Small and weak, Gilly grew up being picked on by the other kids in his village. His father was a lens grinder and made spectacles for academics. A respected fellow, but also a bit of a milquetoast. His mother was just plain fat and ugly -- the best mate Shaugrin Paradax could hope for, unfortunately. At school, Gilly was picked on and bullied, kicked down stairs and pushed into the latrines on a regular basis.

As he entered his teenage years, he caught the eye of one of his father's customers, a self-styled sorcerer who dabbled in magic powders and infernal devices. Silence Mulciber, the alchemist, offered to teach Gilly the Art in exchange for manual labor around his home and laboratory. When the boy hesitated, Mulciber whispered in his ear: "I can teach you to blow those big boys to smithereens if you like."

Gilly started work the very next day.