A little thread resurrection here - maybe his parents were in the Legion, and he was raised in an Imperial city, not on a stronghold. Maybe he's connected somehow, by blood, marriage, or legion association, to Ghorza in Markarth or Urag at the mages college, is traveling to see them for reasons family or otherwise. Maybe he was a comrade in arms of Rikke, or (more of a stretch) Ulfric and Galmar. Maybe he came to study smithing with Eorlund Greymane, in an effort to become the Smith to Surpass All Smiths.
A little thread resurrection here - maybe his parents were in the Legion, and he was raised in an Imperial city, not on a stronghold. Maybe he's connected somehow, by blood, marriage, or legion association, to Ghorza in Markarth or Urag at the mages college, is traveling to see them for reasons family or otherwise. Maybe he was a comrade in arms of Rikke, or (more of a stretch) Ulfric and Galmar. Maybe he came to study smithing with Eorlund Greymane, in an effort to become the Smith to Surpass All Smiths.