Girls of PHB3

And it was about time I did more 'cuddling' shots...

These two lovers are Brimfull of Ashar (Ash to her friends), a genasi runepriest/cleric, and Kiris Dahn, a human Stone Fist monk. Kiris is based on an artwork by the lovely Ean-Sze, check her out.

Both Ash and Kiri are from exotic backgrounds, cultures where women are traditionally repressed. In a fantasy analogy, of course, it doesn't have to be this way. Kiri isn't anyone's idea of a delicate oriental flower - she has all the grace and beauty you expect, but she also likes to drink hard, fight hard and party hard with her girlfriend.

Likewise, Ash is from an arabic culture, but the one from 'Arabian Adventures' is more like a fantasy version of 'One Thousand and One Nights' than historical Arabic culture. In particular, I like the idea that the 'Faith Dogmatic' (the fundamentalists) are in the minority. The 'Faith Pragmatic' is an ultra-liberal idea of Islam. Women aren't supposed to drink or show their boobs, but if they do... well, whatever, it's up to Allah to judge them, not mortal men. Everyone is allowed to express themselves as they wish.


____Brimful-of-Ashar___

The Great Efreeti Pasha, Omar Memshazihan bin Suleiman, His Most Molten Excellency, prided himself on the finest things in life - golden treasures, powerful artefacts, and beautiful women. His favourite concubine was Aselia, the daughter of a caliph who had foolishly gotten into debt by asking for one too many wishes. The girl had been his payment, and the Pasha was a jinn of great appetites and perverse imagination...

So he was most upset when Raziel of Calimshan made off with his favourite plaything - bad enough that the man was a middle-aged scholar, not some wily master thief. Justice must be done. But he had enjoyed the mortal's company and knowledge of lore while the human had been his prisoner, and proposed a contest of riddles to determine whether Raziel should be allowed to elope with the girl, or have his extremities burned for an eternity.

The Pasha prided himself on his skill at wordplay, but Efreet are Lawful beings, and Raziel was able to confound him by improvising the contest. To his surprise, the efreet was amused by his cunning, and allowed the pair to escape...

Unbeknownst to the Pasha, Aselia was pregnant with his child. Raziel was an honourable sort at heart, and decided to raise the girl as his own, in honour of the great genie who permitted his escape from the City of Brass.

She was named 'Brimfull-of-Ashar', a Calishite saying that meant 'great bounty'. From a young age, there was no hiding her elemental nature, so she revelled in it... In Calimshan, having genie blood was a sign of great fortune, and the jin were respected for their cunning and wisdom.

Towering in height and generously proportioned, Ash (as her friends called her) would have made a fine warrior, but her father ensured she was raised in the Temple. She took vows to forswear the pleasures of men and to remain a virgin... which wasn't the burden her father assumed it would be, truth to tell. Her fellow priestesses certainly appreciated that she had her father's appetites for fine wine and comely women.

Ash is dedicated to her temple; being both warrior, priestess and smith. Her deity is known in many languages, but to her He is The Maker, the Divine craftsman who provided the spark of life to the world. Working at the forge is an act of worship for her, the smelting of metal and the creation of new tools. Many of the faithful are dwarves, as He taught them the arts of metalcraft in their earliest days, and Ash learned their language and ways when they visited her lands.

Ash is keen to answer the call of adventure, signing up to fight the Far Realm threat. She is comfortable in the front line, crushing orc heads with her Forge Hammer, or using her prayers to heal and support her fellows. Her natural affinity with fire helped her learn some of the most difficult dwarf runes, and she employs fire in battle, to either cleanse or excoriate.

As a runepriest, her spells can heal or harm, depending on her needs at the time. She is also a fully-invested member of the clergy, and likes to tend to the spiritual needs of her friends (confessions, blessings and the like) as well as their physical wounds. She follows the tolerant 'Faith Pragmatic' which teaches by example and does not try to judge others. She especially enjoys confounding the morality of the humourless 'Faith Dogmatic', who do not approve of big, buxom jinn walking around topless...

Ash is proud of her mixed race, and takes offence to slurs aimed at humans or jinn alike. She loves to show off her body, the way her skin runs with patterns of liquid fire. In cooler lands, she met up with the monk Kiris Dahn, and they have become inseperable as lovers.

Ash remains ambivalent on the matter of her blood-father. While efreet are ruthless and selfish, they are also an honourable people, and she cannot find it in her heart to hate the Pasha. Even her mother still speaks of him with some fondness, and is grateful he allowed her to return to the human world. Ash hopes her adventures will one day take her to the Elemental Chaos, and she can see her father's people for herself.


_____Kiris Dahn____

Those raised by the Temple of the Stone Fist are usually foundlings, orphans given to the monastery at birth. So it was with the girl named Kiris Dahn, and she grew up with the strict discipline and back-breaking hard work associated with the discipline. The Way of the Stone Fist preaches that mind and body must be hardened by the trials of the physical world, and they practise various 'hard' styles of martial arts, most of which involve striking and punching.

While most monasteries are located far from the towns of men, the practical nature of the Stone Fist meant that her temple was built up in the mountains, above a thriving town. The monks would often make their way down into the settlement, where they served as guards, labourers or artisans, by way of honing their skills and discipline. The townsfolk were more than happy to have them - they asked for nothing but food and lodging, and any one monk could dispatch a band of brigands with ease, in a flurry of blows with staff or fists.

This upbringing allowed the Stone Fists a more wordly and practical lifestyle than many monks enjoyed... She learned the pleasures of rice wine and pretty town girls, of gambling and tavern games. The Masters of the Temple allowed their students to let off steam while off duty - the lessons of the Stone Fist were often brutally hard, and a life of constant discipline could put one in a state of imbalance.

Likewise, they allowed a certain degree of... individuality among their pupils. The students were allowed, even encouraged, to question and disagree - providing they could back up their words with skill.

Kiri was an especially trying student - taller and stronger than most of her fellows, whip-fast and pretty, she would strut about naked as if she owned the place. She got into plenty of fights, but the Masters knew it only honed her edge, and permitted this.

One of her tutors became irritated by her hair, which in her vanity she grew so long that she could sit on it. Proud of her long, silky tresses, she refused to cut it short, and challenged her tutor to cut it himself, if he was willing to try. They fought to a standstill, bloody and bruised, and her tutor - proud of her steely resolve - backed down, permitting her conceit.

Kiris was friendly with a woman in the town who practised the tattooists art. Desiring to turn her body into a living work of art, Kiri added another one each time she visited her friend, until her tall, buxom frame was covered in exotic pictures of tygers, flowers, waves and dragons.

When the call came out for a volunteer to help the tribals with their war against the Far Realm, nobody was surprised when Kiris boldly stated that she would go. Her masters agreed that they had taught her all they could, and now she should put her self-belief to the test.

Kiri is a proud young woman, but she was taught that it's not bragging or boasting as long as you can back it up. She carries herself with self-belief and pride, not arrogance, and is a disciplined, controlled warrior. Only a thug or a brigand threatens and postures - she is usually very calm, but when she acts, it is with a blur of motion and ferocity.

As a Stone Fist monk, Kiri is a warrior first and foremost. Needing neither weapons nor armour to fight, she is able to bring down foes before they can hurt her. She channels her ki through her body, enhancing her already-potent physical strength. She can flow across the battlefield, attacking multiple foes, attacks and motion in a single fluid action.

As an adventuress, Kiri is bold and daring, but not rash or foolhardy. She believes herself the equal of any challenge, but is happy to be a team player too. She makes an especially good team with the genasi Brimful-of-Ashar, who can heal and buff her as she fights, as well as guard her back. The two swiftly became lovers, and they have a passionate, if competitive relationship.

While she prefers straight-up battle, Kiri can work as a scout or assassin if she must, being skilled with throwing stars, stealth, locks and traps. She is happier ploughing her fists into someone's face, however. She is very competitive with her friends, always striving to better herself and those around her.

With her plum lipstick, exhibitionist nature, scandalous lack of clothing and love of good wine, she confounds the expectations of others. She's not what they expect of an oriental monk, caring little for humility or fortune cookie wisdom. Her skills are rooted in the real world, and the Stone Fist would not want it any other way.


Brimful-of-Ashar
Fire Genasi Cleric/Runepriest
Concept: Rebellious Daughter of the Efreeti Pasha
Str 19, Int 11, Wis 18, Dex 16, Con 17, Chr 15
Languages: Primal, Midani, Common, Dwarvish
Skills: Endurance, Heal, Athletics
Feats: Hybrid Talent (Channel Divinity)
Powers: Sacred Flame, Word of Exchange, Flames of Purity, Rune of Endless Fire

Kiris Dahn
Human Stone Fist Monk
Concept: Vain Martial Artist
Str 18, Int 11, Wis 17, Dex 18, Con 12, Chr 16
Languages: Shou, Common
Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Thievery, Stealth, Perception
Feats: Crack the Mountain, Improved Unarmed Strike
Powers: Five Storms, Crane's Wings, Rising Storm, Harmonious Thunder