Val has only vague recollections of his childhood and background before waking up one morning in the streets of a settlement in eastern Conwy (in the realm of Emiroth), run by a wealthy but corrupt fur merchant. He found that though he retained the basic shape of his former self, he had taken on the face, hide, and other appearance aspects of an ermine, a weasel-like animal often prized for its beautiful fur.

After some discreet questioning, Val discovered that a mysterious order of wizards was trying to learn the secrets of transforming humans into animals, and that they had been in the employ of the merchant running the town. They had kidnapped him and tried to transform him into an ermine, but the rite failed and left him in his current state, mostly human but with the fur and face of the animal. The merchant was furious over the failure and drove the wizards out of town. Where they went or what they called themselves, nobody could say, and Val was left with no inkling of how to be restored to his former self.

His appearance wasn't the only thing that had changed, however. Val soon learned that he had gained a heightened sense of smell, as well as an ability to move more silently and fluidly than an average person. It wasn't long before he took advantage of this change, using his newfound abilities to pickpocket from greedy merchants and noblemen in order to provide for himself and other less fortunate souls in the village.

Because of his distinct appearance, he could never stay in one settlement for too long, and he's had to keep moving from village to village until rumors would start to connect him to his crimes.