Astrid Bersk

**Astrid Bersk** is a dwarven mercenary, an honorary Lady of Nuramek, and one of the individuals that The Ruby Order believes has the ability to stop Asmodeus from being freed from his prison.

## Appearance

### Early Life

Astrid was born Holg Bersk in of Affpuddle, a village in the Falkenried region of Suldura. His mother was Tana Bersk, a human woman, and his father was an unknown orcish marauder.

During his childhood, Holg trained as a hunter and guide. He was raised mostly by his mother and his maternal grandmother, Mara. Mara was a deeply religious woman, and the stories that she told Holg were an important early influence on his worldview. Most importantly, Mara told Holg that it was possible for him to someday overcome his orcish nature and become a human man, allowing his soul to ascend to the human heavens. In order to do so, she told him, he must reject all that was orcish, including the orcish part of his own nature.

In Umberlestide of 497 AC, Affpuddle was attacked again by orcs. Holg ran twenty miles to the nearest large town trying to gather reinforcements to save his city, but the town's lord would not listen to a half orc, so his plea was ignored and the city was destroyed. Holg's mother and grandmother were both killed in the attack.

Holg's uncle Orel Bersk and his cousin Bor both survived the attack, as Orel was a merchant who was in the city of Westmarch when the attack occurred. After the destruction of his village, Holg went to live near Westmarch, where his uncle arranged mercenary work for him in exchange for a portion of Holg's earnings.

### Holg's Accomplishments

Holg's advancement from a common mercenary began when he was hired by Margrave Tiberius Falkenried to escort the margrave's son Owen to Crownport in anticipation of a siege of Westmarch by the Silver Inquisition. After bringing Owen safely to Crownport, Holg elected to return to Westmarch with Finnbjorn Cinderforge and his mercenary army. Holg then played a significant role in the Siege of Westmarch, helping to lead a cavalry charge that destroyed Captain Fredrin Gardner's army and then unseating General Maldon Arrindell's son Juniper in the final cavalry charge of the battle, leading to Juniper's capture.

After the Siege of Westmarch, Holg continued on with Finnbjorn, traveling through the Faewood and on to Nuramek. In Var Kalduhr, he found the ancient dwarven axe Valkyrie. In Nuramek, he helped to hunt and kill the draegloth that had killed King Brynjar Stonesong. He also helped to capture several members of the Cult of Transformation, leading to the exoneration of Valona Stonesong and assisting in her ascent to the throne. During this effort, Holg recruited the assistance of the mage Creswik Grayspire, a cult member willing to follow Holg instead in exchange for his life.

### Death and Reincarnation

While in Nuramek, Holg learned that the tiefling mercenary Myth had gained access to druidic magics that would allow her to resurrect someone who had died, with the side effect that the resurrected party would be brought back in a new body, possibly of a different race and/or sex. Seeing this as an opportunity to achieve his dream of no longer being a half orc, Holg killed himself after requesting that Myth bring him back. A resurrection ritual was conducted, with a captured cultist as the blood sacrifice. Finnbjorn, Grimyse Ecixellash, and Torvald Stonesong assisted in the ritual.

Ultimately, the resurrection was a success, and brought Holg back to life as a female mountain dwarf. She asked Finnbjorn to choose a dwarvish name for her, and changed her first name to Astrid. Astrid kept the surname Bersk in memory of her mother.

### Astrid's Accomplishments

After her reincarnation, Astrid participated actively in the Siege of the Cinderforge and the defeat of the dark mage Falrik Clanless, a member of The Ruby Order.

As thanks for her help to both Valona and the city of Nuramek, Astrid was made a Lady of Nuramek, and given command of a special strike force of Topaz Garrison troops.