Gnoll Storeroom (#19/365)

 Gnoll Storeroom (#19/365)

"This roughly-hewn square stone chamber is packed with crates, sacks and boxes. In front of the packing is a random assortment of personal belongings, dumped carelessly on the ground. A GNOLL guard was dozing on a low stool, but jumps up as you enter.

'''Ere, what do you lot think you're doing then, hey?" it yells at you.

Contents: This room stores the booty acquired by the Tusk-Gnasher Gnolls from caravan raids and attacks on smaller hamlets, before it is transported to Dust Town to be sold. Currently, stored here are the following:

• 2 crates of iron bars (worth 35GP per crate; each crate is so heavy it takes up 4 Encumbrance slots.
• a full lead-lined barrel of Guursh (Orc Ale; see Encyclopedia Arcana, pp. 57-58); worth 30GP but takes up 10 Encumbrance slots
  
• 10 boxes of copper nuggets (worth 10GP per box; each box is one Encumbrance slot)
  
• 3 sacks of leather gloves (worth 30GP per sack; each sack is one Encumbrance slot)
  
• 4 bales of wool (worth 30GP per bale; each bale is 2 Encumbrance slots)

The personal belongings are the possessions of Shang Monua (see #10), and other unfortunate travellers who have been captured by the Gnolls. They include ('S' indicates it belongs to Shang):

• Staff (S)
• Demi-Sorcery Spellbook (S); spells are Detect Trap (2), E.S.P. (2), Light (2), Open Door (2), Truce (2), Create Water (1), Creature Sleep (1), Fool's Gold (1), Language (1), Read Symbols (1), Shielding (1)
• Backpack (S)
• Lantern and flask of Oil (S)
• Potion of MAGIC (S)
  
• Bronze Key
• Silver Dagger
• Stoppered Jug of Weak Acid
  

The Gnoll guard is not too smart. Heroes who speak Gnollish may convince him to let them inspect the supplies on orders of the chief. Failed attempts to con the Gnoll will cause it to attack, but it will surrender if wounded twice and still alive.

Stats:

1 GNOLL: SKILL 8, STAMINA 5, Spear, Small Shield, Light Armour (leather scraps)

The Gnoll guard has 1-6 SP and a bunch of the herb Serpentbane (when eaten, negates the effect of snake venom for one bite; see The Titan Herbal, p. 59).