Astrid Cathubodua
Astrid was born to the harsh winters of northern Vandregonian lands in an independent, nomadic tribe. Born with a strong sense of community and loyalty to her family, she was always a dreamer and told wild stories of visions she constantly had. Over time she kept having the same dream again and again of a crow with ice blue eyes calling her to a greater purpose. The more she dreamt, the more stories she shared and the more her people became nervous.
Hers were words of blasphemy if the wrong ears would hear her. She began to speak of great beings and eventually started to refer to them as gods. Her stories continued until she shared a different creation story from what she was taught and the deeper she sought answers the more she began to receive darker visions. Suffering from night terrors her dreams became plagued with humans being torn asunder by the hordes of undead. Eventually these dreams were visited upon her own people. One by one their numbers dwindled and the families would break apart into other groups they found solace and protection in.
Astrid refused to leave those that would remain until it was her and a few others left. That was when tragedy would strike its final blow before her deliverance. Her small band set up camp one last night before being destroyed to leave her running for her life though the darkness. The chill of winter was in the air as autumn leaves crunched under her feet; her were lungs on fire, and legs threatened to give out… and they did. Crying out toward the heavens and filled with divine fervor, she cast back the undead that pursued her. A bright flash of light illuminated the sky, and a tree standing between Astrid and those pursuing her erupted into splinters and flames. Her will overpowering her instincts, Astrid refrained from shielding her eyes and, in doing so, witnessed a mighty branch fall from the now decimated tree, separating her from the undead with a wall of flames. Her eyes scanned the horizon, searching for anything: a sign, an ally, a way out. Through the fields at the treeline stood her salvation. Ivar witnessed a divine light burning in the distance and with his group descended upon the scene to rescue the girl. Eyes both the color of winter met and a vision was shared. A crow rising from the darkness with ice blue eyes.
Astrid was taken in and became Ivar’s shield maiden, prophetess, and priestess. The lore she shared that came to her in dreams were visions shared by some others of their faction. Taking a name after their goddess and donning a cloak rimmed in black feathers, she protects her new family with shield and divine word. Head matron of the Brotherhood of the Long Winter Astrid is charged as her people’s lead religious figure, lore keeper, and shrewd diplomat.