Daud

**Daud,** also known as **The Knife of Dunwall,** is one of the two main antagonists (alongside Farley Havelock) in the 2012 video game *Dishonored* and the main protagonist of the second and third DLC of the same game. He returns as a supporting character in *Dishonored: Death of the Outsider*.

Daud is the leader of the assassin group The Whalers and is responsible for the death of Empress Jessamine Kaldwin. By killing her, he set in motion the events of the game. Like the game's protagonist, Daud is one of the Outsider's chosen and possesses magical powers. However, Daud regrets his role in killing the Empress and plunging the Empire into chaos and - while the former Royal Protector Corvo Attano sets out to avenge Jessamine and to free her daughter Emily - Daud redeems himself by saving Emily from the influence of the evil witch Delilah.

In the World Protection Security Agency stories, he, Hiram Burrows, Farley Havelock, and Teague Martin appear as recurring antagonists of the series. He and his Whalers serve as the tertiary antagonists of both WPSA: Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans and the two-thirds of WPSA: Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans 2nd Season.

## Personality

One of the most callous and calculated individuals in all of the Isles, Daud has no qualms with killing for coin and does so indiscriminately. Daud is also known to almost never smile or laugh further showing how cold he is. From aristocratic pedophiles to respectable law enforcers and scholars, all are potential victims of his blade. Realizing the fortune of his supernatural abilities, he uses them to primarily "force [his] will on the world". The whispers of the Outsider only further inflate Daud's ego, causing him to believe that he is somehow special or important. Daud himself comments on these feelings in his plea at the end of The Flooded District: "It felt good, made me believe I was powerful."

For years, Daud continues on his crimson-lit trail of bloodshed, undeterred by the results of his wetwork. It is only when he kills Empress Jessamine and abducts her daughter Emily that something finally breaks within him. Rather than successfully repressing the regretfulness brought about by his deed, he instead becomes filled with grief and dismayed with the societal collapse of Dunwall. Daud slowly realizes that his story is coming to a conclusion of his making, and comes to terms with the consequences of his life choices.

After realizing that Delilah was trying to take over Emily’s mind and body, something changed in Daud in which his second in command Billie Lurk saw. She eventually saw him as weak from his regrets and betrayed him and fought him and lost. Despite the betrayal of his most trusted assassin, Daud spared Lurk which shows he is capable of mercy.

Continuing on his quest, Daud investigates Delilah and realizes that by taking over Emily she would rule the Empire as a tyrant and wreak havoc across the world. Daud goes out of his way and puts his own life at risk from the Brigmore Witches in order to save the little girl he once had abducted. Which reveals that Daud is willing to put his life on the line to ensure the Empire’s safety.

Despite this, he is still willing to turn Corvo in for the monetary reward it will yield for him showing despite regrets he still had a cold demeanor he holds on to until the fight with Corvo.

After losing to Corvo, Daud snaps out of his callous behavior and asks Corvo for mercy as after murdering the Empress something broke inside of him. He tells Corvo that the Outsider made him feel like he was powerful but says that he has accomplished no more than Corvo. He then promises Corvo that he is done with killing and said that he will go away from Dunwall. Corvo on the edge of killing him decides to spare him as Jessamine would not want him to kill a defenseless person and decides letting Daud live in fear is better than death.

After this, Daud lays his sword he dropped in the fight on the Empress’s grave revealing that he feels heavy remorse from killing her and is willing to pay his respects. Daud then vanishes from Dunwall to enjoy a long retirement in Karnaca from his gang and killing for almost sixteen years.

## Powers and Abilities

* **Supernatural powers granted by the Outsider**
* **Formidable fighting skills**