Astrid Myriad

Astrid Myriad

Blue Tiefling • Great Old One Warlock • Survivor of the Soul Harvest and Archon of Hope

Astrid's current appearance as the custodian of the Ethereal Realm

Overview

Astrid Myriad is a tiefling warlock whose pursuit of forbidden knowledge brought catastrophic consequences to his homeland of Corinth and nearly to all of Westwynd. His brilliance, curiosity, and arrogance drove him deep into occult study — ultimately binding him to the being known as the Lord of Faces.

With the aid of The Runaways, Astrid was eventually able to separate the yolk of Microphone from Westwynd and free himself from his patron’s grasp.

Astrid’s powers previously manifested violently: whenever he cast spells, his body erupted in unstable black flame, a curse that corrupted him further with each use.

Physical Description

Astrid appears in their early twenties, slight of build, with sharp tiefling features and faint arcane scars etched into their skin. When channeling eldritch power, he becomes engulfed in roiling black fire that distorts the air around him, flickering as if alive.

Personality

Astrid began the story quiet, analytical, and intentionally cruel. He valued precision and truth above empathy and frequently dismissed emotions as distractions. His obsession with understanding what destroyed his life made him cold, calculating, and often self-destructive.

After meeting the Runaways, he was confronted with ideas that challenged his beliefs. Forced to rely on others, he slowly learned that strength lies in endurance, not detachment.

He ultimately embraces the worldview:

“This too shall pass.”

Early Life

Myth around the time of Astrid’s fall to the Lord of Faces.

Astrid was born in Corinth to Cryo and Mina Myriad. His younger brother, Lear, admired him deeply. Though raised in a magically sparse world, Astrid displayed exceptional intelligence and a relentless curiosity.

Lear’s playful sorcery and their time fishing together formed Astrid’s happiest memories. These moments would later become sources of deep grief.

Astrid’s academic path shifted when he befriended Myth, an enigmatic classmate who introduced him to knowledge beyond the Weave. Under Myth’s influence, Astrid grew obsessed with unraveling the nature of gods, fate, and forbidden cosmic truths.

The Catalyst Event

Astrid’s attempts to comprehend the unknowable brought him into contact with the Lord of Faces. This first brush with the being shattered the boundaries of his reality and initiated the spread of the Soul Harvest.

His family succumbed to the corruption — Mina and Cryo falling ill, and Lear losing his magic, his mind, and ultimately himself. Astrid alone survived, carrying the weight of his failure.

The Journal Years (Ages 17–20)

Astrid’s journals chronicle his descent from brilliant idealist to cursed warlock.

Early Obsessions

Astrid rejected divine authority and sought to understand the foundation of divinity itself. He questioned why gods exist, why mortals empower them, and whether fate could be dismantled.

Contact with the Entity

Despite Myth’s warnings, Astrid willingly sought deeper connection with the being beyond comprehension. His curiosity became fixation, and fixation became corruption.

Lear’s Fall

Lear’s decline was rapid and cruel. His sorcery faded, his mind collapsed inward, and the Soul Harvest consumed him. Astrid’s grief and guilt would define much of his life afterward.

Study of Wards & Forbidden Rituals

Myth taught Astrid mental Wards to hide thoughts from the Lord of Faces. Astrid later discovered ancient writings on the ‘‘Black Flame’’ — a ritual he arrogantly believed could free him.

The Jane Incident

A pivotal moment in Astrid’s story, marking the beginning of his irreversible curse.

Jane’s Devotion

Jane stayed at Astrid’s side through illness and fever, caring for him when the curse made him weak and delirious.

Tethering

A parasite of the Soul Harvest attached itself to Jane after she read Astrid’s tome in desperation. This act tethered her to the Lord of Faces without her realizing it.

Myth’s Warning

In a vision, Myth warned that Jane was tethered and that the Lord of Faces despised her influence. The only way to save her was to sever the tether before it took hold.

The Black Flame Outburst

Astrid attempted to use a controlled burst of the Black Flame to kill the tethering creature. Instead, the ritual catastrophically backfired:

• The curse ignited uncontrollably
• His body began to burn from within
• Their home was obliterated
• His voice was destroyed
• The curse rooted deeper into his being

His final psychic message to her:

+JANE, LEAVE.+

She fled in terror. Astrid never saw her again.

Before Runaways

Astrid wandered Westwynd, still tethered to the Lord of Faces. His unstable curse warped the world around him. He searched for ways to sever his pact, unaware he was only tightening the noose.

Sparkborough

In Sparkborough, Astrid met Isaac, whose exposure to the Lord of Faces mirrored Astrid’s own trauma. This encounter awakened Astrid’s desire to protect others from the fate he had inflicted on those he loved.

World Tree

Astrid discovered the metaphysical structure connecting the Lord of Faces to Westwynd’s planar fabric. This knowledge set the stage for his future ascension.

The Death of Myth

After events beneath the World Tree, Astrid believed that Myth had been killed by the Lord of Faces for his betrayal, replaced by a hollow imitation named Doc.

The Black Flame Rebellion (Corrected Canon)

Astrid’s final attempt to use the Black Flame was not an act of rebellion — it was a disastrous overestimation of his own power.

During the ritual:

• The planes blurred together
• His surroundings twisted into impossible geometries
• The Black Flame surged violently
• The magic consumed his body
• The curse deepened

The ritual did not harm or even touch the Lord of Faces. It was a catastrophic, self-inflicted curse born of arrogance, desperation, and incomplete understanding.

This failure marked the lowest point of Astrid’s mortal life.

The Corellite Era & The Error Project

During his time in the Corellite Empire, Astrid became the subject of an experiment engineered by Ovina, advisor to the Draconic Kingdom.

She attempted to elevate Astrid into a godlike being by amplifying the ‘‘Error’’ — a fractured echo of the Lord lodged in his mind.

In a mental note to himself, Astrid warns:

• Protect Ragnar
• Protect Marco
• Protect Ausmund
• Merridoc already knows
• “Break the chain, even if it means breaking yourself.”

This internal rebellion marked Astrid’s first conscious step toward self-determination.

Myth’s Perspective

In his writings, Myth categorizes Astrid as a ‘‘3b Warlock’’ — one who knows the truth of the Lord of Faces yet continues to struggle against it. Myth views Astrid’s attempts to harness the Black Flame not as courage, but as tragic hubris.

Yet he admires Astrid’s resolve. Even when Astrid destroys himself, he refuses to surrender his personhood.

Current Whereabouts

Astrid now serves as custodian of the Ethereal Realm, working tirelessly to maintain its balance. He refrains from influencing the Material Plane, determined not to repeat the sins of the Lord of Faces.

Notes

This page reflects the most commonly accepted version of Astrid’s history. Conflicting accounts and planar distortions may alter or contradict certain details.