What to call adventurers?

[Patlin]

I dislike the idea of adventurers as a class of people, and prefer the PCs to be more unique. As such, I'd prefer the specific to the general. "Captain Gaza and the Red Company" or "The New Argonauts" or whatever suits the particular group of PCs. If you want to organize your campaign around it, you could even have the PCs be an elite strike force for their government, and call them something like "Squad 7."

Instead of the ever-reliable "You all meet up in a tavern" scenario, each character recieves orders from their militia commander to report to the castle, where the King is assembling a squad composed of the best men from each of his five companies. To get a less martial flavor, the King might also have made the same request of the local temple and his mage-advisor.

Then the citizenry could refer to them by whatever ranks you chose to assign. "Knight-Captain" or "Lieutenant" might be good alternatives to "Adventurer."

 

[WhatGravitas]

If you want to organize your campaign around it, you could even have the PCs be an elite strike force for their government, and call them something like "Squad 7."

The A-Team.

Cheers, LT.

 

[RigaMortus2]

I have always had a problem with the term "adventurers". Anyone who calls themselves an adventurer seems like they belong in a peter pan story. My campaigns are not bleak wastelands, but they are gritty enough that no person who hires out their martial skill would be caught dead being called an adventurer.

Since 4e uses the PoL setting I really think that D&D finally has a good role or niche for mercenary types: a realistic impetus for people to be sell-swords (or spells). However, my PC's will be saving towns for honor or money, they will be looting dungeons for gear or renown, and they will be killing and risking thier lives for important, concrete reasons... not seeking adventure.

So what do the denizens of my made up world refer to these type of people as? Mercenaries works, as does sell-sword, but I'd like something new.

Ideas?

What you are describing is a Motivation (to borrow a term from DC Heroes/Blood of Heroes RPG). The fundamental question a person has to ask themselves, "Why do I do what I do?"

DC Heroes/Blood of Heroes had some nifty categories which would pertain to this, I think...

Motivation
Every Character requires a Motivation, which is the driving purpose behind the Character’s decision to be a Hero, Villain or Anit-Hero. Five basic Motivations exist.

Upholding the Good
A character with the motivation of Upholding the Good believes steadfastly in traditional moral values: compassion, justice, truthfulness, and a resolute faith in society’s laws. A character Upholding the Good is unrelenting in the pursuit of Good and would never overstep the boundaries of the law, even if it may occasionally seem justice would be better served otherwise. A character with the motivation of Upholding the Good believes societal laws to be ultimately benign and will defend those laws at all costs.

Responsibility of Power
A character with the Motivation of Responsibility of Power decides to change as a result of the awesome Powers and Skills which separate him from the rest of the world. The Character, no longer ordinary, accepts that with great power comes great responsibility. Such a hero will generally uphold the laws of society, realizing that he is an example to others and that such power demands a more disciplined lifestyle than the hero might otherwise have chosen. However, the course of action this responsibility dictates occasionally strains such a hero’s patience.

Seeking Justice
A character with the Motivation of Seeking Justice will ignore anything which interferes with a quest. This hero will willingly subvert society’s laws, especially those he believes help protect criminals. This hero will seek out a criminal at whatever social level the criminal exists and match him deed for deed, violence with violence.

Thrill of Adventure
A character with the Motivation of Thrill of Adventure takes extreme chances in combat and enjoys every minute of it. Sometimes the hero will overestimate his abilities and people will often consider the Character flippant and occasionally ridiculous. Yet, such as hero would never desert a friend or run from a fight.
A Character out for the Thrill of Adventure will not easily accept other people’s concepts of justice. Similar to a Character who is Seeking Justice, this is an independent hero who works under a strict code of behavior. This Character enjoys having Powers and Skills and thrives on the fame which comes with being a hero. Such a hero will often use humor during seemingly inappropriate combat or diplomatic situations.

Unwanted Power
A Character with the Motivation of Unwanted Power is typically created by accident or at a whim of others, and usually unwillingly. This Hero in no way desires such Powers and abilities, the possession of which often brings severe personal consequences. This is a reluctant hero, one who would gladly return to his former life if given the opportunity.
Such a Character often joins a hero team, seeking an acceptance denied the Character in the normal world. This hero regularly forms extremely close, personal attachments to other heroes and is very loyal to the team. A hero with Unwanted Power may strongly feel that society owes him a debt and can often be short-tempered.

I think what you describe would be a person who is motivated by the Thrill of Adventure. This is someone who would be your classical "adventurer".

Coincidentally, the Mercenary would also fall under this motivation (if we are just using the basic five above). Except, where the "adventurer" does it for the thrill of it, the merc does it for the money. If you are ok with all your PCs having the same motivation for why they "do that they do" then that's great. I kinda of thing it is too one dimensional for every PC to consider them selves a merc. I find that kinda boring, but that's just my opinion.

 

[am181d]

Plenty of alternatives, though it's worth pointing out that "adventurer" that actual real world adventurers (explorers, soldiers-of-fortune, big game hunters, etc.) used up into the 20th century. Don't really get the Peter Pan-vibe, but to each his own.

 

[Quickleaf]

IMC the term for the numerous bands of awol/unpaid soldiers turned mercenary is "jackal sons of wolves", and it's commonplace for a group of heavily armed PCs to be lumped in this category.

 

[Thorr the Destroyer]

trouble makers

 

[Carnivorous_Bean]

I've always just called them "heroes." It seems to work.

Also, I've got to note in passing that both I and my players have always loathed the concept of their being a special military detachment. I guess we sort of agree with Hugo's statement in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" -- "Better the head of a fly, than the tail of a lion."

 

[malraux]

"Grave-robbing murderers."

Needs more 4e ---> Graverobbing monsterslayer.

 

[Carnivorous_Bean]

Plenty of alternatives, though it's worth pointing out that "adventurer" that actual real world adventurers (explorers, soldiers-of-fortune, big game hunters, etc.) used up into the 20th century. Don't really get the Peter Pan-vibe, but to each his own.

Oh, yes, and I agree with this, too. "Adventurer" has nothing Peter-Panish about it to me, not after reading many books where Hernan Cortes and his lads are described as "Spanish adventurers." That's about as far from Peter Pan as you can get ....

 

[Warbringer]

Heroes, companions, sellswords, troubadors,

titles
guardians of the ..... ,
right hand of ..... ,
riders of the ....

ad nau