Johannes Nael

Johannes is a main character and a member of the Pipebringers.

## Appearance

Johannes is a human of muscular build with wavy, dirty blonde hair. Standing at 6' 2" and normally wearing plate armor and a tattered orc war banner as a cloak, he has an imposing presence at first glance. His eyes also change color daily.

## Personality

Johannes is direct and to the point in most encounters. However, when one spends enough time with him, he lets loose his sillier and reckless side.

Devoted to an oath of conquest to Aerdrie Faenya, Johannes adheres to a specific set of tenets that follow the beliefs and practices of the Storm's Roar.

He has a soft spot for all animals, especially birds. He loathes oranges.

## History

Johannes grew up in a small town in the territories bordering Nelune. These territories often face risk of attacks from orcs and goblins. The Storm's Roar, among other orders, are often sent out to protect these towns when a massive enemy threat is scouted.
He joined the Storm's Roar when he became of age, inspired by the order when they were sent to his town in response to a potential goblin raid. It was with them that he adopted his "all or nothing" fighting style. It was during his first battle against an orc raid where he learned of the ferocity of orcs, which led to his resolve to follow an oath of conquest as the only way to survive in the battle.

## Abilities

Johannes favors two-handed weapons, greatswords in particular, and wears heavy armor to compensate his innate lack of dexterity. As a paladin devoted to an oath of conquest, he leverages fear effects on his enemies when he can. His bread and butter consists of getting up close and personal and smiting the enemy over and over, even if doing so will deplete him of magic faster than is wise. Despite having the capability to cast healing magic, he almost never does unless an ally is in dire straits or when the fight is over. He can call on Relampago, his celestial mount who can take many forms as a beast of burden, scout, or cuddling companion.

## Relationships

### Nami Namioka

Johannes views Nami as a gifted diplomat and lateral thinker. He often disagrees with her on tactics and negotiations and at first saw her as a sheltered child with no real experience. After a squabble following a detainment by Spring and Summer Court spies in the Winter Court Ocean, during which Nami gave her signature as part of a peace deal, they learned to trust each other despite their differences. Johannes was further humbled by Nami's power after she was temporaily corrupted by a cursed sword and polymorphed herself into a wyvern. He knows she could kill all of them easily, if given the right motivation.

### Purru Silverhide

Even to this day, Johannes and Purru mix like oil and water. Though Purru has calmed down significantly, his impulsiveness and general lack of regard for consequences grated Johannes. It reached a boiling point when Purru landed himself in jail for skinning corpses to make tiny gloves. Such an act had potential to jeopardize the party's timeline to travel to the Feywild, after Johannes had bartered his name on loan in order to eliminate as many complications for entering the Feywild. They came to an understanding after helping Purru seize Donovan Springmore, the man who poached his parents. He let Purru decide what to do with him.

### Jade Delahaye

Johannes seldom interacts with Jade and doesn't know much about her motivations, but does not want to impose an answer out of her. After learning about her compulsions, he wrestles for a way to keep her safe from herself without totally restricting her freedom--an impossible feat anyway, with her being the sneakiest and most mobile of the party. Johannes is often surprised by Jade's advice when the party reaches a stalemate on a course of action.

### Everen Seregywn

He sees Everen as a very capable woman who don't need no man. And is easily the most competent person in the party.

### Whym

She's weird. Incredibly talented, but weird.

### Kaavi Falarica

He encountered her briefly in Seren before she stared an uprising that left the city under martial law, and again before she began to lay siege against Miru. Johannes learned that she was being tortured and broken in her imprisonment so that she would give up her names. Though Johannes could not justify her past actions nor absolve her of her crimes, he saw her treatment as inhumane by taking away her identity and leaving her with nothing. He persuaded her to give up the names only to forge a new identity for herself as Kaavi Falarica. She did so and was filled with a newfound zeal and purpose. Upon realizing she was a rebel at heart, a conqueror in her own right, he formed a romantic relationship with her. Even though they are on opposite sides of the law, he sees her as a soul mate in conquest. HORNY LEVEL 1000!! Oh they FUCKIN!

### Bandit the Bandit

Johannes saw Bandit as misguided talent, after his failed attempts to incapacitate the party, and brought him to the Storm's Roar in Nelune, rather than send him to jail.

### Aerdrie Faenya and associated creatures

Johannes follows the teachings of Aerdrie Faenya and the Storm's Roar. Much of these teachings revolve around her portfolio as a wind goddess, hence the many storm related epithets and metaphors within the order. He pledged an oath of conquest to the Aerdrie Faenya in order to keep himself alive during a harrowing battle against orcs. While not enforced by any means, Johannes keeps a diet lacking any fowl, as Aerdrie Faenya has imagry of cats and birds. This also influenced his love of birds, wishing them no harm if he can avoid it.

### The Storm's Roar

The Storm's Roar inspired Johannes to join their order when they visited his town in response to a potential goblin raid. Johannes has an unwavering commitment to the Storm's Roar, and has pledged an unorthodox oath of conquest as a paladin, as a self-proclaimed Harbinger.

### Henrick

Johannes' bunkmate and best friend in the Storm's Roar. They act like an ornery couple all the time, and Johannes enjoys waking him up at the earliest possible hour.

### Alex

A scout trainee in the Storm's Roar. Johannes is desperately trying to ship her and Henrick together.

### Green

Johannes was inspired by Green in particular to join the order. Green recommended his enlistment when he became of age. Johannes kept Green's chainmail after he fell in battle, as a sign of remembrance.

### Orcs

Johannes' first battle against an orc battle horde opened his eyes to their viciousness and brutality. Ever since, he has developed a hatred for them, viewing them of doing nothing but evil. This also cemented his beliefs on what conquest shouldn't be. The city of Miru, inhabited by both fey and orc, has put new and uncomfortable light in his eyes--peaceful orcs. His interactions with orcs in the city were kept short and brief, and he secretly hoped for a reason to fight them all.

### Sicain

He doesn't much care for Sicain's whims, and only wants to succeed in the party's quest so that his name would no longer be collateral. It was during a near death experience fighting water elementals in the Winter Court that Johannes further tried to bargain with Sicain: giving his name away right then and there for the strength to stay alive. Sicain declined the offer, but luckily Johannes barely kept alive through the encounter. He viewed his moment of desperation as a sign of weakness, in relying on Sicain to give him strength rather than using his own strength. He has not confided this to the party, but has sought penance for his moment of weakness.

### Wick

Johannes took ownership of Wick after being abandoned by its creator. Despite Wick being a wax construct only a week old, it was during a battle against water elementals that Johannes realized that he was willing to give his life to protect it.