William Faulkner

**William Faulkner** is an active inhabitant of The Five Territories.

Fucknuts

Little Willie

## Background

### Early Life

William Faulkner, originally known simply as William, was born on the 27th in February of 1882 in a religious mission located in a small Australian Blue Mountains town known as Lithgow. His mother passed away during childbirth and his father is unknown, having left sometime during his mother's early pregnancy.

William grew up in the mission as an orphan with other children and adults as well as the Sisters and the Deacon - Father Zachariah Braeburn - of the church. He had a particular dislike for one sister, Sister May, who would frequently treat him and other children poorly, often putting himself in harms way to protect the other younger children. This abuse led him to despise the religion he was taught and lose faith in God & their teachings.

The dislike for his guardians and 'Home' drove him to explore beyond the mission grounds, frequently visiting a nearby ranch and becoming close friends with the hands there. Those hands were the definition of rough, crude, loud and everything you would want to avoid influencing a young teenager but they treated William like a little brother, teaching him how to handle himself out in the bush and how to be more than 'Good in the eyes of God'. Although spending time with them caused him to receive more punishment from Sister May and the other sisters he continued to visit them until he finally decided to make his own way in the world.

### Later Life

In October of 1898 William decided to leave Australia behind, sick of being kept caged by the mission, and set out with all he could carry to see where the world would take him. He first travelled to Katoomba with the intention of catching a train to Sydney, having an unfortunate altercation with the ticket master. Luckily he met a man by the name of Joseph Hall, a Doctor fascinated with the deceased, who - with a few firm words - convinced the ticket master to not only produce William's ticket but upgrade it to first class free of charge. They shared a private first class room together on the journey to Sydney and shared their stories. Joseph offered William a clean bed and work while he looked for more substantial work and he gladly accepted, staying with Joseph in Sydney.

It wasn't long however until William found a ship heading for America that needed extra hands, jumping at the opportunity to experience a new land. He packed his things, bid Joseph farewell and jumped aboard, thriving in the new experience of life at sea.

The journey was long, taking over a month to finally reach their destination. In that time he became close with many of the crew, sharing stories and experience throughout the trip and learning all he could. At the end of their journey the captain gifted him a broken compass - claiming it to be a good luck charm to keep him on the path he was destined for - and enough money to buy a horse.

With his newly bought horse, wanderlust fuelled excitement and nothing but an old varmint rifle as protection he set out on the trail, using everything he'd learnt along the way to keep himself alive. While on the trail he met a man called Duke McCarthy, the two deciding to travel together until New Austin where they parted ways in early January of 1899.

William then settled in West Elizabeth where he used his skills as an adept hunter to earn his way, eventually meeting Samantha King and Jericho Hankins and working for Emerald Ranch as a hunter, gatherer and ranch hand.

After some time in the area he met Buck Greyson and discovered a new-found goal to become a Doctor. After hard work, a lot of training and the confidence of his peers he took his oath on the 12th of February, 1900 and became a fully-fledged doctor practicing mostly in Valentine and Saint Denis.