Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Hello!
My wife and I have become very interested in the "hobby/sport/lifestyle" you have here on MERF.
We love the idea of making up a kit and going out together into the wilds of middle earth.
Currently we are building our personas, and a question has come up for me.

I'm looking at a dunedain ranger (Because the idea of rangers have alway caught my fancy, and let's be honest, they are cool).
But, my eyesight is not great. I'm sightly near sighted and I can't see that being a great trait for a ranger. So, I guess my question is what would a dunedain do if he had less than good eyesight. would there be a role that still has a ranger ish feel that he could still fill?

I know it's not the end of the world to have to wear glasses or contacts, but I really love the idea of being athentic, and my wife and I would like to become members of MERS someday.

Welcome Gyr! I'm nearsighted too and glasses aren't my favorite either. Hard question to answer. Alot of times I just don't wear them. Short of eye surgery maybe contacts are the most "in universe" way to go. Again welcome!

Thanks Taylor!
Yeah my plan right now is to just not wear them. I actully came across an article a little while ago talking about eye training and that our brains maybe able to improve our eyesight so, I might look more into that.
But, my question is more of a what would a dunedain do in that scenario? I would imagine that you would have to have pretty good eyesight to be good ranger.
Would he focus on becoming a better swordsman? Would he spend more time in inns listening to rumors of dark happenings from travelers? Or maybe become an expert at using the land and setting traps?

Ok now I gotchya. So maybe train up the ears and nose? Feel the wind? Setting traps is a great idea!

Hello Gyr and welcome to the forums.

I see no reason why short sightedness would stop you pursuing a ranger persona although as you said it may limit your tracking ability.

There are other roles and professions within Dunedain society which (while not explicitly mentioned) you might choose to portray. The MERS newsletter volume 2 issue 4 has a nice section on this topic.

Another option could be having your glasses prescription filled into some authentic medieval frames.

Welcome Ranger

Taylor Steiner wrote: So maybe train up the ears and nose?

This is a great point Taylor, very often people with more seriously reduced vision than yours make up for it in other areas, and (other than tracking) when your in the woods, especially at night, good distance vision doesn't help you all that much anyway, most of the general awareness of surroundings come from sound, and because sound carry's such a long way in the woods I almost always hear something before I see it

Eofor wrote: There are other roles and professions within Dunedain society which (while not explicitly mentioned) you might choose to portray. The MERS newsletter volume 2 issue 4 has a nice section on this topic.

This was terrifically helpful! Thank you very much for pointing it out!

Taylor Steiner wrote: So maybe train up the ears and nose? Feel the wind?

Iodo wrote: This is a great point Taylor, very often people with more seriously reduced vision than yours make up for it in other areas, and (other than tracking) when you're in the woods, especially at night, good distance vision doesn't help you all that much anyway, most of the general awareness of surroundings come from sound, and because sound carries such a long way in the woods I almost always hear something before I see it

That is a great point! I will have to start getting away from the drone of the city and start training my other senses

My first thought is that this is a hobby, not a casting call: do what makes you happy.

That said...

If you're thinking Dunedain of the Angle: there's all kinds of just-plain-survival chores that need to be done... though I'm also fond of the scribe/illuminator role.
All those old songs and stories have to be passed down somehow, after all.

Elleth wrote:My first thought is that this is a hobby, not a casting call: do what makes you happy.

Thanks Elleth. I think I just got a little caught up in the whole "I need to be as authentic as possible RIGHT NOW!"
P.S. My wife and I really love your pot! more than once we have come across it and said, "Hey! It's that pot we like."

I was looking through a kit breakdown by Greg and I came across this.

Greg wrote:As for the actual backstory, I at one time had one that was rather complex, but it's steadily been simplifying over the past year or two to becoming a homesteading Dunedain with a family in a settlement in the Angle. Wandering cannot be a constant thing...there has to be a home to come to.

I guess I didn't stop to think that there would have to still be daily life alongside ranger life.

Thank you all for putting up with a newbie wanting to sprint before learning to walk!

Well, you're not alone at least. My eyesight is also quite bad and I normally wear regular glasses. I haven't yet figure out a great solution but contacts are working for me right now. I believe Taurinor has a pair of 14th c. frames? That might be an option but I don't know how well they would mesh with the Ranger aesthetic.

Welcome!

I also have bad eyesight (since I was born, effectively) and have worn either glasses or contacts since the age of 12. While I can't speak to someones else's perspective on authenticity as it relates to the legend, I'm of the opinion that certain unavoidable realities (like bad eyesight and wearing glasses) are just something that should not become a roadblock to enjoying the hobby, or prevent one from living the full experience.

I portray a somewhat 'generic' Ranger persona (both Gondorian and Dunedan elements mixed), but I really don't care if my eyeglasses (if I'm not wearing contacts at that particular instance) tend to 'take away' from the overall perception of the kit...I want to enjoy what I've made, and if my wearing glasses somewhat diminishes an onlookers ideal of what a Ranger should be, then so be it. If nothing else, I'm a slave to practicality.

I will say that I've attempted to at least use a frameless style of eyeglasses with minimal lens surface, to better 'blend' with my facial coloring and features; I prefer to wear contacts mostly, but because I have sensitive eyes that irritate easily, that's not always an option... that's why I usually pose for photographs without any eyewear; it's never apparent as to whether I'm really blind, or not... but the photos look 'authentic',' at any rate.

Rob