| Qali | |
|---|---|
| |
| Biographical information | |
| Born |
1514 |
| Political information | |
| Affiliations |
Kalal tribe |
| Real-world information | |
| Appears in | |
Qali (born 1514) was a warrior of the Afar people who became an ally of the Assassins during the Ethiopian-Adal War. Qali is an ancestor of Tavon Freeman.
Qali's lover, Saami, was kidnapped by members of the Templar Order in 1532 and he embarked on a quest to find and rescue her - becoming embroiled in the age old Assassin-Templar conflict as a result.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Qali was born in the Afar Region, Ethiopia in 1514 to the former Egyptian Assassin Camad and his Afar wife, Haawa. A member of the Kalal tribe, an independent tribe among the Afar, Qali was considered to be an Adoimara, a commoner. Haawa passed during childbirth due to complications, leaving Camad to solely raise Qali. Because of this, the two developed a strong bond and became inseperable with Qali developing a deep respect for his father.
Camad was well respected amongst the Kalal but his past was unknown, having been an outsider prior to joining the Kalal. This always piqued Qali's interest who would regularly inquire to know about his father's background, but he was always met with evasion.
At the age of 5, Camad would take Qali outside of the village and frequently train him which gave Qali some insight into Camad's past - he was a strong warrior. However, Qali never knew as to why his father trained him so far away from the village but he did appreciate the time he was able to spend with his father.
Finding Saami[]
In 1520, during a training session with Camad - Qali inquires to know more about his father's past, revealing that Camad is not originally from his tribe. Camad assures him that he will know when he is old enough. Following this, Camad tutors Qali on how to wield a bow. During this, Qali asks what makes his father so strong and Camad responds stating "[He] draws his strength from his love for others". Confused, Qali asks how that works and Camad explains that through love, man is capable of anything.
As Qali aims his bow, preparing to shoot, his enhanced eye sight, gifted to him by his Eagle Vision, sees a figure that is approaching them in the distance. Qali informs his father of this and Camad tells his son to get behind him as they investigate together. Qali follows his father toward the figure and soon they discover it is a little girl, around Qali's age, weak and dehydrated. She asks for them to help her before finally passing out. Immediately, Camad takes the girl's unconscious body in his arms and informs Qali that she needs to be treated immediately.
A few days later, while eating dinner, Camad notices that Qali is quiet and visibly upset. Camad inquires to know what is wrong and asks why they had to give the girl up to the Sultan, Camad states that it was his duty to inform the Sultan of the arrival of any outside members. Qali stays silent but Camad assures him that she will be fine and that no harm will come to her. Under the Sultan's care, there is nowhere safer for her. Noticing that Qali is still upset, Camad offers to take him to her in order to see her progress.
The next day, Qali and his father visit the Sultan's residence and inquire to see the girl. As they are let through by his guards, they meet up with the Sultan and Qali watches as both his father and the Sultan converse. It is apparent the two have a good relationship, or at least are on good terms as Qali sees the Sultan holds a great respect for Camad which makes Qali even more curious as to know his father's past. The Sultan informs Camad that the girl has woke up recently but holds no memory of her past. However, the Sultan has decided to bring her into the tribe and his clan, expressing that he and his wife are unable to conceive.
Camad then requests for Qali to visit which the Sultan grants. Following this, Qali then makes his way over to see the girl who is still bed ridden. Upon seeing Qali, she sits up to meet him. He introduces himself and tells her that he had found her half-dead, he then asks her if she is okay. The girl confirms that she is fine but relents that she can't remember how she got there, but she thanks him for rescuing her. An awkward silence then imbues the room they are in, Qali eventually breaks it and expresses sympathy in the fact she doesn't remember anything. Optimistically, he tries to console her and says that she can make new ones and asks if she wants to be friends.
The girl sheepishly smiles at this prospect, nodding in agreement. Qali then asks what to call her and the girl says she doesn't know her name. After a moment of deliberation, Qali proposes the name "Saami" which she admits to liking and accepts.
Over the next twelve years, the two become good friends which evolves into romance with the two deciding to enter a secret relationship.
First encounter with the Templars[]
In 1532, following the outbreak of the Ethiopian-Adal War, Qali continued training with his father until becoming a skilled warrior in his own right. During another training session, Camad remarks on Qali's abilities to adapt and his unconventional style of fighting before teasing Qali about his love for Saami, calling it his strength. Flustered by his father's comment allows Camad to disarm him and trip him to the ground. Following this, Camad states that his weaknesses is his attention - or lack thereof. Helping him up, Camad instructs Qali to tend to the livestock before going about his day.
On their way back to the village, Qali brings up the current events of the war between Abyssinia and Adal. He remarks that the other tribes have chosen to side with the Adal, questioning why their tribe is not taking part in the conflict. Answering this, Camad states that their tribe holds no belief in Christianity nor Islam, believing that they are guided by their ancestors and so, they have no stake in the conflict. As well as this, their tribe has been tasked with a sacred duty that permits them to remind on the land they reside at all times. Qali asks what this task is but Camad states he will find out when the time is right, annoyed, Qali remarks that Camad has been telling him this since he was a child.
Later on in the evening, Qali sneaks away from his hut and makes his way over to the Sultan's. There, he finds Saami waiting for him and the two greet each other with a passionate kiss. Saami tells Qali that she missed him and hates when his father takes him on multiple day training excursions, Qali reciprocates her sentiments. Taking her hand in his, the couple then begin to wander outside the village where they approach some sulphur springs and sit. The pair watch the stars above and Saami remarks on how much she loved doing this as children. Qali expresses his desire to not have to hide their relationship but Saami reminds him that her father will never allow them to be together due to their status.
Qali angrily states it shouldn't be that way and she agrees, he then asks her who her father plans to have her marry. Saami informs him that her father has been trying to marry her off to a Kaamil, a higher class member of the tribe, and has been since they were ten. Qali jokes stating that it was a good thing Kaamil was too young to have killed someone in battle. This leads Saami to make the observation that this is the reason why Qali wishes to join in the current conflict, to be able to ask for her hand in marriage. Qali confirms this, stating he wants nothing more than to marry her, they kiss and she expresses that she feels the same.
Wanting to change the subject, Qali asks how Saami's dreams have been lately. However, Saami confirms that she continues to have strange dreams that feel like memories, however, these memories are not hers. Qali asks her what she sees and Saami reveals that she can only really remember the feelings and not the peripheral. He asks her she feels, Saami states that in these dreams she feels fear, anxiety, desperation - and a pending sense of doom.
At this moment, armed men arrive and Qali immediately readies himself and tells Saami to get behind him. He asks who they are and they state that they have come for Saami, Qali refuses to let them come near and a skirmish ensues. Qali fights these armed men, killing some of them before he hears Saami's cries. Distracted by this, he turns to see Saami being apprehended by one of them and is then knocked out by this distraction.
Search for Saami[]
Escape[]
Qali eventually recovers consciousness and finds he is binded by rope. Qali does not move, pretending to still be unconscious as he overhears a conversation between his attackers. One of the attackers ask what they are to do with Qali himself. One responds, stating that once he wakes up, they will interrogate him regarding the location of the his village and the location of the "vault".
Upon hearing this, Qali carefully turns his body as to get a look at where his captors are. Finding them with their backs turned to him, the Afar warrior quietly makes his way toward one of them before hooking his binded hands over his neck, choking his attacker. Now alerted the other attempts to attack Qali once more, but the Afar successfully snaps his captives' neck and shoves the body into the remaining one. With the dead attacker's corpse lying stiff on top of his ally, Qali seizes the opportunity to sheathe his blade and then stab the remaining attacker's shoulder through the body of the deceased one, pinning him to the ground.
Qali then subsequently takes a knife from the corpse and cuts his binds. Standing over his remaining captor, Qali demands the location of Sammi in which it is revealed that she is en route to Gey and that someone named "Emir" is overseeing it. With that, Qali kills the man and takes a moment to let the fact that he had just taken a life settle in. Following this moment, Qali proceeds to exit the premises and make his way back to his village.
Leaving home[]
Arriving a day later, Camad and the others are glad to see Qali, expressing their worry of what could have happened to him and Saami.
This leads to the others asking where Saami had gone. Through anger and shame, he informs the others that he failed to defend Saami and that she had been taken to the capital of the Adal Sultanate. However, he swears that he will rectify his failure and travel to Gey and return with her. The members of the village cheer for Qali, wishing him luck. Following this, he is approached by the village's Sultan who requests to converse with both him and his father in private. The three make their way to the Sultan's residence where he requests more information on Qali and Saami's attackers.
Qali informs the two that their attackers were members of the Ottomon Empire, adding that they wished to know the location of a "vault". Qali inquires to know what it is but the Sultan is reluctant to divulge that information. Camad is able to convince the Sultan to reveal the nature of the "vault" as it would be better for him to know why Saami was kidnapped. Sultan then goes on to reveal that traditionally, their people practice nomadic pastoralism, but their tribe has always remained on the same land. Continuing, the Sultan explains that in the "old times" their ancestors were tasked with protecting an ancient temple from outsiders - however, they were clueless as to know what was inside.
Both Camad and the Sultan assume Saami was kidnapped for leverage in order to gain access to the vault and Qali was also captured so he would reveal the location of the village. Qali assures the two that he killed them before they could learn anything from him. Following this, the Sultan pleads for Qali to return Saami home safe and Qali promises to do so.
The next day, shortly before his departure, Qali is summoned to his home by his father. There, Camad hands Qali a chest and upon opening it reveals a Hidden Blade bracer within. Qali asks what it is and it is at this moment in which Camad reveals a small piece of information about his past. Camad confesses that his birth name was not Camad and that he hailed from Egypt, belonging to a secret group of protectors in which the Hidden Blade was a symbol of his status as a member. Qali asks what this group was but Camad is coy in revealing anymore, hoping to spare him any involvement with their struggle.
Following this, Qali is gifted a camel, some supplies and swiftly begins his journey to the Adal capital of Gey.
Legacy[]
In 2022, Qali's genetic memories were relived by his descendant Tavon Freeman for his college thesis.
Personality and characteristics[]
An inquisitive, caring, and protective child, Qali held on to these traits for the remainder of his life. From a young age, Qali was taught to find strength from his love for others and carried these words throughout his life. Because of this, Qali tended to develop strong relationships with those he encountered and held them close. It was this reason that set Qali on his quest to rescue Saami, the woman he loved, from the Templars and going through a multitude of trials and tribulations to get to her - showcasing his strong determination.
Qali was also easily distracted in his youth, a weakness his father pointed out during their training. Qali's tendency to become distracted served as his downfall multiple times, particularly when trying to defend Saami from their attackers in 1532.
Equipment and skills[]
Qali was a highly skilled warrior, regularly trained by his father from a young age, Qali was capable of engaging multiple opponents in combt and was well versed in using weaponry such as jiles, swords, spears, bows, and he also occasionally wielded shields for protection. Qali's skills in combat were praised by his father Camad for his ability to adapt as well as his unconventional fighting style, which served to confuse enemies.
Trivia[]
- The name 'Qali' is an Afar given name of Arabic origin meaning "Expensive or important or luck from god".
- Qali stood at 6'0 and weighed 159lbs.
- Qali is half-Egyptian through his father.