- "When jumping is the sole option, you jump, and try to make it work."
- —Patton to Seth
Patton Burgess was one of the caretakers of Fablehaven, taking control of the preserve in 1878 at the age of 28, inheriting the position from his maternal grandfather. He was born in 1850 and died in 1941. During his years at the preserve, he became fairystruck, thanks to the guidance of his favorite aunt, Ephira prior to her descent into darkness. He also lured a naiad, Lena Burgess, out of the water to marry him, thus becoming her husband. He managed Fablehaven for 51 years before passing it down to a young nephew. After that, he lived another 12 years, dying at the age of 91.
History[]
His favorite place to go was the Pond, and he would gaze at the Naiads for hours. They would try to tease him down to the water's edge in order to drown him. But even though he would sometimes go near or made it look like he would jump in, he always stayed out of reach. He began to pay special attention to a particular nymph and even asking for her by name. He began to pay little notice to the other naiads, and when his favorite would not show up, he left early. He became fixated on her, and built a boathouse and constructed a sturdy rowboat that could not be tipped over so he could watch the naiads more closely. He started to persuade his favorite naiad to leave the water and join him on the land, but she was hesitant because to leave the water meant mortality. This went on for more than three years and he courted her with poems, stories, and music played on his fiddle. One day in the month of march, he got careless and go too close to the water while talking to his favorite, and was pulled into the pond by the other naiads to be drowned. They dragged him towards the bottom of the pond to put him with their collection of mortal victims, but this was more than his favorite could bear. She has grown fond of Patton and did not consider his death an amusement. She fought off her sisters and returned him to the shore. The naiad left the pond that day, consequently becoming mortal to stay with Patton.
In his lifetime, Patton built the new house, barn, boathouse, and stables, all of which are still in use. He saved the Ogres from themselves by negotiating the end of an ancient feud. He erected the Safe Huts, geodesic glass domes, around the property, which serve as safe roams in some of the most dangerous parts of Fablehaven. He also mastered six magical languages and used them to build links with many of the creatures.
Fablehaven[]
He was mentioned by Lena when she told Kendra the story of her falling to mortality.
Rise of the Evening Star[]
Vanessa read many of his journals, where he mentioned an Inverted Tower as the Fablehaven artifact vault, and several places of interest, such as the Valley of the Four Hills.
Grip of the Shadow Plague[]
Seth inadvertently brings Patton through time to the present via the Chronometer. Patton quickly learns of the Shadow Plague and he knows he only has three days to help keep the preserve from falling. In those three days, Patton dueled with Broadhoof, convinced Lena to leave the pond again, and assisted in the defeat of Ephira and Kurisock. Patton revealed that he killed Ranticus and was Fairystruck. He told Kendra that his entries in the Journal of Secrets were written in umite wax.
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary[]
Kendra translates his message in the Journal of Secrets to discover the secret room beyond the Hall of Dread with secret information about how to find the Oculus at Rio Branco and the key to the Translocator he hid at Wyrmroost. Agad told the Knights that Patton smuggled out an egg from Nafia, and together they faked Patton's death via a false grave at Blackwell Keep to appease the dragons. He later hatched the egg inside Painted Mesa to replace Ranticus, naming the baby Chalize. Though Kendra didn't end up using it, Patton also inscribed instructions to the Dragon Temple on a stone tablet that he threw into the pool at the Fairy Queen's shrine.
Keys to the Demon Prison[]
Patton was visited by Kendra, Ruth, Stan, Coulter and Warren when they use the Chronometer. He also leaves a Bottled Message for Seth that helps him retrieve Vasilis.
Wrath of the Dragon King[]
A stingbulb of Patton was kept in a Null Box the Zowali Protectorate at Wyrmroost and released by Raj Faranah. The stingbulb helped Kendra and Seth find Risenmay and get to Stormguard Castle to stop Celebrant from winning the Wizenstone.
Master of the Phantom Isle[]
The stingbulb of Patton reappears briefly near the beginning, feeling close to death after having lived for a few days. He rescues several griffins, including Tempest, and the winged Luvians from Blackwell Keep's stables, and is then rescued along with the mounts by Andromadus.
Source[]
- Fablehaven (Fablehaven #1)
- Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven #2)
- Grip of the Shadow Plague (Fablehaven #3)
- Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (Fablehaven #4)
- Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven #5)
- Wrath of the Dragon King (Dragonwatch #2)
- Master of the Phantom Isle (Dragonwatch #3)