Oliver Sands is a orphan of the Ionia slave plantations. Abandoned as a child, he's never met his parents. Despite living in the slave plantations, Oliver has never been a slave, which he sometimes regrets—slaves, at least, get to eat every day. He often does not.
Shortish height with a thin, wiry build. Reddish hair, brown eyes, hooked nose, thin jaw. Tends to carry himself with his shoulders back.
Oliver's attitude and mouth do not lend themselves well to authority, which has alienated him from just about any gang he's encountered. Bouncing from group to group, he eventually fell in with a small group living on the fringes of society, avoiding purges, and stealing to meet their needs.
Like most Ionians with "Sands" as a last name, Oliver doesn't know who his parents are. He grew up in a no-name orphanage, but was kicked out at a young age for causing trouble. From there, he survived by stealing from local gangs and sleeping in abandoned flats. His propensity to steal frequently landed him in trouble, and he often had to move to a new area when he was targeted by a local gang or, worse, a boss.
He met Branson Sands while attempting to rob a boss Bran was scouting. Oliver had accounted for everyone except a member who'd fell sick. Bran saw him and intervened to keep Oliver from getting caught. The two hit it off and Bran offered Oliver a place with their "team". It took Oliver two weeks to accept, not wanting to tie himself down. Another close call convinced him. He's been part of that gang ever since.
Oliver is intelligent but impetuous, often speaking before he's really thought about the consequences. He's quick to come up with ideas, and not very good at criticizing them, tending to assume it will go exactly as he's planned.
He is highly adaptable, but prone to getting himself into troubling situations. His ability to adjust to just about any situation with is probably the only reason he's still alive.
He has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, often morbid, which he sometimes uses to throw others off balance.