The Armada: it's the enemy of every pirate and scoundrel in the Spiral. So far, all we know is that they seem to be of Valencian origin, and are bent on stopping us Pirates at any cost.
What makes these characters so haunting and unforgettable? Aside from their grim purpose, they wear masks that only feign emotion. The idea of emotionlessness has haunted humanity since the earliest of humankind's days when we were first able to comprehend the feelings of ourselves and others. When this emotionlessness is hidden by a mask, it only seems that much scarier and mysterious- and that's exactly what the Armada is aiming for.
What makes these characters so haunting and unforgettable? Aside from their grim purpose, they wear masks that only feign emotion. The idea of emotionlessness has haunted humanity since the earliest of humankind's days when we were first able to comprehend the feelings of ourselves and others. When this emotionlessness is hidden by a mask, it only seems that much scarier and mysterious- and that's exactly what the Armada is aiming for.
Let's start with Deacon and Rooke, whose masks are very similar. Deacon is the first enemy our Pirates encounter when we are freed from his captivity. He's a creepy first character to run into, especially after we've been in the company of the lovable Boochbeard and Gandry.
His mask has almost no features except for a strange pointed chin where his nose and mouth should be.
His mask has almost no features except for a strange pointed chin where his nose and mouth should be.
We meet Rooke for the first time in MooShu. As you probably already gathered from his picture, this guy means business, and he's the lean, mean fighting machine (no pun intended!) of the bunch. For those of you who haven't encountered him in-game yet, I won't give away too much, but you'll quickly learn that he dislikes you just as much as Deacon does!
His mask is pointed, just like Deacon's, but Rooke's is fancier with gold and red decorations around the eyes.
His mask is pointed, just like Deacon's, but Rooke's is fancier with gold and red decorations around the eyes.
This kind of mask is known as a Bauta Mask. You'll find that this, as well as the other masks worn by the Armada Elite, was (and still is) worn by people who celebrate an Italian tradition during a holiday called Carnevale di Venezia. America has a version of this holiday, which goes by the name of Mardi Gras.
The Bauta was worn by many people because it allowed one to speak, eat and drink without taking off the mask, so partying was easier. Additionally, it disguised a person's class (rich or poor) and even their gender by concealing the parts of the face that would normally give that away (like the jawline or cheekbones).
It's interesting to see that two Elite agents wear this kind of mask, and our best answers to this mystery are only speculation. It could be because Deacon and Rooke tend to be on the front lines, doing all of the dirty work of capturing pirates and fighting, and thus this genderless, emotionless mask would strike the most fear in people's hearts.
The Bauta was worn by many people because it allowed one to speak, eat and drink without taking off the mask, so partying was easier. Additionally, it disguised a person's class (rich or poor) and even their gender by concealing the parts of the face that would normally give that away (like the jawline or cheekbones).
It's interesting to see that two Elite agents wear this kind of mask, and our best answers to this mystery are only speculation. It could be because Deacon and Rooke tend to be on the front lines, doing all of the dirty work of capturing pirates and fighting, and thus this genderless, emotionless mask would strike the most fear in people's hearts.
Next we have Bishop. First discovered and met in Marleybone, he is the mad scientist who ponders the creation of artificial life and mysterious machines.
Bishop's mask is totally white and features a long, beak-like nose with thick glasses (a very valuable and sought-after boss drop for pirates everywhere!). Bishop's image is arguably more haunting than the previous two mentioned clockworks, as his face is much less human-looking.
Bishop's mask is totally white and features a long, beak-like nose with thick glasses (a very valuable and sought-after boss drop for pirates everywhere!). Bishop's image is arguably more haunting than the previous two mentioned clockworks, as his face is much less human-looking.
This mask is rather famous, most likely due to its bizarre appearance, and you might already know it as the
Plague Mask.
The Plague Mask was first used during the Black Plague in Europe in the Dark Ages when people didn't know much about medicine and doctors would stuff the beak of the mask with nice-smelling herbs to keep away the smell of death and in hopes of repelling whatever was causing the sickness while they treated those who were sick. The mask was also supposed to scare away mean spirits, who were thought to have caused the plague.
It would make sense that the "mad scientist" of the group wore this mask, as Bishop dabbles in twisted science and the answers to strange conundrums. But nowadays, luckily, you'll only see this mask at Mardi Gras carnivals as a facetious reminder that we all have to die sometime!
Plague Mask.
The Plague Mask was first used during the Black Plague in Europe in the Dark Ages when people didn't know much about medicine and doctors would stuff the beak of the mask with nice-smelling herbs to keep away the smell of death and in hopes of repelling whatever was causing the sickness while they treated those who were sick. The mask was also supposed to scare away mean spirits, who were thought to have caused the plague.
It would make sense that the "mad scientist" of the group wore this mask, as Bishop dabbles in twisted science and the answers to strange conundrums. But nowadays, luckily, you'll only see this mask at Mardi Gras carnivals as a facetious reminder that we all have to die sometime!
Phule is encountered fleetingly by our Pirates in Valencia and again in Fort Elena and appears to have a personality as split as his mask. One side is white; eerily docile and friendly, while the other side is black; aggressive and mean. For those of you who can, go play through the dungeon again and pay close attention to which side of his mask the camera focuses on while he's speaking either calmly or aggressively.
While it may be easy to mistake Phule's mask for another like Bishop's, Phule's mask is actually a fully-formed face with a really long nose. The white side is wrinkled in a laughing smile while the black side is twisted in a scary grimace. The rest of his outfit suggests a harlequin clown, which was a popular kind of jester in Italy.
While it may be easy to mistake Phule's mask for another like Bishop's, Phule's mask is actually a fully-formed face with a really long nose. The white side is wrinkled in a laughing smile while the black side is twisted in a scary grimace. The rest of his outfit suggests a harlequin clown, which was a popular kind of jester in Italy.
Phule's mask is part of a special group of masks that are more theatrical in nature, meaning they were used in acting. This particular mask is called the Pantalone Mask.
This mask was made to look like an old man with a long, pointed nose and is more expressive than most Carnival masks that you'll encounter. It's usually a half mask that covers only from the nose up on the face, but obviously a clockwork needs a full-faced version of this mask! It usually looks like it has a lot of wrinkles because it is supposed to represent the man of the family, who is usually an older figure, like a father or grandfather.
Phule may wear this mask as a physical symbol of his theatrical personality and the black and white halves would represent his creepy split personality. Mental illness is nothing to be afraid of- especially since, thanks to modern medicine, we know that actual multiple personalities with separate ways of thinking aren't real (most cases of "multiple personalities" are actually just severe mood swings caused by bipolar disorders). But the idea of two people living inside one mind is a haunting thought, indeed.
This mask was made to look like an old man with a long, pointed nose and is more expressive than most Carnival masks that you'll encounter. It's usually a half mask that covers only from the nose up on the face, but obviously a clockwork needs a full-faced version of this mask! It usually looks like it has a lot of wrinkles because it is supposed to represent the man of the family, who is usually an older figure, like a father or grandfather.
Phule may wear this mask as a physical symbol of his theatrical personality and the black and white halves would represent his creepy split personality. Mental illness is nothing to be afraid of- especially since, thanks to modern medicine, we know that actual multiple personalities with separate ways of thinking aren't real (most cases of "multiple personalities" are actually just severe mood swings caused by bipolar disorders). But the idea of two people living inside one mind is a haunting thought, indeed.
Finally, we have Kane and his Queen, who remains unnamed because we haven't seen her at all (but you can see a small pirate-doodle version preview of her in the first picture of this post). These two will probably the the masterminds behind much of the clockworks' operations.
Their masks are much more plain compared to the others, and look a lot like those worn by the clockwork soldiers your pirate encounters while escaping from Deacon and throughout the game. Kane's mask appears to have decorations on it, like Rooke's mask, while the Queen's mask is more plain like Deacon's.
Their masks are much more plain compared to the others, and look a lot like those worn by the clockwork soldiers your pirate encounters while escaping from Deacon and throughout the game. Kane's mask appears to have decorations on it, like Rooke's mask, while the Queen's mask is more plain like Deacon's.
These masks should be the most familiar to you, since they're used in many places besides just the Carnival. You can even find them in craft stores as creative supplies for birthday parties. But their origins lie in the Volto Mask.
The Volto Mask was the most human-like of the masks- it wasn't theatrical, used in medicine or made to disguise one's gender. It was just for the sake of wearing a mysterious disguise at a party. These masks are also called Larva Masks- but don't worry, bugs are not involved here! Larva means Ghost in Latin, which makes sense; think about a bunch of Carnival partygoers late at night, dressed all in black except for their masks. They would look a lot like ghosts.
Perhaps Kane and the Queen wear these masks because they're behind everything, remaining invisible (for now, at least), pulling all the strings and remaining as ghosts who haunt our Pirates at every turn.
The Volto Mask was the most human-like of the masks- it wasn't theatrical, used in medicine or made to disguise one's gender. It was just for the sake of wearing a mysterious disguise at a party. These masks are also called Larva Masks- but don't worry, bugs are not involved here! Larva means Ghost in Latin, which makes sense; think about a bunch of Carnival partygoers late at night, dressed all in black except for their masks. They would look a lot like ghosts.
Perhaps Kane and the Queen wear these masks because they're behind everything, remaining invisible (for now, at least), pulling all the strings and remaining as ghosts who haunt our Pirates at every turn.
Do you have your own theories about the Armada Elite? Which agent is your favorite? Start a discussion here or with your fellow Pirates!
Happy Hunting!
Happy Hunting!
Mask image credits:
Bauta: http://www.socaldesignco.com/cart/product.php?printable=Y&productid=16314
Pantalone: http://s08219.biss.wikispaces.net/COMMEDIA+REFLECTION
Plague: http://jameelaoberman.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/the-history-of-venetian-masks-fact-sheet/
Volto: http://www.magicofvenezia.com/servlet/the-565/Venetian-mask-Venetian-face/Detail
Bauta: http://www.socaldesignco.com/cart/product.php?printable=Y&productid=16314
Pantalone: http://s08219.biss.wikispaces.net/COMMEDIA+REFLECTION
Plague: http://jameelaoberman.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/the-history-of-venetian-masks-fact-sheet/
Volto: http://www.magicofvenezia.com/servlet/the-565/Venetian-mask-Venetian-face/Detail