Ranger

Formed in the aftermath of the Time of Faith, in 1247 a guild of elite warriors was founded in response to the continued threat of the giants. These warriors were incredibly skilled at tracking, stealth and infiltration, and served as the front line of defence for humanity. Their targets were eventually expanded to include other races of giant-folk, including orcs, kobolds, gnolls and the hated Corsair-Folk. Since their founding centuries ago, they have remained as a reclusive order of fighters serving to protect humanity from the worst threats the natural world has to offer.

Attributes

Like all fighter-types, rangers can use any weapon or armour. However, they rarely use plate mail since it interferes with their stealthing ability, and generally rely on chain mail or studded leather. Rangers also prefer lighter weapons and bows, making use of polearms only when necessary for certain monsters and remaining away from crossbows due to the difficulty of their maintenance while in the wilderness. The most famed attribute of rangers is their tracking and stealthing abilities, both of which are a mix of instinct honed by their superior training. At higher levels, rangers can even undertake study with druids and magic-users to learn basic spells from their craft. Rangers are also adept at forming alliances with fellow outcasts, and by 10th lvl will have accumulated a band of 2-24 followers ranging from the mundane to the magical. 
The life of a ranger involves a fair amount of hardship, and there are a number of restrictions placed upon them by their training and moral code. First of all, rangers must remain forever of good alignment. Though their deeds are not as strictly policed as the paladin, rangers must still remain basically good-aligned or be stripped of all their ranger benefits, becoming a fighter with eight-sided hit dice forevermore. Furthermore, their life is also a dangerous one, and they are sworn to never allow any normal folk to adventure with them lest they be placed in similar peril. Therefore, rangers may not hire any servants, men-at-arms, aides or henchmen until they attain the status of a true Ranger (8th lvl). The ranger's creed is also an isolationist one, with rangers being advised to hunt alone in order to combat the greatest number of threats possible. Therefore, no more than three rangers may ever operate together at one time. Finally, the most important rule in the ranger code is the stipulation against unnecessary wealth. Gold makes one more noticeable, attracts enemies, and can induce greed or laziness in a ranger; all things that must be avoided at all costs. Therefore, rangers may keep only what they can carry on themselves and one mount; the rest must be donated to a charitable organisation or church (but never a player character).