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Verdant Astra, commonly known as Astra, is a Tiefling Bard, part of the party, played by Bee on Life Of The Party. Currently, as with the other player characters, Astra is Level 6. He is a tiefling bard, the party's only pacifist character, and plays a lute, a panflute and a lyre.

At the start of the series, Astra sets off from Mirrortail with the rest of the party pursuing a cartography contract to chart the flooded hills and mangrove swamps en route to the legendary city of Sanskra.

Astra is a pacifist and refuses to attack in battle, instead supporting the party in various other ways.

## **About Astra**

#### **Appearance**

Astra is a tiefling with unusual teal skin, golden eyes and long green hair. He has black horns that bend backwards, embellished with mother of pearl. He is 6ft2 (6ft4 with the horns) and has a slim body. His standard outfit is a brown leather sleeveless duster coat, fingerless gloves, a white sleeveless shirt that is worn half-open, brown trousers and boots. He has lots of jewellery including gold earrings on his pointed ears, a string necklace, a shell necklace (given to him by Cassian pre-stream), two armbands, and two green beaded bracelets.

In 1x06 - "Aftershocks", Astra is given Renard's black coat, which doesn't fit well but acts as light armor and gives him an AC of 12. Renard later takes his coat back and Astra purchases a set of leather armour of his own in Sanskra with the same AC; it is described as having a blue-green shimmer and resembling fish scales, and is possibly made of a strange seaweed with magical properties that the party encounter later in a smuggler's cave.

#### **Personality**

Astra is a calm, kind and empathetic person who doesn't want to hurt any living creature and won't fight. He cares deeply for nature and is far more comfortable surrounded by trees and animals than he is in a city.

He is seen to get quite frustrated with others when they do harm recklessly. He is also shown to be quite innocent in some ways, and easily mesmerized by beauty and new experiences.

He has multiple personal rituals he performs when the party camp, such as writing in his journal, and what Bee refers to as 'bag business' inside his backpack, and Bee has stated Astra has some form of OCD.

Astra is also seen to have a sense of humour, and to be playful. He's extremely helpful whenever he can be and would do anything for his new found friends.

#### **Music**

Astra sings and plays music at all opportunities, for example when resting, or when travelling on a raft. He uses his music and his bardic inspiration to support the party whilst avoiding fighting himself.

Astra usually sings songs in Sylvan about lost love and love that cannot be, taught to him by his mother. He has an apparent aversion to the idea of singing in Infernal despite it being a natural language for tieflings.

After an unpleasant experience with a dryad, Astra stops singing in Sylvan for quite some time.

#### **Equipment and** **Key Possessions**

Astra carries multiple instruments, so far including:

* a lute
* a lyre
* a panflute

Astra is given a new lute by Renard when in Lakeside, after Renard finds it in Ozgin's shop. It is green and has leaf motifs carved into it. Astra is moved by the gift and tells him that it is the first thing anyone has ever bought for him.

He is very protective of his backpack and whatever it contains, although the contents have not been revealed yet. When he is shaken after fighting a dragon and being knocked out, Astra sits with his hands wrapped tightly around something in his bag for a long time. He also has a journal that he writes in frequently.

Astra was carrying a dagger at the start of the series, although after using this once on the Shambling Mound that attacked and hurt Renard in the druid temple they found in the mangrove swamps, Astra locked it in a trunk in the Water Snakes bathhouse and never retrieved it.

Renard offers him his dagger before they face the Weeping Eye for the first time, which Astra takes and then uses to threaten the Fang and protect Aerenthias Van Wymarck in battle, although he doesn't attack with it.

After raiding a dragon hoard, the party recover an Immovable Rod, which is given to Astra as it makes a great tool for a pacifist.

## **Relationships**

#### **The Party**

Renard

Astra gets along well with Renard, listens to him and respects his opinions. Renard doesn't push Astra to fight and expresses pride in him whenever he can. Astra states early on that he'd rather stay with Renard and the party, and doesn't know where else he'd go. He later explains to Renard that he doesn't know where he's supposed to be going, but he has a feeling that staying with the party is the right thing to do.

Although Renard is not open with his emotions, Astra offers him emotional support and is offered the same in response. Astra is the first person Renard ever chose to hug in the series, in spite of his aversion to physical contact.

Elyse

Astra and Elyse are seen to have a close friendship. Astra braids her hair whilst the party are still travelling in the Flooded Hills, and later compares her to his younger brother. He offers her support through the events in Sanskra, and when she needs healing in Lakeside, Astra stays at her side all through the experience in the Temple of Kord, stating he's happy to do it for a friend.

Cassian

Astra helps Cassian on multiple occasions early on in the series and seems to tolerate his attitude more easily than the others do. They share a love of music, and Cassian makes a point of discussing this with him after Astra hears music coming from the shell necklace Cassian gave him in a pre-series session.

Boblem

Astra and Boblem get along well. The two are happy to share a tavern room when the others all decide on private rooms. Although Boblem is not a pacifist to the extent Astra is, they have a lot of morals and values in common, and support each other through some of the tougher experiences the party go through. They also share a love of nature and plants, and both seem to be new to a lot of what the party are encountering,

Sariel

Astra is shown to be protective of Sariel, running to her side when she is injured, and calling her 'little Sapling'. He begins protecting her general vicinity with his tail when they reach Sanskra, and doesn't stop. Although the two don't talk often, this bond seems to be steady.

#### **Key Characters**

Jocelyn D'Fabron

Astra seemed to get along well with Jocelyn. He respects her and sees her as a good role model, commenting that it was easy to tell she'd had a hand in raising Renard.

Aerenthias Van Wymarck

Aerenthias flirts with Astra immediately on first appearance in the series and continues to do so throughout all of their interactions. Astra gets noticeably flustered, as far as not being able to string words together when talking to Aerenthias one on one, and blushing which appears purple because of teal skin. He expresses a lot of concern for Aerenthias' well-being, insisting that the privateer get rest and healing along with the rest of the party, and checking on him when possible. Aerenthias is the second person Astra has drawn a weapon to protect, although he doesn't use it to attack, instead to attempt to threaten the enemy into surrendering. When Aerenthias is leaving, Astra gives him a big hug.

#### **Other Characters**

Astra has two younger siblings, Ammil and Lunette. He has also mentioned his mother, and in episode 20, contacted her via the Sending spell after the party escaped the pyramid, and later in episode 32 mentioned that his grandfather had 'lost a lot people in the past' when offering comfort to Renard.

## **History**

#### **Background**

Astra comes from the Riveni Forest, outside of the city of Riven, and has visited Riven during one of their masquerade festivals in the past. Not much more is known about Astra's life before the series, but when he contacts his mother with the Sending spell, he insinuated that he was lost and she responded by saying he would always be able to find his way home.

In the Lakeside Games, Astra uses a crossbow and wins his competition, although he states he hasn't used one for a very long time.

#### **Pre-Series**

Astra met Renard, Elyse and Boblem on the docks in Mirrortail, and later met Cassian and Sariel outside the Giggling Squid Tavern.

In Farrelstadt, Astra had alcohol for the first time and had his horns embellished with mother of pearl by a street seller, which Bee has joked is the equivalent of a drunk tattoo.

After aiding the defense of Farrelstadt from a pirate attack, Astra traveled across the sea with Renard, Boblem, Cassian and Sariel to Mirrortail, where he parted ways with Cassian, Sariel and Boblem, and he and Renard were reunited with Elyse. The three of them met with the Cartographer's Guild in order to take a contract to map an uncharted part of the continent of Caldera, between Jennicks Village and the city of Sanskra.

Following this, they freed a Guard Drake that had been captured by a local nobleman, Lord Komo.

#### **The Story So Far**

The series begins with Astra, Renard and Elyse in the streets of Farrelstadt after releasing the Guard Drake. The three escape to the Moon and Stars Inn, where they stay the night, before meeting with the others and traveling back across the Igeni Channel to Jennicks Village.

From here, they venture into the uncharted Flooded Hills and begin mapping, seeking out a fallen star the ranger captain in Jennicks told them about.

After a fight at the crash site, the party continue into the Mangrove Swamps on route to Sanskra.

## **Technical Information**

#### **Known Proficiencies and Skills**

* Common, Infernal and Sylvan languages
* Learning Draconic with help from Boblem
* Background (Outlander) trait that allows him to remember terrain down to the detail

#### **Bard Abilities**

* Bardic Inspiration
* Song of Rest
* Mantel of Inspiration
* Enthralling Performance

#### **Spells**

Cantrips

* Minor Illusion
* Prestidigitation
* Thaumaturgy
* True Strike
* Vicious Mockery

1st Level

* Bane
* Cure Wounds
* Dissonant Whispers
* Healing Word
* Tasha's Hideous Laughter

2nd Level

* Calm Emotions
* Crown of Madness
* Detect Thoughts
* Hold Person
* Mirror Image
* Suggestion
* Zone of Truth

3rd Level

* Hypnotic Pattern
* Leomund's Tiny Hut
* Plant Growth
* Sending