In The Hands Of Bad Men

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❁ In 1993, Kim Colton, son of convicted felon Joshua Colton is driven out of his home and into the care of the Morgan family's Three Ferns Ranch, where he is hired as a ranch hand and horse trainer. Challenged by rivals on the nearby Blackrose Ranch, Kim and his sister Ruth pour their souls into their everyday work and performances in the rodeo scene. It's a peaceful and productive decade-and-a-half for them, until a newcomer whose precious skills and undying work ethic prove a valuable commodity for the battling sides - and a secret kept by the Morgan patriarch tears away a twenty-year-old wound that finally settles scores between ferns and roses.

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It’s no secret that Ag as a whole is not the same as it was. Many professions and industries aren’t. Between equestrianism and FFA + 4H show rings, discrimination is a silent and quick killer of the hopes and aspirations of small farmers, ranchers, and passionate hands. Money and status are all you need to champion a once humble, essential practice.

In The Hands of Bad Men is an ode to the forgotten, abused, overworked, thankless, hardworking and complex individuals in agriculture - if that includes you, you’re not forgotten.

This story is for you - this story is about you. I see you, I love you, keep going.

This story is a work in progress, and it is my deepest and most sincere passion. I used to be a hand on a small rescue ranch and, alongside my hardworking and equally passionate siblings, suffered abuses and were silenced in the name of tenure and… well, money.

Tell me about your experiences, if you wish. This is what I live for. I want to change agriculture. I will. Raising, growing, and caring for what fuels and feeds this world is more important to me than anything that those who love it as much as I do have access to it.

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Sources, Characters, Worlds, Works, Etc:

The novel is scattered and being worked on each day. Its pieces can be found here:

• ITHBM Characterhub Folder - All of the characters and settings can be found here, from the protagonist Kim Colton to the Sandpiper ranch, it’s all here, and being updated as I progress:

☆ In The Hands of Bad Men - Folder

• ITHBM AO3 works - small test works can be found on AO3 ⚠️ there is explicit work in this folder. Minors do not interact with this.

☆ ITHBM - AO3

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• ITHBM Characters - The Main Cast - The primary cast consists of four characters: Kim Colton, Eron Eckert, Ruth Morgan and Delilah Murphy. Their profiles and works are here:

> Kim Colton - Dominating perspective (little partial to this fella):

☆ Kim Colton - Tumblr Tag

☆ Kim Colton - Characterhub

☆ Kim Colton - Spotify Playlist

☆ Kim Colton - Pinterest Board

☆ Kim Colton - YT art/animation

☆ Kim Colton - Artfight

> Eron Eckert - Alternate perspective, oldest existing ITHBM character. Once upon a time he was a Yellowstone oc!

☆ Eron Eckert- Tumblr Tag

☆ Eron Eckert - Characterhub

☆ Eron Eckert - Artfight

> Ruth Morgan - Alternative perspective, heavily influenced by many important Ag people in my life

☆ Ruth Morgan - Tumblr Tag

☆ Ruth Morgan - Characterhub

☆ Ruth Morgan - Pinterest Board

☆ Ruth Morgan - Artfight

> Delilah Murphy - Highly influential background character - the catalyst.

☆ Delilah Murphy - Tumblr Tag

☆ Delilah Murphy - Characterhub

☆ Delilah Murphy - Pinterest Board

☆ Delilah Murphy - Artfight

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• Locations and Settings: ITHBM is set primarily in Wyoming-Montana, with some side quests in the eastern part of the United States and even the Deep South. However, there are three key locations that the plot takes place in:

> Three Ferns Ranch - Sheridan, WY - The Three Ferns is the cozy, busy home of the Morgan Cattle Company and Kim, Ruth and Eron’s work - and mischief.

☆ Three Ferns Ranch - Characterhub

> Blackrose Ranch - Sheridan, WY - The Blackrose is the rival of Three ferns - and its environment is exactly the opposite. Nobody wants to become a Pale Horse.

☆ Blackrose Ranch - Characterhub

> Colt’s Auto Shop - Sheridan, WY - Colt’s Auto Shop is the childhood home and current residence of Kim Colton.

☆ Colt’s Auto Shop - Characterhub

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Thank you for stopping by and reading! Posts will be made for lore, art, updates and more!

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☆ Date of entry: June 14, 2026

☆ Date of creation: April 27, 2025

☆ Revision: 0

☆ Rev. Date + Number:

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Basic Information:

☆ Full Legal Name: Kim Frances Colton

☆ Nickname(s): Kimmy, Frankie

☆ Date of birth: July 21, 1976

☆ Place of birth: Southwestern Canada, exact location unknown

☆ Place of Current Residence: Sheridan, WY

☆ Gender + Pronouns: Closeted genderfluid, He/Him primary, but will answer to anything

☆ Nationality/Ethnicity: Canadian-American/Italian

Appearance:

☆ Eye color: bright, pale blue

☆ Hair color: coily black

☆ Height: 6ft 2in (1.88m)

☆ Weight: 225 lb (102kg)

☆ Prominent facial features: angular face, striking eyes, strong nose

☆ Facial Markings: occasional heart marking on his left cheek painted in with eyeliner

☆ Skin tone: light olive

☆ Body type/shape: Husky, labor-made muscle

☆ Scarring: back scarring covered up by tattoos

☆ Markings or tattoos: heavily tattooed upper body and back

☆ Piercings: multiple ear piercings, usually one hoop in each ear, and one nose piercing

☆ Limb altercations: none

☆ Voice + tone: higher than average pitch, sharp and coarse

☆ Voice claim: Kim Coates - Tig Trager (SOA), Billy McGrath (Ghost Wars), Dennis (Red Blooded American Girl), Sal (Ferocious), and others

☆ Preferred clothing: Tank top, Blue bomber jacket, jeans, short-heel roper boots, sometimes a bandana

☆ Disabilities: Heat sensitivity, memory loss, hip dysplasia

Personality + Mentality + Emotional Conduct:

☆ Most prominent personality trait: Shameless, Stubborn, arrogant

☆ Positive traits: loyal, subservient, open-minded, generous, charismatic, patient, eloquent, meticulous, reverent, empathetic

☆ Negative traits: rebellious, foul-mouthed, paranoid, obnoxious, compulsive, vengeful, scheming, bossy, forgetful, reclusive

☆ Most important goal: Returning to Delilah

☆ Biggest hindrance: Three Ferns and Ruth’s unclear future

☆ Quiet skill: producing music and literature

☆ Level of empathy: agonizingly high

☆ Remorse capabilities: high

Religious + Political beliefs:

☆ Faith practice: Non-denominational Christian

☆ Religious practice: Almost none, does not attend church or participate in most religious activities

☆ Political alignment: Leftist, anarchist beliefs sprinkled in

☆ Political activism: sparse

Occupational information:

☆ Current occupation: Mechanic and owner of Colt’s Auto Shop

☆ In-canon occupation: Head hand on Three Ferns

☆ Affiliated with which ranch: Three Ferns

☆ Rodeo activity: Led the Three Ferns into multiple victories during the famous Morgan-Mosely race for fame and business in the 90s - primarily roping, cutting, reining and other special kinds of show performances he coordinated on his own

Other information and trivia:

☆ Parents: Joshua Colton (Bio father), Charlotte Colton (Bio mother), David Morgan (Adoptive father, symbolic), Diane Morgan (Adoptive mother, symbolic)

☆ Siblings: Ruth Morgan (Adoptive sister, symbolic)

☆ Spouse: Delilah Murphy (Wife)

☆ Children: Diane Colton (bio daughter), Eron Eckert (Adoptive son, symbolic)

☆ Other family:

☆ Animal companions: Bear (working + show horse), Russell (Canine companion), Sam (crow)

☆ Hobbies: Ranching, Tinkering, writing, playing guitar, riding motorcycles + driving

☆ Sexual orientation: Pansexual

☆ Favorite food: chocolate chip cookies

☆ Favorite drink: Beer, Ultraviolet Monster

☆ Favorite color: Hot pink

☆ Other notable trivia: Kim Colton is supposed to look like Kim Coates, my favorite actor. He loves bright colors and hot weather, though, it doesn’t like him much. He loves music - he plays an acoustic guitar and sings along with whatever he’s playing, usually with Ruth. He has an extensive collection of vinyl, CDs, and movies - he loves physical media.

Personality:

Kim Colton is a multi-faceted character. To some he’s quiet as a mouse, a man of few words. To others, he’s as loud and raucous as can be. Kim is patient and kind, especially with those who are as shameless and forthcoming about their vulnerabilities or insecurities - as he is. As obnoxious as his comfortable personality can be, he knows when to quiet down and take things seriously. His love for fun and freedom did not get in the way of teaching and raising his little sister, who grew up to follow in his free-spirited steps. While Kim is as devoted and passionate about his ranch work as anyone, he has only one desire in the world that drives him harder than any prize or paycheck - and that is the inevitable reunion with his beloved Delilah.

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Brief Backstory:

Kim Colton was born to Joshua and Charlotte Colton in 1976. In 1982, he moved with his family to the United States, where Joshua started Colt’s Auto Shop, a small maintenance and repair shop in Sheridan, Wyoming. Kim grew up in his father’s shadow, who he adored endlessly and aimed to impress. However, Joshua was so threatened by the skilled young man that he rarely ever tried to actually teach the boy, but instead threw challenges at him to overcome himself. Kim grew well acquainted with the cars of the community, and after Joshua was persecuted for a list of heinous crimes, he took over.

One of his customers was a young woman named Delilah Murphy, the daughter of the lawyer that had persecuted Joshua. Despite Delilah’s strict orders to stay away from Kim, she kept returning to the shop, head-over-heels in love with the handsome mechanic - as was he. After a few short months of happy, secret loving between the two, it was cut short when Delilah was out late with him. She begged Kim to run away and come back someday when her father wouldn’t try to run him off. And so he did, and found himself in the care of a pair of ranchers. Diane and David Morgan hired him and provided him with shelter, in trade for work. For twenty years following the birth of Ruth Morgan and the death of Diane, Kim worked on the Three Ferns and built its reputation - and its rivalry with the neighboring Blackrose.

Kim’s dog Russell alerts to something in the woods, only to find a lost and distraught Eron Eckert, who Kim brings in for questioning, to find that he is in a situation awfully similar to the one he was once in. Eron proves to be a valuable, skilled asset - and the Blackrose sees this. The Three Ferns’ return to the rodeo nearly brings back its once colorful and raucous heyday - until Ruth makes a discovery. In David’s office she finds a massive collection of letters - opened and unopened - and learns sparse details of the life her brother lived before she was born - and of the woman he so desperately loved, who disappeared so suddenly. Feeling guilty of her growing love for Eron, she finally brings up the hidden letters to her brother - who at last snaps the tension between himself and David. Kim shuts himself out for a week, shocked again when David is found dead, which the trio assumes is an stress-induced heart attack.

The days that follow the funeral are bleak, and Kim is left hopeless, and his neglect allows the ranch to see its last days. One snowy night, Eron takes off for a ride - and never comes back. The search lasts for weeks, but they find nothing, even after the snow melts. After selling everything but the house and the land, Kim takes a very distraught and heartbroken Ruth back to the city, where they live in the dusty, trapped-in-time auto shop. Arguments, disagreements and constant blaming continues to tear the siblings apart - until Kim receives a phone call that autumn. The hospital claims they have his son, who has survived a violent car accident - Eron was still alive. He wastes no time getting to the side of his unconscious friend, and is later met by Ruth. Both are overwhelmed by the truth that their best friend was still with them - and even more by the physician attending him - Delilah.

Their reunion is quiet and awkward, as they are both heavily concerned for the injured boy. Though, when he wakes, he explains that he was taken hostage by the Blackrose in order to deliver the final death blow to the Three Ferns, following David’s death, and to keep Eron’s talent for themselves. The Blackrose has details on Eron that could get him arrested, but Eron knows what really happened to David, locking the rivals in yet another scuffle. Now that Eron is out of the borders of the cruel ranch, Kim drops his diplomacy and marches right up the front porch of the hellish ranch and demands they let the boy go, or using information gained from both Eron and another defective hand, he will cripple them. The Moseleys decide that keeping the boy is not worth the trouble and send Kim on his way, but not before he is shot in the shoulder on his way out. Eron works as quickly as he can to get his horse out, and the trio return to Sheridan to sort what’s left of the Three Ferns - and where they’ll go next.

Ruth is instructed to go to Texas, where Eron’s mother is, where Kim and Eron will meet her and find a place for Eron’s horse. The ranch land is sold and split amongst the three, according to Diane’s will and Kim returns to Wyoming, where he and Delilah live happily after.

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Images + Reference Sheets:

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Other Sources + Links:

Characterhub