"The feats of Bertrand, known far and wide as "le Brigand", are truly legendary. Indeed, the facts are often stranger than the ballads. To this day, Bertrand, with his trusty Bowmen of Bergerac, continue to right wrongs and punish the wicked and dishonourable."
- —Bertrand the Brigand and the Bowmen of Bergerac.[1]

Bertrand, alongside Hugo le Petit and Gui le Gros.
Bertrand the Brigand leads the Bowmen of Bergerac, a famed band of semi-outlawed Bretonnian archers.
History[]
It is said that Bertrand, now known as the "Brigand", was originally a poor peasant in the feudal domain of Bergerac, in the deeply forested heartland of Bretonnia. All was well until the old Baron de Bergerac went off on the Grail Quest and never returned. This was a long time ago. While the old Baron was away, Orcs came out of the forest and ravaged the entire domain. The situation for the peasants was increasingly desperate.[1]
By all the traditions of Bretonnian chivalry, a Knight Errant should have been called for, to rid the domain of the Orcs and thereby prove himself worthy to succeed the old baron. It was the duty of the Baroness to send out her son to win his spurs or failing that, offer the hand of her daughter to any knight who proved himself worthy of the domain by feat of arms. The Baron's son was generally feared, and disliked for his cruelty and disdain of the peasants. As well as this he showed nothing but cowardice in the face of the Orcs and showed no inclination to go forth as a Knight Errant to secure his father's lands.[1]
Everyone in the village thought the brave and handsome ploughman, Bertrand would be the one to save them. It was rumoured that even the Baron's daughter favoured bertrand, but her wicked brother had imprisoned her within a tower. Every day her face could be seen gazing down from the arrow slit towards the muddy field where Bertrand ploughed his ox team. Meanwhile the Orcs pillaged the land..[1]
Bertrand the Bowman[]
Bertrand soon assumed the leadership of the peasants. While the nobles shut themselves up in the castle, he organised the villagers. They practiced archery every day until they were all marksmen. Bertrand made sure that every approach to the village was watched, and soon the Orc raiders were being driven off empty handed. Sometimes they were even pursued into the forest, the villagers felling the Orcs as they fled.[1]
However, instead of recognising Bertrand's courage, the Baron's son, encouraged by the Baroness, demanded higher tithes and feudal dues from the peasants. Soon all the surplus that had been saved from the predation of the orcs had been frittered away by the extravagance of the old Baron's untrustworthy heirs. Rumours began to spread among the villagers that the old Baron had not really disappeared on the quest, but had been poisoned by the Baroness who was thought to be a sorceress. For was she not a descendant of the cursed lords of Mousillon? Did she not follow some strange, outlandish cult? Indeed, she was never to be seen at the Grail Chapel, which she had allowed to fall into decay. The son took after his mother, totally subject to her influence and the tool of her ambition, whatever that was, whereas the daughter took after the old baron and still retained her dignity and honour...[1]
The Flapping Monster[]
Whatever evil was lurking in the castle of Bergerac, now known far and wide as "Chateau Mal", it soon brought about the doom of those who had invoked it. One day the villagers awoke to hear plaintive cries for help coming from the tower in which the Baron's daughter was imprisoned. the masonry of the castle could be seen cracking and crumbling around her. Then suddenly, against the dark sky, a huge and evil creature burst its way out of the shattered keep, like a monster hatching from an egg. In its mouth were the blood-drenched carcasses of the Baroness and her son. Who knows what strange ritual they had been performing, but it had brought about their own doom. Hearing the cries of the Baron's daughter, the creature which was over one hundred feet tall, with a single red glowing eye and huge flapping wings, smelt more food. It clawed open the tiled roof of the tower and plucked out the terrified damsel.[1]
Just as the vile beast was about to swallow this delicious morsel, an arrow dispatched from Bertrand's bow struck the monster in its eye. the monster reeled and dropped the damsel, who was caught in the arms of Bertrand's faithful companion, Hugo le Petit. While the monster thrashed about, knocking blocks from the battlements, but unable to struggle out of the shell of the keep, Bertrand shot burning arrows into the castle. Soon the ruin was ablaze and the dreadful creature was consumed in the flames. later the peasants heaped up rubble over its bones and made a mound where the castle had once been.[1]
There was now no castle in Bergerac, and no Baron. The baron's daughter declared that Bertrand's feat of arms was a worthy errand, as was her right as a noblewoman, and they wed. However, there was no castle for Bertrand to hold, and the entire domain was surrounded by Orcs. There was no way that Bertrand could ever be properly recognised as a Knight. Instead, Bertrand led the peasants away from the cursed village, taking a few relics from the Grail Chapel with them.[1]
Bertrand the Brigand[]
Bertrand had no desire to push his claim and become a knight, nor did he wish to join the ranks of the nobility and his followers were thoroughly fed up with paying feudal dues. They liked the idea of keeping everything they grew to themselves. If Bertrand took the vows of chivalry he would also have to forsake his beloved longbow as a dishonourable weapon, and that was something he would never do. Instead, Bertrand and his folk took to wandering through the wilderness regions of Bretonnia, righting wrongs and sticking up for the peasants wherever the need may be. Most often this means fighting against raiders and orcs, but sometimes there is a corrupt Baron or Knight, lacking in honour, who needs to be defeated.[1]
As for the nobility of Bretonnia, roughly half of them think that Bertrand is a hero, the rest think that he is a scoundrel and outlaw. It is known that King Louen Leoncoeur greatly desires to meet him, but he has not divulged whether he intends to reward or punish him. Knights Errant are sometimes sent out to find Bertrand, but the wily Brigand keeps out of their way. Those Barons and Dukes who favour Bertrand can always count on his support in times of need. Suddenly, out of the forest, comes Bertrand and the Bowmen of Bergerac. He never asks for much reward, except for some barrels of the lord's best vintage wine for Gui le Gros, and requires that whatever lord he fights for lets his peasants off any feudal dues for an entire year. Thus, Bertrand is a very popular man amongst the common folk of Bretonnia.[1]
Bertrand's Comrades[]
"Whilst the great strength of Hugo le Petit is admired amongst Bertrand's men, the drink carried into battle by his companion Gui le Gros is of greater note. One swig and the Bowmen become merry and carefree in battle, though only at the cost of their aim!"
- —Bertrand's trusted companions.[1]
- Hugo le Petit is known for his immense size and great strength. He is Bertrand's right hand man and always fights with a huge staff and shoots with an enormous longbow, the arrows of which are like javelins.[2a]
- Gui le Gros is noted for his enormous girth which is not unconnected to his considerable appetite for venison, meat pies, capons and beer, among other things. Gui carries a huge wine flagon slung over his back to refresh the Bowmen in the midst of battle. There's enough to fill a serving per man, which makes the archers exceedingly merry and makes them immune to panic, but is not exactly good for their combat abilities.[2a]
Wargear and Abilities[]
Bertrand is an expert marksman, having won fame when he slew the Great Flapping Monster of Chateau Mal with his longbow.
- Black Arrow - The black arrow is tipped with a dragon's tooth and has black feather flights from a Carrion Crow. Bertrand only ever uses one Black Arrow in a battle which he reserves for a fitting target.[2a]
Trivia[]
- Bertrand and his longbowmen are likely based off the legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, a group of outlaws who would steal from the rich and give to the poor.
- Another group of Bretonnian peasant vigilantes, the Herrimaults, share this inspiration with Bertand and his Bowmen.
- Ennar's Outlaws are another band of skilled peasant archers who took inspiration from Bertrand and his men.