Bloody Jacque

The Legend of Bloody Jacque

Be careful what you wish for child, lest you get it in unexpected ways like Captain Jacque Boiteux, better known as Bloody Jacque.

Bloody Jacque was pirate who made his haven in Port Oakes during the late 16th to the early-to-med-17-century. He made a name for himself being a black-hearted and vile pirate who left very few alive after an encounter with him save for those he let go to spread the tale of his attacks.

It all changed one night when a terrible storm came to Port Oakes, during this time his crew mutinied against him, sinking their blades deep into his gut and back. With his last breath and his own blood covering his hands, he cursed his crew and pleaded to the demons of the sea to let him live, and to curse his traitorous crew for their transgressions against him.

And a demon of the sea, amused by his plight, decided to strike a deal with him. The demon promised he would not die, and that his crew would be punished...if the Captain gave up his immortal soul. Jacque, desperate to stave off death's icy clutches agree without a second thought, and the deal was struck. However, Jacque's wording was just vague enough for the demon to have fun with it....

Now he roams the seas, cursed for all eternity to roam the seas, forever the captain of his vessel and the souls of his mutinous crew.

The Speculations

While many scholars debate the legitimacy of this legend in both esoteric and academic circles, there doesn't seem to be much of a consensus on some of the details in the legend. This includes exactly when he died. What records survive from the time seem to record the existence of a Jacque Boiteux, and that he indeed was a pirate who made his haven somewhere within what is now known as Villa Montrose, although records show him having possibly been around Fort Hades as well, although this may have only been due to nautical travel.

Additionally, the dates of his demise seem to be uncertain, the legend speaks of it being somewhere between the early-to-mid 17th century, although there seems to be somewhat of a leaning among academics towards the early part while some esoteric circles argue he may have been granted the gift of eternal life earlier then implied and his curse was merely the payment for it.

Those subscribed to this school of thought have speculated the condition of his release to involve service as a psychopomp of sorts.

The Reality

The man that would becoming the marauding phantasm known as Bloody Jacque, was indeed a sea captain by the name of Jacque Boiteux who served in the French Navy from the age of 18 to to about 25 before a mutiny occurred on the vessel, which would later become known as La Bois de Rose", or the Rosewood in his native French.

Powers and Abilities

• Levitation - As a weightless spirit, Jacque is shown to be capable of levitation, often hovering a short distance above the floor, but has shown the ability to fly higher and faster then his usual slow hovering pace.

• Incorporeal

• Weather Manipulation One of the strange boons of his deal, Jacque is able create small-scale nautical patterns such as a strong wind, a thunderstorm, or a small whirlpool.

• Undeath - As a ghost, Jacque is apart of the undead. This gives him immunity to non-magical poisons as well as resilient to several forms of attack. Despite this, being undead makes him particularly vulnerable to magic, in particular that of necromancy and of a divine nature.

Equipment

While little of his weaponry from life holds much use in death, now that he has supernatural abilities in his arsenal, but below are some of the ones of note.

Weaknesses

• Blessed Weapons - Weapons with a tie to faith and holiness are capable of affecting his incorporeal form as if he were a mortal.

• Daylight - Due to the exorcism performed [Father Henri] upon the spectral inhabitants of Port Oakes in the 1830s, Bloody Jacque (like all the other spectres of Fort Hades) goes into a torpid state when Dawn cracks, retreating to the remains of his ship, La Bois de Rose (The Rosewood) beneath the depths surrounding Port Oakes.

• Exorcism - The Captain's ties to the mortal plane can be disrupted through an exorcism. The stronger the faith of the person preforming the ritual, the longer it casts him back into a torpid stasis in the void for a time. A notable lasting effect of exorcisms upon the Captain came from the exorcism preformed by Father Henri at Fort Hades which 'caused all of the spirits at Port Oakes to be put to rest when Dawn breaks, but was not strong enough to give them eternal rest as they rise each night.

• Magical Weapons - Similar to blessed weapons, weapons with mystical properties and enchantments can cut through the Captain's spectral flesh like a normal blade through a mortal.

• Necromancy - As the Captain is no longer among the living, the art of necromancy holds some sway over him. A skilled enough necromancer can bind him to their will, incurring the ire of the Captain in the process.

Affiliations

TV Tropes

• [Ghost Pirate] - Pretty obvious, and he does in fact have a [phantom ship], and the [ghostly chill].

• [Jacob Marley Apparel] - Bloody Jacque is dressed like a 16th-17th century sea captain with bloody shirt and hands from where his crew stabbed him during their mutiny and his bloody hands with which he pointed at his crew and cursed them all with his last breath. In addition, the captain drips sea water reflecting his death at sea.

Trivia

- This character was inspired by an OOC conversation I had with an super group mate after putting together my costume for the Pirate-themed event, and from it a rather fun character emerged from the murky depths.

Gallery