Faran DeVere's page

Faran winces a bit at the shout of his fellows, though he gives a polite nod to those who depart. "Just because we haven't walked into the mouth of danger doesn't mean we need to call out to see if it comes to us, hm?"

Still he finally takes one of the mugs and sips from it, carefully smoothing and cleaning his mustache after every drink. "It has truly been an honor to have worked with you each. I suspect that death in this outing may have been much more likely than on most battlefields, but you all were prepared to face that challenge with as much strength as I have seen in any soldier."

Poor Faran, he could be in a far greater danger than the tomb itself.

When the gnome begins singing as well, Faran hangs his head for a moment before seeming to double his effort to get the dirt cleared, eyeing between Love and Keggan. "Do you see what you've started?"

He does grin a bit towards Meadowlark, pausing to catch his breath. "I am sure it won't be uncontested. Though I'd rather have the contest with less blistered hands."

I'm glad that you checked back in with us, DM, as you could tell we were getting worried about you. Its good to have a definite time frame for things as I certainly have been enjoying the group we've got.

Faran gives a polite nod to Meadowlark's prayer, he may not be very religious, but he knows that every soldier seem to be a believer when on the battlefield and he's certainly not going to turn down a call for blessing.

When Keggan takes up singing again, he glances back towards him and gives a joking wince and shakes his head a bit. "I think you are just trying to convince me that I should take up your flask now."

He did say at the beginning that the idea was to do a round a day. So 10 days of real time a minute of digging, huh?

Sounds good to me too, I definitely hope its just a matter of things having got busy a bit for the DM. I am looking forward to playing with you all.

Indeed, it does seem that way. If need be, I know there is a 3.5 conversion of the Tomb of Horrors on the WotC site and I could take a read to get things running for you guys since we do have a good group here, but I'd rather stay ignorant of what is coming in case the DM comes back. How long would you all wish to give before take that sort of step? Its been less than a week now since he checked in saying he was swamped.

Faran raises a brow towards love, keeping his answers short and he puts his focus and breath into the work. "Promotions?"

Faran listens to the two going back and forth in the tune as he digs, pausing in his shoveling long enough to wipe sweat from his brow and catch a breath, looking between love and keggan before saying plainly. "I don't sing." With that he returns to his digging.

Love, I had a question for you about an outside game. Could you shoot me an email? Felixcosima at gmail dot com

Thanks.

Faran stops his shoveling long enough to look back to the newcomer, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. "Well met. I'm Faran. I suppose I'm the muscle for this endeavor. I do believe you are right, the skill I have seen in the others already is impressive. I have little doubt this tomb will be rendered safe."

Well played sir.

Faran comes over to join love at the looser dirt, letting him look it over as he sheathes his sword and brings out his own spade. "Ahh, here is something I can really help with. You may have the eyes, but I have the back."

Faran looks back to Arnie, raising a brow for a moment as he explains the tactic, unable to help but glance down at the gnome's leg and wonder if this method of exploration doesn't explain some things about his difficult with mobility.

"Most of my experiences with traps are quite different than all that. It has been rare for me to encounter such complex mechanical traps, normally its more along the lines of boar poles, or bear traps. Maybe snares or oil that could be lit to cut off one part of your forces from the rest. On the field, putting such effort into simply removing one or two foes isn't as productive a way to spend your time as it is when you are guarding a location against a small number of hostiles."

He shrugs at his assessment and then gives a bit of a grin. "I must admit that I much prefer Love's method, thus far. Though of Molasbar has skill in the way I saw earlier, I can imagine that he can bring in beings that are quite capable of 'disarming' anything Love isn't through your method. Likely we won't even have to draw straws."

I do still think that having a decent enough bag of tricks that you can pull out weighty animals, and you know, not having a heart, is a pretty effective way to clear out traps as well.

It does say something about our sensibilities that we took this town idea and have run with it, even in a joking OOC sort of way, rather than thinking how the tomb would be an excellent fortress or something.

Also, welcome to the group. Always been interested to see a ranged paladin in action, sounded a cool and potent concept but haven't actually seen it happen. And we are definitely always ready for fresh meat. Hop on in, you'll see we are a chatty bunch.

I am under the impression that the Tomb of Horrors just has a bad reputation and the plate is simply there to automatically open the doors.

Lets do our best to make sure its not just my words that are immortal, hm?

Faran waits just outside of the cave, around the corner in case some sort of blast comes out the passage, but ready to go dashing into the cave to help if something comes out after the trapsmith. "Ready when you are. Just think, you are about to start your legend as the man who made the Tomb safe."

Faran smooths his mustache as Love's explanation brings things back to reality from the pre-danger jests. He looks at the man a bit more seriously. "Lets hope you don't make a mistake then, friend."

Sorry, Love, but you seem to be the chatty one in the group so I am pretty sure you'll have the job of disney adventureland jungle cruise type of tour guide.

Faran gives a slight smile towards Molasbar at his comment before glancing down at his own gauntleted hand. "I thought that he was trying to help polish my armor. Though I suspect you should be prepared for worse substances than a bit of saliva on you in the tomb. We could get you a pair of gloves."

Faran looks at the point in the passage where the plate was discovered, squinting to try and make out any difference between the ground there and the terrain around it before shaking his head a bit. "I'm glad we have your eyes, my friend. I certainly can't see the plate you speak of, but I suspect I am more than enough pressure for it."

I'm alright with my nickname, but I may have to develop a nickname of my own for you. Saying 'You have great eyes, love' is only going to lead to confusion.

Also, I was just about to be all boisterous and turn away Arnie's offer, but then I realized that is one tough little gnome.

Faran turns back to Arnoldo, tilting his head at the small crippled gnome as he speaks those words. "You have my loyalty. You don't need to share in my pain to have that. I will not betray a friend."

He pauses and considers, clearly ready to swear such an oath even without the offered effects behind it. He considers the offer however before reaching out to shake the gnome's hand. "Stay behind me, friend, if you can avoid taking any sort of wounds of your own then perhaps sharing the danger among us is for the best. I admit, taking such a deal is hard for me."

I'm game too, though I suppose I'll have to toss in my own coin for a dedicated armor polisher.

I had a joking thought for a moment of our little entourage slowly forming a town here and that idea slowly transformed to us clearing out sections of the tomb and setting up fake traps and monsters so we could bring tourists through. Come see the infamous Tomb of Horrors! Even when looted to the ground, we'll always have a cash cow.

Well, I turn my back for two hours and there are 14 posts here!

I admit that my idea for leadership did sort of revolve around the expectation for deaths, a noble-type 'I'm adventuring for the glory rather than the loot' could be fun and could bring an entourage with him to set up camp.

As for good thoughts, I have to admit that a paladin does really add a lot of oomph on a dungeon like this. I have made one 10th level pathfinder paladin, who happened to also be going into a meatgrinder type dungeon(Slumbering Tzar). With a good charisma, their ability to heal along with the cleric/oracle is pretty impressive, not to mention how scary they are when smiting.

Also, I always used to refer to situations as smile/frown situations, as in when about to walk in a door for some information I'd ask if we were going in with a smile or a frown. I may now have to change this to positive or negative energy.

PWO(I am eventually going to call you Pow, classic batman style), I think that rotating players to the back of the wait list and cycling through, since we are probably going to go through fairly quickly makes a lot of sense. I think your peanut idea is a good one to keep those on the wait list paying attention, though I suspect that it would only work if we didn't use hero points as the playing group(which I don't believe we are) and if the DM wanted to include them at all. Giving the wait list a way to be part of the action could be fun though. This is speaking at the meatshield who is probably most likely to end up back on the waitlist immediately.

Love, I don't think camp is a bad idea. My biggest concern is that with how dangerous the tomb is supposed to be, if the surrounding area comes anywhere close one random encounter and we are going to come back to a destroyed camp unless we had pretty hefty guards. I think a more realistic way of doing this would be the leadership feat, so that we would have at least a decent cohort as well as some moderately leveled people who could keep the camp in order and safer. Still, that would be a gamble.

I think the big question is just how difficult it will be to take those griffons back to town, or if any of us can come up with a good way to summon them as needed. The easier it is to go and return, the less we need a forward base.

Definitely sorry to see you go too. We are flipping through our characters pretty quickly, didn't know we'd need all our backups before we got really started.

Faran looks to the others as they discuss the possibility of traps and fall well clear of the entrance. He looks to Love since he seems to be the knowledgeable one in this regard. "You think its likely that a blast from a trap would go so far? I suppose its better safe than sorry in any way."

As he waits for the gnome's stone to probably do nothing, the loops his weapon cord around his wrist and ties it to the hilt of his sword to fully ready himself.

No problem for me. Definitely adds to your characters personality.

Faran pauses as he apparently receives a new nickname. He pauses long enough to stroke his mustache smooth, considering it. "Happy?" He then shrugs his shoulders a bit, accepting it before nodding. "We can continue to look. It would be good to get in, but I don't think we are on any special timeframe. The more information the better."

When the elemental clears away the entrance, Faran gives a nod of approval towards the wizard before squinting into the darkness. He draws an everburning torch from his pack and brings it to light. He tucks it into his belt then to shed light around him.

Nodding agreement to Rygal he looks to Love "You are our eyes for traps, friend. I'll be by your side."

Since it looks like we are getting underway, I'm just going to point out that I'll stay right up front just behind our trapfinders. When possible I'll let them get a view to make sure the path is clear and then will take point so I can be ready to intercept any enemies.

Unable to help but grin a bit, Faran tilts his head at Love's comment of him "Ah, but I am most happy when I am not bored. I am at my most focused when my blade sings and that thrill of battle is upon us. If the two must be chosen between, however, I suppose that boredom would be preferable to happiness while we are here."

Listening to Molasbar's discussion of the loot, he gives a small nod of his head. "We have no real loyalty to each other beyond the task at hand, so I suppose a more mercenary approach is called for. I admit that I seek renown even more than coin in this place, but I am aware that both go together. Your proposal seems fair, allowing those who may not make it to have their share will, with hope, allow them a second chance at life even if this is not what they were meant for. I do strongly emphasize that while we are within, treasure should be given to those who will benefit most from it as it will aid the entirety of the team that way, but this can be better disputed when we are out safely again. Greed, while inside, is much more likely to put our guard down and we have to be able to trust one another."

Faran nods his head a bit as he sees the gnome approach, looking over him with a raised brow. "Greetings, Arnie. I'm Faran, it is a pleasure." He pauses before looking down towards the obviously disfigured man's leg. "I mean no respect, are you well to be exploring such a dungeon?"

Faran nods his head at both Love and Molasbar. "As I said, my experiences do not lie with dungeons. I am just trying to apply what I know of tactics to the layout, if you would expect there to only be one entrance, that is very possible. I anticipate someone wanting to have another way out, but it could make sense that being able to funnel your enemies exactly where you wish them, to know the path they will be taking to get to you, could have more advantage."

Faran gives a small shake of his head at Keggan's offer, smiling a bit. "No thank you, friend. I prefer to keep what faculties I have before battle."

He raises a brow at Molastar when he begins summoning, curious of the magical arts even if they are quite outside his normal realm. When he sees the odd creature appear and slip into the dirt he nods his head approvingly. "Certainly a safe way to scout. If the beast has any sort of observation, hopefully we will be able to take our pick of entrances. A wise enemy leaves an opening for you to take so that you can be flanked, I cannot say I would wish to accept so forward an invitation. If this place is to live to its reputation, I would assume there are many traps, if someone intended to enter and leave again they would likely have a way around that. I simply hope it is a mundane method rather than a magical one."

Phew, you guys blew through posts today when I was dragged away from my comp for once! Would love to see us keep up like this, the chatter, even between actions can make a game great.

After having dismounted, Faran stayed silent a long time, letting the more talkative share their talents and get out some of the nervous energy that is always there before danger, certainly something he had seen in war camps many times.

When they finally begin to gather themselves up, he steps forward, giving a small nod towards the immense blade across his back. "You may call me Faran. My main skill is in my sword arm, but I have seen many battles and have knowledge of tactics. Most of my experience is on the open field, with foes. If you have knowledge of... The way of dungeons, then I certainly will take your advice. Lead the way and I will be close at your side, I promise you this, if something comes at you it won't get away."

He gives a slight smile at that, moving his hand up and smoothing his mustache, ensuring it is perfectly in place before he draws his blade. With the sword in hand, he looks from Love to Keggan and Rygal. "Perhaps when we come away with loot in hand, your brew and his laughter shall find time to be appropriate."

Checking in as Faran(this is Tarlane). Sorry I got to a late post today, a small emergency kept me away from getting finished up this morning, but I'm joining in the other thread now. Looks good so far!