The Northern Rangers are a band of warriors that patrol the Deep North, originally created by House Dawnhammer. The Northern Rangers were made to battle the Behemoth when it appeared in the Deep North. After the battle was won and the Behemoth was sealed away in the heart of the Icy Mountains, the Northern Rangers continued to patrol the Deep North in case the ancient evil were to once again stir from its slumber.
The harsh cold infused with the evil magics of the Behemoth have caused the flesh to freeze and be stripped from the bones of the Northern Rangers. This band of skeletal warriors patrol through snow as deep as castles, slaying any demons that break free from the Icy Mountains. The life of the Northern Rangers is brutal, spending months and sometimes years at a time in the Deep North, suffering through inhospitable weather, patrolling the lands while having to keep watch for a demon ambush at any moment. While life may be tough, the Northern Rangers take pride in their work, they keep watch on the Icy Mountains, ready to take action if the Behemoth ever were to rise again.
Anybody willing to join the Northern Rangers is accepted, no exceptions. Those who join do so with their flesh, and as they patrol the Deep North, they become skeletal like the others. They lose the need to eat, breathe, drink, sleep, and even become more resistant to the cold, which benefits them in their line of work, however people see them as monsters due to their appearance. Parents of children in the north sometimes tell their children that if they misbehave, the Northern Rangers will come and take them away and turn them into skeletons. The Northern Rangers are a group that is feared by the kingdom, even by people who know their true goals, due to the nature of their appearance.
The Northern Rangers are much smaller than they used to be, with their numbers having slowly dwindled over time. There are only a couple hundred Northern Rangers left, and they are led by Janson Dawnhammer. While they use Dawnhammer Castle as a base of operations, there are rarely any rangers at the castle, as most are out on patrol. To those that know him, Janson Dawnhammer is a tough and highly respected individual. He was the only son of his father, Davin Dawnhammer, and Janson took his place as captain of the Northern Rangers after he died in a demon ambush at the northernmost mapped area of the Deep North. Janson has been captain of the Northern Rangers for 5 years.
The Northern Rangers have not ridden south of Dawnhammer Castle in 15 years, as they have not felt that their duties lie anywhere but the Deep North. Although they were long allies with House Falcon, they did not respond to Baldur’s call for aid at the Battle of Dragon’s Rest. This has led some northmen to refer to the Northern Rangers as “The Oathbreakers”. The Northern Rangers have no concern with politics, and do not care about this nickname. The soldiers in the King’s army are thankful they didn’t show up, as they know they probably would have lost the battle if they had.
To the few who have interacted with the men of the Northern Rangers, they have been described as tough warriors that don't have too much to say, and when they do speak, they often don't bother with pleasantries, and aren’t very nice, which is understandable given the lives they live.