About 3 miles from the Stedding lies the Training Grounds and living quarters of the Rangers. Surrounded by forest, this area consists of the Barracks, storage shed, archery ground and main training area. You can find a description of each of these below.
The Barracks
The Barracks are the living quarters of the Rangers and were built by Ogier stonemasons many years ago. They do not, of course, possess the same flowing artistry which charcterises the Infirmary and Library, built as they were for strength, simplicity and utility.
Two large oak doors mark the entrance to the Barracks and, once inside, a Wolfkin is confronted with a wide hall where the Rangers and Guardians gather to eat their meals. To the right lies a doorway which leads to the kitchens. To the left, another door leads into a hallway which runs left and right with doorways opening in both directions onto rooms along the western side of the Barracks. These are the rooms where Guardians live durign their training and a small flight of stairs leads to the second floor which houses more rooms should they be required.
Finally, at the other end of the main hall, directly opposite the entrance, is a third doorway leading into the Ranger quarters. These are similar to the Guardians’ rooms but slightly larger, taking up both floors on the northern side of the building along with the top floor on the eastern side, above the kitchens. The Ranger Leader’s room is no different to the others as all men are brothers within the Barracks. When in the field, it may be quite a different story.
The Storage Shed
The storage shed is slightly smaller than the Barracks and is full of weapons, hunting gear, supplies and odd trinkets which the Rangers have picked up over the past 1000 years. It stands directly east of the Barracks, the two buildings side by side.
One particularly interesting area of the shed is at the very back where the most unique and interesting weapons are kept. These items are the individual trademarks of past Rangers. A sword with a long curved blade from the north, slim jewelled daggers from the south, a 2 and a half foot axe with a huge double-bitted blade, short spears from somewhere in the east, a 6 foot long broadsword with a cross tee hilt… the list is endless. These weapons are taken down only for cleaning and sharpening, hung at the back door in honour of those great Rangers who lived and fought in past times.
The Archery Range
The range is little more than a number of targets arrayed at varying distances west of the Barracks.
The Training Ground
A wide area of beaten dirt just south of the Barracks marks the Rangers’ Training Ground. It is surrounded by pells, 6 foot high wooden posts, wrapped in burlap to minimise wear and tear on both sword and sword arm. Students and veterans alike may practice stances and attacks, either individually against the pells or one-on-one in the centre of the Grounds or in a group.
The Marshland
To the west of the Barracks, the land gradually becomes muddy wetlands with dense brush in which to hide. This area is often used for large scale training exercises.
The Cave
West of the Lake and south-west of the marshes, one can find a few waterfalls and streams running down from the western reaches. One waterfall, the largest in the area, conceals a small crevasse. Inside, a long passage delves deep into the mountain and emerges in a large underground chamber. Torches are mounted all along the passage and round the chamber, driven into the solid rock face. This cave is where new Rangers are invested and it also offers a place of solitude for the Ranger Leader to escape to in times of need.
