Astrid Myriad
Astrid Myriad
Blue Tiefling • Great Old One Warlock • Survivor of the Soul Harvest and Archon of Hope
Overview
Astrid Myriad is a tiefling warlock whose pursuit of forbidden knowledge brought catastrophic consequences to their homeland. Their brilliance, curiosity, and arrogance drove them deep into occult study — ultimately binding them to the entity known as the Lord of Faces. Astrid is known equally as a tragic figure and a walking omen, a survivor of a world-ending plague that they themselves helped unleash.
Astrid’s powers manifest violently: when casting spells, their body becomes engulfed in violent **black flame**, a visible sign of the warped, unstable magic that flows through them.
Physical Description
Astrid appears in their early twenties, slight of build, with distinctly fiendish features characteristic of tieflings. Their eyes burn with an unnatural intensity, and their skin is etched with faint arcane marks formed during their failed ritual. Their clothing is a blend of scholarly robes and improvised protective gear, worn and scorched from their unpredictable magic.
When channeling eldritch power, Astrid is wreathed in roiling **black fire**, which distorts light around them and flickers as if alive.
Personality
Astrid is quiet and intensely introspective, often lost in thought or analysis. Though not intentionally cruel, their pursuit of knowledge frequently overrides caution, etiquette, and empathy. They value precision and truth above diplomacy and tend to correct others more than they express their own feelings.
They are obsessed with understanding the forces that ruined their life, driven by a mixture of guilt, fear, and intellectual hunger.
Early Life
Astrid Myriad was born in a small riverside settlement to loving but troubled parents. They grew up alongside a younger sibling who admired them deeply. From a young age, Astrid showed an insatiable curiosity and uncanny talent for arcane theory.
A family friend — or possibly a passing scholar — encouraged their academic pursuits. These early influences pushed Astrid toward eldritch and historical subjects that most considered dangerous.
The Catalyst Event
Astrid eventually befriended a traveling scholar whose charisma and knowledge enthralled them. This scholar was later revealed to be the Lord of Faces, an eldritch entity using a humanoid guise. Through this relationship, Astrid was gradually drawn into forbidden ritual work.
Their studies triggered the first sparks of the **Soul Harvest**, a magical epidemic that tore through their homeland. Desperate to contain the disaster, Astrid attempted a severance ritual to break their bond — but the Lord of Faces twisted the magic, turning Astrid into a conduit of destructive, unstable power.
This ritual is believed to be the origin of the black flames that now envelop Astrid when they channel magic.
Abilities & Powers
- Bound to the Lord of Faces through an involuntary eldritch pact
- Erupts into violent **black flame** when casting spells
- Holds vast knowledge of rituals, curses, and forbidden runes
- Suffers metaphysical instability due to the failed severance ritual
- Resistant — but not immune — to corruptive forces associated with the Soul Harvest
Relationships
- **Parents:** Loving but afflicted by the Soul Harvest
- **Sibling:** Once inspired by Astrid; later lost their nature-bound gifts due to the spreading corruption
- **The Lord of Faces:** Astrid’s deceiver, captor, and patron
- **Survivors of the Soul Harvest:** Some blame Astrid, others pity them
- **Various traveling companions:** Individuals Astrid met while fleeing or seeking answers (records vary)
Major Story Arcs
The Soul Harvest Crisis
The magical plague that destroyed Astrid's homeland was triggered in part by rituals and knowledge provided by the Lord of Faces. Astrid watched their community fall to spiritual and physical corruption.
The Transformation
During the attempted ritual to sever their pact, Astrid was consumed by black eldritch fire. Instead of breaking free, they became further bound — transformed into a living channel of the Lord’s power.
The Fall of the Family
Astrid attempted to flee with their parents and sibling, but the Soul Harvest claimed them all. Their sibling’s powers were drained, and their parents succumbed shortly after.
The Long Debt
Astrid now bears a debt to the Lord of Faces — one they never intended to owe. Their existence is marked by constant fear that failure or disobedience will result in total erasure.
Current Whereabouts
Astrid wanders in exile, following obscure leads and fractured prophetic visions. Some say they seek a way to destroy the Lord of Faces for good. Others claim they are searching for remnants of their lost family — souls, fragments, or echoes.
Rumors suggest Astrid occasionally appears during magical catastrophes, as if drawn to or responsible for them.
Adventure Hooks
- Assist Astrid in recovering pieces of the severance ritual that may finally free them
- Investigate the remaining ruins of the Soul Harvest to uncover hidden truths
- Discover what happened to Astrid’s sibling’s lost power
- Acquire or destroy artifacts containing pages of Astrid’s forbidden studies
- Hunt or defend Astrid from cultists of the Lord of Faces
- Confront the Lord of Faces directly through one of their avatars
Notes
This page reflects only the most commonly accepted version of Astrid’s history. Competing records, magical distortions, and unreliable narrators may alter or contradict certain details.
