I wonder if anyone else has noticed this. I have just completed a solo game, not the first one I have managed, but all the other games were with a Faerie (can't think why!). This time I used a solo female human. I noticed that throughout the game the critters I faced were far tougher than with multi party or solo faerie (berserkers and slashers in Arnika, Oozites in Swamp, and prismic stuff on the peak with 6 million worth of experience). Is this a querk of the game, Faeries get an easier ride, or does anyone know of another reason?

there are many factors, mostly luck, and also your level when the game spawns. You may have entered each Zone one or more levels higher than you were used to. I've been all the way through the game 61 times now (and as far as Ferro more than 100), and these differences are common. One game i may see only the two fixed Hogars, for example, and in another they may be everywhere.

I did wonder about levels and spawning, but the only difference with this game was that I held back on my level ups in the monastery prior to the initial trek to Arnika. I saw monsters in this game I had never, or very rarely, seen before, at every location.