I have read the quest xp files on SP that state that if you don't alert the war drum protectors outside the Fortress you get more xp for the less alerted.

How?

Is it possible to Intimidate the Ogre at the back door to make him open it and thus alert no-one and then score the max xp?

I never tried this, it's a hunch. Can anyone confirm this?

I want to max the xp for my latest party, so I thought that I would obtain the xp and then go back and cause a bloodbath of goblin gibs! :D

Cheers.

If your concern is with these entries in the online solution, it has nothing to do with the war drums.

- Advance further into the Goblin Warrens, alerting only 3 camps: 525 xp
- Advance further into the Goblin Warrens, alerting only 2 camps: 700 xp
- Advance further into the Goblin Warrens, alerting only 1 camps: 1050 xp
- Advance further into the Goblin Warrens, alerting no camps: 1575 xp

It's only about the level with Pondmuk. The three camps referred to are the three groups of goblins and orcs along the bottom side of the area. What you have to do to get maximum xp should be:
1)sneak some of your party members to Pondmuk without being noticed and get the quest of food for Pondmuk.
2)sneak to the gate to the left of where Pondmuk is. There are 5 spiders and a queen spider behind. Kill them all and take the remains.
3)have one sneak back to Pondmuk. Give it several normal spiders first for the password. Then talk again to give it the queen spider. You can kill it now if you want that xtra xp. :) Remember, you can no longer give it a second supply of spider of whatever sort once you manage to reach the next level even if you do come back.
4)have someone to approach the main gate near the entrance of this level from the right side instead of going around from the spider route. Use the password to get the gate open. it is not necessary to fight the gatekeeper if it doesn't see your character who only needs to "talk" to the gate.
5)sneak to destroy the war drum behind the gatekeeper and a fire troll if you want. now feel free to kill everything around the top exit without worrying affecting your xp. get quest from yquog after convince the goblin leader to leave. enter the next area to receive 1575xp instead of 525xp. you can come back later on, to slaughter the three camps, or probably on the yquog quest anyway.

Suker, thanks for the advice. I was always confused. Now I know, now I do.

Cheers.