Adventurer

An adventurer was someone who took risks in the pursuit of a goal. Adventurers came from all races, and they could be found almost anywhere.

Activities
Some individuals became adventurers for fame, others for money. Some sought revenge, while others laid down their lives in defense of their lieges, their families, their beliefs, or the land itself. As most lands were perilous and full of brigands and monsters, most people started their careers as adventurers by dealing with these dangers to their hometowns.

The rulers of Faerûn and other lands knew that some adventurers had made their lands better places to live, and so tolerated or even encouraged their existence, even if some individual adventurers were of evil bend. Adventurers were highly capable individuals, so even kings were careful to not earn their ire. However, that doesn't mean that adventurers were untouchable or that all nobles feared them. In fact, most nobles only tolerated them because they worked for less payment than professional mercenaries and in most cases were easy to manipulate.

Adventuring companies
Adventuring companies were association of individual adventurers who joined forces to have better chances of success in their endeavors. Those companies also had better chances of official recognition from the rulers of all nations than individual adventurers.

In some regions, adventuring companies were given "legal" recognition and rights of claiming missions and rewards, rights that were denied to unsanctioned companies. Some nations even recognized adventuring companies as official authorities, and such were capable of enforcing the law of the land if they wanted to.

Background
Places such as Cormyr, the Dales, the Western Heartlands, and the North in Faerûn, or the Windrise Ports in Laerakond, were very accepting of adventurers of good heart, knowing that such individuals risked their lives to face dangers common folk would never face themselves.

Background
Adventurers are the player characters of any person playing a D&D campaign.