Database: Abel "The Padre" Galvão

He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. This template should be removed from the article 9 October 2026.

Born: c. 1686, Portugal
Died: Unknown

Even among close associates, Abel Galvão talked little about his past. But the few words he would speak painted a violent picture: a darkly abusive father and a life spent fighting on the streets. He eventually stowed away aboard a ship bound for the colonies, and when it was taken by pirates, eagerly joined them in slaughtering the crew. He became one of them and earned a fearsome reputation as a brutal and unpredictable shipmate.

After one intense binge of alcohol fueled violence and mayhem, the Padre stumbled upon a young priest, Horace Ravenscroft. Weary, heartsick, and tormented, he was amazed by the priest's steady faith. After sobering, Abel committed himself to a new life. He refused to return to his ship, electing instead to live in a small empty hut by the docks. Shocked and amused at the change, his previous shipmates dubbed him "The Padre". They meant it snidely, but he liked it and took it as his moniker.

On fire with new faith, the Padre spent most of his time in intense prayer or pouring over an old Bible the priest gave him. His fervency impressed Ravenscroft, who encouraged his newfound protégé to enroll in a seminary. But the Padre could not resist the call of the ocean. He instead found a berth on a merchant vessel, preaching to anyone who would hear him. Believing him to be simple-minded, the surly crew ignored him.

It soon became clear to the Padre that the men on his ship were preparing for a mutiny. The old Abel would have joined the bloodshed, reveled in it. Instead, he warned the few passengers he knew would listen. While the crew tore through the ship, the Padre, a family, and a couple of stragglers stole away on a rowboat.

After days at sea, the Padre had to perform his first funerary rites. The couple's little girl had already been poorly, and her condition had deteriorated badly. He rowed hard while the waves carried her lifeless body away. They found land a day later, setting foot in a small village in Punta del Caracol. Wracked with fatigue, the Padre passed out. He woke up to the smell of roasting pig.

The villagers were kind and hardworking, and they expected the same of their visitors. The Padre helped gamely and preached with gusto. Many villagers listened with rapture. After a few weeks, a ship stopped by and tie visitors returned to civilization. But the Padre never left. The ocean no longer called out to him; in this little corner of the world, he had found his purpose.

Upon meeting Edward, the Padre was unimpressed. He knew pirates well, and they were all the same. He firmly declined the pirate's invitation to join his crew.

Over the years, the Padre and Bishop Ravenscroft exchanged letters. The Padre received his former mentor's advice and encouragement with zeal. But when the Bishop's increasingly militant stance brought the Catholics in Kingston close to war with the Protestants, the Padre had refused the Bishop's call to Kingston. Determined to protect his little village and shield his people from violence, he stayed on their island away from the trouble.

When his home was destroyed and villagers massacred, it was as IF [sic] his last few years had been nothing but a cruel dream. The Padre swore violence and vengeance in retaliation for the outrage. He joined Kenway's crew as master-at-arms, intent on avenging his people.

The Padre discovered it was the Bishop who had slaughtered his people in a twisted attempt to unite the region's Catholics under Templar control. It was the last straw. With the help of Kenway he hunted the murderous priest down, cornering him finally in his underground church in Kingston. After dutifully and patiently hearing his confession, the Padre visited the same punishment on the Bishop he had inflicted on the innocent villagers. He left him hanging from the rafters of his own church.

Although his faith endured, the Padre was unable to reconcile the events at Kingston with his call to ministry, and returned to the Jackdaw as its permanent master-at-arms.