Sven starts bashing the World Engine though he finds that it is made of some strange metal that blunts his attacks. He does find that he does damage though which makes it react in kind.
Kalt joins his battle-brother in smashing Rasputin's infernal engine!
Kalt also lays into the machine and finds that it still intact.
Kalt continues to wreak havoc on Rasputin's machine!
Sven mightily smashes the World Engine! As it shuts down you can see a silhouette flow from Rasputin's body. It grasps futilely at the body as if to try to hold onto it. It then is grasped by other shadowy hands as it is dragged down into the depths. Without the distraction of the World Engine all of you notice insulated wires that snake up the spiral stair to the bell tower above the apse. Following them up the tower reveals that the floor of the tower is covered with dozens of wooden dolls, all shut closed. They are all nearly identical save one of them. One is of an old crone and even those without the power to sense magic know that it is special.
"Is this it, then?" asks Lana, glancing around at her companions. "Is this the end of our quest?"
Avora, now back in her normal form, examines the unique doll carefully (without touching it).
Avora surmises that due to the wires plugged into it as well as the other dolls, they were being used as power sources for the World Engine. As she examines it, she gets this odd feeling that the doll wants her to bring it to the Dancing Hut, though she hears no words nor thoughts.
The group makes their way back to the Dancing Hut with the doll in hand. When it sees the doll, the Dancing Hut starts to dance around excitedly as if it recognizes its mistress, before kneeling to allow access for the party. After you enter, the doll urges you toward a trap door in the ceiling.
You follow the doll's 'instructions' up into the trap door. The trap door opens out of a large, flat-topped gneiss boulder at the bottom of a grotto surrounded by sheer rock cliffs broken by myriad ledges and fissures. The sound of falling water echoes through the grotto and a fane, chill mist fills the air with sparkling droplets. Most of the grotto’s walls are in shade, though bright sunlight shines down from somewhere above, refracting through the mist to create rainbows and glowing jewels of radiance. The shadow of a huge, gnarled tree is just visible through the fog toward the sound of the waterfall.
As you traverse this strange new land, you come upon a rowan tree near a waterfall. Before you get too close, however, a figure emerges from the tree. She looks much like a dryad, though much taller, roughly 15 or 16 feet. At first she addresses you in some strange tongue before realizing you do not understand it. She then casts a spell on herself to let her converse with you.
“You have come far, wanderers, but the threads of fate have finally led you here to Grandmother’s Cauldron, the root of Baba Yaga’s Dancing Hut. Here was Baba Yaga’s past made, and here will her future be decided. Know then that I am Vigliv, ally and mentor to Baba Yaga, for I am Norn, and hold the golden thread of her fate in my hands. Baba Yaga has been trapped within the doll you hold by one of her own blood, her own power turned against her to do so. But to free Baba Yaga from her prison and return your world to its normal state, you must stop the usurper from completing her ritual." She pauses for you to ask any questions.
"Well, first you need to visit the chamber that contains the source of Baba Yaga's long life. You need to cut out the hearts of all the creatures there and then bring them back here so we may steep them to make a witch's brew. That will be enough to free Baba Yaga. She will then be able to transport you to where the usurper Elvanna is conducting her ritual. Then you kill her and anyone aiding her. Normally a witch queen would be nigh impossible to slay, but having Baba Yaga's aid will make it a reality."
"Okay," Avora says flatly, having hoped that their quest was at an end, "I guess that we need to go to the chamber, next."
After all he has seen and done, Kalt still finds the first step in their assigned tasks to be a bit gruesome. "What sorts of creatures' hearts are we cutting out? I assume they'll resist our attempts to do so? It would be helpful to know what we might be fighting." He pauses a moment, then adds, "Come to think of it, how do we get to this chamber? It seems the journey is sometimes taken for granted, and I' like to know if you'll magically transport us there or if we're to trek across the Crown of the World fighting all manner of beasts along the way."
"They are undead abominations trapped between life and death. And despite this, much like most creatures will resist your attempt. The journey will be on foot but it is not a long journey. You should not encounter any resistance along the way."
Once the questions are done with, Vigliv leads the party to the rock behind the waterfall and with a gesture a door opens. A wide cavern opens away from the door, lit by a diffuse glowing cloud that continually hovers near the ceiling. Arranged in a semicircle around the entrance are fourteen identical stone thrones, their high backs each bearing the same dancing hut sigil and a small plaque beneath. Seated upon twelve of the thrones are corpses dressed in royal regalia in various stages of decomposition. Like the corridor outside, a thin layer of frost covers everything in this room, including the thrones and their occupants. As you first enter, Sven hears a giggle from the doll he is carrying and then a voice much like an old crone.
“There they are; twelve queens all in a row. Such beautiful loyal daughters... they each ruled a hundred years and then gave me their lives so I could live on. The life of Baba Yaga sits before you; all you need to do is take each of their hearts and steep them to make a fine witch’s brew.” She giggles again and goes silent. Soon after four of them stir as the presence of their mother. They stand up and move as they demand vengeance!!
Kalt says, "Right, here we go again." He strides toward the nearest of Baba Yaga's daughters and slashes at her with his blade, calling over his shoulder as he fights, "Anyone know anything about the best way to destroy these things? Without wrecking their hearts, which we need for our soup?"
Kalt feels a sense of dread as he comes within 10 feet of the crone queen.
Rather than attacking, he feels the fear overwhelm him and he turns the other way to flee.
The green crone queen moves into position and lets out a gout of absolute cold at the party!
Avora takes 45 points of damage from the cold blast and is very annoyed.
As Sven prepares himself for the coming fight, Red and Blue attempt to stop him before he even starts. Red points a withered finger at him and an icy ray of pure cold shoots out at him!
While blue tries to thwart his effectiveness.
Avora angrily launches a flame strike against <blue>. The damage is half fire and half divine. DC 18 Reflex save for half, spell resistance applies.
Caster Level check (if needed):
Unfortunately Avora's spell is unable to pierce the crone queen's resistance to magic. The final yellow crone queen retaliates for her family member on Avora.
Avora easily brushes off the effects of the crone's spell and begins considering her next retaliation.
Lana moves up beside Sven and imbues him with magical energy.
Kalt turns and hurries back to join the fight!
Green lets out what seems to be a smile as Kalt strides up. In an instant she forms a staff completely out of ice in her hands and uses it to pummel the ranger.
Though still hard hitting, Sven finds his blade blunted a little by the crone queen's defenses. Red and Blue move and shower the party with more oppressive cold!