Creating New Patrons

[Halbarad]

Specifically Lady Gilraen for Rangers of the North and their friends.

Fishing for thoughts.

Cheers.

[Otaku-sempai]

I don't see Gilraen as being interested in taking a leadership role among the Rangers. She remained in Rivendell for the entire time when Aragorn was being fostered and about another thirty-five years or so afterwards, only returning to her own people several years after TA 2980 (I know what Robert Foster wrote in The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, but he is wrong!). I'm guessing that if you want a Patron from among the Rangers before Aragorn takes up the mantle then you should probable seek out whomever was Arathorn II's second-in-command or his successor (if there was one before Aragorn). I'll go out on a limb and say that the acting Chieftain was either the father of Halbarad of the Grey Company or Halbarad himself.

Another potential Patron with links to the Rangers would be Círdan the Shipwright in the Grey Havens. I did my own write-up of Círdan for my "Gazetteer of Western Eriador and Lindon" (viewtopic.php?f=56&t=4495) in the House Rules forum. Here it is, if you're interested:

Círdan, Lord of the Grey Havens
Círdan the Shipwright has been Lord of the Grey Havens since the founding of Mithlond at the beginning of the Second Age. Círdan is a good friend of the Rangers of the North and throughout the Third Age provided aid to the Dúnedain of the North-kingdom. He is also a member of the White Council.

Círdan is the oldest living Elf in Middle-earth. He is exceedingly tall, has a long beard and has an aged appearance. Círdan should be approached with courtesy and respect.

Attribute Level: 10
Specialities: Elven-lore, Sea-lore, Ship-craft
Distinctive Features: Lordly, Tall, Just
Relevant Skills: Craft ******, Lore ******, Insight ****

Here's a possible Patron for the Dwarves that you might not otherwise consider:

Dís daughter of Thráin
Dís is the only daughter of Thráin II. She is the sister of the late Thorin Oakenshield and mother to the brothers Fili and Kili who perished defending their uncle in the Battle of Five Armies. Lady Dís joined the rest of her folk in returning to Lonely Mountain after it was reclaimed from the dragon Smaug. However, after a period of mourning for her sons and brother Thorin, she found that she could not remain there; the memories associated with Erebor were far too painful for her. Dís was only ten years old when Smaug claimed the Mountain. Many of her friends and their families were killed by the dragon and devoured. Her younger brother was slain years later by Orcs in the Battle of Azanulbizar. Most of her happy memories were of the Blue Mountains, where she grew to womanhood in the Halls of Thorin, met her husband-to-be, wed and bore two strong sons.

In T.A. 2944 Dís returned to the Blue Mountains and became the Lady of the Halls of Thorin. She acts as the Mistress of the Halls, ensuring that they are well maintained and that chambers are kept ready for envoys from Erebor, the Iron Hills and the other Dwarf-kingdoms and for special guests. She is educated and wise, and can also be stubborn and opinionated. She is also far too old to be bothered with customs she considers to be outdated nonsense. While Lady Dís carries an air of grace and dignity, she also defies the dwarven convention of 'dressing down' in the manner of a male for outsiders and when in public. Dís is typically garbed in hooded, white dwarven mourning robes, elegant and tasteful. While many conservative Dwarves are scandalized by this, she has accumulated a following among the younger set, especially with Dwarf-women who are themselves widowed or have determined never to marry.

Attribute Level: 8
Specialities: Rhymes of Lore, Leechcraft, Trading
Distinctive Features: Bold, Lordly, Robust
Relevant Skills: Courtesy ****, Insight *****, Lore ****

Having Lady Dís return to the Blue Mountains is entirely my own conceit. If you prefer, she might remain in Erebor for the rest of her days.

In my "Guide to The Shire and Bree-land" I discuss possible Patrons in The Shire (Bilbo Baggins; the Master of Buckland; the Thain; the Mayor of Michel Delving): viewtopic.php?f=56&t=4933.

[Halbarad]

Thanks for your input Otaku Sempai. I'm disappointed that you can't see any potential in Gilraen as a patron. No matter how minor her role may be on the main stage, her role in the background can only be described as phenomenal. She is the mother of the Chieftain, the heir of Isildur.

Although she has remained in Rivendell with her son, I don't think that this precludes that she might wield considerable influence amongst the remaining Dúnedain and because of this, I believe that she has eminent suitability as a patron, though hardly on the same level as Gandalf, Lord Elrond or Saruman.

Indeed, up until she leaves Rivendell, we have no idea at all of her position among the Dúnedain . I believe that though it is likely that she did not travel or fight among the Rangers, that does not mean that she could not act in a similar capacity as a Regent in the absence of her son. An Eleanor of Aquitaine to Aragorn's Richard the Lionheart if you will.

I'm thinking that she might be able to provide three of Direct Assistance, Information and Sigils

Direct Assistance

This would normally be limited to a Ranger of her household, assigned to carry out a specific task on behalf of those under her patronage. Where necessity requires it and if time permits, a company of Rangers might be despatched. This company might be of any size from several Rangers to, very rarely, a dozen or more. A Fellowship is likely to find that they are the Direct Assistance that Lady Gilraen provides to others who share her patronage

Information

The Rangers of the North are vigilant and little escapes their notice. Information from Lady Gilraen might well consist of tidbits gathered by these observant wanderers and reported to her at Rivendell.

She is the birth mother of Lord Elrond's foster son. There is no reason to believe that relations between the two are anything but cordial, at least until after Aragorn and Arwen pledge their troth to one another. Lady Gilraen might also be able to obtain Lore from the Master of Rivendell and the various Elf Loremaster's who also live at the Last Homely House.

Sigils

The Rangers of the North are a secretive folk and there are few non Dúnedain who know much of their origins and legacy. Those who are accepted in friendship by the Dúnedain are taught phrases and gestures that will reveal them as such to Rangers they have not previously encountered.

Adventures that involve Lady Gilraen's patronage would normally be involved in ensuring that the Secret legacy of the Rangers is not revealed to the world in general or protecting the remaining folk of Eriador from the forces of the Shadow.

[Otaku-sempai]

Well, I didn't mean to imply that Lady Gilraen would be without any significant influence, but understand that she was lying low in Rivendell for many years so as to not draw attention to her son who was being fostered in anonymity. It is certainly possible that her role among the Rangers became at least a bit more prominent from 2951 onward, though she continued to dwell in Rivendell for approximately another thirty-five years (more-or-less). I can imagine other Rangers consulting Gilraen for her own wisdom and to seek out bits of knowledge possessed by her late husband. But, hey! Do whatever works best for your game!

My impression is that most (and possibly all) of the hidden Dúnedain enclaves in Eriador were located within The Angle south of Rivendell. The Rivendell sourcebook mentions this but does not provide much detail about the region.