Arctic wolf (Canis lupus) | 36 (appearance) | ♀️ | Heterosexual

Astrid is a fierce warrior and valiant guardian renowned in the Sagas as the winter maiden and last light of the tundra of Uhrwecht. In another age, long past recall of many skalds, the icy north of the kingdom was forsaken, relinquished to the fimbulvetr of cultists drawn out by the darkness. Their icy claws and evil designs made ruin of the villages laid from the furthest mountains to the glacial edge of the foothills, and all the peoples of that northern fief were twisted to the cult or slain in turn. Those by chance or grace who escaped turned to the sons and daughters of fallen warriors, prayers held that they would know the courage of their lineage and embrace the fury of their fallen families. In the final battle at the slopes of the mountains, Astrid, now orphaned daughter of a warrior of the Ulfheonar, her blonde hair glimmering like the rising sun, cut through the ranks and took the head of the cult master before succumbing to her wounds. For her bravery and victory she came under the watch of the Allfather and was reborn, the first of the new cycle of Valkyrie.

Now residing in the Valiant Hall with the sisters she's since gained over many long years, Astrid moves between the realms to judge the slain and bring back the worthy to Valhalla and forever enshrine their deeds to the gods' home. Though all Valkyrie possess a silver-tipped spear and unmatched skill with it, Astrid is also a champion of sword, axe and bow, thought few ever live long enough to appreciate the full might of her challenge. She favors the color blue, a cold contrast to the warmth of her golden hair which glows with strawberry hues, and her clothing is patterned with the stars and branches of the World Tree, a symbol of her first connection between the realms and the icy starlight that watches over Uhrwecht.

Being the longest-tenured of the current cycle of Valkyrie (many hundreds of years by any reckoning), Astrid has the most fondness for mortals of any of the sisters, and finds herself in the current era spending more time watching them through the iridescent mirror of the Valiant Hall and descending to their plane to judge to worthy up-close. Although she's tender by nature, brave, kind and merciful, she is, as the first valkyrie, a picture of terrible wrath and peerless battle whenever need arises, and judiciously exercises both aspects of her demeanor on any foolish enough to cross her, or brave enough to earn her favor.

(...and her favorite berries are blueberries!)

---

Thank you so much to my Anu'Kayan Citizens on Patreon!



Support me on Patreon

Follow me on BlueSky