The Ranger's Guild

[Lukon]

Now, I personally enjoy the RP that the nature of the current Ranger's Guild and Guiding Council have brought about, but parts of it leave a weird taste in my mouth. Mainly, that it's up to PCs to decide who can be a ranger or not. For groups like paladins, this makes a certain amount of sense, and for initiation into a faith, again, PC faith managers play a role.

But part of the nature of a ranger is in self-reliance, and being beholden to a guild seems antithetical to the theme. Being unable to be guilded without this council's consent seems even stranger for talents which often develop organically. I know there were abuses in the past, but isn't that something that can be handled OOC, instead of limiting membership to the guild?

I'm being extra careful to state that I'm not out to criticize any of the RP or the players involved. I just find the idea itself to be a bit strange, when so many other guilds that would require more IC training don't require a formal PC apprenticeship.

[Lathander]

The ranger Council was formed as an IC solution to an OOC problem. It was made with the intent to make sure that new rangers knew the general rp expected of them and that older ones are held accountable. There WAS abuse and terrible rp. This was considered by Mielikki and mortal rangers a good solution because it created some guidelines without being overbearing. The players chosen to be on the Council were initially chosen because it is believed that they can help identify those with a potential for abuse and train them out of it BEFORE things get to the point that OOC intervention by imms is necessary. We do try to limit how much OOC punishment we have to do.

The important thing to understand IC, is that the guild is in place due to its creation by the current Warden and with the directly expressed blessing of Mielikki.

All of that being said, there are currently OOC discussions planned to review the entire ranger guild by imms and specifically-invited mortal rangers.

**And, no, we don't consider your question/comments to be disrespectful in any way **

[Ninde]

Now, I personally enjoy the RP that the nature of the current Ranger's Guild and Guiding Council have brought about, but parts of it leave a weird taste in my mouth. Mainly, that it's up to PCs to decide who can be a ranger or not. For groups like paladins, this makes a certain amount of sense, and for initiation into a faith, again, PC faith managers play a role.

But part of the nature of a ranger is in self-reliance, and being beholden to a guild seems antithetical to the theme. Being unable to be guilded without this council's consent seems even stranger for talents which often develop organically. I know there were abuses in the past, but isn't that something that can be handled OOC, instead of limiting membership to the guild?

I'm being extra careful to state that I'm not out to criticize any of the RP or the players involved. I just find the idea itself to be a bit strange, when so many other guilds that would require more IC training don't require a formal PC apprenticeship.

I have been playing for more than one year, and I haven't seen someone NOT guilded by a council member since then, at first instance. It is a challenging roleplay for newbies, I know, I had been through that
But besides, some character that wants to be guilded, never been refused, but perhaps taught for longer times in order for adaptation. Anyone that knows such a case can correct me if I am wrong, though.

[Maybel]

I remember when being a ranger was A LOT harder to get into a few years ago... I don't know if that was good or not... The groth in rangers and elven kind has bloomed quite a bit from when i started playing... come to think of it... the number of players have bloomed quite a bit.

To get back on track. Rangers have been made easier to get into but I know of no one to be denied to get into them.... it's like one big happy fanily... other guilds should be more like them...

[Scylere]

As far as I know, Rangerhood in FK is like the 2nd Ed ranger. Goods only. Which means, that rangerhood is a fine line to walk. It is equivalent to the line a paladin must walk. If a PC shows a black heart and a spite against the Code, what a Ranger stands for, then in no way can they be a ranger. Mielikki/Silvanus/Corellon/Chautea..whoever..would never give their power to a ranger who spit on the very thing that makes a ranger a Ranger.

In my opinion, if you want a character that protects the wilds, etc, then go ahead, but if a character doesn't uphold the Code in all they do, then don't expect to have the privileges of the guild.

I think this applies to everything else in FK as well. Paladinhood, religions, guilds, alignments. If you don't play the role you take on, then you should lose the benefits of that role: alignments change, skills taken, membership revoked, maybe even death.

Going a different direction, I also believe that PCs should be given chances to learn a certain way. In the case of the Rangers, as Ninde pointed out, some characters have a lot longer to wait to become rangers, as their hearts just may not be in it.

There's my thoughts:D I say this in hopes that people will enjoy the rp it takes to become a ranger or any other group, and even to enjoy the rp involved when being thrown out of the group.