As one of the seven sons of Tornar, Berric is destined to rule one of the mighty Cathulla clans. He is strong in body, and can shapeshift into a direwolf. However, he lacks the mental fortitude and acuity to be a true leader. 

At first, I had Berric on his deathbed on the journey north, which did little to highlight his character, or offer anything to the plot, other than Kasha’s devotion to her recently discovered brother. So I made him a drug addict, dependent on the lure of the White Tears, to highlight his inherent weakness, and give him a path to redemption.