Elfred hails from Moleryn in the Thardic Republic. Being a former legionnaire, Elfred mustered out after eight years of service as an archer in the Ramala legion. He spent several years as a mercenary, hiring as caravan guard on the salt route and other expeditions. Being tired of the life on the road, he convinced Sir Lardis to take him into his service when the two met in Burzyn in 718 TR. While Sir Lardis would have preferred a longbowman for the job, Elfred's experience in fighting barbarians just as in drilling inexperienced recruits gave him an advantage. He has a dozen men of the militia under his command, whom he has trained to become archers. With the lord's permission, he has allowed several of the women to participate in the training, with the result that the village could muster about a dozen reasonably skilled archers.

Elfred, in the self-sufficient tradition of the legion, also has skills as a fletcher and bowyer. The adjacent building next to his house is a workshop where he makes bows and arrows.