Volpone Lorenzo Estefan Coltello Fabiola could have had an easy, comfortable life. He was born the son of Gerardo Coltello, a minor noble of Illisarn and Nunzia Fabiola, a house concubine. As a bastard child of a concubine, Volpe could be publically recognized as a son of House Coltello, and could receive an inheritance (though not the estate). All he had to do was keep a low profile at court, and stay out of serious trouble. Of course, this quickly proved to be too great a challenge for the teenage Volpe.
Volpe became enamored of a certain young lady, Sara Saba, whom he had met a few times visiting the Saba family for diplomatic reasons. After few such encounters, Volpe encouraged by friends and too much drink, decided to declare his love for Sara. With of few of his more rakish, ruffian friends, he rode out to the Saba estate, and demanded and audience with the lovely Sara.
Instead, he was greeted by Levanto Saba, her elder brother and heir to House Saba. Perhaps Volpe, as a bastard son, never had a chance in the first place. Perhaps the wine made him more courageous than persuasive. In any case, the evening resulted in a duel with Levanto, rather than a visit with Sara. Levanto was dead, Volpe was arrested, and Sara was lost to him.
Volpe had no doubt that he would be hanged by morning. Instead, for reasons unknown to him, he was instead sentenced to life in prison, in Illisarn's infamous Castle Perdition.
Seven years Volpe spent in prison, with never a single other human voice to hear, never another face to see, not even a window to let in a ray of light. There were times he thought the gallows would have been preferable. Then, one evening, the cell door was opened, and a guard led him out, saying only that a lady had paid his bail and secured his parole.
Volpe was free, but left with nothing but the rags that served as his prison uniform. He returned home, though the journey from Perdition to the Coltello estate was many miles. Even there, he was turned away at the gate after being informed that he must be a beggar and a liar. Volpone Coltello, he was told, was hanged seven years earlier for murder. In spite of his rather loud protestations to his identity and demands to see his father, Volpe was subdued by house guards (some of whom he swore should have recognized him), and left him on the road toward the city.
Shortly after, a carriage stopped and pick up Volpe. Inside, the carriage remained dark. In side a woman with the manners of noble explained that she knew who he was, but could only give small assistance. She transported him to the port, provided him with some silver, and advised him to board the first ship departing for the New Lands. It was best that she not tell him her identity, and that his best hope was to find his way in the east.
And so, arriving in the east, Volpe has found employment as a caravan guard, travelling across the Salt Waste toward Restov and the River Kingdoms.
