"Ivan....I no longer have a family name." These few words represent the sum total of the background most everyone knows about Ivan the ranger.
No one has ever questioned him as to why- mostly because he tends to casually stare at everyone who address him as if he is contemplating what he would do next having already cut them down. Unfortunately, he treats both companions and strangers alike in this regard.
Those that travel or work him have deduced a few clues as to his background. For the few times he has been seen not in full armor and gear, the scars normally concealed on his wrists and ankles were clearly caused by years of manacle-wear. These are matched by layers of lash marks on his back making his past as a slave quite obvious.
For the more observant and informed, his years as a slave apparently led to a time in the gladitorial arenas. While his savage and efficient weapon skills might have been learned from a number of possible sources, his dawn-katas can clearly be traced to the Thayian battle-pits (clear to those who have had the misfortune to observe the Red Wizard's favourite entertainment).
Strangely, Ivan appears to have no special sympathy for the enslaved and generally shows no obvious emotion towards their masters. He is a consumate swordsman and both a brutual and direct opponent, typically striking first at the sign of any threat. However, he is no slave to any outmoded concepts of honour and is wise enough to avoid battles that he can not win, until the odds are once again in his favour.
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