The Queen’s Rangers
Eyes of the Crown Beyond the Cities
Overview
- Type: Royal Intelligence & Enforcement Corps
- Allegiance: The Crown of Osweg
- Jurisdiction: Borderlands, trade roads, frontier regions
- Authority: Discretionary, situational, quietly absolute
- Known Motto: “Where the law thins, we remain.”
The Queen’s Rangers are not soldiers, constables, or nobles. They are agents of the Crown dispatched to places where law exists only as memory or aspiration.
They do not announce themselves.
They do not travel in formation.
They do not wait for permission.
Purpose & Mandate
The Rangers are tasked with:
- Monitoring frontier settlements
- Disrupting bandit networks
- Observing noble overreach
- Intervening when royal authority is threatened
- Reporting truths that would not survive polite channels
They operate independently and often alone, empowered to act in the Crown’s name—but expected to survive without its immediate protection.
Structure
The Queen’s Rangers have no visible hierarchy.
Each Ranger:
- Answers directly to the Crown
- Operates under sealed or open-ended directives
- Is trusted to determine when and how to act
- Is expected to gather information first, and act second
Orders are intentionally vague.
Results are not.
Recruitment
Rangers are selected, not volunteered.
Common traits include:
- High tolerance for isolation
- Strong survival instincts
- Observational acuity
- Moral flexibility tempered by loyalty to the Crown
- An ability to be ignored until it matters
Many Rangers appear unimpressive by design.
Methods
Rangers favor:
- Disguise and misdirection
- Long-term observation
- Infiltration through trade and travel
- Alliances with adventurers and locals
- Quiet elimination of destabilizing threats
Open violence is rare—but decisive when employed.
Reputation
Among common folk, Rangers are:
- Rumors
- Cautionary tales
- Uncomfortable questions
Among bandits and smugglers, they are:
- A lingering fear
- A reason to relocate
- Proof that someone is still watching
Among nobility, they are:
- An annoyance
- A reminder of oversight
- A threat best not named aloud
Known Ranger: Donald
Donald is a confirmed member of the Queen’s Rangers operating within interior Osweg. His unassuming demeanor and apparent misfortune are consistent with known Ranger patterns.
His continued survival suggests effectiveness.
Limitations & Risks
Rangers:
- Receive limited resources
- May be disavowed if captured
- Operate beyond immediate legal support
- Are often mistaken for failures or fools
This is intentional.
Current Activity
Recent Ranger interests include:
- Smuggling routes tied to Zhellin
- Movement of Dragonglass
- Increased instability along major roads
- The actions of independent adventuring groups
The Queen’s Rangers are watching.
Whether they are satisfied remains unclear.
Themes
The Queen’s Rangers represent:
- Law without spectacle
- Authority without comfort
- Oversight without mercy
- The danger of being underestimated