Rakhshan was born to a Serpentfolk tribe in the Kaava Lands, of a people claiming to be chosen descendants of long dead serpent gods. The tribe frequently raided nearby human and halfling towns, viewing them as inferior races to be wiped off the map. These Serpentfolk came to an untimely end in 4657 AR, when a Sargavan militia force struck back and massacred the tribe, burning the entire village to the ground. Only 7 years old at the time, Rakhshan was caught in the crossfire and his leg was severely injured by an errant siege weapon. After being captured along with several other members of his tribe, Rakhshan’s mangled leg was sawed off and bandaged by uncaring healers who wouldn’t spare their magic for prisoners. Fitted with a crude peg leg and forsaken of hope, young Rakhshan and the rest of the prisoners were shipped off to the capital of Sargava.

Arriving in the shining port city of Eleder, many of Rakhshan’s brethren were taken to work at the docks, as slaves for corrupt nobles, or worse. Fortunately for Rakhshan, he was adopted by a religious foster family who thought more highly of the Serpentfolk people than most. These caretakers came from a long-standing Chelish family who worshiped Aroden in many years past, and had dedicated their home to those in need. With almost a dozen other abandoned orphans, Rakhshan was raised in this foster home under the ideals of Iomedae. Rakhshan appreciated the values of honesty, truth, and justice taught in Iomedaen scripture, which were in stark comparison to the cruel Serpentine deities worshiped by his tribe. It wasn’t longer than a year before Rakhshan’s latent powers began to surface in the form of divine magic. This was seen by many as a sign of Rakhshan’s deep connection to the holy deity they revered.

By 4665 AR, Rakhshan was grateful and ready to leave his foster parents, and he sought out work as best he could. While not as physically able as most humanoids, Rakhshan made up for his childhood handicap with a shrewd mind and a silver tongue. But most simple and common folk have always been distrusting of reptilian races, and for more than a decade Rakhshan lived a hard life in poverty. Seeing how the world really works, he soon began to make connections and become more heavily involved with unsavory and suspicious types. Over time, after seizing a golden opportunity and making a good first impression, Rakhshan finally found his niche working for the Aspis Consortium out of Eleder.

For 20 years of his life he was employed as a skilled negotiator. Rakhshan’s work was shady at best, and his employers corrupt beyond belief, but he continued his worship to Iomedae, believing he did more good than bad by the end of each week. After a poor investment on a failed island expedition, Rakhshan’s superiors tasked him with cooking their financial books. The Aspis Consortium was making illicit deals with pirates from the Shackles, and needed their fiscal records to look normal as to not arouse suspicion. Though Rakhshan did as best he could, spending countless weeks forging numerous documents, the organization was eventually audited by the Sargavan government. Fearing the loss of their long-standing business, they ousted Rakhshan as a disgruntled employee who wanted to steal money under the table. Using his self-taught knowledge of Sargavan law, Rakhshan put up a long fight in court. But the odds were stacked against him, and the Aspis Consortium set all their legal power to incriminate their sacrificial pawn.

In the year 4703 AR, the courts of Eleder found Rakhshan guilty of mass scale criminal tax evasion. Rakhshan was offered a choice: serve 25 to life in a Sargavan prison colony, or become a steward at the Worldwound.