Johne Ventdemer
From UO Community
| Name: | Johne "Seawind" Ventdemer |
| Source: | Ultima 5, Ultima 6 |
| Race: | Human, Nu'Jelmish |
| Gender: | Male |
| Affiliation: | Lord British, The Avatar, Ventdemers |
Contents |
Appearance
Personality
History
Skills
Notes
Captain Johne first appeared in Ultima 5 and is one of the characters who will join your party. Later, he will play a significant role in Ultima 6 as well.
Here is our brainstorming on Captain Johne. I will try to organize it and rewrite it more coherently.
Captain Johne "Seawind" Ventdemer
Introduction:
My brainstorming on Captain Johne came about because I was seeking a ship captain bold enough and skilled enough to brave the perils of the Ilshenarian Coast. As everyone knows, Ilshenar is ringed with mountains and there is little visitation from seagoing vessels. We imagine the coastline to be forbidding and rocky with many shoals barring the way. In our fiction, however, there is a ship that does make landfall. This ship fled Barataria, carrying such notable persons as Maceila and Michael Jilestial, Ilshen Renshar, and Twilight Demeniss. All four were associated with Mondain Renshar and were aware of his possession by Aritoth El'Bashir. Aritoth would have destroyed them if he could, fearing their hold on Mondain, but Mondain's spirit rebelled against this and so won them their escape. They fled as Mondain's armies crushed all resistence on Barataria. Aritoth's agents pursued them across the sea and after many harrowing adventures they came to the imposing coast of Ilshenar, then known as Trosaria. Through the guile and daring of the captain, they avoided the shoals and found a safe haven to land on the northwestern side of Ilshenar. This captain was none other than Captain Johne "Seawind" Ventdemer.
Source Material:
Captain Johne was introduced to the Ultima saga in Ultima 5 and also played a major role in Ultima 6. In Ultima 5, he was located in the Underworld next to the wreckage of his ship. He had been swept into a whirlpool and so was trapped there. There were three others trapped with him who found the the shards of the Dark Jewel and made off with them. They eventually were transformed by the evil of the shards into the avatars of the Shadowlords: Astaroth, Faulini, and Nosfentor. Captain Johne would be rescued from the underworld by the Avatar and would reveal the existences of the shards and that they were to be found in the underworld.
In Ultima 6, Captain Johne again aids the Avatar on his quest. A war rages between Britannians and Gargoyles, but it is Captain Johne who had taken up residence in a cavern beneath the gargoyle island (An Island we named Dul Moroth). Captain Johne befriended the youthful gargoyle Beh Lem and translated the Gargish language into common. The Avatar obtains this translation and is then able to converse with the gargoyles. This leads to a better understand of the gargoyle race and eventually to a cessation in the hostilities.
Captain Johne's portrait in Ultima Six had him being blonde and sporting a vandyke and a feathered hat, if I recall correctly. He had a french look to him, so in our fiction we made him from Nu'Jelm, though primarily of Magincian descent.
Captain Johne's Story:
Captain Johne was born in Nu'Jelm and is the son of the Admiral Jaque Ventdemer who commanded the Nu'Jelmish navy at the time. From the tender age of 5, Captain Johne served on his father's ship, the Seigneur de la Guerre. Johne served first as a cabin boy, then as a midshipman, finally working his way up to the rank of lieutenant. It was at this time that Nu'Jelm went to war against the Nixies, dubbed the Blue Devil's War by the Nu'Jelmish historians. The point of contention in the war was the capture and imprisonment of nixies for nobles of Nu'Jelm and Magincia. The captured nixies were viewed as monstrous oddities who had the talent of playing beautiful music and so they were forced to perform for the decadent pleasure of the nobility. They also served as a badge of social station for those who could afford the price that nixie slavers charged. Jacque Ventdemer was a highly skilled naval tactician, winning many battles and decimating the nixie armies, but he fell prey to a cunning ambush. The Seigneur de la Guerre was swamped by a giant squid and nixie heroes stormed the ship. Jaque fought valiantly, but was pierced through the heart by the trident of the nixie hero, Eelilio, who took the admiral's sabre and also captured Johne's younger brother, Quincy, who served as a midshipman.
Johne, being the senior officer among the survivors, took command of the ship and was able to rally the soldiers and win free of the ambush. Several nixies were captured in the engagement and he returned to Nu'Jelm with a heavy heart. Once there, he was given command of the Seignor de la Guerre in honor of his father's bravery and service to the crown. He then tried to convince his superiors to let him take the captive nixies and attempt to arrange a prisoner exchange in order to get his brother back. He was met with a mixture of incredulity and blatant disregard. Many argued that the nixies were monsters, that they would not listen to reason, and that they most likely had killed the human prisoners. Others were more concerned with obtaining the nixies themselves or selling them for a profit to other nobles. Captain Johne found himself disgusted and he gathered his loyal crew to plot his next move. He broke the nixies out of the prison where they were held and sailed away with them to conduct his prisoner exchange. He met with Eelilio, and despite an initially heated exchange, he came to be convinced of the intelligence of the nixies and of their right to freedom. They were not monsters to be kept as pets. The prisoner exchange was arranged and Eelilio returned his father's swords as well, apologizing for having to kill the admiral. Eelilio praised Admiral Jaque Ventdemer, professing regret that the war had to be fought and that casualties must be suffered on both sides. Johne departed questioning the virtue of his country's fight.
Upon returning, Captain Johne was immediately stripped of his commision and discharged from the Nu'Jelm navy in disgrace. His pleas for peace talks were scorned, his name disgraced. Captain Johne then signed on with the Elderbell Merchant Company where he met Lady Maceila Jilestial. She had heard many rumors about him, but got to hear first hand his story and she pledged to help restore his good name. Lady Jilestial then put the formidable power of the Elderbell Company to work, putting pressure upon Nu'Jelm to outlaw the enslavement of nixies and to meet with the nixies for peace talks or the Elderbell would cut off their trade with Nu'Jelm entirely. Nu'Jelm had become far too dependent on the goods brought by the Elderbell company and so a victory was won for Captain Johne. His name was cleared and he was invited to return to the navy as a show of good faith on the part of the Monarch of Nu'Jelm, but he declined, preferring to remain with the Elderbell Company. He proved himself to be as skilled a leader and sailor as his father. When Lady Maceila Jilestial determined to visit Barataria, Captain Johne was chosen to command her flag ship.
Thus Captain Johne was present during the rise of Mondain in Barataria. As mentioned before, Maceila Jilestial, Michael Jilestial, Ilshen Renshar, and Twilight Demeniss fled Barataria on Captain Johne's ship. A large reason for their escape was the skill and cunning of Captain Johne who kept them a step ahead of their purusing enemies. It was also his amazing seamanship and daring that allowed them to find a safe harbor in Ilshenar. Captain Johne was a staunch supporter of Ilshen's efforts in Ilshenar. When Mondain was slain, Captain Johne was among the expedition who fought to recover his body from the dark forces that had dismembered it. He was tasked with pursuing the three Shadowlord Necromancers who fled with Mondain's skull. These necromancers took to the ocean and sailed north with Captain Johne capturing one of their ships and sailing off in pursuit. They sailed past Dul Moroth where Captain Johne stopped briefly. This was his first visit to the gargoyle island, but it would prove to be an important visit which would allow him to return in the future (see notes about Ultima 6).
The Shadowlords sailed on to Britannia, seeking Mondain's old island fortress, but they were not aware that when the avatar had shattered the dark jewel, the oceans drank the island and fortress. All that remained were three new volcanoes bubling up out of the water, phenomenon caused by the three shards of the Dark Jewel plunging into the ocean and piercing the sandy bottom. Captain Johne stopped briefly in Serpent's Hold to enlist the aid of other Elderbell ships before sailing to the islands for a confrontation with the necromancers. He caught them hiding in the boiling sea between the volcanoes and a fierce naval battle ensued. Captain Johne's crew boarded the necromancer flag ship in an effort to obtain Mondain's skull again, but the necromancer lifted the skull on high, unleashing it's devestating power. A great earthquake shook the region and a high whirlpool opened up beneath them. A majority of the ships were sucked into the vortex with only a few survivors able to limp away. Captain Johne and the three necromancers were sucked into the underworld while the skull was lost into the ocean. The skull itself came to reside within the drowned keep and would be found at a later time. Captain Johne would find himself trapped in the Underworld, embroiled in a war there. The three necromancers would discover the three shards and would be consumed by them, becoming the Shadowlord Avatars.
How does he pursue the necromancers? He has a copy of their rudders and so can determine their route ahead of time, but he knows short cuts he can take along the way which enable him to reach Serpents Hold and enlist aid ahead of them. He meets them at the drowned Isle. This is where the Gem of Immortality had been shattered!
"Your father was a fine champion of a man, fighting scores of our warriors. He was my equal in battle, but he had already suffered wounds from his earlier fights. Our people hold him in high esteem, for his bravery and his seamanship. Nevertheless, it was imperative for our survival that he be slain. The unhappy duty fell to me. I know you will bear anger in your heart towards me for this deed. Please believe me that it brought no joy to me fighting and slaying him.
Eelilio to Captain Johne at the prisoner exchange
Name: Johne, Captain Johne.
You see: an unkempt mage in tattered robes.//At long last, another living soul!//
Greeting:
Job: I fear the Shadowlords!
Bye: Beware!
--> fear or shad Years ago, my ship was swallowed by a massive whirlpool. The remains of my ship washed up on this isle with myself and three others.//{keywait} When I recovered, I explored my surroundings, and found a great gem broken into three shards.//{keywait} The Shards, full of evil, drove me to kill my three companions, and from their blood sprang the three Shadowlords. //{keywait} Taking the Shards deep into this underworld, they entrapped Lord British, and hold him in their power.//{keywait} They spare me only to taunt me with such news until my dying day.//{keywait} {goto Label 1}
[Label 1] Wilt thou save Britannia? --> (any) Pity./{end conversation} --> y {goto Label 2}
[Label 2] Might I join thee? --> (any) Pity./{end conversation} --> y Let me avenge my wrongdoing.//{join party}
Captain Johne "Seawind" Ventdemer
Introduction:
My brainstorming on Captain Johne came about because I was seeking a ship captain bold enough and skilled enough to brave the perils of the Ilshenarian Coast. As everyone knows, Ilshenar is ringed with mountains and there is little visitation from seagoing vessels. We imagine the coastline to be forbidding and rocky with many shoals barring the way. In our fiction, however, there is a ship that does make landfall. This ship fled Barataria, carrying such notable persons as Maceila and Michael Jilestial, Ilshen Renshar, and Twilight Demeniss. All four were associated with Mondain Renshar and were aware of his possession by Aritoth El'Bashir. Aritoth would have destroyed them if he could, fearing their hold on Mondain, but Mondain's spirit rebelled against this and so won them their escape. They fled as Mondain's armies crushed all resistence on Barataria. Aritoth's agents pursued them across the sea and after many harrowing adventures they came to the imposing coast of Ilshenar, then known as Trosaria. Through the guile and daring of the captain, they avoided the shoals and found a safe haven to land on the northwestern side of Ilshenar. This captain was none other than Captain Johne "Seawind" Ventdemer.
Source Material:
Captain Johne was introduced to the Ultima saga in Ultima 5 and also played a major role in Ultima 6. In Ultima 5, he was located in the Underworld next to the wreckage of his ship. He had been swept into a whirlpool and so was trapped there. There were three others trapped with him who found the the shards of the Dark Jewel and made off with them. They eventually were transformed by the evil of the shards into the avatars of the Shadowlords: Astaroth, Faulini, and Nosfentor. Captain Johne would be rescued from the underworld by the Avatar and would reveal the existences of the shards and that they were to be found in the underworld.
In Ultima 6, Captain Johne again aids the Avatar on his quest. A war rages between Britannians and Gargoyles, but it is Captain Johne who had taken up residence in a cavern beneath the gargoyle island (An Island we named Dul Moroth). Captain Johne befriended the youthful gargoyle Beh Lem and translated the Gargish language into common. The Avatar obtains this translation and is then able to converse with the gargoyles. This leads to a better understand of the gargoyle race and eventually to a cessation in the hostilities.
Captain Johne's portrait in Ultima Six had him being blonde and sporting a vandyke and a feathered hat, if I recall correctly. He had a french look to him, so in our fiction we made him from Nu'Jelm, though primarily of Magincian descent.
Captain Johne's Story:
Captain Johne was born in Nu'Jelm and is the son of the Admiral Jaque Ventdemer who commanded the Nu'Jelmish navy at the time. From the tender age of 5, Captain Johne served on his father's ship, the Seigneur de la Guerre. Johne served first as a cabin boy, then as a midshipman, finally working his way up to the rank of lieutenant. It was at this time that Nu'Jelm went to war against the Nixies, dubbed the Blue Devil's War by the Nu'Jelmish historians. The point of contention in the war was the capture and imprisonment of nixies for nobles of Nu'Jelm and Magincia. The captured nixies were viewed as monstrous oddities who had the talent of playing beautiful music and so they were forced to perform for the decadent pleasure of the nobility. They also served as a badge of social station for those who could afford the price that nixie slavers charged. Jacque Ventdemer was a highly skilled naval tactician, winning many battles and decimating the nixie armies, but he fell prey to a cunning ambush. The Seigneur de l a Guerre was swamped by a giant squid and nixie heroes stormed the ship. Jaque fought valiantly, but was pierced through the heart by the trident of the nixie hero, Eelilio, who took the admiral's sabre and also captured Johne's younger brother, Quincy, who served as a midshipman.
Johne, being the senior officer among the survivors, took command of the ship and was able to rally the soldiers and win free of the ambush. Several nixies were captured in the engagement and he returned to Nu'Jelm with a heavy heart. Once there, he was given command of the Seignor de la Guerre in honor of his father's bravery and service to the crown. He then tried to convince his superiors to let him take the captive nixies and attempt to arrange a prisoner exchange in order to get his brother back. He was met with a mixture of incredulity and blatant disregard. Many argued that the nixies were monsters, that they would not listen to reason, and that they most likely had killed the human prisoners. Others were more concerned with obtaining the nixies themselves or selling them for a profit to other nobles. Captain Johne found himself disgusted and he gathered his loyal crew to plot his next move. He broke the nixies out of the prison where they were held and sailed away with them to conduct his prisoner exc hange. He met with Eelilio, and despite an initially heated exchange, he came to be convinced of the intelligence of the nixies and of their right to freedom. They were not monsters to be kept as pets. The prisoner exchange was arranged and Eelilio returned his father's swords as well, apologizing for having to kill the admiral. Eelilio praised Admiral Jaque Ventdemer, professing regret that the war had to be fought and that casualties must be suffered on both sides. Johne departed questioning the virtue of his country's fight.
Upon returning, Captain Johne was immediately stripped of his commision and discharged from the Nu'Jelm navy in disgrace. His pleas for peace talks were scorned, his name disgraced. Captain Johne then signed on with the Elderbell Merchant Company where he met Lady Maceila Jilestial. She had heard many rumors about him, but got to hear first hand his story and she pledged to help restore his good name. Lady Jilestial then put the formidable power of the Elderbell Company to work, putting pressure upon Nu'Jelm to outlaw the enslavement of nixies and to meet with the nixies for peace talks or the Elderbell would cut off their trade with Nu'Jelm entirely. Nu'Jelm had become far too dependent on the goods brought by the Elderbell company and so a victory was won for Captain Johne. His name was cleared and he was invited to return to the navy as a show of good faith on the part of the Monarch of Nu'Jelm, but he declined, preferring to remain with the Elderbell Company. He proved himself to be as skilled a leader an d sailor as his father. When Lady Maceila Jilestial determined to visit Barataria, Captain Johne was chosen to command her flag ship.
Thus Captain Johne was present during the rise of Mondain in Barataria. As mentioned before, Maceila Jilestial, Michael Jilestial, Ilshen Renshar, and Twilight Demeniss fled Barataria on Captain Johne's ship. A large reason for their escape was the skill and cunning of Captain Johne who kept them a step ahead of their purusing enemies. It was also his amazing seamanship and daring that allowed them to find a safe harbor in Ilshenar. Captain Johne was a staunch supporter of Ilshen's efforts in Ilshenar. When Mondain was slain, Captain Johne was among the expedition who fought to recover his body from the dark forces that had dismembered it. He was tasked with pursuing the three Shadowlord Necromancers who fled with Mondain's skull. These necromancers took to the ocean and sailed north with Captain Johne capturing one of their ships and sailing off in pursuit. They sailed past Dul Moroth where Captain Johne stopped briefly. This was his first visit to the gargoyle island, but it would prove to be an important v isit which would allow him to return in the future (see notes about Ultima 6).
The Shadowlords sailed on to Britannia, seeking Mondain's old island fortress, but they were not aware that when the avatar had shattered the dark jewel, the oceans drank the island and fortress. All that remained were three new volcanoes bubling up out of the water, phenomenon caused by the three shards of the Dark Jewel plunging into the ocean and piercing the sandy bottom. Captain Johne stopped briefly in Serpent's Hold to enlist the aid of other Elderbell ships before sailing to the islands for a confrontation with the necromancers. He caught them hiding in the boiling sea between the volcanoes and a fierce naval battle ensued. Captain Johne's crew boarded the necromancer flag ship in an effort to obtain Mondain's skull again, but the necromancer lifted the skull on high, unleashing it's devestating power. A great earthquake shook the region and a high whirlpool opened up beneath them. A majority of the ships were sucked into the vortex with only a few survivors able to limp away. Captain Johne and the th ree necromancers were sucked into the underworld while the skull was lost into the ocean. The skull itself came to reside within the drowned keep and would be found at a later time. Captain Johne would find himself trapped in the Underworld, embroiled in a war there. The three necromancers would discover the three shards and would be consumed by them, becoming the Shadowlord Avatars.
