| Aleria Sinclair | |
|---|---|
| |
| Biographical information | |
| Born |
11 August 1557 |
| Died |
1647 (aged 89 - 90) |
| Political information | |
| Affiliations |
British Assassins (1575 - 1640) |
| Real-world information | |
| Appears in | |
Aleria Sinclair-Kavanagh (1557 - 1647) was a Master Assassin of the British Brotherhood, active during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. She was the mother of English Templar Lonan Kavanagh and grandmother of the English-Japanese Assassin Takao Hayato. She is also an ancestor of Jin Chen through the maternal line.
In 1577, she encountered and rescued the man who would become her husband, Arthur Kavanagh, from the Templar O'Connor, her assassination target at the time. After rescuing him, she nursed him back to health and brought him into the Assassins before later marrying him.
By 1620, Aleria became Mentor to the British Brotherhood.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Aleria as a child
Aleria was born in London, England to the House of Sinclair. The only child of her Assassin father Theodore and Charlotte Sinclair, Aleria lived a privileged lifestyle, Aleria quickly grew bored of having anything she wanted and developed an adventurous personality which found her in a lot of trouble growing up.
The noble grew up oblivious to her parents' alleigence and unbenknownst to her, she was being carefully taught the methods of being an Assassin all her life. Eventually, on her 16th birthday, Theodore and Charlotte finally revealed their alleigence to her and the nature of the Assassins, Templars and their war. Her parents offered her a choice, to follow down her parents path or lead a normal comfortable life. Young and boisterous, Aleria's adventurous nature won out and she wished to join the Assassins.
From that day forth, her training truly began and Aleria would spend the next 2 years training rigorously before finally being inducted into the Assassin Brotherhood following her completion of the Eagle Path.
At some point between 1575 and 1577, Aleria's parents were killed by an unknown individual.
Meeting Arthur Kavanagh[]
In 1577, the Assassins had caught wind that a high priority Templar, the Irish noble O'Connor, had arrived in England and was seen in Whitby. As one of the Brotherhood's most promising members, Aleria was sent to assassinate him. Accepting the mission, she immediately headed to Whitby by horseback.
Arriving a day later, she tracked O'Connor down where she found he had murdered a family and was in the midst of beating a young man to near death. She briefly listened in on their conversation, hearing that O'Connor blamed the young man for his son's death some years prior. Planning to torture him Aleria watched as O'Connor knocked the young man out and prepared to have him taken away.
Intervening, Aleria killed the guards accompanying him and assassinated O'Connor before taking the unconscious man to the room she was staying at. Over the next few days she nursed him to health up until he regained consciousness. Introducing herself to him, he responded in same calling himself Arthur Kavanagh. Aleria explained to him that she had rescued him and killed O'Connor. Arthur immediately broke down upon the realisation that his family had been murdered, Aleria tried to comfort him but to no avail, however he thanked her for rescuing him and killing O'Connor, as well as making sure he was okay.
Once more, Arthur deflated at the fact that his family was gone and he didn't know how to go on, being unable to stomach working for rich men without a family to support. Moved by his plight, as well as curious toward his worldview, Aleria told Arthur to meet her at Westminster Abbey within a day before leaving and returning to London.
A day later, she would see Arthur again who took her up on her offer. There, she led him inside where Arthur began to see strange glyth plastered all over the walls with his Eagle Vision, notifying Aleria of the strange markings. After hearing this Aleria was convinced more than ever and revealed to him her status as an Assassin and the nature of their organisation, secretly dedicated to ensuring the freewill and equality of man. Aleria then explained to Arthur of the Templars, and their fight against them, revealing to Arthur that O'Connor was a Templar and that she was assigned to assassinate him when she came upon Arthur.
The Assassin then activated a hidden entrance within the church, ushering Arthur to follow inside, revealing to him the location of the Assassin's headquarters in England. Arthur expressed his interest in joining the Brotherhood. Finally, Aleria introduces Arthur to the Mentor of the British Brotherhood, William Abbot. William shows his interest in Aleria bringing in a potential recruit with Aleria revealing to William that he possessed Eagle Vision.
Following their meeting, Arthur expressed his desire to join the Brotherhood. Interested in Arthur's motivations and skills, William authorised Arthur to undertake the 'Eagle Path'. When Arthur successfully passed the trial, she witnessed Arthur's acceptance into the Brotherhood.
Aleria was then assigned to personally train Arthur which she accepted, having developed an interest in the young man. During their time together, the two would eventually enter a romantic relationship.
The Preservers of Humanity[]
In October 1581, Aleria assassinated the French Templar Hubert Languet in France. Returning to England, she learned that Arthur had encountered a group unrelated to either Assassins or Templars that attacked him. As well as this, Arthur told him that he'd been assigned to investigate this group. She offers her help but Arthur declines stating that he failed to recover the Piece of Eden and he needed to rectify it.
By December, Arthur's investigation took him to France and the two would correspond through letters during this time there. The couple wrote a single letter to each other every month. In July she received a letter from Arthur detailing that he was getting close to finding out more about the Preservers but now he is a target, as they eliminate anyone who gets too close to the truth. 2 months later, Aleria grew suspicious when she hadn't received a letter from him despite the two corresponding every month.
Assuming the worst, this led her to travel to Italy and begin an investigation of her own to find Arthur. Eventually she learned that he had been imprisoned and was awaiting trial for the death of James Crichton and more. Locating where he was being held, Aleria took a group of Italian Assassins and broke him out in January 1583 and return to London with him.
Confronting her parents' killer[]
In 1585, Arthur informed the Brotherhood of a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I - following this, it became the Assassins' main priority to stop this. A year later, Aleria assassinates the Templar Margaret Clitharow and learns that Preservers named Ewan, Anthony Babington, John Ballard and more have been tasked with carrying out the assassination to replace the Queen with Mary, Queen of Scots who would be impartial to both the Assassins and Templars. Notifying the Assassins of this, she and Arthur then inform Francis Walsingham of this plot and enlist his help to stop the conspirators. The three begin to formulate a plan of their own.
The Assassins and Walsingham's plan involved utilising double agents to correspond between Mary and the Preservers in order to entrap Mary in the plot, as well as find out more information on the Preservers' planned assassination. The plan was successful and the conspirators were arrested in August 1586, all of them but Ewan. Aleria and Arthur were present at the interrogations, although they detested the torture methods used, the Assassins were aware it was needed in order to save Elizabeth.
Eventually, the conspirators confessed and revealed that Ewan where he was located and that he was still planning to assassinate Elizabeth. Certain that now their original plan was set back, Arthur knew that Elizabeth was not under threat currently but Ewan still needed to be dealt with. Aleria accompanies Arthur to Ewan, refusing to allow him to go alone as he already lost to Ewan twice. With Aleria there, she was certain they'd be able to defeat him.
Aleria and Arthur track Ewan to a mansion in Queen Anne's Square and find it desolate. After searching the mansion, they are attacked by Ewan who quickly knocks out Arthur. Ewan reveals to Aleria that he was once an Assassin and goaded her when he confessed to having killed her parents.
Flying into a frenzy, Aleria attacks Ewan and gives him difficulty for a short time but he manages to best her and subdue her. Moments before she can be killed, Arthur regains consciousness and attacks Ewan. Arthur shoots him in the shoulder with his Hidden Gun but Ewan still manages to escape.
However, some months later Arthur kills Ewan and avenges her parents.
Later life and death[]
In October 1587, Aleria married Arthur and the two would have a daughter, Rose Kavanagh, the following year. As well as this, Aleria would give birth to their son in 1590. While Arthur was back and forth searching for Preservers and leads on the Armor of Ares, Aleria remained behind and raised their children - training them to become Assassins as well. By 1606 and 1608, Rose and Lonan were inducted into the Brotherhood respectively.
In 1612, Lonan would find a lead on the Shield and informed the Brotherhood on this, sharing that it was located in Japan. Arthur prepared to sail for Japan and search for it there, however Lonan shared his interest in accompanying. Both Aleria and Rose were hesitant in Lonan leaving but they were unable to sway his mind. Lonan would end up departing London for Japan alongside his father in 1612. Aleria would never see her husband again.
In 1616, Aleria and Rose would learn of Arthur's death from the Japanese Brotherhood. In the letter addressed to her and her daughter, Lonan was indicated as the individual who murdered Arthur and had betrayed the Assassins. Distraught at this news, Rose immediately left for Japan to locate her brother and find some answers. 2 years later, Aleria would discover that Rose was killed by none other than Lonan himself, whom had joined the Templar Order in Japan. Aleria was left distraught by this and nearly broke from the death of both her husband and daughter, and learing her son was a Templar.
Falling into a depression that lasted some years, she eventually was able to move on from the death of her family and committed herself to the Brotherhood entirely - becoming Mentor of the British Brotherhood prior to 1620. Despite distancing herself from Lonan, she still loved her son deeply and wished that there was some rational explanation for his actions.
Aleria as Mentor, 1620
In 1620, she would receive these answers when Lonan returned to London. Meeting with her son upon his return, Lonan attempted to explain the truth to her of what really happened in Japan. Lonan explained to her that he was framed by Ito Ichiro, who was a Preserver, and that it was he who killed Arthur. Lonan added that he eradicated the Brotherhood in Japan because they refused to believe him and fought to the death defending Ichiro, Lonan insisted that Ichiro needed to be stopped at all costs. Aleria, sensing that her son was telling the truth believes him, but expresses her disappointment in his defection to the Templars and gets emotional over Rose's death.
Lonan confesses that he initially joined with them for protection, explaining to her that every Assassin in Japan was after him during this time. Although, he has gradually grown to believe that their way is the right way, confessing that he always felt humanity was unable to be saved. He then explains that he tried to tell Rose the truth but she refused to believe him and attempted to kill him, so he was forced to kill her in self defence.
A tearful Aleria thanks Lonan for telling her the truth and coming to her to clear everything up. However, he had changed so much that he was no longer the son she recognised. While she understood his motives and will always love him, she simply could not forgive him for what he did in Japan. Following this, she disowns him and expresses her desire to never see him again. While hurt at this, Lonan empathises with his mother's reasons and respects her decision - promising to not interfere with the British Brotherhood during his time there. Following this discussion, Aleria would never see her son again.
Aleria remained Mentor of the Brotherhood for 20 years before passing on the role to another qualifed Assassin, as well as this, she also resigned. Despite her resignation, she still remained in contact with the Assassins, advising its younger members and receiving updates on the Brotherhood's movements. However, no longer active as an Assassin allowed her time to reflect on her life - the loss of her parents, her husband and daughter, and the fall of her son weighed heavily on her. She pondered on whether her actions made an impact, if they had gotten any closer to achieving the goal of the Assassins, and if the deaths of those closest to her was worth it.
In 1647, she received news that Lonan had been killed in Japan a year prior at the hands of an Assassin. Despite disowning her son, she still loved him dearly and the news of this destroyed her. Lonan's death reminded her of how the Assassin-Templar war had practically destroyed her family, breaking her heart. A few weeks later, Aleria would pass away from broken heart syndrome - unaware of her grandson's existence or his involvement in her son's demise.
Personality and characteristics[]
Despite her upbringing as a noble, Aleria did not possess the traditional qualities a woman her age and upbringing would have. Instead, she was free spirited, playful and charming who lived life to the fullest - because of her departure from typical noblewomen, Aleria was seen as a bit of a tomboy. Aleria found herself getting into trouble more often than not as a result of her adventurous and impulsive nature, a trait that would follow her into her adulthood.
It was because of her adventurous personality that influenced her decision to become an Assassin, however, as she matured she gradually came to align her views with the Assassin goals of freewill. Despite her skill as an Assassin, she was often brash, impatient and reckless which put her under scrutiny more often than not by her superiors. Despite this though, she was fiercely determined and committed to anything she put her mind to which earned her praise.
Aleria was also seen as empathetic, idealistic and a little too forthcoming as she quickly offered Arthur Kavanagh a chance to join the Assassins when she saw how distraught he was following his family's death. Despite this though, her decision proved frutiftul as Kavanagh would end up becoming a valued member of the British Brotherhood.
Equipment and skills[]
Aleria's upbringing resulted in her being well-educated and because of her Assassin heritage, growing up she was covertly taught the skills of an Assassin. These skills included eavesdropping, stealth, swordsmanship, and marksmanship. Once she agreed to be trained by the Assassins, these skills grew tenfold and she gained additional ones as well which included, freerunning and pickpocketing.
Naturally gifted, she was one of the Brotherhood's best Assassins outclassing many members in various forms of combat - including her husband, Arthur. Aleria was only second to her husband in terms of marksmanship, who was the Brotherhood's best shot. She was so skilled in fact that she quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a Master Assassin at the mere age of 24. As well as this, Aleria was considered one of the Brotherhood's best freerunners being able to scale structures faster than anyone could.
Aleria was also a gifted fighter, being able to take on multiple opponents at once and utilise her small size to her advantage, outmaneurvering opponents and moving at a fast pace.
During her time as an Assassin, Aleria wilded a sword, a bow, a crossbow, throwing knives, smoke bombs, two Hidden Blades and a Hidden Gun.
Trivia[]
- Aleria is a Latin female name meaning 'Eagle'. The surname Sinclair is of Scottish and English origin meaning "pure, renowned, illustrious".