When troubles came to Maraddon, Maraddonians would flee in droves to other empires. When they came to Akazad, the Akazadians would do the same. Such it was with the Doukhan family, during one of the many minor conflicts that boiled up. Entrenched as allies to elven secessionists, they were forced to flee after a failed coup attempt hundreds of years ago.

So it was that Willa's father came to Maraddon. Setting up in the forested hills of the central empire, Morband Doukhan raised his family as simple farmers, but his daughter Willa took to the forests more than the hills, and soon, she was out learning woodcraft from the local hunters and woodsmen. By the time she was 120, her parents had found a mentor for her amongst a small band of rangers.

The rangers, personal servants of the local baron, who tended the forest, took Willa in and taught her everything they could, and she excelled. Her hardy frame made her adept at the ranging and survival. She excelled so much, she came to the attention of a high ranking noble visiting the baron for a hunt, and was soon recruited to the Special Forces...