Frank had the benefits of being born and raised in human society and thus received a rudimentary education at the orphanage, learning how to read and write, as well as instilling a calmer temperament than what most half-orcs are known for (though Frank does possess a mean streak about him). However, due to his orcish heritage and appearance all the other children at the orphanage were constantly picking on Frank the moment he was old enough to walk around on his own, and thus Frank has had to constantly use his fists against others for pretty much his entire life. At the age of ten, Frank's mother had finally figured out a way to escape the courtesan's guild and when she did, she hurriedly re-adopted Frank as her own son and fled the city.

For the next four years Frank lived with his mother and had to get used to a hard-scrabble street life as his mother did everything she could to keep the both of them fed and with shelter, and Frank did whatever he could to help as well. As Frank hit his growth spurt he rapidly became intimidating even to men twice his age and he wasn't afraid to protect himself and his mother from those who would try to take advantage of either of them, still putting his fists to good use. As Frank turned fourteen, his mother met and married a wealthy (but unscrupulous) merchant, hoping that the merchant's riches would provide for the both of them for the rest of their lives.

The merchant did not like the prospect of being a father, particularly to a son that wasn't his and was half an orc. However, having the keen eye for business operation, he did see that Frank could be a source of cheap labor and his natural orc strength would be of great benefit in helping to haul around his wares. It was then that Frank was subjected to back-breaking work for the next four years of his life, and all he would receive in return was food, bed, shelter, and a lecture from his adopted father on how he should be grateful that he was provided for in such a manner.

Entering a sort of rebellious teenager phase, Frank sought out to make some coin of his own since his father would give him none. In his spare time, Frank took a job at a local tavern serving drinks to a rowdy sort of crowd. At this establishment, they also hosted boxing matches: Bare-knuckled pugilist fights that the crowd could bet on and the contenders would knock each other out to earn a cash prize. Frank, figuring he was pretty handy with his fists given he'd been forced to constantly punch people from the age of four, participated in one of these matches one night and earned more money than he had ever possessed at one time in an incredibly short period of time. Frank was hooked from the start and would continue to make good use of his fists.

Frank gradually devoted more and more of his efforts to being a boxer rather than the work his father issued him. One night, at the age of eighteen, it all came to a head when his father had discovered what he had been doing and raged at him, obviously angered over the fact Frank was working hard for others and not for himself. Frank's father begun to slap Frank around, but Frank managed to keep his rising temper under control. Then Frank's mother entered the room and tried to physically restrain his father from continuing his assaults. This caused Frank's father to slap her across the face, and then Frank finally allowed his orcish blood to take control as he beat his father within inches of his life.

Frank's father called out for his guards and they immediately knocked Frank unconscious and, upon his father's orders, drug him off to jail. Frank was disowned by his father, despite desperate pleadings from his mother, and he made a healthy "donation" to the local magistrate to make sure the criminal charges would stick and Frank would be jailed for a number of years. Frank received a five-year sentence.

Frank's mother, unbeknownst to his father, still visited him infrequently on occasions to reassure him and give him little care packages to make his imprisonment a bit more tolerable. Frank had to continue making use of his fists to keep the other prisoners away from that which was his, otherwise Frank served his sentence with a begrudging acceptance and counted the days until he would be free and reunited with his mother. When he had served all five years of his term, he was set free.

Frank immediately went looking for his mother but only found hired thugs waiting for him. Frank was told to either leave the city, or else his father would ensure he would never be able to talk to his mother ever again... because he wasn't afraid to render his mother unable to talk in the permanent sense. Checkmated, Frank left with tears in his eyes as he was unable to even tell his mother what had happened and why he had to disappear.

Traveling down a lonely path on his own two feet and no food or coin to his name, Frank happened upon some sort of commune outside the city and entered it hoping to beg for some food and drink in exchange for an honest days work. The commune turned out to be a monastery of monks, and they were more than happy to oblige. Frank observed the daily martial routine of the monks and was impressed at their skill and how they were able to break solid objects with their hands alone. Frank requested to become a member of the monastery, and after a short test where he was able to prove his discipline and martial potential, they accepted him.

During Frank's time at the monastery Frank excelled at all his physical and martial training, but during sessions of more spiritual matters and focusing inward on one's self, Frank displayed little enthusiasm, perhaps due to the orc that resided in his blood. After a year there Frank decided he had learned all his instructors could teach him when it came to using his fists (and now Frank was acquainted with using his feet to attack as well), but they informed Frank that his training was incomplete as he had not yet understood how to focus his ki correctly, that he still had much to learn in all matters of gaining strength from within his soul. Frank agreed with them but he said it was a lesson he couldn't understand from behind walls, and he needed to set out on his own. His instructors informed him that if this is his choice, then so be it, but the lessons that Frank must learn would be taught to him the hard way through much blood and hopefully not too much of Frank's own. Frank's response: "Thas okay, I been learnin' from da school o' hard knocks muh whole life."

Frank is often thought of as stupid, which is understandable considering that a lot of the time he gives people a good reason to think so. The truth is that Frank is actually intellectually lazy; he is capable of comprehending difficult subjects, but he rarely puts forth the mental effort to do so. His lack of formal education is partly the cause of this sort of behavior, as well as being repeatedly punched in the head all of his life. Otherwise, Frank does possess at least average intelligence and above-average wisdom (street-smarts), though he doesn't often bother to display either unless circumstances dictate that it is essential that he do so.