Within the ranks of the Flame Legion, magical aptitude is a highly valued trait. Cubs that exhibit such talent are put through vigorous training, with the more powerful flame legion spellcasters chosen to act as Primus, teacher and mentor, for these prospective and potential young shamans. A Primus chosen for this role inherently acquires a particular degree of importance within the Legion, and with such power and prestige comes a degree of cruelty.

As a cub, Searvok exhibited the greatest degree of magical talent his Primus had ever seen. Many other cubs training to form what would become the Ember warband also displayed similar levels of skill, but the ease with which Searvok channeled the fury and power of elemental fire was without compare. More than a few shamans and leaders of the Legion saw in Searvok a potential future Imperator, and perhaps even the charr that would one day lead the Flame Legion in victory against their enemies.

But Searvok's Primus was a particularly cruel one, who believed that hostility and animosity amongst his comrades would foster strength. Time and time again, the Primus would compel the cubs of the future Ember warband to face each other in magical duels. Though these vicious, bloody battles never dampened the bond that developed between Searvok and his fellow cubs, it did ultimately end in tragedy when, during one notable mock battle, Searvok was bested by one of his comrades, and at the urging of the Primus to "show no mercy, even to a defeated foe", Searvok was grievously and irrevocably wounded.

As it turns out, while singed fur can regrow and burnt flesh can mend, a mind touched by excessive heat and fire never fully recovers. In an instant, Searvok's life was changed, and the once powerful spell-slinging cub destined for greatness was reduced to a dull, slow-witted brute.

Not even the loss of his bright future could tarnish Searvok's newly-found and perpetually jovial nature, and he devoted himself to his warband and his friends. Despite his lack of complex reasoning and intellectual acuity, Searvok proved to be a capable and merciless fighter, his combat style amplified by the occasional and unexpected bursts of magical fire that would accentuate his movements and attacks. Searvok secured a lasting place within his warband, and his band mates were as committed to his well being as he was to theirs.

Whether or not he resents his upbringing and the events that resulted in his shattered mind remains unknown, as Searvok has never found the words to adequately speak of his past. Even now, though, many years into adulthood, should Searvok find himself staring into an open flame, whether a dying candle or a roaring forge, a sense of recollection seems to flicker in his gaze, and those who new him as a cub can swear they see the charr they once knew.

But such memories, if they exist at all, vanish as quickly as they come...

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