Casimir Suleyman Keita was born to Suleyman and Imani Keita, both members of a Farfolk people that resides on an isolated group of islands to the southwest of Sutica. Casimir's father, Suleyman, was a griot, a storyteller that passed on the history of the people, but who also told stories they learned from their elders and that they gathered throughout their travels. Griots were unique from their brethren, because it was a hereditary role, and the fact that griots must leave on a journey when they turn 20, and must travel the world 'gathering stories'- experiencing things, as well as literally learning the stories of other people across the world. They cannot return for at least 12 years, and when they do, they must face the assembled elder griots (the leaders of the other griot families) and speak their stories for 2 days and 2 nights in a special ceremony, where they themselves become a full-fledged griot and earn the right to marry and have children.
Raised against this cultural backdrop, Casimir led a unique and entertaining childhood. His father, as a griot, simply resided in the village and would tell stories, advise the chieftain, and travel to the other villages doing the same thing. Casimir's head was constantly filled folktales, tales of his father's adventures in lands far to the north, far colder and bizarre than their warm islands. These lands were filled with people called 'Elves' and great, green men from a place called 'Krugmar'. He was the only child, as a child of the village griot he never wanted for food or any other luxury. However, this did not mean that he was treated any differently from the other children in the village. From a young age, they are taught communally, and at around 10, are allowed to begin to branch off into either familial lines of education (hunters, fishers, etc) or choose their own. Casimir found hunting to be fascinating, and learned the intricacies of tracking, survival, and hunting. As a griot's son, Casimir also received extensive tutelage from his father on general skills and knowledge that would be useful to him as a griot. He received memory training, learned a few languages, but also learned more functional things like how to cook, basic first aid, and the likes. All of this was being taught to him so that he could survive his griot journey and return home safely.
One of the more prominent experiences in his childhood was his first true kill. When Casimir was around 18 years old, he led his first hunting party, and dealt the killing blow to a lion the group had been stalking. He created a hood from the lion's head as a trophy, and that has become his most prized possession.
Casimir has now been on his griot journey for 6 years. He departed on his 20th birthday and has since made his way northeast, eventually reaching Sutica, the first of the realms of Almaris that he would encounter. He has already seen and experienced much, and is very much capable of taking care of himself in the face of danger or uncertainty. He continues his travels, absorbing as much information as he can each day.
