Book 6 is where it'll all go down. I am changing it completely. It'll be split into two parts. Part 1 set entirely in the Thrice Tenth Kingdom collecting Baba Yaga's life, death, fate and Power where Bellaluna (who has made several appearances so far) will be revealed to be Elena. Some of her followers will be here and help the PCs. The 2nd part will take place in a triumphant return to Whitethrone where Elvanna/Tashanna has finished her ritual and sits in the ice palace on her throne. The PCs will battle their way to her using their allies and battle Elvanna in her throne room. After the PCs kill Elvanna, Igwilv will use her power to create a rift to enter the throne room along with the torc of koshtitichie (the ritual being competed weakens Baba Yaga's spell enough to allow her to do this). Elena will appear and sacrifice herself to imbue the PCs with the mythic power needed to defeat Igwilv and the avatar of Koshtitichie. The fact that Tashanna has the torc makes book 3 make more sense too. The idea of the back story is to tie things together, allow for some fun reveals and make the last battle an epic multi part battle.

These are really good! Did you do the Maiden, mother and crone dungeons?

How this fits into existing plot:

The statue in Heldren is actually of Elena, who manifests in the lake near there. I had her appear to the players claiming to be a nymph called Bellaluna. This got the good PCs on side who were reluctant to side with Baba Yaga.

The empty throne of Tashanna amongst the crone queens is a good hint to what is coming!

I changed the hut layout of the 4th book. In it was a gallery of paintings showing all Baba Yaga's daughters. Elena and Tashanna were in it, they radiate strong illusion magic. A true seeing spell was required to be cast to see who they truely were. Elena flickered into a nymph called Bellaluna when true seeing used and Queen Tashanna to Iggwilv.

I love this AP but think Queen Elvanna needs to be made into a more interesting villain so added a whole new backstory.

What if Elvanna is actually possessed and being controlled by the old queen Tashanna (yes very Final Fantasy 8). Here's how:

Many years ago Baba Yaga "gave birth" to two daughters in her mission to create the ninth queen of Irrisen. As they grew these sisters, Tashanna and Elena, became very different. One fair and the other dark. Whilst Elena was the most beautiful, Tashanna was the most powerful and more drawn to her mother's secrets. So whilst Elena moved to her mother's thrice tenth kingdom and became beloved of even the nymphs, who called her Bellaluna. Tashanna was crowned queen of Irrisen.

But during her 100 year reign she grew suspicious of her mother's plan for her once her time was finished and so hatched a plan to fight Baba Yaga on her return. She discovered the Torc of Kostictichie, containing the bound soul of the demon lord of misogyny, Baba Yaga's mortal enemy, giving her control of the demon lord and his forces to supplements her own, But she lost! Baba Yaga proved too powerful and she was pulled from her throne like so many of her sisters before her.

However, she was the first to actually impress Baba Yaga. And so after tormenting her and brutally killings her generals to ostensibly make an example of her, so didn't consume her power and leave her a husk of a crone queen as she had to her sisters. Instead she allowed her to live and explore the multi-verse gaining further power with one rule only. Tashanna was banned from ever returning to Golarion, or even the same solar system. To ensure this Baba Yaga cast a powerful curse which pulled Elena the fair from the Thrice Tenth Kingdom and bound her to the land in Golarion, preventing her, conversely to her sister, from ever leaving. Whilst Elena remains bound to the land no magic in all the multiverse is strong enough to allow Tashanna entrance to Golarion again. But Elena was made immortal and only able to manifest in areas where the ley lines of Golarion cross. Only if all of Golarion were in eternal winter would she wither and die and the spell be broken.

And so Tashanna left Golarion and grew in power as she explored many worlds and indeed took many names, But she was never one to take no if an answer and as her power grew, so did her bitter resentment of the one thing she was denied, Golarion.

Many many years later the 14th Queen of Irrisen, Queen Elvanna grew close to the end of her 100 year reign and, like Tashanna, sought ways to combat her mother when she returned for her. She found a journal of Queen Tashanna confirming her suspicions. But this was no mere journal, Tashanna had cursed it allowing her some contact with its reader, if meager. She taught Elvanna a powerful ritual of binding to use on her mother once she returned but it required another enfused with mythic power. And so Tashanna guided Elvanna to another soul she had been manipulating through dreams and visions. Rasputin, son of Baba Yaga. Together they bound Baba Yaga within a doll leaving Tashanna free to enact the next part of her plan.

She revealed the mystery of Irrisen's eternal winter to Elvanna and a way to amplify it over all Golarion. And so as Elvanna began opening winter portals around Golarion in her ritual, Elena the fair weakened along with Baba Yaga's spell allowing Tashanna to take more active control over Elvanna. At this point she has managed to pretty much seize control of her mind and hopes to take the throne herself of the eternal winter land Golarion will become. Tashanna the dark will return!

I also loved Greta. I had her be part of a group of Winter wolves who felt the Ekvanna's were eroding the sense of pack in Whitethrone. Her invitation to a date was more her working out of the PC wearing the pelt was of that group. I added a side quest where the leader of said pack was a bit of a coward about standing up to the Elvannas and she intended to challenge him for leadership of the pack at their next meeting. But to win her and a champion of her choosing must defeat him and a champion of his choosing from the pack. She invited the PC to be her champion even after discovering he wasn't really a Winter Wolf because she had another pelt for him to use (skinned from her late unfaithful husband)! It was great fun and I had another player run Greta in the fight. Later I had the pack show up during the uprising and save the PCs from being overrun by a cold sister and a mob of mirror men.

Thanks! It seems it´s not just me with this problem. I was trying to use them off the Interactive Maps that ironically are far less interactive than the ones in the adventure pdf. Thanks again.

So I run Reign of Winter with two groups. The second group is through Roll 20. My problem is that the maps are all on PDF and I can´t copy and put them in Roll 20! I have got by on the maps made by other people all the way up to Maiden, Mother, Crone but the very nice man who made them stopped making them at this point!

Is there a way to take maps from a pdf and put them on roll 20? Or has someone else been nice enough to make maps somewhere online for Maiden, Mother, Crone? I really don´t relish the idea of having to draw the frankly massive maiden, mother and crone dungeons free style on roll 20! Thanks.

Why not, given the location, have certain spells that screw over spellcasters simply not función in the boss room vía an affect similar to Aroden's spellbane. Perhaps tied to the cauldron and put there by Baba Yaga originally (she had no idea Elvanna would gain access to this room).

In my campaign the last battle will take place in the throne room of Whitethrone. I intend for the ice throne to have that power, as it makes sense the 20th level queen would have defense against things such as silence and anti-magic cones.

Nice, I think I'll steal this but cut out the last line of the second two verses. Players can easily find out who the howling storm and dragon legion royal is by asking questions to NPCs.

The main problem I am running into is having Jadrenka still be a prescense in the dungeon as well as being trapped. I still want to run the three set encounters with her. I thought about her being a projected image, but then she'd need line of sight, which she wouldnt have being locked up. Programned images might work but then the PCs cant interact with her meanigfully.

Am I complicating matters unnecessarily by having her captive? Is it simply better to have her vows make her unable to help even the riders till they prove themselves by killing Vsezolod? Maybe Vsezolod simply drove her off when she attacked (in my versión he has a necklace which protects him from Witch hexes).

Hey there. So has anyone run this having Jadrenka as a captive? How did it go and what did you do exactly? I really have to do something similar because my PCs have a way to show they are Baba Yaga's riders (or on the way to being) through powers they have, and it wont make sense that jadrenka doesn't just help them if she is free.

As a side note a Winter Wolf would demolish a level 2 party. They are hard even later! I'd keep to cold sprites (but maybe change their spell like abilities to stuff like freezing hands, and a cold version of grease etc to avoid colour spray party wipes), snow goblins on boreal wolves and humans.

That's amazing. Wish I'd done that. It really adds to the sense of invasion by Irrisen.

Reclaiming places is also a great idea. I'd have the majority of the villagers holed up in the tavern or clock tower maybe led by Ionia (although she is more of a organiser than a fighter I'd imagine). That witch could be about to burn it down and the Pcs must stop her men doing it.

Also maybe having Argus die tragically defending the alchemist (forgot her name) because he is in love with her. Could add to the drama. Maybe ripped apart by snow goblins riding wolves in front of her shop.

So the second thing I haven't given much thought to yet is Artrosa and making Jadrenka make sense, giving it more of a sense of invasion and explaining Vsezolod's goals better.

I really like the idea of Jadrenka being imprisoned by the hag Coven, who have aligned themselves with Vsezolod. They haven't killed her because they want to transform her into a hag too. Maybe Baba Yaga's cookbook gave them
access to some sort of binding spell, which the PCs must undo. Until then she can only image project herself to key points in the dungeons (where the PCs encounter her). She can't ask for help but she can drop cryptic clues like, 'There is power within the mother's womb' which is where she is imprisoned.

Other ideas I have are for there to be a frost giant being tortured by the redcaps in the dungeon. And to have the night hag battling misogyny demons. Replace one group of demons with centaur barbarians. And for Vsezolod himself to be accompanied by two centaur priests who are leaching the power of the crone pit to open a portal to bring Kostichticie through, where he intends to destroy Artrosa completely. In the epic end battle they must stop this ritual (hopefully with Jadrenka) which is in its end stages.

Finally I feel like the maiden and mother stones need more purpose. What if when Baba Yaga gets pregnant with the next Queen of Irrisen she comes here. The mother stones have the power to speed pregnancy through to completion. The maiden stones have the power to change a male body into a female one (should Baba Yaga have a son instead ) and this explains how Jadrenka's lover changed.

Thoughts?

So, my PCs have arrived at this book. They did my version of the hut layout and are about to enter Iobaria. There have been a few things people have commented about this module I want to adapt.

Firstly, the Iobaria part is too short. So, I fleshed out the centaurs to be suffering from an incurable plague (including the chieften). The southern tribe have reported a strange glowing eye appearing amongst the northern face of Zvartien. One of the chieftain's daughters, a witch centaur went to investigate, despite her father's urgings not to.

Furthermore, to the north an army of Kostichticie centaurs and frost giants are blocking the route to Artrosa. If the PCs can find the chieftain's daughter he will permit his other daughter (the centaur NPC from the book) to show them a hidden route around them in the crevasse. And will rally the other centaur tribes in the meantime to attack the army. Alternatively the PCs can ignore this side quest and try to sneak through the army camp using invisibility or flight etc.

For Zvartian I intend to use a watered down version of the tomb from Varnhold Vanishing. Only reskinning it as a temple to the four horsemen of Abaddon. The top level being to the horseman of pestilence where a daughter of Urgothea (who is one of the PCs ex-wives) and a cult of white furred werewolves have put an artifact called the Jaundiced Orb into a pillar of power to spread disease in this part of Iobaria. Killing them and removing the orb will end the disease and cure the centaurs. The witch daughter will also be imprisoned their and there will be some items that will help them in Artrosa. Namely an ebony fly, sword of the plane and a ghost touch weapon or two.

I also thought on the way back the witch centaur could tell them the back story of Kostichticie round the campfire. Cue attack by demons!

First casualties!

Name: Jon Snow (seriously -he is new and GOT inspired)
Race: Human
Class: Ranger Level 6

Name: Amblin
Race: Gnome
Class: Druid Level 6

Adventure: The Shacked Hut
Location: The hut clearing/boss fight with Nazhena.
Catalyst:Exploding ice golem and catfolk assassin.

The Gory Details: I spruced up the boss fight to include a 'woodsman' (a witchguard ranger), a catfolk assassin and bumped up the ice golem to large and made it a shield guardian (it looked like Marshmallow from Frozen) along with a pissed off Nazhena herself

All the PCs were 6th level but had 25 point builds and extra rider powers, or powers from a unique fey dryad, placing all 5 at more like PL 7/8.

Amblin rushed in with a flame blade, riding his boreal giant spider, after winning initiative. He was ripped apart by arrows and slammed into the ground by the golem. He stabilised as his spidsr scuttled to safety, and the others held off the golem.

Arya, the rogué summoned an air elemental - using the elemental gem from the dawn piper - and managed to pick the woodsman up in a whirlwind and dump him into a chasm to the first world that had appeared in front of the hut.

Poor Melisandra (flame oracle) got caught in a "blue" tentacles spell from Nazhena while Jon Snow and Brienne (the party paladín) managed to end the Golem with sheer damage, whilst shaking off an ice storm from Nazhena.

Unfortunately the golem exploded and the shards cut Amblin to pieces, killing him. Unknown to them, a catfolk assassin hired by Nazhena had been silently\invisably watching Jon this whole time and lept out cutting his throat with her claws (natural one on the save), killing him instantly.

Brienne and Arya circled her and cut her to ribbons as the air elemental harrased Nazhena. The oracle managed to dispel the tentacles and rejoined the frey by blasting both the assassin and Nazhena. It was a brutal battle as Nazhena blasted and hexed them with all she had, but the PCS emerged victorious.

A Raise Dead scroll found earlier (added by me because I knew this would be brutal) brought Amblin back from Pharasma's Boneyard. And a reincarnate scroll from the dragon's horde brought Jon back. Only (using an advanced table), he came back as a deep gnome!!!

I am going to do that with the wood\witchspire part but change some of the encounters and room descriptions. The fable will be where the crones will be. A green hag the party have been trading with up until now (Agys of the witchmarket) will be on the throne downstairs having tried to claim Baba Yaga's realm in her absence. Should be a nasty fight since she owns one PC's true name and has two shadows from the others

I am thinking of setting the whole thing in the Thrice Tenth Kingdom, rather than in the hut, and having the PCs have to explore different locations to find BY's fate, death, power and life. Therefore if you put off meeting the norn till they find her they wont get a full description and have to work out what to do with only the little urging from the doll and clues from the various inhabitants.

The locations will be the island of
Buyen (her death - plot pretty much as is) a city of ice and shadow in the mountains (her power - in my game the skull Vasilinova used now in the possesión of a mad redcap king), the witchspire in the centre of the deepest wood (her life - daughters in the highest tower) and an underground cavern within the screaming caverns (her fate in the Norn's hands).

They enter the realm through a portal found in the hut but then can go about their business in any order. They appear in a hut in the mountains, climbing through a cupboard and find her pestle and mortar to travel in given to them by the polite Jortund troll. He tells the PCs the main locations in the thrice tenth kingdom over tea and then lets them go exploring how they see fit (he doesn't know about Baba Yaga's hidden elements).

So I have finally got around to writing up my sessions with my group. I´ll post each session as I edit them. Obviously this is full of spoilers so for GM eyes only, or those who have completed the first book. Information about classes and backgrounds of the PCs is sometimes purposefully vague because the players don´t know everything about each other yet. So here goes:

Session 1: Frosty Introductions

Just as the norn had foretold, it was an unseasonably cold summer´s day that the five unlikely companions crossed paths within the rural village of Heldren, in southern Taldor.

Keane, the half-orc inquisitor of Sarenrae, had already passed the better half of a month in the sleepy hamlet serving under the village priest, Elder Natharen Safander. Sent there in penance for some perceived slight against the more conservative side of the church he was, to put it bluntly, bored out of his damn mind. The arrival of two mysterious strangers in town but a week earlier had stirred the pot somewhat, but they hadn´t been seen much since they shacked up with Old Mother Theodora. Elsa, a half elven winter witch of Irrisen and Icethorn, an enigmatic cold caster elf from The Crown of the World, trailed by a polar bear (of all things) names Shoggi. Who knows what business a witch of Irrisen and arctic druid could have within such an unassuming village as Heldren. Perhaps there was some connection between their arrival and the strange cold weather, which was blighting the locals´ crops.

A few nights later a third stranger had arrived with the setting sun. A tiefling with skin the colour of chalk and serpentine red eyes of origin and ability unknown. He had passed the night on the floor of the Silver Stout after partaking of the owner Kale Gander’s ale to numb the pain of his tumultuous past. As such he was oblivious to the disturbance throughout the night that was to spark the beginning of his destiny.

With the coming dawn Elder Safander urged the troubled inquisitor to seek out Councillor Ionnia Teppin in the village square, for she had an urgent mission for him. Meanwhile at the other side of Heldren, old mother Theodroa woke Elsa and Icethorn and tasked them to deliver one of her potions with discretion to the self-proclaimed, and aptly named, village barber/hairdresser/surgeon, Argus Goldtooth. The tiefling, Kariric, awoke to Kale´s broom and exited the Silver Stoat perturbed, hungover and with an empty stomach. Moreover, it was just at this moment that a fifth and final stranger arrived from the north, an aging paladin of old deadeye named Paytur. He encountered a bunch of irate village militia who inquired about this business in Heldren and informed him that there had been a disturbance in the night and he too should seek out Councillor Ionnia Teppin. As such, the prophecy began course when all five companions descended upon the village square where Ionnia waited patiently beneath Heldren´s centrepiece statue of a fey-like woman – whose origin story had long been lost in the mists of time.

The Head Councellor called out to the group of adventurers and told how in the night a warrior of Ulfen descent had staggered into town suffering from severe wounds and frostbite. Before being given over to the care of the village alchemist, Teressa Willowbark, he had described how he was part of the caravan of Lady Argentea on route from Zimar to Opera returning from a failed courting attempt. Under the eaves of the Border Wood they were beset upon by bandits. It had seemed the bandits were little match for the guards when suddenly frosty fey had joined the fray and attacked the caravan with icy magic. It was all the Ulfen warrior could do to stay alive and retreat to the nearest safe heaven, Heldren. However, during his escape he noticed a large creature dragging off poor Lady Argentea into the Border Woods. Ionnia Teppen told of how she could not spare the militia to investigate and beseeched the gathered group to do so in their stead. For a healthy reward of course. She pointed them in the direction of Terresa´s alchemist shop should they wish to further question the Ulfen caravan guard.

Before that however, some frosty introductions were in order if these strangers were to work together. And frosty they were as it seemed the paladin had no love of witches, nor the tiefling of humans, nor the snowcaster elf of well…anyone. Finally, however, they begrudgingly saw the sense in strength of numbers and went together to the alchemist´s. The stuttering half elf woman let them in and took them to her Ulfen charge, Yuln Oerstag. He reiterated Councillor Ionnia´s story from his bed. He also told them what he knew of the cruel cold fey from the north and their weakness to both fire and cold iron, giving Paytur his very own cold iron long sword. It was only then that through his pain he finally got a good look at Elsa and, noting what she was, warned the others to pick their companions more wisely because, as sure as winter frost, the winter witches were behind this attack. Elsa denied all knowledge and claimed to be just as curious as to the reason for cold fey so far south as the others.

Before leaving town various tasks were completed. Elsa and Icethorn delivered Mother Theodora´s potion next door to the rather rambunctious dwarf barber in exchange for a pouch of gold coins, not before identifying it as a love potion though. Just what was the crazy old bat up to? Returning the pouch to the old wise woman she was rewarded with a small portion for herself, but told rather cryptically to ´let things take their true course´ when she quizzed Mother Theodora about the errand. She also told Elsa and Icethorn to keep an eye out for her adopted granddaughter and infamous hunter in the region ´Red´, who had ventured south into the border wood hunting a giant weasel she allegedly saw. Meanwhile, Paytur, Keane and Kairic appealed to Elder Natharen Safander to lend them a wand of cure light wounds he had in his possession, and promised to donate to the church of Erastil later. Due to Paytur being a paladin of old deadeye himself, and working within the best interests of the village, Natharen agreed.

Finally, the group gathered at the edge of town and headed south to the site of the ambush, as marked by Yuln. The arrived onto a scene of utter devastation. A frozen staute that must have once been a guard stood amongst various human bodies and between one overturned carriage and another sealed by a battle-worn spear. Paytur warned the group he sensed evil from within the sealed carriage, but curiosity got the better of the group and when Keane pulled forth the spear, a zombie burst out to attack. Much to their horror two more bodies stood up from by the forest edge and lumbered forward to join the fray. A brutal first battle was fought and poor Elsa was caught off guard and beat unconscious between two zombies. The three undead were soon dispatched mostly thanks to some handy sword work by Kairic and Paytur, and blasts of Disrupt Undead from Keane. As the rest of the group made prudent use of Elder Nathan´s cure light wounds wand, the enigmatic tiefling carved odd runes into the corpses of the undead.

The group found little more clues around the ambush site except noting that the guards seemed to have been killed by a mixture of sword, ice magic and tiny arrows, but they did manage to thaw out the unfortunate statue´s masterwork blade for themselves. They then turned their attention to a trail leading into the Border Wood, most puzzlingly blanketed in snow that should not exist during a Taldoran summer….

Thanks to advice elsewhere on this board I looked into 'the Witchmarket' from the Black Market book and intend to have it be available for selling equipment from the end of book 2.

Basically in the dancing hut's library (which is always accessible in the hut thanks to the book portal) I will place a replenishing pouch full of green powder. When thrown into the library fireplace a portal opens to wherever the witch market is (Harry Potter style) and allows the PCs to access this black market full of fay and hags.

On the other side is a one-eyed hag statue that teleports users back to the hut, activated by the powder. This statue was bound to the market thanks to a pact between Aggys (the powerful green hag witch who runs the market) and Baba Yaga.

Of course the market has its own dangers, and strange prices and items can be bought and sold. I'm in the process of fleshing this out mixing ideas on this forum, black market and my own ideas. - my PCs are just entering the forest in Whitethrone.

As for book one I liked that they only had two small villages to shop within. It adds to the bleak desperate feel.

Book 2 I allowed my PCs to shop in Kizobran (a small town) and at a floating magic shop going upriver.

When they reached Whitethrone I ruled only three shops in the stilyagi district were being allowed to sell magic items and a small shrine to Pharasma. One shop sold magic clothes amongst extravagant costumes (the owner was genderfluid), another arcane items and was owned by a popular harrower among the silyagi. The third potions, but 50% of them did wild or superficial things (like youthful appearance and fly). The shrine only had a handful of divine scrolls and 2 wands (clw and lessor restoration). The sale of magic weapons and armor, or firebased items, was strictly forbidden at all.

I also had an encounter with a cold sister doing the rounds and fining the arcane shop owner for selling a scroll of fireshield. If the PCs had intervened things could have got messy

I am running one of my games of ROW through Roll20 so unfortunately need ready made maps. I'm still miles away yet, but I intend to end the campaign with an attack on Elvanna's ice palace concluding with a battle in her throne room.

So my question is where can I find a suitable castle map like the ice palace? I am more than willing to lift one from another adventure and add the encounters to it. Any ideas?

I like that! When my PCs get the raven pendants in book 3 I'll give them a summmon mount ability.

I had my PCs get knocked out by a flashing light when the black rider killed himself. They then met an aspect of Baba Yaga in a dream where she interviewed them one-on-one to see what rider they were most like. She asked them questions with three possible answers corresponding to each rider (all the answers were kind of dsrk though and related to punishing Baba Yaga's enemies

I'm running it that when a rider dies his\her esscense goes into a surviving rider and waits there dominant to be passed to the next 'worthy' person. Ie the person's new character. This also explains why the black rider can pass the essences on to the PCs.

You don't have to give them all the rider's abilities. Maybe just something off their spell like abilities to start with (take a look at the Irrisen book for ideas). I gave my PCs a bit more including DR 2/cold iron, but I am making the campaign more difficult. A weaker version of their blast abilities (blinding light etc) works well and I made riders immune to other rider abilities.

I intend to have them get rider power upgrades at key plot points: entering white throne, taking the pendants from the ravens and reclaiming Baba Yaga.

You could always give them an ability based on each of the riders (especially as there are 3 players). Maybe a once a day equivalent to a 3rd level spell like ability. You could even go further and have them only able to use it during their time of day (Morning, afternoon and night respectively).

The great thing about this campaign is that it moves a lot and is therefore easy to pilfer and use the best stuff from other campaigns. I´m running it for two groups and I´m currently only in book 2 with both but here are my ideas.

Book 2 - The Irrisen book is your best bet here for extra material on route and in Whitethrone. I have posted what I did in other posts but basically I had them tangle with the changeling witch in Rizobran. Also, I used the play from Council of Thieves in the theatre in Whitethrone (only beefed up a little). Only they performed it before Princess Cassisoche and the dragon. It gave them an opportuinity to see some of their worse enemies without having to engage them.

Book 3 - Tales of the old Margreve has some nice ideas that fit snuggly into Iobaria, which I intend to use. I like this book but it feels like Iobaria needs fleshing out with a side quest before they head to the dungeon crawl. I know some people have used The Varnhold Vanishing from the Kingmaker campaign. As a book 3 set in Iobria, and who doesn´t like a cyclops lich.

Book 4 - I am going to completely reskin the hut layout as an alien infested atrium using Valley of The Brain Collectors (book 4 of Iron Gods). I thought if you are going to go alien, go alien!

Book 5 - This adventure is perfect! And I don´t think anthing else has been done on Earth!

Book 6 - I am going to use book 6 (Sound of a Thousand Screams) of Kingmaker with some changes to have the PCs go to The Thrice Tenth Kingdom to collect Baba Yaga´s ´life´. The House on the Edge of Time can easily be changed into Baba Yaga´s Witchspire. The Crone Queens are going to reside in the highest tower (the fable) and just as in the orignal adventure are protected from the positive energy of the First World by the Witchspire. I have a plot with a nymph I added who was the original ruler of the realm until Baba Yaga suplanted her.

I am debating about putting Baba Yaga´s death on Eox using material from Shadows of Gallowspire. But if I do I´ll have some scheming Bone Sages involved instead.

Her ´power´ I am going to have be The Torc of Kostochcehe (however the hell you spell that) and use the adventure The Witchwar Legacy. Only replacing the winter witch at the end with Princess Cassisoche and one of the twisted frost giants with the demonic resurection of the centaur priest from book 3.

The portals to all these places will be found in the Grandmother´s Cauldron as normal. I´m looking for something to help with the finale, which in my campaign will be an assualt on the palace at Whitethrone.

I have a winter witch called Elsa in my group (I know I know, he insisted)! She is from the Yelizaveta family (the previous queen's house) and is hell bent on getting revenge on the Elvannas for flaying her family alive and freezing them in the ice palace walls.

She is also half snowcastwr elf and escaped her family's fate when she went to the crown of the world to seek out her full elf brother.

Trouble is Nazhena knows about her thanks to Radosek aceing a knowkedge nobility roll and contacting her befire his untimely death. They haven't reached Icethrone yet, but Elsa better be using disguise self when she does because Nazhena has no intention of 'letting it go'!

One thing I would recommend is keeping a tally on reocurring enemies' actions as the game goes on. Remember PCs get saving throws to things like scrying and Nightmare (I highyly recommended the Bowl of Troubled Sleep - a third party item that Nazhena could be using to torment them from afar with before she confronts them again).

As for minions, when she shows up again, instead of an ice golem might I reccomend a frost themed Graveknight. Also level her up to level 10 and give her shiney trinkets that counter PC abilities she knows about (gloves of missile snaring, ring of counterspells etc).

If you really want to use her again give her an escape plan (Dimension Door or Boots of Escape) and have her reaapear on Traxius allied with Yrax.

Thanks and sure. I'm going to put together a journal for my 2nd group over the holidays, when I have time, up to this point and then continue it after each session.

They are still on route till Whitethrone at the moment. I am doing a completely different route there using some Irrisen material. Here it is for any who might want that too. It might require the Irrisen book for parts of it to make sense however

Nadya wants to relocate her family to Coldwater in my version where her late husband's sister lives. She suggests cutting along the forest and then up to Rizobran where they can try to hitch a ride up the river Gullik. The PCs can then bank before Cold water, when they are level with Whitethrone, and cut across to it whilst her family and her continue up to Coldwater.

Rizobran is a 2 and a half day journey. Day 1 I ran the raven swarms encounter but had them coalesce into Nazhena's face before attacking and give a threatening message (if using magic from Whitethrone why not embelish it a little). Nazhena knows some of my group and thanks to a warning from Radosek before he died, knows who they are. I am also having her witch ally (another enemy of a group member) utlize a Bowl Of Troubled Sleep to cast Nightmare on a different party member each night.

Then on day 1 I had them meet Red. A character from book 1 I added, who has been trouble for them since (long story in itself). And that is where they now are.

Day 2 I will run the Huldra and mindslaver mold side quest as written but add an extra mindslaver mold in the cave to cause chaos. The PCs arrive in Rizobran the next day.

Rizobran is an especially interesting location what with the changeling imposter who rules it (Baroness Vivianne). I'm giving my PCs a side quest to tangle with her too, if they wish (although I took her down a few levels for them). They need to rescue one of her 'lovers' from her clutches, who is the son of a boat owner they need to get board on. They can either raid her keep, reason with her and then hunt down her hag mother for her, or gather clues to expose her as a fraud. I used the map of Riba for Rizobran and gave my PCs chance to rest and shop here, since they evacuated Waldsby and Red killed any leftovers so they wouldn't betray the PCs.

Then they get a boat trip on a varisian floating magic shop up river: seeing a family of mammoths on the Mammoth Lord land side and adding a Soul Eater attack (sent by Nazhena who is really quite relentless in her attacks from Whitethrone). Nadya will also make a move on my group's Paladin at this point, he lost his wife to witches too, and if he reciprocates ask him to return to Coldwater once his quest is finished.

The PCs will disembark and then have a three day journey across land to the Fishcamps. Day 1 I thought a yeti attack might go down well and have them stumble upon another Winter portal (still working out the details to this email one). Then day 2 they will find the haunted ruins from the original adventure but with three huelvcas rather than 2. Then day 3 they hit the ambush from the book with the Winter Wolf, and things are more or less the same from that point. Only it is their Winter Witch contact who sets them up to rescue Ringeirr, not Nadya.

And of course the dragon needs to be brought down before anyone will rise up. I have upgraded him to young adult. Snow White (her code name - she is in fact a Yelizaveta and one of my Pc's sisters using a cold sister shawl to hide her face) has help there.

She has procurred a key for a tomb in the city graveyard for the tomb of the Yelivazeta twins (a pair of male twins
, a mage and warrior, who killed a legendary white dragon that pestered the old queen). Burried with them is a staff (dragonburn - a staff of fire that gives a plus five to beating a dragon's spell resistance with its spells) and a weaker, but still potent, copy of Riubrax (a +2 dragonbane sword that gives a plus 4 to saves against dragon breath weapons and spells).

The PCs must get past two mirror mem guarding the graveyard (by killing them swiftly or convincing them they are in the graveyard to pay respects to a dead jadwiga). Then in the tomb are frost skeleton warrior champions, a puzzle trap related to the queens of Irrisen, cross an icey ledge guarded by boreal gargoyles, enter a tomb within the tomb shaped like a dragon head (avoiding a ice breath trap) and defeat the spirits of the twins there in the form of a pair of wraiths.

Also Solveig will aid another for all diplomacy rolls. Any suggestions welcome :-)

Good luck when you do. I have worked out the specifics for the rebel meeting if you are interested:

It will be held in a secret
room up in the crooked house on Ironhill. Solveig and Ringeirr go with the players and warn them on route that at least two other groups must be convinced to join the uprising for it to draw enough forces away from the market square, and more would draw even more forces away.

Depending on what the players have done up to date effects who is in attendance.

Group 1 Heralds rebel faction represented by Grandmother Bellavonica (a charismatic old lady):
Dc 23 diplomacy check to help and starting attitude of friendly.
Is grandmother of Bela who in my story is forced into a murder play at the theatre. If PCs are in the play then the DC becomes 13 and she is helpful.

Group 2 Heralds faction represented by Ringeirr's twin brother: DC22 diplomacy to help or 12 if food delivered in the Howling's and Ringeirr alive and well.

Group 3 Iron Guard represented by head of iron guard: Dc 26 indifferent or DC 21 friendly if Snow White present (she is a rogue winter witch who the PCs have been communicating with through a mirror since book 1). Plus two to the role if vengeance against the Elvannas in the sales pitch.

Group 4:The snow goblin alchemist from the howlings who represents Baba Yaga loyal goblins in Whitethrone. Only present if alive. DC30 unfriendly if any goblins killed in howling fight, DC25 if the encounter before ended without violence. Plus five to the roll if others persuaded to give food aid to starving goblins. Intimidate is also an option against goblins, threatening to write down his name results in plus five to roll - goblins think writing your name down is bad luck.

Group 5: Greta represents winter wolves who feel the Elvanna are destroying the wolf sense of pack in Whitethrone. But only present if a PC attended a date with her where she revealed her feelings on the Elvanna, and then only if she is told about the meeting. And then she is friendly Dc 16 to help.

I like to encourage good roleplay so will reward anything from plus one to five for a good explanation of the plan (for all diplomacy checks).

Now what the results do:

If only 1/2 parties join uprising: 3 fights in market square. 1 frost giant. Then 4 ice trolls. Then a human winter guard unit.

If 3 parties: Just two fights: 4 ice trolls and then winter guard unit.

If 4 parties: just winter guard unit in market square.

If all 5 convinced: The market square is abandoned in favor of dealing with the huge uprising.

Stressing that reinforcements will arrive if they rest is a good idea, as people have mentioned. Make some kind of plan as to what and how many, for example a unit of guards in the last courtyard battle if they rest one night. A swarm of frost sprites to disturb them if they daré to try to sleep a second.

Dont let Radosek linger upstairs long. Have him fly out the window after the first big hit, abandoning his goat if needs be, he knows the ice dragón (and possible reinforcements) downstairs are his best bet.

If things go stale for him down there have a unit of guards form a protective ring around him whilst he chugs healing pots and blasts with his wand. I mixed his spells and hexes up a little because touch spells aren't a good idea for him: I suggest Slumber rather than frozen caress and spells like snowball and hex ward (if your party has a slumbering witch itself).

He is also from Taldor and secretly dreams of the sun (as evidenced by the paintings in his room) so in his death throes I had him morbidly call out that finally he could see the sun rising in the east. Really stressed his tradegic nature.

Did anyone do or is planning on doing any extra side quests whilst in White throne? My ideas are:
1) Letting the PCs attend the rebel meeting and persuading the head of the iron guard themselves, along with leaders of the Heralds, a rogue Winter Witch, a Baba Yaga loyal snow goblin alchemist (from the howlings if they spare him) and maybe the winter wolf if they romanced her to take part in the rebellion. I thought the crooked house might be a good place to hold it. Depending on how many they get on side affects how large a force guards the entrance to the forest later and whether they have extra encounters on route.

2) A romp into a Yelivazeta tomb in the frozen graveyard to retrieve a legendary dragon slaying sword and staff (I am upgrading the dragon to a full adult later).

3) An adapted version of the Trials of Larazus (from Council of Thieves) performed in the theatre in Whitethrone) to protect Solveig's girlfriend who has been blackmailed into taking part. Solveig asks them to protect her. Princess Cassisixhe attends but doesnt recognise the pcs yet. Prince Paval of the stiltagi plays the judge. Surival results in being invited to a stilyagi party where the PCs can discover information.

4) letting them earn ice diamonda battling ice trolls at Trollfang arena.

Anyone do anything similar?

And I meant superstitious soldiers, which are level 1 fighters from the NPC gallery.

Forgive the poor spelling and grammar there: I am posting from my phone.

Having run this twice now I would highly suggest mixing the encounters on the first two floors of the tower. I inserted a trap after the courtyard between the two statues through the Main doors. It was a pressure pad that made the statues' axes slam down alerting both the water elemental and guards (I dont know about your players but mine aren't a cautious bunch). The big fight that ensured was great. A round of just the elemental whilst one set of ready guards grabbed their weapons then piled out (I upgraded them to Superstious Merchants with a Csptain).

Then whilst the battle is underway time the other set of guards armoring and weaponing up, before they pile out to. It was a beauty orgy of violence in a steam room.

On the next floor I had the atomie's jjuggling plates. So if the first arriving PC doesn't give a convincing bluff then their first action is to slam down the plates, alerting the soeiggan chef and the dragon lady. Have the chef come out on the 2nd round and enlarge and the dragon lady on round 3 after buffing herself sufficiently.

So basically big fights with additional opponents slowly entering the fray work better than monsters roim sitting in my opinion. I would however keep the mandragon stay (as it is tied up) and the doppelganger as its defense is based on deception.

Another cool thing to do is have Radosek appear for the first time in the mirrors of the room with the ice nymphs. Have him threaten them a little then activate the nymphs via a command phrase before they can smash the mirrors. I used "guardians of ice rise to protect me".

That IS evil! I like it. Personally I also intend to have Elvanna be more intent on killing the PCs, rather than simply waiting for them to gatecrash.

In book 3 she'll send a kill squad of three cold sisters, one of which using the Iron Collar of The Unbound Coven so they can access coven powers, after the PCs, along with a Death Knight to protect them. It doesn't make any sense for her not to react strongly after the PCs steal the hut.

This group will be waiting for them when they clear Artrosa, standing over the slaughtered bodies of their centaur allies.

I personally don't see anything wrong with a little moral quandary, as long as the PCs are aware that Baba Yaga is the only one who can stop Elvanna. It just means they have to justify their actions to these 'knights' who may or may not listen.

I would make the knights Lawful Neutral. The Linnorm Lands has powerful casters and access to portals to the First World, which exists between all planets and worlds (perhaps they travel to Traxius or earth that way). But remember it is your campaign. So do what you like and make changes to suit it.

I like this idea! It reminds me of Buffy The Vampire Slayer where there is an order of knights who try to kill Buffy's sister to prevent the return of 'the beast'. You could do something similar.

Maybe they come from The Lands of The Linnorm Kings (who would love nothing better than for Baba Yaga to remain imprisoned).

The first of which being the fact she has the Torc of Kostchtchie. She uses this to summon the very demon lord himself. Now I am debating whether to have the PCs fight him whilst Baba Yaga fights Elvanna/Tashanna, or vic a versa. Maybe Baba Yaga gives them the choice?

After finally defeating Elvanna they must go with Baba Yaga to the winter collector, where Baba Yaga needs to do a ritual to end the spreading winter. She must NOT be interupted. As she starts the ritual a furious Tashanna (Wilv) comes from across the void to stop her and the PCs must hold her off in an epic battle.

I'm pretty sure after all that the last thing on their worn out mind will be taking on Baba Yaga herself, but I will give them that option. The nymph from the thrice tenth kingdom (who reveals her true name to be Elena the beautiful) appears and with a defeated Tashanna offer to imbue them with the mythic power to turn on Baba Yaga if they wish. If they do then it is revealed an eldest is behind events and rewards the PCs boons instead of Baba Yaga.

Finally I won't bother having the Ps have to seek out anything more to free Baba Yaga. Being reunited with her fate, life and death are enough to free her from the doll.

The first thing Baba Yaga does is make the three PCs who have rider mantles into full riders (giving them extra powers). And then repowers the cauldren keys for Whitethrone.

In my version Elvanna is doing the ritual in a chamber below the royal palace in Irrisen where the winter collector is. Baba Yaga can't end the ritual with just a wave of her hand, she needs to be there and Elvanna needs to be dead. Also Elvanna, is not herself. Her delvings into Tashanna's diary led her to use extensive divination magic to find her lost sister. What if she were successful!?

I heard a rumour on these boards that Tashanna could be Tasha the dark (Iggwilv) from Greyhawk. Maybe she is in fact an extremely powerful female archmage who Baba Yaga carried to another world after being impressed with her rebellion. However she was bound from ever returning to Golarion by Baba Yaga. Maybe Elvanna unwittingly undid that magic and is now being controlled from a far via powerful magic by the archmage.

Therefore much to Baba Yaga's surprise she finds powerful magic stopping her simply teleporting the PCs into the royal palace. Instead the PCs must, along with Baba Yaga and a host of allies, storm the royal palace. Battlling those awesome named characters from Irrisen Land of Eternal Winter.

First Elvanna\Tashanna sends a force to fight in the merchant square. Then she collapses the best bridge to the palace. Of course Baba Yaga just conjures up a giant iceberg and flies them all across. The crown gives Elvanna the ability to change the palace at will, so she could have sealed up all the windows forcing the PCs to fight their way through a force in front of the main doors (which Baba Yaga blows open).

In the main hall Princess Cassisoche and the main baronessess make a stand at her mother's behest. Of course Baba Yaga is with the PCs causing sweet mayhem (again actually making use of her stat block). Finally Elvanna/Tashanna is up in her throne room with many nasty surprises for mother and her toy soldiers...

This part I just have an idea for. They will arrive on an unknown planet in a star wars style market full of races from across galaxies and a lot of races from Distant Worlds. Some investigation reveals that the greatest bank in all of existence resides here and that the death of Baba Yaga resides in a vault there. The PCs can break in alone or ally themselves with alien thieves to get inside.

The bank has an intelligence based on the little girl computer programme from resident evil, which will taunt the PCs and Set off deadly traps as they explore. Not sure where to get aa good sci-fi dungeon lay out, I was thinking Iron Gods!? I hear there are cyber angels in that which might make a nice boss fight. Also rather than an athame I thought I would make Baba Yaga's death something alive that must be convinced, or forced, to reunite with her. Any ideas?

I am still finishing book 2 (after making use of Irrisen stuff to supplement it) but I'm giving thought to changing a lot of book 6 because after the awesomness of battling Rasputin in book 5, it just doesn't seem epic enough. Although I like the idea in principal of setting it all in Baba Yaga's hut, it just seems a wate to me when you could go literally anywhere!

So I am mostly putting this here for me to reference later and bounce ideas around.My thoughts are there needs to be three elements in it to round up the campaign. Dark fairytale, sci-fi and Irrisen. So the first part can remain the same with going down into the caves to meet the norn, only I'll have her attack to test their worthiness (it feels a waste to have her entire stat block and not use it).

Then after reuniting Baba Yaga with her fate they need to get her life and death. So instead I think I'll have two magical gates down there. Which can only be opened using her besom, which will be guarded by the infernal crocodile (I love this monster).

One leads to the thrice tenth kingdom to a hut on top of a cold mountain full of ice fey. The PC's must fight their way down and then through an enchanted forest meeting fey monsters and discussing philosophy with talking animals. Then they must enter the witchspire itself (using the castle from A Thousand Screams as reference) and battle a lesser jaberwocky and undead elf guards Baba Yaga has guarding the place. Finally they enter a magical tower called the fable where the lost daughters of Baba Yaga are.

Also in my campaign a mysterious nymph bound to the ley lines in Golarion has been helping them. She will be the original ruler of the thrice tenth kingdom who Baba Yaga supplanted and bound to Golarion. The PCs will meet some of her defilled nymph sisters in the Witchspire.

Ok, so messed up fairytale dealt with! Next the second portal leads across universes Stargate style...

I am currently running this for two different groups. One group is just about to finish the pale tower and I am thinking about offering them an alternative route to travel to Whitethrone making use of some of the info in the Irrisen campaign book. Did anyone else do anything like this?

Also they convinced most of Waldsby to pack up and escape through the portal (including the shopkeeper). Would it be plausible to allow them to sell their plunders in either Ludovny (if they go the normal route) or Kizobran if they go the alternative route I'll offer. How on guard would the countess or baroness in each place be with regards to visiting foreign 'merchants'? Would Nazhena have contacted them do you think when the last she heard from Radosek was a desperate mirror sight message

So I'm running this for a second group and they have come up with a plan to try and convince the residents of Waldsby to retreat through the portal to Heldren. This comes after an epic battle in the white weasal where all the guards, and an inquisitor of Zon Kuthon who was questioning villagers about the black rider, were put down.

Now their plan is to hold a meeting in the tavern and talk the village folk around. Sounds like fun. My question is how to stage it. I plan on having the main people in Waldsby attend, along with some other normals. The tavern owners are still alive but cowed after they tried to join in the fight with the guards against the players, but were defeated and surrended. So they will stay quiet throughout.

How about a diplomacy checks first to change the crowd from unfriendly to at least indifferent and then they have to win over individual members of town with diplomacy checks\intimidation with bonuses for good arguments? Other villagefolk follow depending on who is won over. I'm toying with having Birgit attend and try to sabotage it, and secretly flip open her attentive mirror (perception check to notice) to alert Radosek. Any thoughts greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Excellent book full of interesting spells, some of which have some minor rule discrepancies but are easily amended (like some uncertainty about saving throws etc but easy to house rule). I'm running Reign of Winter and giving my players access to this when they hit Baba Yaga's hut and find her library. I anticipate it going down very well with the party witch especially!

Here is how I plan to have the rider mantles progress from level 3 to level 10, for those who might want to do something similar. They are based heavily on what Irrisen land of Eternal Winter said the riders could do. The auras can be done once a day but only at specific times: black from dusk till dawn, white from dawn till noon and red from noon until dusk.

I haven´t thought beyond level 10 yet but they will get more spell like abilities, summon mount, woe or blessing, and something to do with their weapon when I do.

Mantles
Black:
3 – DR 2/Cold Iron, Chill touch 3/day, Icy Aura 1/day (only from dusk till dawn, 10ft misty aura rounds per level, fatigued all in it and 1 round afterwards, DC 18 fortitude)
4 – Darkness 2/day, Darkvision/Low light vision
5 – DR 5/Cold Iron, Improved Icy Aura (Slow, rounds per level), Cold Resistance 5
6 – Deep Slumber 1/day
7 – Telepathy (30ft), become fey
8 – Moonstruck 1/day, SR 8 + lvl
9 - Improved Icy Aura (fatigued even if saved)
10 – DR 10/Cold Iron, immune poison，Cone of cold 1/day, Cold Resistance 10

Red:
3 – DR 2/Cold Iron, Scorching Ray 2/day, Bright blast (only between noon and sunset, 1d6 fire damage per level Dazzle 1rd, 20ft radius, DC 18 réflex half)
4 – Zone of truth 2/day, Darkvision/Low light vision
5 – DR 5/Cold Iron, Improved Bright blast (dazzle 1d4 rounds), Cold Resistance 5
6 – Flaming arrows 1/day
7 – Telepathy (30ft), become fey
8 – Fire shield 1/day, SR 8 + lvl
9 – Improved Bright blast (Daze 1rd, dazzle 1d4)
10 – DR 10/Cold Iron, immune poison, Blood Boil 1/day, Cold Resistance 10

White:
3 – DR 2/Cold Iron, charm person 3/day, Blinding light (only between dusk and noon, Daze 1rd, Dazzle 1d4 rds, 20 foot radius, DC 18 fortitude)
4 – Detect thoughts 2/day, Darkvision/Low light vision
5 – DR 5/Cold Iron, Improved Blinding light (Daze 1d4 rounds, dazzle 1d4 if save), Cold Resistance 5
6 – Lightning Bolt 1/day
7 – Telepathy (30ft), become fey
8 – Charm monster 1/day, SR 8 + lvl
9 – Improved blinding light (Blinds permanently, daze 1 rd if save)
10 – DR 10/Cold Iron, immune poison, Lightning arc 1/day, Cold Resistance 10

Ragathiel:
3 – DR 2/Evil, Cure Light Wounds 3/day, Grows wings Fly (30ft, poor)
4 – Aid 2/day, Darkvision/Low light vision
5 – DR 5/Evil, Fly (60ft, average)
6 – Dispel Magic 1/day,
7 – True speak, become angelic outsider
8 – Holy smite 1/day, SR 8 + lvl
9 – Fly (100ft, good)
10 – DR 10/Evil, immune petrification, Reistance 10 lightning, fire, cold, Dispel Evil 1/day

That is truely amazing. I may well steal your idea and use Challenge of the Fang to get the rimebelt too, ifu don't mind.

Amazing. How did that happen. Mine slaughtered Emil and locked his wife in the tavern after their 'invite'. She joined the guards when they arrived and it waa a bloodbath and this did little to enamor the other villagers to them.

I checked out Margreve after your suggestion and was extremely impressed. How did you put The Trial into the plot? I intend to have the hut go to The Margreve in part 3 and use a version of Gall of the Spider Queen and a sandboxed mix of The Honey Queen, Grandmother's Fire and The Lustful Dragon. I'm going to keep the Maiden, Mother, Crone hut setup though and only change the clues on the amulets and ravens.

Ryschwith: Did you post your idea on these boards originally? If so then I saw it and that's where I got the idea. If it was you thank you. My players loved it. I like the sharing of ideas f on these boards and it has really got my creative juices flowing.