shifty louts

Shifty Louts Session 44 - The Epic of Burkot the Beast and the Ghosts of Fort Taztos

Players

Summary

The Night of the 2nd of Nolus

The Shifty Louts arrive in Fort Taztos as the evening draws dark. The wind becomes a gale as Orlandus, the Dwaves, and the footmen of Mostyn, Suluc, and Res are welcomed into the walls of Fort Taztos. Their Tulwyn compatriots are allowed to stay upon the “merchant’s graveyard”, the caravan commons, so say Rolandus upon the decree of the Garrison Commander Stopez.

The two groups are split, and the Ramala Legion is a rowdy but disciplined bunch. Welcoming these travelers with a party of wine and goat! Orlandus offers to recite the epic story of when the Ramala Legion drove back the 700-strong horde of Tulwyn lead by Turroc after a three-day siege of Fort Taztos nearly 30 years ago. Orlandus’s voice reached a crescendo recounting the deeds of Burkot the Beast, named so for his strength in sealing the fort’s gates!

The Legionnaires are silent, then cheer for the epic tale. More wine is passed around as 21d are thrown to Orlandus for the emotional cathartic recitation. The Dwarves then proceed to give a tazisigin, or dance of their own, as the Ramala Legion stomps out the beat. The Dwarves dance with vigor, precision, and strength like Russian prisiadski. Forming a line with interlinked arms, intricate footwork, and timing, much to the delight of the legionnaires

As the party continues into the early morning, back upon the merchant’s commons, Vast, Kennard, and Hindlick feel ill at ease. Strange cold spots keep appearing, branches break out in the forest, the horses are frightened as Hindlick feels the spirits of this place; Thardic, Tulwyn, Soldier, Traveler, and old spirits consider this place home.

One of the horses, the chestnut rouncey Clere, breaks for it as Vast attempts to keep the rest of the horses under control. In the forest to the northwest, Kennard sees tears of yellow ectoplasm drift through the dark forest, emitting a lurid light as a ghostly caravan appears to run across the commons, past through Vast as he lets go of the horses, who run away from the familiar silhouettes of Thardic merchants. Shifting shades of the night sky, full of incoherent whispering.

Eventually, the eerie visages disappear, and the Tulwyn are finally able to set up camp, though still wary of the forests and commons around the Fort, for they know it's now full of the restless dead

Back within Fort Taztos’ walls, the party continues as the Dwarves break out a personal cask of laaka, a distilled spirit that they offer to Orlandus. It burns, although the alpine berries mixed with honey and spices like juniper and mint leaves a delicious taste, as the Dwarves give more to the Thespian.

dwarf drink

The Dwarves tell a story, half remembered by Orlandus, about a lake monster called the Daranog that is said to live with Lake Arain, high in the mountains outside Azadmere City

It fed. It turned. It vanished whole—

no ripple marked its passing down.

Back he fled with pounding heart,

to lantern light and gathered men—

yet none would heed, nor none would go,

for fear had sealed their marrow tight.

They named it then, with hushed accord:

the Daranog.

daranog

The party continues and blurs together as the drunken group leaves the walls and rejoins their Tulwyn compatriots in the wee hours of the morning. Orlandus passes out in a drunken stupor next to the fire after the Tulwyn and Dwarves drink a bit more, and Eliver, one of the Dwarfs, is given an herbal opiate as a party favor.

The 3rd of Nolus

Orlandus is awoken to an early morning rain shower with a pounding headache. Soon, however, much worse news arrives. The Dwarf brothers, Wid, Theal, and Moried, awaken the rest of the camp. Their brother Eliver isn’t waking up. His skin is the color blue. The rest of the camp runs to their tent to find Eliver dead.

The Tulwyn comments that it is the work of ghosts, as the youngest Dwarf Wid grabs Vast and demands answers regarding the dead. Vast is at a loss for words. Orlandus and the three Dwarfs take the rounceys back to the Fort and tell a guard about the death, to which the Garrison Commander Stopez sends three legionnaires to retrieve the body and have their physician Parsim examine the body.

Eliver’s wrapped body is delivered, and his death is confirmed. He choked on his own vomit. Whether it's the work of ghosts remains unanswered. Orlandus does inquire about whether Fort Taztos has seen any ghosts or strange phenomena, to which a few soldiers tell various ghost stories…

Some have seen a spectre of a warrior, dressed and armored in archaic fashion, that roams near the Soldier’s Barrow.

Others tell of cold spots and strange lights in the forest

Other soldiers say many seem to be the ghosts of Tulwyn tribesmen or slain legionnaires.

Some observers have reported witnessing long-dead comrades patrolling the walls of Taztos.

However, Commander Stopez says that only four years ago. A small party of merchants and their horses was admitted to the fort, entered the stables, and then disappeared. No fewer than 40 soldiers saw them, and they spoke to five reliable men, including Stopez himself!  No satisfactory explanation for the event has ever been found.

The restless dead do inhabit this area, much to the shock of Orlandus. Eventually, Eliver’s body is released back to Orlandus and the Dwarves to bury him in accordance with their god’s wishes.

Stopez hopes Eliver Garibath’s spirit doesn’t find itself trapped here like so many others.

Aftermath

Treasure Found:

Foes Encountered:

Rumors:

Deaths:

XP Awarded:

Notes