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➺ THE STORY OF ASSASSIN'S CREED: THE CANONBLIND VERSION
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Before you Continue, Read This
The General Story
The Templar
The Assassins
The Ones Who Came Before
Pieces of Eden
The Creed
The Animus
Abstergo Industries
The Order and the Brotherhood
In Conclusion
Before you Continue, Read This
The General Story
The Templar
The Assassins
The Ones Who Came Before
Pieces of Eden
The Creed
The Animus
Abstergo Industries
The Order and the Brotherhood
In Conclusion
This is a post made specifically for roleplayers, in an effort to have them understand the Assassin's Creed canon, as well as the players within the fandom. Think of it as a guide for general inquiry, which will also dive into specifics within the canon if you, the reader, are curious. It will also point out how and why AC muns can seem a bit unwilling to do something involving their muse or the Order (which is something I'll explain below). Believe me, it's not you, it's just what we have to follow via canon.
One of the most important things to note in this series is about the Assassins, and how they differ. The Assassins are not cold-blooded killers who murder for a mindless point or no reason at all. The targets they kill are never innocents, but rather corrupt political figures who are oppressing the people and their free will. Each assassination is researched, planned, and discussed before executing. It is basically a secret society that is willing to get its hands dirty for the better of humanity, though there are morals that keep them grounded and level-headed (the Creed).
The reason I'm getting this out of the way first is because for players like myself who are in jamjar games, it can be difficult for us to include a ton of people into the cast without a lot of CR first. And depending on the muse being played in your game, there may be a time where you'll see us suggesting alliances for the Order, or training characters as assassins, and we may turn down people if they ask. Please don't ever take it personally, we would love to have you be a part of the non-canonmate cast, but we have to also stick to canon and the IC reasons first and foremost. CR is always welcome, but it may not lead to an actual knowing about the AC muses as a whole.
We will always, always, let you know if something will or will not work. Most of the time, we'll even have an explanation already set up that explains what is needed for the Order, or for training assassins, so you'll have the chance to read it over and see if your muse fits the bill. And please, don't be afraid to ask questions if you have them!
Also it goes without saying, there are going to be spoilers (though not too many!) below.
The story of Assassin's Creed starts like a lot of games: the story of war. It's a secret war, one that has been going on for centuries, between two factions- the Templars, and the Assassins. Both sides have had the same goal in mind; to make a peaceful world. However, their methods to obtain this are vastly different. The Templar want to rebirth the world to be peaceful through force, oppression, and the surrender of free will. The Assassins are on the opposite end, who want to preserve free will and allow people to choose their own freedoms, even if that means they suffer through their own faults.
As time has gone on, battles have been won and lost, both sides gaining favor over the other at one point or another. Whether it's in the Crusades during 1190 AD, to the sixteenth century during the Renaissance in Italy and in Constantinople, to 1774 and the American Revolution and the Big Easy- the Assassins and Templars have been prominent through them all, fighting alongside important figures, and changing the course of history. That is how it always has been- hundreds of lives lost, hundreds more changed, all because of a war that no one knows.
And while it may seem that they are fighting just for the sake of war, both are fighting each other and trying to obtain the things that would fulfill their needs to give rebirth, and to protect mankind: the Pieces of Eden. These are objects from a previous civilization called "Those Who Came Before," and essentially have the power to completely brainwash others and rewrite all of history. The most common term used for a Piece of Eden is referred to as "the Apple." If two or more Pieces of Eden were to be combined, the result could be completely devastating.
Yet despite all this, there is something much larger happening that most of the Assassins and the Templars are unaware of- a massive natural disaster capable of destroying all of civilization on the Earth. This disaster happened thousands of years ago and obliterated all life on the planet, and if not prevented, will happen again. It's up to the modern team from 2012; Desmond Miles, Lucy Stillman, Rebecca Crane, and Shaun Hastings, to piece together all this information left in the past, in order to save the future.
"May the Father of Understanding guide us."
The Templars (also known as the Knights of the Templar) are a group built upon the foundation that believes that mankind deserves a perfect life. However, because of the pain and failures that humans are capable of creating, a perfect world cannot be achieved with things as they are. Man is weak and cannot always make the best decisions for himself. He is misguided, disillusioned, and while he may do what he believes is best for others, in reality it means little to others outside whom he may know.
The Templar seek the Pieces of Eden to essentially destroy this turmoil, to give life and happiness and peace after years and centuries and ages of war. So much blood has been shed and so much pain has been suffered- they only seek to earn what mankind deserves. However, through the upbringing and the lessons learned from their earliest founder, Cain- their views on obtaining peace for everyone is through any possible motive. "The ends justify the means." They have no sense or grip of morality, and they will do anything and everything to get what they want. Mass genocide? Yes. Torture? Absolutely. Burning of villages and destruction of lives? Without any hesitation.
Despite all of this, the Templars are not inherently evil. They truly believe that what they're doing, they're doing for the benefit of mankind, to better his future. If people need to die in order to achieve this, then so be it. Sacrifices need to be made in order to change the world. Some of the people supported by the Templar weren't exactly stable, such as the Borgia in Italy, but for the most part, they were no different from you or me. They were ordinary people willing to make many sacrifices and use their power to influence and warp things to achieve their goals. If the Templar got their hands on the Pieces of Eden, then using any methods to get there was perfectly acceptable.
More information on them can be found here.
"Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted."
The Assassins are the opposite end of the spectrum of what the Templar believe. While they do support a peaceful world, they do not agree with using force or pure power to dominate over others. To them, peace can only be properly achieved through wise decisions and free will, two essential parts of mankind. To take them away is to turn man into a mindless slave who has no ambitions, no desires, and no emotions to understand anything around him. They fight for humans to keep their sense of self, even if that means the world continues struggling in all its failures and horrific times.
Assassins are the mortal enemy of Templars, and Templars the mortal enemy of Assassins. There is no one who is worse than the other, both have utmost priority at stopping them in their tracks. But unlike the Templar, who will use whatever methods to get what they desire, the Assassins hold themselves to a moral code, known as the Creed. They do not strike out at those not involved, they do not openly parade their power or even that they exist in public, and they work together as one. A single group is called an Order, and the whole of the Assassins calls itself the Brotherhood. And like the Templar, they chase after the Pieces of Eden as well- not to use them (unless necessary), but to hide them and keep them out of the wrong hands.
Assassins are not inherently good, even if their intentions may seem as such. They kill people for a living in order to change the world, and are a mystery to most people beyond that. However, an Assassin is just like anyone else whose life has been changed or influenced drastically to want to serve justice, or even just carrying a sense of duty and justice at seeing all the wrong being done in the world. There are also those just born into the Order, who learn and train from the start, and know what they must do in being a part of the Order. They give up everything they once were, and fall into line to serve the Brotherhood and humanity for a greater purpose. To do so is the greatest honor, and one they fight silently side by side until the end of the war comes.
More information can be found here.
The Ones Who Came Before (also called Those Who Came Before or the First Civilization) is the name of the civilization that existed on Earth first, and were the creators of humanity. It was an advanced society, far beyond even what we have now, and full of beings who were knowledgeable about many things. Humans were made to be their domestic workforce, to be servants while their masters lived lives as they were. As time went on, things began to become a bit unstable.
As it usually is with most societies, the slaves rebelled against their masters, and it led to war. It was brutal, bloody, and blindly led. While the masters were far more advanced, there were many more humans, and they overwhelmed them. Both sides suffered heavy losses and grief, and sought to end the other through battle and anger.
Around the time of the war, there was warning of a natural disaster coming that could destroy either side should they not listen. But both of them were so involved in the war, they completely ignored the advice, and so the disaster came, wiping out all of the First Civilization, and most humans with it. Those that did survive barely did so, they lost almost all the technology left behind, and had to live on through primitive means.
The only thing surviving the devastating wipeout were the Pieces of Eden, which were buried all over the world as time passed.
More information can be found here.
The Pieces of Eden are the remainders of what the First Civilization left behind when they were destroyed. The Ones Who Came Before had created them to enslave humanity and to keep them in line, but were unsuccessful due to both the sheer size of human to First Civilization ratio, and also the disaster. By themselves, Pieces of Eden don't look any different than just a small metallic sphere that can fit in the palm of your hand (oftentimes called the Apple), or a decorative staff (called the Staff of Eden). However, if used, the Apple can essentially drive people insane, cause them to switch alliances, kill people outright, or bring them to their knees in pain. And this is just one Piece of Eden. Its purpose is to brainwash and control. Most are hidden in locations that are difficult to get to, for both Templars and Assassins, and can usually only be located through the memories of ancestors, thanks to the Animus.
There are a total of seven Apples, the Staff of Eden, the Sword of Eden, and lesser destructive pieces such as the Crystal Skulls and Altaïr's Memory Discs found with the Masayaf Keys. If collected and used together, they could generate enough power to dominate all the minds of man, bend them to the user's will, or even rebirth the world.
More information can be found here.
| STRAY YOUR BLADE FROM THE FLESH OF AN INNOCENT | ALWAYS BE DISCREET | NEVER COMPROMISE THE BROTHERHOOD |
| The goal of the assassins is to ensure peace in all things. The assassins believe that political assassinations and the death of the corrupt will bring peace and a true sense of security to the common people. Slaying innocents and civilian bystanders who do not need to die goes a long way towards spreading strife and discord, in addition to ruining the name of the assassin order itself. | Be unseen. The assassins' aim is to get close to their target stealthily, usually in public, to perform awe-inspiring assassinations. The greatest illusion from an assassination is that an Assassin seemingly materializes from nowhere, kills a corrupt public figure, and vanishes into the depth of the crowd or environment. If an assassin is spotted stalking their target, the supernatural effect is diluted, simply making it more difficult for the assassin to reach his target. | The actions of one must never bring harm to all. If an assassin fails, is captured, or is being chased, he must never commit an action or say anything that can be tied back to the brotherhood. |
『NOTHING IS TRUE, EVERYTHING IS PERMITTED』 The quote simply means that nothing anyone says about how we should be or should act is true, and that everything we could ever think of doing within the realm of actual possibility is permitted to happen, and so it does. | ||
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daiThe Creed is the code and morality check Assassins adhere themselves to. Following these is of utmost importance, especially once inducted into the Order, and it is expected for an Assassin to respect these for as long as he lives. The Creed has had to adapt to the times, but the idea remains the same:
1. Do not kill innocents
2. Be discreet
3. Do not bring harm to the Brotherhood
Failing to follow these rules will result in a number of consequences, varying on which rule was broken, and to the degree it was performed.
Should the assassin kill an innocent unintentionally, there will be warnings, disappointment, and a severe eye kept on them in future missions to make sure the error is not done again. However, if it was done intentionally and willingly, they will be more than likely stripped of their rank, and forced to earn it back through trust and repeated attempts at proving they understand what they did wrong. If it is a severe case, the assassin will be banned from the Order without any second chances given.
If the offense is discretion, the assassin will be forced to retrain until they completely understand how and why it is necessary to use. The assassin will be held back from stealth missions until they can prove they are capable of properly carrying out the task with no one following. If there is outright refusal, and if it is done enough times, the assassin will be banned. However, repeated offense will more than likely get them killed- not by Assassin hands, but by Templar.
If any assassin at any time compromises the Brotherhood, it is an automatic banning from the Order, loss of all trust from their brothers, and depending on the case, could also result in violence or possible death of the assassin, if severe enough. This is an absolute last resort, but will be taken if the perpetrator is seen as a threat to the Brotherhood.
More information can be found here.
The Animus is the machine the Templar discovered many years ago, researched as much as they could, and then began to create their own versions of them. The Animus is used for two purposes: to search through memories of captured Assassins for locations of the Pieces of Eden, and to train their own people into methods of fighting and combat, through something referred to as "The Bleeding Effect." The Bleeding Effect essentially passes on abilities to the one in the Animus the longer they use it, and things that took years to learn can be mastered in a matter of days.
However, the longer someone is within the Animus, the worse their mental condition becomes. Most of those stuck in the Animus for long periods of time have reportedly gone insane, been reduced to mindless babblers, and even committed suicide. The brain has a difficult time distinguishing between the real world and the past, and the more time spent in the past tends to clash with the future, until the brain literally becomes a mound of mental hash. The end result? The user goes into a coma.
Most of them never wake up.
More information can be found here.
Abstergo is the name of the company run by the Templars, pretending to be a pharmaceutical company to avoid suspicions and noses poked where they shouldn't be. With the destruction of the Assassin Brotherhood (or at least, the organization of them) heralding in the year 2000, Abstergo's new goal was to exterminate and destroy the Assassins entirely. Using the Animii as a weapon instructor, hundreds of Templar were placed in the machines and trained through the Bleeding Effect. Most began their training through the Renaissance simulator, using actual historic figures (i.e. Fiora Cavazza, the "Courtesan" or Lia de Russo, the "Smuggler") to train themselves as these people would have. In time, some grew far beyond the simple training in the Animii, and were moved up into a new program that focused more on special tactics and abilities, the setting in Constantinople. If they pass the test, there is word and a promise that Templar secrets will be given to them as a just reward.
There is no word for what is being planned, other than that there is an army, lying in wait. What it is being used for, no one knows, but it is almost certain the army will be grouped and dispacted to permanently destroy anything that remains of the Assassins.
More information can be found here.
The Order as a whole has always been established, ever since the Templar have existed in time. While the Templar choose to be open in their corruption and politics, and to freely show their power over others, the Brotherhood is all about secrecy and discretion. To them, their interference in life is minimal, they prfer to strike from the shadows and disappear in a moment's notice, like smoke in the wind. The society built within the Order consists of several kinds of members- Assassins, Mentors, Informants, and Non-Members. These are the main groups that you will find are consistent in whatever branch you may visit or know.
◌ Assassins are the men (and women) who are the actual carriers of the Order's business. Usually they give each other a title when speaking to another, such as "brother," or "sister." They are the ones who kill, mark targets, eavesdrop, pickpocket, sabotage, and seem to be impossible to find once their mission is complete. They are the blade of the Order, the ones who seek out corrupt officials and end their life. And while they make choices and observations, they usually answer to a another assassin, who is higher in rank, and therefore given respect. This is usually a Mentor, Master Assassin, or a Grandmaster.
All assassins have ranks. Depending on the assassin's skill and training, it is possible to climb the ranks with relative ease. However, if the assassin does not learn the teachings of the Creed, or disobeys due to pride or greed, higher assassins may strip them of their rank and demote them until they have learned them properly.
The ranks are as follows (in Syria/Italy terms):Rank 1 - Novice/Recruit
Rank 2 - Servant/Initiate
Rank 3 - Assistant/Apprentice
Rank 4 - Soldier/Novice
Rank 5 - Disciple/Footpad
Rank 6 - Mercenary/Disciple
Rank 7 - Warrior/Mercenary
Rank 8 - Veteran/Warrior
Rank 9 - Master/Veteran
Rank 10 - Assassin
Each rank means an increse in skill and experience, and also adding new weapons, depending on which rank is obtained. When the rank of Assassin is reached, it is possible for them to continue in their rank, and receive the title of Master Assassin. It is not a title given freely; usually it requires years and years of experience and training to be even considered for the name.
Outside of the Order, services and guilds may assist the Assassins in whatever mission they are currently doing, usually through payment in the land's currency. Once the services are bought, Assassins can use them for a number of different things:Courtesans - Better known as temptresses or ladies of the night, courtesans are a distraction, allowing an assassin to walk right in their midst and pass by guards unnoticed. Sometimes the assassin may send a few of them off to woo men and pull them away from a location, and slip in quietly to finish their job.
Theives - Thieves are essentially what their name is: they pickpocket and gather information for assassins. If hired, they can go heckle guards or steal from them, leaving the intended destination completely free of obstructions or problems.
Mercenaries - This group is usually both a distraction and can lend help to the Assassin if he's caught in a fight. They can jeer at guards, taunt them, fight them, even kill them if they have good stats (which... most of the time, lbr- they don't), but it all depends on what you need them for.
Romani/Escape Helpers - Romani are outcasts, and therefore are used just as courtesans would be in Italy. They can be street performers and fire-breathers when not hired. Escape helpers (there really is no name for them) are not hired at all, but they are groups of men who openly protest the ways of the Borgia in Italy. If you run past them while being chased, they will grab the guards and keep them from getting you or starting a fight, allowing you to escape unharmed.
◌ Mentors are the head of the Order, Assassins who have essentially climbed above and beyond what most others have done, gained exceptional knowledge and skill, and can lead others easily as a leader. Usually only one leads the entire branch, with a few advisors who give him or her suggestions as to what to do for the good of the people. Mentors are incredibly gifted and amazingly wise, their experiences have taught them everything they know, and are, now. They look out for the good of their brothers and sisters, protect the ways of the Creed, and are known to teach assassins themselves of certain skills and abilities over time. If any Assassin has troubles or doubts, they can always go to the Mentor, and talk with them about it. Mentors have open minds and can listen to just about anything, and give advice for it.
◌ Informants are right what it says on the tin: they bring information to Assassins. Whether it's about their target, about rumors being spread around the city, or even of potential allies, they are an important part of the network that the Assassins use to be one step ahead of the Templar. They can be found just about anywhere, and are very good at hiding if the enemy comes around. Most informants also keep their mouth shut if captured- choosing to rather die than squeal on what they've found. It's through this loyalty and trust that the Informants base themselves to the Assassins. If they provide the information, the Assassins will act and most likely get rid of the target that was making things difficult in the area. That way it makes obtaining information easier and relations a lot closer, should the Informant ever be in trouble. Some informants don't even keep alliances, they simply go to the highest bidder. These are dealt with a bit more carefully than others.
◌ Non-Members are essentially privileged people who know of the Order, and of the Assassins, but are not always kept in the loop of how things are. Information is passed to them sparingly, and is always discussed amongst the Assassins before it is given. They are considered allies, but not members due to the fact that they were not raised in the way the Order runs. Nevertheless they are still vital and important to the Brotherhood, and if one is in trouble, they can expect the Order to aid them where necessary. Usually in order to gain an alliance the Assassin has to inquire about them first within the Brotherhood, asking permission to bring them into the tangent that is the history of the Assassins and Templars. If granted, the person is told what is necessary, and included in certain activities, but not all of them. Doing so would make them a member, and that would go against the purpose of having them as allies.
More information can be found here.
The story of Assassin's Creed is a bit long and complicated, and these topics here just leave the basics of the description as a whole. However, consider it a good way to get to know the series and how things run, and as a way to connect and want to tag AC characters. Remember- not all of the characters carry the same personality, even if they honor the same Creed. So don't get discouraged if one doesn't immediately warm up to your muse. Some take time. So long as there is no horrendous personality clash and the CR is good, your character may be included as an ally to the Order.
Each decision is left up to the muns and the cast, so please keep in mind that hassling them about inductions and inclusions into the Order, or even becoming an Assassin, can be frustrating and aggravating. We're always willing to include people in our CR, but sometimes the muses don't match, and it just won't work out. However, that doesn't mean we'll shun you from getting any kind of reaction or tags at all! And you can always try to have your muse ask ours how they learned what they did, or what they do for a living (which will always be a lie, no matter what).
Thank you for taking the time to read this (and I know it's a lot, which I apologize for), and I hope it helped in some way. If you have any questions at all, feel free to leave them in the comments below. ♥
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