Malphur was born in Palamon, a small town in the wilds ruled by the corrupt Magister Loken,1 and was still a child when Jaren Ward first visited.2 After being threatened with death by Loken, Jaren Ward killed the corrupt ruler, liberating the town.3
Some time later Dredgen Yor visited Palamon. The events that unfolded are not well documented, but the town was left in ruins.4
Ward attempted to guide nine people, including Malphur, from Palamon to the City. Three were killed during the journey.5 Some time after the trek began, the group awoke to the sound of gunfire, and to find Ward missing. Malphur set out to look for Ward to discover that Ward had been killed by Dredgen Yor.56
Ward's Ghost gave Malphur The Last Word, and chose him to be his next Guardian.5
Years later, Shin Malphur met Dredgen Yor at Dwindler's Ridge, where Malphur finally ended Yor's reign of terror.4 Later, Shin remarked that Yor gave him Jaren’s gun as a means to tempt him to revenge.7 According to Shin, Yor meant to push Shin towards his “true destiny” by letting Shin kill him.78
After Yor’s death, Shin and Teben Grey formed the Shadows of Yor.9 He adopted the name Zyre Orsa, also known as Dredgen Vale.10 With the help of the Vanguard, he planted conversations to establish the Shadows as a threat.10 Operating as Dredgen Vale, Shin was the one said to have “tamed” the sickness of Thorn, making it useable for Guardians.11
At some point, Shin began writing to the Guardian in an attempt to keep them from straying from the Light.12 However, he later said that he had no real influence on the Guardian’s decision, as they had already chosen the Light over the Darkness.13 After this, he gave the Guardian The Last Word.14
Shin eventually revealed his plans to hunt down rogue Guardians chasing the Darkness to the Guardian.10 Shin used his identities as the Renegade and as Dredgen Vale to draw out Guardians tempted by the Darkness and eliminate them.
