Duncan's family has been thatchers for a good dozen generations back. Indeed, their very surname came from the proud profession of…making and mending roofs. So naturally, when Duncan came of age he…apprenticed to a blacksmith? In truth, this turn of events was not one that was unwelcome by his father, for he already had an elder brother that had gone into the family business, and there was good money in smithing, especially as the Corsair Wars had been raging for a few years by the time he started his apprenticeship. Duncan had always been a big and strong lad, and as it so happened, he seemed to have a natural talent for the forge. Indeed, he learned so quickly that the blacksmith he apprenticed to quickly realized he would be better suited to more than common smithing, and so he reached out through the Guild to find a more specialized master for young Duncan that could make full use of his natural talents. He soon found one in Master Arn Calderson, an armorsmith in nearby Laketown that had trained under the Royal Armorsmith of the Taniford family. At first, Master Calderson was hesitant to take on a new apprentice, no matter how talented, but Duncan's timing proved fortuitous, as he was just in the process of once again begging Master Arn for another chance to learn from him when some less-than-upstanding fellows arrived to demand some "protection" money from him. When Arn refused to pay, the toughs moved to attack him. Thinking quickly, Duncan grabbed one of the smith's hammers and moved to defend the man. In the end, the two would-be-extortionists were dead, but Duncan's left leg had been badly broken in more than one spot thanks to a couple blows from one of the hoodlums' maces. The leg would never heal quite right, leaving Duncan with a pronounced limp, but now feeling he owed the boy a debt, Arn Calderson took him in as his apprentice.
Master Arn's skills were in tremendous demand due to the ongoing Corsair War, and so Duncan rapidly gained plenty of experience at the craft. While Duncan likely could have gone into business for himself much sooner, he stayed on with Master Arn for ten full years, first as his apprentice, then as his assistant, and finally as his partner. Aside from the smithing of armor, weapons, and sundries, Duncan also learned much of how to run a successful business from Master Arn, and had already been earning a solid wage for several years when old Master Arn finally passed. Master Arn had been so devoted to his craft that he had no wife or children, so no one found it unusual when upon his passing, the business passed into Duncan's hands. Over the closing decade of the Corsair Wars Duncan made quite a name for himself as an armorsmith who could not only work quickly but provide a quality product while doing so. His business flourished, and while he was not the most wealthy armorsmith in Laketown, his skills were well-respected within the Guild and he made quite a comfortable living. Being a rather cheerful and outgoing fellow, Duncan was a popular sight in the taverns of Laketown as well, occasionally taking the time for a drink or a gamble when he needed to unwind. As he passed into the middle of his third decade, Duncan showed no signs of slowing down, as hale and healthy as an ox as he hammered away at his forge.
