Franklin Tiller emerges into the world under the harsh sun of a coastal village, the thirteenth son of an impoverished fisherman. He grows up amidst the salt and brine, his dreams commandeered by the tales of the high seas. By twelve, he runs away from home, finds work as a cabin boy aboard The Sea Serpent, and quickly earns a reputation as a diligent worker with an unyielding curiosity about the ocean's secrets. His frail but tenacious frame weathers multiple voyages through perilous waters, earning him the respect of seasoned sailors.
Years go by, hardening Franklin into a seasoned sailor and eventually promoting him to the first mate's position. He attains a rugged appearance fitted with a red headscarf, weathered clothing, and a fur-lined cloak that wards off the chill of the sea. One fateful day, his vessel encounters the notorious pirate ship Blood Omen. A fierce battle ensues, culminating in Franklin being reluctantly pressed into the pirates' service after his ship succumbs.
During his time with the Blood Omen, Franklin's latent talents as a tactician and charismatic leader shine. He makes an impression even on the feared captain, earning his place among them by negotiating plunder and exploring uncharted waters. However, his rise is fleeting; an ill-omened expedition to a cursed island ends in disaster. Shrouded in forbidden mists, they awaken ancient guardians that lay waste to the crew. Franklin meets his mortal end when jagged talons ensnare him, pulling him into a watery abyss.
Death scarcely marks the end for Franklin. He is resurrected under a potent curse that binds his soul to his skeletal remains, rendering him an undead entity with yellowish-brown bones and a detailed bone structure. His skull, lifelike in its texture, bears no eyes, only hollow sockets that bore into those who dare meet his gaze. His cloak, tattered but still trimmed with dark fur, drapes over a skeleton torso that remains exposed to the elements. Clad in pirate-appropriate attire, Franklin navigates his existence with the enduring determination of a seeker.
Undeath imbues Franklin with newfound purpose. No longer confined to the terrestrial realms of a mortal sailor, he journeys through spectral waters and haunted shipwrecks, gathering forgotten relics and arcane knowledge. His personality evolves from the eager, wide-eyed boy to a sagacious entity, driven by an insatiable need to uncover the truths of the afterlife and the mysteries of the watery deep. He often visits old haunts and taverns, seen only by those who are similarly cursed or on the brink of death themselves, sharing tales and wisdom with the damned. His gravitas and aura of eerie calm earn him the nickname "The Phantom Mariner." Glimpses of his red headscarf or the flutter of his dark fur cloak are rumored omens among those who dare the seas, some claiming it brings salvation, others doom.
Franklin's history tangles further when he encounters the living; he becomes an ombudsman of sorts for those seeking the balance between life and death. He assists those lost at sea, steering them toward peaceful rest or, at times, vengeance. Navigating between realms requires wading through political currents of specter factions and mortal authorities, making his existence a complex web of allegiances and rivalries.