Rip Hemlock

## Early Life

Rip was born on June 22nd, 1873. He believed he had lost his parents, Sophia Kiramman and James McKenny at a young age to an unknown cause although many people expect this to be the work of the ever elusive "Saint". After he spent his early teen years trying his best with the Saints, he managed to escape, leaving behind his 3 little sisters, Judy, Ezra and Maddie, and forgetting his old ways of life in favor of a more reasonable and peaceful life. He always tried his best to never hurt anyone but sometimes it had to be what it was. By the time he was able to, he enlisted in the army to try and find something stable in his life. He spent time overseas during the Spanish-American War, before arriving on a boat in a strange new place...

## Gilded

He set his feet on dry land and was immediately accosted by 2 gentlemen, pestering him for some food. Rip didn't have much on him given his current situation, but they continued to bother him, ultimately threatening him. Rip proceeded to beat one of them senseless until his friend jumped in and knocked him out and left him in the streets. A kind pedestrian came around and helped him come back to his senses. Rip then rode west in search of honest work. He met Nathaniel Graves and Francis Matthews and their respective better halves, Charlotte "Lottie" Graves and Brielle Evans, the owners of the Grizzly Creek Ranch as well as Jesse Reed and Meryl Geller, a young couple that lived out on the ranch that worked with Lottie, Brie and Francis during their time as doctors. During his time at the ranch he began to take train rides to see a young lady outside of the county, it is unknown what her name was. By some stroke of luck they had concieved a child. Rip and the mother picked out the name Lorelei Mae for their daughter and she was born without issues, however she would soon pass after her birth due to congenital birth defects that could not be corrected with medicine. After their daughter's passing, the mother disappeared with Rip not understanding why God continued to punish him. For the rest of his time on the ranch as a ranch manager, Rip was bitter and dissatisfied with the life he was currently living. He began to sleep in more in the bunkhouse and not enjoy the work he was doing. He tried to distract himself from his past and adopted two orphaned girls named Saoirse (ser-shuh) and Soko and they did their best to try to fill the void that was left in Rip but he began to obsess over finding Lorelei's mother. He soon left the county to go searching.

### Notable Events during the Gilded times

-The Separation of Grizzly Ranch and Grizzly Stables, culminating in the divorce of Lottie and and Nathan, and the dissolvement of Francis and Brie's Engagement.

-Rip and Francis brutally beating and interrogating a rival blacksmith to the ranch who had tried to send a gang after Cyrus Banks, the Grizzly Creek Blacksmith.

-Rip gunning down a man who tried to steal his cattle when he was taking them to the butcher.

-Rip and Buck Walker, a fellow ranch hand, becoming livestock agents and investigating many cases of price gouging and theivery in the ranching and stable business.

-Celo Lopez, a coworker of Rip, attempting to murder Francis by tossing him off a bridge. This led to Francis having a severe head injury and having multiple seizures to where Rip had to help Francis around the ranch for several months.

-Jesse Reed and Meryl Geller united in Holy Matrimony near Cumberland Falls. Buck Walker and Rip attended this special event.

## Starlight

Rip hopped off the train to visit some old friends who had recently established themselves a new homestead in the form of Til Claymore and her husband Jonathan and Ashley Harlow and her husband Raphael. Rip found a slight semblance of joy in speaking to and seeing them again after they had left their old home. Rip then jumped another train after receiving a letter from an old friend from the Gilded times.

## Ruthless

Rip arrived and was met by his friend Juliette Hemlock, who had adopted Rip as a brother due to their similarities. Juliette helped Rip start his career as a lawman which by all accounts so far has been extraordinary, being transferred all throughout the state and helping in the notable arrests of Perseus Delony and his gang that resided in Van Horn. In these arrests he made a very good friend in the form of Jane Ann Mikaelson. However, not long after he began to receive letters from Saint as she had finally found the lost boy from so many years before. Now only time will tell what happens from here....