Rajah

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 18 September 2024.

They call me many things: Murderer. Cutthroat. Thief. But you may call me Rajah. This article is about a subject that lacks an official name and is known only by its nickname, title, or alias.

"It is always the way with you and your wilk. You come bearing weapons across the seas and dare to tread where you were not invited... enslaving our people as though we're no more than beasts to be tamed."

―Rajah criticizing the practice of colonialism, 1725.

Rajah was the leader of a Visayan resistance against the Spanish colonists in the Philippines during the early 18th century. Inspired by Lapu-Lapu's actions in fighting against Ferdinand Magellan's expedition two centuries prior, his main goal was to retrieve a crescent amulet, a Piece of Eden which he believed to rightfully belong to his people, and use it to end the foreign occupation of their lands.

Biography

Retrieving the amulet

"This is the legacy of our great ancestors, which you have stolen from us. It will now be returned to its rightful place."

―Rajah as he took the crescent amulet from the monk, 1725.

In 1725, amidst a riot in Manila led by a monk who had acquired the crescent amulet, Rajah led his men to infiltrate the city and recover the artifact. After boarding a Spanish ship, they killed all the soldiers aboard and Rajah asked one of his men for the monk's whereabouts. Learning that the monk had last been spotted inciting rioters in the town square, Rajah readied his kampilan and ordered his followers to find the "bastard" and recover their stolen treasure.

Rajah throwing a spear at the monk

Sure enough, Rajah and his men eventually found the monk, just as the latter was attempting to kill the British Assassin Edward Kenway, who also sought the amulet. Rajah threw a spear at the monk, mortally wounding him, and mocked him over his religious beliefs. He then accused him of stealing the amulet from his people and declared his intention to use the artifact to end the foreign occupation of their lands. With that, he finished off the monk and took the amulet from his body.

At that moment, Edward, who had been subjected to the amulet's powers, recovered from his trance and tried to convince Rajah to renounce the artifact, warning him that if he were to use it, he would become a slave to its power. The Visayan chief, noticing that Edward was in no condition to fight, offered him a chance to escape with his life and warned him that, if he insisted on interfering with his plans, he would not hesitate to kill him.

Edward refused to back down and attacked Rajah, who easily bested him and claimed that he expected more from a "Hidden One", the ancient name of the Assassins. He then prepared to execute Edward, but was stopped by several smoke bombs thrown by the Assassin's ally, Shimazu Saito, who grabbed Edward in the confusion and escaped with him to safety.

Sometime later, Rajah gathered all of his warriors and showed them the amulet, claiming that the "legacy of [their] ancestors" was with them once more. He then donned the artifact and prepared to lead his men towards Cebu to begin their campaign to reclaim their lands.

Occupation of Monkey Island

"The spirits of our ancestors march beside us. Feed on their power. Let it harden the sinew in your arms. And with it, slay every last foreign invader trespassing on our land."

―Rajah ordering his warriors to eliminate the Fenghuang's crew, 1725.

Rajah using the amulet on his warriors

En route to Cebu, Rajah and his men made a stop on Monkey Island, taking over the local fort. When the Fenghuang, the flagship of Edward's Zhang Wei Union, passed by the island, Rajah ordered his men to open fire on the ship using the fort's mortars.

After the Fenghuang took cover behind some rocks, Rajah knew that it was only a matter of time before the ship was vulnerable again and, using the crescent amulet to empower his warriors, sent them to board the vessel and slaughter its crew. When the Fenghuang emerged from its hiding place and approached the fort not long after, a surprised Rajah questioned why Edward's crew was so willing to "return to the slaughter".

Nevertheless, the Visayan chief ordered his men to open fire on the ship again, though unbeknownst to him, this attack was just a distraction to allow Edward and several crew members to reach Monkey Island undetected. After the Assassin and his crew infiltrated the island, the Fenghuang retreated and went back into hiding, though this time the ship was followed by Rajah's men.

Behind the scenes

Rajah, also spelled Raja, is a title originating from the Sanskrit language which was given to rulers in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is synonymous with king or princely ruler.

Gallery

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  Rajah donning the crescent amulet

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple