Named simply 'Gad' at birth, he grew up among the Beornings but never felt at ease with their insular nature, ever longing to explore the world beyond their borders in the Vale of Anduin. He became a weaponsmith of note among his people, raised a family, saw his family raise families, all the while surpressing his wanderlust. Ten winters ago his wife passed peacefully into the great unknown, he laid her in the earth and, satisfied he had filled his responsibilities to kith and kin, he bade farewell to his people, took up his staff and left the Vale of Anduin to begin his travels, taking the prefix 'Beornen' in honour of his heritage. Since then he has wandered Middle Earth discovering new places and meeting new peoples, gathering a store of knowledge from the assorted songs, tales and histories penned and told by the races of the world. In the Shire, where he is known with healthy irreverance as 'Gaddy,' he learned of riddles and pipe-weed. He has sung with the dwarves who name him in their secret tongue as 'Gamilturg' or 'Oldbeard' and he has studied under the lore-masters of Rivendell where he earned his elf name 'Crabanrandir', 'Ravenwanderer.'