Dalthos' early life (he did not use the name Dalthos then, but Dafydd) was typical of many children. His father was a carpenter, and he and his older brother were both planning to follow in their father's footsteps. His sister was considered to be beautiful even at a young age, and the family hoped that she would marry some young noble's second or third son.
Unfortunately, fate turned a cruel hand in two fell blows. When Dalthos was 9, a plague ripped thru the village where they lived. Dalthos survived the plague, but he saw his mother and sister wasted away by the disease. His father and brother had been on a two-month long journey to get more lumber. Dalthos' father was broken by the news. A dis-spirited man, he joined an army to fight goblins three years later; unfortunately he perished. Dalthos' brother also went along on this expedition. Although Dalthos knows his father was slain (the army brought back his body), his brother never returned. The army presumed him dead.
Disconsolate at being alone in such a cruel-seeming world, Dalthos gathered what little he had left and departed the village. he wandered into an abandoned hamlet; he had heard of a strange mystical magical man that lived there alone, but he was not afraid. At this point, he thought death would be a release.
Murkatos saw the young lad and approached him. Murkatos had seen Dalthos by magic, and noticed his ability with carpentry tools. Since Murkatos did not have this skill himself, and he had several holes in his roof (which he never got around to fixing), he offered Dalthos a role as a servant-boy, which Dalthos accepted (partially out of fear of the mage's reputation)
As Dalthos grew, Murkatos saw his growing interest in the magical arts. Dalthos had overcome his fear of Murkatos, and thought of him almost as a substitute father. Dalthos impressed Murkatos with his ready grasping of the necromantic concepts. Perhaps his hardships and exposure to mortality at an early age contributed to his growing magical skill.
Dalthos has studied under Murkatos for eight years, learning more of the art of magic from the rather strange old mage. Living to the south of Ukpyr, closer in fact to the Untari Forest than to Ukpyr, Dalthos has enjoyed the solitude afforded to magic-users by the magic-fearing (and distrusting) populace of Ukpyr. Murkatos has treated Dalthos very well, and Dalthos's magical development grew in leaps and bounds. Dalthos was intrigued by Murkatos's exploration of the mysteries of life and death, convinced that to conquer this question is the ultimate quest of man.
After a royal messenger's visit, Murkatos delved into intense research. Just before he was able to pass the information to the King, he was killed by a mysterious assassin. Dalthos found Murkatos dead the next morning, a single magical arrow in his back, and his lab ransacked and destroyed. Dalthos did what he could to find clues, and gathered the remaining belongings into his cottage.
Shortly, a number of visitors appeared, seeking clues about the Star of Ungar. As Murkatos had been writing about the Star just prior to being killed (seen thru a Death Recall), Dalthos joined them to seek justice. Dalthos traveled with them for several months, his magical skills slowly growing. He was never totally trusted by several members of the party, because of his arcane skills and disposition; only Laythir Silvanestros (an elven mage/priest of Sehanine) earned his respect.
The group of adventurers was scattered within a Goblin Warren. His last sight of his adventuring companions was seeing the Paladin charging into the midst of a horde to rescue his priest-mentor. Dalthos, separated from the others, reluctantly returned to the surface. He has assumed his companions fell to the goblins. He returned to his cottage, packed his belongings, and left the area.
Dalthos currently lives alone in a small isolated cottage, where he can conduct research without interruption. He will occasionally travel to different nearby towns to resupply his lab. His early experiences have left him even more cynical than before.
Dalthos has inherited about 10 tomes from Murkatos which will be useful to his studies. They are on topics such as history, spell components, use of laboratory equipment, and one particularly nice volume which provides illustrations of common types of crypts, coffins, etc. and the traps sometimes placed in them. Another very useful one which describes common ailments which can be cured by the proper application of plants and herbs.
Eschewing the traditional robes of a mage, Dalthos wears a comfortable gray tunic (with silver trim) and black breeches, with soft hiking boots. He wears a dark cloak (a gift from Murkatos) when traveling or at night. His hair is straight and sandy brown, kind of mousy colored, and cut short in a page-boy cut. His eyes are Hazel, and he is tall, yet slender. In short, Dalthos looks like a commoner, with some nice clothing.
He generally keeps his magic skills a secret, and the fact he is a necromancer is something that he will not tell anyone. He will not explain his magics, but will simply announce the results of his actions. He will investigate any corpses he sees to determine their cause of death; years of doing this has left him a little jaded, not to mention morbid. He occasionally falls into a deep melancholy. Most strangers think of him as a little odd.
In addition to magical skills, Dalthos knows the use of herbs, and first aid skills (after long studies of the body). He also retains the carpentry skills learned from his father many years ago, and keeps his small cottage in decent repair. He has learned a little about the forests near his home, but does not like to spend time there (aside from adding the occasional rabbit or squirrel to the stew pot). Lately, he has begun to take up winemaking with some of the fruits from his garden.