Girls of PHB, III

Zanne Kamroth and Shawna Markelhay

Maybe because I played Zanne, but I always liked this one. Never go too many hits for some reason. There's always a temptation to redo it topless.


Shawna’s father, Lord Farren, is ruler of the small but important town of Fallcrest in the Nentir Vale. Twenty years ago, he had a faerie wife, one of the elven scouts from the nearby Woodsinger clan. She stayed long enough to bear him a child, before returning to her nomadic tribe for good. Raised by her father as a son, Shawna learned her father’s trade as a war marshal, and was recently appointed as commander of the Fallcrest Guard. She was more than happy to learn swordplay, tactics and strategy instead of needlework and embroidery, though she retained a rather sweet femininity. As an Inspiring Warlord, she is a decent warrior and a commanding, charismatic leader. Though very young and inexperienced, her enthusiasm and pleasant nature make up for her naivety. Her mixed khoravar blood marks her as something unusual in a human town, and she knows great things are expected of her. She has a lifelong friendship - and rivalry - with Zanne, the daughter of another of the noble families in Fallcrest. Both are young 'court blades', warriors a cut above the standard guardsmen.

Zanne’s father, Armos, is a tight-fisted landowner who demands rent from the many sharecroppers who make a living farming the Nentir Vale. The Marklehays might have the people’s affection and lead the town, but the Kamroth’s have the money and power. An angry, rebellious child, Zanne never got along with her father. Her mother was found murdered in mysterious circumstances when she was a child, her body scarred with ritual marks of a five-headed dragon. Though her husband was suspected of being involved – even in command – of the Cult of Takhisis, nothing was ever proved. Zanne herself suspects her father, and loathes him for it, but remains uncertain without proof. Were she ever to discover the truth, she would not hesitate to kill him for it.

Zanne’s rebellious stage saw her embrace the ‘goth’ culture popularised by the alien Shadar-kai people; emo fringe, pale skin, tattoos, body piercings and lots of torn leather and lace. She has a full-body inking of her goddess, the Raven Queen, on her side, and enjoys writing bad, gloomy poetry. An athletic, powerfully built young woman, Zanne trained with the Fallcrest Guard and became a warrior. She burned to fight monsters and take out her aggression on her enemies, but her rash nature pushed her to explore a ruin alone, and for all her skill at arms, she was captured by hobgoblins. Luckily for her, before they could sacrifice her – or worse – she was rescued by a band of adventurers, who impressed upon her the need to work in a team. She joined them, and since that day has served as their reluctant protector. As a shield-maiden, she puts her body on the line for her companions, defending them against harm. Despite this, she is a sour and sarcastic companion, prone to complaining about the very people she is sworn to protect.

Early in her career, she acquired the soul-drinking sword Nightbringer, an evil weapon of terrifying power. Neither Zanne nor her blade truly has the upper hand in this relationship, constantly vying for power against the other. They seem to have reached an impasse, a kind of grudging respect - each knows they need the other to realise their goals, and each has a passionate hatred of the undead. The anti-hero and her cursed blade continue to adventure together, neither knowing what the future will bring.