Riverwatch Rangers

[Deraj]

Greetings, seeker.
Many years ago I took my first steps down the path of the ranger. In the years that followed I would experience many joys, and endure many wounds. I have journeyed alongside cherished companions in times of both war and peace, and have at other times wandered the wilderness alone. In my solitude, under the shade of the Spiritwood, I pondered what it means to be a ranger. There are many reasons why seekers are drawn to the path. Some search for adventure. Others seek meaning in a world that at times seems devoid of it. Yet others arrive at the path seeking atonement for misdeeds done. The causes may vary, but the path always leads to the same destination, for those who are able to endure.

But the path has many difficulties, and by bellows and whispers alike it draws its adherants towards the lonely roads and away from their greatest resource: the fellowship of their fellow rangers. For I have learned that a ranger's greatest strength is to be found in the company of their peers, and only together can we reach our destination, or not at all.

The time has come, once more, for Riverwatch to fulfill its true purpose, as a home to all rangers. To those roadworn travelers, those weary rangers of many years and fledglings alike, those who have long walked the path and those who aspire to the path, those who would heed my call: the time has come. Come home, and we will find the inner light together.

-Serim Arith

A Brief History of Riverwatch

Originally founded by the ranger Okami, the Riverwatch Rangers were formed to bring together rangers from across the kingdom for the safeguarding of Britannia and to uphold the Eight Virtues. In this time the rangers faced off against several enemies, and though they were able to prevail against these threats, those in the order would soon part ways to heal from their adventures. But now, a new call has been issued and the time has come for life to return once more to the quiet glade of Riverwatch.

Recruitment

The Riverwatch Rangers is a roleplaying guild on the Catskills shard of Ultima Online. We roleplay as a company of rangers while playing the game in a variety of ways:
*Scheduled, and unscheduled roleplaying events
*Hunting and PvM
*RP-PvP
*Supporting the roleplay community as well as the wider community of Catskills
To join, contact Tserim Arryth on discord, username Deraj#2901, to discuss recruitment and visit us at Riverwatch to join our adventures. New members should be advised of the following prohibitions:
*Necromancy - Any spell
*Magery - Summon Daemon
*Spellweaving - Summon Fiend
*Animal Taming - In RP-PvP situations only, a pet can be no higher than level 4.

The Ranks

The ranking structure of Riverwatch is not a measure of experience but of dedication and time spent in service to the company of Riverwatch.

Greenhorn
Starting rank for fledgling rangers who have not yet taken the oath. Before they can be permitted to take the oath, they must prove their willingness to follow the path and attend to the duties of Riverwatch.
(This title is required for members of this rank.)

Seeker
Starting rank for veteran rangers of many years that wish to make a home in Riverwatch. Before they take the oath, they too must prove their dedication to the path and their ability to attend to the duties of Riverwatch.
(This title is required for members of this rank.)

Wayward
While many rangers have dwelled in Riverwatch, some choose to enter Riverwatch as outsiders to warm themselves by our fire before leaving; dwelling not in Riverwatch but around it, joining in our adventures but never in our company. These Waywards are friends of Riverwatch, but having not taken the oath, they possess no status.
(This title is required for members of this rank.)

Druid
The druids, those mystics that keep alive the ancient traditions of Sosaria, are the natural allies of rangers. Those that choose to reside in Riverwatch shall be recognized accordingly.
(This title is required for members of this rank.)

Quartermaster
Much is owed to the hard working craftsmen of Riverwatch, for without them, Riverwatch would not even be a pile of sticks.
(This title is required for members of this rank.)

Pathfinder
Those rangers that have taken the oath are considered fully-fledged members of Riverwatch. As such, they have taken on the responsibility of safeguarding the wilderness of Spiritwood as well as the kingdom of Britannia.
(Pathfinders may choose their own guild title.)

Warden
Rangers that have dedicated themselves to the duties of Riverwatch are bestowed a special veteran status as Wardens of the woods. This special rank is reserved for long-time rangers and proven members of the previous order.
(Wardens may choose their own guild title.)

Sentinel
This rank designates the second-in-command. If there are three active Wardens, a vote can be held to determine which among them will be considered the Sentinel. The Sentinel is charged with ensuring the execution of duties by the rangers of Riverwatch. They will organize hunts and assign missions when necessary to rangers.
(The Sentinel may choose their own guild title.)

Keeper
The leader of Riverwatch, and the Keeper of the Oaths. Their duty is to oversee Riverwatch and maintain the integrity of the rangers, as well as acting as its primary representative. The Keeper has the final say in all matters.

The Ranger's Oath

The oath is the promise a ranger makes to Riverwatch. By making these vows, the ranger is bound in service to Riverwatch and its Keeper, and is obliged to fulfill their duties for life, or unless they are released from their oath by the Keeper.

The ranger shall place their upon the stone and repeat these words:
"I, [name], solemnly swear upon this stone to pledge my life in service of Riverwatch,
And by every beat of my heart, to follow the path of the ranger.
On my honor, I swear to protect the city of Skara Brae and forests of Spiritwood,
To heed the Riverwatch code, and to follow the Eight Virtues."

The Riverwatch Code

1. Observation before action.
In times of moral ambiguity, expedience shall give way to patience, even in the face of an undesirable outcome.

2. Respect the Balance.
Our home is not only Riverwatch but Spiritwood itself, a home shared by denizens of the wild. Those that follow the path should recognize their own intrusion with the wilderness and seek to live in balance with it.

3. Respect the ranks.
The rankings provide structure and order within our community. Those that have taken the oath bear the responsibility of the protection of Riverwatch, and are thus endowed with the authority necessary to see to its safeguarding.

4. Respect the oath.
The Ranger's Oath is at once the foundation of our order and its binding element. Rangers that take the oath must always remember it, whether they choose to get along or not. Those that forsake the oath will be known as oath-breakers; to be banished from Riverwatch and known across Britannia for their dishonor.

Rules of Engagement

1) Stay in character at all times.

2) Before attacking a fellow role-player, you must have an in-character reason for doing so. This means beyond knowing their guild affiliation OOC or by the fact that they are highlighted orange to you.

3) Respect your fellow role-players by making your best attempt they are actually present and able to respond to any hostile interactions.

4) No looting of fellow role-players is allowed under any circumstances.

5) Once you fall in battle, you are considered "dead" for battle purposes (though not a role-played character death) for 30 minutes and may not re-enter that particular battle. During this period of time, you must keep your death robe on and not commit any assertive or aggressive actions. You are also subject to further assertive or aggressive actions so long as your character remains in the area.

6) Any and all disputes should be handled by the Guild Masters. Never take the matter into your own hands.

7) And most importantly, always show common sense with regards to when, where, and how combat is initiated.

The following is an added rule applicable only to members of the Riverwatch guild:

8) Riverwatch observes a 'no-capture' policy for inter-guild conflict. Meaning, in fights between Riverwatch and members of other guilds, rangers should refrain from capturing defeated foes, and are not obliged to be captured by foes if defeated, unless OOC arrangements have been made beforehand or during the interaction. The no-capture policy does not apply to internal story arcs and plot characters.

Map and Landmarks

Riverwatch is situated in the glade on the east side of the Hedge Maze, and to the west of the rivers that some in this area know as the Reach, the short river that flows from the north, and Ribble, the longer river that flows from the south and into Britanny Bay. Riverwatch consists primarily of a few buildings, chief among them the Riverwatch Lodge, the Riverwatch Hold, and the Cabin, a woodland tavern.

The old Riverwatch rules and ranks can be found here for reference: playersofroles.proboards.com/thread/1629/riverwatch-rangers-old

[Deraj]

Lore of the Rangers and Spiritwood

Written here are fragments of lore uncovered in the days of the rangers who inhabited Spiritwood.

The Talking Bears

Among the many strange things one may encounter in the wilderness, are the talking bears. The origin of these bears goes as far back as 200 years before the shattering. A magus by the name of Xalgor bred the original bears through magical experiments, creating in the process a bear capable of possessing a moderate intelligence and low level of sentience. The bears generally are not very smart, with the the typical peak of their intelligence being comparable to a human child. Nevertheless, it is enough for them to be trained to perform higher level tasks with a coordination not typical in most animals. And of course, the bears are capable of speaking in a human language with enough clarity to be understood. The talking bears also seem to possess the unusual ability to disguise themselves - despite their size and frame, bears well-practiced in the art (or magic?) of concealment can appear quite convincingly like a human to an undiscerning eye. Those bears still learning the art, however, might be easier to detect.

The bears were made in order to perform acts of espionage, to spy on forest dwellers with whom Xalgor had become rivals. In time, Xalgor passed on his magical control of the bears to his apprentice, who in turned passed on control to his apprentice. However in time, the bears were forgotten, and the last in Xalgor's magus line died without passing on control, and the talking bears were eventually free. They have since lived a quiet existence, mostly hidden from the eyes of man. The younger and less intelligent bears enjoy life with child-like abandon while the older and more intelligent ones bear the burden of knowing the limits of their intelligence, and the dangers that their intelligence brings them.

Other Characteristics:

• The bears seem to barter with honey, which they refer to as simply "gold".
  
• The bears sometimes enjoy a card game they call "pawker".
• The bears are able to store items in their "bear fold".
• The bears enjoy games and mischief.

Known Bears:
Homer (played by Tserim)(dead) - A talking bear of unusually high intelligence, Homer was driven by his ambition to higher goals. However, his path would eventually lead to his downfall.
Largepaw (played by Faeryl)
Short Tooth (played by Judas)
Long Tooth (played by Tserim)
Rumblebelly (played by Tserim)
Vladimir (played by Tserim)
Quikpaw (played by Tserim)(dead)
Hambone (played by Tserim)
Santa Claws (played by Tserim)