Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Minister_for_Moral_Truth 10-26-06, 03:42 PM	I’m giving thought to my campaign setting, and I’m looking for something other than the generic “adventurer”, “mercenary” or “monster hunter” to use in reference to the PCs and their ilk (other than the obvious ones like “murderous brigands”, “trouble magnets” or “dragon bait”). Preferably vaguely appropriate “real” names (sell sword is good, as is freelancer), but also names taken from literary sources. "I am Harlan Nakal, feared hired goon, slayer of the great wyrm Chi'Tok, whose name is sung in greatful praise in Shalden's Vale" lacks a certain ring.
CryoSilver 10-26-06, 03:44 PM	"Murderous psychotic kleptomaniac" comes to mind...
LCD2YOU 10-26-06, 03:47 PM	Cryosilver's answer is good. Another would be jus' plain ol' everyday "Murderous Thug" if you believe that all killing is evil.
skelmar 10-26-06, 03:59 PM	i use "temps" and have a bad guy say "you and your friends are just temporary" insert evil laugh
Minister_for_Moral_Truth 10-26-06, 05:49 PM	Shall I be more specific and request a name usable by those in the profession and those who either want them to do something (such as kill the dragon so it stops setting fire to people) or indeed not do something (such as kill them and take their stuff).
Curio 10-26-06, 05:52 PM	My Party likes the term Agents currently but it doesn't matter what they are agents of, on the other hand I like the sound of Trouble Magnets:P .
Shatteredtower 10-26-06, 06:12 PM	A thesaurus is your friend: champion, entrepreneur, exemplar, explorer, fortune-hunter, gadabout, gallant, hero, heroine, investigator, knight, knight errant, outrider, pioneer, romantic, rover, soldier, venturer, wanderer, wayfarer. You'll want to refer to a dictionary before you select any of these, because some of them might not be exactly what you have in mind. Note that the terms "paladin", "rogue", and "ranger" are also suitable, but they do get confusing to a lot of people.
Kresalak 10-26-06, 06:13 PM	Psychopath.
Thubby 10-26-06, 06:28 PM	"wanderes, vagabons, (treasure) hunters, gold seakers, dragon slayer (even if they dont *all* slay dragons)" i've used em all, and they sound good, and i have yet to get a weird look
Ramrod_The_Wizard 10-26-06, 07:05 PM	As said on another thread..... "muderous hobo" :D :D :D
Rhomphaia 10-26-06, 07:14 PM	Some descriptive terms I have used are Freelancer (describing someone who seeks employment for any number of unusual tasks, not just fighting), Mercanary (like a freelancer but concentrates on combat and battlefield 'jobs'), Vagrant (a person who just wanders and does what they can to survive) and Runner (usually a person who takes on fetching or delivery work for pay).
Type2Demon 10-26-06, 07:35 PM	Thesaurus .com yeilded the following synonyms: "charlatan, daredevil, entrepreneur, explorer, fortune-hunter, gambler, globetrotter, hero, heroine, knight, madcap, mercenary, opportunist, pioneer, pirate, rogue, romantic, soldier, speculator, stunt man, swashbuckler, traveler, venturer, voyager, wanderer"
SokenzanMarauder 10-26-06, 07:38 PM	Anyone remember the good ole' Flaming Fist? I loved those guys. "We are the Flaming Fist!" -Gene
tsuyoshikentsu 10-26-06, 09:31 PM	Runner (usually a person who takes on fetching or delivery work for pay).You totally took mine. :P (Yes, I play Shadowrun. Yes, I love it.) What about drifter?
RadicalTaoist 10-26-06, 09:33 PM	Looter is more than sufficient.
Andron 10-27-06, 01:15 PM	Troope. This works especially well if there is a bard in the group. That way the group could go around pretending to be performers.
razorboy 10-27-06, 01:25 PM	Monte Cook's Ptolus name for adventurers - delvers (as in delving in the dungeons). Freelancers, troubleshooters, rovers, sellswords or sellspells work for me.
Lunas_Argent 10-27-06, 01:27 PM	Heroes!
Celestine_AutumnStar 10-27-06, 01:55 PM	"Nomad, Vagabond... Call me what you will"
ChimericalWolf 10-27-06, 02:12 PM	Magic had named mercenary spellcasters, "Task-Mages." I've always wanted to build a wizard that refers to him/herself as a Task-Mage.
Wulfgar 10-27-06, 02:29 PM	In high school, a friend of mine came up with "Delving Men" for an epic poem based on D&D. I tend to use"Troubleshooters", "Mercenaries" or "Mercenary Scum", meself...
revnk 10-27-06, 02:36 PM	They could be called "the Dudes," or "Their Dudenesses," or "Duders," or "Los Duderinos," if you're not into the whole brevity thing. :)
Goon_for_Hire 10-27-06, 02:54 PM	Taskmasters, Sellswords, Drifters, Myrmidons, Highwaymen, Pirates (has been used for wanderes and gamblers as well as nautical brigands,) Outriders, Hussars, "gentlemen of fortune." If you are playing a chaotic campaign, consider euphamisms for theives, smugglers, and revolutionaries: "fair friends," "fishers," fencers," "freedom fighters," "the bretheren," "brothers of the sword." Fun with Middle English: "Harlots" used to mean anyone, male or female, prone to disorderly and uncivilised conduct like fighting gambling, and drinking. "Rioters," for anyone prone to living through rowdieness, gambling, fighting, or con-artistry. In Wales and Ireland Bards were a proper class of wandering holy men and historians, but other opportunistic minstrels and drifters were sometimes called "whistlers." In old Norse culture, there was a class of itinerant duellists and mercenaries who would move from town to town. If the town had men present they would challenge them to duels for a forfeit of money of goods, if most of the men were out a-viking, they would offer their services as defenders. They were properly called "Holmgangrs" but were euphamistically called "lone wolves." Even when they travelled in small groups. They were infamous for being rowdies, opportunists, and people one wanted to keep away from unwed daughters. For that matter, the Nordic term "viking" was used not just for ships of looters, but any village folk who went to steal, raid, or simply trade for the wellbing of their village. Keep in mind, that while adventurer sounds pretty cheesy in the early 21st century, it was a sought-after title in Victorian England. Idle gentlemen of means who toured India, Hunted game in Africa, and Explorers actually did hang out in "adventurers clubs." Most of these became much more open when the 20th century rolled around and all sort of degenerated into "Gentlemen's clubs," as people concluded that there wer just no adventures left. In pre-Georgian england "adventurer" was used to describe mercenaries, brigands, hired thugs, pirates, and Privateers (or "Sea Dogs" as Ameircans call them.)
Heros_Backpack 10-28-06, 04:40 PM	From an old encounter table: You meet... 5. Adventurers 6. Other thieves Historically, though, they tended to be freebooters, routiers, road-men, or grass-knights.
stargate525 10-28-06, 04:46 PM	I like outriders alot...
Nitan 10-28-06, 08:18 PM	Grave Robbers seems to neatly fit the bill.
Draktaven 10-28-06, 09:20 PM	Eradication and Extraction Technician, or an E.E.T.
Kaligrad 10-29-06, 12:42 AM	Adventurer may be a better fit than you think. It comes from the French root "adventre;" ventre means "to go" (hence venture in English), and so "adventre" means "to go without goal." It was probably meant disparagingly at first, but like a lot of things the people insulted took it as a compliment, and applied it to themselves with pride.
Gedrin 10-29-06, 12:59 AM	The heavily armed and unemployed.
Meshakhad 10-29-06, 02:45 AM	Vagabond, mercenary, freelance warrior/mage/whatever, are good ones. Mercenary is a particularly good one if your characters do a lot of hired work.
pinkbunny 10-29-06, 04:34 AM	meddling kids?
cog_and_taz 10-29-06, 07:38 AM	As I would say... "mess on the carpet". Yeah, I'm evil, kill me. EDIT: accidentally said my DM.
Lord Gwydion 10-29-06, 08:08 AM	In the classic Chinese novel Outlaws of the Marsh, the main characters are often called "Gallants" (an English translation of the Chinese term Xia 俠) and the term "Gallant Fraternity" is used in general to refer to all wandering swordsmen, theives, adventurers, rowdies, and other typical heroes and villains of the Wuxia genre.
Tusalu 10-29-06, 08:19 AM	Bandit
Millennium 10-29-06, 08:23 AM	The video game Phantasy Star IV had a term called 'Hunters' which seems to encompass many adventuring tasks (though they were sometimes also hired for more mundane tasks). They even organized the Hunters into a guild, which acted both as a place where people could hire adventurers and then send payment when the task was done. It worked surprisingly well. Another video game, Breath of Fire II, had a similar concept, though they called them 'Rangers'. I don't suggest this term, though, since there's a PHB core class with the same name.
Gyrofthewastes 10-29-06, 08:32 AM	A few I don't think I've seen here yet: Rambler, Bravo, "Soldier/Gentleman/woman of Fortune"
aotrscommander 10-29-06, 08:38 AM	Wealth redistibution agents? Emplyees of the Bureau of Change? (I.e. they change 'alive' people into 'dead' people) Canon Fodder? (Assuming the DM uses a lot of evil clerics)
wrecan 10-29-06, 08:51 AM	I'm a fan of the term "irregulars". That's a group of people trained to fight and available to the government for hire, but not part of a formal military unit.
RayOMan 10-29-06, 02:28 PM	I’m giving thought to my campaign setting, and I’m looking for something other than the generic “adventurer”, “mercenary” or “monster hunter” to use in reference to the PCs Gang Members, terrorists, troublemakers and my favorite..Whiney asses.
pinkbunny 10-29-06, 04:09 PM	the first is a term for a sexual act, the second a term for your rear end. which is worse? ass is also seemingly allways allowed here for some reason :p
Airos 10-30-06, 12:31 AM	"Murderous psychotic kleptomaniac" comes to mind... That's great! :D I'm adding that to my sig, unless you have an objection.
Vaalingrade Ashland 10-30-06, 01:38 PM	Troubleshooter is prevalent in my CS for adventurers who are hired. Outlier is used for independants who hunt treasure. Wandering Knight is used for those who help people for no pay. 'Threat' is used for the typical DnD style adventurer.
High Octane 10-30-06, 01:56 PM	meddling kids? Thread won. I always liked Mercenary. Handymen, Posse, Do-gooders
Neofish 10-30-06, 02:34 PM	I always liked Do-gooders Yes! I knew I wasn't the only one who used this phrase.
Vaalingrade Ashland 10-30-06, 04:48 PM	jack - Casual term for an adventurer in the employ of another private party and not freelance or in an organization. lottie - Crude term for purely mercenary adventurers.
Eled_the_Worm_Tamer 10-30-06, 06:42 PM	'Expert Treasure Hunters' works. In Noble or political circles they tend to get called 'Facilitators' 'Expedeators' and the like. Moast comoners refer to them varyingly by the group in questions fame. Unknowns are 'Drifters' 'Chancers and 'Mercenarys' more well known as Heroes, Blades, or with something about there calling, while mixed bands are 'Fellowships' 'Brotherhoods' and 'Hands' [From the unity of thumb and five fingers working together, has meant two offensave hand gesture takes on new meaning, saying Im on my own, but Im part of a hand so watch your back] the best, you simply name. 'Jacks' comon adventurers and 'Aces' with more skills and reptaions to defend are also common terms in my campeghns.
Judging Eagle 10-30-06, 07:20 PM	Troope. This works especially well if there is a bard in the group. That way the group could go around pretending to be performers. Those have to be some of the most heavily armed band of wandering minstrels I have ever seen. Bravo, Jack, Adventurer; all work for individuals. Bands, Troupes, Fellowships, Cadres, Circles are all good for groups of the above. Of course, I'm all for instilling people with the fear of two things: Priests and Librarians. Someone mentioned "Task-Mage" as a title, I'm not so sure you'd want to be called that. It means a mage who works for someone else for upkeep and pay. Sort of like Tasked Djinni asked or forced into creating or doing things for others.
bubbagump 10-30-06, 09:12 PM	How about "freebooter." There is a historical precedent. Personally, I've always been fond of "explorer." I usually get around this in my own games by having new parties define their role before play begins. I then design an adventure path (in the old days we used to call them "campaigns") around that role. For example, if the party chooses to call themselves "mercenaries," then most of their adventures will revolve around taking on some sort of mercenary-type job. I sympathize with your dislike of the term "adventurer," since it seems illogical to me that anyone in their right mind would randomly wander around with no goal or direction, hoping that someone will give them a reason to plunge blindly into some reeking cesspool of a dungeon they never new existed in the first place. In any world that tries to exert a degree of realism, such people would no doubt be unemployed from cradle to grave. Such people are not "adventurers," they are "desperate bums."