Crossbow in hand, the bandit smirked as her quarry brought his cart to a halt, and her two companions slid out of the shadows on either side. The brawler on the right hefted her club menacingly, the amazonian woman ready to pound the bard flat in the seat of his carriage, while the elven swordswoman on the left cast a small charm to render his horse docile.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting three fine ladies?" The Bard said.

"Ah great, a cocky one," The Brawler sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Well, you owe us any valuables you have. Gold, silver, that sort of thing," The Bandit said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Alas, my dear, all I have is my instruments. My Lute, for instance," The Bard said, producing the stringed instrument from behind himself.

It was completely unremarkable, a plain red thing, the paint a little faded, the design nothing spectacular. It was just a relatively cheap looking lute, in decent overall condition but clearly not the most valuable of items around.

"That ratty little thing? Don't you have anything useful?" The Swordswoman growled.

"Oh, but this Lute is very useful, ladies...." The Bard smirked, and strummed it just once.

And in an instant the sound rendered the Bandit's mind foggy. The crossbow dipped as her arms felt heavy, and she swayed on her feet. The Swordswoman dropped her blade with a clang on the dirt road, while the Brawler wobbled, struggling to hold up her club under the sudden lethargy and weakness washing over her.

"What did..."

A few more strings plucked, notes played, and the power of the lute drove itself deep into their minds. The Brawler fell to her knees, the Bandit struggled to stand as she dropped her bow, and the Swordswoman's eyes rolled back in her head as she stumbled down into a sitting position.

"Guh..." The Bandit managed to say as she stood there, the music locking up her consciousness.

And with one last strum, the Bard ended his song, the trio of thieves now blank-eyed, struggling to think, struggling to stand.

"Now.... How about you give me those weapons and anything else valuable you have? Gold, silver, that sort of thing..." The Bard grinned, as the three entranced women themselves became victims of a highway robbery instead.