(Narrates in his best Steve Martin voice) I was born to a poor halfling family. But I learned something was very wrong at a very early age. By the time was was able to walk, I was about 3 feet taller then my parents. And much better looking then them too considering I didnt have all that hair on my feet. When I was about 20, my folks took me aside from all my brothers and sisters, gave me a few coppers and sent me packing. They said they could no longer afford to support me and my appetite and feared that because I was so much bigger then my siblings, I may actually eat or sit on one of them by mistake. So, since we lived in the middle of nowhere, and I didnt have any place to go, and I needed to survive, I first sought a shelter. Well, the safest shelter I could find was a cave near stone clan. So I climbed down the ladder, and knew right away something wasnt right. Why were there bear prints all over the place? I found out real quickly why those prints were there.
Well, that give you a good idea yet Krin? Ive had a hard life all my life. I chose the ranger guild, because they offered a hard life. I consider the rangers a combination of all the other guilds. We get to do most everything the other guilds can do. We can fight with weapons, almost as well as barbs. We can fight with magic, personally, I think as well as moon mages and war mages. Some of you prolly dont train as much magic as I do, but I know alot of you do. We can heal ourselves and others by foraging herbs. And tend ourselves and others almost as well as empaths. And yes, we can hide, stalk, and steal just like thieves. So, did I choose the wrong guild if I want to be able to do all those things?
From your post, you give me the impression that you think I spend all my time stealing. I dont. I just like to confuse people. I like to be a mystery. Thats why I wear the long hooded cloak. I bet the only person that even knows what I look like is/was my wife. And shes been gone a very long time. Thats why I tell folks Im a thief, or a barb. Because I am a combination of every guild in the realms. And I can probably teach foraging to almost any ranger 50th circle and under. I can probably teach first aid to almost any empath under 75th circle. I used to be able to make decent longbows before the tweak. Luckily I still have some of my old ones in my vault, as well as some short bows. I made myself some troll-skin gloves that appraise what I consider pretty decent, since I was hunting without any gloves before, and now I got better then the reinforced leather gloves. Over the years, I learned a little of everything. I know some trading, backstabbing, brawling from back when you couldnt learn it except have it taught. I have trained 17 weapons (not including parry and multi) and some skill in all the armors, and from what I am hearing on the boards from shield using rangers, Im gonna try and get my 14 ranks up in that now too.
I guess I have probably rambled on long enough about who or what Asterid is. Oh wait, I mean philosophised (is that even a word and if it is, did I spell it right?) since this is the Ranger Philosophy section. I guess what it all boils down to Krin, is that I am a ranger (dont tell anyone, but Im really a bard), Ive had a hard life. Ive enjoyed my life. I wouldnt change anything for the world. Over the years, I have made several baby characters, (including one experiment cough), and I would have to say that 75% percent of them have been rangers. Wonder where I would be nowadays, if I just concentrated one ranger one just getting his 60 ranks of survival, 6 ranks of weapon, and however much secondary weapon, instead of experimenting with young rangers, or moon mages, or thieves, or barbs, or bards, or whatever. Yea, I have played every guild in the realms, but I have always played them like a ranger. Even my wife, who was an empath, played like a ranger. Last I knew, she had 70 something ranks in longbow, that Spiritshadow or myself had taught her over the years.
Ok, enough is enough.
Safe paths.
Asterid
