Adventurers

Adventurers? They’re like storms. You can’t outlaw a storm, but you can charge tolls when it blows through.

— Mirt the Moneylender (Waterdhavian rogue-turned-lord)

Adventurers are not ordinary citizens. They travel armed, cast spells in public, slay monsters, and return with treasure — all of which makes them dangerous and disruptive to settled society. Most cities require an Adventurer’s License, or an equivalent affiliation (guild, temple, noble charter), for a group to operate legally.

Without a license, adventurers risk being treated as common criminals — their weapons confiscated, their spellcasting prosecuted, and their loot taxed or seized.

Adventurer’s License

The Adventurer’s License (sometimes called a Salvage Charter or Bounty Writ) is the most common way for parties to gain legitimacy.

• What It Grants
• Arms: Treated as licensed for martial weapons and armor.
• Spellcasting: Treated as licensed for defensive spells; offensive magic restricted unless further licensed.
• Trade: Loot and salvage may be sold legally without confiscation (tariffs may still apply).
• Status: Tried in adventurer’s courts or councils instead of common courts.
• What It Costs
• Typically 200 gp/year in major cities (Waterdeep, Neverwinter).
• Often cheaper in frontier towns (25–50 gp/year).
• Renewal required annually, and licenses may be revoked for misconduct.
• How It’s Issued
• By city councils (Waterdeep, Neverwinter).
• By local rulers (Fort Leilon, Baldur’s Gate).
• By noble sponsors or guilds (Cormyr, Amn).

Licensed vs. Unlicensed

• Licensed Adventurers — Can openly bear arms, cast spells within limits, and sell loot without fear.
• Unlicensed Adventurers — Must hide their weapons, disguise spellcasting, or risk confiscation and fines. Many start this way until they can afford a license.
• Religious Adventurers — Clerics and paladins of recognized gods automatically gain Arms & Spellcasting rights equivalent to a license, but may still need a Salvage Charter for loot.
• Noble Adventurers — Inherit Arms and Status rights by birth, and may bypass tariffs or trials, but can still be restricted in magic and trade.

Party Dynamics

Most adventuring parties are mixed groups:

• A licensed adventurer handles bounties and loot sales.
• A cleric or paladin can cast spells openly even when others cannot.
• A noble bypasses arms restrictions and defends the party in court.
• An unlicensed rogue or wizard must sneak, bluff, or rely on others’ papers.

This creates natural roleplaying opportunities:

• The noble insists on speaking to the guards.
• The cleric is asked to show temple papers to cast a healing spell.
• The rogue avoids the gatehouse because they lack travel writs.
• The wizard forges a license or hides spell components.

The party as a whole may operate legally only because of one member’s license or background, leading to friction, drama, and plot hooks.

DM Guidance

• Treat the Adventurer’s License as the baseline — most parties will want one eventually.
• Encourage roleplay around gaps: when some PCs are licensed and others aren’t, it forces negotiation with officials, clever disguises, or bribes.
• Use licenses as money sinks and story hooks: forged documents, lost charters, revoked licenses, or rivals framing the party.