Is there any real world analogue to the Adventurer?

[FoxWander]

Some good replies in here-- I knew you guys wouldn't let me down. (Posting late at night is great!)

I think one thing that sets the D&D Adventurer apart is his capacity and willingness to do violence. Adventurers are killers.

And in my mind there's an even further distinction to be made on the sheer scale of killing that adventurers do that might set them apart from a few of the examples given. I'm not talking about the modern adventurer's willingness to kill someone who gets in his way. Adventurers often engage in spectacularly unsubtle slaughter-- dozens and dozens of "evil humanoids" in one go.

So in that respect we draw a distinction between an extreme athlete and a military contractor, as well as between the military contractor and the conquistadores.

The conquistadores also had the backing of the King or Queen-- not to mention GOD Himself, as far as they were concerned-- which makes them an even more suitable analogue to the way I envision the typical Adventurer.

Going for THIS kind of interpretation, I think the best analogue for modern day adventurers would be military special forces. They've got every aspect of a typical D&D party except the 'loot' motivation.

A group of highly and specially trained professionals whose job is to infiltrate an area or structure with a specific goal in mind- be it, capturing someone, freeing prisoners, destroying something or possibly "taking out" some target. Each person in the group is combat trained but they also have a specialized role in the group. There's the heavy weapons guy (the tank), the infiltration expert who bypasses security systems and sets up surveillance (rogue), the field medic (cleric) and probably a demolitions person (spellcaster ).

A special forces group has all the gadgets and advanced weaponry that typifies an adventuring party. And, to fulfill the specific requirement quoted, they certainly have the capability and willingness to kill if the mission requires it.

Also, they're success depends on working as a group. Each one is highly competent on their own, but to complete the mission they all work together. One persons strengths compensating for another's weakness, and covering each other while someone in the group performs his particular 'job' in the party.

I've been in several games (in one right now) with this exact set-up. A powerful patron who financed our endeavors and sent us on missions, and, in one case, we were trained by the organization to fit our role in the party- even receiving bonus skills applicable to our 'special forces' set-up. We had a special language, battle signs, that allowed us basic communication in the field. We learned some of the new teamwork benefits. And we were issued magic item "gadgets"- darkvision goggles for those who didn't already have it and cloak/boots of elvenkind (the party tank got silent moves added to his armor as well), in lieu of the treasure we didn't receive because we weren't "looting" as much as the standard D&D party.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, a couple of historic 'Adventurers', with one being recent.

William Walker - Filibustero. Recently mentioned in a fantasy novel.

Jacques Cousteau - A man who made his fortune by inventing a quintessential piece of adventuring gear.

The Auld Grump

 

[Celebrim]

The great age of the 'adventurer' is over. That age corresponds pretty closely to the age of exploration, and it ends early in the 20th century. With the world basically being a known quantity now, much of what used to be 'adventure' has now settled down to a more sedate state which qualifies as simple 'business'.

But there are 'businesses' to be in that are still dangerous and unpredictable enough to qualify.

1) Spy
2) Special Forces
3) Missionary (if to an area where ones life is at serious risk for practicing your beliefs)
4) Terrorist (in some campaigns I've seen, the PC's are closer to terrorists than anything else)
5) War photographer (for example Michael Totten, Michael Fumento, Kevin Sites, not the embedded in a hotel bar kind)
6) Mercenary (still a few of these around though mostly these days its the reinvention of the camp follower which usually a very different thing)
7) Investigative Journalist (If in Russia or someplace where this will get you killed...NOT in the USA or some other safe place with reasonably dependable gaurantees of free speach)
8) Possibly smoke jumpers, 'hot zone' medical responders (WHO, Center for Disease Control), astronauts, nature photographers (Steve Erwin), astronauts, test pilots, (some) bounty hunters, and other types that are really out on the edge.

Police officers, fire fighters, border patrol officers, rescue personal (life guards, mountain rescue, cave rescue), most soldiers and so forth are more along the lines of 'ordinary heroes' most of the time. There job is plenty dangerous and often heroic, but seldom has quite the combination of self-determination, travel, and so forth that we associate with 'adventurer'.

Many extreme sports are an attempt to manufacture adventure where none would otherwise exist.

There isn't much in the way of a modern adventurer motivated to 'make a fortune' because the money is easier in more stable businesses.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Going for THIS kind of interpretation, I think the best analogue for modern day adventurers would be military special forces. They've got every aspect of a typical D&D party except the 'loot' motivation.

The reason this doesn't quite work for me is that the SF aren't as above the law-- or, perhaps, outside the law, as the typical D&D Adventurer.

And I definitely don't think you can wave away the LOOT motivation. That's at the heart of the D&D game.

(Your campaign notwithstanding; you know who you are. The fact remains that the essence of the D&D experience-- the one WOTC builds the brand on-- is "Kill the bad guys and take their stuff.")

 

[Prince of Happiness]

The reason this doesn't quite work for me is that the SF aren't as above the law-- or, perhaps, outside the law, as the typical D&D Adventurer.

And I definitely don't think you can wave away the LOOT motivation. That's at the heart of the D&D game.

(Your campaign notwithstanding; you know who you are. The fact remains that the essence of the D&D experience-- the one WOTC builds the brand on-- is "Kill the bad guys and take their stuff.")

Then it's really an archaic and relatively obscure definition of adventurer that we're using as criteria to define a modern-day adventurer, and even the majority of historical adventurers. Hell, you'd might as well say none of them count because they haven't killed fire breathing lizards, floating orbs with a bunch of eyes, and half-bestial green-skinned humanoids in labrynthine underground structures filled with death traps that serve no practical purpose whatsoever, accompanied by companions who aren't even human while following spiritual practices that enable one to fly, throw fireballs, and bolster their strength to obscene levels. No one, ever, would count as an adventurer. What the hell?

 

[Aloïsius]

The great age of the 'adventurer' is over. That age corresponds pretty closely to the age of exploration, and it ends early in the 20th century. With the world basically being a known quantity now, much of what used to be 'adventure' has now settled down to a more sedate state which qualifies as simple 'business'.

But there are 'businesses' to be in that are still dangerous and unpredictable enough to qualify.

1) Spy
2) Special Forces
3) Missionary (if to an area where ones life is at serious risk for practicing your beliefs)
4) Terrorist (in some campaigns I've seen, the PC's are closer to terrorists than anything else)
5) War photographer (for example Michael Totten, Michael Fumento, Kevin Sites, not the embedded in a hotel bar kind)
6) Mercenary (still a few of these around though mostly these days its the reinvention of the camp follower which usually a very different thing)

In fact, there are more of them than what you can think. Many ex-USSR soldiers are now working in Africa or Indonesia, usualy to protect corrupt dictatorship or big oil/forrester/mines compagny.

7) Investigative Journalist (If in Russia or someplace where this will get you killed...NOT in the USA or some other safe place with reasonably dependable gaurantees of free speach)
8) Possibly smoke jumpers, 'hot zone' medical responders (WHO, Center for Disease Control), astronauts, nature photographers (Steve Erwin), astronauts, test pilots, (some) bounty hunters, and other types that are really out on the edge.

I would add : criminals. International drug dealers, arms sellers, shady deals broker and their ilk have the dangerous and highly lucracious life of (evil) adventurers.

 

[Ry]

Survivorman

 

[evildmguy]

To answer the OP with my own answers:

Julius Caesar - He invaded Gaul to get the money and fame needed to be consul and have a triumph.
Alexander the Great - More of a thrill seeker, really.
Gladiators - Some were not slaves and it was their only way to make it.
Charlemagne - He conquered because he needed land for his son.
Pirates - who just wanted to have an easy life and spend the loot.
Small business Owners or Entrepreneurs - although some are motivated not to have a boss or to do something their way, many do it for the money.
Merchant class - in the Middle ages, you couldn't be noble without being born to it or being titled by the ruler. There was a class of people who improved themselves, and their families, by going out, being successful and becoming rich. It was the only way to better themselves at the time. And some would have taken some big risks.

I think it is a matter of how you look at it. If they need to have the "loot" portion of it, most will fail. A lot of people were in the right place at the right time and took advantage of it. Further, several of my examples do have people who wanted the loot but didn't brave dungeons for them. They probably had more political fights than battles. Further, even the kings didn't always fight. They had generals or mercenaries who did most of it for them.

However, in the end, the problem is comparing a DND hero to anyone in real life, mainly because DND/fiction heroes tend to live about thirty life's worth in their careers. Most "real" adventurers would have had one, maybe two adventures like that at most. Look at inventors or scientists. If they are lucky, they have ONE thing remembered. Most don't have that but probably help the person who does become known.

The other thing I have noticed is that most of the examples listed seemed to be from "high society", i.e. they had the time and money to do that kind of thing. The people who were merely trying to survive wouldn't think of doing something so dangerous.

Just a few coppers worth.

Have a good one! Take care!

edg

 

[jaerdaph]

Teddy Roosevelt: debutante who overcame ill-health as a child to become an amateur boxer, a rancher/cowboy, big game hunter, soldier, governer, Secretary of the Navy, Vice-President, President, & Nobel laureate.

He was also the Police Commissioner in NYC for a couple of years in the 1890s. I've always admired him and I wish I could have known him. Teddy's cool!

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

Given that life is one grand adventure in and of itself, I find the answer self-evident.

Touché

I defer to the Greenslime's wisdom for this discussion.