I meant this as a six-member adventuring party (breaking with our “party of five” tradition as the Champions did), and it pretty much is, but either Flo or John decided that we needed a little more crew to actually pilot this vessel along with the named adventurers riding it. Especially if they’re all going to be throwing their hands in the air like that on departure.

So, remember how I said we’d see a splitting of the party into retirees and those still adventuring? The Bandit sequence and this one have now finalized that split. Byron, Syr, and Gravedust have settled into government, with Gravedust also leading his people, Byron doing so just for now, and Syr’Nj pursuing other interests while in line to take over from Faer one day. Fr’Nj and Scipio were basically retired from adventuring before, just coming back briefly for the war, and their roles at B’ial Vezk suit them better. Frigg and E-Merl now have their training venture. Only Bandit, Best, and Sundar—and their new gangs—are still full-timing as adventurers.

Best, for his part, may continue exploring the world for the rest of his life, with brief visits home to look in on old friends and share the knowledge he’s gained. He’ll be a hero where and when it’s called for. And if that means he’ll get a lonely grave in some underexplored corner of the world, that might still be a life well-lived.

FB: Although Best is primarily a singer and guitarist, he has learned how much a band’s performance can benefit from the use of horns.

(Image by JonBeanHastings.)