Duncan Walpole

2015-06-07T19:58:55Z

92.251.239.13: should have skills list

{{Era|AC4|ACRG|4book|Assassins}}
{{Quote|Not only was my cousin involved in affairs I keep at a distance, but he was a treacherous man, a man blessed, I'm afraid, with few principles. A man prepared to sell the secrets of those who trusted him to the highest bidder. I was ashamed to see him bear the Walpole name.|Robert Walpole on Duncan, 1723.|Assassin's Creed: Black Flag (novel)}}
{{Character Infobox
|image = AC4 Duncan Walpole render.png
|birth = 1679 {{Wiki|Houghton, Norfolk|Houghton}}, [[United Kingdom|Kingdom of England]]
|death = June 1715 [[Cape Bonavista]], [[Cuba]], {{Wiki|New Spain}}
|hidep =
|affiliates = [[Royal Navy]] (1697 – 1700) [[East India Company]] [[Assassins]] (c. 1700 – 1715) [[Templars]] (1715)
|hider =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'' [[Assassin's Creed: Black Flag (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Black Flag'' novel]]
|voice = }}
'''Duncan Walpole''' (1679 – 1715) was a [[Master Assassin]] of the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[British Assassins|Brotherhood]] of [[Assassins]] during the early 18th century. Skilled but arrogant, Duncan later chose to betray his Order and join the [[Templars]] of the [[Caribbean|West Indies]].<ref name="Encyclopedia">''[[Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia]]''</ref>

==Biography==
===Early life===
The second cousin of [[Robert Walpole]], Britain's "first {{Wiki|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister}}", Duncan's early life was one of relative comfort and ease. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the [[Royal Navy]] as a mid-shipman, hoping to become a naval officer. However, Duncan's impulsive nature and immoderate temper prevented him from rising quickly through the ranks, causing him to become frustrated with his progress.<ref name="AC4">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>

After three years, Duncan gave up on the navy and instead sought his fortune with the [[East India Company]]. There, he befriended a sailor, who introduced Duncan to the Assassin Order and its teachings. Although wary at first, Duncan soon grew to serve the Order with a fervor and drive he had not known in the navy.<ref name="AC4"/>

===Betraying the Assassins===
{{Quote|I accept your most generous offer, and await your arrival with eagerness. If you truly possess the information we desire, we have the means to reward you handsomely [...] Therefore, come to Havana in haste... And trust that you shall be welcomed as a brother.|Torres inviting Duncan to Havana, 1715.|Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag}}
Duncan's reputation increased along with his skills, though his impulsiveness and temper - coupled with a growing arrogance - continued to be liabilities and often led him to clash with the senior members of the British Brotherhood.<ref name="AC4"/> Disappointed to find neither glory nor fortune with the Assassins, Duncan's loyalty to the Order faltered, which was taken advantage of by the British Templars, who eventually succeeded in turning Duncan to their cause.<ref name="Encyclopedia"/>

In 1714, Duncan was asked by his [[Mentor]] to sail to the West Indies and meet [[Ah Tabai]], the leader of the local Brotherhood. Seeing an opportunity to sabotage the Assassins' operation and officially join the Templars, Duncan eagerly accepted the position and departed within the month.<ref name="AC4"/>

Arriving in early 1715, Duncan requested to train under Ah Tabai, utilizing the next few months to integrate himself into the local Brotherhood and gather valuable information about the locations of various [[Assassin bureau]]s in the area. In secret, Duncan also began corresponding with [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]], the [[Spain|Spanish]] Governor of [[Cuba]] and the [[Grand Master]] of the Templar Order in the West Indies. The pair arranged to meet in [[Havana]], where Duncan would be officially inducted.<ref name="AC4"/>

Around June, Ah Tabai learnt that the Templars had imprisoned a [[Sages|Sage]] in the southern Spanish colonies and entrusted Duncan with the task of intercepting the Templar [[Ships|ship]] that was carrying the captive. Seizing his chance to abandon the Assassins, Duncan agreed to this task and departed on a [[frigate]] called [[HMS Intrigue|HMS ''Intrigue'']], setting sail for Havana to join Torres.<ref name="AC4"/>

===Death===
{{Dialogue2|Duncan|I can pay you. Isn't that the sound you pirates like best? One hundred escudos.|Edward|Keep talking.|Will you or won't you!|Duncan attempting to enlist Edward's help, 1715.|Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag}}
However, while en route, HMS ''Intrigue'' attacked a [[Piracy|pirate]] [[brig]], the ''[[Jacobite]]'', which was captained by [[Abel Bramah]]. The pirates managed to de-mast the frigate, but soon found that their own weapon magazine had been hit. Boarding the ship, Duncan assassinated the captain, but was thrown overboard by the magazine's explosion.<ref name="AC4"/>

[[File:Edward Kenway Memory 10.png|thumb|250px|left|Edward haggling with Duncan]]
Shipwrecked in [[Cape Bonavista]], Cuba, Duncan attempted to enlist the aid of the only other survivor, the pirate [[Edward Kenway]], in reaching Havana. Edward attempted to haggle the price of passage, but Duncan threatened him with a [[Firearms|flintlock pistol]] in response, only to find that it was unable to fire due to wet gunpowder; Duncan subsequently fled into the jungle, and Edward gave chase. During this chase, the gunpowder in Duncan's flintlock dried, allowing the Assassin turncoat to shoot Edward once with his flintlock pistol, angering the pirate who would eventually duel and kill him easily.<ref name="AC4"/>

On Duncan's corpse, Edward found a letter from Torres, referencing the cargo Duncan was bringing to him: a [[Blood vials|blood vial]] and maps pertaining to the locations of Assassin bureaus across the Caribbean. Edward chose to assume Duncan's identity and collect the reward for himself, unknowingly plunging headlong into the [[Assassin-Templar War|secret war]] between the Templars and the Assassins.<ref name="AC4"/>

==Trivia==
*Duncan is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic name ''Donnchadh'' meaning "brown warrior", derived from Gaelic ''donn'' "brown" and ''cath'' "warrior". Walpole is an English surname originating from either Norfolk or Suffolk. Equipment and skills Duncan was a skilled master assassin trained by both the British and Carribean brotherhoods,he was a skilled freerunner being able to evade Edward Kenway while seriously injured. Duncan was also possesed some skill as a sailor serving in the British Navy for three years. In terms of weapons, Duncan wielded dual hidden blades, a sword and two pistols.

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
Duncan Walpole - Concept Art.jpg|Concept art of Duncan
Edward Kenway Memory 2.png|Duncan aboard HMS ''Intrigue''
Edward Kenway Memory 20.png|Duncan assassinating Abel Bramah
Edward Kenway Memory 5.png|Duncan aboard the ''Jacobite''
Edward Kenway Memory 21.png|Duncan and Edward's first meeting
Edward Kenway Memory 11.png|Duncan threatening Edward
Edward Kenway Memory 12.png|Edward dragging Duncan's corpse
Edward Kenway Memory 15.png|Edward hiding Duncan's body
</gallery>

==Reference==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC4}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walpole, Duncan}}
[[Category:1679 births]]
[[Category:1715 deaths]]
[[Category:Individuals]]
[[Category:Englishmen]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel]]
[[Category:East India Company employees]]
[[Category:Assassins]]
[[Category:British Assassins]]
[[Category:Caribbean Assassins]]
[[Category:Master Assassins]]
[[Category:Assassin turncoats]]
[[Category:Templar allies]]
[[Category:Walpole family|Duncan Walpole]]

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Duncan Walpole