Johan Johanssen

Johan Johanssen (May 1606, Delft, Holland - 21st of August 1651, Thar'balish, Gzmolia) was a captain for the Dutch Republic's VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, the Dutch East India Company), sailing three ships to the utmost east in a trade mission to Japan under orders to establish a trade route between Japan and the Dutch Indies. having arrived in Japan, in 1649, he was told about the vast riches of the lands further north, beyond Hokkaido, but he was also warned for the raging war. Curious about these lands, Johanssen sailed up north beyond Hokkaido, arriving in Spakistan in early 1650. The Caliph, Uyaliira'ah, recieved him with the same customs as was Fernao Pinto, but due to the isolationist policy practiced by Spakistan during the Gzmolian Wars, Johanssen wasn't granted a tour of the south. Instead, he himself took his trade mission up the Rrahhian Streets. Flying a Spakistanian, and therefore neutral flag, the Rrahhians let him through, accepting him as a merchant. Johanssen then sailed around Cape Rahil (northern tip of Rrahhilia), entering the Mondonesian Bay and eventually docking in Ar-Meg-Zwygmad, the metropolitan Grombolistanian capital. Unfortunately, Johanssen was infected with a severe case of 'De Beestjes', as it was known in Europe upon its discovery, a parisitical disease indigenous to Grombolistan and supposedly wiped out in th 14th century. It ate his brain and bodymass away, leaving him hollow and mentally weak. He, due to Dutch law however, was still captain of the mission, and he therefore held command over their course. On advice of his quartermaster, he left Ar-Meg-Zwygmad for Smurcia, docking in a nameless place. When asked in that place if he knew where he was, he replied with "Grut!" (a meal in in Holland). The inhabitants of the place then assumed Grut - or as they said it: Ghjurt - as their placename.

Johanssen left Ghjurt in September 1650, sailing around Smurcistania, passing through the Smurcistanian Straits, eventually arriving in Balleba in December. He was welcomed by the Duke of Balleba, and he was given an accomodation in the Ballebaian capital of Grenniq. However, the old Duke passed away in Februari 1651, leaving a power vacuum: he had no sons or brothers. And in the well known Dutch spirit of acquisition, Johanssen (though probably under influence of his antibeestjes medicines) seized the capital with his crews - heavily armed with the newest musquets, renaming it 't Grenckhoff, and claiming Balleba as a Dutch Colony. Many Ballebaian families still trace their ancestry back to one of the Dutch sailors.

Johanssen remained in 't Grenckhoff for the rest of winter and spring, leaving the city in June 1651, leaving one of his crews behind to rule the colony and taking the other two with him to the south, crossing the Grunkba Straits (between Grunkeldunk and Balleba). Johanssen, unaware of the danger due to his mental detoriarition, landed in the warring territory of Gzmolia in early Juli. He docked his ships in then Grunkeldunkian-controlled Jad'Ghazim, and then rode for Thar'balish. Hearing of the Gzmolian War in detail and the battles outside the Thar'balishian walls, he stupidly replied "sounds like fun!" Johanssen, in his mental state, then decided to go for a trip in the countryside in August, taking one of his crews with him. But riding across the desolate landscape of northern Gzmolia, Johanssen and his men were ambushed by a probably Rrahhian task force. Johan Johanssen was killed on the 21st of August, and his men along with him. The crew that remained in Thar'balish soon heard of his death and quickly set sail again towards Balleba, where, in late October, they told the Dutch authorities there of the ambush. It was decided that the crew in question would set sail immediately towards the Republic, to tell the Republic of the grave crime that had been comitted against the state. They commenced their journey in early December.