Born in the mid-twenty ninth century of the Third Age as the younger son of a minor noble residing in Minas Tirith, capital of Gondor, Saelsarn (meaning 'wise stone' in Sindarin) was first educated in the Houses of Lore on the fifth level of the city. Having demonstrated a keen aptitude for a broad range of scholarly subjects (and, since being the younger son, his prospects were otherwise lacking), his father sent him by ship to join the Order of the King's Return - a reclusive community dedicated to the memory of the kings of old, founded a thousand years ago in Gondor, but had since been exiled to Lindon in the far north.

Beginning as a Novice, Saelsarn's wisdom and equable nature allowed him to rise through the Order's ranks, eventually being elected Grand Sage. Upon his accession he led the Order back to Gondor, settling on the tranquil Cape of Belfalas. Learned in antiquity, his expertise concerns the history of Númenor and Gondor, and he is a speaker of Westron, Sindarin and classical Adûnaic. Despite dark clouds gathering over Gondor in these times, the Grand Sage is committed to refraining the Order from involving itself in such matters.