He was born to a family of warriors proud and boastful of their service as soldiers and guardsmen to the line of Durin. Their line was present for the fall of Moria to Durin’s Bane as well as the fall of the Grey Mountains to cold drakes. Their Battle cry, inscribed upon a Silver family shield reads “Abùrûf udnîn thunduh!.” (Ancestors guide my arm!) It is meant as more of a boast of confidence in their proud lineage than an actual plea to their ancestors and was first used by his great great grandfather Ogdinn III Hammerbrow.

Skuldan, like the rest of the children in his family, was from a young age taught the words of dwarves and men. He found that he had trouble reading and writing and was thought to be slow minded by his kind. The history of their family had been read many times among them. From the many battles of Hoki II Hammerbrow with the evasive Orc Ugkal Fat-fingers to the migration from the Grey Mountains to the Lonely mountain from the point of view of Hrunli I Hammerbrow.

It wasn’t until his 30th birthday that he showed true promise during his first combat sparring. He knocked over his father with a swing from a battle-axe, though his father didn’t admit it at the time, he was proud of Skuldan that day. Skuldan discovered what he lacked in words and strategy, he made up for in talent with weapons and techniques.

He lived comfortably in his family hall for 45 more years, Learning to craft weapons from his father. Skuldan soon succeeded at surpassing his father in weapon crafting. An adventuring dwarf from the Blue Mountains named Nulgar Greensteel was hired to teach Skuldan and his brother Hrunli II about smithing armor and weapons and how to use them in battle. Skuldan was an unstoppable force charging forward and pushing through most enemies.

Skuldan set out to seek glory and a fortune of his own as soon as he was able, against the counsel of his protective older brother. Inspired by the tales of his heritage and stories of the turmoil in the Blue Mountains from Nulgar, the doing of the dourhands and goblins. He traveled by way of the Misty Mountains to the Blue Mountains with his teacher Nulgar. Along the way he overcame very few obstacles, though most notable was a battle with a troll whose great endurance had the battle last from midnight to sunrise in the the Trollshaws. Skuldans final blow came as the troll turned to stone, shattering his axe upon it’s body, but in the end he made it to Ered Luin in one piece though his traveling coin was all but spent upon his arrival.

It was upon inquiring about a room in Thorin’s Hall that he was given the name of a company of dwarves serving a one of the line Durin that might give him a place to sleep in return for joining them. After some thought Skuldan decided it might be a good way to emulate his ancestors and prove to his father that though he may be younger than his brother he is certainly not the lesser one.

Skuldan met their leader, the great Duinn Drakenbane by chance inquiring about the group to a stranger. They shared greetings and Duinn named Skuldan a recruit of Durin’s Folk and directed him to a kin neighborhood to view their chronicles and rules posted there. Then Duinn was off, as he had business to attend and Skuldan was greeted by another in the neighborhood. Their bard, a dwarf named Bob equipped him with the uniform of a recruit and informed him that there was currently an argument going on about the uniform and he didn’t think it would last much longer.

After about two weeks of drills and a small amount of merrymaking on Skuldans part he was welcomed as a full kins-dwarf at the camp of Gloin in the misty mountains. Pledging his axe to Dain II Ironfoot, king under the mountain and Duinn Drakenbane Uzbad of Durin’s Folk.