This strikes me as a strong example of E-Merl’s tendency to do great feats of heroism while somehow holding onto his self-image as a screw-up who can’t do anything right.

Yes, E-Merl, you are the only one who sees that flaw in that plan. If E-Merl hadn’t raised the objection he did, the overstressed, desperate Bandit and Scipio could’ve inadvertently let the Madness spread to the capital. And that could have been game over for all but the most isolated pockets of humanoid life. (Of all the civilizations, Asallah En-Qu’Lara would have the best survival odds. But we will see in this battle that berserkers are capable of wielding magick when the host is practiced at it, as if by reflex action. So, uh… those odds would still be well under 50%.)

Dozens are dead. Hundreds more may soon die. But E-Merl’s quick thinking, and shouting back against his more impressive colleague, may’ve just saved everyone else everywhere.

Hurry up with the running, though, man. The tide’s turning: Rabbit is not at his best in a melee.