Matilda manages to get a knife into Skabatha before racing up the stairway.

Then Horatio pushes her a second time toward the precipice behind her. She is very strong, but so is giant-sized Horatio. Contesting DC24 Athletics check: 14
(If she fails, I'll give her a DC15 Dex Save to hang on: 14 )

Skabatha goes over the edge, and into the void. 

"I never cared for her much, anyway," quips Endelyn with a shrug.

Then Pud launches a massive sphere of flame at her. She tries to step out of the way. DC16 Dex Save:14 or take 10 fire damage.

Titaani follows up with two balls of crackling energy, but both fly wide.

Ben is up next!

Ben:

”If there are demons about, we will deal with them,” says Ben as he circles around behind Endelyn, “But I have seen the depravity of you and your sisters already, and that has signed your death warrant.”

Around behind the foe, Ben slashes twice at the hag, fueling his strikes with the power of entangling vines!

Ensnaring Strike bonus action and two slashes with his Longsword.

(DC 14 Strength on Ensnaring Strike.  Allies within 10 feet of Ben get +3 on saves and take half damage from spells).

Longsword:  Attack: 22 Damage: 11

Longsword:  Attack: 20 Damage: 9

Both of Ben's slashes strike the gaunt puppeteer. She struggles against the entangling vines with surprising strength. DC14 STR check : 18 

"Ungrateful insolence!" mutters Endelyn, untangling herself. "You'll soon see that we are the true heroes of this situation. You should focus your violence on that damned jabberwock, not us!" 

Then she waves a hand and vanishes.

Combat is over. All is quiet, save for the soft roar of the storm vortex outside the hole. There are no signs of either hag.

"They always run away," Titaani huffs. "Anyway, do you guys want to check out what's upstairs?"

Feeling quite pleased with herself Matilda nods to Titaani, " Lead the way, Mademoiselle!"

"Are we going to ignore that they were waiting for us? I thought they were dead already, so how are they... not? Does that mean Skabetha isn't dead now? I just threw her out this tower!" Horatio asks. 

Matilda shrugged, " Didn't we need to do something with an eclipse for that one, and something else with the other?  To make them stay dead?"

" They're bad fairies.....I don't really know how any of this works."

Ben:

”Yes, it is frustrating they seem to not stay dead, or at least defeated and banished for years when we seem to have killed them,” says Ben.

”I don’t really feel confident in much of this either,” says Ben, “But let us keep exploring and working to restore the rightful Queen, hoping that she will be what is best for Prismeer—if nothing else, she gives life to this realm and will stop the slow dying of the land that is going on now.  Let’s keep moving.”

He follows Titaani up the stairs.

Pud quietly follows the rest of the gang up the stairs. He, too, is beginning to question what the heck is going on.

His mind races with the possibilities. Is what Endelyn said true? Are we caught up trying to free a greater evil? Is any of this gonna help us get home? Should we all just call it quits and find someplace to call home? His mind races and his anxiety begins to get the best of him.

He whistles for Rizzo to flutter over and do some tricks. She always has a way to help settle his nerves. 

"I'm just saying, didn't we come here for the things taken? Can't we just focus on those and then get out of this insane place? If these folks don't like the Hags so much, they can fight their own war over it like every other country does. If the Hags have what was taken, and they are tired of us kicking their butts, then maybe they'll make a deal. Give everything back and we leave." Horatio suggests. Then, as an after thought, he adds, "And burn down that carnival when we get home."

Ben:

”That’s true as far as it goes, Horatio, and I am keen to get back the lost part of myself as well.  Still, since coming here we have made friends and allies.  We have helped to free people, return their memories, even break some hag curses.  I have seen the damage the hags and their lackeys, the League of Malevolence, have done to this realm.  I trust the great tree and the unicorns when they tell us this world is dying because of the queen’s imprisonment,” responds Ben.

”If I have to forego being made whole in order to save Prismeer, that is a sacrifice I am prepared to make.  If this fey queen ends up being evil—in the unlikely event the hags are being truthful—we will deal with that as well.  As to the Carnival, we need to stop this barbaric practice of stealing pieces of people who don’t pay, though it would be nice to keep the carnival itself if we can,” he finishes.

Horatio shakes his head at Ben in disbelief. "I went to the carnival to set right the wrong they did me. This isn't that. This is a whole war we're fighting, a rebellion, and one that no one else is willing to die for. Paying taxes is a curse, so bad that if you can't pay them they haul you away in chains, sell everything your family owns, and indenture your kin. When we get home are you going to overthrow the dukes and princes over taxes? Of course not! We aren't soldiers Ben! Not a single person who actually lives here up in this cursed place is willing to fight this fight, but you want us to? Titaani is a child, a little girl Ben! You're saying we have to fight these peoples' war for them, and if we're wrong, then we have to fight their queen too? I hate bullies, but I've seen enough of this place to know this queen isn't the good guy. You know how I know? There aren't any good guys here, they're all bad! Ben, you are probably the best person in Prismeer right now! That Unicorn, with their magic and power, sent children to die fighting a Hag! If they loved their mate so much why didn't they come along and help? Fear? But not afraid to send us? These folks can't have it both ways, they can't say in one breath that this is a fight for their realm, but on the other say it isn't worth their own lives. There is a curse here Ben, and you can't fix it. The curse is the people. All of them. They're all messed up and they don't give a tick if we die fighting their fight. and If that isn't evil what is? I'm not leaving any of you behind. I'm not saying we aren't in this together. But this was never our war... and... and I don't want to see any of us die here. Not for this... not for a cause that no one else cares about. Picking between Hags or heartless queens, who cares? Let's just get what was taken and go home." He looks at Ben, then the others, water in his eyes. "I just don't want any of you to die..." He mutters, trailing off. 

While Horatio and Ben talk downstairs, Matilda and Titaani explore upstairs. 

A set of double doors lead off the landing above, topped with another marble cameo depicting a hart wearing a crown.
The stairs continue further upward.

" All the way up first....", Matilda urges heading past the door.

Ben:

"The ladies seem to have gone upstairs.  Shall we follow?" asks Ben of Horatio.  "I understand your points and I can't say you are wrong in any of it.  Still I am hopeful that we can both stay alive and do some good along the way.  In any case, we should stick together," he adds, heading up the stairs.

Horatio follows, sullen, but understanding the need to move forward. 

Pud looks up and shields his eyes, trying to look up ahead to see how far these stairs go and if he can see anything lurking above.

Perception check: 10

He looks over the rail to see if he can spot Horatio, Ben or Elkhorn. He casts message to let them know what’s going on.

”Guys, can you hear me? Don’t freak out, it’s just me, Pud. Listen, I’m following the girls. I’ll send Rizzo if something bad happens.”