Mustafa

He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple. 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 16 April 2024.

Edward: "You've got more silver in your beard than the coins that you're worth. In fact, I think that I'll call you Captain Rupiya, a second-rate coin for a second-rate pirate."

Mustafa: "R-Rupiya? The Terror of Malacca they once called me... Now I'm reduced to a mere silver coin..."

—Edward Kenway giving Rupiya his nickname, 1725.

Captain Mustafa, previously called Captain "Hogbeard" and later Captain "Rupiya", was a pirate captain who operated in the Strait of Malacca in the early 18th century, during which time he gained notoriety as the "Terror of Malacca".

In 1725, Mustafa was hired by the merchant Sun to attack the ships of his business rival Lee Huiyin. The attack was thwarted by the Assassin Edward Kenway and the navigator John Young, who defeated Mustafa's crew and took the captain prisoner. Following Edward's establishment of the Zhang Wei Union, Mustafa was recruited into the organization and worked alongside them on several jobs as the captain of their flagship, the Fenghuang.

Mustafa's real name was never revealed to his allies, leading to his nickname by Edward, who found it fitting for the name of a "second-rate coin" to also be the name of a "second-rate pirate".

Biography

Life of piracy

"Hehe... Come now, matey, you wouldn't let that happen to me, would you? A-as it happens, I know a thing or two that could be worth a pretty penny to fine swashbuckling gentlemen such as yourselves... Not only that, I have a capable crew to call me own! That I do! Just say the word and they'll rally around me like seasoned soldiers!"

―Mustafa trying to convince Edward and John not to turn him over to the authorities, 1725.

In 1725, Mustafa and his crew were hired by Sun, head of the Hualien Trading Company, to attack the merchant ships of his rival, the businesswoman Lee Huiyin, along the coast of Macau. This was the first time that Mustafa was contacted by Sun, who up until then had relied on a crew of Japanese pirates to carry out such attacks.

Mustafa taken hostage by Edward

Sun used his connections to make sure the Dutch Navy would not intervene during the attack, allowing Mustafa and his crew to easily capture one of Lee's ships. However, just as they began stealing the ship's cargo, they were confronted by the Assassin Edward Kenway and the navigator John Young, who had come to defend the vessel. After John fired a cannonball at the mast of Lee's ship to immobilize it, Edward boarded the ship and quickly dispatched half of Mustafa's crew before taking the captain hostage. Upon seeing this, the remaining pirates returned to their own ship and fled, abandoning their captain.

Enraged by his crew's lack of loyalty, Mustafa offered to tell Edward everything he knew in exchange for his life, informing him that Sun was his employer. After Edward returned with a tied up Mustafa to John's ship, the two decided to take the pirate captain back to the village where they were staying, believing it was safer than handing him over to Macau's authorities, who would likely execute him on the spot. At the village, Mustafa was imprisoned in a warehouse under the watch of two guards.

Mustafa threatening his crew

Later, Edward and John found a use for Mustafa, who was taken by the latter to search for his former crew. Following Mustafa's directions, John was able to find the hideout where the crew had been hiding with their ship. Once freed, Mustafa shot one of his former men in the shoulder as payback for the crew's mutiny before threatening them into returning to serve under him, or else they would face the wrath of Edward, the "Nightmare of the Caribbean".

Following this, Mustafa and John returned to Macau, where they waited for Edward's signal to open fire on a detained Far East Company ship carrying opium. After Edward set off a firework and leapt off the ship, Mustafa destroyed the ship and its cargo with his cannons, thus preventing Lee from getting her hands on the opium.

Working for the Zhang Wei Union

Voyage to Manila

"As of this moment, your days of piracy are over. You are once again honest seafarers, free to sail the seas. You no longer need to prey upon innocent people... Nor need you fear pursuit by the navy. Welcome to a new life, lads."

―Edward welcoming Mustafa and his crew to the Zhang Wei Union, 1725.

Mustafa and his crew joining the Zhang Wei Union

Some time later, Mustafa and his crew left their lives of piracy behind, joining the Zhang Wei Union, a legitimate shipping company founded by Edward. Their first contract was to escort a trading vessel - concidentally the same one Mustafa had attacked previously - from Macau to Manila and back. While returning from Manila, the crew spotted a pirate ship attacking a Dutch East India Company vessel. Unwilling to let such an opportunity go, Edward ordered Mustafa to attack the pirates, intending to take their ship as a prize.

Mustafa deceived the pirates into tailing him to a rock, where Edward made use of a rowboat to board the pirate ship while Mustafa and John provided a distraction. However, during the ensuing battle, the pirate ship suffered heavy damages and soon caught fire, forcing Edward and the crew members who accompanied him to abandon the vessel before it sunk.

MIssion to the Paracel Islands

Mustafa: "Are ye sure about this? I've sailed to the Paracels myself and know as well as anoyone... That taking on all the corsairs there with a lone ship is no less than a suicide mission."

Edward: "I supposed it would be, if we were facing them head-on. But with these new armaments, courtesy of Mister Yun, and the plan I've come up with... We'll easily give those pirate rabble a run for their money."

—Mustafa voicing his doubts about the mission and Edward assuring him, 1725.

Following the crew's return to Macau, Edward accepted a job from Jan van Aert, the Dutch East India Company's chief navigator, to rid the Paracel Islands of pirates. Mustafa expressed his doubts about the mission, claiming that he had sailed to the islands before and that taking on all the pirates there was a suicide mission. However, Edward assured him that the advanced weapons designed by the Zhang Wei Union's engineer, Yun Pyeong-Gyu, would give them the edge over the pirates. Against his better judgement, Mustafa complied and set sail for the islands.

Mustafa meeting with the pirate captain while Zhang poses as his hostage

En route to the islands, Edward devised a plan which required Mustafa to distract the pirates whilst the Assassin and John planted explosives around their stronghold. With Zhang posing as his prisoner, Mustafa met up with the pirates' captain, an old acquaintance of his. After dismissing rumors that he had been executed in Macau, Mustafa agreed to go celebrate with the pirates, but claimed that he had sworn off alcohol, leading to the captain offering him tea taken from the ships they had plundered.

That night, after the pirates fell asleep from the alochol they had consumed, Mustafa got ready to leave and return to his ship for the next step of Edward's plan. However, at that moment the captain suddenly awoke and saw Mustafa grab a bottle of ale. Fortunately, the captain did not suspect a thing and, assuming Mustafa was grabbing the bottle for his crew, told him to take more drinks. Upon returning to his ship, Mustafa ordered his men to ready the hwachas Yun had built for them as they waited for Edward's signal.

However, the plan was botched when Edward freed the pirates' prisoners, who inadvertently alerted the pirates. After Edward, John, Zhang and the prisoners made it back safely to his ship, Mustafa sailed away from the islands. However, in his rush, he inadvertently led them to the "Boneyard of Sails", a patch of the sea infamous for the number of ships that had sunk there. As Mustafa was forced to slow down the ship to avoid the same fate, Edward devised a plan to lure the pirates chasing them into a trap, where they were all ultimately killed by the hwachas.

Captain of the Fenghuang

"It's time to get to work, lads! Let's give the Fenghuang a trial by fire."

―Mustafa to his crew before engaging Jeong's fleet, 1725.

Mustafa with Yun aboard the Fenghuang

When Edward and John infiltrated Sun's floating gambling hall to retrieve a sea log in the merchant's possession, Mustafa was given command of the Zhang Wei Union's flagship, the Fenghuang, acquired from the Paracel Islands pirates. Sailing alongside Yun, Mustafa came to Edward and John's rescue when the pair were attacked by the fleet of Admiral Jeong, hired by Lee to destroy the gambling den. After sinking one of Jeong's ships, the admiral withdrew, allowing Edward, John, Shimazu Saito and Xialun Qing to board the Fenghuang, which then sailed back to the Zhang Wei Union's headquarters.

Personality and traits

Despite his resentment of his crew for abandoning him following their defeat by Edward Kenway, Mustafa was not much braver himself, as he quickly told the Assassin everything he knew in exchange for his life. Even after Edward and John Young decided to spare him, Mustafa was not very grateful to them, instead taking issue with the constant disrespect he faced from everyone around him. He was also somewhat reluctant to join the Zhang Wei Union, as it meant leaving the excitement of his life of piracy behind.

In time, however, Mustafa warmed up to his newfound companions, who in turn started treating him better. He remained loyal to them and accompanied them on their missions, even those he deemed suicidal.

Behind the scenes

Mustafa is a character introduced in Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple, whose real name was initially not known at the time of his introduction. His nickname comes from the Hindustani rupiyā, which itself is Sanskrit in origin and means "wrought silver, a coin of silver". It shares a similar meaning in Episode 24 when Edward referred to Mustafa's nickname as meaning a second-rate coin. Rupiya, or Rupee, is also a currency used in many countries such as India, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

His real name is later revealed as Mustafa in Episode 47 of the series.

Gallery

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  John and Edward discussing what to do with a captive Mustafa
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  Mustafa being imprisoned in Zhang's village
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  Mustafa leading John to his crew's hideout
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  Mustafa and John destroying the opium shipment
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  Mustafa with John
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  Mustafa and his crew overlooking the Paracel Islands

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple