Adventurers

'Adventurers' is a common name of all people taking arms (or using magic) to defend their villages and towns from daemons, beasts, bandits and other outlaws. That also describes those that take arms to profit from hunting aforementioned threats, even while being far from civilized lands they can potentially threaten.
Today they are practically a foundation of modern technomaturgical industry, due to being a source of alchemical ingredients, rare metals and minerals, artifacts and so on, that they gather during their work. While also being responsible for security of various outlying villages, mines and so on. Overtime they also become an important part of karadian culture, both admired and detested by general population.

Career

Qualifications

Today majority of adventurers hails from the so called Training Guilds. They are a vast assortment of training-oriented organizations dedicated to teaching new generations of adventurers certain sets of skills, predestining them for a certain methods of fighting (and adventuring). Examples might include Crusader Order (that trains adepts in using heavy armors and inrithian holy magic) or Shadowblade Association (that trains adepts in using light armors, shadow magic and short blades).
Training Guilds take children of various species, and then train them for (normally) 7-8 years, before letting them go to become adventurers - while expecting them to, over time, pay for their training with interests. Recruits hail from practically every possible background, including slaves and children from imperial Houses and even the family of Grand Emperors themselves. There is no equality though, and paying for your education beforehand in most cases grants you certain privileges. Not to mention that slaves are educated to be sold.
In other words going through Training Guilds requires no real qualifications. However theoretically practically anyone can become an adventurer, as long as he has any skill with weapon or magic and is willing to work in such life of work (former soldiers used to rival Training Guilds students in that matter).

Career Progression

Most of Training Guilds allows certain career progression for its members, officially advancing them after passing certain exams/having some sort of achievements in their line of work and so on. It is however the less important way of progression for adventurers.
The more important one is connected to Imperial Adventurers Guild. It evaluates the skills of more ambitious adventurers, informing them how strong enemies can they fight and hope to defeat (at least in a group). Granting them ranks - Copper, Iron and so on, all the way to Orichalcum (higher ranks adventurers practically do not exist). This includes being able to be hired by Imperial Army's Auxilliary to work in magical anomalies, for best achievable pay.

Payment & Reimbursement

Payment varies before jobs. Adventurers can work a permanent security of an outlying village or as a part of a professional team exploring magical anomalies - with immense changes in payment.

Other Benefits

It is a general consensus that whatever they gain while on a mission belongs to them. Making alchemical ingredients, rare metals and artifacts and so on a very important source of revenue, that often allows them (if they are really lucky) to retire early.

Perception

Purpose

Adventurers can be easily summed up as armed men that is supposed to work with Dark as a whole. Which includes pushing daemons back from civilized lands, hunting aetherwarped animals and beasts, defending towns from supernatural threats, gathering alchemical ingredients, trophies and rare metals, and so on.

Social Status

Social status of adventurers is a very complicated matter. They are mostly considered a free citizens not connected to social structure of any particular countries, making them outsiders everywhere. Many of them are practically outcasts (sometimes fleeing from law), making them meet at least some level of public mistrust unless proven to be competent.

Demographics

Depends. While in majority of population it is at best 1%, great number of adventurers working in magical anomalies or in more haunted regions rises this number up to 3-5% of population as a whole, depending on age.

Operations

Tools

Minimal version is some sort of weapon and/or some sort of magick skill - you can theoretically be an adventurer simply by having a rusted spear and being ready to stab things with it. Those from Training Guilds emerge with specialized gear, and most of the veteran adventurers sooner or later commissions equipment tailored to their skills, mostly made from rare materials.

Dangers & Hazards

Adventurer's works is very hazardous. It is estimated that depending on the work they do, from 20 to 80% of them dies while working. On the other hand, the more deadly the work the more money can be earned, and stories of former adventurers becoming important (and wealthy) noblemen and creating entire dynasties remains a magnet for the ambitious.

Demand

Practically insatiable demand, that isn't met despite the numbers.