Episode 3: Ice to Meet You and Well Begun is Hard Won
Structure
Exposition
The three companions, between them, have directed the witch Kuklo from the Church of the Black God towards Ketterpost to meet Balanov and the Mishkinaries from the Church of the White God towards the capital of Ketterburg to continue their work there.
Components
Goals
The Village of Ketterpesh
Vasilly, Bogdan and Baboushka must collect the new Bed from Nikolas the Carpenter. They can explore the town or the stalls if they wish, but they don't have to.The Road Home
When the party return to Vasilly's hut with their new bed and anything else they have purchased, they enter to find their Kikimora in the living room, her arms full of stolen knick-knacks, including shiny bottles and one of Bogdan's pet bunny rabbits. The party has the option to either diplomacy or fight the Kikimora, and in so doing they find her hidey-hole and collection of treasures - where they find the unmelted ice shard and On the Origin of Spirits by Alexander Afanasyev.Samovilla in the Well
The party will go and investigate the well in the Glittering Valley. It will immediately be apparent that the Samovila of the Glittering Valley is different from the one in the town. It's more aggressive and a DC15 perception check will reveal a glowing ice-blue gash in the creature's chest. The party will have no choice but to fight (or flee) the Samovilla. If they fight, they will either lose or win. If the Samovilla is reduced to 0 hit points, they will be requested to stop by Birch, who has shown up with Leshee. If they lose, they will wake up in the home, with Leshee and the Kikimora (if befriended) taking care of them. If they flee, they will meet Birch some other way, probably by returning home, and Leshee bringing Birch to them. If they enter the cave of the Timber Wolves, they will find themselves in an underground cave, with a waterfall and can fight the Samovilla there, perhaps with the help of the Shubin. Depending on how the interaction goes, they may take them to meet the Malachite Maid, who will give them exposition about the incroachment of Orthobog.Birch and Leshee
However the party meet Birch, they will encounter this creature. She will feed them Birchwood Bark Tea and talk to them about the tension between the Old and New Beliefs. She believes that is what is making the spirits more deadly, and causing them to disappear (like, perhaps, the Domovoi has). If asked, she tells them that the last she saw Vasilly's wife, she was heading towards Ash Coven in search of the disappeared Domovoi. Birch will say she knows nothing about a baby, if pressed, although a DC20 Sense Motive will reveal that she is not telling the whole truth.
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