Background
Krem was born to a
Tevinter tailor. Although raised as a typical girl, Krem realized he was different from the girls that he knew, and would often pretend to shave with his father. After reaching adulthood, Krem's mother began to pressure him to marry the son of a wealthy merchant to save the family from
slavery. Krem refused, and his relationship with his mother was destroyed.
Some time later, a Tevinter
magister, in an attempt to save the poor from the cold, had his slaves make clothes and sell them for almost nothing. Unable to compete with slave labor, Krem's father was put out of business and forced to sell himself into slavery to save his family. He became one of the
servus publicus.
After his father's sacrifice, Krem joined the army, but since women's roles in the Tevinter military are heavily restricted, Krem concealed his gender status by bribing the healer who performed military physicals. His charade went on for several years, but when the healer was called away on duty, the new healer discovered Krem's secret and reported him to the authorities. Faced with the threat of slavery or execution for falsifying military documents, Krem ran, but was caught in a border town's tavern by a Tevinter tribune and his men. As the tribune and his men attacked Krem for deserting (to "make an example" out of him), the
Iron Bull came to Krem's defense, losing his eye when he came in between Krem and a Tevinter's flail.
Afterward, the Iron Bull healed Krem's injuries and asked if he wanted a job. Krem joined Bull's mercenary company, the Bull's Chargers, eventually rising to become Bull's second-in-command, often leading the Chargers on missions in Iron Bull's stead.
