Born into a poor but tight-knit working family, Hank was always the type of person who could be relied upon. The majority of his childhood was spent at the docks, playing with and helping the laborers. It was obvious from the start of his adolescence that he was a hardworking stevedore. Once his parents died, his rare nights off consisted of competitive brawls and drunken revelry with his group of roughnecks.

One day, while loading crates into an airship bound on an obscure expedition, a group of cultists tried to sabotage the voyage by attacking the passengers. Hank helped to bust up what he saw as miscreants, and was surprised when his little bit of fun was rewarded by a small fortune to secure his services. Needless to say, Hank took the job and never looked back.