Kesegowaase (1730 – 1757) was a Wolastoqiyik member of the Colonial Brotherhood of Assassins operating in North America during the Seven Years' War.
At a young age, he served the French Army as a mercenary along with other members of his tribe. After meeting the Assassin Mentor Achilles Davenport, he impressed him with his skills and determination and was recruited into the Colonial Brotherhood. Through Kesegowaase, the Assassins gained allies within nearly every French-aligned tribe in the colonies.
After the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, Achilles tasked Kesegowaase and Liam O'Brien with eliminating George Monro, an officer in the British Army and member of the Templar Order who held the Voynich manuscript. In August 1757, Monro surrendered to French and indigenous forces after the siege of Fort William Henry. Kesegowaase then ordered the natives under his command to massacre the British troops, who had been allowed safe passage from the fort.
Having failed to kill Monro in the massacre, Kesegowaase rallied his men and attacked Albany. While Liam killed Monro, Kesegowaase fought his former ally, Shay Cormac, and was killed himself.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Kesegowaase was born in 1730 in the territory of the Wolastoqiyik tribe, around modern-day New Brunswick. During his youth, he lived in a walled village surrounded by agricultural land, and practiced hunting, fishing and other methods.[1]
As tensions arose between the British and his people, Kesegowaase and other members of his tribe became mercenaries for the French Army. Around this time, Kesegowaase began corresponding with Achilles Davenport, the Mentor of the Colonial Assassins. He would receive letters through Achilles' protégé, Liam O'Brien.[1]
In 1746, Kesegowaase met Achilles and Liam as they were fighting for the French on behalf of the Brotherhood. Impressed by Kesegowaase's determination, the two invited him to join the Assassin Order. In 1749, Kesegowaase met Shay Cormac and would serve as one of his instructors. He would also gain the loyalty of warriors from every French-aligned tribe, as well as several trappers, hunters and scouts, providing the Brotherhood with a valuable force.[1]
Finding the Pieces of Eden[]
In March 1752, Kesegowaase taught Shay the finer points of hunting and how to craft holsters for his pistols, while also criticizing him for his tardiness. Kesegowaase would later meet with his fellow Assassins to discuss the Templars' progress on the Precursor box, noting that they had sought information about the artifact from many tribes. Around this time, Kesegowaase also reported that the Templar James Wardrop had evicted several tribes from their original homes.[2]
In early 1756, Shay returned from Lisbon, having unintentionally caused an earthquake there while attempting to recover a Piece of Eden. Determined to keep the Assassins away from any Precursor sites, Shay stole the Voynich manuscript in Achilles' possession. With Shay being caught in the act, Kesegowaase and the other Assassins of the Davenport Homestead attempted to kill the former. Although Shay was eventually cornered, he jumped off a cliff, leading the Assassins to believe him dead.[2]
The Assassins initially believed the manuscript lost, but later learned that it was in the hands of the Templar George Monro. Seeking to take it back, Achilles sent Liam and Kesegowaase after Monro.[2]
Siege of Fort William Henry[]
In August 1757, the French Army under Louis-Joseph de Montcalm and a large force of native warriors under Kesegowaase's command besieged Fort William Henry. After several days of bombardment, and no sight of reinforcements from William Johnson, the British garrison under the command of Monro surrendered to Montcalm. Thanks to the latter, the British were allowed to surrender while keeping their arms and colors. The natives did not understand the terms of the surrender. Exploiting this, Kesegowaase planned to ambush the British, kill Monro and take the manuscript back.[2]
On the morning of 10 August, Kesegowaase and the native warriors under his command ambushed Monro's column. However, Shay, now a Templar ally, arrived to rescue Monro and the remainder of his men after being informed of the events by Jack Weeks. Surprised by Shay's survival, Kesegowaase ordered his men to attack the British soldiers.[2]
The column fought off the attackers, and continued onwards to Shay's ship, the Morrigan, while he scouted ahead eliminated the potential ambushers along the way. As the British boarded the ship, Kesegowaase and his men attempted to follow, but Weeks threw a powder keg at them, while Shay detonated it with a pistol shot. The explosion severely scarred Kesegowaase's face, and his men pulled him away.[2]
Attack on Albany[]
Kesegowaase immediately informed the Brotherhood of Shay's survival and defection to the Templars. In response, Achilles ordered his recruits to find Shay and kill him at any cost. Kesegowaase subsequently sent his men to threaten the British-aligned Oneida village of Orenda in order to acquire an ancient set of native armor and deter them from further assisting the British. In anticipation of the attack, Shay managed to defeat the French troops attacking the British in the area and also liberated the Oneida village from Kesegowaase's men.[2]
On 3 November, Kesegowaase and his men attacked Albany, plundering the town and attacking the nearby Fort Frederick. Shay arrived in time to defend the fort from the attacking Assassins, and instructed Monro to take the Voynich manuscript to the Morrigan while he defended Fort Frederick. As Liam set off to assassinate Monro and retrieve the manuscript, Kesegowaase infiltrated the fort in order to distract Shay.[2]
Shay was able to mortally wound Kesegowaase with a Puckle gun, and after a brief struggle he held the Assassin up against a wall. In his dying words, Kesegowaase scolded Shay for having betrayed the Assassins, and told him that he was too late to save Monro, with Liam already on his way to kill him. As Kesegowaase died, an enraged Shay tried to rescue Monro, but true to the former's word, he was too late.[2]
Personality and traits[]
Having grown up close to nature, Kesegowaase was a stoic individual, keeping a calm demeanor at most times and rarely speaking much. Because of his Abenaki roots, Kesegowaase also held a deep respect for nature, reminding Shay not to waste hunting spoils.[2]
However, Kesegowaase could also be cunning and ruthless. After the British had surrendered at Fort William Henry, Kesegowaase and his men ambushed and massacred them, breaking the terms of the surrender. Afterwards, he sent his men to hold an Oneida village hostage in order to dissuade the Oneida from supporting the British and also to acquire a set of ancient armor. During their attack on Albany, his men pillaged the town. Despite the brutality of Kesegowaase's actions, his fellow Assassins did not intervene, believing them necessary towards the completion of their goals.[2]
Kesegowaase strongly believed in the Assassin cause, obeying Achilles without question. Upon learning of Shay's defection to the Templars, he was determined to kill him. Even in the face of death, Kesegowaase attempted to attack Shay, scolding him for his betrayal and mockingly insinuating Monro's imminent death.[2]
Skills and equipment[]
- Gist: "Would you happen to know if Kesegowaase has any weaknesses?"
- Shay: "He hasn't any. He was a scout and mercenary long before he joined the Assassins."
- —Christopher Gist and Shay Cormac discussing Kesegowaase's capabilities, 1757.[src]
Even before joining the Assassins, Kesegowaase was highly skilled in hunting and fishing, as well as other survival methods. He had also gained experience from working as a scout and mercenary for the French, and was a skilled freerunner, navigating the trees of North America with ease. He was also capable of performing the traditional Assassin's Leap of Faith.[2]
Kesegowaase's Assassin outfit consisted of traditional Abenaki clothing, and he wore a buckskin leather hood and shawl adorned with feathers. He also wore leather boots and a red Assassin sash, as well as red face paint. Kesegowaase was equipped with at least one Hidden Blade, and was capable of various assassination techniques. In combat, he wielded a tomahawk and a pistol with great skill, making him a highly dangerous opponent.[2]
Trivia[]
- Kesegowaase is an Algonquin name meaning "swift".[3]
- Database entries state that Liam O'Brien delivered letters to Kesegowaase from Achilles in 1738. This is likely an error for several reasons.
- Kesegowaase would have only been eight years old at the time.
- Achilles did not arrive in the British colonies from the Caribbean until 1740.
- Kesegowaase's database entry states that he met Achilles and Liam in 1746.
- If Shay manages to disarm Kesegowaase during the memory "Scars", the latter will pick up a nearby sword instead of his tomahawk. Shay also cannot pick up his tomahawk.[2]
- In Achiless' database entry in Assassin's Creed III, Shaun Hastings mentioned that Connor was the first Native American Assassin, though this was later proven incorrect since Kesegowaase, a Native American, had been Achilles's student long before Connor arrived.
- They also share a similarity as both were Native Americans who sought to protect their land from hostile colonists and both became Assassins in order to protect it.
- Kesegowaase's actions against George Monro and his men and later the people of Albany could be considered breaches of the Creed's first tenant.
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
References[]