MAPLEWOOD — The individual operating under the name “Baron Helmsworth” is actually Carlyle Helmsworth, an arms dealer wanted in at least three nations, Special Investigative Press has confirmed.
Helmsworth has active bounties posted by Civen, Vlean, and Terra for kidnapping, murder, arms smuggling, and extortion of government officials.
The name surfaced in connection with a group of well-equipped bandits recently encountered near Maplewood. Public records under the name return almost nothing; the title of Baron does not appear in any peerage this press could locate. The picture changes on inquiry through less reputable channels, where Helmsworth is known as a supplier of weapons and, of greater concern, has contacts inside the old Cairnhold Rangers.
This press requested a profile from Civen authorities, and what was provided is thin. It does, however, establish one pattern across incidents: Helmsworth does not abandon a target once he has selected it.
Why Helmsworth would be operating near Maplewood is unknown; the most likely explanation is the town itself. Maplewood hosts an unusual concentration of adventurers carrying large quantities of quality equipment, which, to a man in Helmsworth’s trade, reads as inventory. The equipment recovered from the bandits, substantial as it was, is unlikely to represent more than a fraction of what he moves.
Residents should assume Helmsworth may still be active in the area on an intermittent basis. Anyone with information on his movements, associates, or the origin of the bandits’ equipment may contact this press directly, and we will forward the information through the proper channels.
Special Investigative Press will continue to report as information becomes available.