Daenon of the Rangers Guild
A Tour of Guildmasters: Daenon of the Rangers Guild
by Kerrin Gaile
This is one of a series of articles involving interviews with the
current guildmasters of the realm. We will be finding out what each
guildmaster thinks of his or her guild, and hopefully learning a little
about these leaders in our community. So, join me as we sit and chat
with each of these powerful and influential figures.
For this particular article in the series I managed to track down
Daenon, guildmaster of the Rangers.
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KERRIN: Thank you for granting the Times an interview.
DAENON: No problem. I feel it is important for the citizens of the
realms to know and understand more about their guild leaders.
KERRIN: Okay, starting with something easy...How long have you been the
guildmaster of your guild?
(This one almost always stumps everyone so far.)
DAENON: That's not an easy thing to answer. I was the first person ever
to be chosen as Guildmaster of the Rangers. It was around the
same time that Katidyd was chosen to be the Mage Guildmaster.
And, there was a time when I retired and left Sable. During that
time, Nuncio was chosen to be Guildmaster. A few years ago,
however, I returned because of rumors reaching my ears that the
rangers lacked leadership. Nuncio had all but disappeared. So,
I returned and was named Guildmaster for a second time.
So, technically, this time around I've only been a guildmaster
for a few years.
KERRIN: Since becoming guildmaster -- either time -- do you feel you
spend less time being a active ranger and more time being a
parchment-pushing administrator?
DAENON: That has always been the case. Even with a guild as small as my
own. When I originally became guildmaster, the guild was new,
and there was no organization, no procedures, nothing. I
basically had to spend much of my time 'inventing' the rangers.
And since then, much of my time is spent on application issues.
In our guild, we have to carefully screen applicants, and test
them for suitability.
So, yes, I'd say that much of my time is spent on administrative
issues.
KERRIN: Do you view your guild as a professional association, a clubhouse,
a close-knit society, a way of life, a comedy club, or as
something else entirely?
DAENON: It's very much a combination of a close-knit society and a way of
life. We rangers live outside the normal bounds of civilization.
Life is not easy in the natural world, though it is rewarding. We
all depend on and support each other, and must be very close to
be able to trust each other with our lives.
KERRIN: A high level of camaraderie then?
DAENON: Very. We depend on each other, and must trust each other
implicitly.
KERRIN: What do you feel is the biggest misconception about your guild?
DAENON: That, despite having compasses, we all tend to get hopelessly
lost. That's not really true, though in a few case, it does
seem that way.
Besides that, I'd have to say the biggest misconception is...
What everyone seems to think a ranger is and does. Most hold to
the steriotypical image of the friendly nature guide or defender
of nature. Some do hold to those beliefs, and those are their
primary goals, but the one thread that ties ALL of us together
is the simple fact that we love nature, and choose to make it our
home, no matter what other beliefs and goals we have regarding
nature.
KERRIN: What are you doing to either encourage or change that perception?
DAENON: Being a ranger is simple, yet profound. And we can not all be
easily classified.
Honestly, it doesn't really matter. We're happy with who and what
we are. The only ones we encourage to broaden their way of
thinking are those who express interest in joining us. With them,
we discuss their beliefs, we test them, we try to encourage them
to think outside the box. I really hate applicants who can only
provide pat or rehearsed answers to the question: What is a
ranger?
Otherwise, I couldn't care less what others think. It's what we
think, and what we believe and know that is important.
KERRIN: Okay then...What is a ranger, and how is being a ranger different
than just being a fighter who likes nature a lot?
DAENON: That's a loaded question. Simple to answer but not so easy to
understand.
A ranger is a warrior, but one who has chosen to walk a path
away from the bounds of civilization. A ranger is one who is
dedicated to nature, because that is where he or she makes their
home. A ranger is a defender of nature, because all creatures
defend their homes.
Being a ranger is a state of mind and a way of life.
KERRIN: So it is not just liking nature a lot then. Having big flower
gardens does not quite cut it.
DAENON: Of course not. We like nature a lot, yes, but few ask
themselves, "Why?"
KERRIN: What do you feel are the strongest traits of your guild and its
members?
DAENON: Resilience, independence, trust, and dependability. Living such
dangerous lives can take a huge toll, so we have to be resilient
to bounce back from setbacks. We don't often have much leadership
around, so each ranger must act independently at times, and trust
in their own judgement. We trust in each other for support, and
take each other at face falue. You have to be able to trust the
people who support you, and you have to be able to depend on them
when times get tough.
We are a very close fellowship. Our very closeness and
camaraderie strengthens the whole guild.
KERRIN: What sorts of things do your guild members do that make you the
most unhappy or cross?
DAENON: Well, sometimes they take that very element of closeness and
mutual support a bit too far. Occasionally, I've had to
reprimand rangers for trying to involve the entire guild in
personal matters. Aside from that...well, we won't mention the
annoying irreverent teasing of a certain dwarven ranger, or all
the 'old man' jokes.
(Daenon muttered something about young whippersnappers.)
And if I see one more whittled cane, I'm gonna beat a ranger
over the head with it.
KERRIN: I had one of those once. Very nice craftsmanship. I used it
when I was blind for about 10 years.
DAENON: Yeah, nice and sturdy. Would make a resounding crack across a
hard skull.
KERRIN: What sorts of things do your guild members do that make you the
happiest or proudest?
DAENON: Well, what I am most proud about is how they get so involved and
enthusiastic in helping with the applicants, and in trying to
bring new elements and thoughts to the guild. Their enthusiasm
and willingness to help have been a great blessing. I'd never
have been able to keep going, keep trying to make this guild
better if it weren't for all of them. They don't just sit back
and bask in their accomplishment when they become rangers. They
actively seek to make the guild better, and to better themselves.
KERRIN: With which other guilds do you feel your guild has the closest
and best ties or relationships, and why?
DAENON: The fighters guild, hands down. All of us were fighters at one
point in our lives, and we still remember that, and maintain
close ties with our fellows in that guild. And any new rangers
must come from the fighters as well. We are a seperate entity,
but we are closely tied and bonded with the fighters. They
even represent us on the Council.
KERRIN: With which other guilds do you feel your guild has the most
contention or worst relationships, and why?
DAENON: Well, that's really hard to say. We have some close ties with
the Thieves, and several of us are married to members of that
guild, but we have had a great deal of problems with them in the
past. Several times have rangers been specifically targetted by
them, and there is always a bit of friction between us. Other
than that, the only other guild we are leery of would be the
Necromancers. Much of what they do is contrary to what most
rangers believe in.
That just ain't natural.
KERRIN: Why is your guild better than every other guild in the realm?
DAENON: I can't say that it is. To each his own. Different people are
suited for different guilds. The rangers is the best guild for
me because being a ranger is part and parcel of who I am. I am
a ranger, so to me, the rangers is the best guild.
Everyone else just wishes they could be a ranger.
KERRIN: Do the issues of ethos or religion ever cause disruptions in your
guild?
DAENON: Rarely. No one who does not have certain moral strictures can
ever become a ranger. Anyone with a fiendish temperament would
not and could not be a ranger. As for religion, we don't really
have any diametrically opposed elements within the guild. We all
have much in common, regardless of ethos or religion, and that
bond keeps us strong. The only arguments and disruptions we've
had regarded the animosity between catfolk and canis, and we work
around that.
KERRIN: Sounds downright friendly then.
DAENON: We are determined to keep it so. I refuse to let disruptions of
that nature bring discord and disharmony to the guild
KERRIN: Is your guild any different than the fighters guild with regard
to strict military order and discipline?
DAENON: Very. We're an independent lot, and being too strict would not
prove a benefit for us. We depend on each other to be open with
their ideas and opinions, and we discuss and debate the merits
of them all, no matter who presented the idea. We have little
structured leadership, just myself and a couple of wardens who
speak for me when I'm not around. Other than that, each ranger
is responsible for his or her own actions. Despite that, when I
make a decision, all rangers respect and obey. I will listen to
anyone and take their opinions into account, but mine is the
final word. They all respect that, regardless of whether it
agrees with their own opinions or not.
If you'd ever seen a ranger party or meeting, you'd know what
the exact opposite of discipline really was.
KERRIN: Why *do* rangers have a reputation for getting lost all the time?
DAENON: Well, because a few prominent rangers in the past did seem to
get themselves lost quite a bit. It became a joke that was
blown way out of proportion.
But, I'll tell you this.
We can ALL find the tavern blindfolded. That's one place you
can be assured we never get lost when trying to reach.
KERRIN: If you could change any one thing in our society or in the realm,
what would it be and why?
DAENON: I think it's people's perceptions I'd choose to have changed.
Too many people take the gifts of this world of ours for granted.
They see only what the world and nature can provide for them, and
not what we can provide for each other. The world is not your
playground or testing ground. The natural world is not something
for you to use and abuse. It is your home and mine, and we must
all learn to coexist in harmony.
KERRIN: What is your favorite color?
DAENON: Green.
(So far four out of six guildmasters agree that green is the
best color!)
KERRIN: Is there anything else about your guild you would like to say to
the rest of Sable?
DAENON: No, any who wish to learn more needs but seek out a ranger and
ask. I can't provide all your answers about rangers, and any I
give are colored by my own goals and beliefs. Everyone must
decide for him or herself what it means to be a ranger. And
any that feel the call in their hearts, must walk their own
path, though we will be there to guide you.
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Keep your eyes peeled for the next article in this ongoing series.
Several guildmasters have already agreed to grant interviews, and
hopefully all will eventually appear here in the pages of The Sablean
Times!