When should a adventurer retire?

[Pokonic]

This question got my group going when they met the newest NPC in my game, a venerable orc cleric with a history of good deeds. The pcs where contacted by this orc, for he wished to eliminate a very powerful cult before he passed on. However, his original party has been laid low by both time and battle, and is the only one left. As such, while he expects to die fighting the cult, he wishes to die fighting evil. However, the pcs, knowing he is very important in the local social status, are attempting to figure out if they should abide by his wishes or convice him to stay in the village.

Now, the actual thing that came up was this: how old do you have to be before it is time to hang up the sword and dagger? Wizerds can go on for ages, but this is about the average sword-swinging hero of old. Beowolf fought a dragon in his old age, while is some games anyone over 30 is dragon food. Whats your thoughts on this?

[Shadowknight12]

My opinion is that with age comes experience and levels, so older adventurers would be the least likely to retire, considering how much more they can do for the greater good than the level 1 whippersnappers.

Having said that, I think that something that goes unmentioned often (because there are no stats for it, probably) is the way a life of constant danger, tragedy, sacrifice, emotional isolation and loss takes its toll on a person. To me, a character doesn't retire because he can't physically keep up with the youngsters. That's ridiculously stupid. A -6 to physical stats (at Venerable age) is a piece of cake to compensate for, with spells, magic items, the ability score upgrades every four levels and other miscellanea.

The way I see it, an adventurer stops adventuring when the PTSD finally kicks in.

[Leon]

When they feel its no longer worth risking their necks for a bit o gold and glory.

Pending your Game and things that have occurred with a Character they could have met the NPC (or PC) of their dreams and want to settle down, open a Tavern for new aspiring adventures to congregate in on the eve of a new outing, just escape the horror of another long trip in the underdark etc.

[comicshorse]

When he finds something to replace adventuring perhaps. The love of a good woman/man who he doesn't want to leave grieving, the desire to have a family, to set down roots instead of just wandering from place to place.

Alternately when you have enough cash to build a place and stock it with a harem and are tough enough to ensure nobody can just take it off you

[Vortling]

You stop adventuring when you achieve the goal that put your feet on the adventuring path in the first place. For some that means retirement at age 20 - 25 depending on goal and success (slay the dragon, marry the princess, etc). For others it means they don't retire until they're dead (in rare cases even after that).

[peacenlove]

When you make enough enemies and adversaries during your adventuring life to be 24 hours / day paranoid about keeping them at bay or be hidden from them.

Alternatively when you realize that you can't be to 2 places at the same time, so you decide to tutor the new generation to be better than you.

[Kol Korran]

i think the asnwer depends entirely on the personality of the adventurer, on why s/he started adventuring, and what happened on his/ her adventures.

some examples from books/ movies/ TV shows:
- the princess bride: Wesley seems to stop once he gained Buttercup. And Inigo wonders what to do once he got his revenge, when he is offered to be a pirate.

- Cohen the Barbarian (and his Silver horde) get upset at coming to an old age, and decide to go on their "Last Adventuere", which turns out different than they thought (Terry Pratchet, the last hero). this inspires someone who never adventured though to adventure.

- DragonLAnce, Krynn- the adventurers adventure as long there is Need (perhaps not Raistlin, who Adventures as long asthere is Ambition). then they retire, but they resume (in sequel books) when a need arises again.

- In the Buffy/ Anfgel series it's pretty much the same- the main Heroes adventure do to need and destinty and responsibility. but once it's done... their friends however (most of them) adventure for care of their friends, and because it's a "social" thing?

- in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere the main character (forgot his name) begins adventuring against his will, but ends up looking for adventure. while the Hunter in the book sort of lives to "adventure".

and so on and so on. in my group one of the main characters quit due to not wanting to leave his wife again. wanting to start a family.

[Ormur]

I don't like age category penalties/bonuses because I think it's unbalanced but also because legendary adventurers shouldn't have to retire unless they want to. I've played in gamed where characters levelled so fast they could have retired as one of the most powerful beings of the plane before middle age but the cliché of the old adventurer forced out of retirement is a good one.

[Dr.Epic]

Now, the actual thing that came up was this: how old do you have to be before it is time to hang up the sword and dagger? Wizerds can go on for ages, but this is about the average sword-swinging hero of old. Beowolf fought a dragon in his old age, while is some games anyone over 30 is dragon food. Whats your thoughts on this?

Depends: some people become an adventurer to fulfill a specific goal. Once it's done, they may go back to a normal life. Other people, I guess it could go by the fact they have more gold then they could ever spend. Then there are those who retire because of the whole no pulse thing. Their gravestones will read "I should have taken Dodge."

[comicshorse]

In Fredrick Forsyth's 'The Dogs of War' a novel about a mercenaries being hired to assassinate the head of an African state its quite clear most of the mercenaries are totally unable to fit into ordinary life. Addicted to the thrill and danger of the mercenary life style they will keep coming back until the inevitable bloody end.

[Kol Korran]

In Fredrick Forsyth's 'The Dogs of War' a novel about a mercenaries being hired to assassinate the head of an African state its quite clear most of the mercenaries are totally unable to fit into ordinary life. Addicted to the thrill and danger of the mercenary life style they will keep coming back until the inevitable bloody end.

even that may wear after a while. i come from Israel, where most of the populations serves a few years in the army. however, a fairly large percentage of people who served in Elite units are later drawn to do mercenary or "professional specialist soldier" works across the world. (had quite a few friends down that road). things is- most of them get tired after 3-10 years, and retire as well. (if they make it that is). they do feel... "not quite fitting" with normal life, and often choose dangerous jobs (but far less dangerous than professional soldiering) but they do get families and so on.

true, a few get addicted to that life, but those are usually the very few. most seem to find a way... somehow.

[Jay R]

James Bond and Batman will not retire as long as people keep watching James Bond movies and reading Batman comic books.

Harry Potter defeated the great enemy wizard at the end of the seventh book, and is done (although he then started his career as an Auror, hunting down bad guys). Dorothy Gail came home to Kansas to stay (but then featured in sequels). Tarzan settled down with his wife at the end of his second book - out of 24.

Similarly, none of my characters have ever retired when the DM had another adventure for them.

Let's face it. For an adventurer, retirement means settling down on a small plot of land - about six feet by three.

[MidnightOne]

It's entirely dependent on the personality and drive of the character. To wit with my PCs:

Deminos the halfling retired when he married Merilee, a halfling slave he'd rescued a year before.

Peter the wizard in a single adventure fought off two succubi as well an a Minor Death and concluded, "I'm too old for this (#&! anymore."

Lexania (Barbarian/Planar Champion) went back to her tribe after two years of rather unique adventures across six planes.

After four years of being an assassin and spy, Tral Dolenor opened a brewery. "It's less work and a file ale doesn't stab back."

Olath Vlos (Drow Rogue 10/ Cleric 5) didn't so much retire from active life as retire from adventuring directly. He runs a city now.

[LibraryOgre]

"When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer." -Hans Grueber

[Anderlith]

You adventure till

A)You die
B)You achieve all your goals
C)You wake up in cold sweat, having fireballed the roof of the inn off in a nightmare-fueled reaction.
D)You find more happiness is coming from non-adventuring life (wife, estate, etc.)
E)You never stop adventuring----ever. You find one of the many ways to become immortal & swagger off into the sunset to uncharted lands
F)You find one of the epic retirement homes, service to a god, archmage in a tower, swordsmaster for a combat academy etc.

[Kol Korran]

You adventure till

E)You never stop adventuring----ever. You find one of the many ways to become immortal & swagger off into the sunset to uncharted lands

"excuse me? i say? excuse me?" said Gertrude "are you dead?"

"Are we dead Willie?" said Cohen.

"we ought to be dead. but i don't feel dead."

"i ain't dead!" roared Mad Hamish. "i'll knock any man doon as tells me a'm dead!"

"there's an offer you can't refuse" said Cohen, swinging himself on Holda's horse. "saddle up boys."

"but.. excuse me?" said Gertrude, who was one of those people afflicted with terminal politeness. "we are supposed to take you to the great Halls of the Slain. there's mead and roast pork and fighting in between courses! Just for you! that's what you wanted! they laid it on just for you!

"yeah? thanks all the same, but we ain't goin" said Cohen.

"But that's where dead heroes have got to go!"

"I don't remember signing anything" said Cohen. he looked up at the sky. the sun has set, and the first stars were coming out. every one of them was a world, eh? "

... "are you dead or not?"

Cohen scanned the snow. "well, the way i see it. we don't think we are, so why should we care what anyone else thinks? we never have. Ready Hamish? then follow me boys!"
-----------------------
The last Hero, Terry Pratchett.

[FatJose]

Happiness is all you need...and not to be downsized and/or replaced.

[Mixt]

"Retire?

NEVAH!

There is always someone stronger than you, and as such always someone to surpass, i shall never stop growing, never cease to evolve, i will continue to push higher and higher until i achieve infinity, then i shall go beyond even that, shatter all limits and go beyond the realms of possibility!"

And that would be how most of my characters thinks about the whole adventuring thing.

In short, obsessed with obtaining more and more power, always wanting to become stronger, and every time they find someone who can beat them...Go adventuring until you gain enough levels to overpower them.
Then go looking for the next guy to surpass.

But that's just my guys...

[Coidzor]

When they start to get burnt out.

Then there are those who retire because of the whole no pulse thing. Their gravestones will read "I should have taken Dodge."

Only if the Undertaker is Gnomish.

[Pokonic]

Only if the Undertaker is Gnomish.

New charecter concept, away!

[Wyntonian]

Really, it depends on the sort of adventurer. And their sorts of adventures. There's the obsessed-with-a-single-goal vengeancy types, who will probably retire after they kill the ninja that murdered their master, or overthrew the unjust king, but there's plenty of others.