GM Reference thread for The Frozen Stars.
Okay. While I've not yet read much of the module (and it does look like once again none of Queen Elvanna's meddling is touching this world - a shame, seeing that the winter portals are partly based in this world, which would have given Elvanna reason to be here), I do have to say this:
Just the information on Triaxus alone makes this worth buying. My eyes are wide, my fascination is up, and I've gone "wow!" several times just reading about this wonderful and alien world. Hell, I'd love to run a campaign here someday... if Paizo ever thinks of running a couple modules just on this world, it would be well worth it.
This brings me back to my days when I created my own campaign worlds, Kyriell and Shard. World-building can be most fun. This sense of fun shines through the information on this world.
Just picked it up today, and while it's cool, one thing is worrying me. Namely, that this phrase (or variations on it) comes up several times:
"They should know by now that the second key they need for the Dancing Hut lies in Ivoryglass."
...And I wonder why they 'should know', because while it's possible that I may be skimming and missing something, after two readings, the ONLY clue I'm seeing as to the bear pelt's location lies in a not-necessarily-obvious language puzzle presented at the start of the adventure (i.e. making the connection between the tusk and mirror to 'ivory' and 'looking glass', and then connecting that to Ivoryglass).
75% of the group I'm running this adventure for don't speak English as their first language, there are pretty much no NPCs in the entire adventure who might reasonably know of the pelt's existence (and unlike the two-headed eagle it seems less likely to be a well-advertised and notable thing around Triaxus), and most worryingly this is striking me as a 'solve this one puzzle or the entire adventure grinds to a halt with no ways around it aside from GM intervention' situation.
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Just picked it up today, and while it's cool, one thing is worrying me. Namely, that this phrase (or variations on it) comes up several times:
"They should know by now that the second key they need for the Dancing Hut lies in Ivoryglass."
...And I wonder why they 'should know', because while it's possible that I may be skimming and missing something, after two readings, the ONLY clue I'm seeing as to the bear pelt's location lies in a not-necessarily-obvious language puzzle presented at the start of the adventure (i.e. making the connection between the tusk and mirror to 'ivory' and 'looking glass', and then connecting that to Ivoryglass).
75% of the group I'm running this adventure for don't speak English as their first language, there are pretty much no NPCs in the entire adventure who might reasonably know of the pelt's existence (and unlike the two-headed eagle it seems less likely to be a well-advertised and notable thing around Triaxus), and most worryingly this is striking me as a 'solve this one puzzle or the entire adventure grinds to a halt with no ways around it aside from GM intervention' situation.
The clues about the keys weren't really written to be a "puzzle" - it was more to add flavor, rather than having the ravens just speak the locations. If you think your players won't be able to put the clues together, you can certainly have the PCs make skill checks (Linguistics or even just an Intelligence check) to correctly interpret the clues. Likewise, friendly NPCs - either already traveling with the PCs, such as Zorka, or ones native to Triaxus, such as Bescaylie or Commander Pharamol - can help them figure out where the keys are. If you still think that will be too difficult, then the ravens can just squawk out the names.
Obviously, the idea is not to have the adventure grind to a halt if the PCs can't figure out the clues, so if it looks like that might happen, then the GM should step in to make sure that it doesn't. At the same time, by this point, the PCs should know (there's that phrase again!) from past experience in Pathfinder #69 that Baba Yaga is leaving behind clues and that they need to find two keys. If they can't figure out her clues on their own, then they need to find someone to help them.
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YRAX, LORD OF THE HOWLING STORM p. 53 is missing a Gear section in the stat block.
Considering the picture which shows what looks like to be bracers and the Cr level shouldn't there be a gear section?
Yrax doesn't have any gear. The bracers (and other ornaments) visible in the picture are jewelry and are detailed in in the Treasure section on page 54. The rest of Yrax's treasure is found in his treasury (area D21).
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Just picked it up today, and while it's cool, one thing is worrying me. Namely, that this phrase (or variations on it) comes up several times:
"They should know by now that the second key they need for the Dancing Hut lies in Ivoryglass."
...And I wonder why they 'should know', because while it's possible that I may be skimming and missing something, after two readings, the ONLY clue I'm seeing as to the bear pelt's location lies in a not-necessarily-obvious language puzzle presented at the start of the adventure (i.e. making the connection between the tusk and mirror to 'ivory' and 'looking glass', and then connecting that to Ivoryglass).
75% of the group I'm running this adventure for don't speak English as their first language, there are pretty much no NPCs in the entire adventure who might reasonably know of the pelt's existence (and unlike the two-headed eagle it seems less likely to be a well-advertised and notable thing around Triaxus), and most worryingly this is striking me as a 'solve this one puzzle or the entire adventure grinds to a halt with no ways around it aside from GM intervention' situation.
I can never figure out why people get so upset if the continuation of an adventure depends on skill checks or the players being clever (usualy accompanied with the claim, "The entire adventure would come to a halt if we just fail there!"), when every single combat is potentialy a game stopper - through most combats you kind of have to fight (or find a clever way around them), so what's the great difference? both kinds of problems could be solved with gentle GM fiat.
I can never figure out why people get so upset if the continuation of an adventure depends on skill checks or the players being clever (usualy accompanied with the claim, "The entire adventure would come to a halt if we just fail there!"), when every single combat is potentialy a game stopper - through most combats you kind of have to fight (or find a clever way around them), so what's the great difference? both kinds of problems could be solved with gentle GM fiat.
Fair enough. Personally though, I find combats generally leave more room for flexibility and creative solutions, whereas a puzzle that forces a single solution (i.e. 'figure out this one and only clue to advance').
When you can't see a way to win a combat through a normal means of brute foce, you can run, you can hire allies, you can vary up a ton of different spells and tactics you don't usually use. Basically it gives the PCs more options. It sort of cheapens the experience to make everything depend on one sink or swim situation that leaves no room for improvisation.
Also puzzles grind things to a halt a bit easier than potentially-deadly combat because efforts don't show. In a combat that's going badly, running isn't generally winning, but your effort of trying to turn a losing battle around has showed the result of getting you out of immediate danger. With a one-answer puzzle, the only thing that will generally show any helpful result is the correct answer, and if the players don't have that, things can quickly just turn into sitting around and wondering about the answer.
In regards to requiring the players being clever: I do in fact expect my players to be clever, because they are clever. What I take issue with is that this is an English language puzzle (it's not intentionally one, apparently, but it's enough of one to hamper my group nonetheless) that by nature punishes most of my group for something they have no control of (i.e. that they were born in countries that don't speak English as a first language). Putting them against that isn't fun, it's simply unfair to them, and my job is to make things fun, not unfair.
...But anyways, knowing that this one was in fact not meant to be a puzzle eases my conscience a little. I like to stay at least relatively true to adventures when I make my own edits, and this fact makes me a bit more comfortable with expanding the methods of finding the second key beyond what was provided.
Dotting for interest.
Yrax is just chilling out in his Ice Palace when some nasty adventurers burst in and try to kill him. Yep, he's got some of his magic nearby in his vault but he's not really anticipating a life and death fight at the heart of his own palace.
If you feel that he'll be a pushover for your PCs feel free to make some of his jewelry magical, and adjust his spell list but when looking at his stat block after having made it, I saw that he is a very solid monster (as dragons are). I didn't want the end boss of my part of the AP to be twinked out so much that he was unbeatable by the typical 15 point buy, 4 player AP party.
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The Three Clue Rule doesn't get used all the time... Unfortunately.
Although, with a little work, the GM could easily point the party at Yrax for other reasons: greed (dragon hoard), revenge (General Malesinder could escape instead of fighting to the death), desire to help the Dragon Legion, etc. The GM could also play up mentions of off-world connections: the "ambassador from Castrovel" could just be one strange visitor received in Ivoryglass (which would probably make it a good place to gather information).
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I can never figure out why people get so upset if the continuation of an adventure depends on skill checks or the players being clever (usualy accompanied with the claim, "The entire adventure would come to a halt if we just fail there!"), when every single combat is potentialy a game stopper - through most combats you kind of have to fight (or find a clever way around them), so what's the great difference? both kinds of problems could be solved with gentle GM fiat.Fair enough. Personally though, I find combats generally leave more room for flexibility and creative solutions, whereas a puzzle that forces a single solution (i.e. 'figure out this one and only clue to advance').
When you can't see a way to win a combat through a normal means of brute foce, you can run, you can hire allies, you can vary up a ton of different spells and tactics you don't usually use. Basically it gives the PCs more options. It sort of cheapens the experience to make everything depend on one sink or swim situation that leaves no room for improvisation.
Also puzzles grind things to a halt a bit easier than potentially-deadly combat because efforts don't show. In a combat that's going badly, running isn't generally winning, but your effort of trying to turn a losing battle around has showed the result of getting you out of immediate danger. With a one-answer puzzle, the only thing that will generally show any helpful result is the correct answer, and if the players don't have that, things can quickly just turn into sitting around and wondering about the answer.
In regards to requiring the players being clever: I do in fact expect my players to be clever, because they are clever. What I take issue with is that this is an English language puzzle (it's not intentionally one, apparently, but it's enough of one to hamper my group nonetheless) that by nature punishes most of my group for something they have no control of (i.e. that they were born in countries that don't speak English as a first...
I certianly see your point :)
usualy there is more than one way of solving a non combat challange, even something wierd like consulting a sage once worked for me as a player. However given the isolated nature of the pc's current location, there does seem to be a lack of options... maybe a native could happen to see the two items and figure it out for the PCs or something...
Mmhm. At the moment I'm thinking of changing the form Baba Yaga took to give out the two-headed eagle to also be the elven ambassador from Castrovel, so that some of the Triaxians (or some of Yrax's troops if the PCs go in that direction first) might be able to inform the group that the stranger who gave something to their commander also visited the Drakelands/Skyfire Mandate, and looked to be heading in the direction of the other commander's headquarters.
If the PCs still can't make the connection from there, perhaps a rumor going around among the common soldiers is that since the stranger gave a gift to their commander, she may have given some sort of similar gift to the enemy commander as well. Of course this will be all speculation, and perhaps considered nonsense by the majority...
This is a pretty cool adventure. Though there's a few things I'm confused about.
1) Where's the hut in relation to Spurhorn? I didn't see it's "start point" on Triaxus identified anywhere.
2) The meeting with the Spurhorn commanders - as written, the PCs need to pass all three checks to succeed at the event and not get thrown in prison, but the DC for subsequent checks goes up by 5 whenever a check is failed. Since failing even one check fails the entire event, that's just sort of confusing. Was the intent that the PCs only get jailed if they fail all three, but they need to pass all three to get the full story award?
3) The siege tower pushed by the hydras. Am I understanding it correctly that: (a) the hydras are outside pushing; (b) the wheels are inside the tower and shielded by its walls;, (c) you have to walk right between the hydras to get into the tower to trash the wheels; and (d) the critical thing is to trash the wheels, as killing the hydras just extends your time to do so?
Tangent - the logical place to add an Elvanna connection seems to be at Ivoryglass - A 13th level witch, or a witch 5/winter witch 9, (perhaps bringing along a brother or sister who's an 11th cleric of Lamashtu or Zon-Kuthon) could make it to Triaxus with a couple of Plane Shift spells (i.e., pop to Axis/wherever, then pop to Triaxus), and could then be installed as an adviser to the Lord of the Howling Storm. A party going through Malesinder's stuff could find correspondence between her and the witch adviser, who may have been stationed on Triaxus for years. Said witch could've actually been around when an elven ambassador presented a bear skin, and dismissed the nonmagical bear skin as inconsequential... And said witch may now be very, very alarmed that the Hut was sighted near the Battle of Spurhorn.
Of course, Yrax suddenly having hex back-up could make the fight much, much harder.
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This is a pretty cool adventure. Though there's a few things I'm confused about.
1) Where's the hut in relation to Spurhorn? I didn't see it's "start point" on Triaxus identified anywhere.
The hut doesn't appear on a map, but it's located about 10 miles from Spurhorn (see page 17).
2) The meeting with the Spurhorn commanders - as written, the PCs need to pass all three checks to succeed at the event and not get thrown in prison, but the DC for subsequent checks goes up by 5 whenever a check is failed. Since failing even one check fails the entire event, that's just sort of confusing. Was the intent that the PCs only get jailed if they fail all three, but they need to pass all three to get the full story award?
A failed check only increases the DC of the next check; it doesn't fail the entire event. They need a total of 3 successes to succeed; failures only make it more difficult to succeed. Of course, if they fail too many times, they probably won't be able to get any more successes, which is why there are multiple options for succeeding - three different skill check possibilities, aid another, Bescaylie's help, and bonuses from good roleplaying.
3) The siege tower pushed by the hydras. Am I understanding it correctly that: (a) the hydras are outside pushing; (b) the wheels are inside the tower and shielded by its walls;, (c) you have to walk right between the hydras to get into the tower to trash the wheels; and (d) the critical thing is to trash the wheels, as killing the hydras just extends your time to do so?
a. Yes
b. Yesc. There is one entrance to the tower next to the hydras, but creative PCs might be able to work out another way into the tower (hacking through a wall, teleport, etc.)
d. The critical thing is to prevent the tower from reaching the walls. The benefit to disabling the tower rather than fighting the hydras (and the frost drakes) is that if the unstable tower goes over the cliff, it will take the hydras with it. Of course, the PCs can just try to kill the hydras, but it's the job of the frost drakes to protect the hydras while they push the tower ever closer to the walls.
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The critical thing is to prevent the tower from reaching the walls. The benefit to disabling the tower rather than fighting the hydras (and the frost drakes) is that if the unstable tower goes over the cliff, it will take the hydras with it. Of course, the PCs can just try to kill the hydras, but it's the job of the frost drakes to protect the hydras while they push the tower ever closer to the walls.
This answer right here makes me so excited to get my hands on this book.
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Mass Grease Spell. Area Effect: 100 foot Radius. Material Component: Banana Peel, and Benny Hill music.
Random thought on the crows and clue delivery. An easy solution is to have the crows caw or bob their heads when the PCs say the right words. That way its a game of charades with minimal penalty for failure, and the PCs can interact more with the crows by pointing at various things in the Hut. Getting the words "bearskin rug - Ivoryglass" and "two-headed eagle - Spurhorn" is important, but its only the first step in the PCs finding the two Hut keys.
3) The siege tower pushed by the hydras. Am I understanding it correctly that: (a) the hydras are outside pushing; (b) the wheels are inside the tower and shielded by its walls;, (c) you have to walk right between the hydras to get into the tower to trash the wheels; and (d) the critical thing is to trash the wheels, as killing the hydras just extends your time to do so?a. Yes
b. Yes
c. There is one entrance to the tower next to the hydras, but creative PCs might be able to work out another way into the tower (hacking through a wall, teleport, etc.)
d. The critical thing is to prevent the tower from reaching the walls. The benefit to disabling the tower rather than fighting the hydras (and the frost drakes) is that if the unstable tower goes over the cliff, it will...
I have a follow-up question... are there any soldiers *inside* the siege tower? My mental image of a siege tower (which is drawn entirely from watching movies, so take it with a grain of salt) is that there's usually a bunch of guys inside, ready to pop out the instant the tower gets close enough to the castle wall. It seems like those guys would have something to say about it if the PCs teleported in and started messing with the wheels.
Don't have the book in front of me, but he's a ranger, yes? Does he have Gravity Bow prepared? Could be assuming that's been cast.
So I might be missing something, but looking at Commander Pharamol's stats at the appendix, his composite longbow damage is 2d6+4, when in fact the basic composite longbow damage die should be 1d8. So is this a miss on my part? is there a reason for the enhanced damage?
Check the Tactics section—it says he casts gravity bow before combat. You'll also see in the Base Statistics section his ranged damage with the bow is 1d8+4 without his spells.
Alright, makes sense.
Another question: where is the "winter" mystery taken from for the ice seers? it says "potn" but I can't figure out which book that is.
Look on the Credits page at the front of the book/PDF. It has a list of all of the source books used along with their abbreviations.
I have a follow-up question... are there any soldiers *inside* the siege tower? My mental image of a siege tower (which is drawn entirely from watching movies, so take it with a grain of salt) is that there's usually a bunch of guys inside, ready to pop out the instant the tower gets close enough to the castle wall. It seems like those guys would have something to say about it if the PCs teleported in and started messing with the wheels.3) The siege tower pushed by the hydras. Am I understanding it correctly that: (a) the hydras are outside pushing; (b) the wheels are inside the tower and shielded by its walls;, (c) you have to walk right between the hydras to get into the tower to trash the wheels; and (d) the critical thing is to trash the wheels, as killing the hydras just extends your time to do so?a. Yes
b. Yes
c. There is one entrance to the tower next to the hydras, but creative PCs might be able to work out another way into the tower (hacking through a wall, teleport, etc.)
d. The critical thing is to prevent the tower from reaching the walls. The benefit to disabling the tower rather than fighting the hydras (and the frost drakes) is that if the unstable tower goes over the cliff, it will...
I think the tower is empty - the hydras are having enough trouble getting the tower up a steep slope without it being fully loaded. The Drakelanders are on standby to begin pouring up the tower the moment it's in place, but are standing back in case the thing gets knocked over.
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Illustration, page 6:
IMRIJKA: "Damn this snow! Feiya, what's that flapping?"
FEIYA: "Um...you're not going to like it."
IMRIJKA: "Huh? What do you...oh, COME on! Is that thing really carrying a weapon?!? VALEROS! Get your decrepit butt up here! I don't care how many years you aged getting that scale, it's dragons again! Dragons bearing arms!!!"
Sorry to interrupt but can anyone tell me what APL the campaign was designed to end in book 6? I have it that no adventure paths go past 18 and only Rotrl goes that high?
It goes to CL17. The next one will go to CL20 but that's because they use Mythic Rules to allow more powerful encounters.
The simple solution is you can put everyone on the Fast Track and add some additional encounters near the end to push up the level... or even have a side-trek where they have to go on a quest to keep Elvanna from getting the Torque of a certain demon lord (which is assumed to have happened before the AP but can be reconned if you so wish).
Oh man, I make my players roll Appraise checks for any valuable item that's either a collectable or worth over 100 gp or so. If they can't make the DC 20, I start deducting value from the items.
But oh man... I hadn't noticed that item on my first read through. My little murderhobos are going to have fun lifting an 850 pound rock.
"IT'S WORTH A FORTUNE! WE CAN'T LEAVE IT BEHIND!"
Slightly off topic but oh man that Battleflower ability...I'm so tempted to throw in another Ukara that's whipped specced Manuever Master just for giggles.
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I'm a little disappointed by this book. I think too much page count went to providing guidance on how to get the first key three different ways. It's kind of neat but my guess is 90% of players are going to fight for the Skyfire Mandate and the rest is just a bunch of wasted paper.
This book lacks personality. And it's a real shame because it's so audacious and could have been great.
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Actually, I could easily see a good-aligned party end up fighting the Skyfire Mandate if they did not successfully Sense Motive and had killed the red dragon rider at the start of the game. Allowing three paths and detailing them was an excellent touch and even admitted to the one truth about players: they do the unexpected. The third path was barely touched upon... but had enough details for the players to TRY that path and let the GM build upon it in that case.
Personally, I think Frozen Stars is the best of the AP to-date. Mind you, Rasputin Must Die might knock it off its throne. ;)
Dotting for interest.
If you feel that he'll be a pushover for your PCs feel free to make some of his jewelry magical, and adjust his spell list but when looking at his stat block after having made it, I saw that he is a very solid monster (as dragons are). I didn't want the end boss of my part of the AP to be twinked out so much that he was unbeatable by the typical 15 point buy, 4 player AP party.
Based on Yrax’s feats he should have gear. Either stuff he crafted for himself, or items he crafted for his servants.
Considering a white dragon’s personality, I figured he would buff his physical prowess.I went with:
huge ruby-studded bracers; of strength +3; +3 points to strength.
huge ruby-studded bracers of lesser Speed: Haste self 5 rounds total per day
huge ruby-studded bracers of protection +3: +3 deflection bonus to AC
huge ruby-studded bracers of Armor +3; +3 enhancement bonus to AC
gold draconic torc of natural armor +3; +3 enhancement bonus to natural armor
gold draconic torc of heart seeking; as a swift action, 3/day next melee attack is a touch melee
gold serpentine draconic armband of evasion; grants the Evasion ability
My players know better than to fight a (one of my) dragon(s) strength to strength.
Vs. dragons (or most large uber-powerful monsters) use melee touch attacks.
The best use of items for the dragon would be to improve his weaknesses, or have some sort of healing magic. But I figure a dragon’s pride would go for more physical power.
Or I would expect Yrax to be creating cursed items for his minions like:
• Bracers of defenseless (but curse is only active when fighting white dragons)
• Armor of powerlessness (but curse is only active when fighting white dragons)
• -2 Cursed sword (but curse is only active when fighting white dragons)
Should Pharamol be role-played as an incompetent commander? His stats suggest he is a bit dim-witted (Int 8) and lacking the personal magnetism needed to lead and rally the troops (Cha 10).
Pharamol is a brave and honorable Triaxan who has the respect of those who serve him. I see him as not having had much formal schooling and my turnover did have him having max ranks in Intimidate (as hinted at in his background) as his 'Rally the troops' option but I think this was changed in development. I see him as someone who has had responsibility thrust upon him and he has risen to the challenge. Pharamol's troops are very loyal to him because they see him as one of themselves, indeed Pharamol himself still thinks of himself in many ways a simple soldier sworn to uphold the ideals of the Skyfire Mandate.
He also has the help and support of his dragonkin partner to compliment his skills.
Observation: I noticed that unlike any other key the 2 headed eagle is actually alive.
I am amused the PCs will have to sacrifice it to the cauldron as well as the notion that it will reappear on the shelf in an hour to be sacrificed again any time someone wants to go to Triaxus.
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Observation: I noticed that unlike any other key the 2 headed eagle is actually alive.
I am amused the PCs will have to sacrifice it to the cauldron as well as the notion that it will reappear on the shelf in an hour to be sacrificed again any time someone wants to go to Triaxus.
That's just something you have to get used to if you're a key to the Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga! :)
"And I've 37 more years of dealing with this crap before Baba Yaga gives me a boon! Though to be honest I might be stuck here for another couple hundred years because what I REALLY want is an infinite supply of aspirin... can you imagine how bad my headaches are with two heads?"
I have to say I'm not very impressed with this one and I'm seriously considering dropping it in favor of something that will be more palatable to my GMing tastes and the style of my group. While the setting information presented on the Triaxans is interesting and all, I find the actual adventure aspect somewhat lacking and it feels like even more of a tangential side-step than the previous adventure.
If I swapped a different scenario in here it seems like all I would really need is another adventure of suitable levels and the keys to Earth as a reward at the end of said adventure. Am I missing anything?
But... War Hydras with a siege tower!
The same could be said about the previous chapter of the AP. There was a disconnect between the situation in Irrisen and the expansion of winter into Golarion and the region in the third AP... which was wintery, yes, but NOT because of Queen Elvanna's machinations!
Of course, it might be interesting if the reason the white dragon is sending an army forth is because of incursions by the Alliance that were caused because the commander was having suggestions whispered to him from the double-headed eagle in the night and thus HE actually instigated events by breaking the truce! He's still good... but is being manipulated by Baba Yaga, and thus the evil dragon is in the right!
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The same could be said about the previous chapter of the AP. There was a disconnect between the situation in Irrisen and the expansion of winter into Golarion and the region in the third AP... which was wintery, yes, but NOT because of Queen Elvanna's machinations!
I really don't get why this is a complaint. Think about it. Snows of Summer established that the only way to "turn off" a Winter Portal is to follow it back to its origin point within Irrisen and disable it from that end. This would mean, among other things, abandoning the Dancing Hut and trapping the PCs in Irrisen again, this time with no real way to escape. So making the wintry conditions in Iobaria Elvanna's doing would either require the players to ignore a Winter Portal, or would require them abandoning the mission to find Baba Yaga.
Of course, it might be interesting if the reason the white dragon is sending an army forth is because of incursions by the Alliance that were caused because the commander was having suggestions whispered to him from the double-headed eagle in the night and thus HE actually instigated events by breaking the truce! He's still good... but is being manipulated by Baba Yaga, and thus the evil dragon is in the right!
Commander Pharamol is Lawful Neutral. So is Amarenth.
the idea of the winter portals is they are appearing first where it isnt winter already such as taldor or even andoran or katapesh. Besides its the BABA YAGA adventure path NOT the Irissen adventure path. I rather like the frozen stars and the whole ap in general.
the idea of the winter portals is they are appearing first where it isnt winter already such as taldor or even andoran or katapesh. Besides its the BABA YAGA adventure path NOT the Irissen adventure path. I rather like the frozen stars and the whole ap in general.
I completely understand that this is Baba Yaga's AP, but I see next to nothing about Baba Yaga in this part of the adventure as written. Some may have complained about Maiden, Mother, Crone, but at least it's a dungeon built by Baba Yaga - it's populated with denizens who know her (or know of her), and there's a potential to pick up just a few little nuggets of lore about her and the things she's done.
In Frozen Stars? None of that. Somebody said 'War hydras with a siege tower!' in defense of this, and I think that's what rubs me the wrong way about this adventure. Beneath all the shiny gee-whiz trappings, it's just a planet Baba Yaga happened to visit before her son invited her to Earth. Beside the first part of the adventure where the players are trying to learn the new configuration of the hut (the only part I'd like to keep from this adventure), I don't see a whole lot that ties this world into Baba Yaga, her backstory, etc, etc.
If it's just going to be a long fetch quest, I might as well set it somewhere else on the PC's home world - somewhere they're more likely to care about and potentially visit again. (I can't be alone in thinking that more than a few player groups will have pure apathy for a war taking place on an alien world they've never heard of before and will likely never go back to see again.) Besides, I have a feeling depositing the players on an alien world in part 4 takes away from some of the wow factor in dropping them in the middle of Russia at the start of part 5.