Aldith was born an only child to a somewhat well off family in a small city in the year 1642. He and his family were about as close to middle class as a family can could be, the merchant class would have been the most accurate way of putting it. His parents made their way as tailors, though they were only marginally successful in their business. While growing up, Aldith learned the basics of sewing and managing being a merchant. Most of all, he figured out how to deal with the customers and make friends.
Things seem fairly normal for Aldith, but his family also had a small secret. They were part of a cult that worships Sol. Quite literally, they worshiped the Sun as a god. The cult wasn't evil or malicious in any way, but every member was a member since birth and brainwashed into a deathly fear of the dark. Aldith included. They believed that the darkness itself, not even just what might lurk in it, could kill and was evil and that anyone who would dare wield the power of shadow was just as evil as the darkness itself. They also had a prophesy that one day someone would be born that would not be accepting to Sol's healing warmth. This person was known as the Shadowmarked and was supposed to be an omen of the end of days when the darkness would come to reign forever.
Thirty-one years pass. Aldith has gotten married to a beautiful woman named Caroline, taken over his parents' shop, and had a daughter named Layla. He was popular with the town, particularly with the fellow members of his faith, and was prone to taking up many hobbies. Dancing and acrobatics were always his favorites, but he spent many a night tossing darts and knives with friends at the local tavern. There was just one hang up - Aldith's daughter was albino. The vague nature of the religious texts that Aldith's cult adhere to put his daughter, after just eight years of life, into the crosshairs of his church. Being albino, she couldn't be in the Sun for long without burning. She preferred the dark. It didn't take long before there were whispers of the Shadowmarked and it was about this time that the religious leaders of the church called for her sacrifice. Caroline wanted to comply with the church, but Aldith refused to give up his daughter to the church.
One night, Aldith took his daughter out into the woods surrounding the town and found a cave he thought she'd be safe in for a few hours and left her there, instructing her not to go anywhere until he returned. He sneaked back into town and stole as much from the church as he could manage and made his way back to the cave in which he had left her. Finding her missing, Aldith has now made it his prime objective to find his little girl and live apart from the church that wanted to kill her for being Shadowmarked. Aldith wants to hope that no one like that could ever exist.
Little does he know that it was he that had been touched by shadow.
