Lance O'Donnell
- "Things never really go as planned...but that's life."
- ―Lance to Connor over his relocation.[src]
Lance O'Donnell was a carpenter and resident of the Davenport Homestead during the American Revolutionary War.
Biography
Early Life and Meeting Connor Prior to his move to the Homestead, Lance was a carpenter residing in Boston, but as his views were not supportive of the British, he was forced out of his home and workshop by Loyalists. He spent his time on the road, evading the British and moving from inn to inn, until he met the Assassin Connor. He settled into the Homestead after Connor rescued him from a group of four thugs, who held him above a steep rock face by a rope attached to his ankles, burning his cart and equipment. They had wanted possession of his purse, which contained a meager amount of money, and for his trouble, decided to punish him by doing the said deeds. Connor, upon learning of Lance's situation, decided to offer him a position on the Davenport Homestead, which would benefit all around them. Lance, intrigued, stated that he would look into the prospects, and later agreed, settling there.
Life on the Homestead
Following his rescue, Lance converted the wood collected by the lumberjacks Godfrey and Terry into items such as barrels, which Connor could later sell in the marketplaces of cities, gaining income.
Following Father Timothy's arrival, Lance was present at the "Mile's End," and when the idea was revealed of building a church, Lance proclaimed his need to confess his sins.
Retrieving Tools
Later, he requested Connor's assistance in retrieving his spare tools from his former shop in Boston, and Connor agreed to watch his back while he obtained them. While awaiting Connor's arrival, Lance had attempted to avoid eye contact with his former neighbors, who had ill feelings for him, and was successful, before Connor arrived and they moved towards Lance's shop. Upon their arrival, a man was sweeping Lance's steps, revealing that he had purchased the shop three weeks prior via Lance's former apprentice, Patrick O'Hara. Outraged, Lance confronted Patrick, who revealed that he had believed Lance had abandoned the shop, prompting him to sell everything of value. Lance, however, thought otherwise, as tools were a woodworker's "lifeblood," and believed that he had stashed them somewhere for himself. To find out, the pair tailed Patrick, discovering his stash, as well as his mutterings over loading the tools at nightfall, as well as departing town before the month was out. After Patrick's departure, the unseen pair looted his chest of tools, retrieving everything of value, before Lance returned to the Homestead.
Plans from France
Later on, Lance ordered a package from France, but it never arrived, becoming long overdue. Lance inquired to Connor, asking him to inspect the package's supposed destination in New York. Upon arriving, the postmaster revealed that the package had been signed for and taken by Lance's former apprentice, Patrick, a few days before. The man also announced O'Hara's whereabouts, a few meters away on the docks with several companions. Patrick, upon noticing Connor's presence, ordered his men to hide the content of the shipment, a few pages, but Connor managed to retrieve them shortly after. Upon delivering the shipment's plans to Lance, who was smoking his pipe on his roof, Lance revealed them to be plans to the the folding chair, which he claimed to have invented. Later, while sorting though these plans, Lance discovered the blueprints for the Flying Machine, created by Leonardo da Vinci.
Flying Machine
With this in mind, Lance built the Flying Machine and allowed Connor to test it, although the first attempt only resulted in the invention crashing into the Homestead's bay, due to the lack of heat that would have been needed to keep it in the air.
Later Life
He later attended Norris and Myriam's marriage, celebrating at the "Mile's End" afterwards. He also was present at the funeral of Achilles Davenport, laying a rose on his coffin.
Trivia
- Lance smoked a pipe, as he was seen puffing on one on his workshop's roof from time to time.
Reference