and a lot of people toe the line on the IC aspects, and completely ignore the OOC aspects.

For example,in this log:

http://www.qhcf.net/phorum/read.php?3,893261,893261#msg-893261

What the rager did was, from an IC perspective, both in parity and courageous: he charged a mage and his paladin ally, 2v1, destroyed the mage, and got away scot free.

What he did here from an OOC perspective (sitting as a ghost right next to a recall spot, and then dashing in and pincering someone who just worded in) lacked anything close to parity or courage: it's a strategy designed to get only the cheapest of the cheap kills, almost entirely risk free. No courage involved - from an OOC perspective I don't see a chance of him dying at all, so there's nothing to even be risked.

I know that you will only hold villagers to the IC standards of parity and courage, rather than the OOC standards, but to me the essence of a a genuinine rager was actually upheld best by Landren, a Fortress Captain:

http://forums.carrionfields.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=31&topic_id=11974&mesg_id=11974&page=

I'm not saying every rager should solo rank or never ever gang, but I will say that Landren comes closest to what I think the ideals of courage and parity should be. He carefully defined his boundaries in a both IC and OOC manner, and never really came close to crossing them. I recall he even wrote a few treatises instructing people in the Fortress to avoid ganging, or even peripheral forms of ganging (striking someone after his opponent fled, ping-ponging a guy through various opponents without a chance to catch his breath, etc), when possible. Stuff I saw all the time from villagers over the years.

Of course, -I- am not a founder of the village, nor have I played any ragers on the pillar, so take that for what its worth. Also, I will refrain from commenting on the scout and defender paths, since I'm aware they aren't held to the same standards as berserkers.