Lord Byrd Ransom (Punisher)

Membership: Brotherhood

Race: Human

Height: 5’10

Weight: 170

Apparent Age: 70+

Archetype: Cybered Swordsman Adept: Circle (Your Already Dead and Don’t Know It!)

Preferred Weapon: English Long Blade

Runner Song:

Bio: Well it’s time to start talking about the man they call Punisher and what he has been up to recently, well for starters this man has brought some justice to the lawless regions of Eastern Europe and has put himself on the Hands hit list; I am not speaking of the New Deaths Hand run by Frost but the Hand Remnants  ruled by General Kringle. The Punisher slipped into the chaotic regions once ruled by General Drexel and began cleaning house thanks to him looking scarily like his son Rift. The Hand military was baffled by the likeness and ignored the Punisher and thats all it took, one mistake and Byrd would capitalise and tech the Hand that ignorance is not bliss.

Over the last few months the Punisher has been deployed into General Drexels former hold and killing all Hand Remnants that remained and making his way to the regional palace to go head to head with his son. The Punisher has always disproved of the bastard his son became and disowned him and tossed him out of England when he was just coming of age for the rape of Byrds youngest daughter and Rifts sister. He always felt guilty he didn’t simply have his son hanged for the crime, though he felt a dose of harsh reality would be the best medicine….well that proved to be wrong on many levels; evil will always triumph and for Rift he was only just beginning to show his true colours.

Lord Ransom would spend his career as a solider of fortune and Sentinel hunting his son and trying to bring him to justice, though do to his friendship with General Drexel Byrd would learn of the deception the Stormriders where planning and was asked to simply bid his time and justice will come for Rift. Well a with the laid plans of mice and men, the Stormriders plan would backfire and they would be forced to abandon the Hand before they too would be killed by Alexander and is loyal forces. The Punisher took this as his window of opportunity to slip into the region and begin his hunting, the Hand was in turmoil and the chaos would lead to a perfect opportunity for Byrd to hunt his son like the animal he was.

This father of four was already full of rage and grief over loosing his family to Edgar Malone on trumped up charges and having to slay his own son was going to break his already grieving heart. Though Sturgis had proven that has was evil and beyond redemption and death was either going to be by his hand or the hangman’s and for Byrd this had become personal. Sturgis had used his status as a Hand Enforcer to assault his father and his holdings in England, Byrds own son was the reason Edgar would be able to hang his wife and children on Christmas Day; for crying out loud Lady Mary Ransom the second daughter of Byrd was pregnant when she went to the gallows alongside her husband.

Lord Ransom would have his land taken under the Treaty of the Nobles and then be decreed an outlaw of the crown for him being an original Sentinel. Byrd would watch as his land was burned and his home was demolished without being able to do anything about it as Edgar Malone would abuse his power and form a connection with Sturgis seeing the Hand was paying him to hang hundreds a week and this kept Edgar on the top and for Sturgis this was revenge towards his father.

If only Edgar followed his own rules he would have hanged Sturgis for the rape and not partnered up with him, this would led Byrd into a very dangerous situation and as well place Father Walter Segal in a sticky situation as the two original Sentinels would be forced to unsheathe their swords and stand back to back as they fought of their fellow Englishman during the great Sentinel purge of 2060. Thus formally thrusting them both on the top of Edgar’s book and further damning the Ghost Division in the eyes of Parliament till 2074.

This would leave a permanent scar on the heart and mind of Byrd and he would be forced to leave England and go into hiding during these days, yet he would never stale on his quest to kill his son and take his head. He felt he helped bring him into this world, for all thats holy he will be the one to take him out of it. Well thats just what Byrd would do and the Punisher would be hailed a hero once again, though his blade would drink plenty of blood on they way to the palace and the beheading of his first born son.

For a nobleman his son had become a terror to behold and was beyond redemption and for a man of faith Byrd knew that slaying his own son was a sin against God. Though in his heart he knew that Sturgis was truly evil and death was the only solution, this Kingsman and Sentinel would take the pilgrimage to his son’s hold alone and on a mission of punishment. He would accept no aid and he would accept no parlay with those that still wore the uniform of the Hand, he would either behead his son or die trying and for Punisher death nearly came for him on December 31st 2074 when he would eventually come face to face with his own blood.

Reports indicate that when Byrd entered the great hall he would be met with many of the hands elite Red Guard forces and his own son who where waiting for the old man to strike…Rift had spies everywhere and they set a trap for the old Sentinel and lucky for us Byrd would not fall victim to his own rage.

The sound of swords clashing and screams could be heard echoing through the town miles away as the battle was meet with a mighty clash and Byrd would prove that he was not simply a Kingsman but one of the best swordsman that order would know and as his blade would tear into flesh and bone, he would deflect many of the red guards best strikes with ease. Though eventually as the battle ragged on, the numbers game would prove to be to much and Byrd would end up sliced up and bleeding, according to Byrd he felt this was it and his quest had failed and he was to die in his son’s palace a broken man. Though as he was about to succumb to his wounds a beam of light broke from the heavens and a choir of angels could be heard singing his praises, Byrd would be filled with a renewed energy and the miracle of the Lord would shine down on this old Sentinel.

With a renewed strength and his wounds healing Byrd would continue to fight with the strength of thousand men and as his sword would tear flesh from bone and shatter steel with a single strike Byrd would move with a grace he never knew before turning this legendary swordsman into a terror to behold and before long all the Red Guard would lay dead at his feat. Blood flowing from his wounds his eyes stained and stinging with sweat and blood Byrd would quietly approach his son and request his surrender. Sturgis would not simply bow down and accept death and the clash of blades would commence once again as the battle of the generations would become on of rage and hatred. The two men fought throughout the palace and their blades shattering statues, artwork and anyone that couldn’t avoid the two men as they engaged in mortal combat.

After what seemed like an eternity father and son would end up within the throne room and battling for their own mortal souls. Byrd older and far more skilled would normally be no match for his son, but do to his wounds slowing him down it once again started to look bleak for Byrd; though this old Sentinel would have a trick up his sleeve and as his sons blade wold begin to tear into Byrds flesh, Sturgis would laugh and say “Now Father you bow before me, thats when Byrd drew a dagger from his boot and with a flick of his wrist the dagger would bury deep into the throat of Sturgis and force him  onto his knees.

Rifts dropped his sword and reached for his throat to remove the intruding dagger a final gift from his father, Byrd would rise to his feet and approach his dying son as Sturgis struggled to remove the barbed dagger from his neck. Byrd once again looked down on his son and raised his blade saying “Sturgis you are no son of mine, and may God have mercy on your soul….for you will find no mercy from me.” and with a single swipe of the blade his eldest’s sons head rolled onto the floor. The eyes of his boy looking up at his father with a pleading look and one that a boy would give his father when they got into trouble, a look that would go onto haunt Byrds dreams.

The Punisher would walk out of the palace being hailed a hero and one that freed them from the tyranny of Sturgis. Though for Byrd the battle was over, his blood had been spilled and justice had been dispatched. The weariness of battle was now over taking him and the cold chill of blood loss would begin to cause the old man to shiver and shutter as he would drop to one knee; Byrd was accepting death and about to fulfil the old prophecy a once you begin a quest of revenge you better dig two graves one for your enemy and one for yourself.

As his vision began to fade he would see his dear friend Father Segal who would pick his brother up and tend to his wounds. The struggles of Byrd Ransom might have come to an end on that day with the death of his son but his true battle would just be starting again. Now he would be a wanted man within the Deaths Hand and so would Walter Segal, thus thrusting the remaining Sentinels and Kingsman into yet another bloody conflict and becoming once again the most hated military order within Europe.

The Punisher would be healed by the Sentinels and given the Victoria Cross for his heroism in battle by the King and in the presence of many of the remaining Sentinels and Kingsman; The Punisher would than make his way across the pond once again to the US Elite and Harbingers to side with his fellow Sentinels. Byrd’s nightmares might be still haunting him but with the embrace of his fellow Ghost Division he can be at peace once again. America might not be the land of his birth but it is now his home for he is an exiled noble and one without a stead. He has only one motivation and thats to see freedom restored and to watch his order once again be hailed the heroes they truly are; for the Punisher is now here in the land of the Yankees but for this old Englishman he now calls America home.

Page Written By: Trevor Franklin