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Barton 'Bearkiller' was a infamous brigand who appears in The Missing Prince. The leader of a small group of criminals who operated in Redmont Fief, he was captured by Will Treaty and Madelyn Altman.

History[]

Barton (last name unknown) was born sometime around 642 or 643 C.E., most likely somewhere in Araluen. At some unknown point in time, Barton chanced upon the dead carcass of an elderly bear which he skinned or had skinned and made into a cloak. In order to increase his feared reputation, Barton claimed he had killed the bear with a blow from his cudgel after it attacked him, which, despite the audacity of the claim and the poor quality of the cap's appearance, was generally believed, causing Barton to eventually don the name "Bearkiller".

Barton eventually became the leader of a band of three bandits (himself excluded), which eventually began to operated within the borders of Redmont Fief. The gang eventually gained some notoriety in the district for preying on and attacking not just small villages and farmers returning from and going to the farming market, but also multiple elderly men, all of whom had been outnumbered four to one and became responsible for half a dozen beatings, all of which had left their victims bruised and bleeding. However, though Barton might style himself as a fearless bearslayer, if the victim in question was travelling in groups or guarded, the band would allow their intended victims to pass unhindered, as Barton was not willing to risk his neck in a confrontation with armed men. As such precautious actions were taken out more often, Barton began contemplating abandoning their current position in Redmont and begin new operations in a new province in order to regain their rich and constant source of riches and avoid capture.

The Missing Prince[]

Barton and his gang's atrocities eventually reached the ears of Will Treaty, causing the Ranger and his apprentice, Madelyn, to set out to capture the brigands and bring them before Baron Arald's court for trial.

One day, Barton and his gang scrutinized a heavily-laden farmer's cart from the concealment of the tree line, Barton himself watching from the low branch, inspecting the cart squeaking by. Just then, one of his men, Donald, tweaks his leg and points out the obvious large number of products ladening the cart, asking the self-styled 'Bearkiller' if they should attack, which Barton replies with the simple question of why they would do such a thing before sneering at his dim-witted follower when Donald points out that they could seize and sell the product, asking Donald why they should go to all the work when the 'farmer' could sell it for them, jerking his head at the huddled figure. A bewildered Donald points out that if the farmer sells the farmstock, they would not be able to steal them from him, something Barton answered deliberately slowly, wording how their victim would instead have the money exchanged to his products at the farmers market, causing Donald to finally grasp the point. Knowing it would be several hours before the cart retracted its drive, Barton, after putting Donald on watch, stretches out on the thick grass on the far side of his tree, pulling his cloak's bearskin mask over his eyes to shade them as he rests, which was copied by his two other henchmen.

As midafternoon sets in, the farm cart the bandits had watch make its way to the market returns, once again under the brigands hidden gazes. As the cart disappears from view in a small dip in the road, Barton hurriedly gestures to One-Eyed Jem and Walter Scar, ordering them to cross the road while he and Donald remained on their side, which the two hurriedly obey. Retrieving his cudgel from behind the tree he had used as a lookout post, Barton gestures to Donald to move back to the tree line, demanding he get out of sight till he called him out. Nodding in grim satisfaction as his underling carried out the command, Barton, now near-invisible in the lengthening shadows, watches as the cart emerged from the shadows, maliciously grinning at the supposed farmhand's apparent ignorance to the robbers' presences, muttering under his breath how it would be so much the worse for him. Though surprised to see such a rich prize travelling undefended, the band's attacks having been going on for three weeks, prompting many crofters to take the necessary precautions, the 'Bearkiller's arrogance causes him to forgo any caution. With the cart now ten metres away, Barton strode out out from behind his place of concealment, swinging his cudgel threatening as he held up his hand is the unmistakable universal gesture to stop. Despite the 'farmer's' accent and choice of words being uncommon for a simple farmer, Barton, being to pleased with himself and to enthralled by the sight of the coin-bulging sacks for caution, introduces himself as 'Barton the Bearkiller', pointing at the bear's face above his own as he announces this. He is taken aback, however, by the 'farmer's' fear-lacking questioning if his cloak is really a bear, before recovering and, shaking his cudgel above his head, growls that of course it was, announcing that he killed the bear with one blow of his cudgel, only to be once again startled by the 'farmer's incredulous tone, stammering out half-finished words before frustration and rage finally overcame him and he found his voice once more, shouting that he of course killed it. However, the 'farmer' still retains his calm demeanour, asking if he was sure he wasn't known as Barton, the Dead Bear's Bottom, enraging the already-confused robber as he stepped forwards, raising his weapon in a threatening way as he order's the man to toss down his money-filled sacks, only to be told by the 'farmer' that the man did not think so, answered by a roar of pure rage from the bandit, who stepped towards the cart, ready to swat his insolent prey, only to have his bear's-mask cap torn away by a quivering arrow shot by an arrow fired by Madelyn.

Turning to stare in shock at his bearskin cap, now pinned to the trunk of the tree he’d been concealed behind before looking at at the 'farmer', who returned his gaze, totally unconcerned and not in the least fearful, a sort of behaviour in an intended victim that was totally new to Barton, who's brain, never the brightest, struggles to make sense of. Still trying to figure out what had happened as the 'farmer' sympathetically lamented the ruining of his cap, Barton looks back down the road in the direction from which the arrow had come and catches sight of the cloaked, hooded firer, already with another arrow knocked on their bowstring. Wondering why he hadn’t noticed this second individual prior to the raid, Barton shouts to his two still-concealed henchmen to attack, only for an arrow to plunge into Jem's left calf and a rock shot from Maddie's sling to knock Scar unconscious, prompting Donald to abandon his comrades, taking to his heels and running.

Will Treaty 4

Will Treaty, one of his captors

Madelyn Altman 1

Madelyn Altman, one of his captors

Alone, with two of his companions incapacitated and the other gone, Barton’s sense of disbelief is replaced by a sudden stab of fear at the increasing danger of the situation he had recklessly thrown himself into. The 'Bearkiller's fear is replace by rage, however, at the farmworker's demand for his bludgeon, striding towards the his smaller countryman, taking the club back for a killing blow, only for it to be thwarted by the farmer's deceptive speed, the man darting forwards, moving inside the arc of the whistling cudgel, seizing Barton’s right wrist with his left hand and jerked it forward, deflecting the heavy club while at the same time ramming his behind into the bandit’s midsection, carried Barton forwards and off balance as the 'farmer's' right hand joined his left on Barton’s wrist, pulling the unbalanced attacker further forward, then lifted and sent sailing over the 'farmer’s' shoulder. Landing flat on his back with a heavy thud, the breath in his lungs driven from him with a loud WHOOF, Barton's is stunned briefly by the collision of his head hit the turf, bright lights dancing before Barton's eyes. Recovered, Barton finds himself looking along the blade of a saxe knife, pricking the soft skin of his throat and up at the smiling face of the 'farmer' before the self-styled 'Bearkiller's attention is drawn to the sound of hoofbeats of an approaching horse and the crack of leather as his attacker's comrade swung down from the saddle, registering with some surprise that the rider's voice was undoubtedly female. Introduced toMaddie 'Regale', a confused Barton attempts to process the change in fortune, stating that Maddie was a girl before asking who they were, only for his spirits to fall to a new lowand his blood to run cold as the farmer introduces himself as the legendary Will Treaty and tells him he is under arrest. Begging the Rangers to let him go, claiming to be a poor honest man trying to make his way in the world, Barton's pleads are met only by Will's incredulity.

Deciding to secure the three incapacitated bandits before attempting to pursue Donald, Will orders Barton to lie on his belly with his hands behind his back which the bandit immediately complies to at the sight of Will’s hand dropping to the hilt of his saxe knife, allowing Maddie to tie his arms together with leather straps. Upon realizing that Jem’s leg was in too much of a bad state to walk on his own, Will then Barton support his comrade, which Barton, fearfully knowing that, as an apprehended bandit, his next few years would be far from pleasant, asks where the Ranger intend to take them, with Will answers that they were to get taken to Willow Bend Village, stating that the bandits would love the nice warm jail that town offered, something that turns Barton's expression sour. This bitter expressions turned crafty when Will questions the bandit leader where Donald had run off to, which the bandit slyly answered by asking if he would request that the magistrate to give him a reduced sentence if he told, but gives the Ranger the answer quickly after Will deceitfully claims that if he withheld the information, he would have his apprentice shoot him in the leg, something Barton, being the man he was, believes instantly and promptly tells the Ranger where the cabin the bandits had been using was located. As the Rangers escort their prisoners to Willow Bend, Barton and Jem slowed the movement as they moving clumsily, “trying to keep in step”. Upon arriving at the village, Barton and his men are taken to the town jail to await trail at Castle Redmont, Will advising the constable to use the gang for any unpleasant tasks around the village until them, which were apparently plentiful. It can be assumed that the bandit gang were set to completing these unpleasant tasks until they were escorted to Redmont for court.

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