The Partner

John Strum the Partner is a seventy-something year old portsmaster who introduces the player to the Player-Owned Ports. He ran the port for more than 20 years and was once the richest man for miles around. However, the port fell into disrepair after Quin declared herself a goddess, making the seas around Wushanko virtually impassable, preventing many ships from visiting the port. He also became romantically involved with an eastern captain known as Lily at some point, who was later killed by Quin. Now, he is a silent partner whose main role is keeping Duncan out of mischief.

During the trio mission - Assault on Paradise - he dies while fighting with Quin and her bodyguards together with Ling, Zu Zu and Hubbub during an assassination attempt he orchestrated, seeking revenge for Lily's death. Despite his death, the mission is ultimately successful, and Quin is killed.

Trivia

 * John Strum may be a reference to John Frum. The John Frum movement is one of a group of similar Pacific island religious movements generically called cargo cults. In Vanuatu, after World War II, followers of John Frum built elaborate symbolic landing strips in hopes of bringing back the airplanes which brought in cargo during the war.
 * Even after his death he sometimes appears in cutscenes in the port office.
 * Surula's dialogue is updated after his death, where she reveals more about his relationship with Lily, although she refuses to say much about it.