Jack Ketch

**Jack Ketch** was a legendary Human ship captain known for creating the first accurate map of Archaeus, and later for becoming trapped in the Mortuus Arvum and battling its native Pale Elves while centuries passed outside.

## Life

Ketch was born to an unknown Human family several centuries ago. Becoming the captain of a ship known as the *Nag*, he set out on a journey to create the first accurate naval map of the world, currently in widespread use.

Despite the positive reception of his map, Ketch sought to allay doubts about its accuracy by setting off on a second voyage from Nesebar. He completed a significant portion of this voyage, eventually restocking at the Elven capital of Cathair Caillmhar Älvor and sailing further north into the Môr o Stormydd toward the city of the Silverhead Elven clan; at the same time, the Mortuus Arvum's boundaries suddenly expanded, consuming both the Elven city and Ketch's ship.

Ketch spent an extensive time fighting the seemingly newly created Pale Elves within the Arvum, recording his devastating losses of crew and supplies in his journal. He also discovered a statue of an individual identified as the Death King, 'worshipped with blood and skulls' by the Pale Elves.

Eventually, Ketch and his remaining crew died within the Arvum. At least one, a cabin boy named Doug, became a ghost, but most were resurrected as undead.

In Hadar of Å-622, Ketch's journal, as well as several pages separate from it, were found floating in the northern sea of mists and taken to Pirate's Cove. Queen Adalhard's Caravan and several pirate crews converged on the cove, seeking to recover the artefact. The guidance of the ghost of Doug and several separate efforts allowed the Caravan to recover the entire Journal, including several separate pages that described a method of using the Journal's power in a ritual of true resurrection.

When the Caravan, still at Pirate's Cove, was attacked by Pale Elves who had escaped from the Arvum, the ritualist Barron Ormauve led dozens of the Caravan's members in a ritual to teleport Ketch and his crew out of the Arvum. Upon their return, however, the crew immediately attacked the ritual participants and the Caravan's camp, failing to die permanently when slain.

Ketch took control of the ritual circle which had been used to rescue him and attempted to use it to open every ritual circle in Archaeus to the Arvum. Stopped by Ormauve, he later returned to the Arvum alongside Amanita of Dark Hollow, who slew him permanently with the soul-consuming sword Sorrowfall.

## Legacy

Though widely presumed dead after entering the Arvum, Ketch was revered by navigators, sailors, and cartographers for his original map, which was proved by later expeditions to have been almost exactly correct.

The topic of Ketch's resurrection or rescue was a controversial topic among the members of Queen Adalhard's Caravan both before and after his death, with many considering it an excessive risk while others contended that his information was too valuable to ignore. The topic was eventually set to rest by a divination that confirmed it could not end well.

## Abilities

Ketch was a trained captain, navigator, and swordsman, capable of standing up to members of Queen Adalhard's Caravan in a fight. He also possessed what appeared to be Dread magic, which he used to briefly turn Breadán Casta on one of his comrades, as well as (contradictorily) skill with rituals sufficient to open Circles to the Arvum.

## Paraphernalia

Ketch dressed in a classic pirate outfit with a tricorn hat and wielded a cutlass.