Forgatherings
Though they generally avoid organizations and communal events, many rangers participate in informal get-togethers called forgatherings or moots. At forgatherings, rangers can exchange ideas, barter for supplies, and participate in contests of skill, as well as catch up on gossip and blow off steam. Attendance at forgatherings is by no means mandatory, but most rangers look forward to the opportunity to spend a few days socializing with others who share the same general philosophy and professional challenges.
These are often times of much merriment and celebration. Old friends are greeted warmly and new rangers are initiated, sometimes with raucous practical joking. There are food and fun for all, and tests of skill and prowess to pass the time and take each other's measure.
Attending a Forgathering
A ranger can go through his entire life without ever hearing about a forgathering, let alone attending one. But chances are that sooner or later, he'll hear a rumor about an upcoming forgathering, or receive an invitation from another ranger. He may also notice strange symbols etched on trees or stones, intended as guideposts to lead attendees to the forgathering site (depending on how secret is the location of the meeting, a ranger might need the trail sign proficiency to translate the symbols).
In most cases, forgathering attendance requires no prior arrangements. These gatherings are by their nature informal, and they are rarely interrupted by serious business except under the most unusual circumstances. Any ranger who shows up is usually welcome; rangers who bring extra meat, fruit, or wine to share are welcomed with open arms. Attendees are expected to supply their own bedding, tents, and food. First-timers may be required to perform extra chores, such as guard duty or trash disposal.
A ranger may bring non-ranger companions with him as guests, providing the guests keep to themselves and stay out of the way. The ranger is responsible for his guests' behavior; should they cause trouble or make nuisances of themselves, both the ranger and his guests will be summarily ejected. It's unlikely that ranger will be welcome at any future forgatherings unless things are smoothed over.
Types, Sites, and Dates
There are as many types of forgatherings as there are rangers. Some are held in well-traveled forests, others in remote deserts. Some attract only specific kit types, such as Mountain Men or Sea Rangers, while others are primarily intended for specific races, such as elves. In general, however, most forgatherings are open to any ranger who cares to come.
Though some established forgatherings occasionally change locations and dates, most are held in the same place and at the same time every year for the convenience of the attendees. Any open wilderness area, reasonably isolated, can serve as a forgathering site. Forests, mountains, and plains are preferred, as they give the easiest access to the greatest number of rangers. Because travel can be difficult in the winter, and summer can bring uncomfortably hot temperatures, forgatherings are usually held in late spring or early fall. Most forgatherings last from two to three days, but some drag on for several weeks or until the last few diehards call it quits and head for home.
Specifics about individual forgatherings are hard to come by, since rangers tend to keep the details to themselves. Brief descriptions follow, the pieced-together bits and pieces of information that have trickled out over the years regarding a few of the best-attended and longest-lived meetings: feel free to add to them and adapt them to your campaign world.
Equinox Festival
One of the most important annual meetings is the gathering at this festival, held during the six days following the first full moon after the autumn equinox. Rangers of every type and specialty can be found here, though standard rangers outnumber all the others. The site shifts every other year, alternating between a heavily forested area and a plains region, far from any civilized settlement. The organizers announce next year's site at the end of the current festival. As this is primarily a trade fair, rangers bring a wide variety of goods to sell, and haggle with each other long into the night. Prices tend to be high, but so does the quality.
Glass Eye Concourse
This is one of the wildest and least structured forgatherings, attracting Mountain Men by the dozens, along with a few rowdy Giant Killers, Pathfinders, and Forest Runners. The name derives from the person who organized the first of these forgatherings, a rowdy Mountain Man who lost an eye in a drunken sharpshooting contest. Held near the base of a tall mountain in mid-spring, the Glass Eye Concourse features a weekend of physical contests, lewd jokes, and lots and lots of cheap ale.
High Tide Assembly
In contrast to most forgatherings, the High Tide Assembly is downright sedate, emphasizing philosophic discussion and formal lectures. This forgathering takes place during the first high tide of spring on a quiet seashore. The Assembly lasts for three days. Seekers, Sea Rangers, and Explorers are the primary attendees. By tradition, the forgathering climaxes with a wild boar hunt. Following a traditional feast, the bones of the wild boars are tossed into the sea, to the accompaniment of triumphant cheers and whistles.
Solstice Jamboree
Most often held in a central plains location, the Solstice Jamboree attracts all types of rangers, as well as a number of bards and druids. The event lasts for six days, beginning on the first day of the summer solstice. Lavish banquets, featuring exotic meats and rich candies are held three times daily, and general good fellowship is encouraged. This is an important event, for much serious business is discussed on the side. Comrades who died the previous year are honored on the last day of the forgathering with poetry recitations and silent meditations.
Physical Layout
Most forgathering sites have few permanent features or structures. Upon their arrival, attendees construct any necessary buildings or fixtures, and take them down when the forgathering ends. Forgathering fixtures are simple but functional, with building materials consisting usually of wood, stones, and mud. Here are a few features common to most sites:
Sleeping Area. The driest and clearest patch of ground makes the best sleeping area. Attendees pitch their tents or lay out their sleeping bags in lines, spaced well apart. In colder climates, the sleeping area is located where the sun (whatever there is of it) can warm the earth before nightfall. In warmer climates, shady locations are preferred.
Dining Area. A typical dining area consists of a few benches or logs for sitting on, some stone barbecue pits, and a simple lean-to for storage. The optimum location for the dining area is several hundred feet from the sleeping area, positioned so that breezes don't carry the cookfire smoke in the direction of resting rangers. A stream nearby for washing up is also desirable, if available.
Fire Pit. A pit for burning waste is constructed near the dining area, preferably away from trees or brush to minimize the chance of a fire getting out of control. It's located where the prevailing breezes don't carry the smell of burning garbage toward the sleeping or dining areas.
Barn. A barn, stable, or pen is constructed to house the rangers' animal followers for the duration of the forgathering. Large forgatherings may require several pens and stables to accommodate a variety of species. Rangers are responsible for the feeding and grooming of their animals, and are also held accountable for their animals' behavior; it's considered a grievous breech of etiquette for a lion follower of one ranger to eat the goat follower of another ranger.
Chapel. The forgathering chapel may be as simple as a stone platform, or as elaborate as a full-sized cabin with a podium and wooden pews. Religious symbols are not exhibited here, so that the chapel may accommodate worshipers of diverse beliefs. Most often, the chapel is isolated from the main forgathering site, erected in a nearby woodland or other quiet location.
Campfire. The communal campfire, typically constructed in a central location, serves as the focal point of the forgathering. The campfire burns all night and day, continually tended and fed deadfall logs. At any hour, rangers can be found crowding around the camp fire, roasting meat and exchanging stories.
Activities and Events
As forgatherings are primarily intended as social events, rarely are there fixed agendas or schedules. Activities tend to develop spontaneously, continue as long as the rangers show an interest, and end when the participants have had enough. Following are a few of the activities and events most likely to occur:
Trading
Trading goes on virtually non-stop at most forgatherings, ranging from private transactions between individuals to dozens of rangers peddling their wares in what amounts to an open air market. Merchandise includes both the common (rope, saddles, boots) and the unusual (chainlink leashes, camouflage paint, homemade wine). Weapons and maps are especially in demand, particularly bows and quarterstaves with hand-carved designs, and maps of exotic territories that detail the newest trails. Rangers pay for their purchases in fur, food, and trinkets as well as gold pieces.
Magical items are occasionally available, but many rangers are more inclined to loan them to needy comrades rather than sell them outright. Rangers who borrow magical items are expected to return them at the next forgathering. Being men and women of integrity, the borrowers rarely fail to honor their agreements.
News and Gossip
Information flows freely at forgatherings, and most rangers are eager to learn about the trials and tribulations their comrades have experienced in the previous year. They hear of marriages, births, and deaths, as well as followers acquired and abandoned. They learn which expeditions resulted in new discoveries and which ended in disaster. Rumors abound of lost civilizations, hidden treasures, and gruesome monsters. An attentive ranger may hear about employment opportunities or new hunting grounds. If he's lucky, an unattached ranger may make contact with a potential mate.
Training
The typical forgathering attracts rangers with a wide range of skills. Often, they're willing to give instruction to novices for a small fee or as a gesture of friendship. If he locates a willing teacher, a ranger may be able to pick up hunting or tracking tips, acquire cooking secrets from a master chef, or learn how to construct emergency shelters from an elder woodsman. (The optional training rules in Chapter 8 of the DUNGEON MASTER Guide can be used to allow rangers to acquire new skills as a result of their forgathering experiences.)
Contests
No forgathering would be complete without games and contests for rangers to demonstrate their skills and compete for prizes. Conservative forgatherings feature debates, target shooting, and knotting matches (where contestants see who can untangle complex knots in the shortest time). The Glass Eye Concourse and similarly rowdy forgatherings feature contests of a more physical nature, such as head-slamming (contestants butt heads as hard as they can until one passes out), dagger juggling (often done blindfolded), and bear wrestling.
Mountain Men in particular have a tradition of rather intense competition. For example, Mountain Men enjoy a bizarre drinking contest where bitter roots, fish scales, rotten vegetables, and other distasteful substances are mixed with water; whoever consumes the most of this vile brew is declared the winner.
Other contests common to forgatherings include horse races, rabbit hunts, and mock battles using swords and spears bound with thick layers of cloth. Winners are awarded silver pendants, hiking boots, or other prizes donated by the more affluent attendees. If donations aren't available, each participant puts a few coins in a pot before a contest begins; whoever wins claims the pot. Wagering is rampant for all types of contests, with rangers betting everything from animal pelts and dried meat, to arrowheads and leather gloves.
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