"He killed my parents. He removed my cultural identity. So I removed that which identified him. His face. That's why they call me Mugflayer."
Anest was born in 953 AE, in Avamor to dwarven parents. She doesn't remember them well as they were both killed in an accident when she was five years old. She was adopted by Barik the Quiet in 958 AE, a common elf known for his manipulative ways. He was the husband of Niniri Notusi, a cousin to the Notusi clan.
From a hideously young age, she was taught to kill. For eight years, she spent her waking hours training for a sole purpose: murder.
So when it was finally revealed Barik had killed her parents to gain access to her, as some cruel joke on the dwarven community of Avamor, it was no surprise that she took off his face with an ornamental battleaxe.
Of course Niniri tried to kill her in retaliation, but thankfully there was evidence of Barik's scheming which a Notusi agent provided. Anest was given two choices - continue her training under the Notusi, or leave Avamor. She chose the latter, disgusted with the betrayal of what she thought was her people.
Keyair Heartstone caught wind of the whole affair and met her at the docks, offering her a position with his crew. He made some jokes about diversity and how she was a woman that could defend herself, but leveled with her and admitted he had an old dwarven cook that had heard of her plight and wanted to help. She needed a ride anyway, so agreed.
This old cook was named Hurgnar Vaultmak. Not only was he the cook, but he made do fixing weaponry when the ship was between ports. He helped Anest learn how to smith like the old dwarven masters. She aided him with cooking for the crew in return.
Unforunately Hurgnar died to old age in 968 AE. Anest took over his responsibilities until 973 AE when Caybourne was colonized.
Keyair Heartstone offered her a position as a blacksmith at the Heartstone Estate, which she gladly accepted. But despite having settled down in a servant role, smithing her days away or working as a handyman, she can still kill alongside the best of the Notusi.
She is known to have a crush on Mancel Ludlow, having made several comments on him throughout the years - even when he was young, claiming he had to be of dwarven stock with such a broad chest and shoulders.