The party tries to help the rider and discover his name was Cyrus Matavius, the Black Midnight Rider of Baba Yaga. He was fleeing for his life from Elvana, the Queen of the North, who wants to rule forever. Baba Yaga installs a new Queen of the North every 100 years, but this time the queen doesn’t want to give up ruling. She has also decided to place portals around the world to spread the magic of winter everywhere. He gives directions to find Baba Yaga via her hut which is in the town of Gabran, a “short distance from the portal”