I’m Confused! What IS this?!!

The Monster Rangers is a community, a story, a series of campouts and events, spirit badges, adventures.

So, it’s a club?

Yeah, basically. We do stuff together in person, and online. But we’re a creative group; you can add to our core story (with story/song/art/etc), do Missions, go to camps, and so on.

Wait. Is this for kids, or adults?

Well, most of our Rangers are full-on adults. Some have kids, so that’s cool too.  Nothing we do is really ADULT. We really don’t care what your age/gender/orientation is… as long as you’re a kind person.

What does this cost?

We have a freemium model; you can do most everything, for free. We (Steam Crow HQ) survives when you buy spirit badges, official gear, and stuff from our store.

The ORDER OF OBSCURIA (OoO) is Monster Rangers ENHANCED. It’s a membership-dues driven – with exclusive content, classes, videos, and goods.

The OoO helps keep Daniel & Dawna off the road at endless conventions, making Monster Rangers stuff for you.

Why haven’t I heard of this before?

I don’t know, we’re pretty new. We started a few years ago, and were called “Monster Scouts” though we’ve dropped that name because it’s a bad idea to make Boy Scouts of America angry.

While we’re small and not EVERYWHERE yet, you can get involved and start helping it grow in your area.

This seems really similar to Monster Scouts.

Yeah, it should. We’re the same folks who started the Monster Scouts, but we changed our name here in October 2017.

So, you may have seen us at comic-cons with the name Monster Scouts or Steam Crow… it’s all us. Same team, same management, same concept.

Just with a name that doesn’t get IP Lawyers so excited.

Is this affiliated with Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts or Scouts?

Nope, not at all. We’re not “Scouts”.

We’re primarily adults, delving into an imaginary world (Obscuria) concerned with the belief, study and protection of mythological monsters. But we have Monster Rangers Jr. members, too.

BRANCHES

There are different KINDS of Monster Rangers?

Yeah, there are. In fact, there are something like 15 different kinds of Monster Rangers. Different people relate to different aspects of the Rangers.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to choose a Branch right away… or ever. You’re automatically in the “Monster Ranger” core branch when you join us.

How do I choose a Branch?

Really, that’s up to you. It just depends on what you like, what your interests are, and what appeals to your tastes.

For example:

Scare Force pilots are daring, brave, and often die young in horrible biplane crashes.

Skull Rangers spend a lot of time in graveyards, alone, helping haunts and undead in need.

OBSCURIA

What is Obscuria?

Obscuria is the monster world which overlays our own. For normal “Nodds”, they miss out on 40% of the “real” world (Obscuria); ghosts, unbelievable creatures, monster towns, weird weather, and so on.

It’s basically our playground; it’s our “Middle Earth”, “Seven Kingdoms”, “Narnia”.

The Order of Obscuria is is a group dedicated to learning more about the place.

Where is Obscuria?

It’s everywhere, it’s all around you if you could just Imagine8 it. You can Imagine8, right?

Oh dear. What does “Imagine8” mean?

Imagine8 is simply the ability to “see” the invisible world of Obscuria. Most Monster Rangers know how to Imagine8, as well as cats, some children, and all monsters.

Baron Davis coined the term, and we still use it today.

What is Monstru?

Monstru is the Monster world, not to be confused with Obscuria. If Obscuria is HERE, Monstru is THERE on the other side of this world.

Monstru is where all of these monsters are coming from, and it’s no place for Manlings.

GETTING STARTED

What should I do first?

Here’s an article about Getting Started.

Can you do Missions?

Yeah, we’ve got a bunch of Missions that you can accomplish, to earn free Spirit Badges.

Have a look at our Missions Directory, to get started.

Are Spirit Badges like currency?

Nope, they’re not. They’re for fun, and to help inspire folks to get involved.

 Rangers don’t beg for badges! We’ve got DIGNITY!

Where should I put my Spirit Badges?

Most folks apply them to their satchels, a sash, a vest, jacket, or hat. Really, there’s no wrong answer, as long as you make them look good.

How do I apply Spirit Badges?

They are iron-on, which is really step-one. After that, you’ll want to put a few stitches in them so that they don’t fall off.

Iron-on isn’t permanent; stitches are required if you don’t want to lose your badges.

How many Spirit Badges are there?

We’ve designed around 200 of them to date, though only about some of them have been released so far.

Sometimes you get one when you come to one of our events. Often our Kickstarters come with one, as well as when you buy original art from us.

Sometimes you just buy them because you like em.

General Questions

Is this a cult?

No, it’s more of a cult following.

We have really, really loyal and involved Rangers. They are amazing and passionate about what we do.

But we don’t have any hidden agenda; there are no plans for UFO escapes, multiple wives/husbands, or ritualistic Kool-Aid drinking contests.

The only agenda is that the Monster Rangers is Steam Crow’s business; we make a living making cool products/adventures for you, which are optional.

At Steam Crow our dream job is making up stuff for the Monster Rangers, for you.

So, it’s a business?

Kinda. For us at Steam Crow, it is. Our job is to make cool stuff, help guide the community, tell stories about Monsters and Obscuria, and keep all of the mechanisms running that keeps this thing alive.

For you, it’s a community. You can get involved, do missions, meet other introverted people, play games, and all of that.

Who is this Baron Davis fella?

Baron Davis is the mythical founder of the Monster Rangers. He was originally a farmer, but in 1903 he was struck by lightning which triggered his ability to Imagine8.

He is said to have “left” the mortal world when his trench was hit by an Axis bomb in 1917. Many believe that he now lives in Monstru.

Wait? Baron Davis looks a lot like Daniel Davis. Same guy?

Nope, different guy. Baron is the founder of the Monster Rangers, Daniel is a modern designer/illustrator/imagination fella, distantly related.

It’d be SUPER EGOTISTICAL for Daniel to be Baron, wouldn’t it.

How do I start my own Troop?

We call our Troopes “Barrows” and we’re currently working on instructions and a system for you to start your own.

For now, introduce your friends to the Monster Rangers, get them to sign up, and if there’s a lot of you, consider starting a Facebook Group.

Eventually, it’s our goal to have Monster Rangers everywhere… but that will take time. Be patient with us, and lend a hand.

So, you really host monster-themed campouts?

Yeah, we host 7 or 8 of them every year. It’s not something that we ever thought would happen, but after the Rangers pestered us for a few months, we decided to give it a go.

Turns out, they were right! Monster Monstro Camps are really fun, and more meaningful than comic-cons and most of the other events that we do.

Come join us for a Monstro Camp!

What happens at these Monster Camps?

We have some ceremonies, we make art and craft stuff, we have a Barter Circle, we eat potluck dinners, and sometimes we summon monsters. We try to have surprise things happen at them.

It’s really fun, unusual, and kind of odd… in a good way.

Is there a Monstro Camp where I live?

Well, we’re not everywhere… yet.

For now, we’re mostly doing them in the West but we’re slowly working our way to the East Coast, and beyond.

For now, check and see if we’re doing one near you, and if not… start building your ranks locally. Once you get a bunch of folks, let us know, so we can start figuring out how to come to you.

Or, take a flight and join us at Monstro Camp Prime, in Arizona (in the winter when weather is nice here.) Prime is our version of a hullabalo, Shindig, or Jamboree.

About Us

We are Daniel and Dawna Davis. 

We Pledge to Believe, Study and Protect Our Monster Friends!