@Anders was born and raised in a small village in @Ferelden. His father was originally from the @Anderfels, but had come to @Ferelden as a boy. Anders was well-liked in his village, and could often be seen surrounded by a gaggle of children. When he was twelve years old, he accidentally set a barn on fire with magic. While his mother still loved him and wanted to protect him, his father grew afraid of him and called the templars. He was handcuffed and taken by the templars to the Fereldan Circle Tower. The only personal possession he was allowed to keep was a pillow hand-embroidered by his mother.
Upon arriving at the Circle, Anders refused to speak, not even to tell the other apprentices his name. They began calling him "the Ander" because of his heritage, and Anders eventually became the only name he'd use. Anders despised the Circle and saw it as a prison. He first attempted escape six months after his arrival. Before his recapture, he saved the life of Bann Ferrenly, for which he received a pendant as reward. When asked why he'd escaped, he tearfully replied that he simply wanted to go home. Despite his repeated escape attempts, First Enchanter Irving believed that Anders, however reckless, posed no true threat and counselled that he be treated with greater kindness.
When Anders was still an apprentice, he met and befriended an older boy, Karl Thekla. The two were inseparable for many years and eventually became more than friends. Anders made no escape attempts in the years when the two were together. Shortly after their Harrowing, Karl was transferred to Kirkwall's Gallows, a move which Anders did not take well. He escaped shortly after, only to be recaptured on the docks of West Hill, attempting to buy passage to Kirkwall.
Anders once managed to escape the Circle Tower by swimming across Lake Calenhad during a weekly training exercise for apprentices. He was caught again one week later. His sixth escape attempt earned him a year of solitary confinement. His only company was the tower's mouser, Mr. Wiggums. According to Anders, the cat later became possessed by a rage demon and took out three templars. His seventh and final escape from Kinloch Hold occurred at some point prior to Uldred's coup.
During at least one of his escape attempts, Anders ended up spending time at the Pearl brothel in Denerim, where he met @Isabela.