Hi there!
As my players and I think, that character advancement goes far too fast during an adventure path (and for this one it is even faster than for e.g. Kingmaker (which was our last path we played)) I like to add some content between books. In this way I can "stretch" the character levels a bit. This worked perfectly for Council of Thieves and even better with Kingmaker. But with this one... I find it rather difficult.
Therefore I need some help!
I have already something in mind, what I would like to play. I even added some more to it so that my players would have to visit two locations to find two new keys. My problem is
a) where to lead them,
b) the interior of the hut and
c) the riddles for the keys.
For a) I thought it would be best to let them stay in Golarion, so that I can add some troops of Elvanna to thicken that plot a bit (I also added some to Maiden, Mother, Crone).
About c): It (almost) doesn't matter what kind of items the keys are. I would prefer not anything living (as the eagle in book 4). If I could come up with some cool riddles, I would get my keys automatically. Problem is, I don't just want to repeat something which is already in the books. So I have to come up with something new!
Same problem with the hut interior: I'm not sure, what kind of theme I shall choose. Maybe it is better to first think of the riddles, so that maybe the interior of the hut could have something to do with that...
I already rewrote the hut in book 4 with some of the ideas of the Grimm-thread on this forum (great ideas! Just what I needed for the start of that book!), so this is out of the question...
So, my question: Anybody here, who did something similiar and would share his ideas?
Or if not: Has anybody some ideas how I could solve my problems I described above?
Here is what I want to add:
The players must go to a monks cloister where Baba Yaga has some allies. Alternatively it could be a former cloister which is inhibited by a coven (maybe withces are better, because it sticks with the theme...). It really doesn't matter, because the former inhabitants have been killed and replaced with some half-fiend monks which worship a demon god (could be the one from book 3 (forgot how his name is spelled), but I won't "overdo" that plot).
Baba Yaga gave one of the keys to the monks/witches so that they could pass it on to her riders. Now the players have to gain it the hard way...
The second key was given to a tribe of ogre sized lycantrophes. (this could be replaced by any other tribe of unusual beings which could have witches/shamans), which are friendly to Baba Yaga. Unfortunatly, the key was stolen by a tribe of Ratmen, which live underground. So in order to get the key, the PC's must search these Ratmen and get the key from them (either by killing them or maybe by talking them into it... but I think it will be the killing way).
All this are fine possibilities for the players to learn more about the Baba Yaga and maybe also about Elvanna. It also gives a nice mix of fighting and roleplaying possibilities (for most of my players is the story more important than some big battles).
So, long story short: Has anybody an idea, how I could add this (mini-)plot between the books?
The demon lord in 3 is Mestama, she is the patron of hags and witches.
One option for the changing hut is to adapt the 2e module Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga which has its own big dungeon layout of the Hut.
Or possibly check out the d20 module The Dancing Hut from Monkey God Games. I don't remember the specifics from this one, but it should have something!
Since you are using demons, have you considered placing the adventure on a cold outer plane, e.g. a layer of the abyss?
Thanks for the recommendations. I will get both books and see, if I can use any informations within.
As for the location on the cold outer plane: The idea is intriguing! I would have to change the plot I thought about a bit. I also don't know why Elvanna would have sent troops there, but I like the idea.
Maybe I won't put the adventure there (even if a layer of the abyss is really a thing I would like!)but I will let the demons come from there.
And the Demon Lord in book 3 I meant is Kostchtchie the Deathless, not Mestama. ;)
If there are more suggestions, I'm open to them!
Perhaps Elvanna wants to recruit outside help in the Abyss.
I will be adding some plot lines in Maiden, Mother, Crone based on the story of the Firebird Suite by Stravinsky. This is the origin of Kostchtchie after all (though his name is spelled differently there):