L9 door yes you see it. Though from that small landing you can see part of L7

There is a door midway down the stairs. It is locked and you can hear the commanding voice calling someone in a scratchy voice "You little retches these sleeves would not be fit as socks for chicken. Make that mistake again and you will feel the needle" 

Aoife squints her eyes, trying to concentrate on the voice. She whispers to the others "I think there might be more children in there! Being forced to sew! Let's go get them."

She listens to try to work out how many people are in that room. (perception 22)

"Aye were just a few trinkets but could be 'elpful later, aye?" Finley grins and follows the others, upon arriving and hearing the other voice he goes to speak, but realizes he can't whisper so he shuts his trap. He does give Aoife a thumbs up.

Seeing the little "houses," Valrieth thinks of the children, but they've already found 5 of the 10 children Mishka told her about.  The bedroom upstairs already had 10 beds, so it doesn't seem like these structures could belong to the children.  The ominous jack-in-the-box, like the one they saw outside near Elidon, makes her want to avoid the room (L7) if possible.  Val now realizes that she should have asked Elidon what came out of the jack-in-the-box.  Based on what she heard in the garden, she's pretty sure that it's nothing pleasant.

Val taps Aoife, points at the door, and pantomimes turning a key.  She casts Produce Flame to provide plenty of light and also to have a weapon in hand just in case.  Maybe Ilifir's smooth talking can convince the owner of the commanding, scratchy voice to let them take the children without a fight.  But if not, she wants to be ready for a fight. 

Aoife intent hearing rewards with the hearing the sound of 3 people

an index card forms itself in ilifirs hand out of a bit of fleece, silently he gestures to it, bell in his hand shaking silently, on the cards are the words "so we kill them?" he looks the the group for a response

(sorry guys even checking the notifications tab shows the latest response as being aug 25, and i didnt realize id need to click that then move to the latest)

Quote from willow_ivyleaf>>

on the cards are the words "so we kill them?" he looks the the group for a response

Valrieth glances at the still fairy-shaped Ilifir and, seeing the card, shrugs uncertainly.  She says, "Save the children...any way we can." 

(sorry guys even checking the notifications tab shows the latest response as being aug 25, and i didnt realize id need to click that then move to the latest)

(OOC: Ah, yeah.  The behavior seems to change every week, but, at least in the web app, my subscribed threads are correctly sorted based on the most recent post.  It shows me the date of the latest post even if the link to jump to that post doesn't always work.)

Aoife holds up 3 fingers to show there are 3 people inside. She inserts the key into the door as quietly as possible (stealth 17) and turns it. 

She pushes the door open quickly and jumps inside, ready to restrain whoever is ordering the children around. 

(OOC: my notifications tab tells me the last notification was 25th August, like willow_ivyleaf.) 

Quote from valeskah >>

Aoife holds up 3 fingers to show there are 3 people inside. She inserts the key into the door as quietly as possible (stealth 17) and turns it. 

She pushes the door open quickly and jumps inside, ready to restrain whoever is ordering the children around. 

Valrieth lines up so that they can enter the room Aoife, Finley, Val, and then Ilifir.  That way, Aoife and Finley can hopefully keep any guards away from her and Ilifir.  Before Aoife opens the door, Val gestures for Elkhorn to keep the children behind him on the stairs above the door until the party deals with whatever is in the room (L9).  She doesn't want to put the children whom they've already rescued at risk. 

L9

A plump halfling boy and a young, fluffy bugbear sit at work benches, watched over by a living, child-sized doll with buttons for eyes.  The sewing room contains rolls of fabric, bobbins of thread, knitting needles, large central rug, and pincushions.

Aoife grimaces at the doll and almost lunges towards it before looking back at the others, holding back her immediate instinct to attack until she has the others' approval. Her hands hover at the hilts of her shortswords.

Finley is waiting to see if Aoife grabs the doll before he does anything else, unable to whisper he stays quiet, anticipating some kind of trouble to occur.

Valrieth only sees the one minion (the doll) guarding the children, and based on what they heard, she isn't like Elidon.  It sounds like the doll a wicked creature / construct who serves Granny Nightshade loyally.  Val thinks that their best bet is to defeat the doll quickly, and she says, "Get her."

(OOC: I'll wait to post Val's actions until the DM determines whether the doll is surprised and initiative for combat.)

(The doll is not surprised as the party did not go stealthily) 

The ?? is a hidden foe.

Initiative

1. Val 
2. Finley
3. ??
4. Ilifr
5. Pincushion
6. Aoife

Round 1 

Post when able 

Valrieth: Round 1

Since Valrieth was holding her flame from Produce Flame, she hurls that flame at Pincushion as she tries to position herself for the fight.

If Pincushion is close to the children or if Pincushion is not within melee range of Finley and Aoife, Val will use her telekinetic shove to try to pull Pincushion 5' closer to the party and away from the children.

Movement: Val moves out of the doorway so that Ilifir can get into the room, but she stays back by the wall, keeping Finley and Aoife between her and Pincushion.
Action: Cast spell / attack Pincushion with Produce Flame, 13, Damage: 4 (fire)
Bonus Action: telekinetically shove Pincushion.
  Pincushion must succeed on a STR 15 save or be moved 5 ft toward the party and away from the children.
Free Action: Talking

Aoife grins and draws her swords as she crosses to the doll. 

Movement: to stand in front of the doll

Action:

Attack 1: shortsword 15 to hit 10 damage

Attack 2 shortsword 9 to hit 7 damage

Bonus action: shortsword 24 to hit 8 damage

"Well, alright then!" Finley yells out, smashing his gauntlets together to initiate their energy and activates his Defensive Field, just before he summons a [spell]Fire Bolt{/spell] to try and burn Pincushion as well!

Attack: 26 Damage: 20 Fire!
Bonus: Defensive Field (+5 THP)