Out of Character: I should get bonuses for this as the halfling should off guard.
In Character: Thane wastes no time,he knows they will not be bargained with so he let's loose his arrow to shut up the halfling and then looks for the other surrounding archers before they can get in more arrows. He shouts, "Kill them or we will be killed!".
Ardo realizing that the end is pretty much near decides to go out swinging. Just hoping he has done enough for Bleredd to earn a spot in his afterlife. With a heft of his Warhammer he tosses it at one of the Halfling archers near the woods and screams to his companions "Let's fight in the forest where they can not get clear shots on us and maybe we can lose them." Ardo makes sure he is going towards the Halfling farthest from the 2 evil clerics.
Out of character: I have a single cure light wounds left which I will save for myself when I get wounded.
Drethen will fire his arrow and then head for some cover to make him a lesser target. He will shoot at the halflings or any other target that presents itself. First attack will be to the Halfling that was talking.
.
Delgar shakes his head in despair and follows ardo into the woods trying to stick close to the priest pulling out his sling as he goes hoping to find some cover either a tree or the armored cleric in front of him.
Jonathon forward and tries to get between the halfing and the adventurers which rescued him, though making sure to avoid the attacks that had already been let loose while hoping to prevent others, before saying loudly, "Stop, stop! Please, there is no need for conflict." He would hope not to get attacked, and that the risk he was taking would pan out.
Looking to Thane, Ardo, Drethen, Delgar, and any others he says, "There is so many for you to fight, there is too great danger of death. Do not continue the attack!" He would bite his lip, looking from them to the the halfing before sighing.
Hoping that this wouldn't turn into a warzone, he would direct his attention to the halfing that seemed in charge, "Please, if you hold return fire, I would like to make a counter offer." He would give a look that showed he was serious in finding a non-violent resolution to this conflict that wouldn't get people killed, and he may have an idea in how to do so.
He would also focus some attention on the clerics, thinking on whether or not he could recognize their deity and have information that could be used in planning a strategy.
Edited: Thomaslee on 20th Jan, 2016 - 1:01am
Thane lets his arrow fly at the halfling and sets off a flurry of action. The halfling fully expected Thane to attack. Why else would he have had his bow out with an arrow nocked and pointed in his direction? However, he wasn't agile enough to avoid the first shot which grazed his shoulder and drew a thin line of blood.
Running towards the woods, Thane's second shot flies wide and misses the mark.
Ardo and Drethen, taking their queue from Thane, both let their attacks fly. Ardo's hammer sails wide and Drethen's first shot on the halfling in the road also misses. His second shot at one of the halflings hiding in the trees hits its mark but again, just grazed the nimble thief.
Delgar ducks behind one of the other characters and makes his way towards the woods while their new-found companion, Jonathon, attempts to make peace with the bandits.
After Thane's first shot, the bandits react by showering the group with a hail of arrows. Once their attacks are complete, only Drethen and Ilthin are left standing having avoided the arrows either through dexterity, armor protection, or shear luck.
Neither of those three things helped Drethen as Nore deftly plucked the dagger from Delgar's scabbard and knocked him out from behind with the handle.
This left Ilthin who, seeing he was out matched and didn't have much choice, laid down his weapons and gave up to the bandits.
"I see somebody still has some reason." Says the first halfling from the road. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Hasselwhite, at your service." He says with a low bow.
The rest of the halfings begin gathering up the items stolen from their lair while the two clerics pick up Thane's unconscious body and carry him off.
Ilthin asks, "So, now that you have us, what are you going to do with us?"
"Oh, don't worry." Hasselwhite answers. We are bandits, not murderers. Well, except for those two, maybe." He says with a nod to the clerics. The clerics had already moved far enough away so that they didn't hear his comment or, having heard it ignored him.
"As for me and my friends, we just want what's ours and to remind you that whatever you do may come back and bite you. I know we are bandits and we may pick up the odd thing we find along the road, but when you start to do, what most would consider evil, evil tends to find you. I think the elves call it 'karma'. I'm sure your friend will soon find out. I understand the ritual the clerics want to perform is not pleasant and will turn him into something of a zombie.
"And, in the name of karma, we should take your other friend's little finger. But, he would probably just get a cleric to regenerate it as my two friends will as soon as we get back."
He then orders his group to strip the party of their clothes and all of their belongings when they see a patrol from the keep come into view.
With a light hearted sigh, Hasselwhite turns to Ilthin and says, "Speaking of karma, it must be your lucky day." With that, he flashes a hand sign and the halflngs, along with Nore, gather their things and quickly disappear into the woods.
Ilthin quickly wakes everybody up and it doesn't take long for you all to realize the arrows that the halflings used had bulbous rounded arrow heads instead of sharp razors or blades. It appears they were designed to subdue rather than kill.
That is correct. They were chased off by the patrol before they had a chance to take anything more than their own stuff.