Kethra redirects the attack from the bandit in melee, and using a technique called 'doubling' she makes the bandit go off-balance and positions her sword between his weapon and his body, controlling the bandit's weapon then striking a blow (non-lethal, assuming 7 damage is enough to take him).

Sword to-hit: 24 Damage: 7

What devil got into you fools...

Kethra's mind flashes back to her own master many years ago, striking down grave robbers in one strike and scoffing at them. To those watching, Kethra's movements begin to mimic a different posture, and her own voice taking a old, gruff timbre as she catches the fallen bandit by the hair and addresses him to the face.

"What devil got into you fools? The cut is shallow, pray that it is enough to cleanse your soul. Speak rightly, that you might be spared in the name of justice!"

She does not wait for an answer as she roughly drops the bandit to the ground, knocking him out. With her red eyes, gruff Kethra sets her sights on the remaining two bandits with a smirk.

(I still have my bonus action. Would 40 feet of movement be enough to catch up to one of the other bandits?)

Kethra drops the bandit's unconscious body to the ground.

(Yes, you can catch up to one of them)

Rubin shoots at the remaining bandits. he would concentrate fire on one until it goes down...

Attack: 10 Damage: 4

Bonus Attack: 9 Damage: 9

Rubin drops both of the remaining ones before Kethra can get there.  You’re out of combat, and have one of the bandits as a prisoner.  He’s currently unconscious, but you could try to wake him up.

Rubin stands guard duty as the others start going through the bodies for whatever they have on them.

Jairus binds the surviving bandit with rope after removing the bandits weapons and armor, then aids Rubin with looting the dead bandits.

If needed:  Perception    7   Investigation    18

"Good thinking, keepin' one of 'em breathin', Kethra," Jairus says as he goes about his work.  "Somebody want to ask these guys what their deal is?  Could be they're just highwaymen, but might be they have some link to the cultists, or at least know somethin'."  

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

"Perhaps we should take away his weapons and tie him up before we bring him around for questioning, just to be on the safe side." Tyde moves closer to the prisoner and tries to look imposing in case he wakes up early.

 "I'm taking care of that,  getting him disarmed and good and tied up, I guess you'd best be ready to talk to this one when he comes to," Jairus says.  

You find 8 gold pieces on the corpses.

Jairus ties up the bandit, and he eventually begins to come around.  He seems groggy, but also a bit terrified.

"Wh . . .huh . . .oh.  I assume you want to know what the hell we were doing here?  And I get to live if I tell you?"

He sounds somewhat hopeful, but also like he's half expecting you to slit his throat anyways.

Jairus shrugs, looking indifferent as to the man's fate.  "You were the lucky one Blacksmith here clobbered instead a'killin', so might be your luck gonna hold out and get you outta this," Jairus says.  "Slittin' throats of tied up folk ain't very heroic-like, neither.  How 'bout you start talkin'?"

Davian paces in an arc in front of the captive to enhance any attempt to intimidate him, growling deeply at any movement made.

The bandit blinks, then shrugs.

"Got no idea about any cult, I signed on with Jolliver Grimjaw's mercenaries in Rivergard Keep.  Said there'd be loot and good pay, didn't ask any questions after that."

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

Rubin drops both of the remaining ones before Kethra can get there.  You’re out of combat, and have one of the bandits as a prisoner.  He’s currently unconscious, but you could try to wake him up.

Kethra drags in the bodies of the two fleeing bandits to the rest of the party to be looted, referring to them by their code names. "Nice shots...Dwarf?"

She looks over the obviously human Rubin, raises one eyebrow and slooowly nods. "...nice shots, Dwarf."

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

The bandit blinks, then shrugs.

"Got no idea about any cult, I signed on with Jolliver Grimjaw's mercenaries in Rivergard Keep.  Said there'd be loot and good pay, didn't ask any questions after that."

Among the intimidating group of adventurers crowded around the bandit, the one barbarian that felled him suddenly drew her sword and pointed it towards his throat. Unlike the calm, controlled voice she used to address him earlier, this girl is ready to explode.

"You--You better talk. The men who killed the great Master Stormwind--May her soul rest in peace!--and took our town's sacred treasure, The Silver Watchtower, also called upon the name Jolliver Grimjaw! I promised by this very sword that I would avenge her blood!"

Her sword shaking and clattering from the nerves of what she's about to do, she breathes in, clenches her teeth and shallowly pricks her sword of oaths against his neck.

"What kind of mercenaries would draw their swords on whoever came by their camp on the road...tell me everything. Tell me your orders, tell me what's at Rivergard Keep, and how to get in there...or I promise you, your life ends on a shallow grave right here, just like the ones I saw by Feathergale Keep!"

The bandit blinks.

"Uh.  We were told to camp here.  I don't know nothin' about any Stormwind or Silver Watchtower.  As to getting in . . ."

He pauses and thinks for a moment.

"Tell ya what.  I obviously got mixed up in something I don't want to be in, what with you mentioning cults and Stormwinds and whatnot.  What d'ya say I take you to the Keep?  Can try to get you in saying you're new recruits, although I might get some questions about where the rest of my group is.  If not, well, the front gate's well guarded, as is the water gate.  Can't see you having much luck just charging straight in.  Or just ask the guards about recruitment without me, that might actually seem less suspicious.  Up t'you."

"Are they often recruiting?"  Rubin asks from his position keeping watch.

The bandit shrugs.  "Always, I think."

The bandit shrugs again.  "If you’re worried about me warning them, I won’t.  My head is worth more than whatever they’d pay me, and if they’re mixed up in a cult I’d get out at the first opportunity anyways.  If you let me go I’d hoof it in the opposite direction and never look back."

(Sorry, was there a wait for me? My life got kind of hectic, sorry sorry so much!)

Kethra grip tightens momentarily, backs off, then knocks him out with the butt end of her sword.

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

Tyde looks to Kethra, "What do you think? Should we try and sneak in as recruits or maybe sneak in some other way? It might be worth trying to keep our true intentions secret from them."

Looking back at their prisoner, "And what should we do with him?"

Stabbing her bloodied sword into the ground beside her, Kethra immediately sits cross-legged in front of the bandit and looks at him intently, thinking about what he said.

Insight, to tell if he's planning to stab us in the back if we cooperate: 21

"Sorry for the little outburst, but I need a moment."

If Kethra trusts the bandit,

 If Kethra doesn't trust the bandit,

After that, Kethra will go back to sitting on the ground, gently tugging on Jairus' leg as he passes by, "I went against what you said. I wasn't very..heroic. But as soon as I heard 'Jolliver Grimjaw' my ears got so hot and I suddenly remember everything I felt....those *&%$% who left my Master for dead...laughing as they took off!"

"I'm..I'm sorry."

(Edit: I hope I didn't roll another nat 20 on a skill check that wasn't needed! Cuz this would be like, the 3rd time in this campaign TT)

Kethra, you're pretty sure this bandit just wants to GTFO.

He sighs in relief.

"Thank ye, miss.  I won't get under yer hair."

Kethra nods in relief to Mr. Tyde's sagely advice.

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

Kethra, you're pretty sure this bandit just wants to GTFO.

He sighs in relief.

"Thank ye, miss.  I won't get under yer hair."

"Wait. I was just proposing an idea to my companions." She sits him back down and starts asking him questions, slowly and one by one. "You still haven't answered why you pulled swords on us on sight. Were you expecting trouble? The monsters those two make their weapons from (reavers), are they nearby? What city did you come from? And tell me the name of one of your friends...the priest looking man, so we can let them know if they ask who sent us."

"And since we're letting you live, you have to give us something in return," the white haired girl briefly looks to the side and back, "What's your best fish recipe?"

The bandit blinks in confusion.

"I dunno, they all started drawing weapons so I did too.  No clue what his name was, everyone just called him sir."  He pauses in confusion once more, scratching his beard.  "My best . . .huh?  Who needs a recipe for cooking fish?  Stick it on a stick and put it over the fire till it’s not raw anymore, that’s good enough for me."