Yosh

Yosh Thraex, born 860 Old Valendian Calendar (OV) in the southernmost reaches of what had been historically known as the Archadian Empire lands. His parents, assumed to have been deceased, were simple subsistence farmers. At the age of fourteen, bandits had burned the farm and captured Yosh and his brother, Barto--aged twelve at the time, selling them into slavery for twenty gil apiece.

At the time of purchase, Yosh and Barto were bought by an Archadian Gladiatorial school, the Ludo Thraexa. Barto, the younger brother, was set to work cleaning the humble quarters of the gladiators who lived within the walls, tending to their laundry, their dinners, even water breaks. Yosh, however, was seen to have potential and might have even lived through training--he was sent to the Grounds for training.

Two years passed, Yosh being trained hard, driven into the ground by the Doctore, until finally he had been given his first match. At age 16, very young for a Gladiator, Yosh had been sent to fight in the Capital City of Archadia at the arena. His first opponent, nameless and truly unknown, had bested him easily, leaving Yosh battered and bloodied on the arena ground. Later that night, the Ludo Thraexa's Dominus (Lord), Calter Umbral, had the young gladiator beaten for insolence in losing a fight. Determination was driven into Yosh by the Doctore's whip, and his next match a month later saw the young man victorious.

And so it went, for ten years, fighting and earning his winnings, his own price becoming more and more steep. He would never have become a Crixus, Champion of Archadia, but he had brought about the crowds in his own manner, pleasing them with flashy swordsmanship, daring acrobatics, and above all, his willingness to do what it took to win. Having won his final match, Yosh purchased his own freedom from his Dominus and set off out of the city.

Ten years of wandering, working as a personal guard, a mercenary, even as a shipping dock hand, brought Yosh Thraex to the docks of Emberstrand, looking for a job and well-deserved fame.