As Mareth began to sing, the bandits rushed forward to strike at the paladin, a few of them able to hit her through small cracks in her armor.  While their daggers weren't particularly good weapons, it was clear that the paladin was having significant trouble holding them all off at once.  Lisa however, perhaps worried by Mareth's warning, stepped back to let the bandits handle Melany.<br/><br/>The paladin herself, after being caught off-guard by the initial rush of attackers, managed to surge at one of the bandits, her sword cutting deep and delivering a serious wound, but not enough to keep him from fighting.<br/><br/>Seeing Melany's attack, Sylvia rushed up to try and grapple with the paladin, making her an easier target for the bandits to attack - and hopefully capture.  She wasn't successful in getting any sort of grip on her, but she at least distracted Melany enough to give the bandits more chance to strike at her weaknesses.  Ivy, however, had slipped away somewhere, Mareth losing track of her in the commotion of the battle.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">DM notes</div><div class="spoiler_body">Initiative:<br/>Ivy<br/>Sylvia<br/>Mareth<br/>Bandits 3, 4 (3: -6)<br/>Lisa<br/>Bandits 1, 2<br/>Melany (-39)</div></div>