Bad weather (I mean really bad weather)could stop their exploration.
A urgent council meeting could force them back to the capital
A messager from another kingdom as arrived and wish to meet the leader of this small country, opening diplomacy with them.
Problem in the capital (rise of a bandit group, annoying prankster faeries ,etc) force them back
They enter the territory of a troll warlord? Make sure he gave them one opportunity to leave his territory and never return. Play him as a warlord, not a dumb idiot sitting in his lair waiting for them.
A Scroll of Sending costs 1125 gp, so keep that in mind as an option if you feel NPCs living in the capital would regard a given event as serious enough to warrant such an expenditure to get the PCs to return. If not... just give Malgorzata more levels/cultists and run her as a higher CR event in between RRR and VV?
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If they're not travelling at half speed and foraging as they go, they'll need to be carrying a lot of rations to stay away from their realm for weeks at a stretch. It sure would be inconvenient if the pack mules or horses carrying all those rations had a mishap crossing one of the uncharted rivers... and even if they're not trying to cross rivers, the beasts would probably make especially tempting targets for hungry trolls or other somewhat-intelligent monsters who can recognise saddlebags laden with supplies when they see them.
That's not to mention potions, scrolls, alchemical mixtures and other consumables the PCs might want to replenish by returning to civilization.
Also, they might run into NPCs out in the wilderness who they need to escort back to safety. There's
The players might also come across signs of threats heading towards their lands. Assuming they have decent Survival skills, they can identify the tracks of all sorts of nasties heading north. For example,
Another thought: a Barghest that attacks the party and then Dimension Doors away when it becomes apparent that they're not an easy meal should also raise alarm bells, since a Knowledge check should let them know that it needs to eat non-evil humanoids to grow into a Greater Barghest... and where might it find a plentiful supply of frail non-evil humanoids in the Greenbelt? Let me think...
Even if the players just intend to pop back quickly to resupply, drop off wandering strays or caution their subordinates or NPC council members about possible incoming threats, you should be able to show them things happening back home that suck them in. They come past Grigory in the town square ranting about the leaders who abandon their barely-established town to gallivant about the wilderness for weeks, they're approached by trusted NPCs who share their fears about rumours of a cult, and/or there's a letter waiting for them from Chief Sootscale inviting them to a certain Monstrous Feast from DM's RRR changes.
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Don't be shy about inventing roving bands of NPCs, monstrous or otherwise, to refocus them. Sounds like they think it's a forest preserve instead of a wilderness. Daily random (or not so random) monsters will eat away at their supplies, even if they vanquish every foe.
There is a very sizable gnomish town not far off the south end of the map and Mivon is down there, too. Time for a river pirate attack? Maybe the nastiness on Candlemere Island is more widespread than the book says? The big bad monster near the lower right corner just might have a new mate as well...
Event 1 - Slain Townsfolk. Have this occur just *before* they head out for the first trip. It will delay them a day or so, but that should be no issue.
Event 2 - The Rabble Rouser. This can occur when they return from their first trip. If you want the Cult of Gyronna to happen before the end of the module, then feel free to have one of Grigori's complaints be about the PCs "gallivanting about while babies are being snatched from people's homes", so that you can immediately hit them with Event 3 at the same time.
Event 3 - The Cult of Gyronna. If you don't have this happen concurrently with Grigori, I'd use Inneliese's suggestion, particularly if your players need a bit of an xp boost before Varnhold.
IMO, it's important not to punish your PCs for wanting to thoroughly explore their territory. Later on, you're going to wish they were interested in exploring.
To add to all of the above. Combine events, The cult and killings can happen at the same time, to create a whole new event.
If not... just give Malgorzata more levels/cultists and run her as a higher CR event in between RRR and VV?I did this - worked fine.
Likewise. I also never got around to doing Kundal - though I've been considering adding a "Big Bad Wolf" themed event to Chapter Six.
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MY FRUIT CART!!
Now that that's out of the way....
Dealing with Niska and her cult was a side-quest with NPC characters for us as well. Instead of the usual Ruler/Magister/Spymistress/General/Warden team, they let a team of the Spymistress's minions and some allies handle it:
> Inquisitor, one of the Spymistress's underlings
> Witch, the Magister's future wife
> The Spymistress's Winter Wolf companion
> Mikmek the Royal Assassin
> Perlivash, with Maestro Sorcerer levels
Yes, in that order respectively.
... it was an experience, heh.
I've run RRR once and played in it once, and from both of those, I'd be amazed if they make their timing actually work. There are some *tough* encounter areas out there -- 5 mini-dungeons, if I recall correctly? -- and consumables end up getting, well, consumed.
I wouldn't worry too much about fitting in the "kingdom events"; the real impact is just htat they're going to close out the book with a much smaller city/kingdom if they pound through everything in just 2 or 3 months. At that point, you might strongly suggest that they spend 6 months or so focused on getting their settlement through the winter months or whatever before you trigger the events of book 3.
edit: And, to your concern about being prepared, ask them up front what their intended exploration pattern looks like, so that you know what to plan for. My groups tended to do left-right "typewriter" searches; it sounds like they plan a down/up zigzag.
Again from memory, if heading down/up in the southwest quadrant from the fort, they should hit a couple encounter areas really quickly that tie them up for a session or two and give you time to plan ahead.
Sounds like you have it well in hand :)
You said you were planning on using DM's Hargulka's Monster Kingdom ideas. Throwing the invitation to the Monstrous Feast from Chief Sootscale at them when they return with the Forest Drake head and Tyg should give you a good chance to introduce Hargulka before they stumble into his territory, so even if they resume their systematic exploration they'll at least have some context for what they encounter.
Isn't their kingdom going to take severe hits for vacant positions?
No ruler, and several others gone like that will wreak havoc with their economy, loyalty etc.
The rules are clear, you have to spend 1 week a month ruling the kingdom. The rules say any hex in the kingdom will do. But the capital seems logical for those things.
Already accounted for - read the first post again. They plan to travel out one way for a few weeks, come back (presumably to do their one week of civil service), then head out the other way for a few weeks before heading back again.
Now if some event - bad weather, getting lost, etc. - should delay their return, that's another thing.....
An attack by vicious feral mimes...
Now if some event - bad weather, getting lost, etc. - should delay their return, that's another thing.....
... hey man, I have my limits.