Immersive Ink

Aldbane will meet the charge with his hammer.

Franklin stays back from the melee. If he gets a clear shot with his sling (without danger of friendly fire) then he takes it.

Rhod wades right in to the fight. He's getting tired of extortion as well.

Maloof turns about and moves up near the turn in the stairs, ready to ambush the two ruffians from upstairs if they come down.

Rough idea of combat

Bottom of stairs: [Rhod F2] [Grampus Dw2]
On the stairs: [Aldbane C2] [Wodan hench]
Higher on the stairs: [Wiglaff E1] [Maloof C1]
Still higher: [Marco foot] [Edgar lantern]
Still Higher: [Vesh Mu1] [Aiden torch]
Still Higher:[Mona foot] [Nori hench]
At the landing: [Phillippe porter] [Franklin H1]+[Sconces dog]
At the landing: [Ori hench] [Dori hench]

I will rule people on the stairs can fire bows IF THE PARTY WINS INITITIVE else they would be firing into melee

I would let Aldbane slide in front with the other two
Ori and Dori will guard from above/. I will let Maloof make his way back, but he will disrupt anybody trying to fire this turn

If the party loses initiative, Wiglaff will not fire into the melee, but will wait and fire if any of the brigands break through the party's rank & approach him.

Franklin senses he will not be able to contribute to this round of fighting, and so he turns his attention to guarding the landing. He keeps lookout in case the party is attacked from above.

Wiglaff, Franklin and Maloof get off a quick round of missile fire and the leader goes down! The others rush the stairs, where a 3-on-3 duel takes place, one enemy hanging back for lack of room. An indecisive exchange happens, but Aldbane's foe, and Rhod, are both injured.

Sconces stiffens, and points up the stairs. Ori and Dori see the two men they just paid their toll to, coming down the stairs with swords drawn!

There is a 3-on-3 melee at the foot of the stairs, one man out of combat, and two coming down the stairs from above. Maloof and Wiglaff could missile fire the one hanging back.

What does everybody do?

Maloof will take a shot with his sling at the foe who's back out of the melee.