Charles McBeck was born to a failing cooper, the third and final child of the brood. His early years were spent in the impoverished alleyways of Providence. When he was nearly a man grown, his father sent him to apprentice with a smith in the neighboring village. His two older brothers had both died fighting for the Empire in the ISA. After less than a year Charles tired and ran. Over the coming years Charles came to join wandering caravans, learning their crafts as well as offering his poor smithing skills to those who would overlook his shoddy craftsmanship. His most successful stint was during his early twenties, when he shoed horses for a traveling band of jugglers.
It was in his late twenties that he realized the need to strike out on his own. Endeavoring upon the small loan of a friend from the troupe, he began trading initially in cereal grains before moving to silks and spices from distant lands. He made residence in Sutica for some time, but was rarely living there. He mostly kept the small abode in his name in case he would ever need it for friends. He never got the chance to use it. Running small insurance for merchant ventures, he made enough money to live a comfortable lifestyle, but alone. Now Charles finds himself a successful merchant but without anyone to share in his wealth.
Charles stepped off the boat, the sea breeze messing the little hair he had. His plodding was interrupted by some well-dressed man. Charles thought to himself, after the question was posed, before responding politely, "You will forgive me, but I have pressing business to attend to." He would side-step the man and move on into the sprawling bazaar to find his silk dealer. If there had been one thing Charles had learned from the jugglers it was that men dressed like that bring no good when they open their mouths.
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