Genshed

Genshed is a fictional character from the fantasy novel Shardik, written by Richard Adams. He is a psychopathic slavedriver who trades in children illegally - and who specifically deals with children who are either deformed or just unwanted. He only appears in person, in a few chapters.

Events during Shardik
Before capturing Kelderek (the protagonist of the story), Genshed has Elleroth's son (Radu) as one of his slaves.

After Kelderek loses both Shardik and his faith, he is captured by Genshed - who uses extremely cruel methods to keep the slaves under his control. As he treats the children with kindness, Kelderek finds himself being tormented and threatened by him - and he is on the point of being killed by Genshed, when Shardik suddenly appears from the woods. Genshed kills Shardik by firing a flaming arrow at him, before he is killed by Shardik, in turn. Shardik kills Genshed, by basically tearing off his face.

His Treatment of The Children
Genshed takes particular pleasure in using overseers who are the cruelest of boys under his control, having them replaced for one of two reasons: when they either damage or even kill too many of the slaves; or when these cruel boys learn a little too much. Whilst he does pride himself on driving the children under his control mad, without even touching them, he isn't above physically abusing them himself. He even castrates the children under his "care", and it is heavily implied that he has sold them (particularly those who are under fourteen years old) as sex slaves. Upon learning one boy would be useful for begging, he cuts off said boy's hands - so he will be more valuable to him. And the only sign of remorse he actually shows is that he has lost out on profits.