Astrid Woodward

• Artwork done by Anesixart

Description

Astrid is not what one might call an imposing figure. A slight, slender Hyuran girl of no more than five fulms tall and scarcely ninety-five ponze in weight, she carries herself with a quiet radiance that belies her frame. Sun-kissed skin and unblemished features give her an almost fragile appearance, until one spots the scars.Adventuring has left its marks: a round scar near her right shoulder where a bandit’s arrow once struck true and a deeper wound that cuts diagonally across her left flank, earned in a skirmish less easily forgotten. They tell of a girl who has seen danger and walked away from it, if not unscathed, then at least unbowed.Her body is trim and wiry, more suited to a dancer than a warrior. Flat-stomached, with subtle hips and a pert, heart-shaped rear, she’s often dismissed at first glance, “a plank,” as she’s heard whispered, though usually with a tone of baffled admiration once she’s moving. Astrid’s grace is quiet and deliberate. She lacks raw muscle, but makes up for it in flexibility and speed, moving like someone who’s trained to let precision win over power.She carries herself with upright confidence, often tilting her shoulders back with a posture more befitting a soldier than a sellsword. Her presence is marked by bright, cheerful expressions, sly smiles, and a peculiar glint in her eye that dances between charm and mischief.Astrid’s face is all soft slopes and fine lines: high cheekbones, a dainty upturned nose, and wild waves of ginger hair that usually tumble freely around her shoulders. Before a fight, though, she ties it back into a tight bun with a practiced hand, discipline hiding beneath whimsy. Her eyes are the most arresting thing about her: aloof and half-lidded, yet shimmering with restless youth. Their hue shifts between stormy ocean blues and the green of old forest glades, depending on the light or her mood.Despite her slight frame, Astrid strides into the fray clad in chainmail and plate, with a sword almost as long as her leg strapped at her hip. It’s a sight that tends to draw double-takes: How does she manage? She hardly looks strong enough to lift that blade, let alone swing it. And yet she does, with style, grace, and no shortage of sass.A mystery of Eorzea indeed.

Background

Astrid remembers little of her earliest days, only that she was left on the doorstep of a Gridanian orphanage before she could even walk. The only clue to her origins was a small, weathered necklace bearing her surname, Woodward, etched into the back of a simple locket. Of her parents, heritage, or homeland, she knows nothing, and long ago stopped wondering if answers would ever find her.She spent her early childhood under the crowded roof of the orphanage, one of many lost souls drifting through the care of overburdened matrons. But Astrid was never content to remain hidden in the corners. By the age of ten, she made her choice: to leave. One night, she vanished into the alleys and shadows of the Shroud, never to return. The city, vast and unforgiving, became her home.She learned to survive on her wits and on the occasional kindness of strangers, dockhands, drifters, old fishwives, and mercenaries with a soft spot for scrappy kids. Astrid never begged. Instead, she watched, listened, and learned.Over time, she taught herself to hunt, slipping into the wilds beyond the city to gather food and earn a living. But it was music that truly changed her fortunes. She discovered she had a natural gift for melody, her voice sweet, her fingers nimble on the strings of a borrowed lute. What began as idle strumming became her trade. By her mid-teens, she was performing in taverns and plazas, trading songs for meals, gil, and the occasional warm place to sleep.Astrid built her life from scraps: a name on a necklace, a few half-remembered lullabies, and the fire in her heart. The world never offered her much, but she learned to take what she needed and smile while doing it.

• Artwork done by mariosdal

• Artwork done by Ahoynateo

• Artwork done by Ayndre

Quick Facts

Full Name: Astrid WoodwardNickname: None yetRace: Hyur/MidlanderGender: FemaleRank: SquireWeapon Preference: SwordProfession:
-Swordswoman
-She was a former traveling bard.Age: 22 years oldHeight:5 FeetWeight: 94lbsMarital Status: SingleUsually Found:She can typically be found in Ul'dah, & GridaniaShe resides in the MistsBirthday: 3rd Sun of the 3rd Umbral MoonFace Claim: Kathryn NewtonMount: Sunshine -ChocoboRumors or Known Facts:She's fairly well known within the Golden Saucer. As it might come to no one's surprise, her favorite game there is the claw machine.She has a large plushie collection within her home.