Wiljon was born to a soldier, Imland of Calembel, and a modest seamstress, Mersa Tumblebark of Combe, in 3rd Era 2996.  The father, Imland, was a captain of a small mercenary company known as the Gryphon's of Gondor that had work in Bree-Land, though they were from Calembel far, far to the south.  Imland's orders took him and his company abroad before Wiljon's birth.  Because they were not properly married Mersa never took Imland's name as her own.  Letters and parcels were delivered often but when Wiljon was aged four they stopped altogether.  Many heartbreaking months heaped on Mersa before news of Imland's company's routing beyond the Misty Mountains reached her in Combe.

Wiljon did not want for love from his mother but he lacked a stern and purposeful father's hand in his upbringing.  He lived most of his very young life running amok in the Chetwood and Archet Vale.  The older he grew the less his mother spoke of his father and so he came to dream of heroism and deeds unparalleled for which his father was likely not known.

In the winter before his twelfth year Mersa succumbed to the darkness within and perhaps the darkness creeping ever closer from without.  Long seasons of melancholy and hard work broke her spirit and she collected her son from his aimless life and fled through Bree and into the north. When her meager means ran out she brought them to the edge of a deep gorge and beckoned her son to follow her to his father whereupon she threw herself into the turbulent river hundreds of spans below.

What little family Wiljon had left after the tragedy did as they had means to for the orphan but his heart and his mind were set on grander matters than plowing, brewing and milling.  For the next ten years he worked as a courier and scout for the watches of Archet, Combe and Staddle, growing in strength and learning whatever he could that put him closer to the father he had imagined for himself.  And to his shame he put much distance between himself and his family only to lose them all in the burning of Archet by the Blackwold brigands.