Skulltop Hill, Front Entrance

[Taffimai]

After a very uneventful two hour hike through the woods, the "face" of Skulltop Hill finally comes within view: a high, weatherbeaten dome with two indentations to form the eyes and a wide, gaping maw. Some of you decide to continue on following a narrow trail that leads to the West, hoping to find the cave system at the back of the hill. You, however, remain here.

The ground in front of the ogre's cave is trodden with many hoof prints, and barren of all vegetation. A large boulder, obviously used to keep anyone from entering when the ogre isn't home, sits to the left of the entrance. Beyond it lies a dark cave about ten feet wide and twelve feet high.

Some of you might have been here before: the kegs of beer and the food that used to be delivered to the ogre didn't walk over all by themselves, and anyone who was involved would have met Gurt. Gurt is a hobgoblin working for the ogre, and the one who'd accept deliveries. There's no sign of him now, however.

Spoiler: Dwarves, Elves and Halflings

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You can see more inside the cave than the Humans can. A few meters inside on the left, there is a room that's fenced off. Further down, there are two passages, one left and one right. You can't see further than that.

Spoiler: Posting convention

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At the top of your post, please put the name of the character you're posting for in bold.

Sometimes I will anticipate something you might want to do and give the DC. Make your rolls in a spoiler, and edit your post to describe your actions. If you want to do something I hadn't anticipated (which is strongly encouraged!), feel free to roll in the OOC thread and tell me what it's for, I'll then let you know the result.

At this point, your characters should interact with each other and come up with a plan: do you plan to call out to the ogre to negotiate, or are you going to try to sneak in, or will you send someone to scout ahead?

[Iceseer]

Grolgrod Mithralbranch

Alright ye Wallapers There is a Scunner in there and you Wallapers are going to help me get it's gold. I mean we are here to free the townspeople. Now I see two passage ways one left and one right and a barred room to the left. I suggest you guys come up with a means to split you Wallapers up I'll go left and we'll split after the barred door. Grolgrod says in a none to kind manner. With gold clearly in his thoughts.

[Kvard51]

Dorn

Hmm, it looks like we could loose the prisoners by digging around the posts there.

Dorn moves up to stand by his nasty kinsman. This is no time to quibble over treasure, but I can smell it too.

I need four or three of you'uns to come with me to the pens, just up there.
I'll dig around them posts there to loosen'em up a bit so the pris'nurs can get out quick like. No need to keep'em in harms way whilst we fight the brutes in there.

[Aardvark 001]

Bill

The halfling peers in at the fenced off room.
I don't know. It seems almost too easy, doesn't it? Having the prisoners here at the entrance? You don't suppose it could be a trap, do you?
He shrugs.
Ah well. Only one way to find out I suppose.

[Aardvark 001]

Grim

Grim grunts, patting his cow on the head.
Sounds good to me.

[2D8HP]

Drake Farmer

(Losing some confidence)

Do you think the Ogre is very big?

[Iceseer]

Grolgrod Mithralbranch

You Bawbag. Of course the ogre is massive that is a defining part of an ogre. Even this Jobby. Grolgrod says offendingly.

[2D8HP]

Owen the smuggler

(With a shrug)

Well let's get the job done, then.

[Iceseer]

Grolgrod Mithralbranch

Of course we should but some Jobby members seem to be in a little day dream. That they need to get out of. Grolgrod says offendingly.

[plenty]

Haluid

"Sorry, Ah were plannin' what ter do wit may share o' da ogre's gold, but Ah suppose Ah'll be helping wit dat fence." Said Haluid, gesturing with his pickaxe. "You comin' too, spade boy?"

[plenty]

Engan

Yes. We must free those poor captives as soon as possible, so they can return to town and prepare for the party." said Engan, absolutely certain there would be a party when they returned to the village.

[plenty]

Bodil

Bodily turned to Golgrod, "If you're taking the left path, should I take the right path? Just remember - if you hear screaming, I've found the ogre and would like some help."

[Iceseer]

Grolgrod

'course I ain't going to leave you bumpkins to die.

[Taffimai]

The intrepid townfolk enter the maw of Skulltop Hill, led by Grolgrod. Casting a glance into the fenced off room, he quickly ascertains that there is nothing there that could be of interest to him and walks forward towards the fork in the hallway, leaving the humans behind as they wait for their eyes to adjust to the darkness.

As he reaches the point of the divide, he is faced with a dilemma: the passage to the left leads a little further down and then makes a right turn. There's no telling what lies beyond. The one to the right, however, opens up into a make-shift bedroom: some filty animal furs, a fire pit with hot embers in it and an unknown substance in a small cauldron cooling beside it. On the left, there is a wide alcove, seemingly filled with earth and some odd growing things. A mixture of sweat and some organic stench emanates from the room, as does the unmistakable aroma of gold...

While Grolgrod ponders his options, the others linger in front of the fence, and are greeted by the bleating of two mangy sheep that are pressing their heads between the bars, clearly eager to be released. The trellised door is kept shut with a simple wooden pin. It smells of sheep and sheep manure, though the floor shows clear signs of having been regularly swept. Non-humans can easily spot a shovel, broom and bucket that are obviously kept here for that exact purpose. At the far end of the room stands a water trough, but there is nothing for the sheep to eat, which might offer some explanation for their desire to get out.

Spoiler: Humans

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At first, you see only two off-white sheep and a lot of darkness. Your eyes adjust quickly, and then you can see the entire pen.

If any of you move on towards the bedroom, the light of the fire pit allows you to see enough not to fall over anything, but not clear enough to see any detail. Lighting a proper fire requires something to burn and a DC 5 check, after which you are no longer crippled. Going back outside to fetch some appropriate branches and making impromptu torches with the fur from the bedding is around a DC 10 and takes a few minutes (remember that DC's aren't supposed to be a mere success/fail, so you can make better torches, or make them faster, of make more of them, as you roll higher.

Spoiler: Dorn

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If you make it into the bedroom, roll a d20. For every two points of your result, you identify another species of mushroom growing in the alcove. Some are poisonous, some are delicious, some have interesting medicinal properties, feel free to improvise.

You can also determine that the substance in the cauldron is made with these mushrooms (DC 5), that it is entirely edible (DC 10) and probably made by a hobgoblin given the types of mushrooms, quantities and herbs used (DC 15).

Spoiler: All Dwarves

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You can locate the source of the gold more or less quickly with a DC 10 check, it is in a pouch burried amidst the mushrooms. Should you locate the pouch, you find 7g inside as well as 34s and a piece of amber shaped like a mushroom.

Spoiler: Anyone else searching

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Your DC to find the gold is 15, but you can also find a small book written in goblin when looking through the bed furs (DC 7). If you can justify it given your background, feel free to speak and read goblin. The book is about growing and preparing mushrooms.

[Iceseer]

Grolgrod follows his nose and tried to find the gold. When he finds it he takes it and continues on his way.

[Iceseer]

Spoiler: roll

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(1d20)[5] had to post here as there was a space in the one before

[Aardvark 001]

Bill

Bill spots the shovel and picks it up. He makes a face at the smell.
Here you go.
He holds the shovel out to Grim, who is kneeling by the pen.
It won't make a great weapon but it's better than nothing I suppose. Unless you were planning to swing your cow around or something.

[Aardvark 001]

Grim

Grim takes the shovel without a word. He strokes a sheep on the head and turns to the others.
What do we do with these little fellas? Shall I let them go?

[plenty]

Engan

"Yes! We must free the poor sheepies from their cruel master!" Declared Engan, as he began to dig up one of the fence posts. "Don't worry sheepies, you'll be free soon!"

[2D8HP]

Owen the smuggler

(Searches the area)

Spoiler: Roll

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(d20)[8]

---

Meanwhile:

(Not knowing what else to do,

Drake Farmer

digs to free the sheep.)

[plenty]

Bodil

Bodil walked to the junction and turned right, holding his sword at the ready. After taking a quick look around he returned to the others. "There's a bedroom just ahead, looks like someone was cooking recently, but we should probably make torches or something before heading further in."

[plenty]

Haluid

"Ye have fun wit dat lad, Ah'll go help scout da left path." Haluid set off down the path. Noticing the lingering scent of gold he muttered some unkind things about Golgrod's parentage, failing to notice that he was assuming (he didn't actually see it happen) Golgrod had done exactly what he was planning to do, before rounding the corner.

[Kvard51]

Seeing the sheep, instead of captives, Dorn moves on into the bedroom. The smell of mushrooms and Gold intermingle in a delightful, heady aroma no dwarf could resist. He immediately begins searching through and cataloguing the mushrooms while searching for the gold.

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20)[4] Mushrooms
(1d20)[17] What's in the Pot?
(1d20)[18] Gold searching

[Aardvark 001]

Grim

Grim watches in disbelief as Drake and Engan start digging by the post. Then he sighs, unhooks the pin holding the gate shut and opens it to let the sheep out.
Now how about we three geniuses go get some wood to make a torch so we're not stumbling around in the dark, eh?

Spoiler: "Roll for torch making

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[roll0]

[Aardvark 001]

Bill

The halfling wanders into the room with the others.
Oh! Very cosy.
He goes to the bed and lifts up the sheepskins.
Seems a bit small for an ogre though, doesn't it? I wonder who it belongs to?

Spoiler: Search roll

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[roll0]

[plenty]

Engan

Engan looks at the now open gate, then back at the pole he and Drake had loosened. "How did I not see that?" He entered the pen and began encouraging the sheep to leave. "Come on sheepies, plenty of grass and sunlight over there."

[plenty]

Bodil

Bodil just shakes his head at Drake and Engan, and goes to make torches.

Spoiler: roll for making torches

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(1d10)[7]

[Taffimai]

The sheep waste no time darting outside and locating the nearest patch of grass to munch on. Bodil and Grim make themselves useful by getting started on the torches, but have some trouble finding suitable wood at the moment.

Dorn carefully sniffs, stirs and eventually sips the brew in the cauldron, and can immediately identify all five mushroom types and all herbs and spices used to make it. It tastes like fresh vomit, just like a hobgoblin likes it best. He then turns towards the mushroom beds in the alcove to identify the species growing there, but unfortunately for him, Grolgrod has been digging through them to find the source of the golden scent. Dismayed, Dorn walks over and quickly locates the leather pouch it comes from - sometimes it pays to know a thing or two about mushroom growth patterns.

Several others have been searching the rest of the room in the mean time and have located a small booklet written in Goblin.

Leaving the rest behind, Haluid takes the passage to the left. It gently slopes down and veers to the left, until suddenly making a sharp turn towards the right. Before he reaches the turn, though, he is startled by a sudden movement: the large heap of furs that was lying in the corner reveals itself as a large wolf that growls menacingly. Luckily for Haluid, it seems to be chained... but who knows how far that chain might reach?

Spoiler: Torch makers

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Keep trying, I'm sure you'll get it at some point.

Spoiler: Aardvark

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Your rolls didn't work, but I don't know why. Try copying the following and then adding the second "l" so it says roll instead of rol: [rol]1d20[/rol]

Spoiler: Grolgrod

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I wasn't sure how you'd want to deal with someone else finding the gold, so I decided not to move you on yet. Feel free to quickly make your way towards danger.

[Iceseer]

Grolgrod

Grolgrod plots to kill the man who got the gold before him. He doesn't do anything to him right now but continues on his way for the left path.

[Aardvark 001]

Grim

Grim follows the sheep outside. Leaving his cow to graze with them, he starts searching for some good branches.

Spoiler: Torch making reroll

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(1d20)[5]

EDIT: I realised what was happening. Apparently I can't use rolls on my phone so I have to do it on desktop mode.