Julien du Casse

Julien du Casse (1682 – 1715) was a French arms dealer and a member of the Templar Order in the West Indies during the early 18th century. He possessed a discreet hideout on Great Inagua to help him carry out his trade and Templar affairs.
An experienced privateer and mercenary, du Casse was introduced to the Order by Laureano de Torres y Ayala, the Grand Master of the Caribbean Templars. Quickly proving himself to be a valuable asset, du Casse functioned as Torres' hitman, as well as the Caribbean Templars' main supplier of weaponry and ammunition.
In late 1715, du Casse was given command of the Spanish galleon El Arca del Maestro by Torres, to help him further the Order's goals. However, while returning from one of his supply runs to Great Inagua, du Casse was unknowingly followed by the pirate Edward Kenway, who assassinated the Templar and took over his hideout for himself.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Julien du Casse was born in , France in 1682. Following the example of his uncle, Jean-Baptiste du Casse, Julien took to the sea at a young age and fought in several skirmishes in the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of King Philip V of Spain. During the war, he became disgusted at the French and Spanish monarchies for choosing reputation and bloodlines over talent and skill, but nonetheless continued to serve his country and became a skilled gunner.Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Database: Julien du CasseAssassin's Creed: Initiates – Database: A Collector of Hidden Blades
In 1704, du Casse deserted from the French Navy during the and, seeking fortune, traveled to the New World. Initially, he found work in Africa as a slave trader, but found himself lacking the cruelty and detachment to continue partaking in said industry. After a year, he departed for the West Indies, in search of another vocation.
Du Casse spent his next ten years in the West Indies as a mercenary, working for anyone that was willing to pay him. In this way, he eventually came into contact with the Governor of Cuba, Laureano de Torres y Ayala, in whom he found a friend and confidant.
===Joining the Templars===
In July 1715, du Casse, Woodes Rogers and Duncan Walpole had arranged a meeting with Torres, to be inducted into the Templar Order. Staying at the governor's residence in Havana, du Casse and Rogers found themselves waiting longer than expected, as the man they believed to be Duncan Walpole arrived a week late. In actuality, the man that joined them was a pirate named Edward Kenway, who had assumed Duncan's identity in order to claim his promised reward.Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Mister Walpole, I Presume?
Following the introductions, du Casse, Rogers and Edward passed the time with a shooting session, as Torres was not yet ready to meet with them. After Edward beat Rogers' shooting challenge, du Casse noted the absence of "Duncan's" Wristblades, which the latter explained to be due to his previous pair having been damaged beyond repair. Du Casse then handed Edward a new pair that he had collected from dead Assassins.
Before their meeting with Torres, du Casse and Rogers requested that "Duncan" show his skills in assassination techniques; thanks to Edward's freerunning abilities, he was able to mimic these techniques with very little effort. The three then went to join Torres, who, after inspecting the blood vial Edward had brought with him, led them inside, where he officially inducted them into the Order.
Torres subsequently revealed his plans of locating the Observatory, with the help of a Sage named John Roberts, which would further the Templars' goals of establishing a New World Order. Du Casse expressed his skepticism to the credibility of a Sage, noting it had been over four decades since the last Sage was found, though Torres reassured him they were certain. After toasting their schemes, the group of Templars made arrangements to convene the next day at the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta and then retired for the night.
The next morning, du Casse and his Templar allies met the captured Roberts, and mentioned that a Sage's blood was required to enter the Observatory. While escorting Roberts to Torres' mansion, the Templars managed to fend off an Assassin attack, during which the Sage was nearly able to escape. With Rogers leaving for England, the other Templars decided to imprison Roberts and interrogate him the day after.Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – A Man They Call the Sage
However, Roberts managed to escape later that night, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. When the Templars arrived at the prison, they found Edward instead, who had just arrived with the intention of interrogating Roberts himself. Realizing he was an imposter, the Templars apprehended Edward and sent him to be taken with the Spanish Treasure Fleet as a prisoner.Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – Claiming What's Due
===Death===
Following this turn of events, du Casse earned Torres' trust and was tasked with ensuring a constant flow of weapons, ammunition and gold to the Grand Master. As well as this, he was appointed captain of one of Torres' largest galleons, El Arca del Maestro, which du Casse would frequently dock in the natural cove of Great Inagua, his island hideout.Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag – A Single Madman
Unbeknownst to du Casse, Edward had escaped his imprisonment aboard the Spanish Treasure Fleet, and later sought to acquire El Arca del Maestro, so that it could be used as a defensive measure for the pirate republic of Nassau. To achieve this, and prevent news of his survival from getting back to the Templars, Edward infiltrated the island and bypassed du Casse's guards. While du Casse was busy preparing for another voyage, Edward snuck onto the vessel's rigging and struck the Templar from above.
As he lay dying, du Casse berated Edward for his small ambition and ignorance, calling him a "parasite", though the pirate ignored these words and took a key that was in du Casse's possession. Refusing to tell Edward about the key's function, du Casse cursed the pirate, before passing away. Edward would subsequently take over du Casse's hideout, renovating the village and manor, and collect the other four Templar keys to gain access to a special set of armor.Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
==Trivia==
*The name Julien is a French variant of Julian, ultimately derived from the Greek ιουλος (ioulos), meaning "downy-bearded". Casse means "broken" or "imperfect" in French.
*While Julien's character is fictional, his uncle Jean-Baptiste du Casse is not, and much of Julien's background appears to be based on that of Jean, as they are both French privateers who fought in the War of Spanish Succession.
*In the novelization of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, du Casse cursed at Edward in English during his final moments, rather than in French as in the game.
*Du Casse is one of the few Templars in the series known to possess at least one Hidden Blade, alongside Haytham Kenway, Shay Cormac and Francis Cotton.
*Oddly, du Casse does not retrieve the Hidden Blades he gave to Edward after the latter's real identity is discovered. In the novel, du Casse took off Edward's Hidden Blades after he was captured and threw them off the ground.
*In his database entry, it is stated that du Casse was appointed captain of El Arca del Maestro in July of 1717, despite his death occuring nearly two years earlier.
==Gallery==
Concept Art - Julien du Casse.jpeg|Concept art of du Casse
ACMduCasse.jpg|Assassin's Creed: Memories art of du Casse
ACMduCasseCombat.jpg|Memories art of du Casse in combat
Julien du Casse renders.jpeg|Renders of du Casse
Julien du Casse render 2.jpeg|Close-up of du Casse with his hat
Du Casse render 3.jpeg|Close-up of du Casse without his hat
Mister Walpole I Presume 5.png|Du Casse handing Edward new Hidden Blades
Mister Walpole I Presume 8.png|Du Casse with the other Templar conspirators
A Man They Call The Sage 9.png|Du Casse escorting Roberts to the governor's prison
Claiming What's Due 10.png|Du Casse and El Tiburón taking Edward prisoner
Delirium 5.png|Du Casse torturing Assassins in a hallucination
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag 
*Assassin's Creed: Black Flag
*Assassin's Creed: Initiates 
*Assassin's Creed: Memories
==References==
de:Julien du Casse
es:Julien du Casse
fr:Julien du Casse
it:Julien DuCasse
pl:Julien du Casse
pt-br:Julien du Casse
ru:Жульен дю Касс
zh:朱利安·迪卡斯
Category:1682 births
Category:1715 deaths
Category:Individuals
Category:French people
Category:Marksmen
Category:Slavers
Category:Pirates
Category:Privateers
Category:Mercenaries
Category:Arms dealers
Category:Smugglers
Category:Sea captains
Category:French Navy personnel
Category:Templars
Category:Caribbean Templars