A month of severance per year? In Alberta you can terminate any employee as long as you give sufficient notice or pay in lieu. And for 5 years of service that is 4 weeks pay - the maximum is 8 weeks! That doesn't sound like a large severance package to me... (Full list at http://employment.alberta.ca/SFW/1474.html) I don't that any of the other provinces vary too significantly. I'd still stand by taking the job if it is necessary and starting the search for the next technical job while still employed.

I second this - it is exactly what happened to me. I was moved so that they could retain me post outsourcing. The wanted to keep senior technical knowledge, but the only slots they were allowed to keep on the org chart were managerial ones. It took 6 months for me to realize that I hated every second of my day in management and leave. I am back to a technical role in another company and loving it. You may be safest to accept the new role and start looking... After going up the ranks like that in one company you are probably comparitively underpaid anyway. Movement between companies, even in this market, is too often needed for equitable compensation increases.

How is 10-12 hours of play not a good bargain for $20? And as for the character development, it is entirely up to you how you build your character out. Magic is certainly not a big role for my (now dead) main character. Hardcore also adds a "fun" dimension to the game that I love.

My understanding is that they only sold the rights to the first 5 years - and are past that point now...

It should be a nice hardcover board book, like Goodnight Moon. After 1 page I already know it will be a lasting classic.