Corvus Pius grew up in a close, happy family in the small timber town of
Argosius, halfway between Monlon and the City of Iridine. His father was the town’s
healer, his mother was a member of the local constabulary, and his younger brother
Valerius was his constant companion. Early in life Corvus began assisting his father in
his healing practice. He followed him around town, getting to know the ebb and flow of the
small town and its citizens. Though at first horrified by some of the injuries and
illnesses he saw at his father’s side, Corvus listened attentively to his
father’s clinical descriptions of the various ailments, and gradually began to be
able to understand and assist his father more and more. Eventually, his father began
allowing him to diagnose and treat some of the simpler and more common cases.
As in many towns that make their livelihood off of timber, many of the injuries were from
accidents in the lumber camps around town. Sadly, almost as many were from the ravages of
a lifestyle that attracts hard-working and hard-playing men: injuries from tavern fights,
domestic violence, alcoholism, and the like. Though sometimes repelled by what he saw,
Corvus learned to respect the many citizens of Argosius who were working hard to make a
decent life for themselves and their families. As he grew older, he began to take over
more and more of his father’s healing duties around town, leaving mostly the most
complex cases for his father’s greater expertise.
As he grew older, Corvus saw clearly that the town of Argosius was slowly dying. The great
forests that had surrounded the town for centuries had been felled with a careless
rapaciousness, and the timber operations had been unwise, failing to re-plant what they
harvested. As a result, quality timber was becoming increasing scarce, foresters had to
range further and further from town to find trees worth cutting, and transportation costs
were beginning to seriously offset any potential profits. Businesses and people began
leaving Argosius, first as a trickle, later a flood. The timber operations and foresters
began to move to other, less over-cut locations, and soon the citizens who depended on the
timber income to sustain their local businesses began to follow them or move to the larger
cities where they could make a better living.
Corvus’ parents were growing older, and had lived their entire lives in Argosius.
They did not want to leave, and they felt a strong obligation to stay and serve the
community as they always had. But because they wanted the best for their children,
Corvus’ parents urged him to move, to find a place where he could employ his healing
talents to greater benefit. After much discussion and contemplation, Corvus and his
brother Valerius packed up their belongings and prepared to join the exodus leaving
Argosius. As a final gift, their parents presented them with two tickets on a passenger
boat bound for the capital. With a great deal of sadness, but also a growing measure of
anticipation, Corvus and Valerius bid their dear parents farewell, and set off to make
their fame and fortune in Iridine, The Eternal City.