch forward to a point where you can get around them normally. So far it's worked for Toads, Thieves, Gypsies, Boogres, D'Soto (and a similar method got me through that underwater tunnel to the Serpent Idol*) and the occasional Miner.

*Another trick to consider, if you're lucky enough to have this happen: Underwater fights pause your drowning. So, if you're stuck in that tunnel with monsters, don't kill them all unless/until you can make your way through. Discovered this one while going after Lagoon Pirannha I had put to sleep with the witch stick.

The way to get past the toads is just to say 'Goodbye' to them. Apparently they are in talk-mode. They will just walk away.