Horatio, unaware of Pud's attempt to assuage Granny, replies in a conversational tone, "What was your assassin's name, the short one in the jester's outfit? Do you recall? I met him recently..." 

Matilda opens the huge oven doors. The flames look back at her with coal-black eyes. The heat is intense.

"Zarak? That thugish cretin?" responds Granny to Horatio with a cackling laugh, "My apologies, dear. I assure you, he does not belong to me." She ignores Pud altogether, and looks right through Ben.

Removing her nightcap, she casually slips out of the dollhouse window and grows to her full size. She stands beside you, a short, thin, gnarled woman of medium stature. (As you recall, she is still swathed in a tattered dress with petticoats. Cracked white face paint plasters her features, with crimson splotches on her cheeks and thick mascara coating her sparse eyelashes. Underneath her makeup, her flesh is textured like rotten bark and infested with wood lice and fungus.)

"Children, children, children. It's clear you want something. What is it? Perhaps we can make a bargain. I could turn you all into worms, but that wouldn't be sporting. Tell me what you wish, and perhaps we can make a deal!"

-----

Cradefall continues to snooze in the grass, one wing over his eyes. Will remains where he is atop the log. He puts his finger to his lips to shush any conversation, and urgently pantomimes for Titaani to move away from Cradlefall, as well as the restless tree and the peeling rocking horse. Of course, in that direction lies the lazy river.

Horatio, recalling the horrific fight with the first Hag, steels his nerves, focusing his will. 

(( Reaction: Stone Rune ))

When a creature you can see ends its turn within 30 feet of you, you can use your reaction to invoke the rune and force the creature to make a Wisdom saving throw, DC 13. Unless the save succeeds, the creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature has a speed of 0 and is incapacitated, descending into a dreamy stupor. The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Titaani stifles a laugh of delight at Cradlefall's sudden sleepiness. Not noticing Will, Titaani spies the rocking horse nearby. 

'Didn't my sister say something about Granny flying on that horse?' she thinks to herself. 'Maybe I can sabotage it somehow.'

Titaani uses her movement to carefully walk around the restless tree and get to the rocking horse. Her action for this turn can go to Tiny, who will hold his action in case Granny attacks - if she does, he will swipe at her with his claws. 

Ben:

As Horatio invokes his rune, Ben shrugs and drops the house when the hag jumps right out of it.  Instead, he grabs the hag directly and moves to throw her into the oven!

Athletics if needed:  13

(Granny's DC13 WIS Save vs. Horatio: 7)

Matilda Helps Ben.

Granny glares at Horatio and puts up one long thin finger to waggle at him. "Don't try that on me, boy, or I'll..."

But just then, Ben tries to grab her. (Ben advantage roll: 25)

Granny: contesting Strength roll: 5 

She is immensely strong, but seems baffled by Ben's actions. "Who's there? Who's doing this?" she cries, seemingly not able to see Ben at all.

Ben and Matilda drag Granny into the hot oven. The flames seem to immediately relish her arrival. Granny immediately takes 9 fire damage, and Ben takes 14 fire damage. (Matilda remains just outside the door.)

"No, no, no no!" cries Granny at Matilda, ignoring Ben. "You vandalous barbarians! I'd almost rather burn than see my sisters, but..." She glances around in a panic, then vanishes abruptly, leaving Ben alone in the flames.

Titaani attempts to carefully walk around the restless tree toward the rocking horse. But the tree steps forward, menacingly, toward Titaani, waving its thick boughs and blocking her way. The rocking horse turns slightly and eyes her with round, painted eyes.

Will prepares to jump down and intercede, but holds back, waiting to see what will happen next.

Horatio grabs Ben, pulling him back and smothering the flames with his leather apron. "It's bad, hold on man, try not to scream. Can you still move?"

Ben:

Burned but still mobile as he is pulled from the flames, Ben scowls and says, “She vanished from my grasp—I don’t think she is still in there…But I also don’t think she could see me—this may be the best time for me to attack her directly.”

Ben draws the wicked sickle, looks for the hag and says, “Thanks, Horatio.”

Perception:  8

If he can hear/see where the hag might be, he heads that direction.

Matilda looks around carefully, " That was definitely weird.....I wonder what that was about.....she said about her sisters.  Do you think she went there?"

" Should we just set fire to this place and find Titaani?"

"Titaani first, the unicorn second. If we can take out the Dragon and her other protectors she'll have nothing to return to. Instead of burning it, we should set bunches of deadly traps within it. Including fire ones..."

Ben:

"Maybe...Let's all get back together and search this place thoroughly before we consider burning it--I know my weapons are here somewhere and there may be other hidden prisoners, lost items, or useful equipment here that we could use for the upcoming struggles.  Sune knows I could use a decent set of heavy armor and a stout shield before I engage in another mass combat," counsels Ben (as he looks around with that Perception check).

" We've already been pretty much through the whole place....the only other thing here is the dead girl and more of them soldiers. "

She began looking about in the kitchen for their equipment in the hope of getting them to leave as soon as possible.

Investigation- 4

Matilda half-heartedly kicks open a small cupboard, and a sturdy shield falls out of it. It's a dark metal shield that looks combat-ready, even if it has seen a lot of use.

Ben quickly finds more in there - a beautifully crafted longsword, as well as Ben's and Horatio's missing weapons.

There is no sign of Granny.

Ben:

Taking up the longsword and the shield, Ben offers the tiny magical sword to whomever wants it (that was his primary weapon before) then starts looking through additional cabinets for any further supplies.

“Has anyone seen Elkhorn?  He as supposed to come here while Horatio and I were still resting to tell you we had escaped,” Ben adds as he searches.

"Leave me alone, I have no quarrel with you," Titaani says to the tree stubbornly. "Let me pass." 

Persuasion if needed: 23

“I saw some footprints outside. They were on the other side of the creek by those psycho mushroom things. Looked like they were running away from this place. Maybe that was him?

Anyway, we gotta find Titaani. Not sure what happened after that loud boom. I lost her after that. I’m goman go check out the window!”

Pud turns around and hobbles off up the stairs towards Granny’s room.