Daniel grew up in a fairly large family. He has 3 older siblings, two brothers, and one sister. And 2 younger sisters. His father was a traveling merchant for a time, until after making enough he purchased a small store to do business from. His mother was a hardy, red haired woman. She had been the only daughter of a blacksmith. Where she had learned the craft through necessity. She was good enough, but she never excelled. Daniel's father often sold her work, mostly weapons and other everyday items such as hammers, pitons, horse shoes and the like. Eventually, they came to act as a general store for the town. The family was never rich per say, especially with the amount of children they had. But they were well off, never went hungry, and never had to worry much during droughts, war or the like.
Daniel, being the youngest son, was the one most free to follow his own heart. He spent many a year with his mother. Where she taught him how to wield a weapon, after his multitudes of requests. He took to the training as a bird to flight. He often thinks back to those days.
Keep your eyes open, focus! React only to threats, if every stray movement causes you to flinch you'll never be able to avoid real attacks! No! Again! If you can't trust your eyes, trust your gut!
As Daniel Aged, his mother became more and more like an actual teacher.
No! keep light on your feet! If you let enemies create distance what good is your sword! Never plant your feet, always be ready to move! Good! Again!
She would even blindfold him at times as he got older.
What happens if an enemy causes you to lose vision? Are you just going to quit?! Use your senses! Hear the enemy's footsteps, feel their presence! They won't always fight fair, be ready!
He remembered how she would always end every day with the same statement...
Now remember Daniel, I'm showing you this as a defense of last resort. A weapon is not an instrument of death as many would claim. It is a tool, a tool used to protect lives. Your own, and those of innocent people. Use it only when you must, but when you do, make sure it strikes true, lest you lose that which you seek to protect.
Hell, most of Daniel's principles come from his mother, or were tempered by her. Her morals and ideologies are the bigger part of Daniels. Though, there are few key differences. Perhaps, due to Daniel's age and naivety about the nature of the world, or perhaps due to something more innate.
When he was not with his mother, he was with his father. Learning about the art of the deal as his father called it. However, Daniel seemed to take much slower to it than he did with more physical tasks. This was likely due to his constant daydreaming, even when customers were around. Once, he let someone walk out of the store with several items without paying. The only saving grace for Daniel seemed to be a natural charm and a good ability to keep up and understand numbers. Sadly, he was slowly phased out of working in the store in favor of his three older siblings. His natural trust in people, his inability to read them, and his out right refusal to deceive even in the slightest did not a good salesman make.
Eventually, after turning 17 he joined the town guard where he gained more formal training under Sargent Darrien. However, this training was more focused on weapons and how to use them and on particular stances and working with a team, highly different to the more solo style combat training his mother had given him. He worked as a guard for four years before his wanderlust and sense for adventure could no longer be sated and he decided he would leave town to explore the world and see if he could do some good for it. (It didn't help that his relationship of two years ended poorly after a large argument). His mother was vehemently against the idea at first, but, after promising to always come back to visit twice at least twice a year. And promising to bring back some of any money he made to help the family was allowed to leave with her blessing. Before he left, his mother gave him a sword she forged specifically for him. His father managed to purchase him a suit of armor and some traveling gear, along with a potion for emergencies.
