Valek-of-PortKar

Varek was born in Port Kar, but not into one of its powerful merchant or pirate families. His father was a dockside factor who dealt in hides, salt, iron, and occasionally slaves. His mother was a woman of the markets who died when he was still young. 

He grew up among ships, warehouses, fighting pits, taverns, and slave markets, learning very early that in Port Kar everything had a price—and that a man who did not understand the value of what he possessed would soon possess nothing. 

Varek was a large man, standing well above the average height of men, broad of shoulder and deep of chest. Women and Men cleared the path when he walked their way.

He eventually began working for slavers, first as a guard, then as a buyer and negotiator. He discovered that he had a particular talent for determining what people wanted—and what they were willing to surrender to obtain it.

But Valek is not needlessly brutal and doesn’t beat slaves merely because he can. He considers cruelty without purpose to be bad business. A damaged slave brings less coin. A frightened slave is difficult to train. A dead slave is worth nothing.