the North are unsettled. Rangers are driven to explore
these lands, searching for fertile soil in which the seeds
of civilization might grow, seeking resources (such as
metals) that will benefit settled lands, or rooting out evil
before it can spread. Other rangers spy on enemy troops
or hunt down dangerous beasts or criminals. Given that
so much of the North is frontier, rangers play a critical
role in keeping communities safe and are often admired
within them.
HUMAN RANGERS
Human rangers of the Moonshaes are devoted to the
Earthmother, and those that work closely with druid
circles on the mainland often honor the gods of the
First Circle, but most rangers among humans favor the
goddess Mielikki. However, they consider the goddess
too wild and primal for them to pray to directly. Instead,
they pray to Gwaeron Windstrom to bring their words to
the goddess. Gwaeron is said to sleep in a grove of trees
west of the town of Triboar, and most of his followers
travel to that place at least once in their lives as a holy
pilgrimage. Evil human rangers usually honor Malar for
his ferocity and hunting skill.
ELF RANGERS
Elf rangers are usually associated with a particular
community such as Evereska or the tribes in the Misty
Forest. Rather than being wandering explorers, elf
rangers typically act as scouts and guardians of elven
realms. Such elves usually devote themselves to Rilli-
fane Rallathil or Solonor Thelandria. Elf rangers driven
to roam might instead favor Fenmarel Mestarine, god of
lone wanderers, or Shevarash, elven god of vengeance.HALFLING RANGERS
Most halfiings who revere nature and its raw beauty
come from lightfoot stock. Their bands spend at least as
much time on the road and river as in village and town,
and the role of a ranger is a natural fit with the lifestyle
of most lightfoots. Lightfoot rangers tend to favor the
god Brandobaris in his aspect as patron of exploration.
Halfiings more inclined toward nature itself typically
prefer Sheela Peryroyl. Those who devote themselves
more to the protection of settlements or travelers honor
Arvoreen. The few strongheart halfiings who become
rangers tend to favor those latter two deities.DWARF RANGERS
Most dwarves prefer to hunker down under a mountain,
rather than roam the wilderness of the surface or the
Underdark. Most often, a dwarf ranger is either a shield
dwarf cast out of a clanhold or a clanless dwarf seeking
a place in the world. Sometimes dwarf rangers are pros-
pectors who explore the world seeking new veins of ore.
In any case, there are two deities who appeal to such
dwarves: Marthammor Duin and Dumathoin.Rogues
There are those whose abilities lie not with sword or the
Art, but with quiet motion, dexterous action, and stealth.
Such talents often lead to illegal endeavors, which
plague most major cities, but can be placed to good use
in dealing with dangerous monsters and lost treasure.
Most large cities in the Realms have a number of
thieves' dens that compete with one another. A few
places, such as Baldur's Gate, have an organized group
of rogues that controls all such activity. Most thieves'
dens are secret gathering spots, often beneath the city,
and move after they're discovered.
The city of Waterdeep had once been home to the
most powerful guild of thieves in the North: the Shadow
Thieves. The Lords ofWaterdeep smashed that guild,
forcing its leaders to flee the city (the group still oper-
ates out of Arnn). There are still thieves and even assas-
sins in Waterdeep, but they are broken into innumerable
small groups or operate alone.
The most common respite for such robbers is what
they call the Honest Trade-adventuring, where rogu-
ish abilities may be used without censure and are later
lionized in song and legend. Many thieves take to this
life, adhering to a code that keeps them out of trouble in
civilized areas but still keeps them rich; they vow to bur-
glarize ancient tombs and monstrous lairs instead of the
homes and businesses of the wealthy in civilized lands.