Fenghuang
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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. |
The Fenghuang (鳳凰; English: Phoenix) was the flagship of the Zhang Wei Union that operated in the South China Sea during the early 18th century.
History
Acquisiton by the Zhang Wei Union
The Fenghuang was originally a Chinese junk owned by a pirate band operating from the Paracel Islands. In 1725, it was captured by Edward Kenway and his organization, the Zhang Wei Union, while on a mission for the Dutch East India Company to cleanse the islands of pirates.[1]
After being brought back to Macau, Edward was allowed to keep the ship due to a promise made by the company's chief navigator, Jan van Aert. Making use of the loot gained from the pirates, the Zhang Wei Union were able to purchase a plot of land by a harbor to operate and store their ship.[1]
Repairs and upgrades to the ship then began under the direction of the Union's engineer Yun Pyeong-Gyu, who installed a number of new armaments such as European-style cannons used in Joseon modified by Yun himself, swivel guns that had increased caliber, and several hwachas. The Union members also settled on their flagship's name of "Fenghuang", the Chinese word for phoenix, the legendary bird known for its ability to be reborn from its own ashes.[1]
The Fenghuang sailed under the Zhang Wei Union for the first time when it was used by Yun and Mustafa to rescue Edward, John Young, Shimazu Saito, and Xialun Qing from the fleet of Admiral Jeong following the events at Sun's floating gambling hall. It easily sunk one of Jeong's ships, causing the admiral to decide against battling it and allowing Edward, John, Saito and Qing to board the Fenghuang and escape to safety.[2]
Voyage to the Philippines
The Fenghuang would later be used by the members of the Zhang Wei Union when they sailed to the Philippines to investigate a lead to the location of Angkor, which was rumored to house Pieces of Eden.[3] As it neared Manila, the ship came under attack by Jeong's fleet, but thanks to Yun's latest invention – fire barrels which exploded on impact – the crew were able to cause considerable damage to the enemy ships.[4]
Using the advanced weaponry built by Yun, the Union members were ultimately able to sink most of Jeong's fleet, but unbeknownst to them, the admiral's true intentions were to get close enough to the Fenghuang to allow her passengers – the Chinese Assassins Xiao Han, Liu Qing and Xue Yan – to board it. After the trio used gliders to reach the ship, they dropped several bombs onto its deck, setting it on fire.[5]
In the resulting chaos, the Chinese Assassins managed to kill several of the Fenghuang's crew, until Yun realized that the bombs were filled with Greek fire, which water was useless against, and insturcted the crew to use sand to extinguish the flames. Upon spotting Yun, Xiao Han attempted to kill him, but was stopped by Edward, who engaged him in a duel. Meanwhile, the crew members managed to gain the upper hand and surround Liu Qing, holding him at gunpoint, and Saito faced off against Xue Yan.[5]
After Saito defeated Xue Yan and Edward overpowered Xiao Han, the latter ordered his Assassins to retreat and they all fled back to Jeong's ship using parachutes. With the admiral's fleet still on their tail, Edward ordered Mustafa to sail into an incoming storm to lose the enemy ships. Although one of Jeong's ships managed to follow the Fenghuang through the storm, it was soon sunk by a Dutch East India Company vessel captained by Jan van Aert.[6]
After Jan revealed his knowledge of the purpose of the Union's expedition to the Philippines, Edward reluctantly allowed him to accompany them. Meanwhile, Yun recreated the formula for Greek fire used by the Chinese Assassins, and Edward decided to make a stop on Java Island to acquire petroleum that would allow them to produce more of the substance. Before they had the chance to do so, however, both the Fenghuang and Jan's ship were attacked by two Spanish Men O' War, forcing them to surrender.[7]
Escape from Manila
The crews of the two ships were subsequently brought to Manila, where they were arrested by the Spanish authorities due to Jan's alleged involvement in the assassination of the Governor-General of the Philippines six years prior.[7] While Jan and his men were imprisoned in the dungeon underneath Fort Santiago, the Union members were forced to remain inside the Fenghuang, under heavy guard, though they soon managed to escape.[8]
After Edward and Saito left to rescue Jan's crew, the remaining Union members engaged in a fight with the Spanish soldiers at the harbor to retrieve their confiscated weapons. In the process, they discovered a warehouse filled with barrels of petroleum, which Yun promptly ordered to be loaded aboard the Fenghuang.[9]
Once Edward and Saito returned to the ship after an encounter with a monk who wielded a crescent amulet – a Piece of Eden – the Fenghuang set sail away from Manila, followed closely by Jan and his men. When the Spanish Navy gave chase, Jan volunteered to lure away their pursuers to give the Union members time to escape. The distraction worked and, once the Fenghuang had lost the Spanish fleet, Edward ordered the crew to set a course for Cebu.[10]
En route to their destination, the Union members discovered that the Spanish had confiscated all of their food rations and so attacked two passing Spanish schooners to acquire the provisions they carried. They also docked at a village which Zhang had begun trading with in order to resupply and recruit new crew members, but while there they were informed of unsettling rumors concerning Monkey Island, which was in their path to Cebu.[11]
Trapped on Monkey Island
As the Fenghuang passed Monkey Island, it was suddenly bombarded with mortar fire from a nearby fort. Mustafa was able to steer the ship to safety and Edward instructed him to take cover behind some rocks, but the crew quickly realized that they were trapped until they could locate their assailant. Fortunately, Xialun Qing offered a solution and revealed an invention she had been working on with Yun: a hot air balloon,[12] which they dubbed the Celestial Chariot.[13]
Using the balloon, Qing was able to survey Monkey Island and determine the locations of all enemy encampments, allowing the Fenghuang's crew to fire on them. However, the Celestial Chariot then suffered a malfunction mid-flight and caught fire, with Qing still inside.[13]
Armaments
Even prior to its acquisition by the Zhang Wei Union, the Fenghuang had earned a reputation as the ship that "wreaked havoc in the Paracels", according to Jeong.[2] Following its upgrades by Yun Pyeong-Gyu, the ship became even more powerful, being equipped with modified European-style cannons from Joseon, swivel guns with an increased caliber, and several hwachas that functioned as volley guns, launching a volley of fire arrows at the enemy.[1]
Prior to its voyage to the Philippines, the Fenghuang was also equipped with a special type of fire barrels created by Yun that exploded on impact.[4]
Crew
- Edward Kenway – Commandant[3]
- Mustafa – Captain[2]
- Yun Pyeong-Gyu[2]
- John Young[3]
- Shimazu Saito – Lookout[4]
- Xialun Qing – Doctor[3]
Gallery
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The Fenghuang docked -
The Fenghuang's phoenix figurehead -
The Fenghuang seen from above -
The Fenghuang's deck -
The Chinese Assassins using gliders to board the Fenghuang -
The Fenghuang dropping fire barrels into the water -
The Fenghuang sailing through a storm -
The Fenghuang next to Jan van Aert's ship
Appearances
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 31
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 39
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 41
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 47
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 48
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 49
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 50
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 51
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 53
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 57
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 58
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 59
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple – Episode 60