Barrinor cult and rangers

[Laurent MEKKA]

Another question in Arkalia. Stirling in particular !
There's rangers around the town but on the Barrinor's page : "Ranged weapons are shunned as they are a craven's weapon."
How is it compatible ? Are rangers worshipping another god ? How worshippers of Barrinor see them ? They protect the town against dangers from the Trackless Mire, are they seen as coward by the knights and most of Stirling people because they use bows ?

[David Roomes]

This is how I run it in my games...

The High Guard, the Stirling Knights, noblemen and various others of Arkalia spend their time trying to live up to the highest ideals of the faith of Barrinor... which includes the choice to avoid ranged weapons. However, they are the only ones who adhere that strictly to the code. Others, such as city guards, common soldiers, militia men and yes, the Stirling Rangers, are more practical. While many of them worship Barrinor and try to live by most of the tenets, they do so mixed with a measure of pragmatism. Ranged weapons are sometimes necessary. Lords and nobles realize that ranged weapons are needed to win battles. This is one area where "common soldiers" are useful. They can sully their hands with ranged weapons while the knights and nobles keep their honor clean.

I think the rangers are a different breed all together. They not only use long bows, I think they are excellent archers and prefer ranged weapons. Also, I imagine most of them are flexible when it comes to faith as well. Barrinor is the state religion, but it's not the only one. The rangers may bend the knee in a church to Barrinor when they are in town and city, but out in the wilds, they pray to Erylon.

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