"We may 'ave ta deal with th' soldiers no matter what, even if we get th' door locked, aye? Ah dunnae 'ave much magic left in me for a while." Finley says, glancing at the door. "Th' only option would be onto th' balcony and hope there ain't more down below or anywhere else in sight."

Yes, Aoife can lock the door with Granny Nightshade's key

Aoife, still panting a little, trudges to the door to lock it with the key. She leans against it to catch her breath.

"I only have a little magic left, too," she murmurs, and casts Cure Wounds on herself. "A very little, but that feels a bit better!"

She stops panting and listens carefully to try to work out how far away the tin soldiers are. (perception 13)

Quote from Snievan >>

"We may 'ave ta deal with th' soldiers no matter what, even if we get th' door locked, aye? Ah dunnae 'ave much magic left in me for a while."  Finley says, glancing at the door. "Th' only option would be onto th' balcony and hope there ain't more down below or anywhere else in sight."

Valrieth says, "You're right Finley.  If they can't get in here, they might just go down into the workshop, and we'd have to fight them there to get the other three children.  Maybe it's better just to fight them here?  Do you think that you could block them and keep them from storming in?  You and my fox, with Elkhorn standing by in case any get past you?  The rest could attack from farther back?"  She looks anxious about the children, but she's fairly confident in the group's fighting ability after their victory over Cradlefall, Granny Nightshade, and the redcaps.

Val hops over to the door to the balcony and tries to open it quietly.  (Stealth 4)  If the door opens, she looks out to see whether there are still any tin soldiers on the balcony.  And if the balcony is clear, she pokes her head out to peer into the yard below, looking for any guards or redcaps or monsters out there.  (Perception 13.  Val has her Moonlight Monocle, but in case the yard is in darkness, here's a second roll for disadvantage: Perception 15.)

Movement: Move to the door to the balcony.
Action: Looking for minions of Granny Nightshade out the western door.
Free Action: Talking.  Item interaction - opening the door.

Concentration: Summon Beast

Immediately after Val's turn, the glittering fox (summoned beast) acts.

The fox is still "playing" with the rug.  It's now lying down on the rug and happily gnawing on the edge of the rug. 

Action: Attack, bite/gore: 20 (assuming advantage against the immobile rug), Damage: 7 (piercing) 

ilifir raises a single finger "i can do one big thing" he shrugs "and a lot of my tricks wont help against metal, but ill fight them if i have to" he grimaces "and every time i try to convince someone im something im not its like flipping a knife. how many times can you get heads in a coinflip?"

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

ilifir raises a single finger "i can do one big thing" he shrugs "and a lot of my tricks wont help against metal, but ill fight them if i have to" he grimaces "and every time i try to convince someone im something im not its like flipping a knife. how many times can you get heads in a coinflip?"

(OOC: I'm going to wait until we know what Valrieth saw outside the door to the balcony before Val votes.  I'm always happy if we can talk our way out of a fight, but like I said, that'll probably be harder now that we have Elkhorn and 7 of the children with us.  Fighting the tin soldiers as they try to get into the room could work as long as they don't have any effective ranged attacks.  If the garden looks clear, going to the workshop through the garden might be a good option.  But if we're going to end up fighting the tin soldiers anyway, I'd much rather face them here, where we can use the bottleneck of the doorway, versus in an open area, like the gardens.)

Outside the balcony is empty and beyond that is a garden with a variety of plants and fungi. There is also a pen for several goats and pigs. 

Val does not see any tin soldiers. 

The door begins to rattle as someone is trying to get into the room forcefully.

Quote from Weathervision >>

Outside the balcony is empty and beyond that is a garden with a variety of plants and fungi. There is also a pen for several goats and pigs. 

Val does not see any tin soldiers. 

The door begins to rattle as someone is trying to get into the room forcefully.

(OOC: How high is the balcony off the ground?  I know that we're not on the ground floor here, but is the balcony close enough to the ground that the children could just drop down to the garden safely?)

The balcony is only 5ft high

"Ah can try and keep 'em at bay, yes with some help." Finley says, watching the door start to rattle, "Company 'as arrived!"

Quote from Snievan >>

"Ah can try and keep 'em at bay, yes with some help." Finley says, watching the door start to rattle, "Company 'as arrived!"

"We make our stand here, then!  For the children!", Valrieth says.  She makes a little clicking sound with her mouth to get the sparkly green fox's attention and says something to it in Sylvan:

Then Val looks back out over the balcony and gesticulates precisely.  Near the southern end of the balcony, the dirt in a 5'x5' patch of ground suddenly moves, almost like flowing water.  Down to a depth of about 2.5', the dirt excavates itself and shifts to the side about 5', mounding up against the balcony and forming a sort of earthen ramp, 3' wide that goes from just about 1' below the level of the balcony down to the ground in the garden.  Val tells two of the children (Yevelda and Pogo), "If the tin soldiers manage to get past us, take the rest of the children down that ramp, into the garden, and to the door to the workshop.  We'll be right behind you." 

Then Val moves away from the door to the balcony and gets ready to attack the tin soldiers once they break down the door.

Movement: After she casts her spell, Val moves away from the door to the balcony about 5' and toward the southwest corner of the room.
Action: Cast spell Mold Earth to make an easier ramp for the children to leave the balcony in a hurry, if needed
Bonus Action: None
Free Action: Talking

Concentration: Summon Beast

Immediately after Val's turn, the glittering fox (summoned beast) acts.

The fox is still gnawing on the rug.  When it hears Val's command, it finally pops up and springs lightly over to the door next to Finley, ready to prevent the tin soldiers from pouring into the room.

Action: Attack, bite/gore: 18, Damage: 11 (piercing)
Movement: Move to stand in front of the door to the stairs, positioned so that it can bite anything that tries to come through the door and prevent it from moving into the room.  (Basically, the 5''x5' square just inside the door and a little to the north so that Finley has room to attack anything in the door too.

(OOC: Up to Aoife whether she wants to unlock the door and then move back when it opens or just wait until they break it down.)

Aoife waits for the soldiers to break in, standing back with her longbow ready to attack the first soldier. 

If we have enough time before they break through the door, Valrieth and her summoned beast will both ready attacks on the first tin soldier to appear in the doorway.

The door is smashed in by a tin soldier and it moves into attack. 

Combat 

Initiative

1. Aoife
2. Ilifir
3. Val
4. Tin Soldier 1
5. Tin Soldier 2
6. Tin Soldier 3
7. Finley
8. Tin Soldier 4
9. Tin Soldier 5
10. Tin Soldier 6

The tin soldiers in L9 are Tin Soldier 1

Round 1 post when able 

Val readied attacks go off injuring Tin Solder 1

The wolf token is Val summoned beast

ilifir sighs, knowing none of his spells would be useful here, and starts slinging needles at the closest tin soldier, meanwhile spike moves up to the door invisible and harries the tin solder who stepped in, helping finley get a clean shot

eldritch blast
10/7 15/8 and first to hit deals an additional 3 bludgeoning damage

spike: help finley attack

Quote from Weathervision >>

Val readied attacks go off injuring Tin Solder 1

(OOC: I realize that I never rolled for the readied attacks.)

Valrieth's readied action: Cast spell Produce Flame, 16, Damage: 8 (fire)

Fox / Bestial Spirit's readied action: Attack, bite/gore: 19, Damage: 9 (piercing)

Valrieth: Round 1

Valrieth throws a handful of fire at the first tin soldier who makes it inside the door.  She recommends to Finley, "Keep close to the fox so that they can't get past you!"  She really doesn't want to face more than one of these tin soldiers at once!  Seeing another tin soldier on the stairs just outside the door, she tries to shove it off the stairs.  

Movement: None.
Action: Cast spell Produce Flame and attack tin soldier 1, 9, Damage: 9 (fire)
Bonus Action: telekinetically shove tin soldier 2 (the one just outside the door).
  It must succeed on a STR 15 save or be moved 5 ft. away from Val.  (She's trying to knock it off the stairs and down to L7, though they might not be high enough to hurt it.)
Free Action: Talking.

Concentration: Summon Beast

Immediately after Val's turn, the glittering fox (summoned beast) acts.

The fox crouches low and, while the tin soldier is distracted by Finley's attack, leaps forward to bite it.

Movement: Remain in front and just to the north of the doorway.
Action: Attack, bite/gore: 23 (with advantage from Pack Tactics), Damage: 19 (piercing)

Edited: updating the post to see whether that fixes the "Dice rolls not yet available" messages.