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- "You'd have to be lucky to escape Coldridge. And a complete madman. You'd have to be Corvo, in other words."
- —Two guards discussing escape from Coldridge Prison.
Corvo Attano is the protagonist of Dishonored and one of the two playable protagonists of Dishonored 2. Previously an agent and bodyguard to Empress Jessamine Kaldwin, Corvo is stripped of his title of Lord Protector and imprisoned by the usurper to the throne of the Empire, Lord Regent Hiram Burrows. Corvo escapes and becomes either an assassin or vigilante for the Loyalist Conspiracy, using the powers granted to him by the Outsider to eliminate Burrows' confederates, clear his name, avenge the Empress' death and restore her abducted daughter Emily to the throne.
Biography
Corvo Attano was born into a lower class family in Karnaca on the 25th day of the Month of Nets in 1798.[2] Corvo used to live happily, often wandering through the more rural parts of the city[3] until his father, a lumber worker, was tragically killed in a workplace accident. He then grew up with his sister Beatrici, fighting in the streets, until she too disappeared.[4][5]
By the age of 16, Corvo won the Blade Verbena, an annual sword duel festival, which earned him an early officer ranking in the Grand Guard.[6][4] Eventually, after two years of service, Theodanis Abele, the Duke of Serkonos, became highly impressed by his skill, and on the 28th day of the Month of Rain, Corvo was sent to Dunwall to serve the Emperor Euhorn Kaldwin[4] as a political gesture.[1]
A year later, Corvo was chosen to serve as Royal Protector to the Emperor's daughter, Jessamine Kaldwin, which in the process gave him a higher social status.[7] He also became the first Royal Protector to be born outside of Gristol.[8]
Corvo and Jessamine secretly became lovers in 1823.[2] However, their lasting closeness did not go unnoticed by Emily or the general public, and rumors to that effect circulated throughout Dunwall. While several people (including Lydia Brooklaine, Treavor Pendleton, and Anton Sokolov) mention the affair to Corvo, it is never publicly acknowledged. Four years later, Emily was born from their relationship, though her paternal parentage is kept secret. Despite this situation, Corvo has a strong bond with his daughter and often publicly interacts with her in a familiar and affectionate manner. Emily's behavior toward Corvo suggests that she sees him as a father figure, and she often asks to be taught by him.
Corvo is described as being mysterious and quiet, with Wallace Higgins and Treavor Pendleton claiming that despite his high social standing, those of the court know little about him. He is also mocked for his origins, although his skills are renowned throughout the City Watch.
Dishonored
Two years into the rat plague afflicting Dunwall, Corvo is sent on a journey across the Isles by the Empress to find a cure, on the recommendation of the Royal Spymaster Hiram Burrows. On the 18th Day of the Month of Earth, he returns to Dunwall Tower two days early, bringing bad news and the intention of the other nations to blockade the capital while the plague is still spreading. His reunion with the Empress and her daughter is cut short when a group of assassins swarms them. Corvo is forced to watch as Daud murders Jessamine and kidnaps Emily. In her last moments, Jessamine begs Corvo to find their daughter and protect her. Before Corvo regains his senses, the Spymaster and High Overseer Thaddeus Campbell arrive on the scene and arrest him on the grounds of regicide and abducting the royal heir.
Corvo spends six months in Coldridge Prison tortured by his accusers, the true culprits behind the Empress' assassination. Burrows, who was elected Lord Regent by the Parliament, decides to execute Corvo, despite not forcing a false confession out of the latter. On the day of the execution, Corvo escapes Coldridge with the help of the Loyalists, a group claiming to be faithful to the Empress. They bring him to their hideout at the Hound Pits Pub and reveal their plans: to destabilize the new regime by striking at the Lord Regent and his allies, find Emily, and restore her to the throne of the Empire. He is also given tools and a mask crafted by Piero Joplin to assist him in his missions while concealing his identity. On the night of his arrival, Corvo is visited by the Outsider in a dream, granted his mark and gifted with supernatural abilities.
Corvo becomes a valuable tool to the Loyalists in removing Burrows' religious, political and financial allies. He even abducts Royal Physician Anton Sokolov to discover the identity of the Lord Regent's mistress, who finances the City Watch. Finally, he strikes at Burrows himself in Dunwall Tower, but his victory is short-lived, as the Loyalists betray him to cover their participation in the conspiracy. He is left for dead in the Flooded District, where he encounters Daud and his men once again.
After another visit from the Outsider, Corvo escapes the assassins and returns to the Hound Pits. He finds it swarmed by forces of the City Watch looking for survivors Anton Sokolov and Piero Joplin, and most of his former allies dead. Corvo finds there a clue on Emily's whereabouts. He then ventures to Kingsparrow Island in order to confront his betrayers and rescue his daughter once and for all. Whether he succeeds in saving Dunwall and restores Emily to the throne is determinant.
Dishonored 2
Fifteen years after rescuing Emily and bring an end to the Lord Regent's insurrection, Corvo has been cleared of the charges against him and continues to serve the new Empress as Royal Protector and Spymaster.[9] However, a new threat to Emily's reign emerges, and either Corvo or Emily herself must travel to the southern city of Karnaca to confront it.
Personality
Known for his air of mystery, Corvo is a distant and reserved man, showing his emotions only to his closest companions. He is noticeably pragmatic, willing and able to exact whatever means necessary to achieve a desired end. Though he bears a title of utmost honor, he isn't opposed to wet work, conversely being completely apathetic to the spilling of blood. His willpower is unshakable and his conviction absolute; even with his name completely slandered, he seeks primarily the restoration of the Kaldwin lineage to the throne and, ultimately, the retrieval of his daughter.
Skills and Abilities
Corvo swiftly dispatching an enemy.
Corvo is legendary for his efficient combat skills and stealth capabilities, his aptitude revered by City Watch guards and citizens alike. Since a young age, Corvo grew up fighting in the streets, where he gradually grew into a capable combatant. Later, he served as a soldier in the Grand Serkonan Guard, his skills increasing significantly during his tenure. Guards in the Dunwall Sewers can be overheard discussing his formidable skills, with a senior guard recounting an instance where he "...saw [Corvo] fight three to one in the practice yard". Havelock also considers the possibility that Corvo's talents might make him dangerous to even the Conspiracy.[10]
Highly proficient in stealth, he is able to silently infiltrate heavily guarded locations, utilizing various hiding spots including corners, tables, or rooftops. From a far distance, he is even able to utilize the shadows in order to avoid detection. He is also adept in eavesdropping and pickpocketing.
As an accomplished swordsman, Corvo is masterful in the use of blades, and thus is capable of engaging multiple enemies simultaneously in open combat, able to eliminate them with noteworthy brutality and efficiency. He is also a skilled marksman, wielding with great precision and accuracy several firearms, most notably pistols, as well as a personal crossbow.
A talented freerunner, Corvo is able to traverse the obstacles of urban terrain with relative ease, his agility, speed, and athleticism aiding him greatly in reaching high-scale areas and destinations. He has also proven to be an experienced swimmer, capable of swimming great distances and holding his breath underwater for a considerable period of time.
Corvo is equipped with a vast array of gadgetry, ranging from grenades and spring razors to rewire tools for deactivating alarms, arc pylons and walls of light. The majority of his equipment has been handcrafted by Piero Joplin, most notably his mask, which possesses an embedded telescopic optical lens, allowing Corvo to gain a clearer view of his surroundings.
Upon receiving the Outsider's Mark, Corvo is bestowed supernatural abilities, which augment his already impressive skills, allowing him to jump higher, move faster and farther, utilize additional stealth and offensive techniques, and so on. Additionally, he is gifted the Heart, a supernatural artifact responsible for locating items of interest and granting Corvo worldly information.
Trivia
- Corvo is voiced by Stephen Russell in Dishonored 2, who is most well known for his role of Garrett from the original Thief franchise. [11]
- "Corvo" means "crow" or "raven" in both Italian and Portuguese.
- Corvo's true identity is largely unknown outside the Loyalist Conspiracy. The authorities do not realize that Corvo and the Masked Felon are the same man. However, Slackjaw hints that Corvo's true identity is known among the lower classes, stating that, "Word is all over the street," when he is encountered in Granny Rag's lair.
- After escaping from Coldridge Prison, wanted posters for Corvo's capture or death can be found all around Dunwall, with a reward of 30,000 coins. Others will appear after completing specific missions and killing the targets, but will only designate his masked identity. If Corvo remained unnoticed throughout the mission, they will simply depict an unknown assailant, otherwise they will be for the "Masked Felon," with a sketch of Corvo wearing his mask and hood.
- Another poster for Corvo's capture can be found during the mission Eminent Domain of the downloadable content The Knife of Dunwall, where the prize for his capture was increased to 50,000 coins. It does not reappear in the next mission and DLC, The Brigmore Witches, as opposed to the first version with the 30,000 coins reward seen during The Dead Eels.
- Corvo and the Empress occasionally enjoyed whiskey and cigars together privately.[12]
- Corvo was meant to receive an Official Naval Commendation for his efforts in seeking aid for the plague crisis, but it was confiscated after his arrest. It can be stolen and sold by Daud in The Brigmore Witches.[13]
- After the mission The Royal Physician, Emily gives Corvo a drawing of him without his mask, with the word "Daddy" in large letters above it.
- In the Dishonored trailer, Corvo is shown being marked by the Outsider before his escape from Coldridge Prison.[14]
- In connection to the events of the upcoming Dishonored 2, it has been confirmed that Corvo is Emily's biological father.[15]
- Corvo's skin tone was based off of that of Raphael Colantonio.[16]
- According to Harvey Smith, Corvo has a sister named Beatrici. She is described as an "older estranged sister... lost to time."[17][18]
- Corvo's mother, Paloma, died before he had gone to Dunwall.[19][20]
- Among survivors, Corvo is sometimes referred to as the "Dunwall Butcher".
Gallery
.png "Corvo, KoD intro (2).png (1.37 MB)")
.png "Corvo, KoD intro (1).png (1.6 MB)")
Dishonored: The Wyrmwood Deceit
Artistic Renditions
Wanted Posters
Concept Art
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Developer Commentary – Dishonored ages masterpost
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dishonored: The Dunwall Archives
- ↑ Dishonored: The Corroded Man, p.88
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Developer Commentary – Corvo and the Grand Guard
- ↑ Dishonored: The Wyrmwood Deceit, Issue 2
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Corvo's Youth
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Royal Protector
- ↑ The Royal Protector
- ↑ Corvo as Royal Spymaster
- ↑ Havelock's Log
- ↑ Game Informer - Dishonored 2 Taps Vocal Talent From Game Of Thrones, Daredevil, And The Wire
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Whiskey and Cigars
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Royal Protector's Naval Commendation
- ↑ Dishonored Cinematic Trailer
- ↑ Gameinformer - 21 Things We Know About Dishonored 2
- ↑ Developer Commentary - Corvo's skin color
- ↑ Developer Commentary - Corvo's Sister
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Name of Corvo's sister
- ↑ Developer Commentary – Name of Corvo's Mother
- ↑ Dishonored: The Wyrmwood Deceit, Issue 3
