D&D General Adventurers a distasteful necessity

[the Jester]

The novel Perdido Street Station shows a group of adventurers and the way people view them is much like you describe. Well worth a read if you like weird urban fantasy.

 

[Reynard]

I might allow the peasants to love the PCs and the nobles to not like them after they saved the town from whatever. The locals want the prosperity and safety, but the nobles see them as a threat to the power balance.

While true, nobility also often wants to associate with the famous scoundrels of the world. Aristocrats in the real world absolutely fawned over the Victorian and Edwardian adventurers of their day. And of course the adventurers embraced it because they always needed funding.

That is something I would like to incorporate one day (and I have written about this on this site before): treating D&D adventurers more like real world adventurers, in it for fame mostly and to be "first" -- First to explore the Barrier Peaks, First to return unscathed from Undermountain, whatever. Less heroics, and more self serving bravado. And people like that need funding.

 

[Corinnguard]

"I didn't choose the adventuring life. .... it chose me."

In Level Up, becoming an adventurer is a matter of Destiny (the reason why you became an adventurer in the first place). For instance, you could have decided to become an adventurer because you have issues with authority and tradition. So, you decided to go out and create change for both the meek and the mighty. Or maybe becoming an adventurer was a coming-of-age event for your character. You could even find yourself becoming the underdog when life throws you into an adventure not of your choosing. And guess what? You liked it.

 

[aco175]

While true, nobility also often wants to associate with the famous scoundrels of the world. Aristocrats in the real world absolutely fawned over the Victorian and Edwardian adventurers of their day. And of course the adventurers embraced it because they always needed funding.

That is something I would like to incorporate one day (and I have written about this on this site before): treating D&D adventurers more like real world adventurers, in it for fame mostly and to be "first" -- First to explore the Barrier Peaks, First to return unscathed from Undermountain, whatever. Less heroics, and more self serving bravado. And people like that need funding.

Is there a difference with real world explorers and fantasy adventurers? Sponsoring an expedition to explore the unknown to find the source of the Nile or find a shorter route to India and discover the Americas might be a different thing than adventuring. I'm guessing that there are angles and examples of both overlapping, but to me it seems like something else.

 

[Shiroiken]

Adventurers in my Greyhawk are commonly despised for all the reasons the OP lists, but also idolized by the young and poor. Many decide to become an adventurer, because a single expedition can provide enough coin to live comfortably for a long time (unfortunately for them, the vast majority die in that first expedition). Most who do survive take their money and retire as soon as they have enough to live on for the rest of their lives. The rest get used to the adventurer's lifestyle and coin that comes with it (not to mention the power experience provides) and become full time adventurers. Retired adventurers are generally pillars of the community, not only because they have lots of wealth, but they're expected to help defend their home for free if something comes up (or be the ones to pay for adventurers to do it for them).

 

[Reynard]

Is there a difference with real world explorers and fantasy adventurers? Sponsoring an expedition to explore the unknown to find the source of the Nile or find a shorter route to India and discover the Americas might be a different thing than adventuring. I'm guessing that there are angles and examples of both overlapping, but to me it seems like something else.

You are right, but that is what I mean: I want to run a game about adventurers that matches what adventuring really is. D&D adventurers do not have a real world analog because there are no dungeons full of traps and treasure, nor can one simply punch their way to saving the world.

 

[Artamo]

Is there a difference with real world explorers and fantasy adventurers? Sponsoring an expedition to explore the unknown to find the source of the Nile or find a shorter route to India and discover the Americas might be a different thing than adventuring. I'm guessing that there are angles and examples of both overlapping, but to me it seems like something else.

On the other hand, real life explorers were not exactly beloved by many of the locals of the places they were “discovering.”

 

[Koloth]

In RL, people often have a love/hate with law enforcement and governments. You know you need them but don't really want to have to interact with them. I would imagine that Adventuring Parties would invoke the same response. Nice to have around when the big bad threatens but not always someone you want to risk interacting with on a daily basis.

I can also imagine that most local governments have a party on retainer that can be contacted if a band of adventurers become too troublesome. Think the type of group that years ago decided to mostly put away the armor and combat spell books but can still make most adventuring parties feel like Wiley Coyote after the anvil. The retired party might well be thought of as local celebrities due to having settled in and keeping the place safe from roving bands of trouble makers. And also teaching in the local guild halls.

 

[Corinnguard]

I can also imagine that most local governments have a party on retainer that can be contacted

Ditto for any organization like the Harpers or the Lords Alliance. Someone you can covertly or overtly ask for help when needed.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

In Level Up, becoming an adventurer is a matter of Destiny (the reason why you became an adventurer in the first place). For instance, you could have decided to become an adventurer because you have issues with authority and tradition. So, you decided to go out and create change for both the meek and the mighty. Or maybe becoming an adventurer was a coming-of-age event for your character. You could even find yourself becoming the underdog when life throws you into an adventure not of your choosing. And guess what? You liked it.

I like this.

It reminds me of John Wick's Orkworld - an RPG that started out as a 4000 word essay just so he could play an ork bard in a D&D game (the GM's attitude was that orcs are just speedbumps for adventurers) - and the concept of Trouble.

Some people are born with a little Trouble, and will have minor ups and downs. But heroes, they'll be born with LOTS of Trouble, and things will happen to them and so it becomes a struggle, even to the point where some will go out of their way to get MORE Trouble to be more heroic.

A very interesting game, but it's 80% sourcebook I'd say. Interesting concepts like orks who use spears and ride caribou as nomadic tribes. If you read it close enough too, you will find a recipe for mead hidden in the book.