What do yew think it means?

The agents of the Wizards are about the Worlde; they attend the machinations and further the plots of their masters. Sometimes they make themselves known to the public, but that is dangerous ... for what fate awaits them at the hands of the enemies of their masters save to become toad-fodder or to devour with mad magickally-induced gluttony their own innards like hors-d'oeuvres at a nightmare feast? so more often they move in secret, they speak little, they reveal nothing ... but they pay. They hire whoever they think might help them get their jobs done: scouting, theft, assassination, robbery, siege, espionage, seduction, betrayal, torture, mayhem, or murder. Whatever it takes.

Yes, the gold is real. But more than gold, jewels, riches, and treasure is at stake. For the Wizards, it is triumph or tragedy, victory or death. For yew ... it is honor, glory, and adventure! -- yer own betterment through adversity -- fires of the forge, to temper the steel of yer character. And gold.

And yes, that gold ... is real.