Born near Keldabe, Mandalore to Tos'ar Bolts'kan and Pralla Neviik in the Barony of Prosstang in 56 BBY, Arrif Bolts'kan was the second oldest of his parents' sons, and a member of the . At the age of sixteen, he was welcomed to apprentice to Ferrigo Prosstang, as a security officer-in-training for Prosstang Industries. Prosstang was Arrif's uncle on his mother's side (Pralla Neviik and Ferrigo's wife Lorakada were sisters), as well as a very distant cousin by blood. Arrif trained under his uncle, who confided in him that there were once many skills a Mandalorian needed to know to survive, and that Arrif would be learning many of them over the next four years. Ferrigo explained the teachings of his own master, Jaster Mereel, particulalry in regards to the Mandalorian Supercommando Codex,