Charles W. Craven (known as Charles William Raven), is the illegitimate son of William Craven, 2^nd Baron Craven. His mother was forced to leave the Baron and to raise Charles alone.

Eight months later she was raped and murdered at an inn. Charles was cared for by the innkeepers who kept his mother’s death a secret from him until he was old enough to understand.

Charles worked as a carpenter at an early age and studied the basics of astronomy when he could.

 On the night he discovered the truth about his mother’s death, he drowned his sorrows with his favourite tipple. The next morning he awoke aboard ‘The Duke’, to discover he had been press-ganged. He served as a carpenter for several years until he jumped ship and joined the crew of a Dutch trading vessel. Almost a year had passed when the vessel was attacked and destroyed. Charles was found several hours later, floating on some debris, by the crew of the Avenger.