From: allen wallace (alwallac@linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us)
Date: Tue 02 Dec 1997 - 03:44:17 EET
I'd started an essay a while back on the psychology of adventurers a while
back. The reason for the essay disappeared so I thought I'd pass it on to
the Digest. I'd be interested in any comments you all have. I realize the
cultural assumptions I've used are not universal, but I suspect they are
close enough for most settings.
Outside, on the Psychology of the Adventurer
The adventuring hero is the mainstay of the fantasy and science fiction
In gaming, a GM should make it very clear to the characters that their
role-playing genre. People tend to dispute the likelihood of adventurers
even with historical and current examples. Read almost any good book on
turbulent eras and you will find adventurers, read "Soldier of Fortune"
or similar magazines for more current versions. You will discover that the
adventurer is a prevalent phenomenon. You will also discover that the
adventurer is rarely respected or popular. Even the powerful Hawkwood,
whose mercenary company controlled Italy for several years in the
Fourteenth Century does not get a lot of positive press in the writings of
the period. Sir Francis Drake was received better, but was definitely out
of the ordinary. The point is, except for very rare cases, the adventurer
is outside of normal society. The social nature of man is such that these
outsiders tend to create their own societies, which are often very close
and binding.
powers and lifestyles have put them outside of society, The villagers that
they have saved from the horrid infestation of Chaos will quickly become
uncomfortable with the heroes, presence. No hard feelings but they are
just too disruptive to the good people, and the children are getting some
bad examples. Heroes are generally a lot easier to live with as memories
and the occasional statue. Adventurers are only accepted while they are
needed, often not even then. Even if the adventurers desire to settle
down, they may not be allowed to for fear of the disruption that they
might cause. After a certain point, most adventurers will have so little
in common with the rest of society that they wont even want to interact
with the mainstream, there are just too few points of contact.
Unfortunately, this does not ease the need for social contact, it just
makes it unrewarding. A hero may feel the need to perform greater acts of
glory to maintain the adulation of those who cannot otherwise relate to
him. This hero will probably leave behind several statues, a few
illegitimate children and a lot of stories. His elegy will probably not be
very personal.
The start of this alienation will be when the individual starts to show
abilities significantly greater or different than the societal norm. These
abilities need only be knowledge and understanding of concepts not common
in the culture. Individuals who develop personal power too quickly, or
threaten the status quo are often alienated by the power structure. In
Genertela, most of such dangerous individuals can be neutralized with a
rumor of Illumination. Whether the rumor is true or not, the individual
will probably never be trusted or accepted again. The only surefire
defense against this is to avoid all those exotic encounters, and only act
appropriately and within society. Does tend to limit role play
possibilities though.
Very lucky and powerful individuals might actually sway their clan or
tribe to their new ways. This might even cause a sweeping societal change.
More likely the disruption will be isolated and encouraged toward
extinction. The basic law of society is that once anything becomes an
institution it tends to discourage change, as change inevitably leads to
the dissolution of existing institutions. Very few institutions are able
to tolerate changes well. I suspect early Orlanthi society would be more
tolerant of such individuals than any other, but would be unlikely to
retain this tolerance after a handful of generations. Tradition is a very
powerful force, often more powerful than survival.
Adventurers who are also members of the various religions of the world
will generally find themselves outsiders in their own temples. Sometimes
this is due to multiple cult memberships held by the adventurer, but this
need not be so. Even if the church hierarchy is proud, or at least
approves, of the adventurers actions, the adventurer will be deemed
unsuitable for a position in the administrative core. They are likely to
actually be unsuited for such a position. However if a mission into
Dorastor is found to be needed...
A lucky adventurer will find a group of similar outsiders, or in times
when the adventurer is more commonplace, entire subcultures of people
outside of the mainstream. This is likely to be the only place the
adventurer is or possibly ever was accepted. Heroic adventurers should be
no different. An Orlanthi adventurer who has survived Dorastor will
probably trust his companions of that ordeal a great deal more than he
will the Temple hierarchy, who is more than happy to take a tithe of his
hard won treasure, but patiently explain that some of his harder won
insights are misinformed if not heretical. As long as their goals arent
entirely incompatible, adventurers will tend to work around their
differences, "after all, that Yelmi saved my life, and that really odd
Shaman exorcised that disease spirit before it ruined my life." A good
adventuring company is incredibly loyal, and party disloyalty can be far
more emotionally charged than even major religious differences.
This does not mean that all these alliances are permanent, many
adventuring companies rosters are constantly shifting, as individual
pursuits draw people together and apart again. Unless something
exceptionally bad occurred, old adventuring companions will retain a great
deal of trust with each other, shared experiences tend to be more binding
than shared ideals. Important quests and shared enemies can make some very
strange bedfellows, at least until the threat is dealt with and often far
beyond. An Orlanthi Wind Lord is likely to always be the enemy of a Lunar
Priestess, but even they may be polite enemies, capable of working
together to destroy a mutual enemy. A skilled GM will use this for ongoing
campaigns. These differences will enhance a partys ability to deal with
threat, which will cause tolerance and even appreciation for the
differences, which will tend to further distance the adventurers from
their former society, increasing the partys reliance upon each other. Part
of the fascination of role playing is playing out the interactions between
such wildly different beings, and exploring the common ground between
them.
In gaming the GM can encourage this process by reinforcing the identity
of the group, and the individuals ties to that group. Adventuring
companies will often have rules, the first being mutual support especially
while in hostile situations. Additional rules will depend on the company.
In my own experience I have seen some fairly evolved social behaviors
developing with adventuring companies, including initiatory rites and
support of dependents. The GM can discourage the strength of the company
by not allowing the consequences of party disloyalty to be dealt with.
"Pet" characters who can do anything without fear of reprisal will destroy
any chance of developing party unity, even the perception of this will
damage. Especially damaging to group dynamics are situations where the
players are aware of treachery, and the characters are unaware. Either of
these situations are likely to break up a game.
As the Hero Wars begin to destabilize the existing societies of
Glorantha the adventurer will be more likely to remain within the already
disrupted society. Conversely, if the adventurer is perceived as a threat
the penalty is likely to be considerably more lethal than previously. As
with historical precedents, turbulent times offer a chance for advancement
to the heights of power when a more stable era offers only status quo or
ostracism.
Again, I'd be interested in your comments.
Allen
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