Wormwood is a puppet, he was carved from wood and given sentience by a powerful wizard, who kept Wormwood as his companion until he passed.

When Wormwood's master died, he was taken away from his home by people he didn't know, who made him perform in street acts.

Wormwood was made the laughing stock of the common folk, his undefined features, facelessness and awkward postoring caused him to be mocked and mistreated relentlessly. Until you found him.

Your family helped him, took him in, and thus he has sworn his eternal allegiance to you out of gratitude for your aid.

He has been serving you diligently for years now, never straying away from your side and always keeping his cutlass at the ready.