Beryl Brinehammer owes her unusual life entirely to her mother. She was a fearsome Orc who came down from the high mountains just north of Port Azure. She was already very pregnant with Beryl when she entered the colorful city, and never revealed who Beryl's father was. Even when she pressed her for his name on her deathbed.

Wanting her child to have more opportunities than the brutal life of a simple tribal raider, Beryl mother worked nightly as a bouncer and leg-breaker for a shady businessman in the Dock Ward in order to provide for them.

As a young lass, Beryl pulled in a little extra coin by working as a dockhand. Many hours of hard manual labor turned her into a muscular young woman, even for an Orc. When she reached adulthood at age twelve, she applied to join the Marines of the Port Azure Merchant Navy. Her youthful blood sang for combat and adventure, and this was the most "civilized" way she could fulfill this need.

For six long years, she patrolled the territorial waters of his city, protected merchant ships on the trade lanes, and hunted down bands of nefarious pirates onboard the Cerulean Lancer.

And for a time, it was a good life.

It was during her many battles on the high seas that her comrades dubbed Beryl with the surname that Orc's take on once they accomplish some deed of note: Brinehammer. But as much as she threw herself into danger, and obeyed orders, she was seeing no advancement through the ranks. Prejudice against Orc kind among the officers guaranteed that she would never be anything more than a simple Private. Even after a particularly harrowing mission where Beryl had carried her injured friend Merrick over sixty miles through rough terrain all the while being hampered by pursuing pirates. Though Merrick later died of his injuries, for her bravery and willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty, Beryl was barely acknowledged by her superiors. Knowing then that she was doomed to forever be at the bottom rung, Beryl "retired" soon afterwards.

She returned to Port Azure for a few months, but her mother, who was already old by Orc standards, passed on soon after her arrival. No longer wishing to remain in the home that took her mother and reminded her of her failed career, Beryl decided to take to working for herself as a bohemian mercenary. The sea had been her home for many years, perhaps it was time to let the land share it's charms. This lifestyle was difficult to maintain however. There was not much in the way of coin left over from serving as a Merchant Marine. However, being a hulking, intimidating Orc with martial experience does have it's advantages. Many employers are eager to have one so fearsome looking watching over them and their business interests. For the past couple years, Beryl has been making her way through the world in this way, and little does she know what awaits her...or overly cares that much to be honest.