Baronet Barnard von Spielburg appears in the first installment, So You Want to Be a Hero. He is the son of the ruling Baron von Spielburg and in line for the throne.
Background[]
The Baronet was an aspiring adventurer. Having killed a Troll near the Flying Falls on 23 Octember, he signed it in the registry of the Spielburg Adventurer's Guild. It would be the last entry for years as the valley didn't see any action thereafter.
Approximately 5 years before the events of the first game, Barnard went out hunting and happened upon a Kobold Wizard's cave. When told to leave, the Baronet told the Kobold that he was "heir to the lands and all within" and ordered the creature to bow down, whereupon the Kobold transformed the Baronet into a bear. As further punishment, he was bound with a magical chain and starved into attacking and eating any further intruders. This transformation was unknown to the Baron and his people, as only Barnard's horse returned to the castle, covered in claw marks. His disappearance was presumed to be a part of the Ogress Baba Yaga's curse, and the Baron became a recluse in his despair.
Rescued[]
Barnard was later freed from his enchantment by the Hero, but was reluctant to show thanks for the deed, even at the urging of his grateful father. He announced his plans to unite his father's soldiers and drive the brigands from the valley to claim the title of Hero for himself, but his words never became actions.
Barnard is portrayed as incredibly vain and arrogant, so much so that his father has to insist he thank the Hero for freeing him from his condition.
Ascent to the Throne[]
Shortly after the events of So You Want to Be a Hero, Barnard's sister Elsa von Spielburg defeated the remaining brigands and attained the title of Hero. Inexplicably, Stefan von Spielburg left the throne to Barnard upon retirement. In Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire, Elsa angrily describes her brother's refusal to acknowledge her accomplishments and attempts to marry her off to a nearby nobleman. Elsa's friend Toro describes Barnard as a "dumb boss, bad boss", but the new Baron's effect on Spielburg is ultimately never explored in the series.
Personality and traits[]
Incredibly vain and arrogant, he was nowhere near as popular among the people of Spielburg as were his father and sister. Perhaps nobody really cared that much when he went missing.
Behind the scenes[]
It’s canonically possible to beat QFG1 without saving Barnard or even by “killing” him (as a bear). Unlike dealing with Baba Yaga, this choice is not recorded in the import data, so no further game can utilize it. If killed, the bear's corpse turns to Bernard's for a second before magically disappearing to parts unknown. If left as a bear or killed, he apparently does not show up in the endgame ceremony.
If left as a bear, it can be assumed it was Elsa that later rescued him, after she was restored, similar to how Lori Cole stated Elsa would have kicked Baba Yaga out of Spielburg if you didn't do it yourself. If you defeat Bernard in his bear state, Corey Cole even noted since his body disappeared, there is no evidence that he was actually killed, and that he might have recovered and returned to the castle later, joining Toro and Reeshaka as about the only characters in the entire series to survive a fight with the hero.
