The Life of the Ranger

It's a very lonely thing.

After a long time of *not* getting any Table top gaming, and then going through a phase where I could not bond with any characters I rolled up, I recently settled down with a character who among the offspring of one of my fictional families. Lately, Corinda hasn't been much fun for me. And my SL activity with her consists of logging in, doing any work I need to do, or just sitting online trying to be available in case someone needs help. Her character is sort of stuck, so I am putting her aside a litte, documenting her character on Tumblr until something stirs, and spending time with some alts (please see previous post for more on that subject)

I decided that with the display name function that Phoenix has caught up with (the only good thing to come out of this update, In my opinion) that this would be a good opportunity to do a little character developing, in world. Doing as a ranger does. I'm not really learning anything that I didn't know, but I am reminded of the deeper side of the things I know.

For instance, when trying to understand his motivation for joining a party of people he barely knows? He's lonely. Not angst ridden, it's just nice to talk to people, or plan with people. Hear someone else's thoughts other than your own. So simple it gets lost in the shuffle of papers, but found by following him around with a "camera."

Second Life really is helpful in seeing into a character's motivations like that.  (I even feel that way about the Sims, too) Here I have a Ranger who is part Drow (but a full elf,) raised over the ground, not under it, so other than his skin, he carries few Drow cultural imprints. He comes from a good (albeit weird) family, a few pieces of trauma in his life that he has survived well enough and helped him shape his personality.

He didn't really want to be a Ranger. In fact I can see he has been fighting an inevitable awakening with it. He was training to be something else entirely. But it became clear after years of training, that while he did not lack skill, he lacked the discipline and personality to do it. To continue on would be to betray his nature.

For an elf, he's not so into hugging trees or mother nature, (which still means he is into it more than the average person... just not so intense about it) It didn't make sense, or even occur to him that he was a Ranger. but it seems he and I got caught up in the stereotype that has evolved over the years, of the Ranger.

Because we are finding him to be a bit like the original Ranger; Strider.

The Tracker, The Scout, The Infiltrator, The Spy, The Fighter.

Shoosh. at least I'm avoiding comparisons to Drizzt.  I am enjoying rediscovering the character class I loved so much until I disallowed myself from playing them. Learning that, it's not all bows and arrows and survivalism.

Even if I (the social recluse!) am feeling a little lonely exploring alone. It just comes along with the job.