As people know him today, Corwyn is the result of hard work and good fortune. Born of a Scottish father and an Irish mother, Corwyn grew up in the small family holdings as a farmer's son. Upon reaching the age of majority, he felt the strong urges of wanderlust grip his soul, and thus he left home to travel the world as a sailor and sell-sword.

    After some time of these wanderings, he encountered the Vrijbuit Shipping Company and was hired on as a crewman. After a year or so, he was offered the position of captain on Robert Balfor Lewis's ship, which he immediately accepted. He then spent another year in Master Lewis' employ, enjoying the freedom and wealth offered by the position.

    Shortly thereafter, Corwyn was taking a load of cargo to France, when he was set upon by a frigate and two square-riggs flying Spanish flags. All seemed  quite dark, for Corwyn was at a three-to-one disadvantage, though the square-riggs were little threat on their own. The tide turned, however, during their first salvo. Corwyn managed to gain position on the Spanish frigate, and fired first. One of the shots, born of skill and luck, took the wheel of the frigate off cleanly, leaving her helpless. Thus changing the odds in his favor, and demoralizing the Spanish, Corwyn turned on the square-riggs and took their surrender with little further combat. Corwyn took the ships to a safe harbor and had them repaired and declared salvage, and therefore his own.

    Even though he spent most of his time away from his family, he kept in touch with them as he had learned his letters at an early age. Word reached him that his father had passed away, and that Corwyn was named as the heir to the forty acres of land instead of his older half-brother, Seamus. This pleased him to no end, for not only was he now a landowner, but it pulled Seamus' teeth, for Seamus and Corwyn had never gotten along well. Which is to say, that their father had forbade them to ever bring weapons to use upon the other.

    Since then, Corwyn has continued in his life's career as a merchant and landowner, increasing his wealth and watching his half-brother Seamus' life fall further and further into the depths of misfortune.

    Corwyn is a hard but fair man, meting out punishment when due without reservation, but also offering rewards for a job well done. He is a hard bargainer, and can sneak with the best of them. Qualities that further his earning and vex Seamus' plans for revenge. Corwyn is polite and gentlemanly when the need arises. 

   He has a prejudice against member of the nobility, particularly when they use their authority unfairly or over Corwyn's affairs, but recognized that one must work with them to survive in the world.