What to do with a captured Ogre??

[Eye Tyrant]

My PCs repelled an attack on their "base" town. The attack consited of hangliding Orcs w/ Kobold bombadiers, and a band of Ogres. Long story short, they have captured one of the Ogres (a 5th level Barbarian Ogre to be exact). They managed to secure the beast while it was unconscious. Now they could have the beast Reduced so as to fit into the local holding cells, but what about if/when the spell wears off? Also, this guy has an Int of about a 6 if I remember correctly, so what can he really offer in the way of info even if he is coerced into spilling the beans??? He aint the sharpest tool in the shed

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

Well if you're playing standard D&D, there is no moral dilemma: the Ogre is evil and is beyond redemption. If you can't manage to control him forever, you should kill him.

If you're playing a slightly more sophisticated campaign, you know what's ahead of you: you're gonna have to teach him to behave, and to become a productive member of society. Good luck.

 

[drnuncheon]

What do y'do with a captured ogre?
What do y'do with a captured ogre?
What do y'do with a captured ogre
Ear-lie in the mor-ning?

Shrink'im with a spell and lock him u-up
Shrink'im with a spell and lock him u-up
Shrink'im with a spell and lock him u-up
Earl-lie in the morning

[repeat chorus]

Wake'im up and cast detect thoughts on 'im (x3)
Ear-lie in the morning!

(chorus)

He'll be your friend if you cast charm monster (x3)
Ear-lie in the morning!

(chorus, etc, ad nauseum)

 

[JimAde]

Maybe he can't answer questions with much insight, but if you have access to Detect Thoughts or a similar spell, questioning him might be valuable anyway. There's nothing in the rules about it, but as DM I would certainly let you gain a lot more info that way.

Or if you have access to Scrying, you can take a bit of his hair and just let him go. Presumably he'll go back to where he came from and you can get information that way. If he's that dumb, he probably won't figure out what you're doing.

Even without magic, you can just let him go and track him (assuming you have somebody with that talent around). Much cheaper than feeding him

EDIT: Ack! drnuncheon beat me to the Detect Thoughts...and in verse, no less!

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Personally as a player I'd put him to work breaking rocks or turning a mill stone.

 

[Whisper72]

Don't forget to cut off his hair first....

 

[BiggusGeekus]

What do y'do with a captured ogre?
What do y'do with a captured ogre?
What do y'do with a captured ogre
Ear-lie in the mor-ning?

My hand to God, this is the exact first thing that popped into my head as well.

There must be some kind of D&D-Sea-Chanty-Ray being tested out on the word with the orbital mind control lasers.

In any case, I'd solve the problem by handing the ogre over to the authorities. Yes, even if the party is chaotic. Otherwise you delve into the land of moral relitvaism which is fine for people earning their master's degree in philosphy (or justifying said degree at a swanky party) but never as much fun as one might think on game night.

 

[Hand of Evil]

What do y'do with a captured ogre?
What do y'do with a captured ogre?
What do y'do with a captured ogre
Ear-lie in the mor-ning?

Shrink'im with a spell and lock him u-up
Shrink'im with a spell and lock him u-up
Shrink'im with a spell and lock him u-up
Earl-lie in the morning

[repeat chorus]

Wake'im up and cast detect thoughts on 'im (x3)
Ear-lie in the morning!

(chorus)

He'll be your friend if you cast charm monster (x3)
Ear-lie in the morning!

(chorus, etc, ad nauseum)

It is amazing how often this song pops up.


But, release it and follow it back to its boss.

 

[Whisper72]

Hmmm.. personally I like the idea by JimAde of letting the dude (he's dumb isn't he?) go free, track him (should not pose too much of a problem) back to his base of operations, and raid them there.

No moral quandary, the chance for more mayhem, more treasure, and repaying the enemy (who raided the village) in kind, an eye for an eye... a win/win situation as far as I am concerned....

 

[Eye Tyrant]

All good suggestions guys, thanks...

More info:

The party is CN (off the top of my head I believe they are all CN).

They want to interrogate the beast (good luck with that Int: 6, So he'll know a little bit of what he was supposed to be doing, but certainly not why. Also, the PCs think they know what is going on (and they do to a limited degree). There is an Ogre Mage plotting behind the scenes, with a good number of Orcs and Kobolds still alive, and an Ogre Druid7 that fled the town before being killed/captured...

The beast is in the hands of the local authorities (who I have decided, will suggest freeing the Ogre and having the PCs attempt to track him. No PCs with Track though, so that could be tough or call for an NPC). Decided on this a) because the local wizards guild isn't going to continue to Reduce this guy constantly, b) He doesn't know much, if anything and c) it pushes the story along, without obligating the party to continue after the Ogre (the authorities can simply hire another group brave enough to take the task or set the town guards on his trail if the PCs aren't interested).

Any other advice is always welcome

Thanks!