Hi all,

I previously posted some warts-and-all email summaries of the ‘Curse of Strahd’ campaign I ran in 2017-18, the ‘Tomb of Annihilation’ campaign I ran in 2018-19 and ‘Out of the Abyss’, a campaign I ran in 2020-21. CoS was the first campaign I sent summaries to players by email after each game (I was a bit lazy prior to that). Here’s another grand campaign that started out with a slightly warped version of ‘Lost Mine of Phandelver’, then rolled on to merge ‘Storm King’s Thunder’ and ‘Princes of the Apocalypse’ (it took the intrepid heroes to 20th level using experience points – yes, those antiquated things lol). Please note it was never called ‘Footfall’ in the beginning, as it was originally just going to be playing the Lost Mine, but I had some ideas along the way and the campaign grew as it went along in an ad hoc, improvised manner, adapting parts of Storm King’s and Princes to pad out the story. The main villain wasn’t even thought of until about three-quarters of the way through the 70-session campaign. Each session was approximately 5 hours (sometimes more) long. This campaign was also the first time I didn’t write all the summaries – some of the players were given that task and did so admirably! Most of the summaries appear here as they first appeared (with minor edits). If you’re a D&D fan you may enjoy them. And maybe even if you aren’t.

Steve 🙂

Part 3 – The Redbrand Bar & Under the Manor

From Aelfwyn’s Journal (Pieter):

After beating a band of Redbrands and deciding their fate, Lady Atrasian went to rally the village…one drink after another. Meanwhile, the rest of the party went on to the Sleeping Giant.

I went in and tried to reason with the Redbrands, but with a trick up my sleeve I called ‘shotgun diplomacy’. Even the best laid plans can go wrong. My thunderwave, supported by ball bearings, managed to kill one, but the rest sliced me up. The party stormed in and the fight was on. We won, of course, and were rewarded with some free ale and a good night’s rest. We got some information from one captive, something about the “Black Spider” hiring the Redbrands to harass the people.

Waking in the middle of the night, the party decided to go with Fuzz’s nephew Carp to find the hidden entrance to the Redbrand hideout. We sent the boy back safely to his home, before going in. Failing to move into the dungeon below Tresendar Manor stealthily, we were spotted by a strange creature. Requesting food and being provided with some, a creature identified as a “Nothic” appeared. A remnant of an old wizard trying strange experiments, apparently. I tried to reason with it, but it demanded human flesh. Striver could not let such an abomination live. Not long after, the Nothic lay slain at the bottom of a crevass.

Unfortunately, we made too much noise, and the cavern soon swarmed with Redbrands. A huge fight erupted. Striver tried to hold back the tide on one side, as magic spells and arrows flew. For every Redbrand killed, another seemed to take its place as they flooded in from every direction. Fuzz cut one of the ropes of a bridge over a crevass, causing several Redbrands to fall, but one enemy proved stronger than the others. A wizard we identified as Glasstaff – better known as ‘Glassass’. It appeared he was Iarno, the wizard from the Lords Alliance that Sildar wanted us to find. His magic missiles hit Striver hard, who had previously held his own easily against the horde of Redbrands. We ended a Nothic, 3 Bugbears and 9 Redbrands. Pursuing Glassass through a hidden door, we encountered 3 skeletons, which we managed to dispatch. signet rings we found in the skeletons’ sarcophagi, but unfortunately the wizard was gone. We found Myrna and her 2 children imprisoned in a cell and set them free. Myrna told us of a valuable emerald necklace located in an alchemy shop in the abandoned village of Thundertree, which we could have, should we find it.

Battered, out of spells, Grigor’s longbow destroyed, out of healing potions, and with freed prisoners to protect, we were left with no choice as to how to proceed.

The party made it to LVL 3! (1120 XP total)

Part 4 – Wyvern Tor

From Aelfwyn’s Journal (Pieter):

After a brutal fight in the Redbrand Hideout, the party tried to capture Glassass, but stumbled upon some prisoners instead. Being battered and beaten, we decided on taking the safe route and guide and Myrna her children safely back into town (but not until we looted the hideout). Money was found, money was spent, and a good night’s (or morning’s) rest was well-deserved.

We informed Sildar of his friend’s fate, though he required more proof. After selling excess weapons we had looted (along with beaver pelts), we went back under Tresendar Manor and thoroughly searched the place. We found the wizard’s laboratory and a letter by someone called the “Black Spider” addressed to Iarno Albrek, aka Glassass. There were various texts on alchemy, about the Phandelver Pact and the forge of spells, and about a magic mace called “Lightbringer”. We found a potion of invisibility.

We also stumbled upon a cowardly goblin and tried to extract some information out of him. We decided to keep him as a pet…I mean, loyal servant. Droop the Goblin received some leather armor, a shield, and a scimitar, and a weekly wage of 1 SP (please don’t ask where he keeps it…please, please don’t ask). We found some provisions in the Redbrand hideout which we distributed around town, and prepared for our next adventure. Our first destination: Wyvern Torn, to take out some orcs.

After a 3-day long treck, we finally arrived at the mountain. We started off by getting Fuzz, the halfling rogue, to scout ahead. Unfortunately, a lot of enemies were there, and sliding back down his rope, we were spotted. A battle ensued – orcs rushed from the mountain path towards us, while others threw javelins from on high. Droop immediately fainted at the sight of danger and was of no use at all. After about a minute, the onslaught proved too much as an ogre stormed towards us. Grigor the fighter and Striver the dwarven cleric fell. I was forced back, and Fuzz drank the potion of invisibility to hide from the creatures. I tried to lure them, but instead they decided to drag Striver and Grigor back up the mountain. This could not happen!

I attacked the ogre once more, only to be brutally hacked by an orc’s greataxe, dropping from the big hit. Fortunately, enough attention was drawn for Grigor and Striver to get back up and take on the monsters again. I was healed again, allowing one more ‘Shotgun Diplomacy’ to be cast before my spells ran out. Striver used a big thunderwave of his own, smashing the ogre, while Grigor and Fuzz finished off the remaining orcs. It was a very close fight. We nearly lost our lives, but in the end, we saved the day once more, stopping orc raids along the Triboar Trail.

(1433 xp total).

Next Week: The Ruined Watchtower…

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