Astyrian

Perhaps a result of his rural upbringing and his love for books, Astyrian is a slightly introverted individual, although not so much as to handicap him in everyday conversation. When necessary, Astyrian is charming and persuasive, but it is not his natural demeanor. At times he fears that he has too much of the child in him, and he still finds beauty in the sunset and the simple, unadorned nature. Astyrian believes that while even though the magic in the world has been the cause of many of its troubles, it also has the potential to preserve and even better it. In this regard, many of his expeditions for missing and potentially dangerous items and books is to bring them back to the archives of the Kirin Tor to save them for research. Although he wavers on this on occasion, Astyrian believes that a book containing useful knowledge should never be destroyed, not matter what it has been used for prior to acquisition. Above all, Astyrian prefers the wilderness, although he is equally at home in the heart of a bustling city, provided he does not feel chained to it. Often, miles away from the shores of South Shore, where he grew up, Astyrian enjoys a quiet moment of fishing, dressed in the simple garb of his native land. Having been born before many of the world's recent turmoil, he finds himself missing the simple serenity of the kingdoms, and the world before the orcs and the undead. He readily welcomes the new awareness of the Kal'dorei, however, and has aided them devotedly in the protection of Ashenvale. Astyrian also has a wild and reckless streak, which has more or less been successfully kept under control (or otherwise he would have been far less successful in his acquisitions). He has little patience for mages who lock themselves in Dalaran without experiencing the world as it truly is, and he enjoys proving his prowess in skills other than magic in tournaments.

Astyrian's main allegiance, beyond that of Veritas, is to the Kirin Tor. For him, the Kirin Tor is one of the only examples of a truly unified society in the world: a society which has largely overlooked the petty but bloody squabbles of the human kingdoms and what he sees the savage and animalistic leanings of the Horde. Instead, he aligns himself with those from whom he is most likely to learn something useful for the Kirin Tor. Astyrian finds himself conflicted. He does not truly hate the Horde, but he sneers at what he sees as Thrall's wish to live in peace in a new world while original inhabitants are cut down like so much wheat. At times, be believes that they really would have the world for themselves. At the same time, he despises the petty fighting in Northrend, and the internecine conflicts between people would should be fighting together. The Forsaken are a mystery to him, for time and time again Astyrian has attempted to befriend them and look past their misfortune, but what he sees as their stubborn selfishness has almost always destroyed any chance of true reconciliation. Astyrian's favorite companion is a brilliant Hyacinth Macaw that he rescued from a Bloodsail ship off the southern coast of the Eastern Kingdoms. He at first wished to put the extremely rare bird in the care of the Kirin Tor, but the bird would not leave him. In his official capacities, Astyrian calls forth a familiar bound to the Kirin Tor as a representative of his station and a living embodiment of the magic he represents. Astyrian finds himself trying to hide his Hillsbrad accent often, trying to affect as neutral a voice as he can. However, it slips out in flashes of anger.

Astyrian's skills reflect the circumstances of his upbringing. His deep knowledge of jewelcrafting arose from both the abundance of minerals in the Alterac Mountains and his wealth and knowledge he encountered in his many visits to Dalaran with his father. His skill in tailoring arose from his self-sufficient household, in which he was often expected to create his own clothes as a lesson in humbleness from his practical mother. The harsh realities of his travels require that he often has a sword, and he normally enjoys wearing it for the intimidation effect. His current weapon of choice is a magnificently crafted runeblade found amid the possessions of Kul'Thuzad himself following his downfall at the hands of Astyrian and other companions. Astyrian has been known to give the coup de grace to his enemies with this weapon in place of a spell. In the course of his acquisitions, Astyrian has obtained many items that he has kept for himself. One of the items he is most proud of is a simple magical staff that allows him to breathe underwater. He had braided into his hair trinkets of unspeakable magical power and on his left hand he bears a signet of the Kirin Tor, identifying his allegiance and his importance.

Strahnbrad Astyrian was born the son of a battle mage of the Kirin Tor who had retired to the comparatively simple duties of a scribe, preferring to perform his duties just outside of the village of South Shore rather than within the bustle of Dalaran. The village was near enough, and his father always argued that all he needed to do was teleport to Dalaran when needed. His mother, much against the wishes of the family of Astyrian's family, was a seemingly simple woman who grew up near Strahnbrad. Nothing of her nature revealed that she came from any kind of notable background, but Astyrian's father often believed that her influence combined with his somehow resulted in Astyrian's obvious magical potential. Astyrian's father taught him the wonder of books, and as he grew Astyrian often took one of the tomes deep into the forests and mountains to practice and learn. Over the years Astyrian grew up between South Shore and Strahnbrad, and the experience of coast, the wild fields and forests and the craggy mountains created a wild heart and deep love of nature. As he grew up, Astyrian became well-respected by the Kirin Tor, and was awarded the title Master of Acquisitions for his extensive procurement of magical items for the Kirin Tor, in the form of coveted and missing magical items and books for study. His work takes him far from Dalaran, which pleases him, as he loves the wild beauty of the world and the feeling of justice.

-As his mother tells it, when Astyrian was born during a deeply cold Strahnbrad winter, the boy felt safely warm to the touch after his birth in what seemed a protection against the cold and fell asleep in a lambent glow.

-While exploring Silverpine Forest on an outing with his older brother Alcuin's friends, Astyrian's curiosity got the best of him when he accidentally stumbled into a den of angry wolves. Astyrian first tried to befriend them, but they would have none of it. He ran, but ultimately found no easy escape from the cave. Alone, in the dark, and with death but seconds away, he cried out and a wall of flame burst from him, destroying almost every wolf and frightening the others. He related his story, and his father began to train him more deeply in the magical arts.

-Astryian's career in acquisitions has its beginnings in a teenage dare. In the tavern in South Shore, a group of men were speaking about an important codex that had been stolen and taken into the mountains by a criminal. One of his best friends, Jothar (destined to die many years later in the Scourge of Lordaeron), bet him a horse if he he would obtain the book. Armed with only a rusty sword and his somewhat unmastered abilities in magic, Astyrian ventured into the cave and obtained the codex, slaying the criminal in the process, largely by accident. Astyrian returned the book to the surprise of everyone and reluctant disapproval on the part of his father.

-Astyrian's loyalty was never questioned during while learning at Dalaran and the depth of his learning was phenomenal, but instructors found him recalcitrant. Astyrian would argue about the merits of different forms of magic, and would often blatantly oppose them in intellectual arguments. He was, however, admired for his extensive understanding of the other side of an argument, even if he did not agree.

-To pay for additional study at Dalaran, Astyrian often took up calls for bounties, much to the dismay of his instructors.

-Astyrian has developed a deep fascination with the Vrykul, admiring their courage and their runic magic that seems, to him, so much more in line with true nature of Azeroth. He deeply regrets their allegiance to the Lich King and the perversion of their heritage in the form of the Vargul, and he has done all within his power to start some form of talks in order to learn their form of magic and perhaps turn them back. He has little hope of this as he knows the concept of a "good" Vrykul is something of a contradiction, but he finds something in their spirit that matches his own as a boy.