Tabby Manx

Born in the beautiful city-state, Tolakia, Tabby was thirdborn to the wealthy Manx Merchant family. His parents Peterbald and Abyssinia are nice, hardworking people who balance their life between work and home in such a way that the kids never wanted for anything including attention. His older brother and firstborn Cymric had apprenticed to his father early on to take over the family business leaving Tabby and his older sister Burmilla to study anything their hearts contented, Burmilla went into the arts and Tabby focused on history, chasing the stories his father told him as a boy. Truly an idyllic upbringing. 
While still just a boy there was an archaeological dig not too far from his family estate that tied in with a story his father told him as a child about his ancestor Devon Rex who was said to have been visited by The Cat Lord himself and given a gift of great power that helped his family gain the footing that placed them where they are today in Tolakian society. Absolutely certain they were digging in the wrong place he decided to explore the woods on the western border of the estate where he found a cave entrance leading straight down into the earth. it was here he found his forbearers tomb and the prize that lay inside. He didn't realize it then but the oddly fashionable headband he found and decided to take with him as a souvenir was actually a headband of intellect.
Tabby spent a lot of his later teen years traveling the world with his uncle Selkirk who worked in acquisitions for the Peldrenn Vale Academy. It was during these trips that Tabby learned the finer points of exploring ancient tombs and getting out with the knowledge therein in one piece, he got quite good at it. So good in fact that when it was time for Selkirk to retire Lord Taysir Rhuell himself asked Tabby to take over in his place. With a spot secured in the academy and free reign over the massive library inside Tabby spent all hours of the day not spent hunting for idols of fallen civilizations pouring over ancient texts, absorbing as much knowledge as possible. After a few years he became an acknowledged scholar and a Professor of History as well as the head of acquisitions.