Aldous "Al" Morgan was not a popular child. The local children just didn't understand him, and not for lack of trying. Aldous had... issues with some social graces. Like making eye contact, acknowledging greetings and finishing sentences. His frequent excited yelling and bouts of paranoia didn't help either. When he wasn't being excluded, he was being bullied. It wasn't surprising, then, that Aldous found he spent most of his time with his father, working in the Lab.
Aldous' father, Dannic Morgan ran a semi-successful and totally-obscure !!!!!POTIONS-REGENTS-SUNRODS GALORE!!!!! stall in the market square of the Cheliaxian city of Belde. While not advertised on the horrible, horrible sign, Dannic would also provide the intrepid adventurer with a multitude of poisonous oils, given the proper wink and nudge.
Dannic's poisons were of remarkable variety, thanks wholly to his loving wife Sarah. Sarah was a ranger of moderate renown, tales of her exploits were often recounted in Belde. Mostly by Dannic to Aldous as the latter lay in bed. Every time Sarah returned from her adventures, an event that occurred with less and less frequency as Aldous grew up, she brought with her a cornucopia of rare plants, herbs and poisonous critters (dead and preserved, of course) that Dannic distilled into potent oils and sold for a tidy profit.
Aldous grew up worshipping his father, who was also his only friend. And to Dannic's credit, as Aldous aged he began to act more and more like a functioning person. Thanks to invaluable lessons like "When people talk to you, you should usually respond" and "Try to complete what you're saying before walking away" and "No they're not trying to kill you! Are you daft?" Aldous grew up to be marginally well-adjusted, though still somewhat weird.
Dannic also tried to teach Aldous the family business but found that impossible. Al didn't need teaching. Having watched his father working every day for as far back as he could remember, Aldous picked up the craft like he was born to do it.
Eventually, Dannic alowed his son to aid him in preparing poisons. This too, Aldous proved adept at. Under Dannic's tutelage he learned much about the deadly toxins his father sold.
On a fateful evening, (I mean, in retrospect it was fateful. At the time it just felt like a Tuesday.) Aldous returned home with the load of empty sunrod-shells his father had sent him to pick up and found his father, unmoving, slumped over his workbench, white foam issuing from his mouth.
The authorities ruled it an accidental death. Dannic had a small cut on his hand and was careless with some Wyvern Venom. Aldous, of course, (thought he) knew better.
Whoever these mystery assassins were, they were sure to return and finish the job! Aldous hastily packed a bag and set forth! Using the trade his father taught him to survive, never staying in one place long, always trying to stay a step ahead of his (possibly imaginary) pursuers!
A few months later, Sarah came home to find her husband dead and her son disappeared.Bummer.
