James Wardrop

"We bring order from the chaos. If everything is permitted, no one is safe."

―James Wardrop in his final moments, 1754.

James Wardrop (c. 1705 – 1754) was a merchant, politician, and a member of the British Rite of the Templar Order in the years leading up to the Seven Years' War. Operating along the Thirteen Colonies, Wardrop was the custodian of the Voynich manuscript, a First Civilization artifact.

Biography

Early life

James Wardrop was born around 1705, into a Templar family in what was then the British American colonies.

Acquiring land and wealth

"He's one of the most devious and ruthless men in the colonies. He uses the letter of the law to serve his purposes, and when the law does not bend to him, he gets lawmakers to bend it for him. Mark my words, Shay: James Wardrop is a bureaucrat, and doesn't care how his actions affect others."

―The Assassin Liam O'Brien describing Wardrop, 1754.

Following in his father's footsteps, Wardrop was inducted into the Templar Order in 1720. His main role in the Order was to secure land and wealth, slowly and surely building up the foundation for the fledgling Colonial Rite.

In 1744, Wardrop began to build a trade network for the Order that ran from the American colonies to the West Indies. By 1750, he worked with Christopher Gist to acquire North American land for the Order. The Wolastoqiyik Assassin Kesegowaase reported that Wardrop evicted many native tribes from their ancestral lands in doing so, and the Brotherhood held proof that he was responsible for numerous massacres.

Wardrop sought to keep the young colonies loyal to the British Empire, although he was not above using his bureaucratic position to acquire profits for himself. When his position did not allow him to achieve his goals, he used his connections to change this. Gist also claimed that Wardrop "could not hold his liquor", and that he had trouble getting along with fellow Templar Jack Weeks.

Translating the manuscript

Lawrence: "Master Wardrop, are you likewise engaged with the manuscript?"

Wardrop: "Yes, sir. We will soon know its meaning."

—Lawrence Washington and Wardrop during the meeting at Mount Vernon, 1752.

During the 1751 Port-au-Prince earthquake, Lawrence Washington, Master Templar of the Northern Colonies, stole the Precursor box and the Voynich manuscript from the Assassin Mentor François Mackandal. While the box was entrusted to Samuel Smith, Wardrop was tasked with interpreting the mysterious language of the manuscript.

Weeks, Wardrop and Smith meeting with Washington

In July 1752, Wardrop, Smith, and Weeks met with a dying Washington at his home in Mount Vernon. After the Templars assured him that his brother George would be kept out of Templar business, Wardrop reported that he was close to discerning the meaning of the manuscript. As they left, Washington was killed by the Assassin Shay Cormac. Since Shay was preoccupied with Washington's death, Wardrop, Smith, and Weeks were able to escape.

Death

Wardrop: "You have no idea what you are doing, fool."

Shay: "Keeping the people free from your control."

Wardrop: "How free will you be when the French undermine these squabbling colonies?"

—Wardrop in his final moments, 1754.

Following Washington's death, Wardrop became the de facto leader of the Templars in the colonies. During the Albany Congress in July 1754, he was present in Albany. Fearful of his life after Smith had been killed and the box taken from him, Wardrop hid at Fort Frederick, giving out instructions to the garrison.

During the Congress, Wardrop's fellow Templar William Johnson prepared to hand over the box and manuscript to the scientist Benjamin Franklin for experimentation; Wardrop refused, however, claiming that the risks in doing so were too great. Remaining at the fort, he sent a captain to report this to Johnson, but an enraged Johnson sent the captain back with his demands that Wardrop hand over the manuscript.

Wardrop's final moments

Shay Cormac was present at the Congress during this exchange and killed the captain shortly after, before he infiltrated Fort Frederick and assassinated Wardrop. As he took the manuscript from his dying target, Shay claimed that in doing so, he was keeping the people free from the Templars' control.

With the colonies already entering the Seven Years' War with France, Wardrop retorted that the Templars maintained order and kept the territories from descending into anarchy. However, his words failed to move Shay, who saw through Wardrop's attempt to justify his Order's cause and left him to succumb to his wounds.

Legacy

In 2015, the Templar Isabelle Ardant included Wardrop's name on a list of known British Templars. This list was later unveiled by the Assassins Rebecca Crane and Shaun Hastings when they infiltrated Ardant's office to plant a bug.

Personality and traits

James Wardrop, though cowardly, still displayed some skill in swordsmanship and firearms when confronted by Shay in open combat.

Behind the scenes

James Wardrop is a character created for the 2014 video game, Assassin's Creed: Rogue, where he was portrayed by Canadian actor Vincent Hoss-Desmarais.

Gallery

• 
  Shay assassinating Wardrop
• 
  Shay taking the manuscript from the dying Wardrop
• 
  James Wardrop's database image

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Rogue (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (mentioned only)