Is there any real world analogue to the Adventurer?

[AdmundfortGeographer]

William Walker is an excellent example.

After reading the Icelandic prose eddas, absolutely some of those persons are real world adventurers.

 

[pawsplay]

So I was running a D&D adventure for my gf and my brother during the holidays last year, and basically I stranded them on an island with a bunch of orc pirates running around. At a certain point, they began to wonder how they would ever defeat the orcs and/or escape and/or at least gain a level. So they consulted my step-dad.

My step-dad, who is an ex-Army ranger, former undercover cop, and former investigator for the DOJ (and now makes hardwood furniture for a living) pondered this for a moment and said,

"What you should do is wait for them to send patrols out at night. Kill them one or two at a time. Whittle them down until there are just a few of them. Eventually, they will stop sending out patrols. At that point, you can stake out their camp, look for a vulnerability in their perimeter, and attack their leader with sudden surprise. Orcs see in the dark, right? Better do it in daylight."

So at least one answer is "my step-dad," who is likely at least 6th level, but does not own a tavern. He does keep a custom +1 Colt .45 around for emergencies, though.

 

[painandgreed]

I'd say there are plenty of RL example of adventurers, there are just few epic RL challenges they have had to face. Ask around and you'll probably find somebody pretty quick who has traveled, had adventures in foreign lands, possibly been in more fights than you ever will, and have it sound like a book soembody would have written. That there are very few world threatening situations, dragons that have ruled over the land for hundreds of years, or epic combats that could be handled by a party of four people, will always make them sound less than a game where such things occur regularly.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

Travel Channel Tourist/Tour guides - You know, those people going all over the world, showing you the places to vacation!

Xena! Well, Lucy Lawless did this. And she was a gold prospector as well.

 

[Tonguez]

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.

Ah yes Private Security Contractors - the new face of Mercenary
I personally have three relatives who do 'Private Security' work, two were working in Iraq doing VIP protection and another oversees security at a Gold Mine in PNG.
The local Inn Keeper (okay its a Motel) is also ex-SAS and a recruiter for various 'Private Security Contracts' - of course we don't ask too many questions

 

[S'mon]

Ah yes Private Security Contractors - the new face of Mercenary

If PMCs count, I guess this is a new golden age for Adventurers - living in London, half the people I meet seem to either be PSCs or have next door neighbours who are! Typical conversation at party:

Me:
"So, your company is called Control Risks? What's that, a mercenary outfit?! *laughs*"

Stranger:
"Well..."

Me:
"Oh."

Weirdest thing was talking to a very respectable middle aged lady, a fellow Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator; she hands me her business card, and yup, it's a PMC. Or sitting in a friend's back yard, we hear the South African mercs next door having a chat. Or the female player in my D&D group who turns out to be an ex-PSC, and keeps getting begging letters from Blackwater wanting her to come to Iraq...

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

If PMCs count, I guess this is a new golden age for Adventurers - living in London, half the people I meet seem to either be PSCs or have next door neighbours who are! Typical conversation at party:

Or the female player in my D&D group who turns out to be an ex-PSC, and keeps getting begging letters from Blackwater wanting her to come to Iraq...

Yeah they cast a pretty wide net with those letters, they've also got a list of all former service-members from the last couple decades to pick from. Have to say with those offers are tempting considering how much my college loans are adding up.

 

[Nyaricus]

Those guys that travel the vast beaches of the world, risking life and limb to the elements, with their gold detectors looking for phat L00t

On a serious note, this discussion is actually pretty damn interesting. Has anyone mentioned Marco Polo? I'd count him as an adventurer

cheers,
--N

 

[VirgilCaine]

[*] The Battle of Tripoli

God, yes. Bainbridge's expedition was exactly like a GM throwing problems at his players.

 

[Slife]

vikings.