After carefully descending down the narrow stairs, the group had almost reached the bottom. Sandru and Danicia stepped to the front to check the opening at the bottom of the stairs. They noticed two humans that were hung on hooks on the large door. A wall about 80 feet away separate them from the interior of the room. The wall went from floor to ceiling, only broken by two large doors in the center. Danicia stayed in the shadows while Sandru stepped out into the large open space. He was greeted by 4 arrows flying towards him, one of which hit home.
The group started moving, Danicia leading the way. The others followed, with Seoni flying into the room. Shots were fired at Sandru again but with his awareness he was able to avoid getting hit. The group gathered by the doors, looking for a way to open them. As they searched, boiling oil was poured on top of the two clusters of people by the doors. Fortunately they were able to dodge out of the way and make note of the arrow slits where the oil had fallen through.
Danicia and Sandru were unable to find a way to open the door, it was solidly sealed and appeared to be locked with a bar on the other side. Darsus called for others to join him and he could get some of the group to the other side. Sheliak, Sandru, and Cendrine moved next to him and he ‘ported them to the other side of the wall. Seoni was attempting to lift the humans off the hooks. The humans were barely hanging onto life as she lifted one and gently lowered them to the ground.
Danicia positioned herself to go in the door once it was opened from the other side. Darsus and the others moved inside a roofed portion of the room so Sandru could examine the lock mechanism. He attempted to life the bar, but it was too large for one person to lift. Seoni continued her rescue of the other human, and healing some of the wounds for both of them while the others worked against the enemy.
On a ledge of the wall, hobgoblins moved down to attack the group directly. The moved in orderly fashion, to attempt to get flanks. Darsus add strength to Cendrine and with her help, Sandru was able to lift the bar and open the door. Once the door was open, Danicia and Ulric rushed in to help with the battle.
Sandru moved to one pair of guards to attack. Darsus, Sheliak and Ulric joined him and they were able to successfully attack both of the guards. Danicia and Cendrine moved to the other two guards and began their attack. When Sandru saw that Darsus, SHeliak and Ulric were doing fine, he moved to the other two guards to work with Danicia for flank attacks. Seoni flew in and also helped out. Within a few rounds all four of the guards were unconscious or dead. One guard was tied up so he could be questioned later.
Darsus quickly healed everyone, including the two humans who had been impaled on the gate. They told them they were peasants who had been captured a few weeks ago. They had been made to work in a kitchen with the hobgoblins and prepare meals for Buto Futotsu, the Swine Shogun who ruled over the hobgoblins who guarded this entrance. The entire lair is the home of a oni who had been left behind when the others exited a gate some 75 years ago. The oni, Munasukaru, was one of the weakest oni of the Five Storms, known as Munasukaru the Least among her peers. To keep the kami in the forest outside from learning their plans, Anamurumon, the head oni of the Five Storms, commanded her to stay in the House of Withered Blossoms while the other oni fled using the kimon, a magical demon gate powered by living souls.
The two humans had been led around the level and they drew a crude map of the areas beyond this room. They knew of the building where the Swine Shogun but had never been allowed into it. They did know that there was supposed to be a path at the top of the building that led across the cavern to another path that went further down into the levels.
The group gave the two peasant directions to get outside and make their way to their caravan. They promised to provided news to the kami waiting there before they went to their homes. The group then turned to the last guard who had been healed enough to be conscious. They tried to question him, but he refused to answer, saying it would be better to die than betray Munasukaru. They were changing his restraints when he attempted to break free. He was quickly taken down and died.
The group explored the room and found two doors in the north. Sandru checked both rooms and fortunately his trap sense alerted them to not enter until he had disabled them. The rooms were empty with false doors on other walls. If they had entered either of the rooms, the door would have slammed and locked shut, leaving them with whirling blades for several rounds. The group prepared to go into the next room. The session ended here.