Born in 690, Faranir of Tonot is the second son of Vallo, a weaponsmith with a seat on Tonot's local Mangai Council who prospered through an exclusive contract with Baron Perstiel, and Miriel, the daughter of a prosperous villein, whose manumission Vallo purchased in order to marry her. Their marriage and home was happy and prosperous, allowing them to raise six children in comfort. Even as a small child Foranir was different. The young boy was up at the crack of dawn and seemed to go on without pausing until the wee hours of the morning. He was curious about everything and constantly on the move. His training at his father's forge began almost as soon as he could walk, and what free time he had was spent helping at his grandfather's farm in a nearby village.

This constant activity matched with good genes rendered Faranir taller than most men by his fourteenth year, and more powerfully built. He was sculpted like a statue. The only thing that rivaled his rapidly growing physical abilities were his intellects and his mastery of the family craft. And he did not seem limited to his father's trade, either. It seemed he was good at anything he put his hands to. Most believed he would become a grandmaster at a very young age. These predictions would have come true if it were not for Faranir's older brother Januir.

In 710, shortly after Faranir achieved the rank of Master in the guild, his father, who had turned much of the day to day running of the business to Januir, had a heart attack. While their father languished in his bed Januir, an envious drunk, albeit a skilled smith, took charge of the business and used the opportunity to edge his younger brother, whom he had always been hostile towards, out of the business. Though his mother entreated him to go to his father Faranir, concerned the discord might be too much for Vallo in his weakened state, decided against it. He would find work in another smith's forge until he made enough money to open his own smithy.

As with most plans, Faranir's didn't work out. He soon found the smiths in the local towns did not have enough work to keep him constantly employed – they had their own journeymen and apprentices to work their forges - and as much as he loved working with the animals on his grandfather's farm, he was a smith, not a farmer. His grandfather told him as much. Needing steady work he travelled south to Gardiren, Earl Curo's seat, where there was a larger township and more trade. The smiths in Garinden were more than happy to have such an energetic and skilled worker, and between them Faranir was able to work from dawn until the late evening, but, he realized, it would be years before he could earn enough money to become a freemaster

And fate was no less accomodating. In 714 Trouble with Tharda in the Chelen Gap led to a series of violent skirmishes and a partial mustering of the Chivalry of Kaldor. It also led to the conscription of able bodied men in many townships, and Faranir found himself suddenly a part of Earl Curo's fuedal levy. Faranir spent almost a year in the Earl's service and saw combat against more than one Thardic Century. It was during this time that he befriended a member of Lady Elsbeth Curo's personal guard, a huntsman named Garoth of Olokand.

When peace was signed with Tharda Faranir was mustered out of the Earl's service. Returning to Tonot he learned his father had died, and that his brother had ascended to his father's seat on the local Mangai, as well as swindled his share of the business and their inheritance. Disheartened Faranir returned to Gardiren. Work in Garinden proved more spartan than before and he soon learned his brother had spread poisonous rumors about him within the guild. Still, his reputation as a master craftsman stood him in good enough stead to keep a roof over his head and food in his belly, if not much else. It was during this period that Garoth of Olokand, approached him and offered to help him find a position as an arms man in the Earl's castle.

Though it was not what he expected when the offer was made, Faranir soon found himself serving as a member of Lady Elsbeth Curo's guard under Sir Reinhardt Maddox, a dedicated knight who seemed more at home among his men and the commoners than he did among his fellow nobles. Faranir and Garoth became Sir Reinhardt's unlikely friends, and after proving their loyalty when Lady Curo's husband, Sir Pallon, sought to undercut Sir Reinhardt's authority, the pair found themselves promoted to serve as his seconds.

Faranir is a loyal arms man, who is dedicated both to his commander and his liege, Countess Curo. He is as energetic as he ever was and, in addition to his duties, ensures Reinhardt's horses, as well as his and Garoth's are well tended to. He is also a stickler for the quality of their arms and can be frequently found in the castle forge arguing with the Countess' bonded weapon smith over the quality of a job, or doing a job himself. On top of all this he likes to work with the Earla's hunting dogs, which are pure bread Great Haarbalese. He is a chronic insomniac because his mind refuses to quit. In the nights he puts his ideas for new inventions, many visionary, down on paper.

Faranir is a talented arms man and is paid well for his work, but sometimes the high-muckety-mucks can be hard to deal with, and a soldier's life isn't really suited to having a family, which he's considered wishfully from time to time. Still, he has good friends in the castle, which is the reasons he's stayed for so long - that and the fact that without a lord to grant him a contract, or the funds to open his own smithy, he has no other way of making a living. He's contended himself with his lot, though when he lies down to go to sleep at night he often thinks: “now a hammer and a forge – that's the thing.”

Faranir has a small room above Caer Gardiren's kitchens, which he shares with Garoth. The room is a luxury compared to the other armsmen's lot, who share communal barracks, and is sometimes called “officers country.” In adition to room and board he is provided with his arms and armor and a monthy income. Like all of the Countess' men he is granted the right to wear her livery and to bear chivalric arms. He also has access to the general stables and the warhorses within. Over the years Faranir has collected two large wooden chests worth of high quality smithing tools and amassed a thick sheaf of potential inventions – something Garoth refers to as his “hope chests” and “dream sheets.”

1 Helane 719: Faranir is offered the chance to construct his visionary forge and produce “a better sword” at Caer Nurel as a bonded master working for Sir Reinhardt, who has been appointed Baron of Nurelia. He has jumped at the chance.

Stats: STR: 20 (13-); DEX: 11 (11-); CON: 18 (13-); BDY: 18 (13-); INT: 30 (15-); EGO: 11 (11-); PRE: 13 (12-); COM: 10 (11-); PD: 8; ED: 4; SP: 3; RC: 10; EN: 40; ST: 37
Movement: Run: 8“ Swim: 2” Leap: 4“ Combat Block: ECV: 4 Phases: 4, 8, 12

Skills: AK: Kaldor 8-; Animal Handler (Birds, Bovines, Canines, Equines) 8-; Climbing 11-; CuK: Kaldoric Culture 8-; High Society 8-; Hoist 15-; Inventor 15-; Jack of All Trades; PS: Armsman 11-; PS: Draftsman 15- PS: Drawing 15-; PS: Farmer 8-; PS: Leatherworking 8-; PS: Locksmith 15-; PS: Metal Smith 20-; PS: Stone Mason 8-; PS: Thatcher 8-; PS: Weaponsmith 20-; PS: Woodworking 11-; KS: Farming Lore 8-; KS: Magai-Mercantile World 11-; KS: Military-Mercenary World 11-; LS: Harnic (Idiomatic; Literate); Navigation (Land) 8-; Paramedics 15-; Riding 11-; Scientist; SS: Applied Physics 11-; SS: Astronomy 8-; SS: Chemistry 8-; SS: Geology 8-; SS: Magnetism 8-; SS: Mathematics 15-; SS: Mechanical Engineering 15-; SS: Metellurgy 20-; SS: Siege Engineering 15-; SS: Structural Engineering 15-; Security Systems 15-; Survival (Forests) 8-; Tactics 8-; Trading 12-; Weaponsmith (Hand to Hand, Ranged, Seige Engines) 20-; WS: Axes, Hammers, Picks 13-; WS: Blades 13-; WS: Bows 11-; WS: Shield 13-; WS: Spears and Javelins 11-; MA: Dodge 11-; MA: Brawling 11-

Perks: Guild Status: Master (Weaponsmith's Guild); Highly Paid Bonded Master: Money (Well Off/2)

Powers: Seemingly Tireless: Life Support (Sleeping: A few hours per night); Powerful Blows: +2d6 HA; Extra Big: +5 PRE (Intimidate, or Resist Same)

Disadvantages: Distinctive Features: Giant of a Man (Not Concealable); Hunted: Baron Maddox's Enemies (More Pow, NCI, Watching) 8-; Psychological: A Friend Through Thick and Thin (Common, Strong); Psychological: Family Man By Nature (Uncommon, Moderate); Psychological: Honest As The Day Is Long (Common, Strong); Psychological: Loses Himself in his Dreams, Thoughts, and Work (Common, Strong); Rivalry: Professional (Other Weaponsmiths; As Powerful; Group; Seek to Outdo); 1d6 Unluck

Cost: Characteristics: 93; Skills: 121; Perks: 4; Talents: 0; Powers: 12
Breakdown: Base: 100; Disadvantages: 90; Virtual Leanardo Bonus: 50 Experience: 0
Total Character Cost: 240

Faranir is designed to be a virtual Leanardo Da Vinci, a man ahead of his times, though his definate expertise is in weaponcrafting and metal working. While Faranir is a talented warrior he isn't designed to dominate combat. Rather, he is a character designed to make the world more interesting and to provide the occassional anachronistic “cool factor.” To facilitate speed of play in the PBEM medium the Chronicles of Counter-Harn does not use the the Speed Chart, Combat Values, Combat Levels, and Weapon Familiarities. Instead, combat is handled on a “turn by turn” basis and uses opposed skill rolls to determine hits (e.g., Sword vs. Sword, Sword vs. Shield, Sword vs. Dodge, etc). Speed is handled abstractly in the narrative. In a normal table top game I would convert Faranirs's Weapon Skills into Weapon Familiarities and purchase additional combat skill levels. I would also increase his DEX to 15.

— David Queenann 2006/02/19 22:35