Francis Caradec is the captain of the Compagnie Royale Corvette, Le Spectre, as well as the personal foil of John Scurlock and his pirate round. Most of what is known about Caradec comes from La Bastide Gazette, which has romanticized and glamorized his actions, as well as a single letter from Caradec to his father which is found amongst the wreckage of his ship.
Background[]
The son of a factor of the Compagnie Royale, Francis Caradec's career started as the Third Mate aboard one of their ships, the Puissant. The ship was ambushed by pirates whilst passing Moyenne Crique, with a lucky or well aimed shot flying through the hole in Seychelles Rock, striking the Puissant’s powder room and causing it to detonate.
Twenty of the ships crew were turned to cinders instantly, including the Puissant’s Captain, its Sailing Master and presumably most of the other high ranking officers aboard. Caradec took command of the remaining skeleton crew and despite all odds managed to beat back the pirates and apparently confiscate contraband, before hosting a ceremony at sea for the lives lost during the battle.
By June of 1694 Caradec had earned himself a captains commission and his own ship, Le Spectre, and by December, his achievements dwarfed those many years his senior. Rather than patrolling trade routes and escorting merchants, the captain focused his efforts towards hunting pirates. The most notable pirates he took down at this time being Jack Hooper and Badru Aguda, leaders of the Rusty Blades pirate gang who stalked the waters around La Bastide.
However it was also around this time that Caradec's father was caught embezzling large cuts of Compagnie trade profits. Caradec himself was the one to arrest and turn in his own father, saving his reputation but also ruining their relationship. Never the less, Caradec still wrote to his father in an effort to mend their relationship by promising to secure his fathers early release and to have his prize ship outfitted with crew and goods.
In an effort to do this, as well as restore his family name, gain a promotion and an assigned reposting closer to the Mediterranean, Caradec planned to take down the Kingpin of Sainte-Anne, John Scurlock and his pirate round.
The Events of Skull and Bones[]
| “ | Your job is simple. Kill the bastard and his crew. Succeed, and you will be rewarded handsomely. Travel to Reef Sea, Red Isle, then head to the Royal Burial Ground outpost for your reward. | „ |
| ~ Francis Caradec to the Captain of the Royal Louis -- Caradec's Bounty treasure map |
Caradec's first attempted to take down the Lion of Sainte-Anne was to lure him out with a fake manifest and rumours fed to Scurlock's french agents, that a Comagnie Merchant Convoy carrying a season's worth of goods was going to be sailing through the Red Isles soon. In reality the Royal Louis was a Compagnie Brigantine warship, one with orders to kill Scurlock and his crew.
Although Scurlock believed the convoy to be real, he sent another captain to attack it in his place, one who was then able to sink the Royal Louis and discover the truth. Moreover, Scurlock had discovered the plans for the Fara-Compagnie partnership thanks to the Sea People, which would have threatened his trade operations in the Red Isle. Scurlock then performed a ruse of his own to break this delicate alliance, first having his agents plant rumors of french treachery, then having his captain attack the Fara settlement of Tanjona while flying Compagnie colors.
This would sour French-Fara relations and force the latter to turn to Scurlock for weapons, however it also created chaos throughout the Red Isles, disrupting trade lanes and also causing some of Teuling's shipments to be caught in the crossfire. Scurlock also devised a plan to steal Fara Odys and have his corrupt Comagnie agents at Fort Louis sell them to merchants, something guaranteed to anger the Fara and further add to the chaos. However after more shipments bound for New York went missing, Scurlock started to suspect a rat within his ranks.
Meanwhile Caradec, commanding the warship Le Spectre, started targeting the ships of the Pirate Round, with yet more cargo meant for Teuling being lost. Knowing that losing the backing of the merchant kingpin would mean the end of Sainte-Anne, Scurlock sends his best captain to the Coast of Africa to steal exotic goods to make up the numbers, whilst his 'lesser captains' remained in the Red Isles to keep Caradec busy. The plan worked, saving the pirate round for the time being.
Caradec then increased the bounty on the heads of both Scurlock and his new protégé. He also started to turn some of Scurlock's own captains to his side, killing those he couldn't -- attacking the pirate round from both without and within. Scurlock's own agents meanwhile managed to compile a list of suspected rats within the ranks of the Pirate Round, with Scurlock sending his protégé to retrieve that list. After hunting down and pursing one of the rats, the captain also finds a note that confirmed rogues within the pirate round were plotting Scurlock's downfall, which they then deliver to the Kingpin.
With some of his best captains turning on him, Scurlock realizes that he can't fight both the French and the traitors within his own ranks without putting the pirate round at risk. If ignores the traitorous captains they will eventually overthrow him, but if he kills them all he won't have enough to defend Sainte Anne and Caradec would be able to burn the port. However the Kingpin also realized what Caradec wanted: to slay an infamous pirate in order to increase his reputation, earn favor and gain a new posting closer to the Atlantic. It is then that the Kingpin of Sainte-Anne had an idea...
Secretly contacting Caradec, Scurlock offers the head of his best captain in place of his own. The Kingpin then sends his protégé to kill the leader of the traitorous rogues within his ranks, the Captain of the Allegiant, only for them to be ambushed by a Compagnie Royal squadron, lead by Caradec commanding Le Spectre. However Caradec would be the one killed instead of Scurlock's protégé, who then returned to Sainte-Anne to confront the Kingpin on his dealings with Caradec. Scurlock denied sending the captain into a trap, instead claiming that the trap was for Caradec, though this is likely a lie.
Never the less, the Compagnie Royale had lost it's best captain and the conspiracy against Scurlock within the pirate round had collapsed without it's leader. With his former protégé heading for the East Indies, John Scurlock now stands unopposed as the Kingpin of Sainte-Anne... for the time being.
Personality[]
| “ | This was no coincidence. Scurlock wanted us to die at Caradec's blade. Yet, here we stand. You outsmarted them both. But Scurlock... the rat will answer for his treachery. | „ |
| ~ Asnah Yatim -- The Lion and the Rat |
In many ways Francis Caradec is the foil to John Scurlock, both in role and in personality. Whilst Scurlock is a greedy pirate who schemed the downfall of Lanitra out of jealousy and later tried selling the player character out to save his own skin, Caradec is a captain of the Compagnie Royale who holds his honor and family reputation in high regard, even turning in his own father when his corruption was discovered. Both though have ambition, and are also highly respected in their respective factions.
Whilst both also have poor relationships with their fathers, Caradec ultimately tries to reconcile with his father and regularly writes to his mother regularly, unlike Scurlock who hates his father and who's mother is dead. Finally, whilst John Scurlock is content to sit in Sainte-Anne drinking wine and enjoying the perks of being a Kingpin whilst his underlings do most of the work, Caradec leads the Compagnie's hunt for pirates personally, taking down many pirate captains. In the end though, Scurlock was able to avoid the immediate consequences of his actions, whilst Caradec went down with his ship...
Archive Entries[]
Caradec’s Rise[]
| “ | Sterling Sailor Pokes Hole in Pyrate Operations by Jean-Guy Choquet It was a bloodbath. The Puissant stumbled upon an orgy of pyrates on Moyenne Crique and atrocities ensued. Our sailors held fast even as more of the devils emerged. However, a twist of infernal luck turned the tides. A stray shot flew the hole in Seychelles Rock and struck the Puissant’s powder room. 20 sailors were turned to cinders with the Captain and Sailing Master among them. Fate had spurned our compatriots It is a testament to the fortitude of these young mariners that none sunk into despair. Yet, bravery alone would not save them, these valiant hearts needed a pillar to rally around. Third Mate Caradec, who voice rose above the din of cannon fire, was unshakable. The Puissant and her skeleton crew, led by Caradec, vanquished all foes and confiscated contraband. A ceremony at sea was conducted for the Compagnie lives lost. |
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| ~ Caradec’s Rise, La Bastide Gazette -- Archive entry |
Hit the Deck, it’s Caradec[]
| “ | Caradec Takes Command, Declares War on Pyrates La Bastide Gazette, Dec 1694 by Patrick Petit The sterling young sailor has become master of his own ship, Le Spectre, and is proving himself a bulwark of the seas. Caradec, has been appointed captain only for 6 months and yet this achievements dwarf those many years his senior. Not content with patrolling trade routes and coddling merchants, the captain has developed a penchant for hunting pyrates. Among his vanquished foes are Jack Hooper and Badru Aguda, leaders of the Rusty Blades pyrate gang who plagued the waters around La Bastide. Of this young man, there is only fault. His father, a factor of the Compagnie Royale, has been arrested for pocketing large cuts of Compagnie trade. It is a serious offence that all employees should take measures to avoid. Yet even this blemish fails to sully Caradec’s character, for he was the one who turned this own father in. Of all French captains, few show such dedication to the honour of the King, the Country and the Compagnie. |
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| ~ Hit the Deck, it’s Caradec, La Bastide Gazette, Dec 1694 -- Archive entry |
Father and Child Reunion[]
| “ | Dearest Father, I know that we are not on speaking terms and you loathe the very mention of my name. However, I write to you to extend an olive branch. While you have been serving your just sentence, I have been hard at work, restoring our family name. By the time you read this letter, I would have vanquished the foul pirate John Scurlock and all his nasty cronies. Promotion is a certainty, as is the transfer to a post near your goal in the Meditteranean. I will endeavour to secure your early release and have your prize ship outfitted with crew and goods. It will take time, but with our combined efforts, things can go back the way they were. With you holding a lofty merchant rank and myself rising further up the military strata. I write to mother regularly. She misses you and eagerly awaits your return. Our reconciliation would ease her pain. She should not suffer for our mistakes, let us put wounded pride behind us for her sake. Your son, Francis Caradec |
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| ~ Father and Child Reunion, 10 March 1695 -- Archive entry, gained by sinking Le Spectre |
Trivia[]
Caradec is a Breton-language surname meaning beloved or amiable. Francis is a gender-neutral name from the Late Latin Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman, Frank” and “freeman.” Caradec's first name could also be a reference to Sir Francis drake, the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe, which was also a secret pirate mission sanctioned by Queen Elizabeth against the Spanish.