"Let’s see what you’ve got, yeah?"
Name: Astrid Ostberg-AshworthAge: 29
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6’1 / 185 cm
Weight: 188 lbs. / 85 kg
Hometown: Stavanger, Norway
Alignment: Face
Entrance Music:
Richard Wagner - Ride of the Valkyries
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Appearance:
Ring Gear
Special thanks to Xalex for making these renders!
Casual
Swimwear
Special thanks to Xalex for making this render!
Gym
Other Art
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History:
Spoilered for long
Astrid comes from a long-storied wrestling family that achieved some fame in their days. It all started with her grandfather, Ole Ostberg, who had a respectable run in the 1930s, but the names that stand out the most to wrestling historians are those of her father and uncle, Lars and Hans Ostberg, who were tag team champions in the 80s and were still wrestling into the 90s. As a girl, Astrid was largely raised by her mother, as her father was away on tour and he didn't want to risk anything happening to her by raising her amidst the often chaotic world of pro wrestling. However, Astrid followed her family's exploits with great devotion on TV, and she dreamed of following in her father's footsteps. The Ostberg family had never had a woman step into the ring before, but Astrid wouldn't let that hold her back. She looked up to how strong and tough her father was, how he stood tall against any adversity in the ring or out, and she wanted to be like him.
When she brought this up to her family, the reactions Astrid got were mixed. While her mother and uncle were worried about her getting hurt, her father encouraged her, proud of his daughter’s willingness to pursue his legacy. There was only one qualification - he refused to train her, knowing that he couldn't be trusted to face his own child on equal footing, and he knew that Astrid wouldn't learn anything against a trainer who would go easy on her. If Astrid wanted to learn, she was going to have to carve her own path.
That might have dissuaded some, but Astrid was dedicated. Undeterred, she sought out other trainers, and entered the profession. Her family name preceded her for sure, but she wanted to get ahead by her own merits, and luckily for her, she proved to be a force to be reckoned with from her own strength alone. She toured the indie circuits and minor feds, first in Norway, then in Scandinavia, then in Europe, and finally, making the jump to world-level promotions as she signed on to LAW, where she hoped to test her skills against even stronger and more prestigious opponents.
At first, Astrid made a fairly average showing on the wrestling scene. She was good enough as it were, given that she had come off a high-level career on the independent circuit, but she was up against a new world now, and she couldn’t win all her matches. But she wouldn’t let that stop her. Realizing she would have to rise to new levels in order to triumph over the competition, Astrid stuck to her training, always pushing herself and keeping her sights on getting stronger. As time went on, her skills improved, and she was able to take down new and stronger opponents. But Astrid had no idea of the heights her career would take her.
The turning point in Astrid’s time in LAW came when the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Linda Halloween, issued an open challenge for her title. Feeling it was about time she went after the greatest prize in the division - both to bring glory to herself and her family and to test herself to see if she was capable of defeating a champion - Astrid stepped up to the plate. However, she wasn’t the only one - and she had a rival in Cali McCloud, who also came forth to accept Linda’s challenge.
In order to solve the dispute between the two heavyweight hopefuls, LAW officials arranged a #1 Contenders match between Astrid and Cali to determine who would go on to face Linda. At least, that was the intent - what actually happened was that a double count-out ensued when Cali insisted on throwing Astrid through a table outside the ring, losing track of the ten-count. With the question of who the worthy contender was still unanswered, it was determined that the LAW Heavyweight Championship would be contested in a triple threat match at We Are LAW 3, and both Astrid and Cali would be the challengers.
Astrid was now faced with the biggest night of her life. Not only would she be headlining a major pay-per-view, she would be doing so with the prospect of walking out a champion. She was up against stiff competition, facing off against not one but two opponents, but Astrid was never one to back down from a challenge - especially when so much hung in the balance.
At the outset of the match, Astrid made a misstep in allowing her rivalry with Cali distract her. The two traded blows and holds, but they were so focused on one another it was easy for Linda to get in between them and take advantage of the chaos. For a while, it looked as though this might dominate the action...until a switch flipped in Astrid’s head.
Realizing that she had to act, Astrid was grasped by motivation to give it her all. She couldn’t approach this like any other match; it was something much more. With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Astrid slammed Cali through a table with a vertical suplex in an ironic echo of what had happened in her last match, before she brought down the champion with the debut of her new finisher, the Stavanger Buster! Even Linda had to concede to her, knowing her time was up. It was that night that a new champion was crowned.
As the new LAW Heavyweight Champion, Astrid’s first act was to return to Norway, having negotiated a plan with LAW to let her tour the indies defending her title against all comers. She wrestled in arenas across the continent, and faced all kinds of foes. But she would still return to LAW a champion, and her reign was just beginning.
While a champion, Astrid positioned herself as a representative of LAW and of wrestling as a whole, taking it upon herself to exemplify the conduct and sportsmanship she would hope all wrestlers would live up to. That led to her butting heads with a few of the promotion's heels, but she was only motivated all the more to stand up for what she believed in, and to set the right example for the next generation of wrestlers. Astrid's status as a champion was well-earned, and she proved herself capable time and time again in crushing the competition, but as time wore on, her confidence in her own abilities was shaken. Her most shameful defeat came when she took on Rose Gold in a Champion vs. Champion match at We Are LAW 5, and at the very last minute, she passed out, allowing the Lightweight Champion to win on a technicality. When Astrid had set out to finally put a stop to Rose's dirty tricks and her attempts to reshape the Lightweight Division in her image, the Norsewoman felt as though she had betrayed the very cause she believed in most. And not long after, Astrid's long-term title reign would finally come to an end, as she dropped the belt to Alaina Sanders in a three-way championship match later that year.
Astrid had long looked up to Alaina, who had strived to prove herself in the ring by claiming the top title in her division, and finally, all her hard work had paid off. She had no question that Alaina was capable, and she wanted the Amazon to take pride in a victory she definitely deserved. But at the same time, the seeds of doubt were sewn in Astrid's mind. Now that she's moving forward having let go of her title, it's up to her to see where the future brings her. She can only hope to make sure she starts her journey on the right foot.
When she brought this up to her family, the reactions Astrid got were mixed. While her mother and uncle were worried about her getting hurt, her father encouraged her, proud of his daughter’s willingness to pursue his legacy. There was only one qualification - he refused to train her, knowing that he couldn't be trusted to face his own child on equal footing, and he knew that Astrid wouldn't learn anything against a trainer who would go easy on her. If Astrid wanted to learn, she was going to have to carve her own path.
That might have dissuaded some, but Astrid was dedicated. Undeterred, she sought out other trainers, and entered the profession. Her family name preceded her for sure, but she wanted to get ahead by her own merits, and luckily for her, she proved to be a force to be reckoned with from her own strength alone. She toured the indie circuits and minor feds, first in Norway, then in Scandinavia, then in Europe, and finally, making the jump to world-level promotions as she signed on to LAW, where she hoped to test her skills against even stronger and more prestigious opponents.
At first, Astrid made a fairly average showing on the wrestling scene. She was good enough as it were, given that she had come off a high-level career on the independent circuit, but she was up against a new world now, and she couldn’t win all her matches. But she wouldn’t let that stop her. Realizing she would have to rise to new levels in order to triumph over the competition, Astrid stuck to her training, always pushing herself and keeping her sights on getting stronger. As time went on, her skills improved, and she was able to take down new and stronger opponents. But Astrid had no idea of the heights her career would take her.
The turning point in Astrid’s time in LAW came when the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Linda Halloween, issued an open challenge for her title. Feeling it was about time she went after the greatest prize in the division - both to bring glory to herself and her family and to test herself to see if she was capable of defeating a champion - Astrid stepped up to the plate. However, she wasn’t the only one - and she had a rival in Cali McCloud, who also came forth to accept Linda’s challenge.
In order to solve the dispute between the two heavyweight hopefuls, LAW officials arranged a #1 Contenders match between Astrid and Cali to determine who would go on to face Linda. At least, that was the intent - what actually happened was that a double count-out ensued when Cali insisted on throwing Astrid through a table outside the ring, losing track of the ten-count. With the question of who the worthy contender was still unanswered, it was determined that the LAW Heavyweight Championship would be contested in a triple threat match at We Are LAW 3, and both Astrid and Cali would be the challengers.
Astrid was now faced with the biggest night of her life. Not only would she be headlining a major pay-per-view, she would be doing so with the prospect of walking out a champion. She was up against stiff competition, facing off against not one but two opponents, but Astrid was never one to back down from a challenge - especially when so much hung in the balance.
At the outset of the match, Astrid made a misstep in allowing her rivalry with Cali distract her. The two traded blows and holds, but they were so focused on one another it was easy for Linda to get in between them and take advantage of the chaos. For a while, it looked as though this might dominate the action...until a switch flipped in Astrid’s head.
Realizing that she had to act, Astrid was grasped by motivation to give it her all. She couldn’t approach this like any other match; it was something much more. With adrenaline coursing through her veins, Astrid slammed Cali through a table with a vertical suplex in an ironic echo of what had happened in her last match, before she brought down the champion with the debut of her new finisher, the Stavanger Buster! Even Linda had to concede to her, knowing her time was up. It was that night that a new champion was crowned.
As the new LAW Heavyweight Champion, Astrid’s first act was to return to Norway, having negotiated a plan with LAW to let her tour the indies defending her title against all comers. She wrestled in arenas across the continent, and faced all kinds of foes. But she would still return to LAW a champion, and her reign was just beginning.
While a champion, Astrid positioned herself as a representative of LAW and of wrestling as a whole, taking it upon herself to exemplify the conduct and sportsmanship she would hope all wrestlers would live up to. That led to her butting heads with a few of the promotion's heels, but she was only motivated all the more to stand up for what she believed in, and to set the right example for the next generation of wrestlers. Astrid's status as a champion was well-earned, and she proved herself capable time and time again in crushing the competition, but as time wore on, her confidence in her own abilities was shaken. Her most shameful defeat came when she took on Rose Gold in a Champion vs. Champion match at We Are LAW 5, and at the very last minute, she passed out, allowing the Lightweight Champion to win on a technicality. When Astrid had set out to finally put a stop to Rose's dirty tricks and her attempts to reshape the Lightweight Division in her image, the Norsewoman felt as though she had betrayed the very cause she believed in most. And not long after, Astrid's long-term title reign would finally come to an end, as she dropped the belt to Alaina Sanders in a three-way championship match later that year.
Astrid had long looked up to Alaina, who had strived to prove herself in the ring by claiming the top title in her division, and finally, all her hard work had paid off. She had no question that Alaina was capable, and she wanted the Amazon to take pride in a victory she definitely deserved. But at the same time, the seeds of doubt were sewn in Astrid's mind. Now that she's moving forward having let go of her title, it's up to her to see where the future brings her. She can only hope to make sure she starts her journey on the right foot.
She's quite laid-back in her personal life, not taking a lot of things personally and knowing how to enjoy herself, and it isn't uncommon for her to offer to be friends with her opponents after a particularly good match. She does, however, take wrestling very seriously and refuses to compromise her ideals, wanting to represent the sport and what it means to her - and during her time as the Heavyweight Champion, she volunteered to stand as an ambassador to LAW, always willing to meet fans and promote the league, and accepting the responsibilities that come with having so many eyes on her.
Because of her good-natured personality, Astrid can come across as what some might call naive. She has a code of honor and always plays by the rules, feeling that she doesn't need to cheat to get ahead. As such, she doesn't have much respect for some of the more unscrupulous heels, but on the other hand, it isn't hard to catch her off-guard when she always expects the best of her opponent and presumes them to play things straight, particularly if it's a new opponent she doesn't know better from. She can also be rather oblivious and literal-minded at times, especially with the language barrier that comes with competing overseas.
Since losing her title, Astrid has begun to question if the wrestling prowess that carried her career for so long might be starting to wane - and if she could expect her life to take a downturn. She's battled doubts about her abilities and how well she can live up to the expectations placed on her shoulders. But she still wants to do her best and to prove herself capable - she just asks if it'll be enough.
Trivia:
- Astrid is very close to her family, making sure she calls her parents every night to check in.
- Back when she was wrestling on the local indies, Astrid was also a Gladiator on the Norwegian version of the game show.
- She gets very passionate over Christmas. It’s her favorite time of year.
- Astrid hosts her own line of workout videos.
- She has a pet ferret named Felix, who she keeps back home under the eyes of a pet sitter.
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Fighting Style: In terms of in-ring style, Astrid is your typical powerhouse. She hits hard, using a lot of throws and slams, and she can deliver some crushing submission holds if she gets the chance to. Taking after her family, Astrid’s style is grounded in tried and true wrestling tradition, favoring simple but effective grappling and physical strength over strikes, high-flying, or flashy maneuvers. Astrid's commitment to wrestling makes her dedicated to putting up the best fight she can, and she wouldn't dare hold back or put forth anything less than her best effort. As such, she refuses to tap unless it's truly her last resort, particularly if she's up against a foe who she respects - but on the flipside, she isn’t willing to go easy on people either, which has historically led to some incidents in which she finished her opponents off with perhaps excessive displays of force.
Favored Match Types: Astrid isn’t picky about what sorts of matches she gets put into, as long as she gets to give a good showing and put her strength to the test. Due to her agreeable attitude and her obliviousness to certain implications, she doesn’t really complain about what she’s booked for and accepts it as part of the job. She does, however, approach every match with just as much seriousness as any other - for instance, if she’s put in a hardcore match, she’ll refuse to use weapons just because that isn’t something she believes in. She doesn’t care if she lets down the expectations of the fans, as long as she holds herself to her principles.
Finishing Moves:
Bear Hug
Backbreaker
Stavanger Buster
A horizontal muscle buster.
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Friends:
- Alaina Sanders was one of Astrid's heroes growing up, and she helped inspire her to strive to live up to her family name as a wrestler. After coming to LAW, Astrid's paths crossed with Alaina from time to time, and she was proud to see that the veteran was still working towards excellence in the business and being the best she could. Though both were aiming for a common goal in the LAW Heavyweight Championship, and even after Alaina won it from Astrid, the Norwegian still has a healthy respect for Alaina and admires the importance wrestling holds for her.
- Jess Mcleary has been a rival of Astrid’s ever since the beginnings of the Norwegian’s career in LAW, in which Jess defeated her in a closely fought match. Jess, knowing the crowd could rally behind Astrid, was intent on cutting her down in front of her fans, and no matter how Astrid tried to stand tall against her, it wasn’t enough in the end. Since then, Astrid awaited the chance to face off against Jess again to prove how far she’s come. That finally came when Jess challenged Astrid for the title at We Are LAW 4, a match in which Astrid retained, but proved herself worthy of Jess's respect in the process. Now, the two see each other as friendly rivals, but still look to prove themselves to one another.
- Kennedy Lee is an old friend of Astrid's, with the two of them first crossing paths early into their time at LAW, and quickly becoming friends and dating each other on and off, as well as constantly competing amongst each other as friendly rivals as each sought to prove themselves to the other. She still stays in touch, and now that Kennedy has returned to LAW, Astrid is more eager than ever for the two of them to keep pushing each other to their limits.
- William Ashworth is Astrid's husband, who she met during her time competing in the US and quickly bonded with over their shared passion for wrestling. Although she often finds herself having to bail him out of trouble when his impulsiveness gets the better of him, the two genuinely care for each other, and both have learned from each other through training and competing together. After years of dating, the two got married in Astrid's hometown of Stavanger, with many friends and family members in attendance.
- Sarabeth Chummers is Astrid's stepdaughter, with her and William finding out about her status as William's long-lost biological daughter some time after their wedding. Though Astrid was at first shocked by the news, she has come to accept Sarabeth as she would her own daughter, and strives to be the positive force in her life she always deserved but never had.
- As a fellow legacy wrestler, Astrid has a good deal of respect for Nashi Dragneel. She nominated herself as Nashi's opponent for her debut match, and though she easily beat the idol, she felt she had potential that was waiting to be brought out. She one day hopes to see Nashi achieve the greatness she's long been chasing after, but she feels she has a long way to go before she gets there.
- Cyber Widow has seen Astrid as part of her vendetta against the Ostberg family, targeting the Norsewoman in the name of getting revenge on her father for being among those who ousted her from wrestling. Though initially unaware of Widow's plans for her, Astrid pledged to face her when she could no longer stand for her disgraceful conduct, including breaking other wrestlers' necks and threatening to target them. This led to a pitched battle over Astrid's championship.