About Captain Shakespeare

The only son of the legendary Captain Ghostmaker, he dreamed of England, the world across the Wall, but was bound to become a notorious pirate because of his heritage. After visiting England secretly, he became a Captain, taking the name 'Shakespeare', after the legendary British wordsmith...

One day, whilst illegally using his vessel to collect lightning, Shakespeare caught Tristan Thorne and Yvaine in his nets. To keep up his reputation, Shakespeare acted as a violent interrogator, who threw Tristan out of the porthole for insolence.

However, unbeknownst to his crew, Shakespeare was acting as host to the two hitchhikers after Tristan had stated that he was from England. The Captain revealed to them that he was, in fact, a transvestite who abhorred violence. He promised to drop the two off near the wall as soon as possible.

After stopping off to sell lightning to dodgy dealer Ferdy the Fence, Shakespeare introduced Tristan (who had been hiding in his cabin) to the crew as his 'fearsome buccaneer nephew'. The Captain played the host perfectly, teaching Tristan to fence and Yvaine to waltz, during which time he revealed that he knew Yvaine was in fact, a fallen star.

At the end of the journey, Shakespeare gave Tristan a container full of lightning as well as some whispered advice, before preparing to depart.

Before the vessel managed to depart, it was set upon by Prince Septimus and his men, who had killed Ferdy the Fence and were on the trail of Yvaine, who carried (unknowningly) the royal ruby of Stormhold. The men were killed, but not before Septimus had discovered the Captain, dressed in a pink dress and feather boa, twirling around his cabin.

The crew saw of the Prince, before revealing to their distraught Captain that they 'always knew you were a whoopsie'. Shakespeare later attended the coronation wedding of Yvaine to King Tristan, who he had told that his true love was right in front of his eyes.