Taking the gift of rope as a sign, Ben attempts to scale the south eastern tower...

NOTE: My initial goal is to stop just short of the openings, where I will listen.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:23, Wed 03 Sept 2014.

For his part, Rath remains with the group, vigilant against dangers and setting the henchmen as guards, as well, so that there are eyes in all directions. "Wonder if those ogres we drove away came back here to warn their kin?" Rath mutters and shrugs. "Old king One-Horn might have his guard up, and not so easily tricked."

The short, gray humanoid crosses the littered courtyard and disappears inside the southeast tower. Ben occasionally hears the sound of movement or light conversation in a strange tongue from beneath the thatched roof, but does not see anyone while perched atop the wall. The human thief scales the wall and relays some information to Inas, but does not spot the creature again. From what Ben was able to see of the creature, from 40 feet above, the creature is about four feet tall, stocky, gray-skinned and walked with a loping gait. That description is not enough to call to Inas' mind any particular race of creature: just not enough information to draw any meaningful conclusions.

Later, Ben scales up the southeast tower and stops just outside two windows and listens for sounds of activity within. Inside, Ben hears noisy slurping punctuated by what sounds like two creatures speaking in a tongue that sounds very similar to that spoken by the Gutterblin's in the Dark Gaping Maw. Of course this means nothing to Ben, because he doesn't speak the goblin tongue, but at least it helps him narrow down a broad linguistic family.

The two humanoids continue to noisily devour whatever food is before them, while occasionally conversing back and forth in what sounds like friendly banter. Perhaps at some point Ben braves a quick peek inside, to get a better look, and discovers two goblin-like humanoids seated in the middle of what looks like the last intact floor within the tower, the higher floors having been destroyed long ago.

The rubble of the higher floors has been cleared from the floor and the two loin-skin clad gray humanoids are picking at the grilled meat from an animal's rack. Each of the humanoids has a spiked club within reach, but no other weapons are seen. Neither of the creatures is wearing any armor, their upper torsos completely unclothed.

A wooden ladder leans against the interior of the tower wall, offering someone within the tower to peek out, but of course both creatures seem to be preoccupied with stuffing their face. There is a single stone staircase leading out of the room, presumably winding down to the keep's ground level.

After the scouts leave, Norion tucks in behind the nearest large outcrop of stone, sits against it, and as is his habit, cleans, sharpens, inventories, and tucks away his items.  His ears, not great as elves are, listens for a hint of needing action, otherwise, he just stays unseen and waits, and trust his more stealthy compainions to bring a new plan.

Working his way down the wall, Ben shares what he has learned from his foray up the wall with Inas.

"Shall we chance tackling these two, or return back to our friends?"

In reply to Ben Scristos (msg # 14):

"Hmmmm, not sure. I am certain we can take them down quickly, but can we do it quietly enough to ensure that any nearby ears don't hear our actions."

He thought for a second. "Maybe we should rejoin the others and share our intelligence before making a decision."

In reply to Inas Eoinsson (msg # 15):

Eagle waits patiently, enjoying identifying the local flora and fauna.

Ben and Inas stalk silently back to the location where the party has patiently been waiting for their return, the humanoid sentinels all the while, unaware.

Once rejoined, the party has a decision to make...
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:47, Sat 13 Sept 2014.

"It doesn't seem the ogres have any prisoners we have to worry about. That's good."

The illusionist looked thoughtful. "They're too strong to take in a direct assault but perhaps if we used our skills we can sneak in and assassinate Horned One. If we're clever we can make it look like one of the other ogres did it, get them to fight each other, but even if not they'll be leaderless."

Sneaky is always good with Ben, he nods his agreement with that thought.

"Killing One Horn will naught end the threat ta the villages, they will choose a new leader an' continue their evil ways, we need to kill all ov them, or at least enough to make them flee these lands."

"Suppose One Horn thought a rival Ogre leader was moving in on 'is territory, thot might draw him an' his fighters out.  An illusion of a group of Ogres nearby, during a storm, we might draw them inta the open fer a fight.  I still 'ave the horn from the others, blowin' thot ah few times in challenge might get them interested.."

Impressed, Ben nods his head at Norion's suggestion as well...

"We might even be able to create some physical traps in the area we lure them to as well. Pits, spikes, maybe seven something with oil?"

Rath grimaces and kicks at the rocky ground, about to object, before remembering that Eagle can dig pits with ease. Once he knows he won't have to do the work himself, Rath fully supports Ben's plan.

"Well I guess that decides us. I assume everyone wants to wait for dark? Eagle you're the man with the best wilderness skills, maybe you could scout out a good location to lure the enemy to?"

As the others add to Norion's plan, he stands and stares again at the ruined fortress. First scratching his head, then his nose, finally his beard.

"Darn, something is nagging at meh, now ah know wot it is, folly to my plan, ah dunna speak ogre, if ah can't insult them in their own tongue, they'll ne're believe the illusion..."

Inas shrugged. "I speak neither tongue so cannot assist. I would counsel against fighting in the dark. Their eyes are probably more accustomed to the gloom than us humans, so we would be at a disadvantage. Maybe an assault at dawn would be advisable."

"Well several ogres were slain in our last battle... perhaps the sight of their bodies as the  Undead will draw them out?" Saliq suggested. The illusionist's handsome, aristocratic face looked uncharacteristically sinister.

"Think of... bloated, rotting ogre corpses drawn back to their stronghold, following the path of the comrades who deserted them as the wail of their horns sounds out and they march into the cold light of dawn."

"We should put the sun behind us, if we can. Any advantage, no matter how small, might make a difference..."

While the party is discussing a plan of attack a short distance away from the ruined keep and presumed abode of The Horned One, the party spots what looks like a Dread Ogre emerge from the gatehouse tunnel, in tow are three smaller ogres, perhaps children?

The first ogre is perhaps seven feet tall, not quite as large as those encountered near Demonstone, and judging by her healthy bosom which swings freely as she strides out of the keep, obviously a female. The three smaller ogres, these about as tall as a goblin, amble just behind the ogre-wife, with two more emerging from the tunnel a few moments later.

The ogre-wife leads the children along the hillside, away to the left, and they follow gleefully, frolicking in the grasses and weeds that have grown up all around the keep. The female ogre then plops down to the ground some distance away from the children. There, she sternly watches over their activities, occasionally barking out praise or reprimands.

OOC: The ogre-wife and five ogre-whelps are about 100 yards distant from the PCs.

"To my side - quick!" Saliq hisses at the others. As soon as the words have left his mouth he starts chanting in a strage tone, drawing arcane symbols in the air.

---

OOC: Saliq casts Invisibility, 10 ft on himself (and presumably the others!)

Jaw dropped, Ben moves over to Saliq's side... it had never occurred to him that Ogre's had children! Would they have to kill them too? That seemed... not right.

Rath grabs Monvo and Bruno and scrambles to join Saliq. He's quiet, intently watching the family, with dark thoughts unspoken. Rath had his bow ready, but he has not drawn it to aim a shot. After a moment, he glances at Norion, wondering what the dwarf will do.

Inas had been busying himself preparing sharpened stakes with his axe and hunting knife when word came up that a female ogre and her younglings had emerged from the tower. He quickly ceased the task and scooped up his bow.

At Saliq's instruction he moved closer to the conjuror, allowing himself to once again fall inside his magical circle of invisibility.

"Those are... those are babies, by the hand of the seventh lord of Laundry Lists.... they ain't as tall as me even. We ain't gonna kill babies are we Saliq? I don't wanna be no baby-killer..."