Born of a strange alliance of Tian and Varisian blood, Izumi grew up in Sandpoint. His father was a retainer to the Lonjiku family, who had accompanied them from distant Tian all the way to Varisia. Izumi's mother was a simple Varisian woman - a seamstress. The pair had met at an inn in town - what is now the Rusty Dragon, owned by Ameiko Kaijutsu. Izumi grew up alongside Ameiko, and though they have since drifted apart, Izumi's heart still beats faster when he speaks with her.
Growing up, Izumi's father would tell him tales of Tian - the beauty, the honour, the glory. Life there seemed so wonderful that Izumi wondered why he would ever leave. Though Izumi enjoyed the people in Sandpoint, he's always longed to see Tian firsthand, to make real the stories his father told.
The chief reason Izumi never really left Sandpoint was Ameiko. She was beautiful, funny, smart and brave. When she left adventuring, Izumi was crushed. Almost feeling betrayed, Izumi decided to set out himself. If Ameiko was going to leave adventuring, Izumi would show her that he was just as strong and capable. His father had taught him something of the sword, and of battle. He was determined to make earn Ameiko's respect. He left Sandpoint behind, taking only a katana - a gift from his father, food for the journey, and the clothes on his back.
Three years went by - Izumi had ventured into the world, visited many places: Ustlav, Taldor, Absalom among others. He supported himself when times were tough by taking on work pounding metal in a forge. He had a keen eye for swordcraftsmanship. How could he not? His katana was a marvel of crafting. Nothing brought him any closer to Tian, honour, glory, or anyhting that would attract Ameiko's attention. Deciding he had dallied long enough, Izumi began his trek home.
From travellers on the road coming out of Sandpoint, he heard of the problems with the goblins. Seeing his oppurtunity, Izumi seized it recklessly, charging head-first into the swamp, before even returning to Sandpoint. He barely got out alive. Alone, he was almost killed by something which lurked in the muck - though it was no goblin.
Shamed by his defeat, Izumi returned to Sandpoint, having lost his prized Katana to the creature in the bog. His return to Sandpoint was a sad one. He discovered his father had passed last year, and his mother has wept herself to death over his grave. Izumi's inheritance had been mostly used up for funeral costs, though he did find his father's old sashimono, emblazoned with the Kaijutsu family Mon. Using the remaining money, Izumi outfitted himself for another, less reckless expedition, hearing that a group may be forming to enter the swamp. He intended to recover his sword and impress Ameiko, who had returned and now ran the Rusty Dragon tavern.