Adventurer
BLASTED ADVENTURERS! A whisper of an archeological ruin and they come swarming like crystal roaches in a rock museum. I don't need 'do-gooders', I need a guy who knows the right end of a sextant and doesn't mind brushing dust of a bone for six hours! If they're hoping to dodge dangerous traps and find rare relics conveniently sitting on a sunlit plinth, they're going to be very, very disappointed.Adventurers are a curious breed, one that can be split into several strata and generations. Thanks to the advent of penny novels, and soon motion pictures, the field has been romanticized into a life of daring escapes, battles of wits with unethical rivals, and hoards of treasure. At the height of the Golden Age of Archeology, impressionable young men and women were setting out in droves with nothing in their packs but a packed lunch and a dream in search of fame and fortune. Reality, however, was a lot more dirty.
A Brief History of Adventuring
'Adventuring ' as it came to be known was not common until the late 1800s. Before then, they were a collective group of researchers, archeologists, grad students, and hired hands for security purposes. There had been a renewed interest in Memoria ruins, especially as the technological prowess of the many countries in the Mortal Lands charged forward on the treadmill of progress. It wasn't until the The Adventures of Elizabeth Bismuth were published that the 'field' of Adventuring, such as it was, took off. 'Adventuring' was a lucrative field-for merchants, map-makers, and con-artists, that is- for over twenty years. It was not until the Night of Falling Crowns that the 'Adventuring' field cooled, as unsuccessful wayfarers returned home to care for their families. While the field has seen some resurgence in recent years, it is a far smaller collection of young men and women who take up the knapcsack. And maybe with a bit more knowledge of what the field actually entails.
Career
Qualifications
There is a distinct dissociation in what qualifications an Adventurer 'should have' versus what a successful adventurer 'actually has'. While most point to the infamous Elizabeth Bismuth novels as an example of 'true adventuring', they often ignore the fact that Lady Bismuth and her companions are not just quick on their feet and able to adapt, but classically trained in their respective fields and aren't afraid to do the 'dirty' or 'slow' work for results.
Some of the more 'conventional' adventurers, such as Pelasius III, will send potential proteges on a hunt for an artifact from 'Legend of Sab'ik' in Poartlind. Unsuccessful proteges will scour the city for idols of gold, dusty tomes, or forgotten frescoes, only to return empty handed. Successful ones (Or at least ones with Tlecti heritage) will return with a plate of tacos from Tiny Tia's Taco Truck. It is an unconventional exam, but is one that tests the potential's ability to research, extrapolate information, and produce a result rather than capacity for high-speed hi-jinks. (Plus, he gets tacos at the end!)
Career Progression
A successful adventurer is measured by their ability to stay alive. This requires a careful balance of both books and street knowledge. While there is no 'vertical' progression in the upwards sense, there is plenty of downwards progression should the adventurer be careless.
This being said, an Adventurer with a good reputation will never have need of work.
Alternative Names
Archeologist, Field Researcher
Type
Research / Scientific
Famous in the Field
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