Brancana Rangers
The Brancana Rangers are a division of the Brancan military charged with the defense of the eastern border of Branca, the Kingdom of the South. The order has grown to defend much of Brancan territory, as well as the Iron Highway. As a division of the military, the leader of the Brancana Rangers, Ranger General Romaer Stormwind, reports to King Bernhard Brancana and his military advisors.
The Rangers are one of two organizations founded by Aoth Stormwind, Vassal of the Platinum Dragon, early in the Fifth Age, the other being the Order of the Bow.
Description
When Aoth Stormwind returned to Branca after the end of the Fourth Age, the military forces of Branca were still in recovery and need of change. They had failed to withstand an invasion from Passaro the Manslayer and as a result many lives were lost and lands were burned. To better protect these lands, Aoth founded the Brancana Rangers, a small band of elite archers that would travel the highways and outer territories spotting approaching armies or danger. They would watch the eastern pass for invaders and patrol the Iron Highway to protect all those who travel this road. During Aoth’s time heading this company, they made great strides in protecting the Iron Highway and increasing trade relations with the other nations along it as a result. The group started off as a branch of the Branca military forces focused on defending the rebuilding nation, and battles against lingering beasts loyal to chaos and destruction were hunted down by the Rangers. The lingering sense of failure from the military fueled their drive to become an elite force and their dedication to repelling their enemies, lest they fail again. As it evolved, it has turned into a superior force of archers, rangers, and other professional military personnel dedicated to both Branca and the Rangers.Philosophy
While the Order of the Bow is about the philosophy and spiritual aspect of the craft, the Brancana Rangers are about the practical application of these skills. To them, the bow is not a part of oneself but is a tool, though important, that provides one the strength to succeed. It is said that a Ranger is required to be able to hit a target at 200 yards, and expected to hit one at 300 yards in the rain; a statement that holds no truth in the Rangers but one the Rangers do not dissuade from propagating.Organization
The Brancana Rangers are a military force, and as such have ranks and officers enlisted in the Branca military. Though they are a self-contained division of the military, they ultimately report to King Bernhard Brancana and his generals. Individuals that prove their skills and join the Rangers do so at the enlisted level and can work their way up to the ranks of officers with dedication and service to the group. There are multiple general roles the Rangers can be placed into, though these are not necessarily hard separations. These are:- Rangers that maintain the primary Camp at the southern end of the Roc Cliffs. Though they are trained in combat as all rangers are, there role is largely support, administrative, full-time bowyers, and facility upkeep. They largely do not venture far from the Camp.
- Rangers that guard the Camp and nearby resource points that are important to the Rangers survival, like water, food, and wood. Though they are a military division, their location on the frontier means they do need some type of self-sufficiency. This is most entry-level and is a low-level task but an important one in the mountains, as an early warning can make the difference between handling a threat and loss of Ranger lives.
- Rangers that go on extended patrols. These are the Rangers that leave the Camp for extended periods, usually in small groups. They patrol the Iron Highway or perform more-general investigative searches, like resource gathering or trading missions on behalf of the Rangers. Within Brancan borders, they range the hills and valleys as well in their tasks, though in other nations it is rare to see groups of Rangers off the Iron Highway. Veteran groups can also be sent to resolve problems, often before they reach Branca’s borders.
Equipment
The bows used by the Rangers are finely crafted and made by professional Brancan bowyers to the highest standards. The purpose being that any Ranger should be able to use any bow in the Rangers to achieve the same result. Their arrows are crafted by the Rangers themselves, with a small group of fletchers in the Camp whose role is solely this purpose. The fletching uses golden griffin feathers from the Roc cliffs, tied using the griffin’s own sinew, a meticulous and difficult process to reproduce. The Rangers utilize a variety of compounds and constructions with their arrows, which are based on Aoth's original designs and the experimentaion of the Rangers over the years. Attaching these to arrows allows them to be delivered at a distance and to great effect. The varying types of arrows also gives an individual Ranger many tools and options to use on their tasks.Locations
The Rangers are known across Gimora, from Endor, the First Mountain to Konenbur, and are regarded as an elite force. Active Rangers can be found patrolling the full length of the Iron Highway and throughout the hills and fields of Branca as needed. Some have even been deployed to farther flung locales on their missions, but this is rare. More often, one would see an ex-Ranger still following the drilled in habits of patrol, surveillance, and reconnaissance, that are instilled by the rigid military structure of the group. The Camp of the Brancana Rangers was founded at the southernmost point of the Roc Cliffs, where it’s observatory can overlook the entire eastern passage to the Wild Lands using the Eye of Stormwind. Any traveler that walks these paths into or out of Branca is noted, documented, and, as needed, engaged by a Ranger. More numerous threats, like incursions from Wild Land warbands or Aarakocra scavengers are dealt with swiftly by detachments of the Rangers riding fine and specifically bred horses kept by the Rangers. For the most serious threats to Branca, such as a full military invasion, though it has not yet happened since the Manslayer War, it is expected of each Ranger to repel the threat at any cost.- Camp of the Brancana Rangers: The main location of the Brancana Rangers and the watchpoint they use to overlook the eastern border of Branca.
Notable People
- Ranger General Romaer Stormwind: The Rangers are led by Ranger General Romaer Stormwind, a distant descendant of Aoth’s second son, Arwin.
- Arwin: A former member of the Rangers.
