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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Schmoe" data-source="post: 361584" data-attributes="member: 913">Several months back, SHARK had a post that addressed this issue in a very refreshing light.  He described a couple 20th level characters that wouldn't initially be perceived as being 20th level.  One was a detective that had been walking the beat for years and had perfected his craft.  He wasn't ambitious, he wasn't egotistical, he was simply the best darn detective in the city.  Another was a bodyguard who had been in the gladiator pits, survived caravan ambushes, and worked for kings and emperors.  Again, he didn't really perceive himself as "20th level", he wasn't too bright or too ambitious, but he was good.Essentially, this new perspective of 20th level provides a framework in which characters can interact with 20th level characters in their everyday dealings without even knowing it.  What sets apart a 20th level PC and a typical 20th level NPC is ambition and drive.  It's entirely possible that the captain of the watch, who you just pissed off, is an 18th level warrior/2nd level fighter.This framework doesn't necessarily provide a justification for rapid advancement from 1st through 20th and beyond, in fact it seems to imply more an accumulation over time rather than a meteoric rise.  However, as others mentioned, the PC's and their experiences are rather exceptional, just as any NPC's who've had similar advancement would also be exceptional.When it's all taken together, you can draw several conclusions:1.)  It's not unreasonable for there to be a number of very high level NPC's in the world, and they need not necessarily be in positions of power.2.)  The PC's advancement to 20th level is not unusual in terms of the power that they achieve.3.)  The PC's advancement to 20th level is unusual in terms of the speed with which they reach it, but that is a direct result of the unusual circumstances that have plunged them into adventure, whether it be fate, ambition, or something else.4.)  There will be other NPC's that have experienced the same rapid advancement as the PC's, but they will be rare, unless your average commoner gets involved in a quest to save the world once a year, and twice on leap years.Anyway, I don't know if this helps at all, but it's at least interesting to think about.</blockquote>

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