Pangaea is a world of magic and monsters, though more the former than the latter. Technology is pre-industrial revolution, but magic both ancient and divine help civilization in their every day lives. Many creatures benefit from small magical abilities, and the humans of this world are no exception, each one developing a unique magical trick that they can grow and develop over time. Mostly the various sentient races leave each other alone, having brokered peace treaties long before Erick was born, and although the peace is tenuous, things are looking pretty good for the world of Pangaea.

Up until recently he was out every day helping his Dad on the fishing boat.

Wandering off on your own for five years is a good way to pick up some survival skills at least.

Erick Minnows was born an only child to two loving parents, and while tragedy took his mother early in life, Erick never felt bereft of motherly figures to call upon, since it takes a village to raise a child, and the quaint fishing village of Zickerell knew that quite well. He mostly grew up on a boat, helping his father and the others of his village feed both their village and have enough to trade with the other nearby villages as well. He was a difficult child to get along with, always wanting his way and getting upset over being corrected, but that's how it is with some kids, and the village loved him still.

One day tragedy struck again, this time landing on poor Erick. Him and his Dad were the last ones going back for the day, the others having left since a storm was brewing, but Erick's father had had no luck with his nets that day, and Erick was stubborn, and didn't want to go back empty handed, since it was his 16th birthday and he was supposed to have caught a really big fish for dinner. His father didn't argue with him, knowing it was usually a fools errand, so it was just him and Erick out there with fishing poles, when the storm closed in too quickly. In their rush to raise anchor and hoist the sails, a particularly large wave knocked the ship, enough so that Erick fell overboard, hitting his head as he did so. Unconscious and unable to swim, Erick nearly lost his life that day, and he would have if the others from the village hadn't come back out to help. Soon enough they got Erick back on the boat and back home, but the damage was already done.

In Pangaea, the Elements themselves have a way of getting into you if something like that happens to you, and a bit of the Sea got into Erick that day, and he was never the same. Once where a stubborn churlish boy stood, now he was even-keeled. Where he was hot-headed, prone to picking fights over the smallest of insults, now he was cool-tempered, letting pricks and barbs pass him by. The village continued to raise him as their own of course, some whispered that he was better now to be honest, such a polite boy now too, always saying please and thank you, where before he took food and clothes and toys as if they were his due. Over time the touch of the sea on him grew more pronounced as well, first it was him always knowing where land was, even without a compass, because he said it was "where the water wasn't." Turns out he could sense where the water was on dry land too. When he started moving the water like an extension of himself was when the whispers started up again. Is this boy really Erick anymore?

Now the people of Pangaea, and of the tiny fishing village named Zickerell, were fairly tolerant of things. They all had their own Tricks too after all. But when a kid barely 20 can pilot an entire ship by himself because he can move the very ocean underneath of it, that's when his family told him he needed to go out into the wider world, to explore, and see if he could use him being Sea-Touched to help others, or to see if the sea chose him for a higher purpose. Just a few years they said, just to see. And if you come back to us afterwards you'll be a real help out there on the fishing boats. So Erick goes, being the agreeable sort now, and adventures out in the wider world for a time, seeing all sorts of strange wonders, helping adventurers like himself sometimes, traveling alone in others, and he did that for about five years, going wherever his feet took him.

One day after having set up camp, he saw a blue shimmer in the air, and thinking this might be a sign, traveled through it, not knowing he was leaving his old life behind and starting a new one much further from home than he could imagine.

His green-stained medium-sized leather satchel that he wears on his waist, to store his various possessions and trinkets. Currently not holding much of anything.

Just a simple liter-sized flask of water to use when there's none around, or for drinking.