Chapter 6: "The Witch Queen’s Revenge"
by Greg A. Vaughan
Baba Yaga has been rescued from the clutches of her son Rasputin, but the Queen of Witches remains trapped inside a magical matryoshka doll. Delving into hidden chambers deep within the Dancing Hut, the heroes must open the nesting dolls imprisoning Baba Yaga, but they must also contend with the hut’s most dedicated guardians, including the former queens of Irrisen. When the time comes to finally face Queen Elvanna inside the Dancing Hut’s innermost sanctum, will the heroes defeat her and free Baba Yaga, or plunge Golarion into a new ice age?
This volume of Pathfinder Adventure Path concludes the Reign of Winter Adventure Path and includes:
“The Witch Queen’s Revenge,” a Pathfinder RPG adventure for 15th-level characters, by Greg A. Vaughan.
Ways for you to extend your campaign beyond the covers of this Adventure Path and carry on your adventures against the witches of Irrisen, by Adam Daigle and Rob McCreary.
An exploration of the mysteries of Baba Yaga and her touch on the world of Golarion and beyond, by Adam Daigle.
An escape from Whitethrone in the Pathfinder’s Journal, by Kevin Andrew Murphy.
Four new monsters, by Shaun Hocking, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, and Matt Renton.
Each monthly full-color softcover Pathfinder Adventure Path volume contains an in-depth adventure scenario, stats for several new monsters, and support articles meant to give Game Masters additional material to expand their campaign. Pathfinder Adventure Path volumes use the Open Game License and work with both the Pathfinder RPG and the world’s oldest fantasy RPG.
ISBN–13: 978-1-60125-497-9
The Witch Queen's Revenge is sanctioned for use in Pathfinder Society Organized Play. The rules for running this Adventure Path and Chronicle sheet are available as a free download (639 KB zip/PDF).
Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:
Rasputin Must Die! is a hard act to follow, but the Witch Queen's Revenge does an admirable job.
The adventure at it's core touches on some interesting concepts, letting the PCs really get to know Baba Yaga, although how that'll play out in your game will depend as much on the DM and players as the adventure. Still, there are some cool concepts here.
If anything, I feel that the Big Bad is missing her moment in the sun. However, with this in hand before starting the path you could definitely include some awesome foreshadowing.
Where the adventure really shines, though, and moves up to five stars, is in the "Continuing the Campaign" section. If you're comfortable working from an outline, it'd be easy to take this into Mythic ranks and clear to 20th level.
Short Version: A solid end to the campaign with an amazing postscript.
Actually, 4 is more common than 6 ever was. Each volume I try to slot in 5 monsters, but sometimes one needs to be cut for one reason or another. Every so often we do double sized bestiaries (Pathfinder #46 for example) or just larger ones (Pathfinder #60 for example).
Monday seems to be the shipping day at Paizo. I got my shipping e-mail today so I'm crossing my fingers for getting this on Monday!
I eagerly anticipate the finale of this AP, as well as the Baba Yaga statblock with the first glimpse of the final mythic level rules. Any word on who wrote up Baba Yaga's stats by the way?
I eagerly anticipate the finale of this AP, as well as the Baba Yaga statblock with the first glimpse of the final mythic level rules. Any word on who wrote up Baba Yaga's stats by the way?
Adam "Mantis Man" Daigle wrote up Baba's stats. Prepare to be suitably intimidated—she's
I eagerly anticipate the finale of this AP, as well as the Baba Yaga statblock with the first glimpse of the final mythic level rules. Any word on who wrote up Baba Yaga's stats by the way?
Adam "Mantis Man" Daigle wrote up Baba's stats. Prepare to be suitably intimidated—she's ** spoiler omitted **.
Holy mother of...
Spoiler:
witches
Mr. Daigle didn't hold anything back did he? There's got to be more than "just" mythic levels going on there.
I eagerly anticipate the finale of this AP, as well as the Baba Yaga statblock with the first glimpse of the final mythic level rules. Any word on who wrote up Baba Yaga's stats by the way?
Adam "Mantis Man" Daigle wrote up Baba's stats. Prepare to be suitably intimidated—she's ** spoiler omitted **.
Holy mother of... ** spoiler omitted **
Mr. Daigle didn't hold anything back did he? There's got to be more than "just" mythic levels going on there.
Oh there is, dearie. Such a good boy, that Daigle.
...you just answered a question, straight up.
*watches for signs of instant aging*
Actually, the question was whether Mr Daigle held anything back. Dear Grandmother simply confirmed that there was more than mere mythic levels to her power, which was not posed as a question.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
I'll probably get mine later in the week, but I can't wait to see how this turns out. I voiced my concerns about how the campaign ends a few months ago and I am really interested in how the module handles the ending.
Waiting is so aggravating, especially when Liz and Daigle hyped it so much. Especially annoying is the fact that I'm on my vacation and I have nothing better to do...
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Orthos wrote:
New monsters (with some info on their abilities, not just names please =) )
Baba Yaga
I had this all written out, and my internet connection failed. I lost it all! :-(
Am now retyping. Sorry for the delays guys.
Bestiary:
Crone Queen: CR 15 undead daughters of Baba Yaga. They have cold related spell-like abilities, witch style cold magic, and each has unique powers as well. The older ones are easily awakened, but they tend to be more powerful than the younger ones.
Hag Eye Ooze: CR 3 ooze that a hag makes and places one of hag eyes in. It can used as a familiar and spells may be cast through it. When a coven with one of these things is destroyed, the ooze can consume the dead hags and incorporate their eyes, resulting in a large ooze with eye ray attacks and the ability to absorb bodies much as the Blob.
Poludnica: CR 10 female fey powered by the sun. She kidnaps and lures farmers and children away to try and create normal families. At night they vanish into the ethereal plane, and can only watch families together at night with envy. She uses a scythe, but prefers trickery to achieve her ends. She has an aura of heat about her than can be quite debilitating.
Storm Hag: CR 7 hag with lightning and weather control powers. She prefers to eat young children and hates gnomes & halflings with a passion.
Baba Yaga:
Baba Yaga: We get her history, and it is beautifully detailed about how a young girl named Yanca would be mentored by a primeval norn and would become a witch of great power. As people bothered her for more and more solutions to their petty problems, she became the testing wise witch of legend. Yanca became Yaga amongst the Rus, and they began to refer to her as Grandmother out of respect: Baba.
We are told why she has never risen to divinity (who wants to be bothered answering peoples' prayers?) and about the dark, Russian folktale-like kingdom refuge she has built for herself within the First World (The Thrice-Tenth Kingdom).
And why is she CR30? Well first off she has a specific method to be killed, much like an artifact. Her Dancing Hut is her familiar (yes, that is what I said). She is a female venerable advanced human witch 20/archmage 10 (that's 10 Mythic Tiers people). Her touch AC is 31 and her initiative is +19. She has over 700 hp and has a regeneration rate of 20. She knows every witch & sorcerer/wizard spell in existence. She has a number of permanent spells and mythic hexes.
That should put the fear of the old Grandmother into you. >:-)
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Zhangar wrote:
Does Elvanna have mythic tiers or any artifact items?
Queen Elvanna:
Although she has no mythic tiers herself, she has mythic potential. So she is CR 20 and 20th level (her wealth, equipment power and 20-point build give her a +1 CR). She is a 10th level witch (winter witch archetype)/10th level winter witch (prestige class) with winter as her patron.
As for artifacts: YEP. The Icecrown of Irrisen is a major artifact.
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Kevin Mack wrote:
Is there any good action art in it?
There are a few art pieces with some action in them, the best (IMHO) is on page 70, which should be titled "This was a really bad idea!" But overall, most of the art is portraiture and simple images (although very well done).
Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories, Starfinder Society Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber
Evil Midnight Lurker wrote:
Does Baba Yaga in fact age a year in an instant every time she answers a question?
Baba Yaga aging:
The way Daigle presents it she is completely immortal. Instead of aging one year, she gains an additional wart or wrinkle.
.
Sort of a reverse Nanny McPhee with a REALLY bad attitude! :)
No strange numerology required. The Thrice-Tenth Kingdom is not some weird easter egg in itself other than being a direct representation of an element of Russian/Slavic folklore. That our CR currently caps out at CR 30 is why Baba Yaga is where she's at power-wise.