Nikolos’ family was once well off but had fallen on very hard times as his father’s business failed and left them in debt. Having six children and finding themselves unable to feed them all Nikolos’ father was desperate for a way out of his debts and a chance to provide for his family. It was about this time that a traveling troupe of performers came through their small town. His father told his 7 year old son that he was taking him to see the show. Nikolos was excited to see the performers and the animals and readily went with his father. But as they approached the field where the show had been set up the troupe was reading to depart. Tears began to tumble down Nikolos' face at the sight, but his father slapped him and told him to shut is mouth. The young boy was so shocked by the out of character behavior of his father he shut down mentally. Nikolos was led to the most richly appointed wagon where his father received a small bag of coins from a darkly bearded man. The troupe master grabbed a hold of Nikolos’ hair and dragged him off to a nearby wagon. As Nikolos stumbled along he glanced back and saw his father walking away, his shoulders bent but never looking back.
Thus began Nikolos’ life among the traveling show of performers, oddities, and animals known as Master Jumba’s Glorious Performing Troupe. As Nikolos grew he became the virtual slave of the troupe’s Master. Nikolos would be kicked, yelled at, and spit upon as he had to scurry about performing whatever menial task needed doing. From cleaning up the animal cages to bringing the master his dinner, Nikolos was never fast enough or skilled enough. He constantly bore the bruises of the master’s temper.
Fortunately not everyone hated and abused the young boy. There was Madame Rousho the animal trainer, who took pity on the poor frightened child and taught him how to work with the various animals that traveled with the show. Then there was old man Bergwick, a hedge wizard who saw something in Nikolos and taught him a few “tricks.” As he grew adept in these new skills the master would even let him join in the show assisting Madame Rousho and the Marvelous and Mighty Bergwick Master of the Arcane.
Eventually Nikolos grew up and began to turn into a man and Master Jumba seemed afraid he would lose his slave. So he stepped up his reign of terror and abuse, even going so far as to keep the boy chained up at night. Madame Rousho had spent years planting ideas in Nikolos’ head, ideas of freedom, ideas of escape until one night when she slipped up to the wagon where Nikolos was chained. She quickly picked the lock holding Nikolos and rushed him to the edge of the camp. Slipping him a small purse of silver and gold, Madame Rousho urged him to run for the near-by port town and to find a ship leaving for the Isle of Kortos. Giving him a name of a contact in the city of Absalom and she told him to make his way to the Pathfinder Society Grand Lodge. Nikolos was unsure what to do but Madame Rousho’s advice was all he had, so he acted on it.
Madame Rousho’s contact was a member of the Pathfinder Society and a part of something called the Shadow Lodge. Nikolos, was not sure of all the politics within the Pathfinders but the Shadow Lodge made him welcome and he was eager to please. After several months and a chance to begin proving himself, the opportunity to join a Pathfinder mission to Jalmeray was under discussion within the Society. The Shadow Lodge wanted a presence on this important mission and a call went out for a member to volunteer. Nikolos jumped at the chance to please the leaders of the Shadow Lodge and to serve this group that had made him welcome.
