Sir Appleshanks was born in the human city of Freeport, to a family of meager means. His father, a blacksmith by trade, raised him with a strong work ethic and sense of duty. Much of the boy's youth was spent over a hot forge, helping eke out a living for his parents and young sister. As a result of this upbringing, Appleshanks had little time to pursue his education.
One summer day, as Phineas labored at the smithy, one of the Knights of Truth arrived to inquire about some new platemail. Bored with the tedium of his work, Phineas casually asked the knight about his adventures. Sensing great interest from the young blacksmith, the knight stayed at the forge for a few hours, sharing tales of heroic deeds and tragic losses. From that moment onward, Phineas knew that his destiny would lie with the knighthood.
Before his seventeenth birthday, Phineas became a squire to Sir Melwyn of Freeport. Under his mentor's guidance, he learned to handle the sword and the shield, to ride horses and care for them, and to pray in the manner which pleases Mithaniel Marr. Together, they scoured the desert of Ro, cleansing the sands of the unholy infestations that still plague travellers through that poisoned land. They patrolled the Commons near Freeport, lending assistance to hunters who had bitten off more than they could chew. They travelled to the sinister dungeon of Befallen, and performed blessed sacraments there in hopes of giving so many tortured souls a chance at peace.
Two weeks into his twenty-first year, Appleshanks was accepted as a full brother in the Hall of Truth. To prove his worth, he took on a noble quest--to travel to the lost continent of Kunark and battle the undead creatures plaguing the city of Firiona Vie. With only a blacksmith's knowledge of the world, he needed a learned companion to help him make his way to that strange land. Making a short detour to the Tower at High Keep, Appleshanks recruited the wizard Ravell Auxtherian as a guide and mentor. Auxtherian was no older or more experienced than Sir Appleshanks, but having spent his entire life studying the accumulated knowledge of his notoriously sorcerous family, he was well-equipped for the journey.
Significantly, it was at this time that Sir Appleshanks took on his first squire--a young man called MacMogan. The three men travelled together to the lost continent, along with the revered Lady Pistis Sophia of Erollisi Marr. Several books have been written about their exploits.
Upon the knighting of MacMogan, Sir Appleshanks returned to the Hall of Truth for some much-needed rest and meditation. Aware that his ignorance was often a liability in his adventures, he took it upon himself to begin reviewing the library of the knights of Marr. Eventually, he came upon the tale of Wargoth, and was amazed to see that most of the documents bore the name of Marius Auxtherian. Having had quite enough of books, Appleshanks set off to High Keep in search of his old friend, and the truth.
