While Theodric was born and raised in Magnimar, the d'Ontalen family traces its routes back to Taldor - where they left several generations ago as they felt the country was descending into decadence and an over-reliance on past glories - and see themselves as Taldan in manner but Varisian otherwise.
Growing up, Theo's family and retainers managed to keep him somewhat more grounded than his nobleborn peers. Which certainly helped for the trips his father brought him along to various towns the family wine trade passed through, such as Roderic's Cove.
On one such visit when he was only nine, he met a young boy there named Caraid. While there was a few years of age between them, the two hit it off well enough and Theo made a point to visit Caraid over the years. While originally they had met when Theo's father had tried to see Caraid's regarding some of his arcane research, this quickly ended after a few trips. It was a while before Theo learnt that the reason was because of the scholar's increasing anger. While Theo worried for his friend, their infrequent visits to the town meant he was never able to properly broach the subject.
WARNING: SHATTERED STAR SPOILERS
When Magnimar came under attack as the city of Xin arose, he had been attending the ceremony reforging the Sihedron and had rushed down to help as clockwork monstrosities had landed at the city's coast. While it was all over by the time he'd arrived, he saw the devastation that had occurred and has no desire to see such a disaster happen again. This is what has driven him to master his magic and draconic abilities.
SPOILERS OVER
He has now come to Roderic's Cove without his father, only accompanied by a family retainer looking into some financial irregularities related to wine shipments passing through. Theo is mostly there just in-case some more magical might is needed, with the actual investigations being done by the retainer. He is hoping to find Caraid, finally willing to talk to him about his father.
