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How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 2:18 pm
by Thalion of Bree
This is something that I've thought of often since I began thinking about rangers as wandering warriors. How far within Eriador and without would a Dunedain ranger's business take them? And how many would go as far as Gondor or Rohan, or even to the western beginning of the Misty Mountains at all? How many would treat their wanderings through the former kingdom of Arnor essentially as a patrol route and not go any further than duty took them?
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 4:22 pm
by ForgeCorvus
Currently reading LoTR and I'm just up to Weathertop.
Strider mentions he knows the area from Bree to the Misty Mountains well, or at least well enough to not use the Road.
I'm not sure if you'd class him as an average Ranger though
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 6:38 pm
by caedmon
I agree with Forge Corvus, our problem is that our sole data point is not a common Ranger. Aragorn was, according to Gandalf, "the greatest traveller and huntsman in this age of the world".
However, at Weathertop (really, any time before meeting Bilbo at the Hall of Fire), he is presenting himself as a normal Ranger. I think the whole of former Kingdom of Arnor is the Northern Ranger's range. With say, a hundred mile radius of 'home-base' being very familiar.
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:21 pm
by Harper
The Road goes ever on...
I would point out that Aragorn (as Thorongil) went at least as far South as Umbar when he burned the Corsair fleet.
But, as stated above, he's not an "average" Ranger.
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:39 pm
by Manveruon
I definitely agree with Caedmon that using Aragorn as an example here may not be a good indicator of the average Ranger, but it does seem like they really do get out and about all over the place, even if they don’t range as far as Aragorn did himself - if nothing else I believe some of the Dúnedain were wont to pop in to Rivendell with relative frequency (although I couldn’t cite a source for that off the top of my head). Even so, I feel like it makes sense that, in general, Rangers would probably patrol a smaller radius most of the time and only venture further afield at need, or if the specific mission dictated it. Otherwise I kind of imagine them as acting a bit like Medieval foresters, tending to specific sections of Eriador in smallish groups, with a bit of overlap.
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 6:46 pm
by ForgeCorvus
Thinking further on this, I would suggest an area with a radius of roughly four days easy travel afoot centred on the homestead or hamlet used for resupply.
That way an average patrol could be ten days to a fortnight, but you won't be more then two and a half days hard travel from 'home'
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 8:38 pm
by Erfaron
At weather top, Aragorn mentions that rangers may have passed by and left the firewood, which makes me think that they do patrol through the major land marks and villages, and then go off rumors and news to look at threats. For an individual patrol into the wilderness, other than Aragorn being alone I think of rangers patrolling in groups, which gives them a longer range based on supplies to carry
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:29 pm
by Udwin
We also know that there were Rangers at Sarn Ford when the Nazgul approached the Shire, and that "Rangers go" to Fornost/'Deadman's Dyke'.
Then there's this:
LR II:3 wrote:"The hobbits had been nearly two months in the House of Elrond, and November had gone by with the last shreds of autumn, and December was passing, when the scouts began to return. Some had gone north beyond the springs of the Hoarwell into the Ettenmoors; and others had gone west, and with the help of Aragorn and the Rangers had searched the lands far down the Greyflood, as far as Tharbad, where the old North Road crossed the river by a ruined town. Many had gone east and south; and some of these had crossed the Mountains and entered Mirkwood, while others had climbed the pass at the source of the Gladden River, and had come down into Wilderland and over the Gladden Fields and so at length had reached the old home of Radagast at Rhosgobel. Radagast was not there; and they had returned over the high pass that was called the Dimrill Stair. The sons of Elrond, Elladan and Elrohir, were the last to return; they had made a great journey, passing down the Silverlode into a strange country, but of their errand they would not speak to any save to Elrond."
The Rangers are only specified as being involved with the search down to Tharbad, so we don't know who the scouts were that crossed the mountains. Keeping in mind where the main (friendly) population centers are in Eriador, I would guess their most likely patrol areas as follows, with a possible, slightly-expanded area in light green (Surprise, it's the Arthedain/Cardolan/Rhudaur core.
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 1:11 am
by Elleth
Good digging!
... and that absolutely makes sense, given the mission of bearing the King's burden in Arnor until the King could return.
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 4:28 pm
by Greg
Yeah, there are those hints of possible travel over the Misty Mountains, but I think, given that the Ranger's responsibility is protecting the borders of folk who don't know any better, little time (if any) would be spent East of the Mountains or past the Gap of Rohan. Kinda hard to defend something if you aren't around to defend it. Just ask a Soccer goalie.
Re: How far would a ranger range?
Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2022 1:38 am
by Tirandur
It's been discussed that the Ranger's settlements have likely been in and around the Angle. So, say an element of Rangers were in the area of the Angle and drew watch on up in the North Farthing, straight line from the Last Bridge to the Brandywine bridge then straight up to near the northern edge of the Shire is about 350 miles. Being few in number, They most likely had to cover a lot of ground during their time.