"We're no slouches either," Grugga adds, "We've hunted a juvenile hydra before."

Upon hearing Leelan, Grugga  and Rohuzar's proposal, Cliff and Kiteborne exchange a look.  Kiteborne steps forward and...

Kurt hops back up onto a stool.  "A capital idea.  You folks go out and find the ogre.  We lost him/her/it about two hours west of town on the road to Horntop Hill.  Phlox!  Three ales, please.  It looks like we will be staying for a bit!"

Kiteborne looks at the halfling with surprise, while Cliff raises a hand to his face and mutters something.  He lowers his hand and looks at Kurt.  "Are you sure you even want to be an adventurer?  The ad you answered said 'Daring! Courageous! Death-Defying!'   Yet one ogre throws a tree at you, and suddenly you're a homebody."

"They're against my religion, I've decided," answers Kurt.  "Ogres have no right being so damn big.  Its offensive."

The two continue to banter while Kiteborne shakes his head and approaches Rohuzar.  "I am sure we can work something out.  This particular ogre is supposed to have attacked a legatus and her guard on the road west of Buffalo Run.  Supposedly used flaming arrows along with brute force.  The legatus escaped but her husband and several of her guards were slain.  There's a 500gp bounty on its head.  He's got a distinctive long braid of hair.  He's also semi-clothed, which is unusual... got himself a big deerhide cape."  He scratches his chin.  "We could use the help tracking him, that's for sure.  We followed him east, skirting the village of Horntop Hill but he lost us before we reached Malvern's Town.  But you have business here, right?  Which means we would be the ones to haul the head back to Silver Creek for the reward money.  Equal work in the killing, plus the salvage costs for our walk back to Silver Creek... How does 60/40 sound?"

“You have a coward, and half our number besides. 60/40 in our favor is a generous offer to you, IF you can provide our portion of the reward before leaving to collect. If not, ve vill collect it in our own good time and give you 30.” Rohuzar holds up a finger. “Up for negotiation based on injury or other difficulty. I won’t leave a one-legged bounty hunter with a thin reward.” 

Persuasion? I assume with help, but feel free to choose not to 6 or 11 

"Yes, considering the state of your crew, that is a most generous offer." Aubrey says, standing by Rohuzar.
(Help action given)

"The way you have it, you'd all make 100 gold a piece while we'd be making 50 a piece, for the same work... excluding delivery."

Kiteborne considers your counter and tut-tuts.  "Fair points, all.  But keep in mind... as you said this is just a time killing sojourn for the five of you.  We already have days of travel and tracking invested in this.  We took this job instead of other opportunities in Silver Creek and have been on the road for days.  This is a good score for us and we cannot afford to leave too much on the table; we all have... liabilities back home. 50-50 is the best I can accept."

He looks back at Cliff and Kurt, who have stopped their back and forth and are now listening to the negotiations.  "However... I think we would consider a 75/25 split in your favor on the ogre... if you bring us in on whatever job is taking you up to Ars Dinodont.  It's clear you're all adventurers so the sightseeing story is clearly a front.  And if whatever it is has brought you out here from Bardstown, I can only imagine the payout is formidable."

"So that's my final offer.  50/50 and we all go our separate ways after the ogre... or 75/25 but you bring us in on your job."  He folds his arms and waits for your response....

“50/50 it is. This better be done today.” Rohuzar holds out his hand to shake. 

Kiteborne shakes your hand, though he doesn't hide the fact of his disappointment that you didn't take him up on the other offer.  Cliff chases Kurt out of his seat and soon the combined force of eight adventurers is ready to depart.  

It is a two hour walk along the Outer Loop Trail west of town to the area where they lost the ogre's track.  It was earlier this morning during the worst of the storm.  

(Feel free to roleplay any discussion during the walk.)

When you arrive it is mid-afternoon.  The rain occasionally spits a bit but for the most part it has stopped and here and there the sun breaches the clouds.  The road is still well with deep puddles in all the wagon ruts.

Cliff stoops and walks back and forth until he finds it.  "Here.  All along the trip this way from Horntop Hill, the creature was south of the road but would venture up and onto the road... and then take advantage of the chaotic tracks of men, horses and wagons to try to lose us.  Sometimes it would completely double back on its own trail.  Each previous time, we were able to pick it up again... but here we lost it completely.  I was half tempted to guess he hopped on a wagon... but if that weren't unlikely enough, there was no one on the roads during the height of that storm."  As if to punctuate his statement, there is a low rumble of thunder from far off to the north.

Rohuzar will tap Leelan and nod for the two of them to go look for tracks. “I have not said so yet, but I find you to be interesting person, Leelan. Clever. Curious. Invested in success. It is… encouraging. Not have to vorry when you are looking into matters. I know job is done right.” 

When he can get in a private word, Grugga pulls Rohuzar aside and whispers to him, "Not to second guess you, cousin, but if they prove themselves capable we should consider their help with retrieving the package - it sounds like we might be heading up against powerful forces in the forest, and who knows if our journey ends when we find the rangers."

Once they arrive at the location where the group lost their quarry, Grugga pulls Zip out and sends him high up into the air with instructions to scout slightly ahead over the treetops and return to the group if it sees anything like a clue or a threat ((Again, the homunculus has 10 int, but I'm not sure how far this is pushing it, so just let me know what it's capable of, DM)). Otherwise, he's leaves the tracking to those more experienced than he.

“I think you are not wrong, but I vait and see how they handle ogre first.” 

Aubrey smiles and nods as the deal is struck. He follows along the Outer Loop Trail west of town and appreciates that the weather is getting better.
He tries to discern more about their temporary companions, regarding skill set and such if possible. Insight if appropriate: 20
He also tries to remember if he ever has heard any stories about ogres such as this one. Knowledge: 9
When they get to where the ogre tracks starts he gets more wary and keeps a good lookout for an ambush as they proceed. Perception: 17

As they go examine the tracks, Leelan takes great pride in his leader’s praise. "Why thank you kindly, sir. When I joined your band, I promised I would not disappoint you, and I am a man of my word. I should hate to make our great and fearless leader look bad."

Along the way to the last known location of the ogre, Leelan would share with anyone willing to listen what he knows about ogres from his manuscript.

When Rohuzar and the gnome go looking for the tracks, Leelan will try his best to help his leader spot clues of the orge’s last whereabouts. (Help for a check?)

Aubrey, being at least fairly familiar with tracking in the woods after years of hunting for game with his father, does his best to assist Leelan (Help action given).

(I need an investigation check from Leelan (with advantage assume help if you ask for it) and I need a perception check from Grugga for Zip.  Also, how far afield are pending Zip?  What kind of radius?  What instructions are you giving it?)

Aubrey, you’re feeling strangely paranoid.  You chat up the 3 newcomers a bit but are getting weird vibes from them.  And when you reach the ogre’s tracks, the surrounding fields and patchy forest seem barren and foreboding.  It is quiet… too quiet.  While the hair on the back of your neck stands on end, you watch everywhere for signs of danger.  But there is nothing to be found.

Of the others, they are all slight of frame but seem quick and agile.  All wear leather armor and seem to know how to use it properly.  Cliff has several shorter bladed weapons including a scimitar which he practices with along the walk.  The only weapons you see in Kurts possession are daggers… though it looks like he has quite a few, some on his hips, some strapped to a belt across his chest.  Kiteborne is clearly a bard, though he also carries a long sword.  The sword is designed with elven style and motifs, but upon inspection (or if you just ask) he reveals it is nothing special, just crafted to look a bit like the elven weapons of old.

(I was actually offering to help, but I guess that could work too)

Investigaćion: 20

Leelan realizes after a while that Aubrey isn't much help with the tracking as he is constantly glancing over at their new companions and their most suspicious activities, as well as glancing about in random directions in the wood for things that aren't there.

(OOC: Oops misread, well I guess anyone else could have a go at the tracking as well.)

Zip perception: 9

Instructions: "Fly just above the tree line. If we move, maintain altitude and fly 50 ft ahead in the direction we're moving. When we stop, return directly overhead and maintain altitude. Return down to us if you see any person who's not us, or a creature with a mass larger than a deer, or if you see footprints at least 1.2x larger than [the largest amongst us]."

From the roadway…

Grugga:

Leelan:

Guilim frowns at the idea of letting the three in on their original job. The Red Brands already took a significant cut of the pay they would earn and now they would have to give 75 percent to the other hand that clearly only composed of one person that seems worth a damn. When he gets a chance he will pull Rohuzhar to the side. 

"Are we really letting them in on our job? As it is we are wasting time on a job that has a time limit. If they can't handle the ogre then they clearly don't deserve the pay."