Editing Astrid Halsfjar (section)

==Backstory==
Astrid has always wanted nothing more than to be an artist. What she didn't want was anything to do with the darkness and shadow that she could feel all around her from birth. She tried to put it to the side and focused on her art, even to the point of leaving her family's worship of Santani, the Goddess of trade, giving her worship instead to Grainne, Goddess of Art (and, though it's not made as much of, Lust).

She worked hard to become a good artist, learning to carve stones and gems with grace and flair. Trouble was, she had a tendency - still does - to focus so much on her work that she loses track of time. This was a problem since to gain a position in the Guild for her art, she had to carve a stone ''while the masters were watching'' - and with a time limit, no less.

She knew she'd never manage that, and cheated. She carved a good stone and swapped it out for the one she was supposed to carve - she got to bring her own stone, so could make sure that they matched. 

She got in and spent a few years happily working within the Guild, quickly becoming a well-known artist in Tearn Anog. If anyone knew of her deception, she never learned. Then some adventurer decided he was going to steal some gems that she'd carved - the pride of her collection - and something inside her snapped and gave in to the shadows.

Under questioning, she was absolved of murder - he '''was''' trying to rob her, after all - but the shadows unnerved her neighbors and she could no longer find work. Now she wanders, trying to find a place where she can, once more, settle down and be just an artist. She hasn't had any luck - the Shadow frightens people. She's learned to accept her itinerant lifestyle, to a point, and at least as an adventurer herself, people seem less concerned, probably because they expect her to be gone soon.

Freeport, though, sounds good to her - it may just be cosmopolitan enough - or at least wild enough to accept her.