Thinking of making this an actual mental condition in my story.

[Naruzeldamaster]

I originally made this bit as a joke early on in my story. One of my characters is a new blood adventurer and they get a little bit of 'stuff' envy.

Their first adventure was a little bit of a dud (They made some new allies but the sacred artifact turned out to be an inhaler. A magic one that cures a genetic disorder but still.) never mind that they pass their time reading fantasy novels.

It would be funny to have it be an actual thing though. Adventurers with little experience and get 'bored' with doing simple quests. Long to get magical items of coolness.
Stuff like 'the sword that seals the darkness' etc you know, DND type items/ important Mc Guffin type items. It's not a particularly harmful mental condition. It just gets slightly worse the longer one tries to ignore it by doing the 'easy' quests with no rewards.

I was going to have it be a running gag that my story doesn't really 'have' that stuff. I mean it does but it doesn't, not on the scale that it usually would in a Video game Plot. There are a few things like that, but they don't appear until later.

 

[CupofJoe]

Maybe I am missing something [highly likely] but I cannot see what “mental condition” you are talking about.
If you are talking about the mundane, then I am with you.
Having a character collect the equivalent of Fridge magnets [and not powerful relics] sound kind of fun.
Or maybe the small items are all parts of a hidden large thing, that the character is unwittingly building.
I like little magics over towering wizards hurling firestorms at each other.
In about half my stories I have a small little charm or spell [it varies] that creates just enough heat to start a fire. It lasts about 15 seconds, just long enough to get some tinder going, or light a fuse.
[And the inhaler that cures a genetic condition sound amazing btw]
As for boring… Many decades ago, back when I played D&D, I had a DM that made the Cleric in our party roll for “create food and water”, every “day” we were in a mine. It was well over 100 rolls before we got to the surface. That really slowed the game down. The DMs logic was that if the spell failed we could be in trouble.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Maybe I am missing something [highly likely] but I cannot see what “mental condition” you are talking about.
If you are talking about the mundane, then I am with you.

The 'mental condition' is basically 'wonder lust' kind of, it would affect mostly new blood adventurers who hadn't been on 'proper' adventures yet.

The general idea is, the longer they go on without going on real/challenging adventures the more 'distracted' they get by imagining having cool fantasy items, like ones you'd find in Dungeons and Dragons or in a typical Role Playing game. Like the Ring from Lord of the Rings. Or Link's Master Sword etc.

I hesitate to describe it this way (Because of the possible connotations good or bad) but think of it as ADHD but specifically for really 'green' adventurers.

Having a character collect the equivalent of Fridge magnets [and not powerful relics] sound kind of fun.
Or maybe the small items are all parts of a hidden large thing, that the character is unwittingly building.
I like little magics over towering wizards hurling firestorms at each other.

I like it too, though my story has a fair bit of the other kind of magic as well. (mostly as a means of self defense from monsters, but also for duels occasionally) Most of the countries in my story don't really have 'legendary artifacts of legendary-ness' like (for example) the Master Sword from Zelda. They kind of do but often they aren't quite to the same 'scale' if that makes sense.

Because in this story there's no 'dark lord of evil' or such to seal away. I mean there kind of is. But she's more of a natural disaster with a personality than anything.

If you've seen Ferngully, think like, the smog, but like they're tired of being destructive AND being feared by man. They kind of want either one of two things. To fit in with everyone else or be left alone by people who misinterpret her existing to begin with. Too bad the adventurers that locate her every time her powers get out of hand only have the typical purpose in mind (Until the protagonists of the story come along) because really, she's sick of it all lol

In about half my stories I have a small little charm or spell [it varies] that creates just enough heat to start a fire. It lasts about 15 seconds, just long enough to get some tinder going, or light a fuse.
[And the inhaler that cures a genetic condition sound amazing btw]

I thought of the Inhaler idea as a 'joke' item but then after a few days of sleeping on it I went 'wait that's amazing' and almost busted out laughing when I realized. I doubt many readers will get the 'joke' until later in the story. (There's going to be a lot of other artifacts like that)

As for boring… Many decades ago, back when I played D&D, I had a DM that made the Cleric in our party roll for “create food and water”, every “day” we were in a mine. It was well over 100 rolls before we got to the surface. That really slowed the game down. The DMs logic was that if the spell failed we could be in trouble.

That sounds horrid lol. I'd want to play DND but I've heard of DM's like this and the idea terrifies me. A youtuber I watch is a DM (though he doesn't talk about it much) and his sessions sound way more entertaining.

I'm torn if I would have more fun being a DM or being a Player, I have heard that both roles have their quirks and concerns.

 

[dantheman93]

I think that’s just intense FOMO

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I think that’s just intense FOMO

I mean, that would be the running joke yes.

Adventurers want to find valuable artifacts and such like to add to their 'resume' (Because that's a thing in my world. Adventurers are measured by 'feats' rather than their raw strength.) cause they're worried the nonexistent 'source' of them will run dry.

Some adventurers are good at it, no matter how big or small said artifact is. (In importance)
Some of them get a little over passionate a little too early, get themselves screwed over by high level foes (which actually is a thing too)

The point is everyone in my world wants a little 'something' to go in their legend about them, not that all legends are re told.

 

[Romy]

Some adventurers are good at it, no matter how big or small said artifact is. (In importance)
Some of them get a little over passionate a little too early, get themselves screwed over by high level foes (which actually is a thing too)

Just out of mage school, waiting for adventure but everyone close to town wiped all the nasty creatures suitable for your skill level...
The only thing left is a dragon even that boring know it all paladin refuses to go after without a proper team (no, not you, you need to train? dammit I passed my exams best in class! My fireballs are second to none!)

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Just out of mage school, waiting for adventure but everyone close to town wiped all the nasty creatures suitable for your skill level...
The only thing left is a dragon even that boring know it all paladin refuses to go after without a proper team (no, not you, you need to train? dammit I passed my exams best in class! My fireballs are second to none!)

100% this lol My idea was is that this kind of situation is worse than others in different countries.
In the starting country they kind of have this. But it's not quite an epidemic there since there's mostly just desert bandits and a few monsters in terms of 'crime'

I was thinking of one country (or at least one city in that country) being an incredibly goofy situation where the civilians romanticize adventurers, to the point that even the wimpiest ones are treated like famous rock singers lol

 

[pmmg]

I am with Cup of Joe, I dont see a mental condition in this, at least, not what that term tends to imply.

The concept does sound like fun though. Keeping up with the jones's might be a fun game if they suddenly come home with a better sword than yours.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

I am with Cup of Joe, I dont see a mental condition in this, at least, not what that term tends to imply.

Hmm, I see your point. Though what to call it then?

The concept does sound like fun though. Keeping up with the jones's might be a fun game if they suddenly come home with a better sword than yours.

Same idea as this video (Almost literally) but imagine adventurers competing over artifacts of varying levels of legendary-ness.

Cause again, adventurers are measured not by their combat potential (well they are but they aren't) but by what they've accomplished.

 

[Romy]

More a trait for people, bit like reverse hobbits...
The Tibbohs... were it is a custom to be questing all the time. Always people coming home from dungeons and far away places with the wildest tales and treasure. They frown upon the people staying home leading boring lives.
Elsewhere they are considered a pest. You can't go on a quest without meeting at least one of those annoying tibbohs. Stumbling over them steeling loot, endangering the dragon population.
A character might be from a boring family that never gets out. They might provide a tavern or some other local business (what do they do with all the junk you sell them? Why do they give away priceless heirlooms for trivial quests?). Stemming from a long line of npc's. Constantly having their necklaces stolen or begging adventurers to slay spiders in the cave next door. "But mom, I can fight those spiders!". Don't be silly, we don't do that over here, go tell those people over there you've got a monster under your bed. And you know they'll give away your favourite pair of lucky socks as a reward.

Or rescue a princess? Where is the loot in that? Ransom her... See what she has herself if you want to go dark. "Your dad only promised us 4 silver to bring you back" and you rip of her golden rings. Imagine what happens if one of those distressed maidens is found carrying an epic axe for some weird reason. Oh troll's balls... now we'll never see the end of them... Not a single group will come for the four silver.
Meanwhile you sit in the tavern... "No she was not my type and everybody was dead. I just gave her my old axe and she could go home on her own, learn to fight yourself. Escort her out my ass...", slowly realising you are responsible for every disappointed group finding just some trash in dead royalty. The king preparing vengeance on your home town.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

More a trait for people, bit like reverse hobbits...
The Tibbohs... were it is a custom to be questing all the time. Always people coming home from dungeons and far away places with the wildest tales and treasure. They frown upon the people staying home leading boring lives.
Elsewhere they are considered a pest. You can't go on a quest without meeting at least one of those annoying tibbohs. Stumbling over them steeling loot, endangering the dragon population.

Maybe it could be more of a psychological condition.

Not in the sense of like, a mental health one.

But more like, cabin fever. (And in case anyones concerned, I DO know it doesn't have to be a cabin that the person is stuck in) That could be an easy way to explain it to readers too.

Still a mental health thing but not anything close to a mental condition.

A character might be from a boring family that never gets out. They might provide a tavern or some other local business (what do they do with all the junk you sell them? Why do they give away priceless heirlooms for trivial quests?). Stemming from a long line of npc's. Constantly having their necklaces stolen or begging adventurers to slay spiders in the cave next door. "But mom, I can fight those spiders!". Don't be silly, we don't do that over here, go tell those people over there you've got a monster under your bed. And you know they'll give away your favourite pair of lucky socks as a reward.

Or rescue a princess? Where is the loot in that? Ransom her... See what she has herself if you want to go dark. "Your dad only promised us 4 silver to bring you back" and you rip of her golden rings. Imagine what happens if one of those distressed maidens is found carrying an epic axe for some weird reason. Oh troll's balls... now we'll never see the end of them... Not a single group will come for the four silver.
Meanwhile you sit in the tavern... "No she was not my type and everybody was dead. I just gave her my old axe and she could go home on her own, learn to fight yourself. Escort her out my ass...", slowly realising you are responsible for every disappointed group finding just some trash in dead royalty. The king preparing vengeance on your home town.

My story is pretty silly, but it do take itself seriously enough when the moment warrants it. (at least that's the plan) I'm trying to strike a similar balance between The Incredibles and Final Fantasy/Fire Emblem. Despite the silly gaffs and jokes, these people (regardless of how relevant they are) are serious adventurers and can/do kick ass when needed lol

Though I do like these ideas.