Rhanloi's Romp Through the Sword Coast

Manfred’s eyes narrow, and he starts whispering, whispering... (He can cast Dissonant Whispers without line of sight - and he’s casting it on the woman who stole his lute. DC14 WIS ST for half damage and to avoid fleeing. 16 Psychic Damage)

Manfred mixes magic with his angry whispering at the one who stole his lute! (DC14 Wis: 14)
The red-haired woman (Syleen) calls out from the southern room, "Enough! Runa, give the runt his lute. You want to mess with the dragon, you go right ahead. There's easier pickins east of here anyways...we'll just leave you alone." Jabarl steps back, keeping his longsword pointed down but in a defensive posture, and both Syleen and Runa lower their crossbows. Runa ducks back behind the wall, then emerges a moment later with Manfred's instrument. She will slowly limp towards the bard and hold it out for him to take. "Say you're sorry..." Syleen urges.
"Sorry..." the big woman says, sounding every bit like a sullen child scolded by her mother.

(The thugs are offering to end combat and leave the gatehouse - do you accept? If not, I will count Perkas' attack, which will trigger shots from the two women bandits.) 

Round 3(con't): Perkas(-11) ~ Penumbra(-13) ~ Jabarl(-21) ~ Wakka(-8) ~ Brakkis(FF)(-55) ~ Manfred(-0) ~ Syleen(-0) ~ Runa(FF)(-44)

Manfred takes back his lute, running his hands over it to make sure it wasn’t damaged in the few moments it was out of his possession...

’I have my lute back, and an apology. I say we let them go - they’ve learnt their lesson I hope.’

Perkas mumbles to her closest companions. "They aren't bad fighters either, could use their assistance possibly." 

She coughs and says a but louder, "uh Sorry about your companion."

(Is Brakkis unconscious at this stage, rather than dead? If so, Manfred casts Healing Word for 6hp)

(He could certainly be unconscious and was bleeding out, but Manfred can save him =)

‘I don’t want to see someone pay the ultimate price for a misunderstanding...’ says Manfred and, focussing on the fallen Brakkis, he speaks a word of power, resonant with light and life, which wraps around the fallen form, invigorating it.. (To the tune of 6hp)

"'Misunderstanding'?  I don't know how much clearer one can be by saying 'knock out these idiots, take their stuff, and roll 'em down the hill already'!" Wakka replied angrily to Manfred, mimicking the voice of the red-haired woman as he repeated her earlier comment.  "Do you think if they caught weaker prey that they would've stopped!?!  I don't think a simple apology is going to cut it in my book I'm afraid."  He said as he gave the enemy group a cold stare, a rather sharp change from his usual carefree attitude.  His shield continuing to hover by his side and his sword still drawn, he continued, "Since you're the one's surrendering, we get to make the terms... and my friend over here just had a wonderful idea..." a wicked smile spreading across his face as the thought came to him.  "Help us stop this dragon and you're debt to us is paid.  What say you?"   

"We can't trust these brigands. I say we take all their stuff, it's probably all stolen anyway." Penumbra growls keeping her blades at the ready and trying not to show how hurt she is.

Penumbra gauges their reactions to the discussion hoping to get some idea of what they are thinking.

insight: 23

Penumbra:

The red-haired woman looks at Wakka, and then Penumbra, her face returning to an angry set when you don't seem inclined to accept her offer of a peaceful parting. The other two clearly seem to want to continue the fight...

Runa downs a potion and throws the empty bottle on the ground in front of Wakka. "So - we gonna finish this or what, boss?"

Manfred shrugs helplessly. ‘My friends and colleagues are in a less forgiving mood than I am, but I suspect we’ve all seen enough blood for one day. Perhaps if you were to, umm, recompense us for the emotional distress and...’ he looks pointedly at Brakkis ‘bringing you back from the brink of death, they might be more willing to allow you to leave - perhaps to seek gainful employment, yes...?’

Persuasion: 27

Perkas not putting down her crossbow that is ready to fire listens and waits for the next move. 

holding action till the opposite side makes a move against us then using the previous roll like rhanloi said to fire.

(Up to you, Wakka and Penumbra...it's like watching the news! 8-D

"I don't like this one bit..." Wakka sighed in frustration as he pulled out a potion of his own.  "But we have bigger fish to fry than the likes of you.   Leave.  Now.  In fact, leave this entire region; I've heard the south is quite nice this time of year.  If we see or hear from any of you again, well, I'm not sure you'll like the outcome..."    he shared, ready to move at the slightest hint of aggression from them.

• Holding an action to drink a healing potion should things get violent once again.

"You're lucky my friends are so nice." Penumbra says keeping her swords ready but stepping aside to let the others leave.

The four bandits look like they want to grab a few things from the back room but think better of it, instead grabbing their horses and walking them out of the guardhouse. They are surprisingly quiet and cautious as the ride down the trail - the threat of a dragon being nearby and being out in the open weighing more on their minds than their defeat. 

You quickly investigate the rest of the gatehouse structure, finding nothing of value:

H7. Stone Bridge, Iron Bell

This solid stone bridge spans the 35-foot gap between the gatehouse and the main fortress, 50 feet above the trail that passes underneath it. The bridge is edged by 3-foot-high stone railings.

Mounted to the fortress wall north of the door is an iron bell with a short, rusty chain dangling from it. The door stands ajar, its crossbar broken. Damage to the door suggests it was forced open at some point.

Perkas follows suit backing up but crossbow ready. As they pass her she will say to them "You could also be a bit nicer to your horses. Don't let me hear that hasn't been the case next time we cross paths."

‘Who’s hurt?’ Manfred asks, checking his companions..

(Medicine: 5)

Taking a deep breath (Using the "Psionic Power: Recovery" feature), Wakka replied as he sheathed his sword and shield and began touching the spot where the crossbow bolt had hit him, "Nothing a quick rest wouldn't cure."    

(OOC: Wakka is relatively fine and could heal up with a short rest.  If we continue forward right away, he's probably fine without healing for the time being)

"I'm not doing so well, that thug knows how to handle that blade of his." Penumbra says in response to Manfred's query.