Split the Party

Bandit or demon, human or beast, none of it made any difference. The bandits had made this a situation of predators and prey. Only living mattered. Everything else was nothing more than an afterthought.

Not every situation has a perfect solution; often, you just have to take your pick from the array of poor choices spread out before you.

All plans eventually fell apart; it was in their nature. Reality never complied with expectations, and one who expected plans to be pulled off perfectly was often left unprepared when chaos overtook the calculated order.

A little here, a little there, and soon the impossible could be made to take shape.

In comparison to the multitude of plans that had been hatched throughout the history of their world, it was not a great one. In comparison to the ones created just in that year, it still fell pretty far short. In comparison to the drunken ravings of men soaked through with mead about how they would slay a dragon and become the new king, however, it was downright coherent.

A paladin's life may be beyond me, but I can have a paladin's death.

With a scream that would make the very specter of death shrink back, Gabrielle raised her axe and charged.

He was a firm “one catastrophe at a time” kind of wizard.

No one knows what they will do in a moment of crisis until they live through it

One last problem to solve and they could get back to the others. Even if Grumph died undergoing the trials, he would do so without regret. After all his years alone, he again had people he loved enough to risk his life for. This was what it meant to have a party. This was what it meant to have a family.

but I’d advise that we all brace for the worst rather than allow ourselves to succumb to optimism’s siren song.” “Why