William Scarlett

William, or Will, Scarlett, (16 January YE 856) is a political fugitive and leader of the Rebellion against King John II. Growing up in the poverty of Nottingham’s Outer Circle that followed The Long Famine, Will became increasingly embroiled in the expanding resentment of the Royal Family, joining the rebellion at the age of eighteen. A tenacious and charming young man, Will swiftly rose to leadership within the rebellion, but he has since been outlawed from the Queendom of East Mercia on charges of terrorism.

Early Life

Will Scarlett was born to Lilly Scarlett and Hugh Scarlett (née Cavendish). He is a twin, born ten minutes after his sister Katherine (Kate) Scarlett. Will and his sister were brought up by their parents in the Outer Circle of Nottingham. He attended Fernwood Free School along with his sister, where he discovered his talents in the sciences and made plans to pursue a career in engineering.

Upon his father’s untimely death due to a factory accident in YE 860, their mother Lily worked multiple jobs while raising her children and doing everything she could to provide for the family in her husband’s absence. Despite the family’s financial struggles, Lily adopted Alana Dale, a young Hycatha on the run, in YE 874. According to neighbours, Will took strongly to his new sister, but he still always showed more concern for Kate.

Likely due to the poor working conditions, Lily was diagnosed with IPF (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) when her children were still young teenagers. Will’s mother continued to work despite her condition. Will had thoroughly enjoyed his time at school and had become hugely popular amongst his classmates, but his time at Fernwood was cut short when he was forced to leave at sixteen in order to find work in the place of his struggling mother.

Will was only twenty-one when his mother passed away in YE 877, leaving him and Kate to care for their newly adopted younger sister. The passing of his mother was a powerful stimulus for Will’s political motivations. He became determined to provide a better life for those that had suffered as he and his sisters had.

Career

Will began working at the age of sixteen as a farmhand and labourer for multiple local businesses in the city’s Outer Circle. Having excelled in school, Will was able to find an apprenticeship in engineering at the Derwent Industrial Complex. During the apprenticeship, Will continued to take on shifts at local farms to support his family. While it was well known that Will had the makings of an excellent engineer, his penchant for troublemaking and his growing involvement with the rebellion urged him to follow a different path.

Role in the Rebellion

Will found his calling within the radical atmosphere of the rebellion, where his talents were hugely appreciated. Following the death of his mother, Will grew increasingly passionate about the rebellion. He blamed the King and Sheriff for the suffering his family had endured and after rapidly rising through the movement’s ranks, Will had taken leadership of the rebellion at the age of twenty-one. Taking over from his own mentor Poulsen within the party, Will has led the rebellion to seek more radical and destructive means of disrupting the Royal power.