Past

Arseni has harbored a love for art and a soft heart his entire life, making his time as a wood-warder particularly difficult. He had trouble picking up many of the survival skills, and struggled to keep his mind straight in the subsequent solitude. His young years are marked by a profound sense of guilt, unable to truly dedicate himself to his duty.

At age 50, he'd developed enough skill to live in comfort—food, warmth, shelter, and few near-death encounters. With this safety his mind wandered away from the earth around him and towards his childhood memories of delicate metal and woodwork. He began to sneak into the village at night to get a glimpse of the pieces he adored.

For a few months he went uncaught, until in a fit of ego, he snuck a dagger back into the forest with him. It's absence was quickly discovered and it's abductor easily tracked down, leading to his immediate exile.

He began to wander, soon catching onto the art world at large and falling in love. With no meaningful work skills and a sketchy backstory, he stuck to stealing and honed his craft. Starting with petty thefts of meagre coin, he worked his way up to bigger, more worthwhile prizes. Early on he was often caught, and learned to turn tail at the scent of danger, skipping town until those he wronged had forgotten.