The man who goes by the moniker "Willful Murder' was born Will Cooper in a large village named Ethelton, in the northern part of Gralton. Will was a likable lad, and learned both the cooper's trade, and bow-making skills at his father's side. At the age of fifteen, Will was a journeyman cooper, making a decent wage, and looking to start work under a new Master Cooper, in hopes of getting his own shop and settling down with his sweetheart, Rosalyn Sandy. He was also a good hunter with the bows he made, bringing in most of his family's meat provisions from the forest surrounding Ethelton.
That all changed the day he killed Goodman Rory Kavansk. Rory Kavansk was anything but a good man. Everyone knew the merchant's son was a piece of donkey droppings, that he welched on deals that would get anyone but a wealthy merchant's son a stint in the jail, and that he preyed on the local girls. When an argument about Rosalyn turned ugly, Rory, five years older than Will, pulled an elaborately detailed rapier and made to run the younger boy through. Without thinking, Will pulled his bow and drove an arrow through Rory's eye.
Needless to say, Goodman Sandor Kavansk was not happy with the demise of his son. Though a dozen witnesses swore that Rory drew first, Goodman Kavansk convinced the mayor that Will had deliberately provoked his son, and was guilty of murder. Caving in to the merchant's threats and innuendos, the mayor called for Will's branding and hanging.
The day of the hanging was gray and rainy. First, the boy's hair was cut away to expose his forehead. Then, a red-hot iron was used to sear the words "Willful Murder" into Will's forehead. Finally, with the rain pouring down, a knotted rope was slipped over the boys head and thrown over a tree branch, and he was hoisted into the air. The skies opened and as the Inner Sea's worth of water was dumped on the town, the onlookers scattered. As did the magistrate and executioner.
Will hung there, legs kicking, neck on fire, and the air all around him failing to make its way into his heaving lungs. Then, the rope was cut, and he collapsed onto the ground. Above him stood Kevin Sandy, Rosalyn's father, dagger in hand. "Get out of here, boy. It doesn't matter where you go, but go now. Don't go home, just run." And he did.
A few months later found Will half-starved, and with no idea of how he was going to support himself. He came across a small mercenary band, only a few dozen men at arms and a dozen or so archers. He decided that work of any kind was better than starvation. After showing himself a fair hand with a bow - and disarmed almost immediately when he picked up a longsword - he signed on as an archer with the Blue Knight. Where they asked for his name, he simply answered "Willful Murder".
That was five years ago. Now he has grown his skills with the bow, fought in many skirmishes and even a few larger engagements. Now, he is on his own once more, having built enough skills and a nest egg to try his hand at adventuring, a much more profitable (though dangerous) field than freelance mercenary. He had hit a few ruins with the Blue Knight, and was confident that his skills in both near and far range combat with his bow would be effective in such quarters.
