Birdman 285 Popular Post Share Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) THE RANGERS OF EASTWOOD A ranger patrol in the Sleetfells There exists a particular archetype in the collective imagination of Man. A primordial image, birthed somewhere in our cold and distant past: Beneath the trees stands a tall, solitary figure. A long cloak is drawn about his shoulders. In his weathered hand rests a walking-stave. A longbow and quiver are slung across his back. His soul aches with a deep longing for the wild and empty spaces of the world; the forests and hinterlands, the barren tundra, the rivers, the wastes. He is drawn to the outer rim of our lands, to places yet unexplored, to a nebulous and romanticized zone that we might call the Frontier. Some know them as Watchmen, others as Wardens. This character answers to many names, though perhaps to none more frequently than the Ranger. Rangers are not strictly professional soldiers. They stand in no lines, guard no gates, carry no painted shields. Nor are they mere foragers, content to eat berries and drink springwater. For the ranger, all of life is a battle. His fight does not begin at the bark of a general, or end with the war-horn’s howl. It began when Man first felt the bite of the cold in his chest, and the sting of heat scorching his brow. When he found himself alone and lost in a dark world- but saw for the first time the stars, put there by God in the heavens, charting him a path to freedom. The ranger’s fight doesn’t end til’ he breathes his last, and his soul joins the stars in their dance. PREAMBLE The Rangers of Eastwood are a brotherhood dedicated to forestry, combat, and the perfection of Virtue. They offer an escape from the elaborate prison that Man has built for himself in his cities- with their narrow, suffocating streets, their low roofs that break a man’s back and block out the sky, their accursed townhouses, sewers, and filthy alleys, their crowded taverns and empty churches- the whole ugly sprawl that Man is proud to call his home. A ranger leads a simpler, but undoubtedly richer life. His movement is easy and unrestricted. The Earth yields all her fruits to his watchful and discerning eye. When he is tired, she offers him a bed of leaves. When he is thirsty, a cold stream is his well. He can find God in the majesty of snow-capped mountains, in the petals of a wild rose, or in the gentle sound of canyon rain- for he worships in Creation itself as his temple. In all things, he thinks not of comfort, but of freedom. Though his life is often hard, his soul is at peace. The Rangers are loyal to the Empire of Oren, and are stationed at a strategic ford near the port of Eastfleet. They patrol the roads leading to Providence, keeping them free of bandits, poachers, and other errant dangers. As reservists in the Imperial Army, the Rangers are mobilized for any major military operations ordered by the Imperial Crown, but retain a fair degree of autonomy in their own sphere. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~RANKS~ A veteran ranger with his Cloak and a Wickerwood longbow The extravagance of a military guild’s long ladder of ranks seems rather out of place in the ranger’s world. Every ranger is expected to have the same base set of skills as any other. Naturally, some men take to certain tasks better than others, and if a mission calls for a particular man’s expertise, the Captain will designate him to lead it. But which skills will be most essential depends on the task at hand. The best man for one assignment may be the worst man for another. Thus, the rangers free themselves from the shackles of titular bureaucracy, and can award command on the basis of merit and the demands of their current objectives. Uncloaked Journeymen practice their aim in the Eastwood JOURNEYMAN New recruits to the guild are known as Journeyman, signifying their status as travelers on a sacred quest. Every Journeyman undergoes rigorous mental and physical training beside a class of fellows. Together, they learn to live off the land, to track men and beasts by the prints they leave behind, to read the sky, and to master the ranger’s weapon of choice- the wickerwood longbow. Upon the successful completion of their training, Journeymen are awarded two things: the first is a long Cloak, which he is to wear and maintain for the rest of his life. The second is his first Logbook, which he is to faithfully keep, until he turns it in to the Librarian at the end of a two year term, whereupon he receives a new one, which he carries for another two years, and so on and so on. RANGER Once a Journeyman has been found worthy to wear a Ranger’s Cloak, he is given the same responsibilities and privileges carried by all fully initiated members. As a Ranger, he is required to uphold the Arcus Creed, keep his Logbook, perform any missions assigned by the Captain, and be a model of virtue for others. He has unrestricted access to all the guild’s resources and knowledge, and can be delegated to lead missions by the Captain. Rangers accrue seniority and prestige in the guild by advancing through the class ladder, working their way up from Unmarked, to Third, Second, and finally First Class. A squadron of rangers setting an ambush WARDEN Senior rangers entrusted with command over their fellows, Wardens see to the everyday business of managing the guild- barking orders, overseeing new projects, and keeping everything in ship-shape. Never afraid to get their hands dirty, Wardens are grizzled veterans who would sooner die than betray the guild or its ideals. DEPUTY Deputies are second only to the Captain in the weight of their words amongst the Rangers. They are not appointed lightly- only a handful ever actively serve at one time. CAPTAIN The Captain is the executive head of the Eastwood Rangers. His main responsibilities consist of overseeing Journeyman training, planning and leading missions, delegating rangers to specialized ranks, and maintaining discipline across the guild. The Captain’s word is final, but this veto power is rarely if ever exercised. Serving Captain: Nikolas of Southbridge [eddywilson2 ] A ranger tracking a Hansetian bear through the Wyldes ~SPECIALIZED RANKS~ Adding some breadth to its sparse ranking structure, the guild maintains a host of specialized roles that can be filled by any ranger, with the approval of the Captain and his Deputies. THE LIBRARIAN Each ranger carries with him his Logbook, in which he records all of his works in service to the guild, observations about the territory he is in, the men he is with, flora, fauna, the lairs of monsters- anything that might be useful to travelers that follow in his footsteps. Every two years, rangers turn in their Logbooks to the guild Librarian. The Librarian’s first task is to organize these logbooks, and extract any useful or interesting information from them. But his duties extend far beyond this. The Librarian is the guild’s link to humanity’s vast treasury of theoretical knowledge, history, and culture, and provides a healthy offset to the guild’s wealth of experiential insight. THE QUARTERMASTER The guild pools all of its resources into a single warehouse that any ranger can access if he has need. The Quartermaster is in charge of managing the guild’s stores, keeping them tidy, well stocked, and accessible at a moment’s notice. The Quartermaster has the secondary duty of handling, distributing, and inspecting the guild’s weapons and tools. THE BEASTMASTER On their long expeditions into the wild, and across all the realms of the Descendants, rangers are prone to encounter creatures both fantastical and dangerous. It is the Beastmaster’s duty to take note of the unique behavior and abilities of these beings, and to carefully document those which seem particularly deadly, for the sake of any rangers that might run afoul of them. MASTER FALCONER During his Journeyman years, each ranger takes a young hawk, eagle, owl, or falcon into his care. The training of this young hunter parallels his own, and by the time he takes his oath and dons his Cloak, his animal companion is fully grown, and fully imprinted upon his master. When not perched on a ranger’s wrist, or circling above his head, trained birds are housed in the Lodge’s Aviary under the care of the Master Falconer. Alongside his duties in the Aviary, the Master Falconer is responsible for training Journeymen in the proper care of their new, feathered charges. THE APOTHECARY Though every ranger is trained in rudimentary herbalism, the Apothecary serves as the guild’s authority on the practical applications of botany. Similar to the Chief Falconer, the Apothecary oversees the guild’s stores of herbs, and is also responsible for introducing Journeymen to their unceasing usefulness and wonder. CHIEF CARTOGRAPHER Foremost among the duties of every ranger is his imperative to give mankind detailed maps of the natural terrain. It is not uncommon for the Captain to send out an expedition of rangers to spend several days charting a range of mountains, or meticulously mapping a forest. The Chief Cartographer’s duty is to take the labors of all his fellows and turn them into something comprehensive, readable, and properly useful. To qualify for his position, he must be a master navigator, skilled at geometry, and have a sharp eye for detail. He also enjoys the pleasure of having a large say in what to name the landmarks and trails that his comrades in the field have found or blazed. On the hunt ~SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS~ On top of a slew of positions to be filled by qualified members, the guild has marked out two divisions of specialists that require additional training and a particular skillset. Each division is headed by a trusted Ranger, selected personally by the Captain. BLACKHAWKS While every member of the guild receives extensive combat training, and can fight reliably under any conditions if called upon, Blackhawks are rangers that have proven themselves to be extremely deadly in battle. They are distinguished by being the only rangers licensed to complete missions where killing other men is necessary for the mission’s success, and are issued a new black Cloak to set them apart from their peers. HEXERS The guild boasts a small division of professional mages- rangers trained in one or more of the arcane arts. The Captain often sends a hexer to accompany ranger expeditions into unknown territory, on the off chance that the patrol encounters magical phenomena. A cloaked ranger with his trained hawk ~THE ARCUS CREED~ In the final stage of his training, a Journeyman keeps a Vow of Silence for one year, to train his will, sharpen his mind, and make him careful with his tongue. During this time, though he is permitted to write and gesture to communicate, a Journeyman cannot speak a single word from his mouth. On the final night of the year, the Captain assembles the entire Journeyman class in a secret grove. At midnight, the first words that a Journeyman speaks after a year of keeping silent are the words of the Arcus Creed, transcribed below: To speak merely what is needful, To be modest in speech, dress, and deed, To be truthful and sincere in all dealings between men, To own only what I need, To scorn comfort, To love freedom, And to keep my word. With God, the forest, and my innermost soul as my witnesses, I swear. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~RECRUITMENT~ A ranger guide on the Sitka trail Admission to the guild is open to any who seek it. But be warned- the life of a ranger is not for the faint of heart. For all of our poetic talk about the pleasures of a simple life, the rewards of self-sufficiency, and the boundless wonder of God’s Creation- though true- does not tell the full story. If you would join our ranks, you will spend countless months of your short life lost and far from home, with only a faded map, the stars, and your wits to bring you safely back. You will spend many hours with a parched throat, desperately searching for a mountain brook from which to drink- and spend many more lying feverish on a grubby cot, waiting for the parasites you have swallowed to be washed out of your system. You will spend many cold and sleepless nights listening to the distant howls of direwolves, wondering if you will live to see the dawn. But the guild can promise you this: you will never be left to face these challenges alone. You will need only look across the dying embers of your campfire to see your fellow rangers, bows in hand and eyes alight, ready to lay down their lives on your behalf. And in the innermost depths of your heart, you will know beyond a doubt that you would do the same for them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SHOULD YOU WISH TO ENLIST, FILL OUT THE APPLICATION BELOW, OR SEEK OUT CAPTAIN NIKOLAS [IGN: eddywilson2] ECTHALLION ATREIDES (IGN: birdnerdy), OR CASSIUS CRUZ [IGN: cruzalul] AT THE GUILD’S HEADQUARTERS. Directions: 1) From Cloud Temple, take the Eastward Fast Travel. 2)Take the road north towards Providence. 3) Cross the bridge over the little brook, and you’ve arrived! Coordinates:X: 1785 Z: 145 Spoiler Admission Requirements ~Applicants must be in adequate physical shape to endure the hardships of a ranger’s life~ ~Applicants must renounce all allegiances to and positions within other military or civic guilds~ ~Applicants must consent to a personal interview with the Captain or one of his deputies, and be deemed fit for admission to the guild’s ranks~ APPLICATION Name: Age: Race:Prior Relevant Experience: Edited January 26, 2021 by Birdman 45 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disheartened 749 Share Posted January 15, 2021 *An application was submitted in the proper format* Name: Tatyana Katherine Ruthern Age: 53 Race: HighlanderPrior Relevant Experience: Surgeon General of Haense, Practitioner General of Providence, Lady Maer of Reza (x2). Unsure if these are all relevant but I am skilled in medicine and can put on some great events! 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddywilson2 2116 Share Posted January 15, 2021 APPLICATION Name: Nikolas Barbanov Age: 51 Race: WhitePrior Relevant Experience: None 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grnappa 1230 Share Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) *A crumpled paper would be put in the Ranger mailbox* Name: Boryslav Berhal Age: 23 Race: Something-landerPrior Relevant Experience: Does poaching count? Edited January 15, 2021 by grnappa 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
libertyybelle 5476 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Adelaide Myre Age: 24 Race: WhitePrior Relevant Experience: None 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fwied 301 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name:Charles Vausman Age: 22? or 24 idk forgot Race: human boyPrior Relevant Experience: Prior Relevant Experience is my Experience 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ticklem0nster 103 Share Posted January 15, 2021 APPLICATION Name: Godfric Brackish Age: 43 Race: HomanPrior Relevant Experience: Northern War naval battles with Scyfling. Sutican War and many years of ISA experience 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ark 2830 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Aetius Age: 48 Race: Wood Elf Prior Relevant Experience: I shot at a scary olog once! 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanchables 528 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Reese Midlemen Age: 23 Race: Heartlander Prior Relevant Experience: Solo adventuring, theoretical degree in physics 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord of Boars 553 Share Posted January 15, 2021 "Ah, so it's Esbec?" Elwig of Brothingham would say before sipping from a mug of warm water. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmeepicus 3942 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Lukas Jokic Age: 84 Race: AdunianPrior Relevant Experience: Served as a Holy Knight, protector of the High Pontiff. Theoretical degree in 1.8 PvP combat. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taketheshot 3834 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Phillip Rohde Age: 16 Race: Human Prior Relevant Experience: "One time some roadman tried to rob me so I shot him in the head with my crossbow." 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperium 3299 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Marus sits beside the fire in the southbridge tavern, watching the rangers in green cloaks drink and bond. "A motley crew," He'd huff before continuing to poke his longsword into the fire. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBR 1484 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Godfrey Briarwood Age: Boomer Race: HumanPrior Relevant Experience: CLick good shotcall good 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
moosehunter123 337 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Name: Rennard Amador Age: 69 Gender: Male Experience: Mage, EX-Treasuer of some nation, Mr.Money Hands, committing fraud aganist enemy nations ggez. Commited Tax Evasion on multiple accounts. Managed some companies to launder money through. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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