Cursing the idiocy of primogeniture--which left his moronic eldest brother baron upon their father's death--he instead switched to the study of law. Through a series of quirks and coincidences, he has managed to carve out a bit of a niche dealing with the legalities of ownership of antiquities.
His love of learning is both a strength and a weakness: he has a broad range of knowledge, but unfortunately little depth of understanding in any fields other than religion and law. His bookish nature makes him less of a fighter, although he can be scrappy and has learned to defend himself from bullies. (Growing up with two older brothers will have that effect....)
He is somewhat shy, and uses sarcasm as a defense mechanism. He is often off-putting at first, but those who get to know him find him to be an incredibly loyal ally and a visciously cunning foe. He has a puckish streak, and has been known to play elaborate practical jokes on those with whom he feels comfortable.