Ogre Stew -- Help me brainstorm!

[lingshu8]

I'm prepping a D&D one-shot inspired by a scenario I heard about on the web -- the characters (all 1st level) start out in a stew pot in an ogre's kitchen. They have no equipment and must escape the ogre and maneuvre their way out of the dungeon using anything they can find.


I imagine playing the ogre for laughs as a fussy gourmet, tasting the broth with his finger and muttering "Hmmm, not enough paprika!" then pacing back and forth to the pantry, giving the characters windows of opportunity to act before the water boils.


Available weapons might include rusty kitchen knives, kebab skewers, and anything else the ogre has lying around the kitchen. The spellcasters have their spells -- but only if they can remove the clove-studded apples that are gagging their mouths.


Maybe there will be guard dogs elsewhere in the dungeon that could be distracted by meat stolen from the kitchen.

Other encounters on the way out might include the ogre's children (maybe it turns out they hate eating us as much as brussel sprouts -- "Oh no, not dwarf AGAIN!" -- and will help the party escape)

I'm trying to think of other stuff to put in the environment that the characters could improvise with.

Any ideas? Are there any written adventures with similar setups that I could mine for inspiration?

 

[MortalPlague]

Clever, inventive idea! I like it.

Maybe some spices could be used as improvised weapons? Things that could create clouds to hide PCs, things that could blind or explode?

Small passages that cut through the ogre's den could be used to help the PCs escape if they need to dodge the ogre.

Other prisoners could be a great opportunity to add texture to the scenario. You could have helpful NPC warriors who, once rescued, are a great boon. You could have not-so-helpful NPC captives who are a hindrance (like a hysterical maiden, a fat merchant, or a small child). You could use these NPCs to set up a later plot really effectively; if the PCs rescue a guard for a noble house, the noble house might offer them a reward and future jobs, for instance.

 

[Razjah]

This idea is pretty awesome! However, I think you may want to make the ogre into something bigger. Like a giant or titan. That way the entire party can fit in the stew. Ogres aren't big enough to need a 4 person stew plus the veggies and seasonings.