Crawford Starrick
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- "Today, Starrick sits at the helm of the most sophisticated Templar infrastructure known in the western world. Every class, every borough, the gangs, the industries - his reach extends all across London."
- ―Henry Green on Starrick, 1868.[src]
Crawford Starrick (1827 – 1868) was the owner of the Starrick Telegraph Company, and the Grand Master of the British Rite of the Templar Order by 1868.
Biography
Having inherited his first rail factory from his father, Starrick nevertheless proved to be a brilliant businessman of his own, building an empire that continued to grow. He was also ruthless towards his employees and installed Rupert Ferris as manager to maximize profit and keep spending to a minimum.[1]
Sometime during the 19th century, Crawford participated in an auction alongside fellow Templar and good friend Lucy Thorne, who managed to outbid him and subsequently acquired an occult manuscript.[2] Despite their collaboration to locate the Shroud of Eden, Starrick had no intention of sharing the Shorud with Lucy. He nonetheless planned to provide her with compensation in exchange for her aid in locating the Shroud.
Through his network of Templar agents, he controlled London and oppressed the working class to keep the Order in power. During this time, the British Assassins worked to reclaim power in the city, and bring down Starrick, principally through their members Henry Green, and the twins Jacob and Evie Frye.[3]
Following John Elliotson's assassination at the hands of Jacob Frye, who also destroyed Starrick's Soothing Syrup production, the Earl of Cardigan and Philip Twopenny met with Starrick to discuss action against the Assassins. Starrick dismissed Jacob's efforts against his corporate empire, referencing the meticulous process in which his own Indian tea was delivered to him.[3]
Subsequently, Starrick met with his cousin Pearl Attaway, who had manipulated Jacob into acquiring internal combustion engines from his lackey, Malcolm Millner, as well as assassinate him. Starrick promised to arrange transportation for the engines, unaware that Jacob was spying on them and had learned Pearl's true colours. Some time after their meeting, Jacob assassinated Pearl. Starrick began playing his piano, shooting a Templar out of annoyance for disturbing him. Lucy then entered the room, believing him unaware of Pearl's death before being told otherwise. Deciding to take the Frye twins seriously, Starrick declared his intention to bring them to justice.[3]
After all of his collaborators were assassinated by the Frye twins, including Lucy, Starrick decided to track down the Shroud of Eden himself. He managed to locate it beneath Buckingham Palace while attending a party. Donning the Shroud, Starrick was granted its powers. Using its powers of healing and enhanced strength, he began to overwhelm the Frye twins, with all of their would-be fatal attacks rendered ineffective. Before he could kill them, Henry Green intervened and joined the fight. In spite of Green's best efforts, he proved to be no match for Starrick's newfound powers.
However, Jacob managed to pin down Starrick long enough for Evie to remove the Shroud from him, making Starrick lose its powers. Now vulnerable, Starrick was no match for the twins, who both managed to fatally wound him.
As he lay dying, Starrick proclaimed that with his death, London would perish without him, as he had intended to create a paradise. He was then rebuked by the twins, before succumbing to his wounds. With Starrick's death, the Templars' control over London had ended.
Personality and traits
Above all, Crawford Starrick desired order and control. A staunchly conservative man, Crawford's actions in respect of his role as Grand Master of the British Rite all looked to maintain the status quo, whilst gradually improving the quality of life for his workers, and the city whole. Crawford initially viewed the interference of the Frye twins as little more than an inconvenience, but as their actions begun to upturn the order established by Crawford, he begun to take personal grievance with them.
During the temporary collapse of the British currency, following the death of Philip Twopenny, the Governor of the Bank of England, at the hands of Jacob Frye, Crawford increased the average wage of his entire workforce in order to stave off the affects of inflation, and maintain his grip on power; he did this despite the incredulity of his fellow Templar, James Brudenell.
Crawford also saw himself as a fair man. Before learning of her death, Crawford penned a letter promising to support Lucy Thorne financially for her remaining years, in gratitude for her aid in locating the Shroud of Eden. Crawford claimed that only one could wear the Shroud, and that it could only be him.[3]
References