tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post3067751645794540648..comments2024-03-25T22:48:31.750-04:00Comments on Dreams in the Lich House: Wanted: Professional AdventurersJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-72224709622853188042013-08-08T07:45:15.345-04:002013-08-08T07:45:15.345-04:00A mercenary company or fellowship of adventurers (...A mercenary company or fellowship of adventurers (ala the Vikings) would be a good backstory for your characters as well. There's a handy little bit from Dust Devils called "Then and Now" that tells what your character did before he started adventuring and what he is doing when the game begins. Examples "Railroad worker; now a town marshal. Was a prostitute; now a Rail Baron. Was a missionary; now a gunfighter." It's an easy, one sentence way to create a plausible adventurer. "Was a gladiator; is a bodyguard." "Was a slave; is a grave robber." "Was a mercenary; is a free-lance adventurer." The patron system might not be a bad fit for this, either. Even Indiana Jones had an institution to back him financially and legally (to a tiny extent.) Leeway in the field (to put it mildly) figures largely into all of the examples you have given of wandering adventurers as well. There is little reason to assume that a patronage would be restricrive; I can visualize letters of Marque authorizing violence and pillage against rival explorers with other patrons. What was Beloque, if not a privateer?!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07056703717183267997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-43109522751463083132013-07-29T09:23:50.646-04:002013-07-29T09:23:50.646-04:00Professional adventurers would absolutely exist, o...Professional adventurers would absolutely exist, of course. Whether they would be the odd combination of crminal gang, ensemble sitcom cast, and <i>The Superfriends</i> seen in a lot of D&D adventuring groups is another matter. :)Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-62056490217099641582013-07-28T13:22:13.576-04:002013-07-28T13:22:13.576-04:00"What law-abiding society wants a bunch of ou..."What law-abiding society wants a bunch of outlaw bikers, armed to the teeth like pisteleros and knife fighters, rumbling into town and representing imminent violence?"<br /><br />A society that exists on a frontier may not have much choice in the matter. Same as the American Wild West. :)<br /><br />Also, "adventuring guilds" may exist as a way to organize and control the activities of their members. The guild gets pressured due to the bad behavior of some of their members? Then those members get put on probation for awhile. Once they spend some time hurting for work, those members might be more cooperative in the future.RFordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14346551164394726741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-34592448605959375112013-07-28T10:41:51.802-04:002013-07-28T10:41:51.802-04:00I usually don't play the "high fantasy&qu...I usually don't play the "high fantasy" style of campaign, where every woods is crawling with humanoids and monsters (Forgotten Realms style).<br /><br />I'm usually doing some kind of alternate Earth with a bit of magic, but monsters are rare and in out of the way places.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-68795681164319871902013-07-28T10:41:03.392-04:002013-07-28T10:41:03.392-04:00Famous grave robbers = Indiana Jones
As an aside,...Famous grave robbers = Indiana Jones<br /><br />As an aside, I think a big chunk of how a adventurers "fit" into a campaign depends on how magic is conceived. For example, if magic is a public "commodity" then entities like guilds and public patronage might make sense. If magic is more...unsettling, then adventurers take on the Cthulhu vibe of individuals who are outside the norm, dealing with things that no one else would believe. Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06551480034601737297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-35800277874387613192013-07-28T06:01:25.861-04:002013-07-28T06:01:25.861-04:00What about monsters? Where they come from? Who kee...What about monsters? Where they come from? Who keeps them in check? How many there are?<br /><br />Probably the King/Count/Duke/Theocrat/Mageocrat or whatever has is hands full to keep fuss at a minimum...Fabio Milito Pagliarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13043436735116048822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-75849917227118141302013-07-27T22:34:18.745-04:002013-07-27T22:34:18.745-04:00I identified the Vikings and the Völkerwanderung p...I identified the Vikings and the Völkerwanderung peoples in the post as historical examples of the "soldier of fortune" adventurer archetype - armed raiders in it for loot and pillage - good models for a mid or high level game.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18031181424520125213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-90455289500872702492013-07-27T21:17:43.990-04:002013-07-27T21:17:43.990-04:00What about the Vikings? They set up small kingdoms...What about the Vikings? They set up small kingdoms all over the place. The Normans for instance, took over part of France and called it Normandy. Vikings also took over part of ireland, founding Dublin.<br /><br />You have small bands of Celts setting up shop all over the place. Galatia is a good example.<br /><br />You have the Vandals setting up Kindgoms in North Africa. You have the various Crusader states in the Middle East. They weren't as successful long term, but all were essentially bands of adventurers. Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06440605975564288373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-8016804336629419362013-07-27T20:24:51.163-04:002013-07-27T20:24:51.163-04:00You let the no names recover the treasure-when the...You let the no names recover the treasure-when there is enough, you let them go down again, take the money they've left in safe keeping, and hit them on their way out, when they are likely to be tired and injured.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-23995234328919167562013-07-27T18:23:30.938-04:002013-07-27T18:23:30.938-04:00A very thought-provoking post.A very thought-provoking post.Chris C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08655640273250716377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4353391426294254427.post-9470768053202329392013-07-27T13:44:44.195-04:002013-07-27T13:44:44.195-04:00'Only in "fantasy land" would a king...'Only in "fantasy land" would a king or ruler allow a bunch of no names to recover enough wealth and power to threaten the throne...'<br /><br />Well, maybe if they were gonna threaten someone ELSE's throne....<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster_(military)Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649420272387984400noreply@blogger.com