The Fourth Era

It is a thousand years into the Modern Age. Man has rebuilt his home and holdings from the ashes of the Apocalypse. Science and technology are advancing once again, cities are growing, and Mankind is again dabbling with the dangerous power of Magic. In the centers of civilization, progress continues its steady march as populations grow, ideas spread, and the beating heart of society pulses with culture, trade, and conspiracy. The brave (or foolish) scour Golden Age ruins for lost secrets and ancient treasures. In the dark corners of the world, monsters fester and breed, their dark wrath bent towards Mankind’s destruction. Danger, intrigue, and adventure wait around every corner.

The Role of Adventurers

Most people live quiet, peaceful lives as farmers, craftsmen, merchants, or fill some other role in the social order. Some may serve as soldiers or guardsmen, but even these brave souls rarely see action on the same scale that adventurers do. Those who wander from place to place in search of new thrills, treasure, and glory are known by many names. Heroes, adventurers, sellswords…for good or ill, the name and reputation of such individuals precede them wherever they go. In some parts of the worlds, they are disliked, mistrusted, and feared for the calamity that seems to follow in their wake. In other places, they are celebrated as heroes and saviors. Most of the time, common folk look on adventurers with a mix of admiration and caution, in awe of their obvious prowess and cautious of what they could do with such skill.

There is always plenty of coin for the traveling adventurer to find. Guardsmen are rarely equipped to deal with threats beyond the scope of common criminals, and adventurers can easily be blamed for any collateral damage associated with their work. Militias and caravans are likewise eager to pay for the unique services adventurers bring to the table. In such a dangerous world, there are plenty who will pay for the assistance or protection of a well-armed, well-trained hero. Whether seeking work from the city watch, gaining the patronage of a wealthy civilian, or delving into forgotten ruins of yore for plunder, an adventurer rarely has to go far for his daily bread. Most people are kept from seeking such work due to the instability and social stigma of the wanderer’s life, not to mention the high rate of mortality among such heroes. This is all beside the fact that unless Mana has chosen an individual for greatness, their fate is to live and die quietly among the average.
Adventurers are exceptional individuals chosen by Mana for a unique destiny that sets them apart from ordinary folk.
Despite the important service they provide during times of tumult, adventurers are rarely welcomed to the places they go. Even standing in awe of a great hero, it’s difficult for the average citizen to see him as more than a danger to his enemies as much as his employers. Stories of great heroes abound, and for this people treat heroes they encounter with respect, fear, and awe. Yet the adventurer is an eternal outsider. For as long as he wanders from place to place seeking out trouble upon which to ply his trade, he will always be an outsider amongst the simple folk of the world who want nothing more than to live and die in relative peace.