| “ | "I am not lost anymore Kapten (Captain). They want to call me a pirate, a rebel, a threat to the empire. I will inspire them to call me worse." | „ |
| ~ Admiral Rahma -- Under a Storm contract |
The Kingpin of Telok Penjarah and one of the founders of the Pirate Round, Admiral Rahma is a self styled rebel Admiral who would use anything and anyone to undermine to undermine the DMC's hold on the east indies. This includes turning a blind eye towards other European powers, working with pirate lords across the Indian ocean as well as making deals with arguably more dangerous factions, such as the Chinese Emperor and his Dragon's claw fleet.
Admiral Rahma[]
| “ | Desperate, a tyrant? There are many opinions of Admiral Rahma floating about. One thing is certain - she is believed to wield power as she sees fit. Is she any better than those she fights against? Not that Rahma seems to mind, Captain. In fact, it looks like she’s proud. | „ |
| ~ Skull and Bones Twitter |
A cunning military strategist and rebel leader, Admiral Rahma is a self-described lady of the sea protecting her people as well as the Kingpin of Telok Penjarah. However whilst she may work with pirates and for all intents and purposes is one, she will vehemently deny being a pirate when anyone tries to tell her otherwise. She is a formidable and determined leader, fiercely opposing the colonization of her people by the Dutch.
Known to many as an unrivalled naval and military strategist, the Admiral of Aceh, Rahma leads an elite naval fleet of over 2000 women, made up of the widows and daughters of war, known as the ‘Unbound’. Whilst Scurlock trades in schemes, Rahma chooses to find other ways to defeat her enemies.
Overall she is seen as a fair and wise leader, firm in her beliefs, with the Unbound looking up to her and trusting her leadership. However behind the steadfast demeanor, there is a paranoid mind, who spends many nights worrying about her next move. She was educated and brought up together with the Sultanah of Aceh, with it being said they developed quite a close sisterly bond.
Her love for her country and people become clear with the great lengths she is willing to go to defend them. Despite this willingness, she struggles to reconcile her decision in employing unscrupulous rogues to secretly commit acts of violence. In the end though she’ll tell her herself the ends justify the means and is more than willing to compromise on her moral compass to achieve her goals.
There are those across the Indian Ocean who view Admiral Rahma as short-sighted, stubborn and narrow minded. If you chat often enough with Rahma, you will know she deeply cares about her cause and desire to rid her home of the presence of the DMC. Despite constant warnings of a larger plot, Rahma does not care much for the troubles of her peers.
The Orang Kaya, in a desperate attempt to maintain their power turned to the DMC for assistance. Admiral Rahma, frustrated and angry, decided to take matters into her own hands. With her strong belief that freedom must be taken; she attempted a coup d’etat. You might say it was doomed to fail as someone leaked the plans and the DMC intervened, leaving Rahma fleeing for her life and the Sultanah captured by the DMC. Never the less Rahma is unyielding in her quest for redemption and wanting to return the Rempah to a strong, free and independent society. Rahma’s determined to reach her goal and finish what she started, even after the death of the Sultanah, whom she was hoping to put back into power.
There are whispers that Admiral Rahma is willing to do anything to support her rebellion. It won’t come as a surprise to many that this includes turning a blind eye to others causing chaos across the Indian Ocean. This is the reason why the Compagnie and Hubac Twins forces are able to roam so freely in the East Indies as she’s more than willing to make use of the chaos these pirate lords cause. Captains should therefore watch their backs around her...
History[]
| “ | She’s focused only on her rebellion and protecting her people from the DMC. Rahma doesn’t have time for stories and rumours. Take care, Captain – she’s willing to compromise everything to get what she wants. | „ |
| ~ Skull and Bones Twitter |
Rahma comes from a respected, noble lineage, learning the ways of naval warfare from her father, who was also an Admiral. She was raised and educated alongside Sultanah Haryati, the now deposed leader of the Sultanate of Rempah. It is likely that as part of that education, Rahma received lessons on military strategy alongside other topics covering the execution of warfare. Rahma is credited with taking experimental torpedo designs and improving on them. Perhaps due to the close bond with the former Rempah sovereign, Rahma was installed as the commander of an elite naval fleet called the Unbound.
Over the years, Rahma has built a strong reputation for being loyal to the Sultanah, displaying steady leadership, and exploiting intelligence sources to achieve her military goals. Rahma values the rule of law and due process in bringing stability and expects her captains to follow those rules over making individual judgments, which could destabilize the military hierarchy of her command.
As a result of a successful coup by the Orang Kaya in 1692, Rahma and the Unbound escaped to Telok Penjarah. She was allegedly involved in the kidnapping of the Sultanah; however, this was later discovered to be Dutch propaganda to ensure that the people of Rempah did not rally to her cause. Rahma continues to be vilified by the Dutch and the Orang Kaya and is often referred to as a traitor or pirate.
Despite this continued narrative, she has outfoxed the Dutch and the puppet state, the Dominion of Rempah, for years. She has been actively hunted by a number of DMC navy and privateers, such as Commodore Vanderkill, General Karel von Kinckel, and Captain Jacob de Roy.
Following the coup, Rahma has sought the expertise of other freedom fighters and pirates, including a chance opportunity to work with John Scurlock during the recovery of cargo belonging to the Indiaman, Sylvia, ultimately leading to the demise of Commodore Vanderkill and his ship Wolvenjager in naval action. At some point following those events, Rahma lost her appetite for sailing and her flagship, the Machmud, and instead lives through the actions of her agents.
In recent years, Rahma’s cautious approach in leading the insurgency has led to some of her more hotheaded captains and advisors taking matters into their own hands, which has unfortunately led to their messy demise at the hands of unscrupulous Dutch pirate hunters. These actions weigh heavily on Rahma’s conscience, leading her to doubt her leadership and her strategy. This may lead her down the path to seek more unusual methods of waging war against the Dutch and their allies.
The Dragon's wake[]
| “ | The Sky Goddess thought herself above us. Her ambitions now lie at the bottom of the very seas she sought to tame. And who best to claim the credit for her defeat? While you sowed chaos on both sides, I was in talks with the Emperor, pledging to do what Zhang could not. You played your part well, pirate. | „ |
| ~ Admiral Rahma -- The Dragon's Wake |
After arriving in the Indian Ocean, Li Tian Ning sought an alliance with Admiral Rahma as she amassed support and searched for Freeman's treasure. However Rahma is shrouded in uncertainty, knowing she must make a choice. Accept a risky proposition or cling to her alliance with the Emperor of the Dragon’s Claw. Ignoring Li Tian Ning's warnings and fearing the fury of the middle kingdom, she would eventually start scheming against her.
Eventually the player pirate would be sent by the Admiral to Li Tian Ning's hidden hideout in a cavern under the Ruins of Luk Khun -- using them as bait for both the Dragon's Claw and Phoenix's Talon. Commander Zhang trailed the captain to Tian Ning's hideout, attacking during the meeting. The captain would then do battle with Zhang and his flagship in order to cripple his power in the east indies, sinking them before returning to Telok Penjarah to report back to Admiral Rahma.
Admiral Rahma admits to her part in the events that transpired, and that she was in secret talks with the Emperor, promising to do what Zhang could not. Although the pirate captain can call her out, she claims that this was the best path forward for the Unbound as they now claimed the Emperor's favor and could reap the soils of the Phoenix-Dragon civil war.
It was then that the captains first mate, Asnah Yatim, interrupted the meeting, with her and Rahma seemingly recognizing one another and the two being tense and disapproving of the other. After arguing for some time, she will prompt the captain to leave, noting that like Li Tian Ning, their usefulness to the admiral has run it's course. Only time will tell where her true allegiances lie and whether she'll make the right choice when the time comes...
| “ | Shrouded in uncertainty, Rahma must make a choice. Accept a risky proposition or cling to her alliance with the Emperor of the Dragon’s Claw. A new threat has arrived in the Indian Ocean, many destinies entwine, though the truth may not be what anyone assumes. | „ |
| ~ Skull and Bones Twitter |
Trivia[]
- According in game sources, the Skull and Bones art book and a devblog by the developers of skull and bones, Admiral Rahma relies on the Pirate Round and the Helm to service her rebellion. Her goal is not to join them, but to use them as a means to an end, or at least that's what she tells us, and herself.
- According to the developers of skull and bones, Admiral Rahma purposefully turns a blind eye towards and make use of the chaos caused by rival pirate lords across the Indian ocean. This is why the Compagnie Royale and the Hubac Twins forces are able to roam so freely in the East Indies in spite of their European origins and imperial ambitions.
- https://www.ubisoft.com/en-au/game/skull-and-bones/news-updates/6SYaSfI2eeMKkImPMceLNk
- Admiral Rahma seems to be based on the real life Admiral Keumalahayati (or Malahayati), an admiral of the Aceh Sultanate navy, which ruled the area of modern Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. She was the first woman admiral in the modern world. Her troops were drawn from Aceh's widows (similar to Admiral Rahma's Unbound) and the army named the "Inong Balee", after Fort Inong Balee.
Gallery[]
