Corvin Fremont was sired by the Duke of Alasce with a courtesan he favored at the time. Upon his birth in 1841, his father took responsibility for him (an arrangement that was perfectly agreeable to his mother). In his earliest years, he was raised as part of the Duke's household, but only until he was four years old. At that point, the Duke sent Corvin to "foster" with Count Andre d'Geroux, who had commanded al'Morena's "Blood Seekers" so ably during theThirty Years' War. This would, however, prove to be more than a simple fosterage.
The Geroux family of the Syndicate that Andre headed was infamous for the quality of its' assassins, and the Duke of House al'Morena wanted one of the best. Thus, his own son was sent to undertake the brutal, ruthless training regime that the Geroux had used for centuries. If the boy lived, he would be a most useful and valuable weapon in the Duke's arsenal. If he perished he was only out a bastard son. Thankfully for Corvin, he proved equal to the tasks set before him. While he endured tremendous beatings and abuse over the course of the years, his skills increased apace of other successful trainees of his age (albeit not notably greater or lesser…he was neither the best nor the worst of his particular "crop" of trainees). Weapons, stealth, infiltration…all of these things were taught and eagerly learned.
Perhaps more importantly than the skills of the assassin, Corvin was taught from a young age how to live a double-life. How to separate the assassin from the bastard son of the Duke. How to smile and socialize with people he would be called upon to kill without giving away the game. Likewise, all throughout this training, Count Andre reinforced the notion of just who it was that Corvin was training for, as well as exactly what the Count wanted from him. The training was harsh, but Andre was a fair if demanding taskmaster. He broke Corvin down, and then built him up. In the end, he became precisely what the al'Morena Duke wanted.
Not all his life was trial and tribulation, though…as he grew to be a young man, Corvin was taught some considerably more pleasant (and intimate) lessons by Andre d'Geroux's daughter Talia. When Andre disappeared in 1860, it fell to Talia to fully finish Corvin's training, and so she did. At the age of 20 years old, Corvin was sent on his "final" mission to prove his skills. He successfully stole into the bedchamber of his father, and laid a red string across the Duke's throat, leaving without being spotted. The next day, Corvin was presented to the Duke, and accepted into his household, swearing his loyalty to his father and House al'Morena.
Corvin quickly developed a close familial bond with the Duke's heir, Lady Alina, despite his technically-common status and the fact that he had been away for much of her life. When not joining (and often leading) al'Morena's "Blood Seekers" in missions, he became her unofficial protector…and even more unofficial enforcer. More than one unworthy-yet-persistent suitor for Lady Alina found themselves killed or crippled in "accidents." The Duke also occasionally made use of Corvin's well-honed talents, eliminating the occasional political rival or troublesome vassal. Yet all the while he maintained a somewhat vapid, ne'er-do-well facade (whether he inspired or was inspired by Alina's own "false face" is a subject of mild debate among the very few who truly know them both). Eventually, Corvin was officially granted command of the Blood Seekers (though his promotion was not acknowledged publicly). He is now a regular fixture in the al'Morena court and the lands of Alasce, and couldn't be more proud that at least this bastard has found approval in the eyes of his father.
