Firstly, thank you
@Pele Alarion, for giving this activity/organisation a new thread, for a new year; a fresh page so to speak to take us onwards. The Rangers has always been such an important part of RP in this kingdom, and while
@Winddancer has kindly provided the Tower Guard, that seems focused toward protecting people from crimes committed on a local level, and working with the dungeons/gaol. The Rangers, as an alternative, has always been more about protecting the people from threats abroad, or that threaten the entire nation, etc. That is why I believe it’s important to bring the following points over from the last thread, where such stellar work was done by many minds coming together with their thoughts:
With regard to ranks:
@Oro and
@Arnyn kindly got us off the ground with an exciting RPG, led by their NPC commanders, but it was never the intention to keep those temporary characters as long-term leaders of the company. I believe the options were, following the conclusion of that initial RPG, that :
‘1/ new GMs step up and get to make their own Commander/Lieutenant NPCs, once the storyline has reached its conclusion they think of a reason they can once again be replaced and it all starts over with again new GMs, allowing for a rotation and fresh ideas and no one falling into a rut
or
2/ the Rangers as a whole choose their Commander and Lieutenant from among our own characters.’
Since the RPG has sort of pittered out for now and RL has stolen many of our number from activity, I would like to propose that by both standing up as a GM (as per the new RPG you alluded to the Barracks RPG thread), and also by starting off this new thread here for OOC/planning, a clear candidate for our next person of authority is clear.
I should like to cast my choice for Commander to yourself,
Pele.
If you would rather RP as Faramir (or another NPC) to do this, or whether you would have the character of Pele the Ranger step up as acting, or actual leader, either way, I believe we would be in good hands. You are certainly the most experienced of those of us still active, and clearly committed/proactive to seeing Ranger activity return to Gondor.
As for the rest; I am not sure how many actual officers we need (if any) right now, as we do not want more leaders than soldiers ! But I think it’s fair to say that the original plan for two main levels of rank are a fair starting point in general. Any officers that require to be NPC’d by a GM to take a story forward is fair enough, but in general a character who enlists would either be
1) Ranger - an experienced in some/whatever level of previous version of Gondorian army etc character
or
2) Recruit - a brand new/never been part of the military before in any capacity’ type character
With regard to training:
I am of the understanding that nobody ought be ‘forced’ to undergo gruelling levels of training in RP. That said, they should be able to reflect their Ranger’s rank believably in any IC post. So, once more paraphrasing from all the brainstorming which was done in the outset of our previous discussions,
Rangers would all need to possess 4 different skill sets, regardless of their chosen main weapon or specialty:
1) Scouting
This includes scouting, stealth and tracking.
2) Survival:
This includes basic survival techniques such as building fires, making your own shelter, knowing how to look for food and water, and basic first aid.
3) Combat:
This includes unarmed combat, melee and ranged combat.
4) General:
General skills include riding, equipment upkeep,...
Rangers can then choose to specialize in one of the following:
- bow skills - Cúner
- spear skills - Ehtyar
- axe skills - Pelecconner
- sword skills - Hyandaner
- scouting skills - Tirdinen
- support skills (such as advanced healing, military logistics, armour and weapons crafting) – Yantyar
The fact of there being opportunities for persons concerned with strategy and smithing as opposed to actual combat type roleplay was a wonderful addition to this NUplaza version of the Rangers.
I would say that once a Recruit has taken part in one RPG, or some training posts in the Barracks thread (either on their own initiative, or with a ‘mentor’ if they would prefer) and/or in some other way proven their character has the basics skills listed above, then they would be eligible to move from ‘Recruit’ to being counted as a full member of the Rangers.
With regard to status/absence
I do like your four states of activity, although we could probably whittle it down to just three if we merge the ‘on leave’ and the ‘abroad’ options together. The main state that we need to be aware of is if which of the following is any Ranger at given time.
1) available for Ranger RP
2) having given notice that they will be unavailable/inactive from the Rangers/Nuplaza for a designated period of time. An IC reason may have been concocted for this time period.
3) having disappeared for more than a designated time (3 or 6 months etc), and having left us thus to assume that their characters is missing/lost/who knows ? with the option to present us with an exciting tale on their return (if they do return), to explain why they have missed (IC) what Gondor has been up to in the meantime.
With regard to my finally shutting up (after just this …)
I am sorry to point out that a few of the names on the roster are missing their character’s fullname *cough*Raxëlilta*cough* but more importantly, I feel this new OOC thread ought be actively plugging the new current and about to begin Ranger RPG which @Pele is gathering volunteers for in the Barracks thread also.
There is also
@Fuin Elda's Third Age RPG here in Gondor, where she has invited a Gondorian military presence (see relevant OOC thread for the 'Buccaneers of Belfalas').
Also, Rangers who wish to ‘claim’ a room in the Barracks, while
@Burnt Toast is unavailable, I asked an admin to update the Barracks OP accordingly with my Ranger's room assignment, so I’m sure that’s still an option as well for newcomers etc.
Also, also, are we still required to give a full account of our IC uniform, weapons, and otherwise equipment here in the OOC thread, as a couple of folk had done in the previous OOC thread ? Or do you think it would be more fun to have an IC inspection in the barracks, and have to explain our belongings there, to ensure all is in order ? It might be fun also for some more Barracks-related shenanigans.
A few people have done some Ranger IC in Ithilien, relating to training/practicing in combat and/or survivals skills, so again, an option is there for Ranger activity in our lovely Free RP threads. Shameless plugging for that too.
Hopefully a little of us can go a long way ?