Rhane:

Rhane will follow as soon as the front line warriors are down.  He has his looted crossbow ready to fire should any foes present themselves.

Balassar, you drop into the room below.

The aftermath of the explosion is clear around you; the air is still hot, and the walls bear black marks. The room itself is twenty feet by thirty, and across the middle are barricades that are holding together, but are probably not as sturdy as they were twenty seconds ago. Behind them, you see five brigands turn with varying degrees of readiness and surprise at your arrival. 

One - the one closest to the exit - shouts out in common: "Halt! Let us speak!"

You would all have heard this clearly. If Balassar starts a fight, we will go into initiative. If not, you have time and opportunity to drop down into the room, if you wish.

Alton shouts back down, "Oh now you want to talk. That didn't seem to be an option when we first showed up."

Balassar just looks in the direction of the voice “Did you just want to talk with the family whose house you all burned down?”

Rhane:

During the admittedly hostile conversation, Rhane comes down the ladder with his crossbow loaded and ready to go.  He backs up Balassar, saying simply, “I am with you.”

"You've killed a few of us. Perhaps you'll kill a few more before we end you. Perhaps there's a way to avoid that. What do you want?" The man's tone is calm, not friendly, but not aggressive either - his manner is one of someone stating facts.

Darren arrives in the room at the base of the ladder. Picking up bits of the conversation as he descends into the room. “I’ll follow your lead guys.” He says quietly to Alton and Balassar. They are after all the reason he’s here in the first place. 

Expecting a fight to probably break out, Alton heals himself up a bit with cure wounds for 13 points. He'll also be the last one down the ladder giving them a thumbs up and whispering to the group, "Either they are stalling for time, or do intend to make a bargain. Either way I'm ready." 

Balassar just nods to his companions “We needed more fodder for the traps anyway.” He just smirks slightly as he advances forward with his shield in front of him “Maybe we can use this lot to take the meat puppet act on the road. Do the same thing to you all that we did to your buddies upstairs.”

OOC:

Intimidation check: 19

Initiative: 13

Balassar, what's your intention with the intimidation - to make them back down and talk, or get the jump on them as you start a fight?

mostly to hopefully impact the future battle that’s clearly about to happen, but if it gets some of them to lay down their arms entirely would be good as well.

Darren tightens his grip on his sword and follows closely behind Balassar. 

"Stay back, fool" the man says, tone rising in - perhaps anger, perhaps fear. "You're not here for bodies. Or," and with some surprise he now notices Rhane among you, "are you here for him? Take the useless sod, for all I care. But I warn you - don't interfere any further. Not if you want to live long, happy lives."

Some of the others look at Balassar and Darren nervously, but don't appear ready to switch sides.

Darren whispers quietly to Balassar, “We did come here to end the threat of these bandits to the town right?”

(I can’t remember the name of it right now but Darren uses the name instead of “the town”)

(Feltyr, if you're speaking of the town you were in before heading here, but you would know that these brigands have caused trouble over quite a wide area).

Balassar stands with his weapon already in hand, the blade gleaming with a deadly promise. His voice, when he speaks, is a cold, guttural growl.

"You think you can threaten me?" he snarls, looking at the man with predatory eyes. "You don’t know fear—but you will." He takes a step forward, his massive form casting a shadow that seems to swallow the light. "If you value your life—if you value the breath in your lungs—you’ll run. Because if you stay, I’ll carve through you and your men without hesitation. Your screams will echo long after your bodies are forgotten."

He tightens his grip on his weapon, the air around him seeming to grow heavier, suffocating with the promise of violence. "So decide now—surrender like the cowards you are… or die knowing you were foolish enough to challenge a dragonborn."

"Kill them!" the man shouts.

Some of the brigands ready their weapons to attack. One or two a little more hesitantly than the others. We shall see how that plays out.

Everyone roll initiative please.

Rhane:

”In my experience, those who count on their race to inspire respect do so only because they have little else worthy of it,” Rhane says as he prepares to loose his first crossbow bolt.

(Initiative:  21)

Darren initiative: 14

Alton smirks, "I think it is more for intimidation rather than respect in this case." He says as he readies his hand crossbow.

Initiative: 8