Playing the Dunedain Rangers of the North: Lord of the Rings Lore
Credit: Cubicle 7-artist Mauro Alocci
I'm going to take the easiest guess and say that most parties that form in The One Ring RPG 2nd edition will likely include a Dunedain Ranger of the North.
I mean, when I created an article showing how to create a character in the game, even my example was a Ranger.
I get it.
You want to be like Aragorn.
The scowling.
The smoking next to a fire in the Prancing Pony.
The long, perfectly messed up hair.
The didn't-have-time-to-shave beard. (Even though Aragorn probably didn't grow facial hair according to the nerds on Reddit. Because he has Elf blood back somewhere in his family tree–to answer your inevitable question.)
You want that brooding, incredibly kick-ass, but, overall, sexy as hell Ranger of the North.
Who wouldn't?
But there's more to the Rangers in Lord of the Rings lore than looking foul and feeling fair.
So, let's help you make a lore-accurate rendition of a Ranger that helps your character feel more in line with Tolkien's vision and helps you have a lot more fun role-playing them.
How the World Sees Dunedain Rangers of the North
Only a dozen orcs? Finally, a fair fight! Credit: The One Ring Adventurer’s Companion Sourcebook
I'm starting with this point on purpose. One of the most obvious things about the Rangers of the North is how the world around them reacts to their presence.
I would argue it's even more important than getting into the Númenórean blood and lost kingdoms of the North stuff. The day-to-day for a Ranger largely centers around how the people of Bree and the surrounding area view them.
And that's generally with a ton of mistrust.
When you smell like sweat, boar hide, and tobacco, people will look at you with a hint of disgust. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
As a Ranger, you're a wanderer (whether that's your Calling or not. Yes, I know it's Messenger in The One Ring 2nd edition–let my tiny joke slide, rules lawyer.)
As a wanderer, you aren't a part of the community. That leads to instant distrust. If you were an honest and upstanding individual, why wouldn't you live in town or farm in one of the communities around Bree?
So, the simple logic of people like Barliman Butterbur is that you must be up to no good.
To make matters worse, there are plenty of rumors about Rangers that are both true and far-fetched. At the very least, there's enough to make some rushed conclusions about the kind of person you are as a Ranger.
Ruins and old fortifications, thought to be haunted and unsavory, seem to be frequent stops for Rangers. The only kind of person that would want to risk making camp in such places must be a brigand. Who else would do such a thing?
What the hell are those Rangers up to? That's the question on everyone's mind, and whenever you come into town, you're almost instantly recognized.
First, you're filthy.
Second, you're not recognizable (not being a part of the tight-knit community and all.)
And Third, there's a Dunedain “look” about you.
Dangerous folk wanderin' the wilds.
To add to these rumors, no one even knows your rightful name. Aragorn is known as Strider. (Pretty important for his real name to be a secret, so it works out for him.)
So there's a fun One Ring RPG thing–pick your character's name, but also, what's the name that Bree gave you or something similar?
Aragorn sums up what the Rangers do and how they're perceived when talking to Boromir during the council of Elrond. He responds to Boromir talking about how Gondor does all the work, but Aragorn sees the bigger picture:
“Peace and freedom, do you say? The North would have known them little but for us. Fear would have destroyed them. But when dark things come from the houseless hills, or creep from sunless woods, they fly from us. What roads would any dare to tread, what safety would there be in quiet lands, or in the homes of simple men at night, if the Dunedain were asleep, or were all gone into the grave?
`And yet less thanks have we than you. Travellers scowl at us, and countrymen give us scornful names. “Strider” I am to one fat man who lives within a day’s march of foes that would freeze his heart or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly. Yet we would not have it otherwise. If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so. That has been the task of my kindred, while the years have lengthened and the grass has grown.”
You get a sense of how infuriating this is to Aragorn, but he knows it's the only way to protect the regular people of the North. That burning fury is something to consider making your character too, and can play into your Shadow Flaw.
As a side note, Aragorn seems to be especially frustrated with Barliman Butterbur, who has no love for Aragorn earlier in the books either. The amount of times Aragorn fat shames him is concerning.
Also, how was that meeting when Aragorn came back as King? This vagabond that Butterbur was barely willing to sell ale to now claims to be King? Pfft.
Speaking of bloodlines and lineage.
The Blood of the Dunedain Rangers of the North
Finally my purpose in Middle Earth draws near….the perfect fishin’ hole. Credit: The One Ring RPG Bree Supplement
In that meme-able scene from The Two Towers where Eowyn makes terrible stew, Aragorn claims to be 87. I hope I look that good at 37, let alone 87.
That's because the Rangers of the North have Númenórean blood, especially those with any import like Aragorn. It gives them a longer life than regular Men (pfft, losers), and I've always wondered if that was partly why they were so hated in the North.
“That's the guy my father used to talk about, and he looks the same! And I started balding at 24! But look at his luscious locks! Must be evil!”
If you want to go way back, a Ranger of the North is a distant descendant of the Edain. They were the Men who fought alongside the Elves against Morgoth (essentially Sauron's boss, but you probably already know that.)
So, your very foundation is that of fighting the darkness.
It's party because your ancestors stood against the Shadow that your Ranger of the North is blessed with long life.
A Ranger's ancestry then traces its background to Númenor, which is similar to the Atlantis of Lord of the Rings lore.
Thanks to their great culture and seafaring ability, they were later able to help defeat Sauron in probably spoiler-y things for the Amazon show.
But what's most important here, while you role play your character, is that Númenor was swallowed by the sea.
Why?
Many of the Númenóreans decided that worshiping the Shadow was edgy and cool. Probably exactly how Tolkien described it, actually.
Those who resisted made their way from the destruction with Elendil, an ancestor of Aragorn and father of Isildur–you know, Isildur who kept the Ring and kinda screwed everyone over.
The point is, your Ranger has the noble blood of those Men who raised middle fingers to Sauron and established the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor in Middle Earth.
There's a ton of history there, and as we see in The Lord of the Rings books and movies, Gondor is still around during the Ring saga.
It's the lost Kingdom of Arnor that is probably closest to a Ranger's heart. But, more on that in a sec.
What you need to be thinking of is that split nature of your Númenórean blood. It’s capable of so much good, but also holds many failures. Your stand against the Shadow is built into you, but you aren't above its corruption.
Makes for a pretty damn interesting character. Like all real human beings, you have flaws, perhaps big ones, like fat-shaming poor, simple Barliman Butterbur.
(I mean, Butterbur is a hell of a name to live up to.)
And your Ranger of the North has many great names to live up to as well.
One of the Cultural Virtues for Rangers in The One Ring 2nd edition is the ability to make a wondrous item or famous weapon passed down for generations to your character. Númenor, the realms of Arnor, the many wars against Morgoth and Sauron, all are ripe for some special item from your family.
Your Dunedain Ranger lives in an interesting wedge of time. They are right in the middle of kingdoms lost and desperate hope for a new future.
Dunedain Rangers of the North and What Has Been and Could Be
Is it a good idea to stare directly into the sun? Meh, I’m sure it’s fine. Credit: The One Ring RPG 2nd Edition Rulebook
It would take a history book (or entire show) to explain everything about Númenor, its fall, and everything that came after, so I don't want to go too crazy for this article.
If you didn't know, Lord of the Rings lore is kinda vast.
But your Ranger of the North character would sure have history on their mind.
Arnor, as mentioned earlier, is closest and dearest to the Rangers wandering the wilds. They all have ancestral lands that lay in ruin, scattered about the landscape. There's some real emo potential here as your Ranger may get Big Sad looking at what was lost.
And because this is your once-great ancestral home, you still protect it. What fuels all that secret guardian stuff we looked at earlier is your connection to the lands that once were.
Arnor in the North was categorized into three kingdoms.
Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur formed the three regions in Arnor where a Ranger's people made their lives. And there were some great cities and incredible landmarks. We even see some in the books and movies, like Weathertop.
Amazing map of the three kingdoms of Arnor from Master of Lore.
Bree itself was a trading center located at an important juncture in the road. Those living in its walls don't even realize much of its connection to what once was. And here you are, a direct descendant of those noble people, scorned in an inn by people who know nothing.
Now you can see a little more about why Aragorn had a chip on his shoulder.
There were a lot of factors that brought about the fall of Arnor, much like the fall of Rome.
There were terrible, cold winters, famines, great plagues, but the topping on this terrible cake was the Witch King of Angmar.
From the lands of Angmar, the greatest of the Ringwraiths waged war against the Men of the North after the fall of Sauron and the chopping of his fingers.
Things were already not looking great. Arnor became its own thing after Isildur's death, where he promptly loses the most important item in Middle Earth. (At this time, anyway–don't come attacking me with “what about the Silmarils?” please!
The North was dwindling, and the Witch King cleaned up the rest. He takes the great fortification at Fornost north of Bree, and it takes everything the remnants of Arnor have to get rid of him. This is where the famous prediction that the Witch King will be killed by “no man.” ™ ™ ™
The forces of evil are defeated, but the last of Arnor goes with it.
The Rangers of the North form out of this desolation.
Now, the Rangers guard what's left of this kingdom and hope that one of their Chieftains is made King again.
Enter Return of the King. Spoilers. I mean, right there in the title and everything!
That tension is on your Ranger's mind, at least a little. I mean, it would be for me! Here you are, an awesome version of Men, and you have to just...wait. And hope.
Hmm, there's a character idea.
Character Build Ideas for the Rangers of the North Culture
Damn look at that rock! You don’t need a sword, just start punching orcs! Credit: The One Ring RPG 2nd Edition Rulebook
Let's get into some One Ring RPG 2nd Edition mechanics. Or at least ideas.
Knowing all this good lore stuff and how the world sees a Ranger of the North, let's get some inklings of character concepts going. These are just ideas; I hope they help your creative gears start turning.
1. The Impatient Ranger
I love the idea of a young Ranger that wants to start taking more action against the ever-growing darkness around Bree.
The Rangers of the North must be sensing a change in the in-between time of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. There are decades of growing Shadow, from Barrow-wight restlessness, to walking trees, to orcs and trolls coming out of the mountains and the North.
Then the Rangers double their guard of the Shire. (That's a little later, but still.) Sus.
And most of that time, Aragorn isn't around. He spends DECADES of his life in Rohan and Gondor to the south fighting orcs and being awesome.
Which is great for him, but what about a young Dunedain Ranger who's told their Chieftain is somewhere else and they need to be patient?
Seems like some good tension to me!
A higher Strength and Heart score makes sense here. You haven't developed the patience of your peers or the insight of older Rangers. Your body is ready for battle, and you haven't seen so much darkness yet that you have the same weight as others of your kin.
And I'd invest in Valour first and Wisdom later. Any Cultural Virtues you do get would should relate to fighting and hunting the Shadow, like Strength of Will and Ways of the Wild.
In terms of Callings, Champion and Warden stand out the most here. I especially like Champion since their Shadow Flaw leans into that vengeful fall from grace.
2. The Scholarly Ranger
Not all Rangers are Aragorn rip-offs.
But even with Aragorn, there's an educated, Man of the 4th Age, quality about him. He sings. He cries. He's a World War 2 buff. So to speak.
Lean into that side of being a Ranger of the North.
Sure, you have your strength still, better than most other Men, but compared to most Rangers, you'd rather read ancient texts than fight off wolf packs.
In fact, protecting these uneducated, simple Middle Men is a little frustrating.
This mentality can clash with your mission to protect, and probably sees some clash with other Rangers for that reason.
Or you could try to give these farmers some learnin' that’ll be good for them. Which also reveals more than most Rangers give away about who they are.
This path can be dangerous because your solution to defeating evil might mean revealing secrets that should have been left unknown. The ruins of Arnor hide many things, many of which are not exactly great.
Get a Wit score deserving of your studies and move your Wisdom up as you level early on. This gives you access to some pretty great Cultural Virtues early. Take the Heir of Arnor and give yourself and sweet item or weapon.
And get creative. Maybe that item wasn't passed down to you but was in a secret location you discovered, you legendary book-worm, you!
Scholar is the obvious choice for a calling, but Messenger is also good.
3. The Tomb Defender
Some say the best defense is actually a good offense. Tomb robbers can't rob tombs if they've already been cleared out.
You need to collect as much as possible from the ancient ruins scattered around the landscape to ensure your culture is preserved.
There are more than a few bands of thieves and murderers that wouldn't mind getting their hands on some ancient gold, jewels, or perhaps, something more precious.
It's up to you to make sure they don't get anything too important to your Númenórean blood.
But that means defiling the graves of those who were lost to Shadow. Not only is that plain rude, it's also very dangerous. And frowned upon by Ranger and Bree-lander alike.
You have some sneaky Wit about you, but being around so much darkness probably hinders your hopefulness.
Heir of Arnor is another great Virtue to take early, or even Royalty Revealed as you use your ancestry to inspire those around you.
Treasure Hunter is the obvious choice here, but I love the reverse nature of the motivation. You're treasure hunting to keep treasure hunters away from treasure. Phew!
Making a Fun TTRPG Character
What's important is you make a character that's a blast to play.
Sure, you can memorize the entirety of Númenórean history and all that went into the complicated fall of Arnor...
Or you can grab our handy Character Creation Cheat Sheet that makes it super simple to create a character in any TTRPG format.
It keeps things simple but immerses you in the pillars of your character so you can have fun playing them no matter how long the campaign goes.
Get your free PDF right here, or click below; just tell us where to send it.
