I got to the stronghold, and I was told a wizard is under siege and needs urgent help. I go there, and it's almost one hit kills on all of my guys.
So I continue the main quest and take part in some ritual in the sewers of the first large city. Quest then tells me to go to the sanitarium, where I get ambushed in the north ward again, by things that just steamrolls all of my people.
The wizard thing, ok, you could escape from that, but the ward ambush has no warning, no escape.
Imo, that's bad game design. Now I just have to re-load and walk straight out of there and try to level somewhere else? What fun is that?
I see the story now... the hero went all the way down in the the sanitarium to investigate, and just when he reached his goal, he stopped and turned around, and went out and grinded some mobs for a few levels.
Sorry. Had to vent a bit. This is truly old-school because you don't design a game like this these days. Or did I miss something obvious?