Roi des Thunes

They call me many things: Murderer. Cutthroat. Thief. But you may call me Roi des Thunes. This article is about a subject that lacks an official name and is known only by its nickname, title, or alias.

"His Grace doesn't care about excuses. He cares about results. If you can't make your quotas, he makes... adjustments."

―Aloys la Touche on the Roi des Thunes, 1791.

Le Roi des Thunes (English: The King of Beggars; died 1791) was the slang title held by the leader of the Cour des Miracles, a Parisian counter-society devoted to criminals, beggars, and thieves.

Biography

Early life

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the individual bearing the title from at least 1789 was the unacknowledged, illegitimate son of a minor nobleman. He rose to power in the Cour des Miracles in the late 1770s and quickly acquired a reputation for cruelty towards the beggars who paid him tribute, often having limbs amputated from those who failed to make enough money as a means of motivating others.

For these acts of cruelty, he quickly became a target of the French Brotherhood, who sent several Assassins after him; however, none of them ever came back. The Roi des Thunes would later recruit the former tax assessor Aloys la Touche as his enforcer, recognizing his cruelty and economic acumen.

Joining the Templars and coup d'état

Roi des Thunes: ""The intrigues of rats?" Pompous fool! If I could lay my hands on him..."

Sivert: "My master would be pleased to arrange that. Brother."

—Sivert recruiting the Roi des Thunes for the coup against François de la Serre, 1789.

Around 1789, the Roi des Thunes became aware of the existence of the Templar Order and appealed for membership, claiming the advantages of his underground connections. However, Grand Master François de la Serre refused him membership in the Order as he did not believe his position was fruitful. Feeling insulted by de la Serre's comments that he had no need for the "intrigues of rats", the Roi des Thunes vowed revenge.

The Templar Charles Gabriel Sivert later presented him with an opportunity to strike if he joined a secret coup d'etat within the Order, led by François-Thomas Germain. After being accepted into the Order alongside la Touche, the Roi des Thunes was tasked to help Sivert assassinate de la Serre, in order to allow Germain to usurp leadership of the Templars.

The Roi des Thunes and Sivert hiding after de la Serre's assassination

The two made their move at a party hosted by the Grand Master in May 1789, where Sivert lured de la Serre to the palace gardens and attacked him. However, de la Serre managed to fight off Sivert and wound him, prompting the Roi des Thunes to intervene. He snuck up from behind and struck the Grand Master with a poisoned Templar pin crafted by Germain, killing de la Serre within moments. As the two Templars made their escape, Sivert called out to the guards and framed Arno Dorian, who had witnessed his adoptive father's murder.

Later that year, the ex-Assassin Bernard Ruddock falsely implicated the Roi des Thunes in a failed assassination attempt on Élise de la Serre's mother Julie in 1776, in order the conceal the involvement of his true employers: the Carroll family. After also learning about the Roi des Thunes' role in her father's murder, Élise vowed revenge on the man, though she would ultimately be unable to obtain it.

Death

"Muster the guard and lead the hunt for this Assassin. Bring me his head."

―The Roi des Thunes ordering la Touche to find and eliminate Arno, 1791.

By 1791, the Assassin Council had sent no less than three apprentices to locate and kill the Roi des Thunes, one of whom was Master Assassin Guillaume Beylier's apprentice Brasseur. All three failed in their task, with Brasseur being personally murdered by the Templar. Upon learning of the Roi des Thunes' involvement in de la Serre's murder, the Council charged the newly-inducted Arno Dorian with finding and killing the Templar.

Arno eventually found the Roi des Thunes with the help of the Marquis de Sade, who hoped to take over the Roi des Thunes' criminal empire. La Touche warned his master of Arno's imminent arrival, much to the Roi des Thunes' shock, as he did not expect to be tracked down so soon.

Arno assassinating the Roi des Thunes

When Arno attacked the Roi des Thunes, who was seemingly sitting on his throne, he realized that it was an ambush. Brasseur's body was used as a decoy, while the Roi des Thunes and his snipers tried to shoot Arno. Despite this, the Assassin managed to elude the snipers, reach the Roi des Thunes and kill him with his Hidden Blade. In the process, he witnessed the Templar's memories, learning that the Roi des Thunes and Sivert had acted under someone else's orders when they murdered de la Serre.

After the Roi des Thunes' death, Arno claimed a trophy from the late monarch in the form of the Officer's Pistol, the gun used by Brasseur before his murder. Meanwhile, what was left of the Templar's "kingdom" fell under the leadership of the Marquis de Sade, who later wrote a letter alluding to his predecessor's death, remarking that "the King is dead, and none of his miracles can now save him".

Behind the scenes

The Roi des Thunes is a fictional character who appears in the 2014 video game Assassin's Creed: Unity, where he is voiced by the British actor Ivan Sherry. Contrary to what his database entry claims, his title does not translate to "King of Beggars" but to "King of Thunes", a coin worth 5 francs.

Gallery

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  Concept art of the Roi des Thunes
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  An untextured render of the Roi des Thunes
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  An untextured render of the Roi des Thunes' head
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  A head render of the Roi des Thunes
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  The Roi des Thunes appealing for membership in the Templar Order
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  The Roi des Thunes expressing his hatred of de la Serre
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  The Roi des Thunes and Sivert framing Arno for de la Serre's murder
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  The Roi des Thunes ordering la Touche to find Arno

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Unity (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Unity novel