Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Templars

2010-06-10T02:55:43Z

66.188.86.37: Updated Other Templars. Merely because they existed before the time of the Templars does not mean the group did not exist. And there is enough evidence to suggest these people were or worked for them.

{{WP-REAL}}{{Era|AC|ACAC|AC2|Templars|Crusade|Ren|Good}}
{{FAimp}}
{{Faction Infobox

|image = Knights.png
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of [[Cain]]." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|religion = [[Wikipedia:Atheism|Atheist]] (pretend to be [[Wikipedia:Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]])
|location = Throughout the world.
}}
{{quote|May the [[Father of Understanding]] guide us.|Templar motto}}
The '''Knights Templar --''' or '''Brotherhood''' as they called themselves -- are a religious military order-turned corporate giant during the second and third millennium A.D. Founded during the First Crusade, the Knights Templar sought to create a perfect world, although the means by which they sought to do so were questionable. Sworn enemies of the [[Order of Assassins]], the Templars suffered a crippling blow during the [[Third Crusade]], largely due to the work of the Assassin Altaïr, but survived.

Adopting a less public position, the Knights Templar retreated into the shadows and thrived, continuing their war against the Assassins throughout the Renaissance, and into the [[Modern Times|Modern era]].

==Ideals and goals==
The military order of the Knights Templar was founded publicly in 1129 to counter the increasing threat against the Holy Land by the [[Saracens]], and to protect the city of [[Jerusalem]]<ref name=HC>The History Channel, ''Decoding the Past: The Templar Code'', 7 November 2005, video documentary written by Marcy Marzuni</ref>. Over time, the Templars began to believe it within their power to unite the world in peace<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>.
Their system of belief changed greatly upon the discovery of the [[Pieces of Eden]]; the realization of the non-existence of God led Order to become atheistic, although they publicly maintained the pretence of following the Christian ways so as to not lose the support of the Church<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>.

Realizing the power that the Pieces of Eden held over man, the Knights Templar began to seek out the artifacts. In 1191 [[Robert de Sable]], then the Grand Master of the Order, personally sought the fabled ''Apple of Eden'', buried in the catacombs beneath [[Solomon's Temple|Solomon's Temple]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. The theft of the piece of Eden by the Order of Assassins brought the two great powers into a sustained conflict with one another, ending with the death of [[Armand Bouchart]] in [[Limassol]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>. Despite this setback, the Order maintained its belief in creating a world of peace through manipulation of the Pieces of Eden.

By their reasoning, with no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no reason to oblige notions of morality or ethics; the end always justified the means, no matter how heinous. They thought that only this life was important, rather than preparing for a non-existent next life. With so many lower class people kept in line by the promise of an afterlife, and so many upper class men blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world; one of lasting peace, no matter the cost<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

As time progressed, the Templars' interest in the Pieces of Eden became more about seeking the power and domination that the artifacts offered. Their goals changed as they sought to control and unify the entire world using the Pieces of Eden to create a "New World Order"<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

==History==
===Pre-Crusades===
Little is known of the Templars as a whole before their 'official' founding in 1129, though occording to [[Subject 16]] they did indeed exist for some time beforehand, and indeed adopted their emblem from their Order's "father" – [[Cain]]. [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]], [[Alexander the Great]] and [[Qin Shi Huang]], as well as [[Cleopatra]] and [[Caligula]] were all implied to have belonged to this faction of proto-Templars, but some or all of these could very well have just been simple tyrants with no affiliation to whatever form the Templar Order took before its official founding. The Templars may have merely been known as "The Brotherhood," until they officially began an organized group as the Knights Templar.

===Third Crusade===
[[File:Assassins-creed-altair-1.jpg|thumb|A Knight Templar battles with Altaïr.]]
Founded in Jerusalem in 1129, the Knights Templar sought a world at peace with itself. By 1191, they had come to the realization that such peace could only be maintained through use of the [[Pieces of Eden]], and made it their quest to gather as many as they could<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. That same year, after the theft of the ''Apple of Eden'' by the assassins [[Malik A-Sayf]] and [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] from [[File:Maria-Templar-Robert-de-Sable.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Maria Thorpe, a Templar posing as Robert de Sable.]]the Templars, the Brotherhood entered into a brief period of sustained conflict with their Assassin enemies. Over the course of the year, ten Templar leaders from both [[Crusader]] and [[Saracen]] backgrounds fell to the blades of the assassin Altaïr, who was serving penance for crimes committed during the theft. The deaths included not only the Grand Master of the Order, but also [[Al Mualim]], leader of the Order of Assassins in Syria and the only Templar not willing to share the power of the Apple with his nine brothers<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

With their leadership effectively wiped out by a single assassin, the Brotherhood retreated to the island of [[Cyprus]] under the command of a new Grand Master, [[Armand Bouchart]]. Pursued by Altaïr, the Templars were wiped out once again, although the treasures of the [[Templar Archive]] in Limassol were spirited away before they could be found<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines" />. The death of Armand forced the Order to consider its position carefully, and by 1312 the Order had officially disbanded. In reality, the Order continued to thrive, adopting a much more secretive position in world affairs.

===Renaissance===
By the late 15th Century, the Brotherhood had regained a position of strength on the world stage, spreading deep into the Church and nobility of [[Italy]]. Under the command of [[Rodrigo Borgia]], the Knights Templar sought to unify northern Italy under their command, and regain the Apple of Eden which they knew to be buried in Cyprus<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Targeting [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], Duke of [[Florence]], the Templars found themselves confronted by the assassin [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]], who whilst not knowing of their Templar allegiances, was rapidly piecing together the clues. Following a near fatal encounter with Giovanni himself, Borgia arranged for the trial and execution of Giovanni and his three sons – [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]], [[Petruccio Auditore|Petruccio]] and [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]] – for the crimes of High Treason against the city of Florence. Corrupting the city official [[Uberto Alberti]], the city guards arrested Giovanni and two of his sons, narrowly missing their chance to capture the third, Ezio, who had been delivering and collecting letters for his father<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Realizing too late, the treachery of Uberto Alberti, whom his father had considered a friend<ref name="Assassin's Creed:Lineage">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref>, Ezio appeared at the execution of his family, watching in horror as his father and brothers were hanged; he narrowly escaped such a fate himself. Unconcerned with the remaining Auditore, the Templars continued in their mission to assume control of the cities of northern Italy. In 1478, the Templar affiliated [[House of Pazzi]] made their push for control. In what would become known as the [[Pazzi conspiracy]], the family struck against the Medici during Mass, killing [[Giuliano de' Medici]] and fatally wounding Lorenzo, who was saved only by the timely intervention of Ezio Auditore, the son who had been allowed to escape. Lorenzo's survival and the arrival of Ezio spelt doom for the Pazzi family, who were left to their fate by Rodrigo Borgia. [[Vieri de' Pazzi|Vieri]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi|Francesco]] and [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] were all slain by the lone assassin whilst[[File:Renaissance_Templar_Carlo_Grimaldi.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Ezio strikes at Carlo Grimaldi, a Renaissance Templar Leader.]] the Templars acknowledged their defeat in Florence, instead turning the attention to the city of [[Venice]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Utilising the [[House of Barbarigo]], the Brotherhood assumed control of Venice briefly in 1485, before they were once again overthrown by the lone Assassin. The distraction of controlling the city had been beneficial to the Templars however, as it had distracted the Assassins from noticing the preparations being made for the retrieval of the piece of Eden from Cyprus. Two years later, in 1487, the Templar expedition returned to Venice with ''the Apple'' in hand. Bringing it to Borgia, an undercover Ezio engaged the Templar Grand Master and, with the assistance of his fellow Assassins, forced the Templars out of the city once more<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. With the Apple in the hands of the Assassins, the Brotherhood approached the [[House of Orsi|brothers Orsi]] – [[Ludovico Orsi|Ludovico]] and [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] – to obtain a map detailing the location of the Codex pages from the wife of the Templar [[Girolamo Riario]] – [[Caterina Sforza]]. Invading [[Forlì]], the Orsi brothers demanded the map, and ''the Apple'' in exchange for the lives of Sforza's children. The brothers were rebuked, and assaulted the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]]. Together with the city guards, the Assassins Ezio Auditore and [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] held off the assault, although a second succeeded in claiming ''the Apple'' briefly<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì">''[[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì]]''</ref>.

Despite the loss of ''the Apple'', Rodrigo Borgia was ultimately unfazed, and in 1492 became Pope [[w:Alexander VI|Alexander VI]] in order to gain access to the Papal staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. In 1499 Borgia was once again confronted by the assassin Ezio, this time within the [[Sistine Chapel]] itself<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

===Modern era===
Despite their defeat at the hands of the assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Templar order continued to exist within the shadow. Infiltrating or starting up countless corporate entities, the Templars positioned its members in several world-defining positions, improving the planets technological level significantly. The Templars also worked to stiffle world progress however; [[Adolf Hitler]] used a Piece of Eden to rise to power in Germany, and subsequently started a [[w:World War II|world-wide conflict]]. He was "fought" by his Templar counterparts Winston Churchill and [[Joseph Stalin]], who ultimately won the conflict though it appears that FDR was an assassin<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

[[File:Abstergo_Desmond_Captivity.png|thumb|left|220px|Desmond held captive by Abstergo Industries.]]By the early 21st Century, the Templar fronted [[Abstergo Industries]] had expanded into a global entity, far larger and more powerful than most companies that had come before it<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. For the most part this was not treated as suspicious, although there were those within the general population who viewed the company with suspicion<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

At this time, Abstergo Industries seemingly lacked a Piece of Eden capable of controlling the minds of humanity, and as such authorised the [[Animus]]-project in order to gain access to the memories of those who might know the location of one. By September of 2012, sixteen test subjects had been "retired" before the company succeeded with the seventeenth – [[Desmond Miles]], the descendant of both Altaïr, and Ezio Auditore<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. With the location of all the Pieces of Eden now theirs, the Templars

Captured, for seven days Miles was forced to relieve the memories of his ancestor [[Altaïr]] in order to reach one specific memory the Templars were seeking. The memory registered the moment his ancestor found a holographic map containing the locations of all [[Pieces of Eden]] scattered across the world. With the info in hand, the Templars started gathering the remaining intact pieces for use in their ancient purpose of "absolute peace". Their plan of sending ''the Apple'' into orbit and use the device to control the minds of all citizens of Earth is still in progress, with the satellite launch scheduled to December 21, 2012. <ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. It should also be noted that they altered public records of history numerous times, which can explain inconsistencies with historical dates and in-game events.

==Members==
Originally crusaders of unprecedented skill, as time progressed, they began to act secretly, utilizing powerful and influential people to further their cause. Often, these people are lured to being Templars by the promise of power and glory.
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (Merchant king of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief [[scholar]] of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, and a former Templar)
* [[Maria Thorpe]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin; became ally to the Assassins)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]] (A rich merchant allied to Basilisk)
* [[Master of the Tower]] (Basilisk's second-in-command, master of the art of killing)
* [[The Master's Student]] (Templar killer)
* [[Harash]] (Al Mualim's second-in-command, traitor who joined Templars)
* [[Frederick The Red]] (Templar regent of Limassol)
* [[Pirate Captain]] (Leader of Cypriot pirates who joined the Order)
* [[Osman]] (Templar knight, secretly a member of Cypriot resistance)
* [[Moloch]] (Templar regent of Kyrenia)
* [[Shalim]] (Armand Bouchart's second-in-command, son of Moloch)
* [[Shahar]] (Shalim's twin brother)
* [[Templar Agent]] (Armand Bouchart's highly trained, stealthy killer)
* [[Isaac Comnenus]] (Former ruler of [[Cyprus]] and keeper of the [[Templar Archive]])

===Renaissance===
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar and Pope Alexander VI)
*[[Cesare Borgia]] (Son of Rodrigo Borgia)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Firenze)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Francesco's son - Ezio's rival)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernardo Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Francesco Salviati]] (Archbishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]] (Spanish Conquistador)
===Modern Times===
*[[Alan Rikkin]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] CEO)
*[[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
*[[Nancy Nilop]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Jane Birkam]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Audrey Jacobs]] (Alan Rikkin's assistant)
*[[Richard (Abstergo)|Richard]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)

===Others===
*[[Cain]] (Eldest Son of Adam and Eve and Proto-Templar) Approx. 6000 B.C.
*Xerxes the Great (Persian King and Proto-Templar) 519-465 B.C.
*Alexander the Great (Macedonian King and Proto-Templar) 356-323 B.C.
*Qin Shi Huang (First Emperor of China and Proto-Templar) 259-210 B.C.
*Cleopatra (Last Egyptian Pharaoh and Proto-Templar) 69-30 B.C.
*Atilla the Hun (Leader of the Huns and Proto-Templar) 406-453 A.D.
*Genghis Khan (Mongolian Emperor and Possible Templar) 1162-1227 A.D.
*Mary I of England (Queen Regnant of England and Ireland and Possible Templar) 1516-1558 A.D.
*Joseph Smith Jr. (Founder of the Latter Day Saint Movement and Templar Translator) 1805-1844 A.D.
*J. P. Morgan (American Financer and Possible Templar/Ally) 1837-1913 A.D.
*John Wilkes Booth (Templar Hitman) 1838-1865 A.D.
*[[Thomas Edison]] (American Inventor and Abstergo Employee) 1847-1931 A.D.
*[[Henry Ford]] (Founder of the Ford Motor Company) 1863-1947 A.D.
*Harvey Firestone (Founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company) 1868-1938 A.D.
*[[Rasputin]] (Russian Mystic and Advisor to Czar Nicholas II) 1869-1916 A.D.
*Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister) 1874-1965 A.D.
*Joseph Stalin (First General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) 1878-1953 A.D.
*[[Adolf Hitler]] (Fuhrer of the Nazi Party) 1889-1945 A.D.
*J. Robert Oppenheimer (Physicist and Abstergo Employee) 1904-1967 A.D.
*Abraham Zapruder (Clothing Manufacturer and Oswald's Accomplice) 1905-1970 A.D.
*Francois Duvailier (Haitian President and Possible Templer/Abstergo Employee) 1907-1971 A.D.
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]] (36th President of the United States) 1908-1973 A.D.
*William Greer (Secret Service Agent and Oswald's Accomplice) 1909-1985 A.D.
*Nathuram Godse (Templar Hitman) 1910-1949 A.D.
*J. Gordon Whitehead (Templar Hitman) Approx. 1926 A.D.
*James Earl Ray (Possible Templar Hitman) 1928-1998 A.D.
*Buzz Aldrin (Astronaut and Abstergo Employee) 1930-Present
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]] (Templar Hitman) 1939-1963 A.D.
*Sirhan Sirhan (Possible Templar Hitman) 1944-Present

== Templar Groups ==
There are groups who act as unofficial divisions of the Templars, unrelated to them publicly, but in fact commanded by Templars (some of them through the membership of their leaders and others are part of the Templar Order itself).
*Pre-Crusade
**Unknown, but they did exist occording to Subject 16.
*Third Crusade
**[[File:Knights Teutonic Cross.svg|30px]] [[Teutonic|Teutonic  /]] Being a part the Crusaders, Knight Teutonic are basically trusted with the task of guarding the city of Acre. The Knights Teutonic, also known as ''Order of the German House of St.Mary in Jerusalem'', was formed at the end of the 12th century in Acre itself.
**[[File:Hospitalier Crest.svg|30px]] [[Hospitalier|Hospitalier / The Knights Hospitalier also known as ''Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Order of St. John, Knights of Malta, and Chevaliers of Malta'', was one of the Christian orders with the ]][[Third Crusade]]
*Renaissance
**[[File:Pazziingame.png|30px]] [[Pazzi|Pazzi / The '''Pazzi family''' were ]][[Tuscany|Tuscan]] nobles who were bankers in [[Florence]] during the 15th century. They are most famous for the "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazzi_conspiracy Pazzi Conspiracy]". They are also part of the [[Knights Templar]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''.
**[[File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg|30px]] Gouverment of Venice / '''La Serenissima''' is a collective title for the governing body of ''The Most Serene Republic of Venice'', taken from its name in Italian (Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia). The term can also be used to refer to the Republic of [[Venice]] itself.[[La Serenissima| ]]

**[[File:442px-Emblem of the Papacy SE svg.png|30px]] [[Papacy|Papacy / The '''Papacy''' is the office of the ]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pope pope]. Besides its religious role as the official catholic order, it acted as a government ruling over a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_States large part] of Italy.
**[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01 svg.png|30px]] [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia / all the personal guards of Rodrigo Borgia have this sign. ]]
*20th century
**[[File:Ford Motor Company Logo.svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company / The '''Ford Motor Company''' is]] an American [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation multinational corporation] based in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearborn,_Michigan Dearborn, Michigan], a suburb of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit Detroit].
**[[wikipedia:Edison Studios|Edison Studios / '''Edison Studios''' was an ]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States American] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture motion picture] production company owned by the Edison Company of inventor [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison Thomas Edison.]
**[[File:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi Party / the '''Nazi Party''', was a ]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party political party] in Germany between 1919 and 1945 .
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries|Abstergo Industries / modern company that works in secret to create the New World. ]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] NASA / a governmental company that created the Apollo missions to colonize other worlds for templar purposes.
*21st century
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]

== The Historical Templars ==
[[File:Templar4.jpg|thumb|Depiction of Templars]]
{{quote|Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam (''Latin for "Not to us God, not to us, but to Your Name Give Glory"'')|Historical motto of the Templars
}}
''Ordre du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Despite losing their interests in Outremer, they still had financial holdings in Europe, but King Philip the 4th of France deceived Pope Clement the 5th into disbanding the Knights Templar. The Order`s Knights either fled, were executed, or absorbed into other orders like the Knights Hospitalier. The Portuguese branch changed their names to Knights of Christ.

They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

== See Also ==
*[[List of Templar Locations|List of Templar Locations in ''Assassin's Creed'']]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Templars| ]]
[[Category:Factions]]

Templars

2010-05-28T03:55:56Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */

{{WP-REAL}}{{Era|AC|ACAC|AC2|Templars|Crusade|Ren|Good}}
{{FAimp}}
{{Faction Infobox

|image = Knights.png
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of [[Cain]]." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|religion = [[Wikipedia:Atheism|Atheist]] (pretend to be [[Wikipedia:Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]])
|location = Throughout the world.
}}
{{quote
|May the [[Father of Understanding]] guide us.
|Templar motto
}}

The '''Knights Templar --''' or '''Brotherhood''' as they called themselves -- was a religious military order-turned corporate giant during the second and third millennium A.D. (Anno Domini/ In the Year of Our Lord). Founded during the First Crusade, the Knights Templar sought to create a perfect world, although the means by which they sought to do so were questionable. Sworn enemies of the [[Order of Assassins]], the Templars suffered a crippling blow during the [[Third Crusade]], largely due to the work of the Assassin Altaïr, but survived.

Adopting a less public position, the Knights Templar retreated into the shadows and thrived, continuing their war against the Assassins throughout the Renaissance, and into the [[Modern Times|Modern era]].

==Ideals and goals==
The military order of the Knights Templar was founded publicly in 1129 to counter the increasing threat against the Holy Land by the [[Saracens]], and to protect the city of [[Jerusalem]]<ref name=HC>The History Channel, ''Decoding the Past: The Templar Code'', 7 November 2005, video documentary written by Marcy Marzuni</ref>. Over time, the Templars began to believe it within their power to unite the world in peace<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>.
Their system of belief changed greatly upon the discovery of the [[Pieces of Eden]]; the realization of the non-existence of God led Order to become atheistic, although they publicly maintained the pretence of following the Christian ways so as to not lose the support of the Church<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>.

Realizing the power that the Pieces of Eden held over man, the Knights Templar began to seek out the artifacts. In 1191 [[Robert de Sable]], then the Grand Master of the Order, personally sought the fabled ''Apple of Eden'', buried in the catacombs beneath [[Solomon's Temple|Solomon's Temple]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. The theft of the piece of Eden by the Order of Assassins brought the two great powers into a sustained conflict with one another, ending with the death of [[Armand Bouchart]] in [[Limassol]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>. Despite this setback, the Order maintained its belief in creating a world of peace through manipulation of the Pieces of Eden.

By their reasoning, with no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no reason to oblige notions of morality or ethics; the end always justified the means, no matter how heinous. They thought that only this life was important, rather than preparing for a non-existent next life. With so many lower class people kept in line by the promise of an afterlife, and so many upper class men blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world; one of lasting peace, no matter the cost<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

As time progressed, the Templars' interest in the Pieces of Eden became more about seeking the power and domination that the artifacts offered. Their goals changed as they sought to control and unify the entire world using the Pieces of Eden to create a "New World Order"<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

==History==
===Pre-Crusades===
Little is known of the Templars as a whole before their 'official' founding in 1129, though occording to [[Subject 16]] they did indeed exist for some time beforehand, and indeed adopted their emblem from their Order's "father" – [[Cain]]. Later members of the Order included the Emperors [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]], [[Alexander the Great]] and [[Qin Shi Huang]], as well as [[Cleopatra]] and [[Caligula]]. At some point during this period, the Templars' war with the Assassins begun, and would continue to rage for millennia<ref name="Assassin's Creed II"> ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' </ref>.

===Third Crusade===
[[File:Assassins-creed-altair-1.jpg|thumb|A Knight Templar battles with Altaïr.]]
Founded in Jerusalem in 1129, the Knights Templar sought a world at peace with itself. By 1191, they had come to the realization that such peace could only be maintained through use of the [[Pieces of Eden]], and made it their quest to gather as many as they could<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. That same year, after the theft of the ''Apple of Eden'' by the assassins [[Malik A-Sayf]] and [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] from [[File:Maria-Templar-Robert-de-Sable.jpg|thumb|left|160px|Maria Thorpe, a Templar posing as Robert de Sable.]]the Templars, the Brotherhood entered into a brief period of sustained conflict with their Assassin enemies. Over the course of the year, ten Templar leaders from both [[Crusader]] and [[Saracen]] backgrounds fell to the blades of the assassin Altaïr, who was serving penance for crimes committed during the theft. The deaths included not only the Grand Master of the Order, but also [[Al Mualim]], leader of the Order of Assassins in Syria and the only Templar not willing to share the power of the Apple with his nine brothers<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

With their leadership effectively wiped out by a single assassin, the Brotherhood retreated to the island of [[Cyprus]] under the command of a new Grand Master, [[Armand Bouchart]]. Pursued by Altaïr, the Templars were wiped out once again, although the treasures of the [[Templar Archive]] in Limassol were spirited away before they could be found<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines" />. The death of Armand forced the Order to consider its position carefully, and by 1312 the Order had officially disbanded. In reality, the Order continued to thrive, adopting a much more secretive position in world affairs.

===Renaissance===
By the late 15th Century, the Brotherhood had regained a position of strength on the world stage, spreading deep into the Church and nobility of [[Italy]]. Under the command of [[Rodrigo Borgia]], the Knights Templar sought to unify northern Italy under their command, and regain the Apple of Eden which they knew to be buried in Cyprus<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Targeting [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], Duke of [[Florence]], the Templars found themselves confronted by the assassin [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]], who whilst not knowing of their Templar allegiances, was rapidly piecing together the clues. Following a near fatal encounter with Giovanni himself, Borgia arranged for the trial and execution of Giovanni and his three sons – [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]], [[Petruccio Auditore|Petruccio]] and [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]] – for the crimes of High Treason against the city of Florence. Corrupting the city official [[Uberto Alberti]], the city guards arrested Giovanni and two of his sons, narrowly missing their chance to capture the third, Ezio, who had been delivering and collecting letters for his father<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Realizing too late, the treachery of Uberto Alberti, whom his father had considered a friend<ref name="Assassin's Creed:Lineage">''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''</ref>, Ezio appeared at the execution of his family, watching in horror as his father and brothers were hanged; he narrowly escaped such a fate himself. Unconcerned with the remaining Auditore, the Templars continued in their mission to assume control of the cities of northern Italy. In 1478, the Templar affiliated [[House of Pazzi]] made their push for control. In what would become known as the [[Pazzi conspiracy]], the family struck against the Medici during Mass, killing [[Giuliano de' Medici]] and fatally wounding Lorenzo, who was saved only by the timely intervention of Ezio Auditore, the son who had been allowed to escape. Lorenzo's survival and the arrival of Ezio spelt doom for the Pazzi family, who were left to their fate by Rodrigo Borgia. [[Vieri de' Pazzi|Vieri]], [[Francesco de' Pazzi|Francesco]] and [[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] were all slain by the lone assassin whilst[[File:Renaissance_Templar_Carlo_Grimaldi.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Ezio strikes at Carlo Grimaldi, a Renaissance Templar Leader.]] the Templars acknowledged their defeat in Florence, instead turning the attention to the city of [[Venice]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Utilising the [[House of Barbarigo]], the Brotherhood assumed control of Venice briefly in 1485, before they were once again overthrown by the lone Assassin. The distraction of controlling the city had been beneficial to the Templars however, as it had distracted the Assassins from noticing the preparations being made for the retrieval of the piece of Eden from Cyprus. Two years later, in 1487, the Templar expedition returned to Venice with ''the Apple'' in hand. Bringing it to Borgia, an undercover Ezio engaged the Templar Grand Master and, with the assistance of his fellow Assassins, forced the Templars out of the city once more<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. With the Apple in the hands of the Assassins, the Brotherhood approached the [[House of Orsi|brothers Orsi]] – [[Ludovico Orsi|Ludovico]] and [[Checco Orsi|Checco]] – to obtain a map detailing the location of the Codex pages from the wife of the Templar [[Girolamo Riario]] – [[Caterina Sforza]]. Invading [[Forlì]], the Orsi brothers demanded the map, and ''the Apple'' in exchange for the lives of Sforza's children. The brothers were rebuked, and assaulted the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]]. Together with the city guards, the Assassins Ezio Auditore and [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] held off the assault, although a second succeeded in claiming ''the Apple'' briefly<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì">''[[Battle of Forlì (DLC)|Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forlì]]''</ref>.

Despite the loss of ''the Apple'', Rodrigo Borgia was ultimately unfazed, and in 1492 became Pope [[w:Alexander VI|Alexander VI]] in order to gain access to the Papal staff, another of the Pieces of Eden. In 1499 Borgia was once again confronted by the assassin Ezio, this time within the [[Sistine Chapel]] itself<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

===Modern era===
Despite their defeat at the hands of the assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Templar order continued to exist within the shadow. Infiltrating or starting up countless corporate entities, the Templars positioned its members in several world-defining positions, improving the planets technological level significantly. The Templars also worked to stiffle world progress however; [[Adolf Hitler]] used a Piece of Eden to rise to power in Germany, and subsequently started a [[w:World War II|world-wide conflict]]. He was "fought" by his Templar counterparts Winston Churchill and [[Joseph Stalin]], who ultimately won the conflict though it appears that FDR was an assassin<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

[[File:Abstergo_Desmond_Captivity.png|thumb|left|220px|Desmond held captive by Abstergo Industries.]]By the early 21st Century, the Templar fronted [[Abstergo Industries]] had expanded into a global entity, far larger and more powerful than most companies that had come before it<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. For the most part this was not treated as suspicious, although there were those within the general population who viewed the company with suspicion<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

At this time, Abstergo Industries seemingly lacked a Piece of Eden capable of controlling the minds of humanity, and as such authorised the [[Animus]]-project in order to gain access to the memories of those who might know the location of one. By September of 2012, sixteen test subjects had been "retired" before the company succeeded with the seventeenth – [[Desmond Miles]], the descendant of both Altaïr, and Ezio Auditore<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. With the location of all the Pieces of Eden now theirs, the Templars

Captured, for seven days Miles was forced to relieve the memories of his ancestor [[Altaïr]] in order to reach one specific memory the Templars were seeking. The memory registered the moment his ancestor found a holographic map containing the locations of all [[Pieces of Eden]] scattered across the world. With the info in hand, the Templars started gathering the remaining intact pieces for use in their ancient purpose of "absolute peace". Their plan of sending ''the Apple'' into orbit and use the device to control the minds of all citizens of Earth is still in progress, with the satellite launch scheduled to December 21, 2012. <ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. It should also be noted that they altered public records of history numerous times, which can explain inconsistencies with historical dates and in-game events.

==Members==
Originally crusaders of unprecedented skill, as time progressed, they began to act secretly, utilizing powerful and influential people to further their cause. Often, these people are lured to being Templars by the promise of power and glory.
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (Merchant king of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief [[scholar]] of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, and a former Templar)
* [[Maria Thorpe]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin; became ally to the Assassins)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]] (A rich merchant allied to Basilisk)
* [[Master of the Tower]] (Basilisk's second-in-command, master of the art of killing)
* [[The Master's Student]] (Templar killer)
* [[Harash]] (Al Mualim's second-in-command, traitor who joined Templars)
* [[Frederick The Red]] (Templar regent of Limassol)
* [[Pirate Captain]] (Leader of Cypriot pirates who joined the Order)
* [[Osman]] (Templar knight, secretly a member of Cypriot resistance)
* [[Moloch]] (Templar regent of Kyrenia)
* [[Shalim]] (Armand Bouchart's second-in-command, son of Moloch)
* [[Shahar]] (Shalim's twin brother)
* [[Templar Agent]] (Armand Bouchart's highly trained, stealthy killer)
* [[Isaac Comnenus]] (Former ruler of [[Cyprus]] and keeper of the [[Templar Archive]])

===Renaissance===
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar and Pope Alexander VI)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Firenze)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Francesco's son - Ezio's rival)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernardo Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Francesco Salviati]] (Archbishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]] (Spanish Conquistador)

===Modern Times===
*[[Alan Rikkin]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] CEO)
*[[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
*[[Nancy Nilop]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Jane Birkam]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Audrey Jacobs]] (Alan Rikkin's assistant)
*[[Richard (Abstergo)|Richard]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)

===Others===
*[[Cain]] (Eldest Son of Adam and Eve)
*[[Xerxes]] (Persian King)
*[[Alexander the Great]] (Macedonian King)
*[[Qin Shi Huang]] (First Emperor of China)
*[[Atilla the Hun]] (Leader of the Huns)
*[[Genghis Khan]] (Mongolian Emperor)
*[[Cleopatra]] (Last Egyptian Pharaoh)
*[[Caligula]] (Thrid Emperor of Rome)
*[[François Duvalier]] (Haitian President)
*[[John Wilkes Booth]] (Templar Hitman)
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]] (Templar Hitman)
*Abraham Zapruder (Clothing Manufacturer and Oswald's Accomplice)
*William Greer (Secret Service Agent and Oswald's Accomplice)
*[[Rasputin]] (Russian Mystic and Advisor to Czar Nicholas II)
*[[Josef Stalin|Joseph Stalin]] (First General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union)
*[[Mary I of England]] (Queen Regnant of England and Ireland)
*[[Thomas Edison]] (American Inventor and Abstergo Employee)
*[[Henry Ford]] (Founder of the Ford Motor Company)
*Harvey Firestone (Founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company)
*[[Adolf Hitler]] (Fuhrer of the Nazi Party)
*Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister)
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]] (36th President of the United States)
*[[J. P. Morgan]] (American Financer)
*Nathuram Godse (Templar Hitman)
*J. Gordon Whitehead (Templar Hitman)
*James Earl Ray (Possible Templar Hitman)
*Sirhan Sirhan (Possible Templar Hitman)

== Templar Groups ==
There are groups who act as unofficial divisions of the Templars, unrelated to them publicly, but in fact commanded by Templars (some of them through the membership of their leaders and others are part of the Templar Order itself).
*Third Crusade
**[[File:Knights Teutonic Cross.svg|30px]] [[Teutonic|Teutonic  /]] Being a part the Crusaders, Knight Teutonic are basically trusted with the task of guarding the city of Acre. The Knights Teutonic, also known as ''Order of the German House of St.Mary in Jerusalem'', was formed at the end of the 12th century in Acre itself.
**[[File:Hospitalier Crest.svg|30px]] [[Hospitalier|Hospitalier / The Knights Hospitalier also known as ''Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Order of St. John, Knights of Malta, and Chevaliers of Malta'', was one of the Christian orders with the ]][[Third Crusade]]
*Renaissance
**[[File:Pazziingame.png|30px]] [[Pazzi|Pazzi / The '''Pazzi family''' were ]][[Tuscany|Tuscan]] nobles who were bankers in [[Florence]] during the 15th century. They are most famous for the "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pazzi_conspiracy Pazzi Conspiracy]". They are also part of the [[Knights Templar]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''.
**[[File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg|30px]] Gouverment of Venice / '''La Serenissima''' is a collective title for the governing body of ''The Most Serene Republic of Venice'', taken from its name in Italian (Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia). The term can also be used to refer to the Republic of [[Venice]] itself.[[La Serenissima| ]]

**[[File:442px-Emblem of the Papacy SE svg.png|30px]] [[Papacy|Papacy / The '''Papacy''' is the office of the ]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/pope pope]. Besides its religious role as the official catholic order, it acted as a government ruling over a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_States large part] of Italy.
**[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01 svg.png|30px]] [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia / all the personal guards of Rodrigo Borgia have this sighn. ]]
*20th century
**[[File:Ford Motor Company Logo.svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company / The '''Ford Motor Company''' is]] an American [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation multinational corporation] based in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearborn,_Michigan Dearborn, Michigan], a suburb of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit Detroit].
**[[wikipedia:Edison Studios|Edison Studios / '''Edison Studios''' was an ]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States American] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture motion picture] production company owned by the Edison Company of inventor [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison Thomas Edison.]
**[[File:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi Party / the '''Nazi Party''', was a ]][http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party political party] in Germany between 1919 and 1945 .
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries|Abstergo Industries / modern company that works in secret to create the New World. ]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] NASA / a guvernamental company that created the Apollo missions to colonize other worlds for templar purposes.
*21st century
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]

== The Historical Templars ==
[[File:Templar4.jpg|thumb|Depiction of Templars]]
{{quote|Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam (''Latin for "Not to us God, not to us, but to Your Name Give Glory"'')|Historical motto of the Templars
}}
''Ordre du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Despite losing their interests in Outremer, they still had financial holdings in Europe, but King Philip the 4th of France deceived Pope Clement the 5th into disbanding the Knights Templar. The Order`s Knights either fled, were executed, or absorbed into other orders like the Knights Hospitalier. The Portuguese branch changed their names to Knights of Christ.

They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

== See Also ==
*[[List of Templar Locations|List of Templar Locations in ''Assassin's Creed'']]

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Templars| ]]
[[Category:Factions]]

Clay Kaczmarek

2010-03-27T18:01:03Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{Era|AC|AC2|Modern}}
{{Character Infobox
|image = Wiki_noimage.jpg
|period = [[Modern Times]] (21st Century)<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>
|hidep = yes
|faction =
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' (Mentioned) ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' (Voice)
|voice = Cam Clarke
}}

'''Subject 16''' was an individual kidnapped by [[Abstergo Industries]] and forced into the [[Animus]] before [[Desmond Miles]]. A descendant of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], he is related to [[Desmond Miles]], as indicated by portions of their DNA matching in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''; it is also revealed that he had an ancestor at the Battle of Gettysburg, in the Roman forum and connected with a Queen Isabella<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>.

==Biography==
===Life at Abstergo===
The individual known only as Subject 16 was captured by the [[Knights Templar|Templar]]-front organization [[Abstergo Industries]] at some point during the 20th or 21st Century for use in the genetic memory recall program<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Kept within the [[Abstergo Laboratory]] at all times by [[Warren Vidic]], 16 was kept connected to the [[Animus]] for dangerously long periods, sometimes even days at a time<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. This led to 16 suffering from a severe condition known as the "[[Bleeding effect|bleeding effect]]"<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

Suffering the bleeding effect, 16 begun to explore the memories of his ancestors without the use of the Animus <ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />, however his inability to actually control these visions forced Subject 16 into a downward spiral of insanity, eventually culminating in his suicide<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Before his death, 16 was forced by Abstergo to explore the memories of an ancestor named [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />, who the Templars knew had located [[the Vault]] during his lifetime<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />; 16 never relived the memories of his ancestor visiting the Vault. Draining his body of its blood to paint several cryptic puzzles upon the floor and walls of the [[Abstergo Laboratory]],<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> 16 committed suicide to prevent the Templars reaching their goals.

===Legacy===
Following his death, the Templars were left without the location of the Vault, but the knowledge that an ancestor of Ezio’s – [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] – had once held a [[Piece of Eden]]. Knowing this, Abstergo kidnapped yet another descendant of Ezio and Altaïr, [[Desmond Miles]]. During his incarceration, Desmond Spoke often with Dr. Vidic’s assistant [[Lucy Stillman]] about many things, including his predecessor; accessing private e-mails, he learnt even more<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Later still, following Desmond’s escape from Abstergo and the beginning of his journeys through the memories of Ezio Auditore the [[Assassins#Known assassins|assassins]] learned that Subject 16 had managed to hack the Abstergo Animus before his death, and placed twenty encrypted files called [[glyphs]], throughout the memories<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Decrypting all twenty files, the assassins’ were rewarded with a genetic memory dated "date classified BCE". The video, what Subject 16 claimed to be “[[The Truth]]” showed what appeared to be two [[free-running|free-runners]] fleeing with a Piece of Eden in hand; they revealed themselves to be named [[Adam and Eve]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

==Trivia==
*Though unlikely to be canon to the in-game plotline, Subject 16 appears in the [[Assassin's Creed Graphic Novel]], and is referred to as Michael.<ref name="Assassin's Creed Graphic Novel">''[[Assassin's Creed Graphic Novel]]''</ref>
*Many of the Glyphs have hidden messages in them. All of the decoded ones are stated in [[Cryptic Messages|this page]].
*It is possible that Subject 16 could have been part of the Assassins, as he refers to the Assassin symbol as "our mark" during one of the Glyph puzzles, and it is possible he also possesses Eagle Vision, when he says "Why do we have these gifts? Because, it's in our blood."

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]

Adolf Hitler

2010-03-23T16:01:23Z

66.188.86.37: /* Biography */

{{WP-REAL}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Adolf Hitler
|image = Adolf_Hitler.jpg
|birth = April 20, 1889
|death = c.April 30, 1945
|home = Austria
|period = [[Modern Times]]
|faction = [[Knights Templar]], Nazi Party
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ([[Glyph]] sequences)
}}

'''Adolf Hitler''' (April 20, 1889 – c.April 30, 1945) was the leader of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, and a member of the [[Knights Templar]].

==Biography==
A member of the Knights Templar since before 1933, Hitler received a [[Piece of Eden]] his fellow Templar, [[Henry Ford]]. Hitler used it to achieve a democratic takeover of the country and subsequently turn it into a military dictatorship. With the Piece of Eden in his possession, this change was widely unopposed and he remained highly popular within Germany; fanatical soldiers accepted his orders unquestioningly and proceeded to invade Poland, starting the Second World War. Eventually however, despite the strength of the Piece of Eden, Germany was defeated by the combined might of the Allies and Soviets; though this could possibly have been a predetermined outcome created by the Knights Templar.

Hitler was given a Piece of Eden which he kept secret from everyone, including his close people like his second in command and secretaries. Once he took over Germany however, he began freely using it to make great strides in numerous scientific fields. He also used the Piece of Eden to begin production of a UFO type aircraft, which was never fully realized as the war ended sooner than expected. He also used the Piece of Eden to forsee the numerous assassination attempts on him, though not the one that finally killed him.

Hitler was meant to survive the war by faking his death with a body double. Shortly before the war's end, a patient [[Assassins|Assassin]] caught him outside the Führerbunker and ended Hitler's reign of terror. His actual death would go unnoticed until his failure to meet with his fellow Templars.

What became of the Piece of Eden following Hitler's death remains unknown, though the Assassins probably took it.

==Characterisitcs and personality==
Hitler was greatly obsessed with the occult and mysterious. He used that as a cover story to further his search for the other Pieces of Eden. It was noted in a few documentaries that he searched greatly for the Spear of Longius, aka the Holy Lance, the spear that pierced Christ's side during his time on the Cross. This is more than likely a Piece of Eden known as the Spear. There are also numerous other items he supposedly had sought out for occult value that includes, The Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, and numerous other such objects.

==Trivia==
*It is suggested in [[Subject Sixteen]]'s glyphs that the Templars planned World War II: Hitler, [[Joseph Stalin]] and Franklin Delano Roosevelt were all members of the Order.
*Historically, Hitler won the [[wikipedia:Iron Cross|Iron Cross]] twice during World War I for bravery. The Iron Cross is, in this instance, the same symbol as the Mark of Cain, the emblem of the Knights Templar and identical to the [[Knights Teutonic]] Cross. Hitler, in fact, wanted to revive the Knights Teutonic and greatly admired that order during the Crusades.

==Source==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
[[Category:Templars|Hitler, Adolf]]
[[Category:Historical Characters|Hitler, Adolf]]

Saladin

2010-03-22T14:40:53Z

66.188.86.37:

{{WP-REAL}}
[[File:Saladin.jpg|thumb|Artist representation of Saladin]]
'''Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb''' (Arabic: يوسف صلاح الدين بن أيوب), better known as '''Saladin''' (c. 1138 - 4 March 1193), is the commander of the Muslim armies and lands arrayed against the invading [[Richard the Lionheart]], and never makes a direct appearance in the game. He is, however, referenced frequently by other characters, and his forces are engaged with Richard's during the battle of [[Arsuf]]. To start the Third Crusade during which Assassin's Creed takes place, Saladin and his men defeated Guy of Lusignan, King of Jerusalem (who would later ally with King Richard in the Siege of Acre), and Raynald of Chatillon at the Battle of Hattin. Despite being defeated three times in [[Acre]], Arsuf and Jaffa by Richard, Saladin manages to secure [[Jerusalem]] by finalizing a treaty by which Jerusalem would remain under Muslim control, but which also allowed unarmed Christian pilgrims to visit the city. This treaty is called Treaty of Ramla. Richard departed the Holy Land on October 9, 1192.

Saladin died on March 4, 1193. He is buried in Umayyad Mosque, Damascus, Syria. He is considered a hero in the Arab world and is also respected by his Christian counterparts.

Many people preach about Saladin in [[Jerusalem]] and [[Damascus]]; oddly enough they all speak in the same gruff voice.

==Trivia==
*"Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn" means "Righteousness of our Religion/Faith"
*Though he never appears in the game, there is Concept Art of his character, hinting that he was originally going to appear in the story, possibly at Arsuf.
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Characters]]
[[Category:Historical Characters]]

Bonfire of the Vanities

2010-03-05T14:45:41Z

66.188.86.37: /* Final Words */

{{youmay|the event|the [[Bonfire of the Vanities (DLC)|downloadable content]]}}
{{WP-REAL}}

[[Image:Savonarolaeden.png|thumb|right|250px|[[Savonarola]] and the [[Piece of Eden]].]]

{{quote|Silenzio, silenzio...Twenty-two years ago, I stood where I stand now- and watched my loved ones die, betrayed by those I had called friends. Vengeance clouded my mind. It would have consumed me, were it not for the wisdom of a few strangers who taught me to look past my instincts. They never preached answers, but guided me to learn from myself. We don't need anyone to tell us what to do. Not Savonarola, not the Medici. We are free to follow our own path. There are those who will take that freedom from us, and too many of you gladly give it. But it is our ability to choose- whatever you think is true- that makes us human...There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the way. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else.|Ezio Auditore to the people of Florence.}}

The '''Bonfire of the Vanities''' was an event centered in [[Florence]], in the year 1498, instigated by the Italian Dominican priest [[Girolamo Savonarola]]; who believed that the ''Renaissance idea'' had corrupted Italy, and preached for a return to medieval life. Savonarola, after acquiring the [[Piece of Eden|Apple of Eden]] from a mortally wounded [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]], usurped control of the city of Florence following the expulsion of the Medici in 1494, and proceeded to use the Apple to assume control of the city.

In the year 1498, Ezio once again returned to the city of his birth to find it in the grip of Savonarola and his lieutenants. Meeting with [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] on one of the Arno bridges, the two passed into the Oltrarno district of Florence and discovered the bodies of a contingent of soldiers bearing the mark of [[Rodrigo Borgia]]; Borgia knew of the Apple's presence in Florence. Learning that the Apple only held sway over the minds of Savonarola's nine lieutenants, whilst the city's populous were controlled by fear, Ezio decided to assassinate the nine, whilst [[La Volpe]] and [[Paola]] brought the people of the city to Savonarola’s door.

Killing Savonarola’s nine lieutenants, whose expertise varied as merchants, nobles, priests and [[Mercenary|condotierri]], the city was liberated and Savonarola trapped by the rioting crowd. Watching, as Savonarola tried to use the Apple on the people themselves, the assassins' disarmed the priest and let the citizenry carry him away. The Apple in hand, the assassins followed the crowd to the [[Piazza della Signoria]], where a pyre stood ready to burn Savonarola alive. Ezio, deciding that no-one deserved to die in such a way, killed the Dominican priest with his hidden blade before the flames could reach him; revealing himself to the crowd. He makes a speech to the crowd, telling them to follow their own path.

==Final Words==
(Lieutenant 1)

'''Artist''': What have I done... What have I done...

'''Ezio Auditore''': Your actions were not your own.

'''Artist''': But they were! My own self-doubt let him hold me as he did. I am sorry.

'''Ezio Auditore''': As am I. ''Non è una scelta che compio a cour leggero'' (This is not a choice I make lightly). ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 2)

'''Ezio Auditore''': Your mind... I sense it is your own.

'''Preacher''': Not all of use required deception to be convinced. I already believe. All I said is true.

'''Ezio Auditore''': Nothing is true. ''Non è un compito facile il mio'' (This is not an easy thing I do)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 3)

'''Ezio Auditore''': You wear a noble's clothes. How is it Savonarola charmed you?

'''Condottiero''': Wealth and power do not ensure contentment. I wanted even more...

'''Ezio Auditore''': And now, instead, you have nothing. ''Questo non è che un atto dovuto'' (This is something that must be done)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 4)

'''Merchant''': What... What have I done...

'''Ezio Auditore''': You tried to force devotion.

'''Merchant''': Sometimes the people must be told what to think.

'''Ezio Auditore''': No good has ever come of that. Benché il mio cuore sia turbato, la mia mente è lucida (Though my heart may be tormented, my head is clear)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 5)

'''Ezio Auditore''': You would have let your own people starve! And for what?

'''Farmer''': Too long I suffered their insults. They called me simple and low-class... I wanted their respect.

'''Ezio Auditore''': I'm afraid you do not have mine. ''Per quanto sia penoso il trapasso, lieto sarà il tuo sonno'' (Though the passing may be painful, it will be a gentle sleep)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 6)

'''Nobleman''': I was a victim! It's not my fault!

'''Ezio Auditore''': No. You made a choice.

'''Nobleman''': He charmed me. With that... thing.

'''Ezio Auditore''': Only because you allowed it. ''Lo faccio per il popolo'' (I do this for the people)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 7)

'''Priest''': I thought he preached the word of God.

'''Ezio Auditore''': I fear his sermon is a lie.

'''Priest''': I led my flock astray... It's just... I wanted so badly to believe...

'''Ezio Auditore''': We all do. ''Vedrò compiuta l’opera di mio padre'' (I will see my father’s work complete)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 8)

'''Captain''': Is this truly who I was? So proud and cruel...

'''Ezio Auditore''': No. Savonarola bewitched you.

'''Captain''': Did he? Or was it that I tasted power and found myself intoxicated. I wish I had been stronger.

'''Ezio Auditore''': As do I. ''Mi rincresce, ma non c’è altro modo'' (I am truly sorry, but there is no other way). ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

(Lieutenant 9)

'''Doctor''': You have spilled the blood of a healer.

'''Ezio Auditore''': No. i have spilled the blood of a tyrant.

'''Doctor''': To command such power over the body, between this world and the next. It seems, I grew intoxicated.

'''Ezio Auditore''': And now you grow still. ''La tua morte non sarà inutile'' (Your death will serve a purpose)... ''Requiescat in pace'' (Rest in peace).

==Trivia==
*This is the second of two [[DLC]]'s that came out. They are the corrupt Sequences 12 and 13 (this one being 13).
*Through the whole of this Sequence (#13), you will come across many battles between Borgia's and Savonarola's guards. If you decide to participate, they will fight each other and you.
*After meeting with Niccolò during the sequence, Ezio saw a vision of his family members with Eagle Vision in the Palazzo Auditore courtyard.
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II events]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II DLC]]

Piece of Eden

2010-02-25T21:47:48Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */

{{Era|Good}}
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|300px|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
A '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], each possessing different effects and are known to be capable of bending the thoughts of one or more individuals to the will of the user.

==History==
[[Those Who Came Before]], an ancient and incredibly advanced race of beings, evolved on Earth long ago. Exactly who they were, when they arrived on Earth, or how they died, is still for the most part largely unknown. What is known, however, is that it was they who not only created humanity (in their own image) but also created the Pieces of Eden.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', [[Minerva]] reveals that her kind created humanity as a slave race. In order to ensure their acquiescence and loyalty, humanity was engineered to be susceptible to specific hypnotic power. This power was focused specifically through technology later known as Pieces of Eden. Because of this, humans and Those Who Came Before lived peacefully albeit unequally for some time. However, two humans, [[Adam and Eve]] became resistant to the power of their masters' technology, prompting them to rebel and to steal one of the Pieces of Eden, known only as "the Apple", a story mirrored in the Bible with Eve stealing from the Tree of Knowledge.

When the Knights Templar discovered the existence of the Pieces of Eden, they described them all to be apples of the Tree of Knowledge, further cementing the original Biblical story, although not all of the Pieces are necessarily "apples". Believing that all supernatural phenomena have roots in the use of Pieces, the Templar Order committed itself to exposing all religious and spiritual miracles as false, ultimately destroying the concept of religion.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', [[Al Mualim]] of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] gained a Piece of Eden, the original Apple, and attempted to use it to establish forced peace. However, his plans were thwarted by [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], who then took control of the Apple and the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. After doing so, he established a new goal — to hunt down and destroy the last of the Knights Templar and the remaining Pieces of Eden. Altaïr studied the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories, this collection of writings later became known as "[[The Codex]]".

During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', when the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth — that the real culprit was [[Armand Bouchart]], the Templar Grand Master. Altaïr then travels to the Archives in [[Limassol]], his intention being to store the Apple and leave it. However, when he arrives, he decides to keep it instead and its later status is unknown.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', while decrypting "[[The Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]], it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands. Many notable figures in history (some Knights Templar and some obtaining the artifacts by pure coincidence) have used the Pieces of Eden for varying purposes. Such individuals include, but are not limited to, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill and even Adolf Hitler. One can even go so far as to claim that every major historical event and scientific discovery can be attributed to a Piece of Eden, as the Pieces seem to be at the very heart of all of human history.

==Characteristics==
===Abilities===
The greatest tools known to man, the Pieces of Eden are capable of warping reality, creating illusions, starting and ending wars, and ushering in forced peace. It is believed by [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar|Knights Templar]] that the Pieces of Eden were the sources of "miracles" such as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith, and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.[[File:Fullscreen_capture_2132010_120645_AM.bmp.jpg|thumb|Ezio with the Apple]]

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of Earth, showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo Industries]] at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

Each of the Pieces of Eden contain a great deal of energy and the destruction of one causes explosions similar to nuclear blasts, powerful enough to level a major city. According to [[The Truth|one of the Truth files]], the Tunguska Explosion on June 30, 1908 was caused when a Piece of Eden was destroyed and all of its internal energy was released at once. It is also believed that a Piece of Eden was used in the Manhattan Project during World War II.

There also exists a theory that the Pieces are omni-synched, allowing each of the Pieces to be synchronized with one another throughout time and space. Evidence of this theory includes [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] Apple being able to provide him with a map of the remaining 46 Pieces. Evidence of temporal synchronization includes the same map not displaying the locations of the Pieces lost in the Tunguska and satellite incidents.

===Resistance===
[[Adam and Eve]] are believed to be the first humans that were naturally immune to the Pieces of Eden, with other humans later in history (such as Altaïr and other Assassins) also developing immunity. In an [[e-mail]] to [[Abstergo Industries]] it is revealed that the company's leaders believe some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Pieces of Eden and that other such items must be procured to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World".

Although there is no concrete explanation for immunity to the Pieces, [[Subject 16]] describes something unusual in one of his [[The Truth|truth files]]. He comments on scientists discovering a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that does not seem to react to any known stimulus. It has been theorized that this receptor reacts with the Pieces of Eden and is what allows them to work. However, some humans are born with the severe neurological mutation of these receptors being simply absent. How this mutation came to occur is still unknown but a possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of it in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their [[Those Who Came Before|masters]] for food and shelter. Another possible explanation is implied by another Truth File which implies that Altair and Ezio gained their immunity and other abilities from a mixed bloodline, having genetic material from both humans (who have the receptors) and Those Who Came Before (who do not).

This mutation seems to be genetic in nature, as Altaïr and his descendants, [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], are all immune to the Pieces. These three individuals the only ones specifically named to lack these neuro receptors, although in an [[e-mail]] to [[Abstergo Industries]], an unknown person contacts [[Dr. Warren Vidic]] about the DIA incident, declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment.

Altaïr's resistance is shown when [[Al Mualim]] attempts to use the Piece of Eden to control Altaïr, but for some reason could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden was still able to affect him in other ways such as immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind. Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. However, during this confrontation Ezio also has obtained a Piece of Eden and it can be argued that he may not be naturally resistant to the artifacts and it is possible that his own Piece is protecting him from Borgia's.

==Confirmed Artifacts==
[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]

'''01: The First Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Destroyed during the Denver Incident. (Mentioned in dialogue with Lucy during the first Assassin's Creed).
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' [[Those Who Came Before]], Jesus (possible), Muhammad (possible), [[Solomon's Temple]], [[Girolamo Savonarola]], Houdini.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership: '''Adam and Eve, Abel, [[Al Mualim]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Cain]], [[Al Mualim]], [[Napoleon]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''02: The Second Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Possibly survived, but, if so, it is impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Elizabeth I of England, Gandhi.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Mary I of England]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''03: The Third Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Unknown.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, [[John F. Kennedy]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].

'''04: The Fourth Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Nikola Tesla]], [[Assassins|Assassin Order]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Thomas Edison]], [[Henry Ford]], [[Adolf Hitler]].

'''05: The Fifth Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' NASA.

'''25: The Sword'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. It created illusions that unnerved their opponents. It is quite possible that the Sword could actually be the legendary Excalibur seeing as it was used by King Arthur. This would explain why King Arthur was such an experienced warrior.
: '''Status:''' Unknown.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, [[King Arthur]], Sigurd, Joan of Arc.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Alexander the Great]], [[Attila the Hun]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''34: The Staff'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.
: '''Status:''' Either Destroyed in the [[Tunguska Explosion]] or blown to an unknown location by the blast.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Saint Peter, Czar Nicholas II.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Alexander the Great]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Rasputin]].

'''66: The Shroud'''
: '''Use:''' Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Jason, Joseph, David, [[Jesus]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' Rasputin (possible)

==Possible Artifacts==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in ''Assassin's Creed'', and the clues and hints found in all the games.

'''The Ark of the Covenant'''

: '''Description''': A vessel described in the Bible as containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed, along with Aaron's rod and manna. The Ark is believed to be built at the command of God, in accord with Moses's prophetic vision on Mount Sinai. Supposedly, the Ark can channel the wrath of God to destroy all who oppose his followers.[[Robert de Sable| Robert de Sable]] is said to have obtained this item at the beginning of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.
: '''Possible Function:''' Capable of unleashing the "Wrath of God."
: '''Possible Owners:''' [[Robert de Sable]], Moses, [[Knights Templar]].

'''The Holy Grail'''

: '''Description''': A sacred object in certain Christian traditions often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. While said to possess miraculous powers, the Templars doubt its existence.
: '''Possible Function:''' Grant eternal life, among other healing abilities.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Jesus.

'''The Crystal Skulls'''

: '''Description:''' Quartz skulls found in ancient temples in South and Central America. Two are believed to currently exist but the total number is unknown. In an [[Abstergo Industries]] e-mail, they are referred to as Mitchell-Hedges communicators.
: '''Possible Function:''' Telepathic Communication.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Currently possessed by the Knights Templar, one specifically by [[Warren Vidic]].

'''The "Philadelphia Experiment" Artifact'''

: '''Description:''' Said to have been lost in a failed experiment, according to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone and those that remained were dead and somehow fused into the metal of the ship. According to the [[e-mail]]s in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', it was locked away in a safe location, possibly believed to be Area 51.
: '''Possible Function:''' Time Travel.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Knights Templar.

'''The Golden Fleece'''

: '''Description:''' A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak, Altair speculates that it could have truly existed in his [[Codex]]. He further articulates that it was actually made of a unique metal compound he created using knowledge derived from the Apple. Most likely identical to Piece 66.
: '''Possible Function:''' Indestructible and weightless armor.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Jason of the Argonauts.

'''The Spear of Destiny / Holy Lance'''

: '''Description:''' Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also believed to never miss its target and incapable of being stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Most likely identical to Piece 34.
: '''Possible Function:''' Invulnerability and precision in battle.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors

'''The Philosopher's Stone'''

: '''Description:''' Legendary alchemical substance and for a long duration of time was the most sought-after goal in Western alchemy. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.
: '''Possible Function:''' Turn any substance into gold, possibly create an elixir of life. It's possible that it has the ability to create any material from another (like the elixir from any liquid, gold from any metal).
: '''Possible Owners:''' Nicholas Flamel

==Locations of the Artifacts==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|The Codex Map]]

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', upon the complete collection of the scattered pages of [[The Codex]], the use of [[Eagle Vision]] reveals a hidden map detailing the locations of the remaining and surviving Pieces of Eden. These locations are similar to the locations provided by the global map displayed by [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] Apple in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.

According to the Codex Map there are forty-eight Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. While there are many speculated specific locations, the actual locations have yet to be revealed. Based on the map, not every location of a Piece holds some kind of historical or cultural value but this may be due to migration from human use.

==Trivia==
*According to the [[glyphs]] and [[The Truth|Truth files]], many legends and myths throughout human history are actually historically accurate. The supernatural or paranormal parts of each can be explained by the protoganist in each having acquired his or her own Piece of Eden, i.e.: the Greek myth of Perseus, King Arthur, et cetera.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', during the battle against [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] in the Sistine Chapel, [[Ezio]] creates "clones" much like [[Al Mualim]] did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the cloned Ezios will appear with different sets of armor whereas when if he is not customized, each clone will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2010-02-25T21:46:33Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */

{{Era|Good}}
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|300px|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
A '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], each possessing different effects and are known to be capable of bending the thoughts of one or more individuals to the will of the user.

==History==
[[Those Who Came Before]], an ancient and incredibly advanced race of beings, evolved on Earth long ago. Exactly who they were, when they arrived on Earth, or how they died, is still for the most part largely unknown. What is known, however, is that it was they who not only created humanity (in their own image) but also created the Pieces of Eden.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', [[Minerva]] reveals that her kind created humanity as a slave race. In order to ensure their acquiescence and loyalty, humanity was engineered to be susceptible to specific hypnotic power. This power was focused specifically through technology later known as Pieces of Eden. Because of this, humans and Those Who Came Before lived peacefully albeit unequally for some time. However, two humans, [[Adam and Eve]] became resistant to the power of their masters' technology, prompting them to rebel and to steal one of the Pieces of Eden, known only as "the Apple", a story mirrored in the Bible with Eve stealing from the Tree of Knowledge.

When the Knights Templar discovered the existence of the Pieces of Eden, they described them all to be apples of the Tree of Knowledge, further cementing the original Biblical story, although not all of the Pieces are necessarily "apples". Believing that all supernatural phenomena have roots in the use of Pieces, the Templar Order committed itself to exposing all religious and spiritual miracles as false, ultimately destroying the concept of religion.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', [[Al Mualim]] of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] gained a Piece of Eden, the original Apple, and attempted to use it to establish forced peace. However, his plans were thwarted by [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], who then took control of the Apple and the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. After doing so, he established a new goal — to hunt down and destroy the last of the Knights Templar and the remaining Pieces of Eden. Altaïr studied the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories, this collection of writings later became known as "[[The Codex]]".

During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', when the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth — that the real culprit was [[Armand Bouchart]], the Templar Grand Master. Altaïr then travels to the Archives in [[Limassol]], his intention being to store the Apple and leave it. However, when he arrives, he decides to keep it instead and its later status is unknown.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', while decrypting "[[The Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]], it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands. Many notable figures in history (some Knights Templar and some obtaining the artifacts by pure coincidence) have used the Pieces of Eden for varying purposes. Such individuals include, but are not limited to, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill and even Adolf Hitler. One can even go so far as to claim that every major historical event and scientific discovery can be attributed to a Piece of Eden, as the Pieces seem to be at the very heart of all of human history.

==Characteristics==
===Abilities===
The greatest tools known to man, the Pieces of Eden are capable of warping reality, creating illusions, starting and ending wars, and ushering in forced peace. It is believed by [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar|Knights Templar]] that the Pieces of Eden were the sources of "miracles" such as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith, and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.[[File:Fullscreen_capture_2132010_120645_AM.bmp.jpg|thumb|Ezio with the Apple]]

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of Earth, showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo Industries]] at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

Each of the Pieces of Eden contain a great deal of energy and the destruction of one causes explosions similar to nuclear blasts, powerful enough to level a major city. According to [[The Truth|one of the Truth files]], the Tunguska Explosion on June 30, 1908 was caused when a Piece of Eden was destroyed and all of its internal energy was released at once. It is also believed that a Piece of Eden was used in the Manhattan Project during World War II.

There also exists a theory that the Pieces are omni-synched, allowing each of the Pieces to be synchronized with one another throughout time and space. Evidence of this theory includes [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] Apple being able to provide him with a map of the remaining 46 Pieces. Evidence of temporal synchronization includes the same map not displaying the locations of the Pieces lost in the Tunguska and satellite incidents.

===Resistance===
[[Adam and Eve]] are believed to be the first humans that were naturally immune to the Pieces of Eden, with other humans later in history (such as Altaïr and other Assassins) also developing immunity. In an [[e-mail]] to [[Abstergo Industries]] it is revealed that the company's leaders believe some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Pieces of Eden and that other such items must be procured to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World".

Although there is no concrete explanation for immunity to the Pieces, [[Subject 16]] describes something unusual in one of his [[The Truth|truth files]]. He comments on scientists discovering a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that does not seem to react to any known stimulus. It has been theorized that this receptor reacts with the Pieces of Eden and is what allows them to work. However, some humans are born with the severe neurological mutation of these receptors being simply absent. How this mutation came to occur is still unknown but a possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of it in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their [[Those Who Came Before|masters]] for food and shelter. Another possible explanation is implied by another Truth File which implies that Altair and Ezio gained their immunity and other abilities from a mixed bloodline, having genetic material from both humans (who have the receptors) and Those Who Came Before (who do not).

This mutation seems to be genetic in nature, as Altaïr and his descendants, [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], are all immune to the Pieces. These three individuals the only ones specifically named to lack these neuro receptors, although in an [[e-mail]] to [[Abstergo Industries]], an unknown person contacts [[Dr. Warren Vidic]] about the DIA incident, declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment.

Altaïr's resistance is shown when [[Al Mualim]] attempts to use the Piece of Eden to control Altaïr, but for some reason could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden was still able to affect him in other ways such as immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind. Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. However, during this confrontation Ezio also has obtained a Piece of Eden and it can be argued that he may not be naturally resistant to the artifacts and it is possible that his own Piece is protecting him from Borgia's.

==Confirmed Artifacts==
[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]

'''01: The First Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Destroyed during the Denver Incident. (Mentioned in dialogue with Lucy during the first Assassin's Creed).
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' [[Those Who Came Before]], Jesus (possible), Muhammad (possible), [[Solomon's Temple]], [[Girolamo Savonarola]], Houdini.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership: ''''''[[Adam and Eve|Adam ]]''''''[[Adam and Eve|and Eve]], [[Abel]]'''''',''' [[Al Mualim]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Cain]], [[Al Mualim]], [[Napoleon]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''02: The Second Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Possibly survived, but, if so, it is impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Elizabeth I of England, Gandhi.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Mary I of England]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''03: The Third Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Unknown.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, [[John F. Kennedy]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].

'''04: The Fourth Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Nikola Tesla]], [[Assassins|Assassin Order]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Thomas Edison]], [[Henry Ford]], [[Adolf Hitler]].

'''05: The Fifth Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' NASA.

'''25: The Sword'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. It created illusions that unnerved their opponents. It is quite possible that the Sword could actually be the legendary Excalibur seeing as it was used by King Arthur. This would explain why King Arthur was such an experienced warrior.
: '''Status:''' Unknown.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, [[King Arthur]], Sigurd, Joan of Arc.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Alexander the Great]], [[Attila the Hun]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''34: The Staff'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.
: '''Status:''' Either Destroyed in the [[Tunguska Explosion]] or blown to an unknown location by the blast.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Saint Peter, Czar Nicholas II.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Alexander the Great]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Rasputin]].

'''66: The Shroud'''
: '''Use:''' Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Jason, Joseph, David, [[Jesus]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' Rasputin (possible)

==Possible Artifacts==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in ''Assassin's Creed'', and the clues and hints found in all the games.

'''The Ark of the Covenant'''

: '''Description''': A vessel described in the Bible as containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed, along with Aaron's rod and manna. The Ark is believed to be built at the command of God, in accord with Moses's prophetic vision on Mount Sinai. Supposedly, the Ark can channel the wrath of God to destroy all who oppose his followers.[[Robert de Sable| Robert de Sable]] is said to have obtained this item at the beginning of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.
: '''Possible Function:''' Capable of unleashing the "Wrath of God."
: '''Possible Owners:''' [[Robert de Sable]], Moses, [[Knights Templar]].

'''The Holy Grail'''

: '''Description''': A sacred object in certain Christian traditions often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. While said to possess miraculous powers, the Templars doubt its existence.
: '''Possible Function:''' Grant eternal life, among other healing abilities.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Jesus.

'''The Crystal Skulls'''

: '''Description:''' Quartz skulls found in ancient temples in South and Central America. Two are believed to currently exist but the total number is unknown. In an [[Abstergo Industries]] e-mail, they are referred to as Mitchell-Hedges communicators.
: '''Possible Function:''' Telepathic Communication.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Currently possessed by the Knights Templar, one specifically by [[Warren Vidic]].

'''The "Philadelphia Experiment" Artifact'''

: '''Description:''' Said to have been lost in a failed experiment, according to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone and those that remained were dead and somehow fused into the metal of the ship. According to the [[e-mail]]s in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', it was locked away in a safe location, possibly believed to be Area 51.
: '''Possible Function:''' Time Travel.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Knights Templar.

'''The Golden Fleece'''

: '''Description:''' A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak, Altair speculates that it could have truly existed in his [[Codex]]. He further articulates that it was actually made of a unique metal compound he created using knowledge derived from the Apple. Most likely identical to Piece 66.
: '''Possible Function:''' Indestructible and weightless armor.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Jason of the Argonauts.

'''The Spear of Destiny / Holy Lance'''

: '''Description:''' Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also believed to never miss its target and incapable of being stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Most likely identical to Piece 34.
: '''Possible Function:''' Invulnerability and precision in battle.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors

'''The Philosopher's Stone'''

: '''Description:''' Legendary alchemical substance and for a long duration of time was the most sought-after goal in Western alchemy. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.
: '''Possible Function:''' Turn any substance into gold, possibly create an elixir of life. It's possible that it has the ability to create any material from another (like the elixir from any liquid, gold from any metal).
: '''Possible Owners:''' Nicholas Flamel

==Locations of the Artifacts==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|The Codex Map]]

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', upon the complete collection of the scattered pages of [[The Codex]], the use of [[Eagle Vision]] reveals a hidden map detailing the locations of the remaining and surviving Pieces of Eden. These locations are similar to the locations provided by the global map displayed by [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] Apple in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.

According to the Codex Map there are forty-eight Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. While there are many speculated specific locations, the actual locations have yet to be revealed. Based on the map, not every location of a Piece holds some kind of historical or cultural value but this may be due to migration from human use.

==Trivia==
*According to the [[glyphs]] and [[The Truth|Truth files]], many legends and myths throughout human history are actually historically accurate. The supernatural or paranormal parts of each can be explained by the protoganist in each having acquired his or her own Piece of Eden, i.e.: the Greek myth of Perseus, King Arthur, et cetera.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', during the battle against [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] in the Sistine Chapel, [[Ezio]] creates "clones" much like [[Al Mualim]] did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the cloned Ezios will appear with different sets of armor whereas when if he is not customized, each clone will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Lorenzo de' Medici

2010-02-24T00:56:55Z

66.188.86.37:

{{Era|AC2|Ren}}
{{NomG}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Lorenzo de' Medici
|image = Zw-lorenzodemedici.png
|faction = [[House of Medici|Medici Family]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|voice = [[Alex Ivanovici]]
}}

'''Lorenzo de' Medici''' (1 January 1449 – 9 April 1492) was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the [[Florence|Florentine Republic]] during the Italian Renaissance. Known as Lorenzo the Magnificent (Lorenzo il Magnifico) by contemporary Florentines, he was a diplomat, politician and patron of scholars, artists, and poets. His life coincided with the high point of the early Italian Renaissance; his death marked the end of the Golden Age of Florence. The fragile peace he helped maintain between the various Italian states collapsed with his death. Lorenzo de' Medici is buried next to his brother [[Giuliano de' Medici|Giuliano]] in the Medici Chapel in Florence.

==Biography==
===Early Life===
Lorenzo was the most brilliant of Cosimo de' Medici's grandsons, and was already a successful diplomat as a child. His father, Piero the Gouty, was sickly and relatively absent from Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano's lives, but managed to significantly increase the number of those opposed to the Medici reign of Florence. Lorenzo's mother, Lucrezia Tornabuoni, was a poet, and managed to instill in him a love of art and beauty that would greatly influence his adult lifestyle. Like his brother, he enjoyed horseback riding and jousting, but spent more time studying art and literature. Lorenzo was Piero and Lucrezia's third child, and his brother Giuliano was the fourth. They had two older sisters.

===''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''===
[[File:Lorenzo in Lineage.png|thumb|left|Lorenzo hearing the report of Giovanni Auditore.]]
Lorenzo de' Medici is ruling over [[Florence]], but several parties have conspired against the Medici family, trying to overthrow them and move into a position of power in their place. Lorenzo hires [[Giovanni Auditore]], an [[Assassin]], to investigate. Giovanni successfully captures one of [[Rodrigo Borgia]]'s men and hands him over to Medici for interrogation. The man reveals an assassination plot to kill [[Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], the Duke of Milan and a powerful ally of Lorenzo's. He then sends Giovanni to Milan in order to prevent the assassination. Unfortunately, Giovanni fails and the assassination was successful. However, Giovanni did manage to retrieve an encrypted paper from the thug that led the assassination.

 
===''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''===
Two years after Giovanni Auditore's death, Francesco de' Pazzi tries unsuccessfully to assassinate Lorenzo. In a frenzy, he leaps on Giuliano and stabs him nineteen times. Lorenzo is wounded by two of the other conspirators, but produces his sword in an attempt to defend himself. [[Ezio]], having consulted [[La Volpe]], soon comes and saves Lorenzo from Francesco by killing all of his guards, forcing Francesco to flee. Ezio then escorted Lorenzo through the war torn streets of Florence to his Palazzo for sanctuary. Once safely inside, Lorenzo asks Ezio to save Florence by killing Francesco, which Ezio does. Lorenzo rewards Ezio with the Medici cape for his service. While wearing this cape, Ezio's notoriety will not increase in Florence or Tuscany.
[[File:Ezio and Lorenzo.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Ezio and Lorenzo.]]
A year later, Ezio returns to Florence to find Lorenzo's palazzo ransacked and his servants killed, and soldiers loyal to the Pazzi family searching the building for Lorenzo, who has gone missing. Ezio clears the palazzo of guards and finds Lorenzo in hiding. Lorenzo once again thanks him and rewards him, and sets about restoring peace to Florence once more. (Note: This scenario was originally only available for the Black and White Edition preorders, and the Gamestop preorder but has been made available with the Bonfire of the Vanities DLC.)

Ezio works as Lorenzo's personal assassin by performing [[Assassination Contract]]s, until Lorenzo dies in 1492 (though you can still complete the assassination contracts for him long after his death).

While Lorenzo's death is not shown in the game, it is insinuated that Savonarola killed him in bed, while administering his last rites in 1492.

{{-}}

==Trivia==
[[File:Lorenzoingame.jpg|thumb|Lorenzo's concept art]]
*In order to ensure that the player always has the ability to complete all of the [[Side Missions]], the player is allowed to perform assassination contracts for Lorenzo in memory sequences that take place after Lorenzo's death. The Palazzo Medici [[Secret Locations|Secret Location]], which features Lorenzo, can be completed after Lorenzo's death as well.
*Though the people of Florence still love him even today, Lorenzo appears to be quite unpopular with other ruling powers in Italy. Besides the Templars and the Pazzi family; he is an enemy of [[Girolamo Riario]], Lord of Forli, and [[Giovanni Mocenigo]], Doge of Venice. According to both ''Lineage ''and reliable historical accounts, the Pope does not bear goodwill towards Lorenzo and supports Rodrigo Borgia's movement against the Medici.
*In his database entry, it is revealed that Lorenzo loved to write poetry, and this may have contributed to his downfall.
*Though they had started to turn on Lorenzo, the people of Florence were so devastated by Lorenzo's early death that, according to historical accounts, the entire population of the city attended his funeral. His legacy remains today as one of the defining figures of Italian culture and art.

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Historical Characters|Medici, Lorenzo de']]

Piece of Eden

2010-02-17T22:52:45Z

66.188.86.37: /* Possible Artifacts */

{{NomG}}
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|300px|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
A '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], each possessing different effects and are known to be capable of bending the thoughts of one or more individuals to the will of the user.

==History==
[[Those Who Came Before]], an ancient and incredibly advanced race of beings, evolved on Earth long ago. Exactly who they were, when they arrived on Earth, or how they died, is still for the most part largely unknown. What is known, however, is that it was they who not only created humanity (in their own image) but also created the Pieces of Eden.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', [[Minerva]] reveals that her kind created humanity as a slave race. In order to ensure their acquiescence and loyalty, humanity was engineered to be susceptible to specific hypnotic power. This power was focused specifically through technology later known as Pieces of Eden. Because of this, humans and Those Who Came Before lived peacefully albeit unequally for some time. However, two humans, [[Adam and Eve]] became resistant to the power of their masters' technology, prompting them to rebel and to steal one of the Pieces of Eden, known only as "the Apple", a story mirrored in the Bible with Eve stealing from the Tree of Knowledge.

When the Knights Templar discovered the existence of the Pieces of Eden, they described them all to be apples of the Tree of Knowledge, further cementing the original Biblical story, although not all of the Pieces are necessarily "apples". Believing that all supernatural phenomena have roots in the use of Pieces, the Templar Order committed itself to exposing all religious and spiritual miracles as false, ultimately destroying the concept of religion.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', [[Al Mualim]] of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] gained a Piece of Eden, the original Apple, and attempted to use it to establish forced peace. However, his plans were thwarted by [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], who then took control of the Apple and the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. After doing so, he established a new goal — to hunt down and destroy the last of the Knights Templar and the remaining Pieces of Eden. Altaïr studied the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories, this collection of writings later became known as "[[The Codex]]".

During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', when the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth — that the real culprit was [[Armand Bouchart]], the Templar Grand Master. Altaïr then travels to the Archives in [[Limassol]], his intention being to store the Apple and leave it. However, when he arrives, he decides to keep it instead and its later status is unknown.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', while decrypting "[[The Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]], it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands. Many notable figures in history (some Knights Templar and some obtaining the artifacts by pure coincidence) have used the Pieces of Eden for varying purposes. Such individuals include, but are not limited to, Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill and even Adolf Hitler. One can even go so far as to claim that every major historical event and scientific discovery can be attributed to a Piece of Eden, as the Pieces seem to be at the very heart of all of human history.

==Characteristics==
===Abilities===
The greatest tools known to man, the Pieces of Eden are capable of warping reality, creating illusions, starting and ending wars, and ushering in forced peace. It is believed by [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar|Knights Templar]] that Piece of Edens were the sources of "miracles" such as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith, and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the planet, Earth, showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo Industries]] at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

Each of the Pieces of Eden contain a great deal of energy and the destruction of one causes explosions similar to nuclear blasts, powerful enough to level a major city. According to [[The Truth|one of the Truth files]], the Tunguska Explosion on June 30, 1908 was caused when a Piece of Eden was destroyed and all of its internal energy was released at once. It is also believed that a Piece of Eden was used in the Manhattan Project during World War II.

There also exists a theory that the Pieces are omni-synched, allowing each of the Pieces to be synchronized with one another throughout time and space. Evidence of this theory includes [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] Apple being able to provide him with a map of the remaining 46 Pieces. Evidence of temporal synchronization includes the same map not displaying the locations of the Pieces lost in the Tunguska and satellite incidents.

===Resistance===
[[Adam and Eve]] are believed to be the first humans that were naturally immune to the Pieces of Eden, with other humans later in history (such as Altaïr and other Assassins) also developing immunity. In an [[e-mail]] to [[Abstergo Industries]] it is revealed that the company's leaders believe some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Pieces of Eden and that other such items must be procured to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World".

Although there is no concrete explanation for immunity to the Pieces, [[Subject 16]] describes something unusual in one of his [[The Truth|truth files]]. He comments on scientists discovering a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that does not seem to react to any known stimulus. It has been theorized that this receptor reacts with the Pieces of Eden and is what allows them to work. However, some humans are born with the severe neurological mutation of these receptors being simply absent. How this mutation came to occur is still unknown but a possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of it in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their [[Those Who Came Before|masters]] for food and shelter. Another possible explanation is implied by another Truth File which implies that Altair and Ezio gained their immunity and other abilities from a mixed bloodline, having genetic material from both humans (who have the receptors) and Those Who Came Before (who do not).

This mutation seems to be genetic in nature, as Altaïr and his descendants, [[Desmond Miles]] and [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], are all immune to the Pieces. These three individuals the only ones specifically named to lack these neuro receptors, although in an [[e-mail]] to [[Abstergo Industries]], an unknown person contacts [[Dr. Warren Vidic]] about the DIA incident, declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment.

Altaïr's resistance is shown when [[Al Mualim]] attempts to use the Piece of Eden to control Altaïr, but for some reason could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden was still able to affect him in other ways such as immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind. Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. However, during this confrontation Ezio also has obtained a Piece of Eden and it can be argued that he may not be naturally resistant to the artifacts and it is possible that his own Piece is protecting him from Borgia's.

==Confirmed Artifacts==
[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]

'''01: The First Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' [[Those Who Came Before]], [[Adam and Eve]], [[Abel]], [[Cain]], Jesus (possible), Muhammad (possible), [[Solomon's Temple]], [[Girolamo Savonarola]], Houdini.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Al Mualim]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Al Mualim]], [[Napoleon]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''02: The Second Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Possibly survived, but, if so, it is impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Elizabeth I of England, Gandhi.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Mary I of England]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''03: The Third Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Unknown.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, [[John F. Kennedy]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].

'''04: The Fourth Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Nikola Tesla]], [[Assassins|Assassin Order]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Thomas Edison]], [[Henry Ford]], [[Adolf Hitler]].

'''05: The Fifth Apple'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' NASA.

'''25: The Sword'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. It created illusions that unnerved their opponents. It is quite possible that the Sword could actually be the legendary Excalibur seeing as it was used by King Arthur. This would explain why King Arthur was such an experienced warrior.
: '''Status:''' Unknown.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, [[King Arthur]], Sigurd, Jeanne d'Arc.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Alexander the Great]], [[Attila the Hun]], [[Knights Templar]].

'''34: The Staff'''

: '''Use:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.
: '''Status:''' Either Destroyed in the [[Tunguska Explosion]] or blown to an unknown location by the blast.
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Saint Peter, Czar Nicholas II.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Alexander the Great]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], [[Rasputin]].

'''66: The Shroud'''
: '''Use:''' Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Jason, Joseph, David, [[Jesus]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' Rasputin (possible)

==Possible Artifacts==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in ''Assassin's Creed'', and the clues and hints found in all the games.

'''The Ark of the Covenant'''

: '''Description''': A vessel described in the Bible as containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed, along with Aaron's rod and manna. The Ark is believed to be built at the command of God, in accord with Moses's prophetic vision on Mount Sinai. Supposedly, the Ark can channel the wrath of God to destroy all who oppose his followers.[[Robert de Sable| Robert de Sable]] is said to have obtained this item at the beginning of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.
: '''Possible Function:''' Capable to unleashing the "Wrath of God."
: '''Possible Owners:''' [[Robert de Sable]], Moses, [[Knights Templar]].

'''The Holy Grail'''

: '''Description''': A sacred object in certain Christian traditions, often identified with the dish, plate, or cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. While said to possess miraculous powers, the Templars doubt its existence.
: '''Possible Function:''' Grant eternal life, among other healing abilities.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Jesus.

'''The Crystal Skulls'''

: '''Description:''' Quartz skulls found in ancient temples in South and Central America. Two are believed to currently exist but the total number is unknown. In an [[Abstergo Industries]] e-mail, they are referred to as Mitchell-Hedges communicators.
: '''Possible Function:''' Telepathic Communication.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Currently possessed by the Knights Templar, one specifically by [[Warren Vidic]].

'''The "Philadelphia Experiment" Artifact'''

: '''Description:''' Said to have been lost in a failed experiment, according to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone and those that remained were dead and somehow fused into the metal of the ship. According to the [[e-mail]]s in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'', it was locked away in a safe location, possibly believed to be Area 51.
: '''Possible Function:''' Time Travel.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Knights Templar.

'''The Golden Fleece'''

: '''Description:''' A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak, Altair speculates that it could have truly existed in his [[Codex]]. He further articulates that it was actually made of a unique metal compound he created using knowledge derived from the Apple. Most likely identical to Piece 66.
: '''Possible Function:''' Indestructible and weightless armor.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Jason of the Argonauts.

'''The Spear of Destiny / Holy Lance'''

: '''Description:''' Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also believed to never miss its target and incapable of being stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Most likely identical to Piece 34.
: '''Possible Function:''' Invulnerability and precision in battle.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors

'''The Philosopher's Stone'''

: '''Description:''' Legendary alchemical substance and for a long duration of time was the most sought-after goal in Western alchemy. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.
: '''Possible Function:''' Turn any substance into gold, possibly create an elixir of life.
: '''Possible Owners:''' Nicholas Flamel

==Locations of the Artifacts==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|The Codex Map]]

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', upon the complete collection of the scattered pages of [[The Codex]], the use of [[Eagle Vision]] reveals a hidden map detailing the locations of the remaining and surviving Pieces of Eden. These locations are similar to the locations provided by the global map displayed by [[Altaïr|Altaïr's]] Apple in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''.

According to the Codex Map there are forty-eight Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. While there are many speculated specific locations, the actual locations have yet to be revealed. Based on the map, not every location of a Piece holds some kind of historical or cultural value but this may be due to migration from human use.

==Trivia==
*According to the [[glyphs]] and [[The Truth|Truth files]], many legends and myths throughout human history are actually historically accurate. The supernatural or paranormal parts of each can be explained by the protoganist in each having acquired his or her own Piece of Eden, i.e.: the Greek myth of Perseus, King Arthur, et cetera.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', during the battle against [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]] in the Sistine Chapel, [[Ezio]] creates "clones" much like [[Al Mualim]] did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the cloned Ezios will appear with different sets of armor whereas when if he is not customized, each clone will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Father of Understanding

2010-02-08T21:47:40Z

66.188.86.37: The Templars refer to the "Father of Understanding" in their letters during the Crusades.

[[File:Baphomet.png|thumb|The 19th century image of a Sabbatic Goat, created by [[wikipedia:Eliphas Levi|Eliphas Lévi]]. The arms bear the Latin words ''[[wikipedia:solvation|SOLVE]]'' (dissolve) and ''[[wikipedia:congelation|COAGULA]]'' (congeal).]]

The '''Father of Understanding''', is a being that the [[Templars]] pledge allegiance to and ask for guidance.

He is the Templar equivalent of Buddha. The Father of Understanding could be pagan deity, [[wikipedia:Baphomet|Baphomet]]. It has been suggested that Baphomet may be derived from the Arabic word ''Abu Fihama'', meaning "The Father of Understanding". Furthermore, Baphomet has been the linked to the Knights Templar in reality. In 1307 when King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest and torture of many Templars, the name "Baphomet" came up in many of the subsequent confessions. Why the Atheistic Templars of the games world would refer a pagan deity, however, is unknown. No acts of worship seem to occur outside of the phrase, so the origin of the statement is unknown.

Templars (at least during Renaissance) would often ask him for guidance as a greeting at the end of a meeting:
{{quote|May the Father of Understanding guide us|A Templar, with his fist on his heart}} and in an e-mail, [[Alan Rikkin]] writes to [[Warren Vidic]]: "May The Father of Understanding guide you to success", meaning that the Templars still use the saying.

It is plausible [[wikipedia:Baphomet|Baphomet]] was a member of [[Those Who Came Before]] and was involved in the origin of the Templars somehow, but this seems unlikely.

It is also possible that the Templars use the phrase "Father of Understading" so that during the Crudades, if someone heard them, they could claim they are praising God as the "Father of Understanding."

Or, it is simply because game developers were not aware of an actual "Father of Understanding" and simply intended him to be an entirely fictional character, or as some sort of punch line.
[[Category:Characters]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-25T22:34:05Z

66.188.86.37: /* Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations */

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of warping reality, creating illuisons, starting (and ending) wars, and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

The Pieces of Eden are the apples of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of eden, as described in the Bible. It is believed that God had created the pieces of Eden to assist those who came before in their deeds. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the planet Earth showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After [[Altaïr]] took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, [[Armand Bouchart]]. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden after Altaïr and [[Maria]] traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history (some [[Knights Templar]]s or associated with them and other simple humans having accidentally coming across them) have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, [[Altaïr]], and [[Ezio]]. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars 
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins 
(!) = Confirmed assassinated

[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]
===01: The First Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' [[Those Who Came Before]], [[Adam and Eve]], [[Abel]], [[Cain]], (Jesus? Muhammad?) [[Solomon's Temple]], [[Al Mualim]](A)(T)(!), [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]](A), [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]](A), Unknown, [[Napoleon]](T), Unknown, [[Houdini]], [[Templars]].

[[File:Piece of eden 1 - the apple.jpg|550px]]
===02: The Second Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, [[Mary I of England]](T)(!), [[Elizabeth I of England]], Unknown, [[Gandhi]], Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 2 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===03: The Third Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[George Washington]], [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]](T)

[[File:Piece of eden 3 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===04: The Fourth Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, (The Invention of Gunpowder), [[Nikola Tesla]](A), [[Thomas Edison]](T), [[Henry Ford]](T), [[Adolf Hitler]](T)(!), [[Assassins]].

[[File:Piece of eden 4 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===05: The Fifth Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[NASA]](T).

[[File:Piece of eden 5 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===25: The Sword===

{{quote|The power they wielded '''cut''' down their enemies.|Subject 16}}
Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. It created illusions tthat unnerved their opponents.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[Perseus]], [[Alexander the Great]](T)(!), [[Attila the Hun]](T), [[King Arthur]], [[Sigurd]], [[Genghis Khan]](T)(!), [[Joan of Arc]], Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 25 - the sword.jpg|550px]]

===34: The Staff===

{{quote|In their hands, the wise '''lean''' on a great force.|Subject 16}}
Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, [[Moses]], Alexander the Great(T)(!), [[Saint Peter]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]](T), [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]](A), Unknown, Czar [[Nicholas II]], [[Rasputin]](T)(!).

[[File:Piece of eden 34 - the staff.jpg|550px]]

===66: The Shroud===

{{quote|First plucked from a tree guarded by a snake, its powers perform miracles. Then, worn across the ages, torn asunder, hidden under a sea of '''red''', reconstruct the timeline.|Subject 16}}
Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[Jason]], [[Joseph]], [[David]], Jesus

[[File:Piece of eden 66 - the shroud.jpg|550px]]

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland (Not just for the monster, but also a place that is notably haunted and where Occult rituals have taken place - Alistair Crowley, the so called 'most evil man in the world' was obsessed with the place.)
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusanagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River[[File:180px-Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|Piece of Eden and Vault Locations]]
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capitol building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China (possibly hidden in the Forbidden City?)
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Ark of the Covenant: Robert De Sable obtained this at the beginning of the first Assassins Creed. Possible Owners: Moses, The Templars.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. [[File:200px-Al_mualim_look_altair_masyaf.jpg|thumb|A Piece of Eden ability]]Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13. Owners: The Templars
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51? Owners: The Templars
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts.
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's [[File:200px-Almualimxs.jpg|thumb|Piece of Eden Power]]target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*e Galapagos Islands
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff's holder, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back. Or thats just the shape of the bag he put the apple in and the creators just decided it didn't really matter if they removed it or not. (Another explaination is that the Piece Borgia took was an illusion of the original, this would explain why Ezio was able to stop bleeding right after he was stabed.)
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio ''(Unconfirmed)''.
*In the movie 10,000 B.C., the hero D'Leh, wields the "White Spear" which bears an uncanny resemblence to the Staff (only white and made of wood)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-22T23:29:17Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of warping reality, creating illuisons, starting (and ending) wars, and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

The Pieces of Eden are the apples of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of eden, as described in the Bible. It is believed that God had created the pieces of Eden to assist those who came before in their deeds. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the planet Earth showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After Altaïr took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history (apparently all [[Knights Templar]]s or associated with them) have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars 
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins 
(!) = Confirmed assassinated

[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]
===01: The First Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' [[Those Who Came Before]], [[Adam and Eve]], [[Abel]], [[Cain]], (Jesus? Muhammad?) [[Solomon's Temple]], [[Al Mualim]](A)(T)(!), [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]](A), [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]](A), Unknown, [[Napoleon]](T), Unknown, [[Houdini]], [[Templars]].

[[File:Piece of eden 1 - the apple.jpg|550px]]
===02: The Second Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, [[Mary I of England]](T)(!), [[Elizabeth I of England]], Unknown, [[Gandhi]], Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 2 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===03: The Third Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[George Washington]], [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], [[John F. Kennedy]], [[Lyndon B. Johnson]](T)

[[File:Piece of eden 3 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===04: The Fourth Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, (The Invention of Gunpowder), [[Nikola Tesla]](A), [[Thomas Edison]](T), [[Henry Ford]](T), [[Adolf Hitler]](T)(!), [[Assassins]].

[[File:Piece of eden 4 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===05: The Fifth Apple===
Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[NASA]](T).

[[File:Piece of eden 5 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

===25: The Sword===

{{quote|The power they wielded '''cut''' down their enemies.|Subject 16}}
Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. It created illusions tthat unnerved their opponents.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[Perseus]], [[Alexander the Great]](T)(!), [[Attila the Hun]](T), [[King Arthur]], [[Sigurd]], [[Genghis Khan]](T)(!), [[Joan of Arc]], Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 25 - the sword.jpg|550px]]

===34: The Staff===

{{quote|In their hands, the wise '''lean''' on a great force.|Subject 16}}
Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, [[Moses]], Alexander the Great(T)(!), [[Saint Peter]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]](T), [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]](A), Unknown, Czar [[Nicholas II]], [[Rasputin]](T)(!).

[[File:Piece of eden 34 - the staff.jpg|550px]]

===66: The Shroud===

{{quote|First plucked from a tree guarded by a snake, its powers perform miracles. Then, worn across the ages, torn asunder, hidden under a sea of '''red''', reconstruct the timeline.|Subject 16}}
Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, [[Jason]], [[Joseph]], [[David]], Jesus

[[File:Piece of eden 66 - the shroud.jpg|550px]]

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland (Not just for the monster, but also a place that is notably haunted and where Occult rituals have taken place - Alistair Crowley, the so called 'most evil man in the world' was obsessed with the place.)
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusanagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River[[File:180px-Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|Piece of Eden and Vault Locations]]
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capitol building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China (possibly hidden in the Forbidden City?)
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Ark of the Covenant: Robert De Sable obtained this at the beginning of the first Assassins Creed. Possible Owners: Moses, The Templars.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. [[File:200px-Al_mualim_look_altair_masyaf.jpg|thumb|A Piece of Eden ability]]Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's [[File:200px-Almualimxs.jpg|thumb|Piece of Eden Power]]target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*e Galapagos Islands
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back. Or thats just the shape of the bag he put the apple in and the creators just decided it didn't really matter if they removed it or not.
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio ''(Unconfirmed)''.
*In the movie 10,000 B.C., the hero D'Leh, wields the "White Spear" which bears an uncanny resemblence to the Staff (only white and made of wood)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-21T00:54:46Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */ The glyphs show who has owned the Shroud. Whether it is also the Golden Fleece or not is currently unknown.

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of warping reality, creating illuisons, starting (and ending) wars, and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

The Pieces of Eden are the apples of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of eden, as described in the Bible. It is believed that God had created the pieces of Eden to assist those whocame before in their deeds. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the planet Earth showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After Altaïr took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history (apparently all [[Knights Templar]]s or associated with them) have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins
(!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]
'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam/Eve, Abel, Cain, Possibly Jesus or Muhammad as it would explain how it ended up in Solomon's Temple, Al Mualim(A)(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon(T), Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 1 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 2 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy(!), Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

[[File:Piece of eden 3 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

[[File:Piece of eden 4 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

[[File:Piece of eden 5 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''25: The Sword:'''

{{quote|The power they wielded '''cut''' down their enemies.|Subject 16}}
Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Khan(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 25 - the sword.jpg|550px]]

'''34: The Staff:'''

{{quote|In their hands, the wise '''lean''' on a great force.|Subject 16}}
Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

[[File:Piece of eden 34 - the staff.jpg|550px]]

'''66: The Shroud:'''

{{quote|First plucked from a tree guarded by a snake, its powers perform miracles. Then, worn across the ages, torn asunder, hidden under a sea of '''red''', reconstruct the timeline.|Subject 16}}
Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Jason, Joseph, David, Jesus

, [[File:Piece of eden 66 - the shroud.jpg|550px]]

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland (Not just for the monster, but also a place that is notably haunted and where Occult rituals have taken place - Alistair Crowley, the so called 'most evil man in the world' was obsessed with the place.)
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusanagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capitol building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China (possibly hidden in the Forbidden City?)
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Ark of the Covenant: Robert De Sable obtained this at the beginning of the first Assassins Creed. Possible Owners: Moses, The Templars.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*e Galapagos Islands[[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back. Or thats just the shape of the bag he put the apple in and the creators just decided it didn't really matter if they removed it or not.
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio ''(Unconfirmed)''.
*In the movie 10,000 B.C., the hero D'Leh, wields the "White Spear" which bears an uncanny resemblence to the Staff (only white and made of wood)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-19T01:53:44Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of warping reality, creating illuisons, starting (and ending) wars, and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

The Pieces of Eden are the apples of the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of eden, as described in the Bible. It is believed that God had created the pieces of Eden to assist those whocame before in their deeds. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the planet Earth showing the locations of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After Altaïr took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history (apparently all [[Knights Templar]]s or associated with them) have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins
(!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The Staff and the Apple.]]
'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam/Eve, Abel, Cain, Possibly Jesus or Muhammad as it would explain how it ended up in Solomon's Temple, Al Mualim(A)(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon(T), Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 1 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 2 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy(!), Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

[[File:Piece of eden 3 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

[[File:Piece of eden 4 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

[[File:Piece of eden 5 - the apple.jpg|550px]]

'''25: The Sword:'''

{{quote|The power they wielded '''cut''' down their enemies.|Subject 16}}
Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Khan(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

[[File:Piece of eden 25 - the sword.jpg|550px]]

'''34: The Staff:'''

{{quote|In their hands, the wise '''lean''' on a great force.|Subject 16}}
Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers. Its bottom end is sharpened and can be use as a spear in combat.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

[[File:Piece of eden 34 - the staff.jpg|550px]]

'''66: The Shroud:'''

{{quote|First plucked from a tree guarded by a snake, its powers perform miracles. Then, worn across the ages, torn asunder, hidden under a sea of '''red''', reconstruct the timeline.|Subject 16}}
Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even resurrect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, in order to gain the Shroud. Somehow, the disciples stole the Shroud back and possibly used it to resurrect their Messiah. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Jesus

, [[File:Piece of eden 66 - the shroud.jpg|550px]]

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland (Not just for the monster, but also a place that is notably haunted and where Occult rituals have taken place - Alistair Crowley, the so called 'most evil man in the world' was obsessed with the place.)
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusanagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capitol building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China (possibly hidden in the Forbidden City?)
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Ark of the Covenant: Robert De Sable obtained this at the beginning of the first Assassins Creed. Possible Owners: Moses, The Templars.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*e Galapagos Islands[[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Buddhist Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back. Or thats just the shape of the bag he put the apple in and the creators just decided it didn't really matter if they removed it or not.
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio ''(Unconfirmed)''.
*In the movie 10,000 B.C., the hero D'Leh, wields the "White Spear" which bears an uncanny resemblence to the Staff (only white and made of wood)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Assassins

2010-01-12T23:04:54Z

66.188.86.37: /* Allies */ Same reason as Lincoln.

{{Good}}

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Aclogo 2.png
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC), Roman Catholic (AC II),
|nationality = Arab (AC), Italian (AC II), Mixed (Modern Times)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC II)
}}

{{quote|Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine ("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''|The Assassin's Creed}} The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012.

== The Order ==
{{dialogue|Raoul|Safety and peace.|Altaïr|Upon you as well.|Raoul greeting Altaïr as he returns from Jerusalem.}}

[[File:AssassinGuard.png|thumb|The combat instructor who is in fact similar to any other high ranked Assassin guard in Masyaf.]]
The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a blade.

[[File:AssassinInformant.png|thumb|left|An Assassin informant.]]
By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the [[Hidden Blade]]. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

Note: The Templars think that religion is just a lie and a means to control, the Assassins do not deny religion, but they say it has been misunderstood (e.g. the garden of Eden)

==Known Assassins==
{{quote|The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold, the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Subject 16}}

===Third Crusade===
====Members====

[[File:Masyaffortress.png|thumb|400px|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins (Secretly was a former Templar)
*[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor (Becomes Leader of the Assassins after the events of the first game)
*[[Harash]] (Al Mualim's right-hand man (Sold the Assassins Order to [[Basilisk]])
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*[[Jamal]] (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
*[[Bahir]] (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
*[[Karim]] (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
*[[The Dai and Rafiqs]]

====Allies====
*[[Adha]] ("The Chalice")
*[[Maria Thorpe]] (Altaïr's wife)

===Renaissance===

[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|400px|Ezio's initiation into the brotherhood.]]
====Members====
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli]] (A nobleman from Naples; presumed Grand Master)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Mario's brother, Ezio's father)
*[[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary leader)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)

====Allies====
*[[Leonardo da Vinci]] (Ezio's best friend)
*[[Agostino Barbarigo]] (Brother of [[Marco Barbarigo]]; Doge of Venice)
*[[Lorenzo de' Medici]] (Lord of [[Firenze]])
*[[Caterina Sforza]] (Countess of [[Forli]])
*[[Christoffa Corombo]] (Italian Conquistador)
*[[Luis Santangel]] (Finance minister to Ferdinand II)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===
*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

===Others===
====Members====
*[[Adam and Eve]]
*[[Abel]]
*[[Darius]]
*[[Iltani]]
*[[Wei Yu]]
*[[Qulan Gal]]
*[[Amunet]]
*[[Leonius]]
*[[Dante Alighieri]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]]
*Boston Corbett (?)
*Jack Ruby (?)

====Allies====
*[[Nikola Tesla]] (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the [[wikipedia:Tunguska Event|Tunguska Event]])
*[[Marco Polo]] (Brought the [[Codex]] from Mongolia to Italy)
*Abraham Lincoln (?)
*John F. Kennedy (?)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

[[File:Almuadet.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Al-Mualim]] the last of the Templars]]

=== Victims of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] ===
====''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''====
*[[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]]
*[[Alaat]]
*[[Roland Napule]]
*[[The Master's Student]]
*[[Master of the Tower]]
*[[Harash]]
*[[Basilisk|Lord Basilisk]]

====''[[Assassin's Creed]]''====
*[[Tamir]]
*[[Garnier de Naplouse]]
*[[Talal]]
*[[Abu'l Nuqoud]]
*[[William of Montferrat]]
*[[Majd Addin]]
*[[Jubair al Hakim]]
*[[Sibrand]]
*[[Robert de Sable]]
*[[Al-Mualim]]

====''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''====
*[[Frederick the Red]]
*[[Moloch]]
*[[Dark Oracle]]
*[[Shalim]]
*[[Shahar]]
*[[Pirate Captain]]
*[[Armand Bouchart]]

=== Victims of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] ===

====''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''====

*[[Uberto Alberti]]
*The Pazzi Family
**[[Vieri de' Pazzi]]
**[[Francesco de' Pazzi]]
**[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]]
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**[[Stefano da Bagnone]]
**[[Bernardo Baroncelli]]
**[[Antonio Maffei]]
**[[Francesco Salviati]]
*The Barbarigo Family
**[[Emilio Barbarigo]]
**[[Marco Barbarigo]]
**[[Silvio Barbarigo]]
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]]
*[[Dante Moro]]
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]]

==''[[Assassin's Creed]]''==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Syrian branch of the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the Assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [[Robert de Sable]] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is during the Third Crusade and this low-scale war with the Templars that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life: the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''==

[[File:Asslogorenaissance.png|thumb|left|Renaissance variation of the Assassins' symbol.]]
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently "gone underground". The reason for this is explained inside the Codex pages, where Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. Another way Altair changed tactics is by introducing the use of poison which before was considered a "cowards" tool. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the [[Auditore Family Villa|Auditore Villa]], built by Ezio's great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the [[Altaïr's Armor|Armor of Altair]]. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ''"Nothing is true, everything is permitted"''. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order.

However they did still follow Altair's idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tombs and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

[[File:Hashashin by wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, Hashasheen or Hassassins), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages. It is also confirmed that King Richard hired the Hashshashin to kill Conrad of Montferrat, son of William of Montferrat.

{{ACAC}}
{{AC}}
{{ACB}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Assassins

2010-01-12T23:02:49Z

66.188.86.37: /* Members */ Both these men assassinated Templar "hitmen" so it is possible they were Assassins.

{{Good}}

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Aclogo 2.png
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC), Roman Catholic (AC II),
|nationality = Arab (AC), Italian (AC II), Mixed (Modern Times)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC II)
}}

{{quote|Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine ("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''|The Assassin's Creed}} The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012.

== The Order ==
{{dialogue|Raoul|Safety and peace.|Altaïr|Upon you as well.|Raoul greeting Altaïr as he returns from Jerusalem.}}

[[File:AssassinGuard.png|thumb|The combat instructor who is in fact similar to any other high ranked Assassin guard in Masyaf.]]
The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a blade.

[[File:AssassinInformant.png|thumb|left|An Assassin informant.]]
By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the [[Hidden Blade]]. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

Note: The Templars think that religion is just a lie and a means to control, the Assassins do not deny religion, but they say it has been misunderstood (e.g. the garden of Eden)

==Known Assassins==
{{quote|The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold, the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Subject 16}}

===Third Crusade===
====Members====

[[File:Masyaffortress.png|thumb|400px|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins (Secretly was a former Templar)
*[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor (Becomes Leader of the Assassins after the events of the first game)
*[[Harash]] (Al Mualim's right-hand man (Sold the Assassins Order to [[Basilisk]])
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*[[Jamal]] (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
*[[Bahir]] (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
*[[Karim]] (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
*[[The Dai and Rafiqs]]

====Allies====
*[[Adha]] ("The Chalice")
*[[Maria Thorpe]] (Altaïr's wife)

===Renaissance===

[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|400px|Ezio's initiation into the brotherhood.]]
====Members====
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli]] (A nobleman from Naples; presumed Grand Master)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Mario's brother, Ezio's father)
*[[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary leader)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)

====Allies====
*[[Leonardo da Vinci]] (Ezio's best friend)
*[[Agostino Barbarigo]] (Brother of [[Marco Barbarigo]]; Doge of Venice)
*[[Lorenzo de' Medici]] (Lord of [[Firenze]])
*[[Caterina Sforza]] (Countess of [[Forli]])
*[[Christoffa Corombo]] (Italian Conquistador)
*[[Luis Santangel]] (Finance minister to Ferdinand II)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===
*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

===Others===
====Members====
*[[Adam and Eve]]
*[[Abel]]
*[[Darius]]
*[[Iltani]]
*[[Wei Yu]]
*[[Qulan Gal]]
*[[Amunet]]
*[[Leonius]]
*[[Dante Alighieri]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]]
*Boston Corbett (?)
*Jack Ruby (?)

====Allies====
*[[Nikola Tesla]] (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the [[wikipedia:Tunguska Event|Tunguska Event]])
*[[Marco Polo]] (Brought the [[Codex]] from Mongolia to Italy)
*Abraham Lincoln (?)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

[[File:Almuadet.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Al-Mualim]] the last of the Templars]]

=== Victims of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] ===
====''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''====
*[[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]]
*[[Alaat]]
*[[Roland Napule]]
*[[The Master's Student]]
*[[Master of the Tower]]
*[[Harash]]
*[[Basilisk|Lord Basilisk]]

====''[[Assassin's Creed]]''====
*[[Tamir]]
*[[Garnier de Naplouse]]
*[[Talal]]
*[[Abu'l Nuqoud]]
*[[William of Montferrat]]
*[[Majd Addin]]
*[[Jubair al Hakim]]
*[[Sibrand]]
*[[Robert de Sable]]
*[[Al-Mualim]]

====''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''====
*[[Frederick the Red]]
*[[Moloch]]
*[[Dark Oracle]]
*[[Shalim]]
*[[Shahar]]
*[[Pirate Captain]]
*[[Armand Bouchart]]

=== Victims of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] ===

====''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''====

*[[Uberto Alberti]]
*The Pazzi Family
**[[Vieri de' Pazzi]]
**[[Francesco de' Pazzi]]
**[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]]
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**[[Stefano da Bagnone]]
**[[Bernardo Baroncelli]]
**[[Antonio Maffei]]
**[[Francesco Salviati]]
*The Barbarigo Family
**[[Emilio Barbarigo]]
**[[Marco Barbarigo]]
**[[Silvio Barbarigo]]
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]]
*[[Dante Moro]]
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]]

==''[[Assassin's Creed]]''==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Syrian branch of the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the Assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [[Robert de Sable]] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is during the Third Crusade and this low-scale war with the Templars that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life: the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''==

[[File:Asslogorenaissance.png|thumb|left|Renaissance variation of the Assassins' symbol.]]
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently "gone underground". The reason for this is explained inside the Codex pages, where Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. Another way Altair changed tactics is by introducing the use of poison which before was considered a "cowards" tool. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the [[Auditore Family Villa|Auditore Villa]], built by Ezio's great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the [[Altaïr's Armor|Armor of Altair]]. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ''"Nothing is true, everything is permitted"''. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order.

However they did still follow Altair's idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tombs and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

[[File:Hashashin by wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, Hashasheen or Hassassins), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages. It is also confirmed that King Richard hired the Hashshashin to kill Conrad of Montferrat, son of William of Montferrat.

{{ACAC}}
{{AC}}
{{ACB}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Templars

2010-01-12T22:57:12Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */ Subject 16 says "they" used it to start World War II; "they" could refer to Hitler and Stalin (confirmed Templars), we can only speculate at this point if Churchill and FDR were as well.

{{Good}}
{{NomRvk}}
{{Imageneed}}
{{WP-REAL}}

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Knights.png
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of [[Cain]]." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Roman Catholic (officially), Atheist
|location = Throughout the world.
|targets =
}}

{{quote|May the [[Father of Understanding]] guide us|One of the mottos of the Templars
}}

The '''Knights Templar''' is a military religious order created during the First Crusade and are the sworn enemies of the [[Assassins]]. The order survives through the [[Third Crusade]] and exists through the [[Assassin's Creed II|Renaissance]] even until [[Modern Times]] (2012).

==History==
==''Assassin's Creed''==
They attacked [[Masyaf]] after a failed mission under Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem; and after that, Templars found in the Holy Land will attack [[Altaïr]] on sight. They tend to attack more skilfully and take more hits than normal guards. You can find them in small villages throughout the kingdom, as well as throughout the cities, keenly observing their surroundings of encroaching danger. Templars are battlefield hardened soldiers lending aide to King Richard in the Third Crusade. Their battlefield experience shows in the way they fight. They are warriors in every meaning of the word, extremely skilled in the application of sword combat, and extremely disciplined. Templars should be dealt with while expressing extreme caution and solid battle skills. These soldiers are usually stationary, and on the lookout for the Assassins, their sworn enemies, who they are engaged with in a low-scale war.

==''Assassin's Creed II''==
According to [[Subject 16]], the Templar Seal is the Mark of [[Cain]]. This indicates that the principle ideas of the Templars seems to have existed for much longer.

==Distribution and goals==
[[File:Templar01.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Templar vs Assassin]]
The Templars originally sought peace the Christian way, but with the discovery of the Pieces of Eden and their power to manipulate the minds of the masses, that all changed. As all powerful religious and political figures used the pieces to spread their lies, the Templars realized a personal truth: there is no God or Great Power out there, only men with power and those without. They became atheists, with maintaining the pretence and tradition of Roman Catholics to avoid suspicion, retain friends in the Vatican and for personal habit. This new freedom brought a new perception to the Templars. With no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no real obligation to oblige by such morality (this was an easy transition, as most in those violent times ignored the concept of morality anyway). It also ensured that only this life was important, rather than preparing for the next. Without this new view, the corruption of the world shone to them like an ugly light. With so many lower class kept in line with the promise of Heaven and so many upper class blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world, one of peace, no matter the cost. Their main goal during the Crusades was to bring peace to the Holy Land by usurping the rule of Saladin and undermining the efforts of Richard the Lionheart while both were more concerned with fighting each other, but the ways they do it are both ruthless and barbaric. However, they believe that they're doing good. They're trying to control peoples' free will and they will ruthlessly kill anyone who is against them, especially the Assassins, whose leader, Al Mualim, was a member of the Templars, but later chose to betray them by stealing the Piece of Eden for his own purposes. They're also good at manipulation, as they have members in both the Crusader and Saracen armies, allowing themselves to manipulate both Richard the Lionheart and Saladin for their own gain and manipulated the other knight orders like the Hospitalliers, Teutonic Knights and even the Assassins (Hashshashin) via Al Mualim.

==Members==
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (A noble man of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief scholar of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, and a former Templar)
* [[Maria Thorpe]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]] (A rich merchant allied to Basilisk)
* [[Master of the Tower]] (Basilisk's second-in-command, master of the art of killing)
* [[The Master's Student]] (Templar killer)
* [[Harash]] (Al Mualim's second-in-command, traitor who joined Templars)
* [[Frederick The Red]] (Templar regent of Limassol)
* [[Pirate Captain]] (Leader of Cypriot pirates who joined the Order)
* [[Osman]] (Templar knight, secretly a member of Cypriot resistance)
* [[Moloch]] (Templar regent of Kyrenia)
* [[Shalim]] (Armand Bouchart's second-in-command, son of Moloch)
* [[Shahar]] (Shalim's twin brother)
* [[Templar Agent]] (Armand Bouchart's highly trained, stealthy killer)
* [[Isaac Comnenus]] (Former ruler of [[Cyprus]] and keeper of the [[Templar Archive]])

===Renaissance===
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar and His Holiness, Pope Alexander VI)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Firenze)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Francesco's son - Ezio's rival)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernardo Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Francesco Salviati]] (Archbishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]] (Spanish Conquistador)
*[[Checco Orsi]] (Forlì noble)
*[[Ludovico Orsi]] (Forlì noble)
*[[Girolamo Savonarola]] (Dominican priest)

===Modern times===
*[[Alan Rikkin]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] CEO)
*[[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
*[[Nancy Nilop]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Jane Birkam]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Audrey Jacobs]] (Alan Rikkin's assistant)
*[[Richard (Modern Times)|Richard]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)

=== Others ===
*[[Cain]]
*[[Xerxes]]
*[[Alexander the Great]]
*[[Qin Shi Huang]]
*[[Atilla the Hun]]
*[[Genghis Khan]]
*[[Cleopatra]]
*[[Caligula]]
*[[Francois Duvalier]]
*[[John Wilkes Booth]]
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]]
*[[Rasputin]]
*[[Josef Stalin]]
*[[Mary I of England]]
*[[Tomas de Torquemada]]
*[[Thomas Edison]]
*[[Henry Ford]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
*[[J. P. Morgan]] (?)
*Winston Churchill (?)
*Franklin D. Roosevelt (?)  
*J. Robert Oppenheimer (?)

== Templar Groups ==
There are groups who act as unofficial divisions of the Templars, unrelated to them publicly but in fact commanded by Templars (some of them through the membership of their leaders and others are part of the Templar Order itself).
*Third Crusade
**[[File:Knights Teutonic Cross.svg|30px]] [[Teutonic]]
**[[File:Hospitalier Crest.svg|30px]] [[Hospitalier]]
*Renaissance
**[[File:Pazziingame.png|30px]] [[Pazzi]]
**[[File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg|30px]] [[Venice|Venice Law enforcement]]
**[[File:442px-Emblem of the Papacy SE svg.png|30px]] [[Papacy]]
**[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01 svg.png|30px]] [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]]
*20th century
**[[File:Ford Motor Company Logo.svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company]]
**[[wikipedia:Edison Studios|Edison Studios]]
**[[File:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi Party]]
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]
*21st century
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]

== The Historical Templars ==
''Ordre du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Because the Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded.

They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Templars| ]]

Templars

2010-01-12T22:55:34Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */ The letter to J.P. Morgan hints he is being blackmailed and threatened into helping the Templars, he may not have been one himself.

{{Good}}
{{NomRvk}}
{{Imageneed}}
{{WP-REAL}}

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Knights.png
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of [[Cain]]." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Roman Catholic (officially), Atheist
|location = Throughout the world.
|targets =
}}

{{quote|May the [[Father of Understanding]] guide us|One of the mottos of the Templars
}}

The '''Knights Templar''' is a military religious order created during the First Crusade and are the sworn enemies of the [[Assassins]]. The order survives through the [[Third Crusade]] and exists through the [[Assassin's Creed II|Renaissance]] even until [[Modern Times]] (2012).

==History==
==''Assassin's Creed''==
They attacked [[Masyaf]] after a failed mission under Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem; and after that, Templars found in the Holy Land will attack [[Altaïr]] on sight. They tend to attack more skilfully and take more hits than normal guards. You can find them in small villages throughout the kingdom, as well as throughout the cities, keenly observing their surroundings of encroaching danger. Templars are battlefield hardened soldiers lending aide to King Richard in the Third Crusade. Their battlefield experience shows in the way they fight. They are warriors in every meaning of the word, extremely skilled in the application of sword combat, and extremely disciplined. Templars should be dealt with while expressing extreme caution and solid battle skills. These soldiers are usually stationary, and on the lookout for the Assassins, their sworn enemies, who they are engaged with in a low-scale war.

==''Assassin's Creed II''==
According to [[Subject 16]], the Templar Seal is the Mark of [[Cain]]. This indicates that the principle ideas of the Templars seems to have existed for much longer.

==Distribution and goals==
[[File:Templar01.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Templar vs Assassin]]
The Templars originally sought peace the Christian way, but with the discovery of the Pieces of Eden and their power to manipulate the minds of the masses, that all changed. As all powerful religious and political figures used the pieces to spread their lies, the Templars realized a personal truth: there is no God or Great Power out there, only men with power and those without. They became atheists, with maintaining the pretence and tradition of Roman Catholics to avoid suspicion, retain friends in the Vatican and for personal habit. This new freedom brought a new perception to the Templars. With no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no real obligation to oblige by such morality (this was an easy transition, as most in those violent times ignored the concept of morality anyway). It also ensured that only this life was important, rather than preparing for the next. Without this new view, the corruption of the world shone to them like an ugly light. With so many lower class kept in line with the promise of Heaven and so many upper class blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world, one of peace, no matter the cost. Their main goal during the Crusades was to bring peace to the Holy Land by usurping the rule of Saladin and undermining the efforts of Richard the Lionheart while both were more concerned with fighting each other, but the ways they do it are both ruthless and barbaric. However, they believe that they're doing good. They're trying to control peoples' free will and they will ruthlessly kill anyone who is against them, especially the Assassins, whose leader, Al Mualim, was a member of the Templars, but later chose to betray them by stealing the Piece of Eden for his own purposes. They're also good at manipulation, as they have members in both the Crusader and Saracen armies, allowing themselves to manipulate both Richard the Lionheart and Saladin for their own gain and manipulated the other knight orders like the Hospitalliers, Teutonic Knights and even the Assassins (Hashshashin) via Al Mualim.

==Members==
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (A noble man of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief scholar of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, and a former Templar)
* [[Maria Thorpe]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]] (A rich merchant allied to Basilisk)
* [[Master of the Tower]] (Basilisk's second-in-command, master of the art of killing)
* [[The Master's Student]] (Templar killer)
* [[Harash]] (Al Mualim's second-in-command, traitor who joined Templars)
* [[Frederick The Red]] (Templar regent of Limassol)
* [[Pirate Captain]] (Leader of Cypriot pirates who joined the Order)
* [[Osman]] (Templar knight, secretly a member of Cypriot resistance)
* [[Moloch]] (Templar regent of Kyrenia)
* [[Shalim]] (Armand Bouchart's second-in-command, son of Moloch)
* [[Shahar]] (Shalim's twin brother)
* [[Templar Agent]] (Armand Bouchart's highly trained, stealthy killer)
* [[Isaac Comnenus]] (Former ruler of [[Cyprus]] and keeper of the [[Templar Archive]])

===Renaissance===
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar and His Holiness, Pope Alexander VI)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Firenze)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Francesco's son - Ezio's rival)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernardo Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Francesco Salviati]] (Archbishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]] (Spanish Conquistador)
*[[Checco Orsi]] (Forlì noble)
*[[Ludovico Orsi]] (Forlì noble)
*[[Girolamo Savonarola]] (Dominican priest)

===Modern times===
*[[Alan Rikkin]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] CEO)
*[[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
*[[Nancy Nilop]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Jane Birkam]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Audrey Jacobs]] (Alan Rikkin's assistant)
*[[Richard (Modern Times)|Richard]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)

=== Others ===
*[[Cain]]
*[[Xerxes]]
*[[Alexander the Great]]
*[[Qin Shi Huang]]
*[[Atilla the Hun]]
*[[Genghis Khan]]
*[[Cleopatra]]
*[[Caligula]]
*[[Francois Duvalier]]
*[[John Wilkes Booth]]
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]]
*[[Rasputin]]
*[[Josef Stalin]]
*[[Mary I of England]]
*[[Tomas de Torquemada]]
*[[Thomas Edison]]
*[[Henry Ford]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
*[[J. P. Morgan]] (?)
*Winston Churchill
*Franklin D. Roosevelt
*J. Robert Oppenheimer (?)

== Templar Groups ==
There are groups who act as unofficial divisions of the Templars, unrelated to them publicly but in fact commanded by Templars (some of them through the membership of their leaders and others are part of the Templar Order itself).
*Third Crusade
**[[File:Knights Teutonic Cross.svg|30px]] [[Teutonic]]
**[[File:Hospitalier Crest.svg|30px]] [[Hospitalier]]
*Renaissance
**[[File:Pazziingame.png|30px]] [[Pazzi]]
**[[File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg|30px]] [[Venice|Venice Law enforcement]]
**[[File:442px-Emblem of the Papacy SE svg.png|30px]] [[Papacy]]
**[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01 svg.png|30px]] [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]]
*20th century
**[[File:Ford Motor Company Logo.svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company]]
**[[wikipedia:Edison Studios|Edison Studios]]
**[[File:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi Party]]
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]
*21st century
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
**[[File:NASA logo svg.png|30px]] [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]

== The Historical Templars ==
''Ordre du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Because the Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded.

They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Templars| ]]

Assassins

2010-01-12T22:53:02Z

66.188.86.37: /* Allies */ Lincoln was assassinated by a Templar, John Wilkes Booth, and he sought to bring peace to the United States of America. He very well could have been an ally of the Assassins.

{{Good}}

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Aclogo 2.png
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC), Roman Catholic (AC II),
|nationality = Arab (AC), Italian (AC II), Mixed (Modern Times)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC II)
}}

{{quote|Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine ("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''|The Assassin's Creed}} The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012.

== The Order ==
{{dialogue|Raoul|Safety and peace.|Altaïr|Upon you as well.|Raoul greeting Altaïr as he returns from Jerusalem.}}

[[File:AssassinGuard.png|thumb|The combat instructor who is in fact similar to any other high ranked Assassin guard in Masyaf.]]
The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a blade.

[[File:AssassinInformant.png|thumb|left|An Assassin informant.]]
By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the [[Hidden Blade]]. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

Note: The Templars think that religion is just a lie and a means to control, the Assassins do not deny religion, but they say it has been misunderstood (e.g. the garden of Eden)

==Known Assassins==
{{quote|The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold, the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|Subject 16}}

===Third Crusade===
====Members====

[[File:Masyaffortress.png|thumb|400px|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins (Secretly was a former Templar)
*[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor (Becomes Leader of the Assassins after the events of the first game)
*[[Harash]] (Al Mualim's right-hand man (Sold the Assassins Order to [[Basilisk]])
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*[[Jamal]] (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
*[[Bahir]] (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
*[[Karim]] (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
*[[The Dai and Rafiqs]]

====Allies====
*[[Adha]] ("The Chalice")
*[[Maria Thorpe]] (Altaïr's wife)

===Renaissance===

[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|400px|Ezio's initiation into the brotherhood.]]
====Members====
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli]] (A nobleman from Naples; presumed Grand Master)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Mario's brother, Ezio's father)
*[[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary leader)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze]] (Deceased Florentine Nobleman; Giovanni's son)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)

====Allies====
*[[Leonardo da Vinci]] (Ezio's best friend)
*[[Agostino Barbarigo]] (Brother of [[Marco Barbarigo]]; Doge of Venice)
*[[Lorenzo de' Medici]] (Lord of [[Firenze]])
*[[Caterina Sforza]] (Countess of [[Forli]])
*[[Christoffa Corombo]] (Italian Conquistador)
*[[Luis Santangel]] (Finance minister to Ferdinand II)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===
*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

===Others===
====Members====
*[[Adam and Eve]]
*[[Abel]]
*[[Darius]]
*[[Iltani]]
*[[Wei Yu]]
*[[Qulan Gal]]
*[[Amunet]]
*[[Leonius]]
*[[Dante Alighieri]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]]

====Allies====
*[[Nikola Tesla]] (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the [[wikipedia:Tunguska Event|Tunguska Event]])
*[[Marco Polo]] (Brought the [[Codex]] from Mongolia to Italy)
*Abraham Lincoln (?)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

[[File:Almuadet.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Al-Mualim]] the last of the Templars]]

=== Victims of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] ===
====''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''====
*[[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]]
*[[Alaat]]
*[[Roland Napule]]
*[[The Master's Student]]
*[[Master of the Tower]]
*[[Harash]]
*[[Basilisk|Lord Basilisk]]

====''[[Assassin's Creed]]''====
*[[Tamir]]
*[[Garnier de Naplouse]]
*[[Talal]]
*[[Abu'l Nuqoud]]
*[[William of Montferrat]]
*[[Majd Addin]]
*[[Jubair al Hakim]]
*[[Sibrand]]
*[[Robert de Sable]]
*[[Al-Mualim]]

====''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''====
*[[Frederick the Red]]
*[[Moloch]]
*[[Dark Oracle]]
*[[Shalim]]
*[[Shahar]]
*[[Pirate Captain]]
*[[Armand Bouchart]]

=== Victims of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] ===

====''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''====

*[[Uberto Alberti]]
*The Pazzi Family
**[[Vieri de' Pazzi]]
**[[Francesco de' Pazzi]]
**[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]]
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**[[Stefano da Bagnone]]
**[[Bernardo Baroncelli]]
**[[Antonio Maffei]]
**[[Francesco Salviati]]
*The Barbarigo Family
**[[Emilio Barbarigo]]
**[[Marco Barbarigo]]
**[[Silvio Barbarigo]]
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]]
*[[Dante Moro]]
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]]

==''[[Assassin's Creed]]''==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Syrian branch of the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the Assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [[Robert de Sable]] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is during the Third Crusade and this low-scale war with the Templars that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life: the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''==

[[File:Asslogorenaissance.png|thumb|left|Renaissance variation of the Assassins' symbol.]]
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently "gone underground". The reason for this is explained inside the Codex pages, where Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. Another way Altair changed tactics is by introducing the use of poison which before was considered a "cowards" tool. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the [[Auditore Family Villa|Auditore Villa]], built by Ezio's great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the [[Altaïr's Armor|Armor of Altair]]. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ''"Nothing is true, everything is permitted"''. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order.

However they did still follow Altair's idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tombs and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

[[File:Hashashin by wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, Hashasheen or Hassassins), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages. It is also confirmed that King Richard hired the Hashshashin to kill Conrad of Montferrat, son of William of Montferrat.

{{ACAC}}
{{AC}}
{{ACB}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Rodrigo Borgia

2010-01-05T01:30:12Z

66.188.86.37: /* Final Words */

{{WP-REAL}}

{{Character Infobox
|image=Zw-rodrigoborgia.png
|faction=[[Templars]]
|imgdesc=
|name='''Rodrigo Borgia'''
|itname= Requiescat in pace, BASTARDO!!!!
|meaning=The one who protect (from Greek: ''alexein'' which means repulse, protect, and ''andros'', the man, the warrior)
|alias= Roderic de Borja i Borja (Italian: Rodrigo Borgia), "The Spaniard"
|appear=''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''
|period=Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|voice=[[Manuel Tadros]]
}}
{{quote|He is Rodrigo Borgia; one of the most powerful men in all of Europe, and leader of the Templar Order|Mario Auditore}}
'''Rodrigo Borgia''' (1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503), born '''Roderic Llançol''', later '''Roderic de Borja i Borja''', was the Grand Master of the [[Knights Templar]] during the Renaissance in Italy. He was elected [[wikipedia:Pope|Pope]] from 1492 to 1503 as [[wikipedia:Pope Alexander VI|Alexander VI]]. His enemies called him "'''The Spaniard'''" (due to his Spanish origins) while his Templar followers called him "'''Maestro'''" ("Master" in Italian). He was one of the most controversial of the [[wikipedia:Renaissance|Renaissance]] popes, and his surname (Italianized as ''[[wikipedia:Borgia|Borgia]]'') became a byword for the debased standards of the papacy of that era.

==Biography==
===''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''===

[[File:Untitled.jpg|thumb|left|Rodrigo Borgia hiding from Giovanni Auditore in Florence.]]
The [[Medicis]] were the ruling family in [[Florence]]. But a conspiracy was being plotted in a attempt to overthrow the powerful [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], and Rodrigo Borgia was at the center of it. One night in 1476, Borgia was on his way to leave Florence with few of his men in the dark streets of the city. Suddenly, [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]], an [[Assassins|assassin]], intercepted him. Borgia fled immediately as the assassin battled his men. Hidden behind a corner, he saw Giviovanni capture one of his men. The prisoner revealed to the plotted assassination of [[wikipedia:Galeazzo Maria Sforza|Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], Duke of Milan and a powerful ally of Lorenzo de' Medici, to Giovanni. Giovanni quickly went to stop the attempt, but arrived too late. Rodrigo and his accomplices' plan had succeeded and Borgia began planning the next move.

Deducing the origin of the Duke of Milan's murderers by looting a [[wikipedia:Ducat|Ducat]] from one of them, Giovanni headed to [[Venice]]. There, he intercepted a message from [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] and [[Silvio Barbarigo]] to their master, Rodrigo. After having decoded the letter by [[Uberto Alberti]] and [[Antonio Maffei|Father Maffei]], Giovanni carried the copied message to [[Rome]], in order to discover who is behind the plots. Once arrived in the city, he gave the message to a man. By tailing this one, it appears that the letter travels in various hands before arriving in its final destination: Rodrigo's. Rodrigo headed next to see pope Sixtus IV to obtain a military support in order to conquer Florence.

===''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''===

Later, Rodrigo attended the judgement of Giovanni and two of his sons. He later went to a meeting with the [[wikipedia:Pazzi#The conspiracy|Pazzi]] family and the [[Templars]] in a catacomb under the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.

Borgia was later found in [[Venice]], planning with [[Carlo Grimaldi]] and the Barbarigos to murder the current Doge so that one of them can replace him and take control of Venice. He later appeared to lay claim to the [[Piece of Eden]] the Templars found in Cyprus. [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Giovanni's son, disguised as the carrier of the artifact, attempted to kill Borgia, but Borgia was prepared for the attack. The two began an intense battle against each other, with Ezio emerging as the victor. Realizing he could not defeat Ezio alone, Borgia called in a supply of guards to overwhelm Ezio. Suddenly, many of Ezio's allies appeared, revealing themselves to be assassins. They held off the guards to allow Ezio to re-challenge Borgia, who then escaped from them before Ezio could kill him.

Borgia later became the Pope and travelled to [[Rome]]. Borgia's true intent however, is just to get in the vault that lays under the Vatican, where, according to himself, God rested. Ezio chased him to assassinate him. Ezio snuck into the Vatican and seemingly assassinated Borgia without being seen. After Ezio finished speaking with Borgia he left only to see him rise from the ground and use his Piece of Eden, the Papal Staff, to strike down Ezio and everyone else in the room. However, he was surprised to see that Ezio has not given up his will to stop him, instead he brought out his own Piece of Eden, The Apple. Ezio then summoned four clones of himself to assist him in his battle against Borgia, eventually defeating him. Borgia snatched The Apple from Ezio's hands, and combined it with The Staff to open up the door to The Vault, which had been underneath Rome the whole time. Ezio tried to stop but he was lifted into the air by Borgia and stabbed with a sword, laying on the ground as Borgia escaped into the Vault. Ezio eventually found the Vault, with Borgia furiously pounding the door to the inner chambers. Ezio dropped down into the pit where Borgia was, and challenged him to an unarmed battle. Borgia accepted and the two have one last battle. During the battle, Borgia stated that he never believed in The Bible or in God, and only became Pope to get the Staff and access to the Vault, wanting to unify Italy under the Templar rule. Ezio defeated Borgia but refrained from killing him, saying that killing him will not bring back his family, leaving him alone in the Vault.

===''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''===

Soon after, he heard of [[Christoffa Corombo]]'s plans to sail west and arranged a meeting with him. Christoffa's right hand man [[Luis Santangel]] warned him that it was a trap, but Christoffa wouldn't listen. It was indeed a trap and Borgia ordered his men to give him proof of Christoffa's death.

== Final Words ==
(First assassination attempt by Ezio)

'''Ezio:''' I thought...I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much...''Requiescat in Pace, (Rest in Peace) '''''you bastard!'''

'''Rodrigo:''' I don't think so!

(Second "death scene" with Rodrigo)

'''Rodrigo:''' You can't! You can't! It's MY destiny! MINE! I am the prophet!

'''Ezio:''' You never were...

'''Rodrigo:''' Get it over with then.

'''Ezio''': No. Killing you won't bring my family back...I'm done. ''Nulla a reale, tutto a lectio. Requiescat in Pace.'' (Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace.)

==Trivia==

[[File:Blason_famille_it_Borgia01_svg.png|thumb|Coart of arms of the Borgias. Can be seen on Borgia's personal guards (in black with red strip outfit) with slightly different colors.]]
*As Ezio enters the Sistine Chapel to assassinate Borgia, he is proclaiming the Nicene Creed to the congregation. It is befitting and dramatic irony that he is assassinated as he proclaims this, as the Nicene Creed confesses the wholeness of the Christian doctrine, which Borgia later states in the final battle that he does not believe in.
* Although Ezio did not kill Borgia, he is listed as dead in the Animus' Conspirator Web after the player completes the game and reenters the Animus.  This may be due to Ezio simply listing off Rodrigo as a target.
* While it is known that Rodrigo would go on to have the most debauched bloody papacy in human history what occurs between of him and Ezio is completely unknown as Rodrigo dies of a fever 4 years later in 1503 leaving ample time to wage a sizeable campaign against the Assassins himself.
* Throughout the entire game, Rodrigo is always wearing something that covers his head. Not once is he without a hat or a hood.
* Rodrigo's cloak from before his rise to Pope resembles Al Mualim's robe from [[Assassin's Creed]].
* Rodrigo is the only assassination target Ezio has had to fight repeatedly as well as the only one he ever spared.

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:Rodrigolineage.png|Borgia's appearance in Assassin's Creed: Lineage.
Image:Rodrigo acii.png|Borgia's appearance in Assassin's Creed II.
</gallery>

[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Rodrigo Borgia 3/9|thumb|400px|left|Database entry.]]

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Templars|Borgia, Rodrigo]]

Carlo Grimaldi

2010-01-05T01:25:18Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{Character Infobox
|name = Carlo Grimaldi
|image = Zw-carlogrimaldi.png
|imgdesc = Carlo Grimaldi in the Animus Database
|faction = [[Templars]]
|appear = [[Assassin's Creed II]]
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th century)
|voice = Roc LaFortune
}}

[[File:Carlogrimaldi.png|thumb|left|Carlo in Venice.]]Carlo Grimaldi (1445-1485) was a Templar and a government official. He was close to Doge Mocenigo of Venice and plotted to kill him. He was also a member of the Council Of Ten.

Carlo craved political power, and knew the Doge of Venice very well. Emerging from his palace in Monaco he used this to his advantage, and had heard that the Doge's daughter was in love with a servant but her father would not allow it. Carlo told them to escape on a boat that very night. When they arrived at the boat, they found Carlo waiting for them with a few guards and the Doge himself. The servant was killed and the Doge trusted Carlo enough to allow him into the Council Of Ten.

Carlo is first seen meeting with [[Emilio Barbarigo]] and informing him of Ezio's arrival in Venice. He leaves just before Emilio is assassinated. He is next seen in Venice meeting with [[Marco Barbarigo]], [[Dante Moro]], [[Silvio Barbarigo]], and Rodrigo Borgia as they plot to poison the Doge so Marco can replace him.

Carlo is later encountered in the Palazzo Ducale(Doge's palace), prior to Ezio's arrival via Leonardo's Flying Machine, where he is playing chess with the Doge after hearing a commotion outside the Palace. Ezio rushes in only to realize that it was too late, the Doge has been poisoned. Carlo blames Ezio and alerts the guards for his death as he runs out of the room. Ezio pursues him and assassinates him in the courtyard.

== Final Words ==
'''Ezio:''' It takes one Assassin to kill another, it seems.

'''Carlo:''' We kill thinking it's best for us, do we not, Messer Ezio?

'''Ezio:''' I do this not for myself. ''Compio questo sacrificio per il bene superiore''. (I make this sacrifice for the greater good.) ''Requiescat in Pace''. (Rest in peace)

==Video==
[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Carlo Grimaldi 5/9|thumb|300px|left|]]

==Trivia==
*The fictional character Carlo comes from the real [[wikipedia:House of Grimaldi|House of Grimaldi]] which still rules over Monaco today.
*According to the Animus database's filter, Carlo is not a Templar (while ploting with them). However, when viewing the portraits of Ezio's victims in his room of the Villa Auditore, Carlo's portrait says he IS a Templar.
*Carlo's death was featured in the E3 demo, but greatly differed from the one in the released game. Carlo's assassination was during Carnevale, instead of Marco Barbarigo's assassination. The death of Doge of Venice was also excluded and an extra scene with Carlo and a guard was added; the guard running to Carlo, screaming about Ezio's flying machine, with Carlo replying, "Coward! The Devil is not the one you need to fear," before stabbing the guard in the chest, "Tell him hello for me! I know you're here assassin!"

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets|Grimaldi, Carlo]]
[[Category:Templars|Grimaldi, Carlo]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-03T01:27:35Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence supposedly disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After Altaïr took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==
[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins
(!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam/Eve, Abel, Cain, Al Mualim(A)(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon(T), Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Kahn(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even ressurect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples could have stolen it back and used it to ressurect "The Messiah." The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact. Altaïr mentions a Golden Fleece in a codex page concerning his set of armor, suggesting he had woven it into his armor. This could very well be possible, as he had access to the locations of the Pieces of Eden.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Joseph, David, Jesus, Altaïr(A) possibly Ezio(A)

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusunagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capital building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*The Galapagos Islands[[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Hindu Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back.
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the Sistine Chapel, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.
*In the movie 10,000 B.C., the hero D'Leh, wields the "White Spear" which bears an uncanny resemblence to the Staff (only white and made of wood)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-02T05:11:27Z

66.188.86.37:

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence essentially disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After Altaïr took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==
[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins
(!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam/Eve, Abel, Cain, Al Mualim(A)(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon(T), Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Kahn(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possible function is to heal any ailment, wound, or even ressurect the dead. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples could have stolen it back and used it to ressurect "The Messiah." The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact. Altaïr mentions a Golden Fleece in a codex page concerning his set of armor, suggesting he had woven it into his armor. This could very well be possible, as he had access to the locations of the Pieces of Eden.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Joseph, David, Jesus, Altaïr(A).

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusunagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capital building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*The Galapagos Islands[[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Hindu Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

One of the Pieces of Eden, the Shroud, is said to be able to resurrect those from death. So it may be interesting to see if Desmond and the Assassins use it in a way to resurrect the great Assassins from Ezio's villa.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back.
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the chapel Sixtine, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2010-01-02T05:09:32Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */ Jesus did possess the Shroud. The Templars had him crucified so they could steal it, as shown in the glyphs.

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

==Characteristics==
It is believed by the staff of [[Abstergo Industries]] and the [[Templar]]s that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence essentially disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The [[Masyaf]] Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.

[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]
After Altaïr took control of the [[Assassins]], their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "[[The Truth|Truth]]" files left by [[Subject 16]]. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==
[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to [[Desmond Miles]] and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation. A possible idea is that natural evolution disposed of this in an effort to make humans more suitable independently, rather than being solely reliant on their masters for food and shelter. This is could also be explained by another truth file from subject 16 "Bloodlines" which shows that Altair and Ezio gained their powers from a mixed bloodline where normal humans bred with Those Who Came Before.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==
(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins
(!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam/Eve, Abel, Cain, Al Mualim(A)(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon(T), Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Kahn(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possibly allowed the resurrection of the dead, able to heal any ailment. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples. The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact. Altaïr mentions a Golden Fleece in a codex page concerning his set of armor, suggesting he had woven it into his armor. This could very well be possible, as he had access to the locations of the Pieces of Eden.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Joseph, David, Jesus, Altaïr(A).

== Locations of the Artifacts ==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but a different one may have been destroyed in a satellite incident and the staff was destroyed. Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are losing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali (center of the Mali Empire and of Saharan trade)
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine (First capital of Soviet Ukraine, site of WWII battles)
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar or somewhere in Toamasina Province
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of Japan, the Kusunagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence.)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia, possibly Augrabies National Park.
#Kuwait or more likely Al Basrah, Iraq, which has been claimed to be the location of the Garden of Eden
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi, could also be Varanasi, a holy place
#Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (This is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin.)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú - site of the Nazca Lines (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland, could be Snaefellsjokull Volcano
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)or around King William Island
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city, possibly the Grand Canyon (supposedly near Phoenix is the Superstition Mountains, which is supposedly home to the Lost Dutchman's Mine, a gold mine that is supposedly tremendously rich)
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capital building, although there are probably many others)
#Juneau, Alaska
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua Province, Indonesia
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean, near the Pitcairn Islands or possibly even Easter Island
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W (possibly related to Cthulthu or the underwater bloop sound recorded in the area in 1997)
#The middle of the northern Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic, somewhere east of South Georgia Island
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia, near Ile Amsterdam
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antarctic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean, around French Southern and Antarctic Lands
#Archangel, Russia
#Imperatriz, Brazil, south of Belem
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina or possibly Cordoba
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia or near Brisbane
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia (possibly Lake Toba)
#Beijing, China
#Somewhere in the Altai Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia, near Lake Elgygytgyn
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia near the Lena river delta

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==
These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armor with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although apocryphally the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*The Galapagos Islands[[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it would be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands. Possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands Lofoten, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia. (Possibly Borobudur Temple, the largest Hindu Temple in the world)
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satellite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernible from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was received through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

One of the Pieces of Eden, the Shroud, is said to be able to resurrect those from death. So it may be interesting to see if Desmond and the Assassins use it in a way to resurrect the great Assassins from Ezio's villa.

== Trivia ==
*Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
**The Greek Myth of Perseus.
**King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.
*It is interesting and odd that [[Ezio]] always has the Apple of Eden with him in the final memory of ''Assassin's Creed 2''. Even though [[Rodrigo Borgia]] took the Apple from him in the first battle and put it in the Staff, it is still seen on his belt and he has it while talking to [[Minerva]], despite never taking it back.
*During the battle against Rodrigo in the chapel Sixtine, Ezio creates "clones" much like Al Mualim did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], the other Ezio will be dyed with different colors and equipped with armors whereas when he is not customized at all, Ezio's clones will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Isu

2010-01-02T05:07:37Z

66.188.86.37: /* Characteristics */

{{spoilerhd}}
[[File:Zw-Minerva-3.png|thumb|250px|[[Minerva]] is the only known representative of "Those Who Came Before"]]

"Those Who Came Before" is the name of an ancient, and incredibly advanced race of beings who created the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], as well as humanity itself. Exactly who they were, how long ago, or how they came to die out is still largely unknown. It is believed is that they were worshiped by ancient cultures, for example, in ancient Greece, they were revered as Gods. The woman known as [[Minerva]] said they were not gods, but a race more advanced in time who "simply came before".

==Domination of Humans==

Minerva revealed that at some point; her kind created humanity, possibly as some sort of slave race as shown in [[The Truth]] video. In the recorded [[The Truth|memory]], [[Those Who Came Before]] appear to have enslaved humans into doing their bidding through the hypnotic power of the [[Piece of Eden|Apples]]. Despite their attempts at mind control, [[The Truth]] video shows how [[Adam and Eve]] stole one of the mythical fruits of the tree of knowledge described in the Bible. It is possible that this was an attempt to free mankind from the oppression of their masters.

According to [[Minerva]], humans and her species had lived peacefully for some time, however, humans were not treated equally. Mankind is likely to have to been regarded as cattle or slaves, prompting some humans to rebel against their masters. Somehow [[Adam and Eve]] had a resistance to the [[Piece of Eden]], which most likely controlled them.

==Past Events==

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|350px|A frame from [[The Truth]] video, showing "Those Who Came Before" using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans]]

While the ancient race was more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers. Minerva stated that both sides craved war, but they were so preoccupied with their fighting; an impending danger was approaching from the "heavens". [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] hypothesize that this "danger" could have been a massive solar flare which would have had a catastrophic impact on the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity, and making the planet geologically unstable. The geomagnetic reversal of Earth's poles is a possible cause of the destruction, however, it is a natural phenomenon which has occurred multiple times over Earth's history, the last of which was 780,000 years ago.

Despite the unknown cause of destruction, humanity and the ancient race survived. As Minerva said, "We built you in our image, we built you to survive", she confirms that Those Who Came Before altered the skeletal structure of the hominid form they found on Earth to match their own, as seen in one of the [[Glyph|glyph puzzles]]. While both races still existed, they suffered dwindling numbers, and had to rebuild their lives. As the Earth and mankind worked to recover, the race "endeavored to ensure that this tragedy would not be repeated". This lead to the creation of the temples, such as [[The Vault]] in [[Rome]], which were built by "those who learned to turn away from war".

==Characteristics==

Those Who Came Before appear to be all the Gods that have ever existed. As seen with the [[Monteriggioni]] statues, Minerva has connections with the Roman gods. Her kind is very similar to Sumerian' gods, who share a comparable theory of creation. Furthermore, Minerva also showed an ancient Egyptian picture of the people rebelling against the Egyptian gods, but still labels the Egyptian gods as "us". It can at least be established that by Ezio's time, the race was effectively extinct - [[Minerva]] states that she is the last of her kind.

"Those Who Came Before" seem to posses some form of precognition, or ability to predict future events. This is shown when [[Minerva]] told [[Ezio]] that he was simply a conduit, and she spoke directly to [[Desmond]], showing she knew that he would receive the message by viewing it through [[Ezio]] in the [[Animus]].

Interestingly, [[Minerva]] is one of the 8 statuettes you can collect in [[Monteriggioni]]. As Minerva is one of "Those Who Came Before', the other statuettes could be as well. The figures depicted by the statuettes are Neptune and Pluto, Jupiter and Minerva, Dianna and Apollo, and Mars and Venus. It is also worth noting that they are all Roman mythological Gods - perhaps this means that they are remnants of "Those Who Came Before" and survivors of the cataclysmic event described by Minerva, or that they were the ones that helped humans build the temples that she mentioned.

It is also quite possible that every other deity, from every other religion and mythology, were also Those Who Came Before. And with Minerva's comment about how they were not "gods" but merely "came before" seems to hint that there was/is a "Creator" who came even before them. It is quite possible Assassin's Creed 3 will finally answer whether their is a "Divine Architect" or not.

==Genetic History==

Also in [[the Truth]] file, "Bloodlines", the player must highlight all of the painting of Gods who have had children with Humans, with the heading, "Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!'. This could mean that at some point in time, the humans and the "Gods" (Those Who Came Before) had children with humans. The Assassins who posses special abilities (such as [[Eagle Vision]]) are evidence of this relationship - this would explain why [[Subject 16]] says: "Why do we have these gifts? Because it's in our blood!". So it could be hypothosized that mythical heroes and demigods, such as Heracles and Odysseus, were the offspring of a mortal and Those Who Came Before, and were possibly assassins as well.  

Since Desmond and Subject 16 are both born assassins and that Altaïr, Ezio and Desmond have [[Eagle Vision]] this may prove that they are related to Those Who Came Before, and that the Eagle vision was passed on through their bloodline. This heritage could also explain the resistance to [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], and how [[The Vault|the Vault]] recognized [[Ezio]] as the prophet, and not [[Rodrigo Borgia]].

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Factions]]

Isu

2010-01-02T05:00:50Z

66.188.86.37: /* Genetic History */

{{spoilerhd}}
[[File:Zw-Minerva-3.png|thumb|250px|[[Minerva]] is the only known representative of "Those Who Came Before"]]

"Those Who Came Before" is the name of an ancient, and incredibly advanced race of beings who created the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], as well as humanity itself. Exactly who they were, how long ago, or how they came to die out is still largely unknown. It is believed is that they were worshiped by ancient cultures, for example, in ancient Greece, they were revered as Gods. The woman known as [[Minerva]] said they were not gods, but a race more advanced in time who "simply came before".

==Domination of Humans==

Minerva revealed that at some point; her kind created humanity, possibly as some sort of slave race as shown in [[The Truth]] video. In the recorded [[The Truth|memory]], [[Those Who Came Before]] appear to have enslaved humans into doing their bidding through the hypnotic power of the [[Piece of Eden|Apples]]. Despite their attempts at mind control, [[The Truth]] video shows how [[Adam and Eve]] stole one of the mythical fruits of the tree of knowledge described in the Bible. It is possible that this was an attempt to free mankind from the oppression of their masters.

According to [[Minerva]], humans and her species had lived peacefully for some time, however, humans were not treated equally. Mankind is likely to have to been regarded as cattle or slaves, prompting some humans to rebel against their masters. Somehow [[Adam and Eve]] had a resistance to the [[Piece of Eden]], which most likely controlled them.

==Past Events==

[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|350px|A frame from [[The Truth]] video, showing "Those Who Came Before" using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans]]

While the ancient race was more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers. Minerva stated that both sides craved war, but they were so preoccupied with their fighting; an impending danger was approaching from the "heavens". [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] hypothesize that this "danger" could have been a massive solar flare which would have had a catastrophic impact on the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity, and making the planet geologically unstable. The geomagnetic reversal of Earth's poles is a possible cause of the destruction, however, it is a natural phenomenon which has occurred multiple times over Earth's history, the last of which was 780,000 years ago.

Despite the unknown cause of destruction, humanity and the ancient race survived. As Minerva said, "We built you in our image, we built you to survive", she confirms that Those Who Came Before altered the skeletal structure of the hominid form they found on Earth to match their own, as seen in one of the [[Glyph|glyph puzzles]]. While both races still existed, they suffered dwindling numbers, and had to rebuild their lives. As the Earth and mankind worked to recover, the race "endeavored to ensure that this tragedy would not be repeated". This lead to the creation of the temples, such as [[The Vault]] in [[Rome]], which were built by "those who learned to turn away from war".

==Characteristics==

Those Who Came Before appear to be all the Gods that have ever existed. As seen with the [[Monteriggioni]] statues, Minerva has connections with the Roman gods. Her kind is very similar to Sumerian' gods, who share a comparable theory of creation. Furthermore, Minerva also showed an ancient Egyptian picture of the people rebelling against the Egyptian gods, but still labels the Egyptian gods as "us". It can at least be established that by Ezio's time, the race was effectively extinct - [[Minerva]] states that she is the last of her kind.

"Those Who Came Before" seem to posses some form of precognition, or ability to predict future events. This is shown when [[Minerva]] told [[Ezio]] that he was simply a conduit, and she spoke directly to [[Desmond]], showing she knew that he would receive the message by viewing it through [[Ezio]] in the [[Animus]].

Interestingly, [[Minerva]] is one of the 8 statuettes you can collect in [[Monteriggioni]]. As Minerva is one of "Those Who Came Before', the other statuettes could be as well. The figures depicted by the statuettes are Neptune and Pluto, Jupiter and Minerva, Dianna and Apollo, and Mars and Venus. It is also worth noting that they are all Roman mythological Gods - perhaps this means that they are remnants of "Those Who Came Before" and survivors of the cataclysmic event described by Minerva, or that they were the ones that helped humans build the temples that she mentioned.

==Genetic History==

Also in [[the Truth]] file, "Bloodlines", the player must highlight all of the painting of Gods who have had children with Humans, with the heading, "Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!'. This could mean that at some point in time, the humans and the "Gods" (Those Who Came Before) had children with humans. The Assassins who posses special abilities (such as [[Eagle Vision]]) are evidence of this relationship - this would explain why [[Subject 16]] says: "Why do we have these gifts? Because it's in our blood!". So it could be hypothosized that mythical heroes and demigods, such as Heracles and Odysseus, were the offspring of a mortal and Those Who Came Before, and were possibly assassins as well.  

Since Desmond and Subject 16 are both born assassins and that Altaïr, Ezio and Desmond have [[Eagle Vision]] this may prove that they are related to Those Who Came Before, and that the Eagle vision was passed on through their bloodline. This heritage could also explain the resistance to [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], and how [[The Vault|the Vault]] recognized [[Ezio]] as the prophet, and not [[Rodrigo Borgia]].

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Factions]]

Templars

2010-01-02T04:56:57Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */ Fixed vandalism in article.

{{Good}}

{{WP-REAL|Knights Templar}}

{{Imageneed}}
{{Faction Infobox
|image = Knights.png
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of Cain." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Roman Catholic (officially), Atheist
|location = Throughout the world
|targets = All targets are secretly (or openly) Templars
}}

{{quote
|1 = -Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam (''Latin for "Not to us God, not to us, but to Your Name Give Glory"'') -May the [[Father of Understanding]] guide us
|2 = Mottos of the Templar
}}

The '''Knights Templar''' are the sworn enemies of the [[Assassins]]. They attacked [[Masyaf]] after a failed mission under Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem; and after that, Templars found in the Holy Land will attack [[Altaïr]] on sight. They tend to attack more skilfully and take more hits than normal guards. You can find them in small villages throughout the kingdom, as well as throughout the cities, keenly observing their surroundings of encroaching danger. Templars are battlefield hardened soldiers lending aide to King Richard in the Third Crusade. Their battlefield experience shows in the way they fight. They are warriors in every meaning of the word, extremely skilled in the application of sword combat, and extremely disciplined. Templars should be dealt with while expressing extreme caution and solid battle skills. These soldiers are usually stationary, and on the lookout for the Assassins, their sworn enemies, who they are engaged with in a low-scale war.

==History==
''Orde du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Because the Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded.

According to Subject 16, the Templar Seal is the Mark of Cain. This indicates that the principle ideas of the Templars seems to have existed for much longer.

==Distribution and goals==
[[File:Templar01.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Templar vs Assassin]]
The Templars originally sought peace the Christian way, but with the discovery of the Apples of Eden and their power to manipulate the minds of the masses, that all changed. As all powerful religious and political figures used the pieces to spread their lies, the Templars realized a personal truth: there is no God or Great Power out there, only men with power and those without. They became atheists, with maintaining the pretence and tradition of Roman Catholics to avoid suspicion, retain friends in the Vatican and for personal habit. This new freedom brought a new perception to the Templars. With no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no real obligation to oblige by such morality (this was an easy transition, as most in those violent times ignored the concept of morality anyway). It also ensured that only this life was important, rather than preparing for the next. Without this new view, the corruption of the world shone to them like an ugly light. With so many lower class kept in line with the promise of Heaven and so many upper class blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world, one of peace, no matter the cost. Their main goal during the Crusades was to bring peace to the Holy Land by usurping the rule of Saladin and undermining the efforts of Richard the Lionheart while both were more concerned with fighting each other, but the ways they do it are both ruthless and barbaric. However, they believe that they're doing good. They're trying to control peoples' free will and they will ruthlessly kill anyone who is against them, especially the Assassins, whose leader, Al Mualim, was a member of the Templars, but later chose to betray them by stealing the Piece of Eden for his own purposes. They're also good at manipulation, as they have members in both the Crusader and Saracen armies, allowing themselves to manipulate both Richard the Lionheart and Saladin for their own gain and manipulated the other knight orders like the Hospitalliers, Teutonic Knights and even the Assassins (Hashshashin) via Al Mualim.

==Members==
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (A noble man of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief scholar of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, and a former Templar)
* [[Maria Thorpe]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]] (A rich merchant allied to Basilisk)
* [[Master of the Tower]] (Basilisk's second-in-command, master of the art of killing)
* [[The Master's Student]] (Templar killer)
* [[Harash]] (Al Mualim's second-in-command, traitor who joined Templars)
* [[Frederick The Red]] (Templar regent of Limassol)
* [[Pirate Captain]] (Leader of Cypriot pirates who joined the Order)
* [[Osman]] (Templar knight, secretly a member of Cypriot resistance)
* [[Moloch]] (Templar regent of Kyrenia)
* [[Shalim]] (Armand Bouchart's second-in-command, son of Moloch)
* [[Shahar]] (Shalim's twin brother)
* [[Templar Agent]] (Armand Bouchart's highly trained, stealthy killer)
* [[Isaac Comnenus]] (Former ruler of [[Cyprus]] and keeper of the [[Templar Archive]])
* Anonymous Templar Knights, captains, regular soldiers, members of the order, minor followers

===Renaissance===
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Templar Leader and His Holiness, Pope Alexander VI)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Firenze)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Francesco's son - Ezio's rival)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernado Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Francesco Salviati]] (Archbishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]] (Spanish Conquistador)

===Modern times===
*[[Alan Rikkin]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] CEO)
*[[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
*[[Nancy Nilop]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Jane Birkam]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Audrey Jacobs]] (Alan Rikkin's assistant)
*[[Richard (Modern Times)|Richard]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)

=== Others ===
*[[Cain]]
*[[Xerxes]]
*[[Alexander the Great]]
*[[Qin Shi Huang]]
*[[Atilla the Hun]]
*[[Genghis Khan]]
*[[Cleopatra]]
*[[Caligula]]
*[[Francois Duvalier]]
*[[John Wilkes Booth]]
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]]
*[[Rasputin]]
*[[Josef Stalin]]
*[[Mary I of England]]
*[[Tomas de Torquemada]]
*[[Thomas Edison]]
*[[Henry Ford]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
*Winston Churchill (?)
*Franklin D. Roosevelt (?)
*J. Robert Oppenheimer (?)

== The Historical Templars ==
The Knights Templar were a real Roman Catholic military order who were prominent during the Crusades. They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

== Templar Groups ==
There are groups who act as unofficial divisions of the Templars, unrelated to them publicly but in fact commanded by Templars (some of them through the membership of their leaders and others are part of the Templar Order itself).
*Third Crusade
**[[File:Knights Teutonic Cross.svg|30px]] [[Teutonic]]
**[[File:Hospitalier Crest.svg|30px]] [[Hospitalier]]
*Renaissance
**[[File:Pazziingame.png|30px]] [[Pazzi]]
**[[File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg|30px]] [[Venice|Venice Law enforcement]]
**[[File:442px-Emblem of the Papacy SE svg.png|30px]] [[Papacy]]
**[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01 svg.png|30px]] [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]]
*20th century
**[[File:Ford Motor Company Logo.svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company]]
**[[File:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi Party]]
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
*21th century
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}

{{ACSeries}}

[[Category:Templars| ]]
[[Category:Templars| ]]

Templars

2010-01-02T04:55:30Z

66.188.86.37: /* Renaissance */

{{Good}}

{{WP-REAL|Knights Templar}}

{{Imageneed}}
{{Faction Infobox
|image = Knights.png
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of Cain." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Roman Catholic (officially), Atheist
|location = Throughout the world
|targets = All targets are secretly (or openly) Templars
}}

{{quote
|1 = -Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam (''Latin for "Not to us God, not to us, but to Your Name Give Glory"'') -May the [[Father of Understanding]] guide us
|2 = Mottos of the Templar
}}

The '''Knights Templar''' are the sworn enemies of the [[Assassins]]. They attacked [[Masyaf]] after a failed mission under Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem; and after that, Templars found in the Holy Land will attack [[Altaïr]] on sight. They tend to attack more skilfully and take more hits than normal guards. You can find them in small villages throughout the kingdom, as well as throughout the cities, keenly observing their surroundings of encroaching danger. Templars are battlefield hardened soldiers lending aide to King Richard in the Third Crusade. Their battlefield experience shows in the way they fight. They are warriors in every meaning of the word, extremely skilled in the application of sword combat, and extremely disciplined. Templars should be dealt with while expressing extreme caution and solid battle skills. These soldiers are usually stationary, and on the lookout for the Assassins, their sworn enemies, who they are engaged with in a low-scale war.

==History==
''Orde du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favored charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Because the Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded.

According to Subject 16, the Templar Seal is the Mark of Cain. This indicates that the principle ideas of the Templars seems to have existed for much longer.

==Distribution and goals==
[[File:Templar01.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Templar vs Assassin]]
The Templars originally sought peace the Christian way, but with the discovery of the Apples of Eden and their power to manipulate the minds of the masses, that all changed. As all powerful religious and political figures used the pieces to spread their lies, the Templars realized a personal truth: there is no God or Great Power out there, only men with power and those without. They became atheists, with maintaining the pretence and tradition of Roman Catholics to avoid suspicion, retain friends in the Vatican and for personal habit. This new freedom brought a new perception to the Templars. With no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no real obligation to oblige by such morality (this was an easy transition, as most in those violent times ignored the concept of morality anyway). It also ensured that only this life was important, rather than preparing for the next. Without this new view, the corruption of the world shone to them like an ugly light. With so many lower class kept in line with the promise of Heaven and so many upper class blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world, one of peace, no matter the cost. Their main goal during the Crusades was to bring peace to the Holy Land by usurping the rule of Saladin and undermining the efforts of Richard the Lionheart while both were more concerned with fighting each other, but the ways they do it are both ruthless and barbaric. However, they believe that they're doing good. They're trying to control peoples' free will and they will ruthlessly kill anyone who is against them, especially the Assassins, whose leader, Al Mualim, was a member of the Templars, but later chose to betray them by stealing the Piece of Eden for his own purposes. They're also good at manipulation, as they have members in both the Crusader and Saracen armies, allowing themselves to manipulate both Richard the Lionheart and Saladin for their own gain and manipulated the other knight orders like the Hospitalliers, Teutonic Knights and even the Assassins (Hashshashin) via Al Mualim.

==Members==
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (A noble man of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief scholar of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, and a former Templar)
* [[Maria Thorpe]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Tamir (Altaïr's Chronicles)]] (A rich merchant allied to Basilisk)
* [[Master of the Tower]] (Basilisk's second-in-command, master of the art of killing)
* [[The Master's Student]] (Templar killer)
* [[Harash]] (Al Mualim's second-in-command, traitor who joined Templars)
* [[Frederick The Red]] (Templar regent of Limassol)
* [[Pirate Captain]] (Leader of Cypriot pirates who joined the Order)
* [[Osman]] (Templar knight, secretly a member of Cypriot resistance)
* [[Moloch]] (Templar regent of Kyrenia)
* [[Shalim]] (Armand Bouchart's second-in-command, son of Moloch)
* [[Shahar]] (Shalim's twin brother)
* [[Templar Agent]] (Armand Bouchart's highly trained, stealthy killer)
* [[Isaac Comnenus]] (Former ruler of [[Cyprus]] and keeper of the [[Templar Archive]])
* Anonymous Templar Knights, captains, regular soldiers, members of the order, minor followers

===Renaissance===
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Templar Leader and His Holiness, Pope Alexander VI)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Firenze)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Francesco's son - Ezio's rival)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernado Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Francesco Salviati]] (Archbishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]] (Spanish Conquistador)

===Modern times===
*[[Alan Rikkin]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] CEO)
*[[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
*[[Nancy Nilop]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Jane Birkam]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)
*[[Audrey Jacobs]] (Alan Rikkin's assistant)
*[[Richard (Modern Times)|Richard]] ([[Abstergo Industries]] employee)

=== Others ===
*[[Cain]]
*[[Xerxes]]
*[[Alexander the Great]]
*[[Qin Shi Huang]]
*[[Atilla the Hun]]
*[[Genghis Khan]]
*[[Cleopatra]]
*[[Caligula]]
*[[Francois Duvalier]]
*[[John Wilkes Booth]]
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]]
*[[Rasputin]]
*[[Josef Stalin]]
*[[Mary I of England]]
*[[Tomas de Torquemada]]
*[[Thomas Edison]]
*[[Henry Ford]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
*George H.W. Bush
* George W. Bush

== The Historical Templars ==
The Knights Templar were a real Roman Catholic military order who were prominent during the Crusades. They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

== Templar Groups ==
There are groups who act as unofficial divisions of the Templars, unrelated to them publicly but in fact commanded by Templars (some of them through the membership of their leaders and others are part of the Templar Order itself).
*Third Crusade
**[[File:Knights Teutonic Cross.svg|30px]] [[Teutonic]]
**[[File:Hospitalier Crest.svg|30px]] [[Hospitalier]]
*Renaissance
**[[File:Pazziingame.png|30px]] [[Pazzi]]
**[[File:Flag of Most Serene Republic of Venice.svg|30px]] [[Venice|Venice Law enforcement]]
**[[File:442px-Emblem of the Papacy SE svg.png|30px]] [[Papacy]]
**[[File:Blason famille it Borgia01 svg.png|30px]] [[Rodrigo Borgia|Borgia]]
*20th century
**[[File:Ford Motor Company Logo.svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Ford Motor Company|Ford Motor Company]]
**[[File:Flag of Nazi Germany (1933-1945).svg|30px]] [[wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi Party]]
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]
*21th century
**[[File:Animuslogowhite.svg|30px]] [[Abstergo Industries]]

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}

{{ACSeries}}

[[Category:Templars| ]]
[[Category:Templars| ]]

Father of Understanding

2009-12-31T15:44:22Z

66.188.86.37:

'''The Father of Understanding''', by the Renaissance era, is a being that the [[Templars]] pledge allegiance to and ask for guidance. He is the Templar equivalent of Buddha. The Father of Understanding could be pagan deity, Baphomet. It has been suggested that Baphomet may be derived from the Arabic word ''Abu Fihama'', meaning 'The Father of Understanding'. Furthermore, Baphomet has been the linked to the Knights Templar in reality. In 1307 when King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest and torture of many Templars, the name 'Baphomet' came up in many of the subsequent confessions. Why the Atheistic Templars of the games world would be worshipping a pagan deity, however, is unknown.

The Father of Understanding may also be [[Robert de Sable]], Cain/Master Mahan; the First Templar, or even Those Who Came Before. 

Nikola Tesla

2009-12-30T03:57:51Z

66.188.86.37:

Nikola Tesla (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was an inventor and a mechanical and electrical engineer. He was one of the most important contributors to the birth of commercial electricity and is best known for his many revolutionary developments in the field of electromagnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's patents and theoretical work formed the basis of modern alternating current (AC) electric power systems, including the polyphase system of electrical distribution and the AC motor, with which he helped usher in the Second Industrial Revolution.

In Assassins Creed canon, Tesla was an ally of the [[Assassins]], who wanted him to destroy the Staff using his mastery of electricity. Unfortunately, this resulted to the [http://www.wikipedia.org/wikia/Tunguska_event Tunguska Exposion] which either destroyed the Staff completely, or could have just blasted the Piece of Eden miles away.

Lorenzo de' Medici

2009-12-27T15:23:44Z

66.188.86.37: /* Assassin's Creed II */

{{stub}}

{{WP-REAL}}

{{Character Infobox
|image=Zw-lorenzodemedici.png
|name=Lorenzo de' Medici
|faction=[[Medicis]]
|appear=''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''
|period=Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|voice=[[Alex Ivanovichi]]
}}
'''Lorenzo de' Medici''' (1 January 1449 – 9 April 1492) was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the [[Florence|Florentine Republic]] during the Italian Renaissance. Known as Lorenzo the Magnificent (Lorenzo il Magnifico) by contemporary Florentines, he was a diplomat, politician and patron of scholars, artists, and poets. His life coincided with the high point of the early Italian Renaissance; his death marked the end of the Golden Age of Florence. The fragile peace he helped maintain between the various Italian states collapsed with his death. Lorenzo de' Medici is buried in the Medici Chapel in Florence.

==Biography==
===''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''===
[[File:Vlc 2009-10-28 23-09-16-26.png|thumb|left|Lorenzo hearing the report of Giovanni Auditore.]]
Lorenzo de' Medici is ruling over [[Florence]]. But a conspiracy is going on, trying to overthrow the [[House of Medici|Medicis]] dynasty. Lorenzo hires [[Giovanni Auditore]], an [[Assassin]], to investigate. He brings to him a man of [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who after being tortured reveals the plan of assassinating the Duke of Milan, [[wikipedia:Galeazzo Maria Sforza|Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], a powerful ally of Lorenzo. He then sends Giovanni to Milan in order to prevent the assassination. Unfortunately for him, Giovanni fails, as the assassination attempt proved successful, but retrieved a decoded paper from the thug that lead the assassination.
[[File:Lorenzoingame.jpg|thumb|left|Lorenzo's concept art]]
===''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''===
After Giovanni Auditore's death and the attempted assassination on him by Francesco de Pazzi, Lorenzo hires his son, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]. Ezio works as Lorenzo's personal assassin until Lorenzo dies in 1492.

Lorenzo's death may be portrayed in the story at the beginning of the new level, Bonfire of the Vanities. 

== Trivia ==

*In order to ensure that the player always has the ability to complete all of the side missions, the player is allowed to perform assassination contracts for Lorenzo in memory sequences that take place after Lorenzo's death. The Palazzo Medici side mission which features Lorenzo can be completed after Lorenzo's death as well.

[[File:Ezio and Lorenzo.jpg|thumb|center|400px|Ezio and Lorenzo.]]

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]

Rodrigo Borgia

2009-12-27T15:20:47Z

66.188.86.37:

{{WP-REAL}}

{{Character Infobox
|image=Zw-rodrigoborgia.png
|faction=[[Templars]]
|imgdesc=
|name='''Rodrigo Borgia'''
|meaning=The one who protect (from Greek: ''alexein'' which means repulse, protect, and ''andros'', the man, the warrior)
|alias= Roderic de Borja i Borja (Italian: Rodrigo Borgia), "The Spaniard"
|appear=''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''
|period=Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|voice=[[Manuel Tadros]]
}}
{{quote|He is Rodrigo Borgia; one of the most powerful men in all of Europe, and leader of the Templar Order|Mario Auditore}}
'''Rodrigo Borgia''' (1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503), born '''Roderic Llançol''', later '''Roderic de Borja i Borja''', was the Grand Master of the [[Knights Templar]] during the Renaissance in Italy. He was elected [[wikipedia:Pope|Pope]] from 1492 to 1503 as [[wikipedia:Pope Alexander VI|Alexander VI]]. His enemies called him "'''The Spaniard'''" (due to his Spanish origins) while his Templar followers called him "'''Maestro'''" ("Master" in Italian). He was one of the most controversial of the [[wikipedia:Renaissance|Renaissance]] popes, and his surname (Italianized as ''[[wikipedia:Borgia|Borgia]]'') became a byword for the debased standards of the papacy of that era.

==Biography==
===''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''===
The [[Medicis]] were the ruling family in [[Florence]]. But a conspiracy was being plotted in a attempt to overthrow the powerful [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], and Rodrigo Borgia was at the center of it. One night in 1476, Borgia was on his way to leave Florence with few of his men in the dark streets of the city. Suddenly, [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]], an [[Assassins|assassin]], intercepted him. Borgia fled immediately as the assassin battled his men. Hidden behind a corner, he saw Giviovanni capture one of his men. The prisoner revealed to the plotted assassination of [[wikipedia:Galeazzo Maria Sforza|Galeazzo Maria Sforza]], Duke of Milan and a powerful ally of Lorenzo de' Medici, to Giovanni. Giovanni quickly went to stop the attempt, but arrived too late. Rodrigo and his accomplices' plan had succeeded and Borgia began planning the next move.

Deducing the origin of the Duke of Milan's murderers by looting a [[wikipedia:Ducat|Ducat]] from one of them, Giovanni headed to [[Venice]]. There, he intercepted a message from [[Marco Barbarigo|Marco]] and [[Silvio Barbarigo]] to their master, Rodrigo. After having decoded the letter by [[Uberto Alberti]] and [[Antonio Maffei|Father Maffei]], Giovanni carried the copied message to [[Rome]], in order to discover who is behind the plots. Once arrived in the city, he gave the message to a man. By tailing this one, it appears that the letter travels in various hands before arriving in its final destination: Rodrigo's. Rodrigo headed next to see pope Sixtus IV to obtain a military support in order to conquer Florence.

===''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''===

Later, Rodrigo attended the judgement of Giovanni and two of his sons. He later went to a meeting with the [[wikipedia:Pazzi#The conspiracy|Pazzi]] family and the [[Templars]] in a catacomb under the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.

Borgia was later found in [[Venice]], planning with [[Carlo Grimaldi]] and the Barbarigos to murder the current Doge so that one of them can replace him and take control of Venice. He later appeared to lay claim to the [[Piece of Eden]] the Templars found in Cyprus. [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Giovanni's son, disguised as the carrier of the artifact, attempted to kill Borgia, but Borgia was prepared for the attack. The two began an intense battle against each other, with Ezio emerging as the victor. Realizing he could not defeat Ezio alone, Borgia called in a supply of guards to overwhelm Ezio. Suddenly, many of Ezio's allies appeared, revealing themselves to be assassins. They held off the guards to allow Ezio to re-challenge Borgia, who then escaped from them before Ezio could kill him.

Borgia later became the Pope and travelled to [[Rome]]. Borgia's true intent however, is just to get in the vault that lays under the Vatican, where, according to himself, God rested. Ezio chased him to assassinate him. Ezio snuck into the Vatican and seemingly assassinated Borgia without being seen. After Ezio finished speaking with Borgia he left only to see him rise from the ground and use his Piece of Eden, the Papal Staff, to strike down Ezio and everyone else in the room. However, he was surprised to see that Ezio has not given up his will to stop him, instead he brought out his own Piece of Eden, The Apple. Ezio then summoned four clones of himself to assist him in his battle against Borgia, eventually defeating him. Borgia snatched The Apple from Ezio's hands, and combined it with The Staff to open up the door to The Vault, which had been underneath Rome the whole time. Ezio tried to stop but he was lifted into the air by Borgia and stabbed with a sword, laying on the ground as Borgia escaped into the Vault. Ezio eventually found the Vault, with Borgia furiously pounding the door to the inner chambers. Ezio dropped down into the pit where Borgia was, and challenged him to an unarmed battle. Borgia accepted and the two have one last battle. During the battle, Borgia stated that he never believed in The Bible or in God, and only became Pope to get the Staff and access to the Vault, wanting to unify Italy under the Templar rule. Ezio defeated Borgia but refrained from killing him, saying that killing him will not bring back his family, leaving him alone in the Vault.

===''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''===

Soon after, he heard of [[Christoffa Corombo]]'s plans to sail west and arranged a meeting with him. Christoffa's right hand man [[Luis Santangel]] warned him that it was a trap, but Christoffa wouldn't listen. It was indeed a trap and Borgia ordered his men to give him proof of Christoffa's death.

===[[Battle for Forli]]===

"Battle of Forli" DLC, which takes place during Borgia's reign as Pope, sees his son Cesare Borgia become the main antagonist. In it, he attempts to remove [[Caterina Sforza]] from her ruling position in Forli. In an attempt to fend off Borgia and his invaders, she seeks the aid of the assassin [[Ezio]].

== Final Words ==

{{quote|
'''Ezio''': I thought...I thought I was beyond this. But I'm not. I've waited too long, lost too much...''Requiescat in Pace ''(Rest in Peace), you bastard!

'''Rodrigo''': I don't think so!|First assassination attempt by Ezio.}}

{{quote|
'''Rodrigo''': You can't! You can't! It's MY destiny! MINE! I am the prophet!

'''Ezio''': You never were...

'''Rodrigo''': Get it over with then.

'''Ezio''': No. Killing you won't bring my family back...I'm done. ''Nulla a reale, tutto a lectio. Requiescat in Pace.'' (Nothing is true, everything is permitted. Rest in Peace.)|Second "death scene" with Rodrigo.}}

==Trivia==
[[File:Blason_famille_it_Borgia01_svg.png|thumb|Coart of arms of the Borgias. Can be seen on Borgia's personal guards (in black with red strip outfit) with slightly different colors.]]
*He might be a descendant of [[Al Mualim]] and an ancestor of [[Warren Vidic]], due to their similarities (see [[Warren Vidic#Connection to other antagonists|theory]]).
*As Ezio enters the Sistine Chapel to assassinate Borgia, he is proclaiming the Nicene Creed to the congregation. It is befitting and dramatic irony that he is assassinated as he proclaims this, as the Nicene Creed confesses the wholeness of the Christian doctrine, which Borgia later states in the final battle that he does not believe in.

==Gallery==

<gallery>
Image:Rodrigolineage.png|Borgia's appearance in Assassin's Creed: Lineage.
Image:Rodrigo acii.png|Borgia's appearance in Assassin's Creed II.
</gallery>

[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Rodrigo Borgia 3/9|thumb|400px|left|Database entry.]]

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Characters|Borgia, Rodrigo]]
[[Category:Templars|Borgia, Rodrigo]]

Leila Marino

2009-12-25T03:41:38Z

66.188.86.37: Added possible theory about Leila and Subject 16.

{{Character Infobox
|image=
|imgdesc=
|name= Leila
|arabic=
|alias=
|meaning=
|faction= Unknown
|appear= Never
|period= Modern times (2012) Prior to the events of ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
}}
'''Leila''' is a person who did business with [[Abstergo Industries]] prior to [[Desmond]]'s arrival. She died under mysterious circumstances.

In [[Lucy]]'s emails, she asks [[Vidic]] about Leila a lot. The only explanation she can get is "she killed herself." This hints at the possibility that she either was an [[assassin]] and was silenced by Abstergo. There is also the theory that she and Subject 16 became involved and committed suicide together in order to leave the glyphs written in blood.

{{AC}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Characters]]

Shaun Hastings

2009-12-24T01:37:31Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{Good}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Shaun Hastings
|image = Hastings4-997ad75357.jpg
|imgdesc = The new helper of Desmond: Shaun Hastings
|faction = ''[[Assassins]]''
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|period = 2012
|voice=[[Danny Wallace]]
}}
'''Shaun Hastings''' is a character in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''. He is voiced and modelled after [[Danny Wallace]], the British humourist. He is a historian assisting Desmond by researching and giving him information about the Italian Renaissance. He is a sarcastic nerd character.

Through conversations in Assassin's Creed II, Desmond learns that Shaun was interested in conspiracies from an early age. Though he was unaware of the existence of modern-day [[Templars]] and [[Assassins]], he realised that there was some power-struggle going on. Shaun attempted to tell others about his findings, not realising that the Templars would want to silence him. Fortunately, [[Rebecca Crane]] "rescued" Shaun, and recruited him as an Assassin. This was somewhat unconventional, as Assassins are usually born into the order, as with [[Desmond]]. He also seems to be a very joking character.

[[File:Dan2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Explaining to Desmond about the new location...the Italian Renassiance]]
Shaun is often cynical, condescending and pessimistic. Sometimes he will have little patience to talk to Desmond, other times he will lead off into long conversations. While Shaun's annoyance is usually directed at Desmond, he does insult [[Rebecca]]'s immaturity by saying "the grown-ups are talking now" - even though she may have saved his life. During the modern segments, Shaun says that he enjoys his work researching behind a desk instead of being out in the field. In a contrast to his current job, Shaun claims that he has killed before, and it is likely that he will kill again. This other side to Shaun's personality is also shown when he explains that he would like to sit in the Animus and perform Desmond's role.

==Trivia==
* [[Danny Wallace]], the voice of the character, was contacted by Ubisoft when he went to the [[wikipedia:British Academy Video Games Awards|BAFTA video game awards]] with a friend. He was e-mailed and asked if he would like to be a character in an unknown video game which he accepted. The game turned out to be ''Assassin's Creed II''.
* Shaun does not seem to like Desmond very much, and constantly insults him. Shorty after he is first introduced in the game, Desmond insults him following an argument.
* Shaun affirms he also provides tactical support for the Assassins on the field.
* In one conversation with Desmond, Shaun tells him that he has his own special type of ability, which allows him to "see" information and decode it more easily. He compares it to Desmond's Eagle Vision, only more "usefull" in his opinion.

==Interviews==
[[Video:Danny Wallace interview #1|300px|left]]
[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 Danny Wallace interview #2|300px|left]]

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Hastings, Shaun]]
[[Category:Assassins|Hastings, Shaun]]

Venice

2009-12-19T00:11:38Z

66.188.86.37:

{{WP-REAL}}
{{Location Infobox
|image = Venisegrandcanal.jpg
|icon =
|heldby = The Most Serene Republic of Venice
|factions = [[Knights Templar|House of Borgia]]
|targets = [[Emilio Barbarigo]] [[Carlo Grimaldi]] [[Marco Barbarigo]] [[Silvio Barbarigo]] [[Dante Moro]]
|flags =
|seenin = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
}}
'''Venice''' is a [[Assassin's Creed II Locations|location]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''. It is also the biggest city in [[Assassin's Creed II]] with 5 districts.

== History ==

{{Main|wikipedia:History of the Republic of Venice}}
{{Main|wikipedia:Venice#History}}
During the 15th century, Venice was a part of a republic: The '''Most Serene Republic of Venice''' ([[wikipedia:Venetian language|Venetian]]: ''(Serenìsima) Repùblica Vèneta'' or ''Repùblica de Venesia'', [[wikipedia:Italian language|Italian]]: ''Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia'') or '''Venetian Republic''', often referred to as ''La Serenissima'', in reference to its title in Venetian. The republic itself extended to a part of the Northeastern Italy and the coasts of the Adriatic Sea.

Venice was formed from the refugees from the Hunnic and Germanic invasion of Padua, Aquileia, and Altino. Since, Venice became a major trade and naval power in not just Italy, but all of Europe. The city soon became the new battleground of the war between the Assassins and Templars.

== Assassination Targets ==

*[[Emilio Barbarigo]]; Corrupt Merchant of Venice (DNA Sequence 7)

*[[Carlo Grimaldi]]; Member of the Council of Ten (DNA Sequence 8)

*[[Marco Barbarigo]]; Doge of Venice (DNA Sequence 9)

*[[Silvio Barbarigo]]; Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice (DNA Sequence 10)

*[[Dante Moro]]; Personal Bodyguard of Marco Barbarigo (DNA Sequence 10)

== Landmarks ==

''Assassin's Creed II'' follow its original trademark of using famous real-life landmarks. But instead of the marvels of the Holy Land, ''Assassin's Creed II'' features landmarks such as Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Basillica, the Grand Canal, the Little Canal, and Rialto Bridge.

The Carnival of Venice is also featured in the game, altering the environment into a more festive atmosphere. Jesters and other performers and entertainers as well dancing is added into the city during the Carnival after you reach the memory.

== Trivia ==

*Even after the events of Carnevale, the citizens will continue to celebrate it for the remainder of the game, albeit without fireworks.

== Gallery ==

<center> <gallery>
File:Acwikivenice01.png|Ezio on the Rialto Bridge looking at the Grand Canal
File:Acwikivenice02.jpg|Piazza San Marco, the principal square of Venice
File:Saint marks basilica.png|Saint Mark's Basilica, principally used as the 'chapel' for the Venetian rulers
File:Grandcanal conceptart.png|The Grand Canal, concept art during the Venetian Masquerade Carnival
File:Sneakattack from haystack.jpg|Ezio silently takes out a guard
</gallery> </center>

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Locations]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II: Discovery Locations]]

Carlo Grimaldi

2009-12-19T00:05:02Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{Character Infobox
|name = Carlo Grimaldi
|image = Zw-carlogrimaldi.png
|imgdesc = Carlo Grimaldi in the Animus Database
|faction = [[Templars]]
|appear = [[Assassin's Creed II]]
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th century)
}}

[[File:Carlogrimaldi.png|thumb|left|Carlo in Venice.]]Carlo Grimaldi was a Templar and a government official. He was close to Doge Mocenigo of Venice and plotted to kill him. He was also a member of the Council Of Ten.

Carlo craved political power, and knew the Doge of Venice. He used this to his advantage, and had heard that the Doge's daughter wanted to be with a servant but her father would not allow it. Carlo told them to escape on a boat that very night. When they arrived at the boat, they found Carlo waiting for them with a few guards and the Doge himself. The servant was killed and the Doge trusted Carlo enough to allow him into the Council Of Ten.

Carlo is first seen meeting with [[Emilio Barbarigo]] and informing him of Ezio's arrival in Venice. He leaves just before Emilio is assassinated. He is next seen in Venice meeting with [[Marco Barbarigo]], [[Dante Moro]] and [[Silvio Barbarigo]]. They plot to poison the Doge so one of them can replace him.

Carlo is encountered in the Doge's palace, prior to Ezio's arrival via Leonardo's Flying Machine, where he is playing chess with the Doge after hearing a commotion outside the Palace. Ezio rushes in only to realize that it was too late, the Doge has been poisoned. Carlo blames Ezio and alerts the guards for his death as he runs out of the room. Ezio pursues him and assassinates him in the courtyard.

== Final Words ==
'''Ezio:''' It takes one Assassin to kill another, it seems.

'''Carlo:''' We kill thinking it's best for us, do we not, Messer Ezio?

'''Ezio:''' I do this not for myself. ''Compio questo sacrificio per il bene superiore''. (I make this sacrifice for the greater good.) ''Requiescat in Pace''. (Rest in peace)

==Video==
[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Targets: Carlo Grimaldi 5/9|thumb|300px|left|]]

==Trivia==
*The fictionnal character Carlo comes from the real [[wikipedia:House of Grimaldi|House of Grimaldi]] which still rules over Monaco today.

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Assassination Targets]]
[[Category:Templars|Grimaldi, Carlo]]

Ezio Auditore da Firenze

2009-12-19T00:00:42Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{spoilerhd}}
{{FAimp}}
{{Good}}

{{Character Infobox
|name =Ezio Auditore da Firenze
|status =Alive
|image =Ezio.jpg|250|
|imgdesc =Full Portrait of Ezio with his Hidden Blades revealed.
|faction =[[Assassins]]
|appear =''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'', ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|period =Italian Renaissance (15th Century)
|voice =[[Roger Craig Smith]]
}} {{quote
|1 = Nulla è reale, tutto è lecito.
|2 = Nothing is true, everything is permitted.
}} '''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''' (1459 - ?) is the protagonist of ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''. He is an ancestor of [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]] and a descendant of [[Altaïr]], as well as being the latest known link between the lineages of Subject 16 and that of Desmond.

==Character Biography==
=== ''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]'' ===

[[File:Eziolineagechess.png|thumb|left|Ezio portrayed by [[wikipedia:Devon Bostick|Devon Bostick]].]]
'''Ezio Auditore da Firenze''', is a young member of the Florentine Nobility and the second son of [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]], an [[Assassin]]. He is ignorant to his father's true profession, and his hereditary duties. He has slight skills at playing chess, and he is "learning fast" according to his mother (though he lost against his older brother, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]]).

=== ''[[Assassin's Creed II|Plot]]'' ===

Ezio Auditore da Firenze's story begins moments after he exits the womb of his mother, [[Maria Auditore]]. Originally it seemed like Ezio was a stillborn, but after his father arrives the newborn begins to move his limbs and cry. Giovanni Auditore, his father, welcomes Ezio into the world and bestows his name upon him. We rejoin Ezio years later during a rousing pre-fight speech, addressing his friends. Ezio is holding one side of a bridge against [[Vieri Di Pazzi]] and his men, whom insult the [http:///index.php?title=House_of_Auditore&action=edit&redlink=1 House of Auditore], and Ezio's mother and father personally. Reprimanded gently by his elder brother, Federico and his father, Ezio becomes more involved with his family's affairs. He would then sleep with [[Cristina Vespucci]] that night. His father, Giovanni, and another man, [[Uberto Alberti]] are discussing secret matters that Ezio can't make sense of, but seem urgent. Eventually, guards raid Plazzo Auditore and arrest Giovanni, Federico, and Petruccio, leaving just Maria and Claudia at the home. Ezio delivers evidence that can prove his family's innocence to Uberto, who promises to defend them at the hearing. But it turns out Uberto is a traitor who destroyed the evidence and sentenced the three Auditore men to death. Swearing vengeance, Ezio has to hide his mother and sister and learn the ways of the Assassin. He is first taught stealth by Paola of the [[:File:Zw-ezio-altair-statue-2.png|Courtesans]], mainly in survival in the streets. After assassinating Uberto, apparently a city official in charge of the law, Ezio balances his life between assassinations and protecting his sister and mother, who refuses to speak after Ezio's father and brothers were murdered. Now wanted in Florence, Ezio has to flee Florence to Tuscany with his family to the Auditore villa. He meets up with Uncle Mario, whose mercenaries save his family from an attack by Vieri and his men. He is taught basic combat, by his [[Mario Auditore da Firenze|Uncle Mario]], of the [[Mercenary]] faction and agrees to continue his father's work as an Assassin.

For the next 23 years, Ezio works as an Assassin, killing off the Templars responsible for the murder of his father and brothers. Rodrigo Borgia, the leader of the Templars, starts to become aware of his movements, and attempts to safeguard the other Templars. However, all of them die by Ezio's hands. Two of Ezio's last targets, Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, reveal that he and the rest of the Templars were going to sail away. When Ezio asks Silvio where they were planning to sail to, Silvio refuses and dies. Dante Moro reveals that they were planning to sail to Cyprus and was going to tell Ezio why, but he dies before he can finish his statement. Later on, Leonardo da Vinci informs Ezio that one of the Codex Pages reveal that only the Prophet can open the Vault. Ezio finally learns that Rodrigo Borgia arrived at Venice and was receiving a package from Cyprus. He believed that Rodrigo was expecting the arrival from the prophet and tries to find a way to infiltrate and prove Rodrigo wrong. Ezio assassinates the deliverer and dresses in his armor. He is able to infiltrate the delivery, and told Rodrigo that the Prophet does not exist. Rodrigo laughs and tells Ezio that he, Rodrigo Borgia, was the prophet. Ezio fights Rodrigo and many other guards for the package. All of Ezio's past allies arrive and reveal that they are Assassins as well. After defeating Borgia, he flees the area and the Assassins tell Ezio that Rodrigo is not the prophet, but that Ezio may be the prophet. Ezio is officially initiated into the Assassins Order that night.

At the end of the game, Ezio travels to Rome to assassinate Rodrigo Borgia, who has now become the Pope, the most powerful man in all of Italy, if not all of Europe. Ezio traverses through the walls and towers of Rome and eventually reaches the Sistine Chapel, where he seemingly assassinates Borgia without being seen. To Ezio's suprise, Borgia arises with the Staff and attempts to kill Ezio and everyone else in the chapel with the Staff. Ezio had the Apple, and was able to resist the Staff's power. A surprised Borgia taunts Ezio and challenges him to a duel. Summoning four clones, Ezio duels Borgia. It appears that Ezio defeats Borgia, but Borgia uses the Staff to turn himself invisible and takes the Apple from Ezio. Borgia then lifts Ezio in the air with the Staff and stabs him, but Ezio was able to survive and using his Eagle Vision, he finds and faces Borgia one last time. The two fist fight, and Ezio emerges victorious, and uses the Staff and the Apple to access the Vault. Inside the Vault, he is greeted by a 'goddess' who identifies herself as Minerva. She explains to Ezio the true history of humanity and her race and warns that humanity is 'due for a second round'. Strangely though, she seems to be talking to another person, even though only Ezio is in the room. When Ezio asks her this, she admits that she does not wish to speak to Ezio but through him, as he is the Prophet. At the end of her speech, she says, "The rest is up to you... Desmond." A confused Ezio demands to know who Desmond is, but Minerva disappears and Ezio's story ends there.

===Assassin's Creed II: Discovery===
Sometime in late 1491, [[Antonio]] asks Ezio to pay him a visit. When Ezio arrives, Antonio is accompanied by man named [[Luis Santangel]]. Luis asks if Ezio will protect his friend, [[Christoffa Corombo]] (Christopher Columbus), who is currently on his way to meeting with Rodrigo Borgia. Seeing this an opportunity to kill Borgia himself, Ezio agrees. But Borgia is a no-show and has sent one of his own agents to the meeting to murder Christoffa. Ezio halts the attack just in time and is quickly entangled in a Templar plot to steal a mysterious atlas from Christoffa. With this atlas the Templars hope to establish a secret trade route to the Orient ... or so their cover story goes. Ezio travels to Spain to find out the Templars' new plans and to rescue a number of Assassins imprisoned by the Inquisition.

== Background ==
[[File:QuickTimePlayer 2009-09-25 19-22-34-26.png|thumb|left|286px|Young Ezio being approached by a guard (a Brute) after protesting at his fathers and brothers execution.]]

Ezio is a young [[Florence |Florentine]] nobleman who lives during the 15th and 16th century. Unlike Altaïr, he is a seducer, and easily blends with any social class. He comes from an affluent background and has many friends until a life-changing event, wherein he and his family are betrayed, victims of a conspiracy that takes his [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|father]]'s, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|elder brother]]'s, and[[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze| younger brother's]] lives. Forced to protect his [[Maria de' Mozzi |mother]] and his [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze |sister Claudia]], his remaining family, he becomes an [[Assassin]], exacting vengeance on the conspirators who betrayed his family, his first victim, the [[Uberto Alberti |one who sentenced his father's and brothers' public execution]], [[Uberto Alberti]]. From that day on, Ezio and the rest of the Auditore family are considered criminals and traitors, and he flees Florence to the safety of his [[Auditore Family Villa |ancestral home]] in the Tuscan countryside. Ezio is helped not only by his uncle [[Mario Auditore da Firenze|Mario]], but also Leonardo da Vinci, who becomes his best friend and his personal engineer, as well as [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], [[Lorenzo the Magnificent |Lorenzo de' Medici]] and other famous Renaissance figures.

[[File:Ezio and Lorenzo.jpg|thumb|Ezio conversing with Lorenzo de Medici]]
Ezio will travel across Italy to various locations like [[Venice]], [[Tuscany]] and [[Rome]]. In ''Assassin's Creed II'', all players will live approximately 23 years of his life from when he was 17 years old (a Novice), to 40 years old (a Master Assassin), or 1476 to 1499.

After he returns from Spain, he sealed his piece of Eden under the statue of Altair at the Villa. It is also speculated that Ezio does in fact have the ability to live forever due to the Staff's powers. Another popular rumor is that Ezio meets Altair at least once through out his life.

== Equipment and Skills==

[[File:Iexplore_2009-09-25_20-01-09-16.png|thumb|left|300px|Ezio assassinating two guards at once with the Dual-Hidden Blades.]]
Ezio Auditore da Firenze is a highly skilled assassin (when a Master Assassin) equaled only by his ancestor [[Altair]] . He is so skilled that to several fields of combat (fistfighting, hidden blades combat etc)  and free-running. He is able to use a variety of weapons including two [[Hidden Blade|hidden blades]], allowing him to assassinate two enemies simultaneously. Combat is also available with the hidden blade, as when countering an enemy, Ezio will kill the enemy, whether by stabbing repeatedly in the chest/stomach, or stabbing in the head. He can also steal (and use) several enemy weapons such as axes, hammers, maces, spears, halberds and two different sword types (one and two-handed). Ezio is also able to use Leonard Da Vinci's flying machine in some parts of the game, gaining altitude from bonfires set throughout the city by his allies. Ezio will gain many upgrades from Da Vinci on his wrist gauntlet like a wheel lock firearm concealed near his left hidden blade, and a poison needle inside one other hidden blade. Ezio possesses the ability to use [[Eagle Vision]] while moving. He can visit Blacksmiths to purchase weapons and armors including Helmschmeid and Metal Plate, or tailors to customize the colors of his clothing. After obtaining all six seals from hidden Assassin's Tombs, Ezio can open the locked gate to [[Altair's Armor]] inside the Villa Monteriggioni, created by Altair after the defeat of Al-Mualim. It is easily the best armor available in the game, giving much more health and resistance points than any prior suit or piece, and it is unbreakable.

The Codex pieces alludes to the possibility of the armor being forged from, or including parts of, the Golden Fleece - which could be a Piece of Eden. Considering that the armor is unbreakable, this is likely. The Sword of Altair can also be bought from the Monteriggioni blacksmith any time after the 8th Sequence.

==Trivia==

[[File:Zw-ezioauditore.png|thumb|right|Ezio's database picture]]
* The Italian name 'Ezio' derives from the Greek word 'Aetos', which means "Eagle", similar to Altaïr whose name means "The Flying One".
* Unlike Altaïr (who had his ring finger removed as a commitment to make way for the [[Hidden Blade]]), Ezio has all ten fingers. A modification to the Hidden Blade made sometime after Altaïr defeated Al-Mualim spared Ezio's left ring finger. Leonardo Da Vinci deciphers a Codex Page written by Altaïr on which said modification was illustrated. Instead of said removal of the ring finger, Assassins now have a mark burned into the ring finger as a sign of their lineage.
* It is stated in the Philosophical Codex that after Altaïr defeated Al-Mualim at the end of the first ''Assassin's Creed'' and became the leader, the Assassins were forced to realize the scope of their fight against the Templars, and had to abandon many of their traditions: like the removal of the ring finger or the ban on using poison, in order to survive.
* Ezio uses a wheel lock firearm, a type of weapon that Europe didn't start developing until the very late 1400's and early 1500's, sometime during the Italian Renaissance, making this weapon most likely one of the very first of its type to appear in Europe. Thus, many in-game citizens do not know what the weapon is. The earliest firearms were single shot and took time to reload, so will most likely be only used as a last resort weapon. Leonardo Da Vinci didn't create the firearm mentioned, but found instructions to make one from a Codex page, meaning Altaïr was the one who invented the Hidden Gun. Through knowledge gained from the Apple of Eden. Also note that Da Vinci created some of the first modern wheel lock pistols, so this could be a shortened version of one.
* Ezio's face in ''Assassin's Creed II'' seems to be a mixture of Desmond's ([[wikipedia:Francisco Randez|Francisco Randez]]) and Devon Bostick's from ''Lineage'' .
* It would appear as though Ezio is unaware that he of his lineage to Assassins or that he is a descendant of Altaïr, despite learning about Altaïr in Monteriggioni and what kind of assassin he was, he never truly understands why he is such a successful assassin himself.
* Ezio is 40 years old in 1499 (15 years older than Altaïr's age in 1191); the same age as his father when his father died in 1476.
* If you move the camera to a certain angle in the game, Ezio's face has barely aged, except for the beard, even if you played through 20 plus years of his life. His voice does deepen and mature through time, though.
* It seems that his father's [[Hidden Blade]] has survived over almost 500 years (from 1499 to 2012) since [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]] is seen using a similar looking one at the end of the [[Assassin's Creed II|game]].
* The scar on Ezio's mouth was acquired after the mission "Boys Will Be Boys", when Vieri De Pazzi threw the rock at his face during the first memory sequence
* If you look at Desmond's face and Ezio's, they have an identical scar on their mouths(this also applies to [[Altair]]).
* After each assassination (except Uberto and Vieri) Ezio says "Requiescat in Pace." (Rest in Peace.)

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore da Firenze, Ezio]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore da Firenze, Ezio]]
[[Category:Descendant of Altaïr|Auditore da Firenze, Ezio]]

Rosa

2009-12-18T23:54:22Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{Good}}

{{Character Infobox
|name = Rosa
|image = Zw-rosa.png
|imgdesc = Rosa in the Animus Database
|faction = [[Thieves]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th century)
|voice = [[Lita Tresierra]]
}}

'''Rosa''' is a member of the thieves faction led by [[Antonio]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''. Ezio first encounters Rosa upon arriving in Venice, where she pickpockets him out of the money he was about to use to purchase a wooden model for Leonardo. Later, Ezio saves her after she is shot with an arrow in the leg and is unable to run away from the guards. She will eventually teach Ezio the new "jump to a higher ledge" ability which becomes extremely important in the later stages of the game.

[[File:Ezio carrying rosa.png|thumb|left|350px|Ezio carrying a wounded Rosa to safety]]
Rosa, being one of the few (perhaps only) female of the Venetian Thieves Guild has a very aggressive, tough personality to match the male dominated group. She is not afraid to give orders or speak her mind to her fellow thieves as she will yell and insult them to their face. Upon her initial run in with Ezio she claims she does not need assistance with her wound and Ezio is forced to follow and protect her until she eventually collapses, at which point he carries her to safety. After being rescued Rosa’s personality toward Ezio changes drastically becoming extremely flirtatious and more intimate. She seems to revert to her true self when around him instead of the tough thief image she maintains most of the time.

==Relationship with Ezio==

[[File:Ezio_flirting_with_rosa.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Rosa and Ezio flirting]]

Like a lot of women in ''Assassin’s Creed II'', Rosa becomes attracted to Ezio after their initial meeting. However, unlike the majority of Ezio’s other love interests presented throughout the game Ezio maintains a close, intimate friendship with Rosa and the two are often seen flirting whenever in each other’s company. She may be an ancestor of [[Desmond Miles|Desmond]], though it is yet to be confirmed.

Rosa also appears to have one of the dirtiest mouths in the game; This is shown after she gets shot in the leg and in every other sentence she makes, although this may be her way of acting tough around the other thieves.

[[File:Assassins_creed_2-973825.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Rosa and Ezio fending off guards]]

== Trivia ==

*Rosa is voiced by [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1817901/ Lita Tresierra]
*Due to facial resemblencee, Rosa may be an ancestor of [[Rebecca]].
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]

Leonardo da Vinci

2009-12-18T23:53:14Z

66.188.86.37: /* Trivia */

{{WP-REAL}}

{{Character Infobox
|name = Leonardo da Vinci
|image = Zw-leonardodavinci.png
|imgdesc = Leonardo da Vinci in the Animus Database
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|period = Italian Renaissance (15th century)
|voice = [[Carlos Ferro]]
}}{{quote
|1 = Ezio, my friend! How may I be of service?
|2 = Leonardo da Vinci
}}'''Leonardo da Vinci''' (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519) was an Italian polymath, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer in the Renaissance.

==Assassin's Creed II==

[[File:Leonardoartwork1.jpg|thumb|left|Concept art of Leonardo da Vinci]]
Leonardo da Vinci is the best friend of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]]. He will be his personal engineer, much like [[wikipedia:"Q" (James Bond)|Q]] in the ''James Bond'' series, making various gadgets, items, and weapons for Ezio. He constructs weapons such as [[Hidden Gun]], and the dual [[Hidden Blade|Hidden Blades]] from the [[Codex]] pages written by [[Altaïr]] as well as the [[Flying Machine]], ...etc. He will also decode the codex pages, granting the player an extra synchronization bar slot for every four pages decoded.

[[File:Ezio with leonardo in workshop.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Ezio having a chat with Leonardo]]
Leonardo was a student in [[wikipedia:Andrea del Verrocchio|Verrocchio]]’s workshop until 1476 in [[Florence]]. In reality, there is little historical information on the real Leonardo's life between 1476 and 1481, giving the game developers the chance to supplement it as follows: the Auditore family patronized Leonardo to open his own workshop. Ezio met him in his workshop and became a very close friend.

List of [[Hidden Blade]] upgrades:

*Hidden Blade (1)
*Hidden Blade (2)
*Poison Blade
*[[Hidden Gun]]

==Trivia==

[[File:Leonardo workshop.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leonardo in his workshop]]
[[Video:Assassin's Creed 2 - Focus On|thumb|left|250px|Leonardo Da Vinci - Genius Inventor]]
*All of Leonardo's modifications on previously existing assassin gear are designs created by Altaïr. Leonardo just follows the designs detailed in Altaïr's codex, which only he and Giovanni Auditore can decipher and translate.
*Leonardo, like some of the main characters, doesn't seem to experience any facial changes for the 23 years of the game he appears. He doesn't even grow his trademark beard.
{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]

Piece of Eden

2009-12-17T22:58:58Z

66.188.86.37: /* Confirmed Artifacts */

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]

==Characteristics==
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

It is believed by the staff of Abstergo Industries and the Templars that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence essentially disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The Masyaf Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.
[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]

After Altaïr took control of the Assassins, their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''Assassin's Creed Bloodlines'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed 2]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "Truth" files left by Subject 16. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to Desmond Miles and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam(A)/Eve(A), Abel(A), Cain(T), Al Mualim(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon, Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the darkness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Kahn(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possibly allowed the resurrection of the dead, able to heal any ailment. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples may have used it to heal Jesus before the Templars stole it. The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Joseph, David, Jesus Christ, Templars.

(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars
(A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins
(!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]

== Locations of the Artifacts ==

According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, but then another was destroyed in the satelite incident and then staff was destroyed, so at one time there was 50..  Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are loosing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the Templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#The Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine
#Kharkiv, Ukraine
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of japan, the Kusunagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia
#Kuwait
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi
# Persepolis, now modern day Shiraz, Iran (this is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America; around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú - (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capital building, although there are probably many others) 
#Juneau, Alaska 
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua
#The middle of the South Pacific Ocean
#The Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#The South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W
#The Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antarctica facing up towards the Atlantic
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antartic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean
#Archangel, Russia
#Andorra le Vella, Andorra
#Imperatriz, Brazil
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia
#An area around South Cross, in Western Australia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia
#Beijing, China
#Somewhere in the Atali Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the first AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...in Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armour with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although Biblically the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*Galapagos Islands [[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it woul be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China.
*Somwhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands, possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands near Hinnoya, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia.
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Other possible Pieces of Eden. These are just something to think about, since the POE's were part of most of history and myths, it's possible these could also exist.

*The Wand: Every great sorcerer, wizard, or magician that could have possibly existed in the real world has been said to have a wand, thus the source of their power. Functions: this Piece of Eden could possibly allow the user the ability to warp reality, thus making making some form of magic spells possible. People who might have owned it: Circe, Merlin, the Fairy Godmother of some fairy tales. Has a high chance of existing, since the Sword was once wielded by King Arthur.
*The Boots: Numerous legends abound about boots that can grant either super speed or flight, like the Seven-league Boots or the Winged Sandals of Hermes.
*The Hammer: There is only one real mention of a mystic hammer and that is of Mjolnir, the Norse thunder god Thor's warhammer. It was rumored to be unbreakable and able to control the elements of the storms. It has been noted lately that it's possible that Thor could have been a real person and was such a fantastic warrior that the Vikings actually worshiped him as the warrior god. It was also noted that in the real world, the Knights Templar were actually on good terms with the Viking community. Could be possible that they presented a Piece of Eden to them in the game world as a motion of good faith?
*The Helmet: Used by Perseus, along with the Sword, the Helmet of Hades made the wearer invisible once put on.
*The Shield: Perseus also used a mythical shield given to him by Athena (Minerva in the Roman culture). It's supposedly unbreakable and one of it's qualities is it's mirrored finish, which enabled him to supposedly kill the Gorgon without looking at it and thus turning to stone. It's possible that the Gorgon part was a myth, but instead was a person who possessed a Piece of Eden that could turn any who saw it into stone, and it just so happened to look like the head of a foul beast. It's noted that in just about every modern day statue that depicts Perseus, he is holding the head of Medusa in his hands.
*The Second Sword: There are thousands of myths and legends that tell of magic/enchanted swords all throughout history, some of them existing in the hands of other people at the same time in far off places. So it's possible that there might be a second Piece of Eden that is a Sword. There is obviously more than one apple shaped Piece of Eden, as listed above.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satelite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==

It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernable from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the Templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 18th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who Came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors found in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was recieved through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==

Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
*The Greek Myth of Perseus.
*King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Assassins

2009-12-17T02:36:06Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Assassins Crest White.svg
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC1), Catholic (AC2)
|nationality = Syrian (AC1), Italian (AC2)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC1), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC2)
}}

{{quote
|1 = La shai wak'ion motlaq bal kollon momken ''("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''
|2 = The Assassin's Creed
}}

The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012. The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a [[Hidden Blade|blade]]. By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the Hidden Blade. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge,  and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

==Known Assassins==
===Third Crusade===
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins)
[[File:Masyaf.jpg|thumb|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]
*[[Altair|Altair Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor)
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*The Instructors and Rafiqs
* Jamal (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
* Bahir (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
* Karim (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)

===Renaissance===

*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (A nobleman and member of the Assassins)
* [[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's father and Nobleman)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's brother)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli|Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]] (Patriarch of the Auditore family)
*[[Dante Alighieri]] (Poet and teacher of Domenico)
*Raphael Sanchez (Treasurer of Queen Isabella of Spain)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===

*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

=== Others ===
*[[Darius]] (The Male Persian Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]] with the Hidden Blade.)
*[[Iltani]] (The Female Babylonian Assassin; she poisoned [[wikipedia:Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great]].)
*[[Wei Yu]] (The Male Chinese Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Qin Shi Huang|Qin Shi Huang]] with a spear.)
*[[Qulan Gal]] (The Male Mongolian Assassin; he shot [[wikipedia:Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan]]'s horse with a bow and arrow.)
*[[Amunet]] (The Female Egyptian Assassin; she killed [[wikipedia:Cleopatra|Cleopatra]] with a snake.)
*[[Leonius]] (The Male Roman Assassin; he stabbed [[wikipedia:Caligula|Caligula]] to death with a dagger.)
*[[Adam and Eve]]  (The Two Original Assassins)
*Nikola Tesla (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the Tunguska Event)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

=== Victims of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad ===

*Talal
*Garnier de Nablus
*Tamar
*Abu'l Noqoud
*William of Monferrat
*Majd Addin
*Jubair al Hakim
*Sibrand
*Robert de Sable
*Al-Mualim

=== Victims of Ezio Auditore da Firenze ===

*Uberto Alberti
*The Pazzi Family
**Vieri de Pazzi
**Francesco de Pazzi
**Jacopo de Pazzi
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**Stefano da Bagnone
**Bernardo Baroncelli
**Antonio Maffei
**Francesco Salviati
*Emilio Barbarigo
*Carlo Grimaldi
*Marco Barbarigo
*Dante Moro
*Silvio Barbarigo
*Gaspard Martinez

=== Others ===

*Xerxes
**Stabbed (Hidden Blade) by Darius
*Alexander the Great
**Poisoned by Iltani
*Cleopatra
**Killed by Amunet with a snake
*Caligula
**Stabbed (dagger) by Leonius
*Qin Shi Huang
**Stabbed (spear) by Wei Yu
*Genghis Khan
**Horse shot out from under him by Qulan Gal
*Mary I of England
*Francisco Pizarro
*Tomas de Torqemada
*John Wilkes Boothe
*Adolf Hitler
**Killed from above while attempting to flee his bunker in Berlin
*Rasputin
*Joseph Stalin

==[[Assassin's Creed]]==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [http://images.wikia.com/wiki/Robert_de_Sable Robert de Sable] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is the Third Crusade and low-scale war with the Templar's that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life, the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==[[Assassin's Creed II]]==
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently ‘gone underground’. The reason for this is explained inside the codex pages, where by Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the Auditore Villa, built by Ezio’s great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the Armour of Altair. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ‘Nothing is true, everything is permitted’. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order. 

However they did still follow Altair’s idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tomb’s and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

[[File:Hashashin_by_wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, or Hashasheen), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages.

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Assassins

2009-12-17T02:34:57Z

66.188.86.37: /* Renaissance */

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Assassins Crest White.svg
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC1), Catholic (AC2)
|nationality = Syrian (AC1), Italian (AC2)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC1), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC2)
}}

{{quote
|1 = La shai wak'ion motlaq bal kollon momken ''("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''
|2 = The Assassin's Creed
}}

The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012. The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a [[Hidden Blade|blade]]. By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the Hidden Blade. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge,  and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

==Known Assassins==
===Third Crusade===
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins)
[[File:Masyaf.jpg|thumb|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]
*[[Altair|Altair Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor)
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*The Instructors and Rafiqs
* Jamal (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
* Bahir (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
* Karim (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)

===Renaissance===

*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (A nobleman and member of the Assassins)
* [[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's father and Nobleman)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's brother)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli|Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]] (Patriarch of the Auditore family)
*[[Dante Alighieri]] (Poet and teacher of Domenico)
*Raphael Sanchez (Treasurer of Queen Isabella of Spain)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===

*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

=== Others ===
*[[Darius]] (The Male Persian Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]] with the Hidden Blade.)
*[[Iltani]] (The Female Babylonian Assassin; she poisoned [[wikipedia:Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great]].)
*[[Wei Yu]] (The Male Chinese Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Qin Shi Huang|Qin Shi Huang]] with a spear.)
*[[Qulan Gal]] (The Male Mongolian Assassin; he shot [[wikipedia:Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan]]'s horse with a bow and arrow.)
*[[Amunet]] (The Female Egyptian Assassin; she killed [[wikipedia:Cleopatra|Cleopatra]] with a snake.)
*[[Leonius]] (The Male Roman Assassin; he stabbed [[wikipedia:Caligula|Caligula]] to death with a dagger.)
*[[Adam and Eve]]  (The Two Original Assassins)
*Nikola Tesla (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the Tunguska Event)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

=== Victims of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad ===

*Talal
*Garnier de Nablus
*Tamar
*Abu'l Noqoud
*William of Monferrat
*Majd Addin
*Jubair al Hakim
*Sibrand
*Robert de Sable
*Al-Mualim

=== Victims of Ezio Auditore da Firenze ===

*Uberto Alberti
*The Pazzi Family
**Vieri de Pazzi
**Francesco de Pazzi
**Jacopo de Pazzi
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**Stefano da Bagnone
**Bernardo Baroncelli
**Antonio Maffei
**Francesco Salviati
*Emilio Barbarigo
*Carlo Grimaldi
*Marco Barbarigo
*Dante Moro
*Silvio Barbarigo
*Gaspard Martinez

=== Others ===

*Xerxes
**Stabbed (Hidden Blade) by Darius
*Alexander the Great
**Poisoned by Iltani
*Cleopatra
**Killed by Amunet with a snake
*Caligula
**Stabbed (dagger) by Leonius
*Qin Shi Huang
**Stabbed (spear) by Wei Yu
*Genghis Khan
**Horse shot out from under him by Qulan Gal
*Mary I of England
*Francisco Pizarro
*Tomas de Torqemada
*John Wilkes Boothe
*Adolf Hitler
**Killed from above while attempting to flee his bunker in Berlin
*Joseph Stalin

==[[Assassin's Creed]]==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [http://images.wikia.com/wiki/Robert_de_Sable Robert de Sable] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is the Third Crusade and low-scale war with the Templar's that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life, the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==[[Assassin's Creed II]]==
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently ‘gone underground’. The reason for this is explained inside the codex pages, where by Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the Auditore Villa, built by Ezio’s great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the Armour of Altair. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ‘Nothing is true, everything is permitted’. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order. 

However they did still follow Altair’s idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tomb’s and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

[[File:Hashashin_by_wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, or Hashasheen), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages.

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Assassins

2009-12-17T02:34:32Z

66.188.86.37: /* Third Crusade */

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Assassins Crest White.svg
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC1), Catholic (AC2)
|nationality = Syrian (AC1), Italian (AC2)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC1), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC2)
}}

{{quote
|1 = La shai wak'ion motlaq bal kollon momken ''("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''
|2 = The Assassin's Creed
}}

The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012. The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a [[Hidden Blade|blade]]. By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the Hidden Blade. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge,  and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

==Known Assassins==
===Third Crusade===
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins)
[[File:Masyaf.jpg|thumb|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]
*[[Altair|Altair Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor)
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*The Instructors and Rafiqs
* Jamal (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
* Bahir (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
* Karim (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)

===Renaissance===

*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (A nobleman and member of the Assassins)
[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|Ezio's initiation into the brotherhood.]]*[[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's father and Nobleman)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's brother)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli|Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]] (Patriarch of the Auditore family)
*[[Dante Alighieri]] (Poet and teacher of Domenico)
*Raphael Sanchez (Treasurer of Queen Isabella of Spain)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===

*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

=== Others ===
*[[Darius]] (The Male Persian Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]] with the Hidden Blade.)
*[[Iltani]] (The Female Babylonian Assassin; she poisoned [[wikipedia:Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great]].)
*[[Wei Yu]] (The Male Chinese Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Qin Shi Huang|Qin Shi Huang]] with a spear.)
*[[Qulan Gal]] (The Male Mongolian Assassin; he shot [[wikipedia:Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan]]'s horse with a bow and arrow.)
*[[Amunet]] (The Female Egyptian Assassin; she killed [[wikipedia:Cleopatra|Cleopatra]] with a snake.)
*[[Leonius]] (The Male Roman Assassin; he stabbed [[wikipedia:Caligula|Caligula]] to death with a dagger.)
*[[Adam and Eve]]  (The Two Original Assassins)
*Nikola Tesla (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the Tunguska Event)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

=== Victims of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad ===

*Talal
*Garnier de Nablus
*Tamar
*Abu'l Noqoud
*William of Monferrat
*Majd Addin
*Jubair al Hakim
*Sibrand
*Robert de Sable
*Al-Mualim

=== Victims of Ezio Auditore da Firenze ===

*Uberto Alberti
*The Pazzi Family
**Vieri de Pazzi
**Francesco de Pazzi
**Jacopo de Pazzi
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**Stefano da Bagnone
**Bernardo Baroncelli
**Antonio Maffei
**Francesco Salviati
*Emilio Barbarigo
*Carlo Grimaldi
*Marco Barbarigo
*Dante Moro
*Silvio Barbarigo
*Gaspard Martinez

=== Others ===

*Xerxes
**Stabbed (Hidden Blade) by Darius
*Alexander the Great
**Poisoned by Iltani
*Cleopatra
**Killed by Amunet with a snake
*Caligula
**Stabbed (dagger) by Leonius
*Qin Shi Huang
**Stabbed (spear) by Wei Yu
*Genghis Khan
**Horse shot out from under him by Qulan Gal
*Mary I of England
*Francisco Pizarro
*Tomas de Torqemada
*John Wilkes Boothe
*Adolf Hitler
**Killed from above while attempting to flee his bunker in Berlin
*Joseph Stalin

==[[Assassin's Creed]]==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [http://images.wikia.com/wiki/Robert_de_Sable Robert de Sable] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is the Third Crusade and low-scale war with the Templar's that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life, the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==[[Assassin's Creed II]]==
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently ‘gone underground’. The reason for this is explained inside the codex pages, where by Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the Auditore Villa, built by Ezio’s great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the Armour of Altair. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ‘Nothing is true, everything is permitted’. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order. 

However they did still follow Altair’s idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tomb’s and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

[[File:Hashashin_by_wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, or Hashasheen), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages.

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Assassins

2009-12-17T02:34:11Z

66.188.86.37: /* Third Crusade */

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Assassins Crest White.svg
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC1), Catholic (AC2)
|nationality = Syrian (AC1), Italian (AC2)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC1), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC2)
}}

{{quote
|1 = La shai wak'ion motlaq bal kollon momken ''("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''
|2 = The Assassin's Creed
}}

The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012. The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a [[Hidden Blade|blade]]. By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the Hidden Blade. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge,  and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

==Known Assassins==
===Third Crusade===
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins)
[[File:Masyaf.jpg|thumb|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]

*[[Altair|Altair Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor)
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*The Instructors and Rafiqs
* Jamal (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
* Bahir (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
* Karim (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)

===Renaissance===

*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (A nobleman and member of the Assassins)
[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|Ezio's initiation into the brotherhood.]]*[[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's father and Nobleman)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's brother)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli|Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]] (Patriarch of the Auditore family)
*[[Dante Alighieri]] (Poet and teacher of Domenico)
*Raphael Sanchez (Treasurer of Queen Isabella of Spain)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===

*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

=== Others ===
*[[Darius]] (The Male Persian Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]] with the Hidden Blade.)
*[[Iltani]] (The Female Babylonian Assassin; she poisoned [[wikipedia:Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great]].)
*[[Wei Yu]] (The Male Chinese Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Qin Shi Huang|Qin Shi Huang]] with a spear.)
*[[Qulan Gal]] (The Male Mongolian Assassin; he shot [[wikipedia:Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan]]'s horse with a bow and arrow.)
*[[Amunet]] (The Female Egyptian Assassin; she killed [[wikipedia:Cleopatra|Cleopatra]] with a snake.)
*[[Leonius]] (The Male Roman Assassin; he stabbed [[wikipedia:Caligula|Caligula]] to death with a dagger.)
*[[Adam and Eve]]  (The Two Original Assassins)
*Nikola Tesla (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the Tunguska Event)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

=== Victims of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad ===

*Talal
*Garnier de Nablus
*Tamar
*Abu'l Noqoud
*William of Monferrat
*Majd Addin
*Jubair al Hakim
*Sibrand
*Robert de Sable
*Al-Mualim

=== Victims of Ezio Auditore da Firenze ===

*Uberto Alberti
*The Pazzi Family
**Vieri de Pazzi
**Francesco de Pazzi
**Jacopo de Pazzi
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**Stefano da Bagnone
**Bernardo Baroncelli
**Antonio Maffei
**Francesco Salviati
*Emilio Barbarigo
*Carlo Grimaldi
*Marco Barbarigo
*Dante Moro
*Silvio Barbarigo
*Gaspard Martinez

=== Others ===

*Xerxes
**Stabbed (Hidden Blade) by Darius
*Alexander the Great
**Poisoned by Iltani
*Cleopatra
**Killed by Amunet with a snake
*Caligula
**Stabbed (dagger) by Leonius
*Qin Shi Huang
**Stabbed (spear) by Wei Yu
*Genghis Khan
**Horse shot out from under him by Qulan Gal
*Mary I of England
*Francisco Pizarro
*Tomas de Torqemada
*John Wilkes Boothe
*Adolf Hitler
**Killed from above while attempting to flee his bunker in Berlin
*Joseph Stalin

==[[Assassin's Creed]]==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [http://images.wikia.com/wiki/Robert_de_Sable Robert de Sable] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is the Third Crusade and low-scale war with the Templar's that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life, the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==[[Assassin's Creed II]]==
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently ‘gone underground’. The reason for this is explained inside the codex pages, where by Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the Auditore Villa, built by Ezio’s great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the Armour of Altair. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ‘Nothing is true, everything is permitted’. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order. 

However they did still follow Altair’s idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tomb’s and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

[[File:Hashashin_by_wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, or Hashasheen), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages.

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Assassins

2009-12-17T02:33:15Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */ Rasputin was a Templar and their is no info that Houdini was an Assassin.

{{Faction Infobox
|image = Assassins Crest White.svg
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Islam (AC1), Catholic (AC2)
|nationality = Syrian (AC1), Italian (AC2)
|location = [[Masyaf]] (AC1), [[Monteriggioni]] (AC2)
}}

{{quote
|1 = La shai wak'ion motlaq bal kollon momken ''("Nothing is true, Everything is permitted" in arabic)''
|2 = The Assassin's Creed
}}

The '''Assassins''', also known as the '''Hashshashin''', are an organized Order of Assassins, who are in a continuous low-grade war with their greatest adversaries: the [[Knights Templar]]. The order has existed for at least a millennium, and was active during the [[Assassin's Creed|Third Crusade]], the [[Assassin's Creed 2|Renaissance]], and even into the year 2012. The order believes in a firm creed of values that strictly govern their way of life, consisting of three [[tenets]]: stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent, hide in plain sight, and never compromise the Brotherhood. These tenets are lived daily by Assassins in the fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political strategic assassination, and by doing so, potential threats to peace are forever suppressed. By killing one individual, the Assassins believe that they can save tens of thousands.

Through their work, Assassins could be easily looked upon as keepers of peace. Assassins believe that they fight on behalf of those people who do not possess their abilities or resources to speak out against those in power who harm the powerless. Assassins speak to these corrupted men for the dispossessed by introducing them to the sharp edge of a [[Hidden Blade|blade]]. By doing so, the common people are freed from the shackles of oppression. Even though the Assassins fight for the people, they are feared, because no matter how one looks at the matter, killing above the bounds of the law for noble purposes is still killing, still an essentially evil act. The only way to justify the Assassins' deeds is to see them through the prism of long-term self-defense, though many moralists and philosophers claim this is just sophistry, a rationalization for murder. The Assassins were most feared due to their terrifying reputation for taking life in public places before many witnesses. The Assassins did so to create an atmosphere in which it was not safe to commit corrupt acts under the sun. This spread fear amongst their enemies, for they never knew when they might fall to an enemy who they could not see or hear.

Assassins used a particularly efficient weapon for assassinations: the Hidden Blade. A single thrust from this weapon could change the course of the Holy Land's future, as well as that of all future history. Such power could easily go to an Assassin's head, causing him to lift himself above others knowing he could change history, thus becoming as corrupt as the men whom he slew. But the devotion to the Assassins primary goal (peace in all things) and the knowledge of their "Assassin's Creed" provided the moral guidance necessary to keep the corruption caused by ultimate power at bay. This was not always the case. In order to have the precise political impact desired by an assassination, the Assassins possessed extensive political knowledge,  and remained always in tune with the ever-changing politics surrounding the many empires of the Holy Land and later of Western Europe during the Renaissance. They used this information to decide whose death would most benefit the people of their region.

Obtaining this information was done by stationing agents within the various cities of the Middle East and Europe to keep an eye on the actions of the various nobles and rulers. When deployed on missions, elite master assassins or blade hands were the ones responsible for carrying out public assassinations. They worked alone in the field, usually disguised as holy scholars of any of the three major monotheistic faiths or other suitable caricatures. When stationed in a particular city, the Assassins would spend an immense amount of time getting acquainted with their environment and learning where and when it would be best to strike at their chosen target. The actual strike itself always took place in public. By performing the murder in the public's eye, the Assassins knew without a doubt that news and information about the assassination would spread quickly amongst the common people, and those other corrupt men who served the one assassinated, effectively spreading fear and disrupting the chain of command among the corrupted regime that had been targeted by the Assassins.

==Known Assassins==
===Third Crusade===
*[[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of Syrian-Assassins)
[[File:Masyaf.jpg|thumb|Masyaf, the Assassin's fortress.]]*[[Altair|Altair Ibn-La'Ahad]] (Master Assassin and field instructor)
*[[Malik]] (Dai over Jerusalem's Assassin Bureau)
*[[Kadar]] (Member of the Assassins and Malik's younger brother)
*[[Raoul]] (Member of the Assassins)
*[[Abbas]](Member of the Assassins)
*[[Masun]] (Traitor of Masyaf)
*The Instructors and Rafiqs
* Jamal (possible Assassin that betrayed Masyaf)
* Bahir (Damascus - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)
* Karim (Acre - Rooftop Race Informant PC version)

===Renaissance===

*[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] (A nobleman and member of the Assassins)
[[File:Zw-renaissance-assassins.png|thumb|Ezio's initiation into the brotherhood.]]*[[Mario Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's uncle and mercenary)
*[[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's father and Nobleman)
*[[Federico Auditore da Firenze]] (Ezio's brother)
*[[Paola]] (Head of the Florentine Brothel)
*[[Sister Teodora]] (Head of the Venetian Brothel)
*[[Antonio]] (Head of the Venetian Thieves Guild)
*[[La Volpe]] (Head of the Florentine Thieves Guild)
*[[Bartolomeo d'Alviano]] (Head of the Venetian Mercenaries)
*[[Niccolò Machiavelli|Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli]]
*[[Domenico Auditore]] (Patriarch of the Auditore family)
*[[Dante Alighieri]] (Poet and teacher of Domenico)
*Raphael Sanchez (Treasurer of Queen Isabella of Spain)

=== Modern Times (2012) ===

*[[Desmond Miles]]
*[[Subject 16]]
*[[Lucy Stillman]]
*[[Shaun Hastings]]
*[[Rebecca Crane ]]
*Any remaining assassins alive (confirmed to be survivors by Lucy and Shaun)

=== Others ===
*[[Darius]] (The Male Persian Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes]] with the Hidden Blade.)
*[[Iltani]] (The Female Babylonian Assassin; she poisoned [[wikipedia:Alexander the Great|Alexander the Great]].)
*[[Wei Yu]] (The Male Chinese Assassin; he killed [[wikipedia:Qin Shi Huang|Qin Shi Huang]] with a spear.)
*[[Qulan Gal]] (The Male Mongolian Assassin; he shot [[wikipedia:Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan]]'s horse with a bow and arrow.)
*[[Amunet]] (The Female Egyptian Assassin; she killed [[wikipedia:Cleopatra|Cleopatra]] with a snake.)
*[[Leonius]] (The Male Roman Assassin; he stabbed [[wikipedia:Caligula|Caligula]] to death with a dagger.)
*[[Adam and Eve]]  (The Two Original Assassins)
*Nikola Tesla (An ally of the Assassins, helped destroy the Staff and cause the Tunguska Event)

==Known Victims of the Assassins==

=== Victims of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad ===

*Talal
*Garnier de Nablus
*Tamar
*Abu'l Noqoud
*William of Monferrat
*Majd Addin
*Jubair al Hakim
*Sibrand
*Robert de Sable
*Al-Mualim

=== Victims of Ezio Auditore da Firenze ===

*Uberto Alberti
*The Pazzi Family
**Vieri de Pazzi
**Francesco de Pazzi
**Jacopo de Pazzi
*The Pazzi Conspirators
**Stefano da Bagnone
**Bernardo Baroncelli
**Antonio Maffei
**Francesco Salviati
*Emilio Barbarigo
*Carlo Grimaldi
*Marco Barbarigo
*Dante Moro
*Silvio Barbarigo
*Gaspard Martinez

=== Others ===

*Xerxes
**Stabbed (Hidden Blade) by Darius
*Alexander the Great
**Poisoned by Iltani
*Cleopatra
**Killed by Amunet with a snake
*Caligula
**Stabbed (dagger) by Leonius
*Qin Shi Huang
**Stabbed (spear) by Wei Yu
*Genghis Khan
**Horse shot out from under him by Qulan Gal
*Mary I of England
*Francisco Pizarro
*Tomas de Torqemada
*John Wilkes Boothe
*Adolf Hitler
**Killed from above while attempting to flee his bunker in Berlin
*Joseph Stalin

==[[Assassin's Creed]]==
In 1191, during the Third Crusade, the Assassins Order has its stronghold in the fortress of [[Masyaf]]. Led by [[Al Mualim]], the assassins battle with the Templars and their leader, [http://images.wikia.com/wiki/Robert_de_Sable Robert de Sable] over ideologies and the means with which to accomplish them. It is the Third Crusade and low-scale war with the Templar's that Altair must find wisdom within himself from the "Assassin's Creed" in order to accomplish the assassinations appointed for his redemption. As the war intensifies and Altair begins to understand the Assassin's true way of life, the "Creed", its meaning begins to open Altair's eyes and mind to question his cause and the lives he is meant to take in the name of the Assassin's peace. Is killing these men the true and only way to teach those that have strayed? Or do they not deserve a second chance; "misguided perhaps but pure in motive". Altair, after killing Robert de Sable, confronts his Master, Al Mualim, who has secretly been a high-ranking Templar the entire time. After a grueling struggle, Altair defeats Al Mualim and becomes the leader of the Assassins, though many lives were lost during Al Mualim's short reign of Terror. Altair then dedicates the Order to hunting down and destroying the remaining Artifacts, left by "Those Who Came Before," using the Piece of Eden to find them.

==[[Assassin's Creed II]]==
During the Renaissance time period, the Assassin Order had apparently ‘gone underground’. The reason for this is explained inside the codex pages, where by Altair states that even though the Templar Order was served a crushing defeat in the Holy Land and Cyprus, they still survived in more inconspicuous ways. As such, Altair believed that the Assassins too had to change tactics so as to live on.

For example, he talked of abandoning the Assassin fortress of Masyaf and conducting their operations more covertly so as not to attract attention from their enemies. He also proposed that the method of removing the ring finger was an obvious sign to Templar forces who the Assassin members were, and found a way to modify the Hidden blade and still keep their finger. The Renaissance Italian Assassin Order, however, didn’t follow all these traditions that were passed down to them.

One example of this was the Auditore Villa, built by Ezio’s great-grandfather, which acted as an Assassin fortress, containing recovered Codex pages and the Armour of Altair. It was considered an Assassin fortress (whilst containing the Auditore crypt) even displaying a mix of the Auditore and Assassin symbols.

Rituals were still in place to induct new recruits as shown when Ezio is finally revealed to the rest of the Assassin Order, many of who have helped him over the years. Machiavelli (the supposed Grandmaster of the Assassins during the Renaissance) conducted a ritual, where by he posed questions to Ezio, who had to respond with ‘Nothing is true, everything is permitted’. He then finished by burning the ring finger on Ezio’s left hand, the same finger which use to be taken from Assassins to show their commitment to their Order. 

However they did still follow Altair’s idea of keeping hidden and evolved into a secret society (even though they still displayed Assassin Tomb’s and the Auditore Villa).

==Real History==

{{WP-REAL|Hashshashin}}

[[File:Hashashin_by_wraithdt.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of a Hashashin in battle]]
The Hashshashin (also Hashishin, Hashashiyyin, or Hashasheen), from which the word assassin is thought to originate, was the Persian derived designation of the Nizari branch of the Ismā'īlī Shia Muslims during the Middle Ages.

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Assassin's Order]]

Piece of Eden

2009-12-17T02:29:54Z

66.188.86.37: /* Locations of the Artifacts */ Edited Grammer, Info, Removed tedious information, etc.

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]

==Characteristics==
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

It is believed by the staff of Abstergo Industries and the Templars that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence essentially disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The Masyaf Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.
[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]

After Altaïr took control of the Assassins, their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''Assassin's Creed Bloodlines'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed 2]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "Truth" files left by Subject 16. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to Desmond Miles and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam(A)/Eve(A), Abel(A), Cain(T), Al Mualim(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon, Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the blackness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Kahn(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possibly allowed the resurrection of the dead, able to heal any ailment. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples may have used it to heal Jesus before the Templars stole it. The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, David, Jesus Christ, Templars.

(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars (A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins (!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
== Locations of the Artifacts ==

According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. There were originally at least 66, or more, Pieces of Eden, meaning some have been destroyed in some manner. Possible artifacts in that area are listed as well.

#Giza, Egypt
#Lake Victoria, Africa
#The Gambia River, Gambia
#Timbuktu, Mali
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
#Odessa, Ukraine 
#Kharkiv, Ukraine
#Rennes-le-Château, France
#Salisbury Plain, England - (The Sword?)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar
#Nara, Japan - (The Sword?)
#Goodhouse, South Africa
#Kuwait
#Delhi, India
# Persepolis, Iran
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Igara Paranda River, South America
#Nazca, Perú - (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland
#Sabiene Island, Canada
#Phoenix, Arizona
#Washington D.C.
#Juneau, Alaska 
#Pulau Ratewo, Papua
#The South Pacific Ocean
#The Pacific Ocean
#Near the Vault, The South Pacific Ocean
#(Atlantis?), The Atlantic Ocean
#Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - (The Shroud?)
#Border of the The Antarctic Ocean and Atlantic Ocean
#The Indian Ocean
#Border of the Indian Ocean and The Antarctic Ocean
#Archangel, Russia
#Andorra le Vella, Andorra
#Imperatriz, Brazil
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina
#Hervey Bay, Austrailia
#South Cross, in Western Austrailia
#Island of Sumatra, Indonesia
#Beijing, China
#Atali Mountains, Mongolia
#Coast of Chukotkae, Russia
#Tiksi, Russia

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the firct AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armour with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although Biblically the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*Galapagos Islands [[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it woul be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China 
*Somwhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands, possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands near Hinnoya, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia.
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Other possible Pieces of Eden. These are just something to think about, since the POE's were part of most of history and myths, it's possible these could also exist.

*The Wand: Every great sorcerer, wizard, or magician that could have possibly existed in the real world has been said to have a wand, thus the source of their power. Functions: this Piece of Eden could possibly allow the user the ability to warp reality, thus making making some form of magic spells possible. People who might have owned it: Circe, Merlin, the Fairy Godmother of some fairy tales. Has a high chance of existing, since the Sword was once wielded by King Arthur.
*The Boots: Numerous legends abound about boots that can grant either super speed or flight, like the Seven-league Boots or the Winged Sandals of Hermes.
*The Hammer: There is only one real mention of a mystic hammer and that is of Mjolnir, the Norse thunder god Thor's warhammer. It was rumored to be unbreakable and able to control the elements of the storms. It has been noted lately that it's possible that Thor could have been a real person and was such a fantastic warrior that the Vikings actually worshiped him as the warrior god. It was also noted that in the real world, the Knights Templar were actually on good terms with the Viking community. Could be possible that they presented a Piece of Eden to them in the game world as a motion of good faith?
*The Helmet: Used by Perseus, along with the Sword, the Helmet of Hades made the wearer invisible once put on.
*The Shield: Perseus also used a mythical shield given to him by Athena (Minerva in the Roman culture). It's supposedly unbreakable and one of it's qualities is it's mirrored finish, which enabled him to supposedly kill the Gorgon without looking at it and thus turning to stone. It's possible that the Gorgon part was a myth, but instead was a person who possessed a Piece of Eden that could turn any who saw it into stone, and it just so happened to look like the head of a foul beast. It's noted that in just about every modern day statue that depicts Perseus, he is holding the head of Medusa in his hands.
*The Second Sword: There are thousands of myths and legends that tell of magic/enchanted swords all throughout history, some of them existing in the hands of other people at the same time in far off places. So it's possible that there might be a second Piece of Eden that is a Sword. There is obviously more than one apple shaped Piece of Eden, as listed above.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satelite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==

It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernable from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 17th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors find in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was recieved through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==

Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
*The Greek Myth of Perseus.
*King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2009-12-17T02:20:30Z

66.188.86.37: While NASA is no doubt a Templar Organization, their is still debate over whether Glyph 10 is stating a Piece of Eden is on the Moon, or the Templars used it to fake the moon landing.

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]

==Characteristics==
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

It is believed by the staff of Abstergo Industries and the Templars that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence essentially disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The Masyaf Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.
[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]

After Altaïr took control of the Assassins, their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''Assassin's Creed Bloodlines'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed 2]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "Truth" files left by Subject 16. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to Desmond Miles and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam(A)/Eve(A), Abel(A), Cain(T), Al Mualim(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon, Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the blackness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. Possibly helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Designed to possibly cut through anything and block any attack. It also probably "passed" along an immense knowledge of combat tactics to the wielder, allowing them to take on entire armies. It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the "Scourge of Mars". It was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details...if there were any that survived it, that is. So it's also possible that with a single stroke, it can carve down hundreds of men.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Alexander the Great(T)(!), Attila the Hun(T), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Kahn(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, Saint Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possibly allowed the resurrection of the dead, able to heal any ailment. The Templars were behind the crucifixion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples may have used it to heal Jesus before the Templars stole it. The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, David, Jesus Christ, Templars.

(T) = A Templar/worked with Templars (A) = Assassin/Worked With Assassins (!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|the Codex Map]]
== Locations of the Artifacts ==

According to the Codex Map there are exactly 48 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each in no particular order. One was located on the moon, and the staff was destroyed, so at one time there was 50..  Not every location seems to hold some kind of historical value to the world, that is because the Templars already have some and they are being held at their facilities, which is why some seem so out of place. The same can possibly also be said about the Assassins, although it's not likely since Lucy said there was so few of them and they are loosing the war so far.

#Giza, Egypt (home of the pyramids, Sphinx, and the many tombs near them)
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia (This is one of the three stops that was part of the slave trade route, 3 million slaves were sent to Europe and the Americas from this spot for 3 centuries, it would make sense if the templars had used a Piece of Eden on them to make a profit)
#Timbuktu, Mali
#Taza, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#the Southern tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, curiously near the volcano of Opala
#Odessa, Ukraine 
#Kharkiv, Ukraine
#Rennes-le-Château, France (this is a major site for modern day Templar legends, featured in the Da Vinci Code, it was the supposed origin point of a group called the Priory of Sion)
#Salisbury Plain, England (The Sword?) (This was supposedly the plain where King Arthur died. Before doing so he asked a squire to take him to the lake that belonged to the Lady of the Lake, where he threw the sword in and she caught it before it even touched the water, then took it back down where it supposedly rests to this day.)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar
#Nara, Japan (Isonokami Shrine outside of Nara City is home to one of the three national treasures of japan, Kusunagi, a mythical sword that was supposedly used by the  sea and storm god Susanoo to kill the demon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Supposedly the sword can cut through anything, and can even create wind blasts if swung through the air. The Shinto priests who keep the shrine absolutely refuse to let anyone see or examine their treasure, allowing only the Emperor of Japan to know of it's existence)
#Somewhere close to Goodhouse, South Africa, near the border between South Africa and Namibia
#Kuwait
#Delhi, India or the Taj Mahal in India, just a short distance south of Delhi
# Persepolis, now mordern day Shiraz, Iran (this is where leaders like Darius and Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire, Xerxes was killed by the first ever hidden blade used by an Assassin)
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Somewhere in the jungle near the southern border of Colombia, South America, around the area of the Igara Paranda River 
#Nazca, Perú - (The Crystal Skulls?)
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland
#the area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada (it's really hard to tell with this one because the map blurs out which peninsula or island it could be on, but basically it is somewhere in the bay where Sabiene Island is, or along the coast of it in that area)
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city
#Washington D.C. (possible locations include the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capital building, although there are probably many others) 
#Juneau, Alaska 
#An area close to Pulau Ratewo, Papua
#the middle of the South Pacific Ocean
#the Pacific Ocean, close to the coast of Mexico
#the South Pacific Ocean, close to the Assassin's temple located at 91 degrees W
#The Atlantic Ocean, in an area where it was believed that Atlantis was believed to have existed
#The Atlantic Ocean, a few hundred miles off the coast of Brazil
#The Antartic Ocean, on the side of Antartica facing up towards the Atlantic
#The Indian Ocean, almost cross sectioned with the tips of Inda, Africa and the Southwestern tip of Australia
#The Antartic Ocean, the side of the Antartic ocean that faces up towards the Indian Ocean
#Archangel, Russia
#Andorra le Vella, Andorra
#Imperatriz, Brazil
#Barrow, Alaska
#La Rioja, Argentina
#An area close to Hervey Bay, Queensland, Austrailia
#An area around South Cross, in Western Austrailia
#Somewhere in the middle of the Island of Sumatra, Indonesia
#Beijing, China
#Somewhere in the Atali Mountains in southwestern Mongolia
#Somewhere along the northern Coast of Chukotka province, Russia
#An area close to Tiksi, Russia

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. There are more than two, although the number is unknown at this time, but it's possible there could be at least 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the firct AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armour with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason of the Argonauts
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixion, although Biblically the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*Galapagos Islands [[File:Codexmapcopy.jpg|thumb|This symbol matches the one projected by the Staff when Ezio opens the Vault, all the points at the other temple locations]]
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it woul be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above.
*Somewhere in the Badain Jaran Desert in China 
*Somwhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands, possible coordinates are S 44 degrees, W 91 degrees (the west part is the longitude that the Galapagos islands are located on)
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands near Hinnoya, Norway.
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia.
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Australia.

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Other possible Pieces of Eden. These are just something to think about, since the POE's were part of most of history and myths, it's possible these could also exist.

*The Wand: Every great sorcerer, wizard, or magician that could have possibly existed in the real world has been said to have a wand, thus the source of their power. Functions: this Piece of Eden could possibly allow the user the ability to warp reality, thus making making some form of magic spells possible. People who might have owned it: Circe, Merlin, the Fairy Godmother of some fairy tales. Has a high chance of existing, since the Sword was once wielded by King Arthur.
*The Boots: Numerous legends abound about boots that can grant either super speed or flight, like the Seven-league Boots or the Winged Sandals of Hermes.
*The Hammer: There is only one real mention of a mystic hammer and that is of Mjolnir, the Norse thunder god Thor's warhammer. It was rumored to be unbreakable and able to control the elements of the storms. It has been noted lately that it's possible that Thor could have been a real person and was such a fantastic warrior that the Vikings actually worshiped him as the warrior god. It was also noted that in the real world, the Knights Templar were actually on good terms with the Viking community. Could be possible that they presented a Piece of Eden to them in the game world as a motion of good faith?
*The Helmet: Used by Perseus, along with the Sword, the Helmet of Hades made the wearer invisible once put on.
*The Shield: Perseus also used a mythical shield given to him by Athena (Minerva in the Roman culture). It's supposedly unbreakable and one of it's qualities is it's mirrored finish, which enabled him to supposedly kill the Gorgon without looking at it and thus turning to stone. It's possible that the Gorgon part was a myth, but instead was a person who possessed a Piece of Eden that could turn any who saw it into stone, and it just so happened to look like the head of a foul beast. It's noted that in just about every modern day statue that depicts Perseus, he is holding the head of Medusa in his hands.
*The Second Sword: There are thousands of myths and legends that tell of magic/enchanted swords all throughout history, some of them existing in the hands of other people at the same time in far off places. So it's possible that there might be a second Piece of Eden that is a Sword. There is obviously more than one apple shaped Piece of Eden, as listed above.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satelite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==

It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion]. However, curiously on the Codex map, near the area of Magadan Oblast, Russia, there is a black dot that is discernable from the red outline. It's possible that that the explosion that had about 10 megatons of explosive power, could have sent the Staff miles away from Tunguska, and possibly is black because it is simply shut down, although the majority of the templars and Assassins believe it to be destroyed.

In the 17th glyph, it's discovered how far the Ones Who came Before went to try and control the human race. The neurotransmitter that the two doctors find in our brains that seems to have no apparent purpose, but was recieved through human evolution, was placed there by the Ones so that the Pieces of Eden would work on humans. If they hadn't of done so, the Pieces of Eden would never have had any affect on anyone, at least the ones that cause illusions.

== Trivia ==

Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
*The Greek Myth of Perseus.
*King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Piece of Eden

2009-12-16T03:59:52Z

66.188.86.37: Numerous changes, grammer corrections, removal of unproven facts, etc. etc.

[[File:POE.jpg|thumb|250px|Al Mualim with his Piece of Eden.]]

==Characteristics==
The '''Piece of Eden''' is one of several ancient objects left by [[Those Who Came Before]], possessing different effects, that is able to bend people to the will of the user. One of the greatest weapons known to man, it is capable of ending wars and (provided it is used correctly) ushering in a forced peace.

It is believed by the staff of Abstergo Industries and the Templars that the Piece of Eden, along with other artifacts like it, was the source of such miracles as the Parting of the Red Sea, the successful use of the Trojan Horse by the Greeks to win the Trojan War, the miracles surrounding "the Christ-figure" who founded the Christian faith and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings.
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|left|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]

Apart from its power to force almost anyone into serving its possessor, the Piece of Eden's greatest power is that its existence essentially disproves the existence of an all-powerful God. The Templar Order had already committed itself to exposing the claims of all religions as false, and the Piece of Eden is perfectly suited to the successful pursuit of this purpose.

Incidentally, each Piece of Eden also contains a holographic map of the Earth that shows the location of all the other Artifacts. The Masyaf Piece of Eden was destroyed during its experimental use by [[Abstergo]] Industries at the Denver International Airport. Using [[Altair]]'s memory of events, however, the map showed the locations of the other Pieces of Eden.
[[File:Zw-eden-3.png|thumb|Ezio uses the Staff and Apple to access the Vault.]]

After Altaïr took control of the Assassins, their new goal was to hunt down and destroy the last of the Templars and the Pieces of Eden. During the events of ''Assassin's Creed Bloodlines'', Altaïr starts to study the artifact, writing about its powers and his own theories. When the Cypriots blamed Altaïr for the disasters that struck the island and tried to attack him, he used the Piece of Eden to control their minds, forcing them to hear the truth, that the real culprit was the Templar Grand Master, Armand Bouchart. After reaching the Archives in Limassol, and killing Bouchart, Altaïr kept the Masyaf Piece of Eden, not leaving it in the Archives as he had first intended. It is unknown what happened to the Masyaf Piece of Eden after Altaïr and Maria traveled "East". On an interesting note, the object is referred to as the "Apple of Eden" in the game.

In ''[[Assassin's Creed 2]]'', it is revealed that the Apple and other Pieces of Eden have a rather extensive history of changing hands while decrypting the "Truth" files left by Subject 16. Notable figures in history have used the Pieces of Eden, although for varying purposes; including, but not limited to: Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Houdini, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Tsar Nicholas II, and even Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler. It is also revealed that there are at least 3 Apples remaining in the world, which represent the three divine Golden Apples of Greek mythology.

== Resistance ==

[[Image:poemap.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A map of many "Pieces of Eden"]]
In an e-mail at Abstergo Industries it is revealed that the company's leaders are worried that the Pieces of Eden are not all that is needed to achieve their goal. It is mentioned that some people may be resistant to the mind control effect of the Piece of Eden and that other "Artifacts" must be found to ensure no one is left to cause trouble in the Templar's planned "New World". The only three people so far to show a resistance against the Pieces of Eden are an unnamed person present at the DIA incident, Altaïr, and Ezio. The first sends an e-mail to Dr. Vidic declaring "I know what you did" and gives a firsthand account of the artifact's failed experiment there. Of note is that this person seems to be acting alone and is therefore unlikely to know of the Templars or the Assassins and may not be a member of either organization themselves. Altaïr's resistance is shown when Al Mualim shows him the treasure but Altaïr simply says that to him it is just a piece of silver and does not understand how Al Mualim can believe it to be pure temptation as he describes. This response surprises Al Mualim who later reveals that he had shown the Piece of Eden to Altaïr in an attempt to hypnotize him, but for some reason he could not. However, even though Altaïr is resistant against its hypnotic effect, the Piece of Eden can still do some things to him such as: immobilizing him, causing him to hallucinate and clouding his mind, both of which can be observed during the final battle. Finally, Ezio's resistance is shown when he finally confronts [[Rodrigo Borgia]] in Rome. Although this instance has Ezio ''himself'' using the Apple while Rodrigo uses the Staff. But Ezio shows no resistance to the combined power of the Apple and the Staff.

There is a high potential that Altaïr passed on this gift to Desmond Miles and his other descendants. Although a small number of theories can be made upon decrypting Truth File #18 because while decrypting it Subject 16 makes comments about scientists finding a specific neurological receptor in the human brain that responds solely to the effects of the Eden artifacts. It is highly possible that Altaïr, or more appropriately, one of his ancestors, was born lacking these "dormant receptors". As Desmond's genetic family are seemingly the only of which that possess this resistance. Why such a severe neurological mutation such as this (severe, due to the fact that humans were created, specifically to be controlled by the artifacts through these receptors), were to occur is left for speculation.

== Confirmed Artifacts ==

'''01: The First Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Most likely destroyed, but no confirmation.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Adam(A)/Eve(A), Abel(A), Cain(T), Al Mualim(T)(!), Altair(A), Ezio(A), Unknown, Napoleon, Unknown, Houdini, Templars.

'''02: The Second Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Caught in an explosive satellite malfunction. Most likely survived, but impossible to retrieve in the blackness of space; see the AC1 emails.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Unknown, Queen "Bloody" Mary I of England(T)(!), Queen Elizabeth I of England, Unknown, Gandhi, Templars.

'''03: The Third Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson(T)

'''04: The Fourth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff. But possibly it has helped in the development of weapons and technology throughout the centuries

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, "The Invention of Gunpowder", Nikola Tesla(A), Thomas Edison(T), Henry Ford(T), Adolf Hitler(T)(!), Assassins.

'''05: The Fifth Apple:''' Designed to create illusions and control men's minds; can be used in conjunction with the Staff.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, NASA(T).

'''25: The Sword:''' Possibly it can cut through anything, can guide the wielder of it so that i can block any attack, and being a piece of eden itself, it probably gave knowledge on how to win any battle, making any who wields it able to defeat entire armies (It's said that Attila the Hun's sword had an attack called the Scourge of Mars, it was so terrifying that none dared to speak of the details, if there were any that survived it that is, so it's also possible that with a single stroke it can carve down hundreds of men)

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Perseus, Attila the Hun(T), Alexander the Great(T)(!), King Arthur, Sigurd, Genghis Khan(T)(!), Joan of Arc, Templars.

'''34: The Staff:''' Designed to control men's minds and bodies; it has a spot in the headpiece where an Apple of Eden can placed to enhance the mind control powers.

'''Status:''' Destroyed in the Tunguska Incident.

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, Egyptian Pharaohs, Moses, Alexander the Great(T)(!), John the Baptist, Jesus, Peter, Rodrigo Borgia(T), Ezio(A), Unknown, Czar Nicholas II, Rasputin(T)(!).

'''66: The Shroud:''' Unknown, possibly allowed the ressurecion of the dead, able to heal any ailment. The Templars were behind the crucifixtion of Christ, allowing them to steal the artifact, although his disciples may have used it to heal Jesus before the Templars stole it. The Shroud appears to be red in color, with a "golden layer" woven on the inside, most likely the golden layer is the "technological part" of the artifact.

'''Status:''' Unknown

'''Owners:''' Those Who Came Before, David, Jesus Christ, Templars.

(T) = A Templar / worked with Templars (A) = Assassin / Worked With Assassins (!)= Confirmed Assassinated by the Assassins

== Locations of the Artifacts ==

According to the Codex Map there are exactly 47 Pieces of Eden remaining in the world. Here are the proposed locations of each.

#Giza, Egypt
#Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania - (The Apple #?)
#The Gambia
#Timbuktu, Mali
#Atlas Mountains, Morocco
#Canary Islands, Spain
#Vologda Oblast, Russia - (The Staff?)
#Chernobyl, Ukraine - (The Staff? Or a failed Templar project)
#Sighişoara, Transylvania - (The Apple #4)
#Rennes-le-Château, France
#Salisbury, England - (The Sword?/Excalibur)
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Uluru, Australia
#Nara, Japan
#Xi'an, China - (The Sword?)
#Lake Baikal, Siberia
#Bareilly, India
#Persepolis, Iran
#Jerusalem, Israel - (The Apple #1)
#Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - (The Shroud?)
#Machu Picchu, Perú
#Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
#Aasiaat, Greenland
#Chichen Itza, Mexico
#San Antonio, Texas
#Montréal, Quebec
#Lake Okanagan, British Columbia
#Coloma, California

== Possible Artifacts and their Functions; Temple locations==

These artifacts are based on the locations given in Assassin's Creed, and the clues and hints found in all the games.

*The Holy Grail: Although the Templars doubt its existence as a Biblical artifact, it could prove to be real. Possible Functions: Grants eternal life, among other things. Possible owners: Jesus.
*The Crystal Skulls: Quartz skulls found in Ancient Temples. Telepathic Communication. Currently possessed by the Templars, possibly found near the Nazca Lines. there are more than two although the number is unknwon at this time, but it's possible there could be 13.
*The "Philadelphia Experiment" artifact: Time travel, said to have been lost in the failed experiment. According to reports, a Navy destroyer ship disappeared for a few minutes, supposedly having traveled to the future. When it reappeared and was searched, most of the men were gone or they were there but dead, with pieces of their bodies melted into the metal of the ship. According to the email in the firct AC, it was locked away in a safe location, and curiously, on the Codex map it shows a dot in the middle of the Nevada desert...Area 51?
*The Golden Fleece: A seemingly weightless and indestructible piece of armor or cloak. In his [[Codex]], Altair speculates that it could have truly existed and was actually made of a unique metal compound he had discovered how to create using knowledge contained within the Apple. Shortly after creating his set of armour with the metal, Altair destroyed anything that could lead to its discovery or creation, fearing the knowledge could one day fall into the hands of the Templars. Possible Owners: Jason
*The Spear of Destiny or Holy Lance: Said to protect its user from death, but causes instant death when lost. Also it's possible that when thrown it can never miss it's target and can't be stopped in mid-flight. Supposedly pierced the side of Christ at his crucifixtion, although Bibicaly the man who pierced Christ was said to live forever, until he found out and killed himself with the spear. Possible Owners: Longinus, Constantine, Charlemagne and other Holy Roman Emperors
*The Philosopher's Stone: Turn any substance into pure gold. Possibly what started the gold rush in Coloma, California.

There are 8 locations of Temples mentioned by Minerva that could possibly help save the human race, and more than likely where Desmond and the other modern day Assassins will be heading in the third AC game.

*New York City, NY, USA; possible locations include the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Library, Madison Square Garden, etc. It's hard to determine because New York city has a huge underground network system, it could be hiding in plain sight, or it could be so far down that no one could possibly have seen it, able to rise up from the earth at will and just hasn't for thousands of years.
*Galapagos Islands
*Somewhere in the middle of the country of Cameroon, Africa; Cameroon is literally in the heart of Africa, covered in dense jungle, it woul be completely possible to hide a temple in it and never see it from the sky above
*Lake Bakial, Russia
*Somwhere in the South Pacific Ocean, parallel to the one on the Galapagos Islands
*Hidden in the fjords in Northern Norway, possibly close to the peninsula/islands near Hinnoya, Norway
*Somewhere in the middle of the island of Java, Indonesia
*Somewhere in the ocean south of the southeastern tip of Austrailia

All the temple locations are parallel to each other, first appearing in a curved row of three, a row of two to make the parallel fold across the map, and then a curved row of three again.

Other possible Pieces of Eden. These are just something to think about, since the POE's were part of most of history and myths, it's possible these could also exist.

*The Wand: Every great sorcerer, wizard, or magician that could have possibly existed in the real world has been said to have a wand, thus the source of their power. Functions: this Piece of Eden could possibly allow the user the ability to warp reality, thus making making some form of magic spells possible. People who might have owned it: Circe, Merlin, the Fairy Godmother of some fairy tales. Has a high chance of existing, since the Sword was once wielded by King Arthur.
*The Boots: Numerous legends abound about boots that can grant either super speed or flight, like the Seven-league Boots or the Winged Sandals of Hermes.
*The Hammer: There is only one real mention of Mjolnir, the Norse thunder god Thor's warhammer. It was rumored to be unbreakable and able to control the elements of the storms. It has been noted lately that it's possible that Thor could have been a real person and was such a fantastic warrior that the Vikings actually worshiped him as the warrior god. It was also noted that in the real world, the Knights Templar were actually on good terms with the Viking community. Could be possible that they presented a Piece of Eden to them in the game world as a motion of good faith?
*The Helmet: Used by Perseus, along with the Sword, the Helmet of Hades made the wearer invisible once put on.
*The Shield: Perseus also used a mythical shield given to him by Athena (Minerva in the Roman culture). It's supposedly unbreakable and one of it's qualities is it's mirrored finish, which enabled him to supposedly kill the Gorgon without looking at it and thus turning to stone. It's possible that the Gorgon part was a myth, but instead was a person who possessed a Piece of Eden that could turn any who saw it into stone, and it just so happened to look like the head of a foul beast. It's noted that in just about every modern day statue that depicts Perseus, he is holding the head of Medusa in his hands.
*The Second Sword: There are thousands of myths and legends that tell of magic/enchanted swords all throughout history, some of them existing in the hands of other people at the same time in far off places. So it's possible that there might be a second Piece of Eden that is a Sword. There is obviously more than one apple shaped Piece of Eden, as listed above.

Things the Pieces of Eden share in common:

*If any one of these pieces were to be destroyed, like the Piece of Eden involved in the Tunguska Explosion, they would cause explosions similar to nuclear blasts, at least enough to level a major city. It's even been shown that at least one of these things were part of the Manhattan project in one of the glyphs left behind by Subject 16.
*It's highly possible that The Ones that Came Before had mastered all forms of technology, including controlled nuclear fusion which is another reason these things still have power to them even after thousands of years of being used throughout human history, and another reason for the blast theory above.
*It is possible, but very slim, that through their advanced technology, the Pieces of Eden are omni-synched: synchronized to each other throughout time and locations of where they are on the planet. It would explain why the one Apple shows the location of the remaining 46 pieces on the map shown to Altair, not showing the one lost in the satelite incident or the one lost in the Tunguska incident.

== Notes ==
It may be interesting to note that in Assassin's Creed, Al Mualim and Robert De Sable both want to use the Apple of Eden to control the population and enforce peace. But as the Templars continue to thrive, they seem obsessed with power. Rodrigo Borgia, the Spaniard, comes into possession of the Staff. Instead of using it to forcefully control his followers, he seems to desire it only for the power it brings him. (He is seen leading his congregation in prayer; if he controlled their minds, they would stand around like sheep. There would be no reason to pray.) He also talks of killing God solely for the power it will bring him. While the Templars first sought the Pieces of Eden in a quest for peace, they were corrupted and seem now to only desire power.

It should be noted that every major historical event or scientific discovery has been attributed to its catalysts having in their possession a Piece of Eden. As seen in the sections above, the Pieces are all at the heart of history. For example, Edison made his invention while he has the Apple of Eden in his possession. It is also known that Lee Harvey Oswald, as well as his co-conspirators, is mentioned in a letter discussing who will receive a Piece of Eden next.

It is stated in one of the Codex pages that a Piece of Eden can not be destroyed, however this could just be due to the lack of sufficient technology in the middle ages when the Codex was written. It is stated in a letter to Tesla (part of the Truth Video unlock events) that when the sender of the letter finds the Piece of Eden they are looking for, can he use his mastery of electricity to permanently destroy the Piece of Eden. Unfortunately, this resulted in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event Tunguska Explosion].

== Trivia ==

Thanks to the glyphs, a number of legends were proven to be real in a way, thanks to the P.O.E. Here are a few:
*The Greek Myth of Perseus
*King Arthur existed as he had in the legends about him and not just the way historians think he did

{{DEFAULTSORT:Piece Of Eden}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Templars

2009-12-15T04:23:57Z

66.188.86.37: /* Others */

{{Good}}
{{Imageneed}}

{{WP-REAL|Knights Templar}}
{{Faction Infobox
|image = Knights Templar Cross.svg
|imgdesc = The Templars used many variations on this red cross pattée as their symbol.
"Behold the mark of Cain." -Subject 16
|game = ''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
|religion = Roman Catholic (officially)
|location = [[Acre]] Rich district
|targets = All targets are secretly (or openly) Templars
}}

{{quote
|1 = -Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam (''Latin for "Not to us God, not to us, but to Your Name Give Glory"'') -May the [[wikipedia:Baphomet|Father of Understanding]] guide us
|2 = Mottos of the Templar
}}

The '''Knights Templar''' are the sworn enemies of the [[Assassins]]. They attacked [[Masyaf]] after a failed mission under Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem; and after that, Templars found in the Holy Land will attack [[Altaïr]] on sight. They tend to attack more skilfully and take more hits than normal guards. You can find them in small villages throughout the kingdom, as well as throughout the cities, keenly observing their surroundings of encroaching danger. Templars are battlefield hardened soldiers lending aide to King Richard in the Third Crusade. Their battlefield experience shows in the way they fight. They are warriors in every meaning of the word, extremely skilled in the application of sword combat, and extremely disciplined. Templars should be dealt with while expressing extreme caution and solid battle skills. These soldiers are usually stationary, and on the lookout for the Assassins, their sworn enemies, who they are engaged with in a low-scale war.

==History==
''Orde du Temple'' in French, the Knights Templar are amongst the most famous of the Western Christian military orders involved in the war. They are well known by the distinctive white mantles with a red cross. Officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, the Order became a favoured charity throughout Christianity, and grew rapidly in membership. Because the Templars' existence was tied closely to the Crusades; when the Holy Land was lost, support for the Order faded.

According to Subject 16, the Templar Seal is the Mark of Cain. This indicates that the principle ideas of the Templars seems to have existed for much longer.

==Distribution and goals==
The Templar originally sought peace the Christian way, but the discovery of the Apples of Eden and their power to manipulate the minds of the masses, that all changed. As all powerful religious and political figures used the pieces to spread their lies, the Templar realized a personal truth: there is no God or Great Power out there, only men with power and those without. They became atheists, with maintaining the pretence and tradition of Roman Catholics to avoid suspicion, retain friends in the Vatican and for personal habit. This new freedom brought a new perception to the Templars. With no afterlife or ultimate punishment or reward after death, there was no real obligation to oblige by such morality (this was an easy transition, as most in those violent times ignored the concept of morality anyway). It also ensured that only this life was important, rather than preparing for the next. Without this new view, the corruption of the world shone to them like an ugly light. With so many lower class kept in line with the promise of Heaven and so many upper class blissfully ignoring such ideals, the Templars vowed to make a better world, one of peace, no matter the cost. Their main goal during the Crusades became to bring peace to the Holy Land by usurping the rule of Saladin and undermining the efforts of Richard the Lionheart while both where more concerned with fighting each other, but the ways they do it are both ruthless and barbaric. However, they believe that they're doing good. They're trying to control peoples' free wills and they will ruthlessly kill anyone who is against them, especially the Assassins, whose leader, Al Mualim, was a member of the Templars but he later chose to betray them by stealing the Piece of Eden for his own purposes. They're also good at manipulation, as they've members in both the Crusader and Saracen armies, allowing themselves to manipulate both Richard the Lionheart and Saladin for their own gain and manipulated the other knight orders like the Hospitalliers, Teutonic Knights and even the Assassins (Hashshashin) via Al Mualim.

==Members==
===Third Crusade===
* [[Basilisk]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar)
* [[Robert de Sable]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Basilisk)
* [[Armand Bouchart]] (Grand Master of the Knights Templar, after Robert)
* [[Tamir the Merchant]] (Black marketeer in [[Damascus]])
* [[Garnier de Naplouse]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Hospitalier]])
* [[Talal the Slave Trader]] (Slave master in [[Jerusalem]])
* [[Abul Nuqoud]] (A noble man of Damascus)
* [[William of Montferrat]] (Regent lord of [[Acre]])
* [[Majd Addin]] (Regent lord of Jerusalem)
* [[Jubair al Hakim]] (Head of the Illuminated and the chief scholar of Damascus)
* [[Sibrand]] (Grand Master of the [[Knights Teutonic]])
* [[Al Mualim]] (Master and leader of the [[Assassin]]s, betrayed the Templars)
* [[Maria]] (Robert de Sable's steward and his own personal assassin)
* [[Roland Napule]] (Head of a Templar hospital in [[Tyre]])
* [[Masun]] (Traitorous assassin who is a double agent to the Templar)
* [[Alaat]] (Templar knight)
* [[Anonymous Templar Knights]] (regular soldiers)

=== Renaissance===

*[[Uberto Alberti]] (The Gonfaloniere of Florence)
*[[Vieri de' Pazzi]] (Ezio's Rival)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]] (Patriarch of the Pazzi Family)
*[[Antonio Maffei]] (Priest - Pazzi Conspirator)
*Archbishop [[Francesco Salviati]] (Archibishop of Pisa - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Bernado Baroncelli]] (Banker - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Stefano da Bagnone]] (Advisor to Jacopo de' Pazzi - Pazzi Conspirator)
*[[Jacopo de' Pazzi]] (Head of the Pazzi Conspiracy)
*[[Emilio Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Merchant of Venice)
*[[Carlo Grimaldi]] (Member of the Council of Ten of Venice)
*[[Marco Barbarigo]] (Corrupt Doge of Venice)
*[[Silvio Barbarigo]] (Member of the Supreme Tribunal of Venice)
*[[Dante Moro]] (Personal Guard of Marco Barbarigo)
*[[Rodrigo Borgia]] (Templar Leader and His Holiness, Pope Alexander VI)

===Modern times===
* [[Abstergo Industries]] (current form of the Templars)
** [[Warren Vidic]] (Scientist of Abstergo Industries)
** Three men who are the bosses of [[Abstergo Industries]] (one of them is [[Alan Rikkin]])

=== Others ===
*[[Cain]]
*[[Xerxes]]
*[[Alexander the Great]]
*[[Qin Shi Huang]]
*[[Atilla the Hun]]
*[[Genghis Khan]]
*[[Cleopatra]]
*[[Caligula]]
*[[Francisco Pizzaro]]
*[[Francois Duvalier]]
*[[John Wilkes Booth]]
*[[Lee Harvey Oswald]]
*[[Rasputin]]
*[[Josef Stalin]]
*[[Mary I of England]]
*[[Tomas de Torquemada]]
*[[Thomas Edison]]
*[[Henry Ford]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]]
*[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
*[[Winston Churchill]] (?)
*[[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] (?)
*J. Robert Oppenheimer (?)

== Achievement ==
There are 60 Templars within the game world. Thirty are located in the Kingdom, and ten in each city. Two subsections (either poor, middle, rich) of each city will have three Templars, and the remaining subsection will have four. Watch out when hunting them, however, as Templars are completely immune to throwing knives. In any Memory Block, regardless of the Rank Memory that Altaïr has, the Templars will attack with all techniques (Guard Break, Counter-grab, etc.) and are extremely hard to kill without more advanced techniques and a high sync bar, or climbing on the wall behind the Templar unnoticed then assassinating them. Should one be able to throw a Templar to the ground however, they can easily be dispatched by a hidden blade or a few sword strikes. Templars will wave their swords and shout upon seeing you, leaving them open for a few precious seconds, during which the player can tackle them and assassinate them while they are on the floor. Templars will also automatically realize that you are an assassin, regardless of whether you are blended or not, unless you are sitting on a bench. Templar locations are broken down as follows:

Kingdom: 30x

Jerusalem Poor: 3x

Jerusalem Mid: 3x

Jerusalem Rich: 4x

Damascus Poor: 3x

Damascus Mid: 3x

Damascus Rich: 4x

Acre Poor: 4x

Acre Middle: 3x

Acre Rich: 3x

Eliminating all 60 Templars in the game will grant the Personal Vendetta achievement.

Personal Vendetta
Kill every Templar. (40 Points)

==Locations==
Simply put, if anyone finds a Templar in-game, check they aren't already listed and then give detailed description of their location. (Please don't use viewpoints as references, they disappear off of the map.)

There is one close by the docks on the Christian part of the kingdom. As you are leaving from Masyaf go right and you'll see a lake. At the edge of the docks is a Templar. There is one hiding in a house nearby.

There is one in the Poor District of Acre at the western edge of the large courtyard north of the plaza where you do the Masyaf flags fetch. Climb up in the middle of that western wall and you'll see him below you in front of a water spout.

There is another hiding inside the row of burnt out dwellings along the 'street' between the northern wall (Poor District Acre) and in the first block of houses as you approach the first sea-viewpoint from that direction. Stay on the roofs to spot him below.

In the Middle District of Acre (Sibrand campaign), there is one at the far western end of the docks. Keep going past where you save the citizen there toward the sea and boats.

:''Note: It seems that if you are fighting with a Templar on a roof and he dies from the fall, it doesn't count toward your tally.''

There is one in the Rich District of Acre on the roof of the giant church, between the two steeples.

There is one in the Rich District of Jerusalem hiding behind the building south of the large building with a golden roof.

There is one in the Kingdom on the way out of Damascus. As you are going out of Damascus go to the tents and look along the river for a Templar. There is one behind the view point tower nearby.

The website [http://www.assassinscreed-maps.com/ Assassin's Creed Interactive Maps] has great maps of the Kingdom and each separate district of Damascus, Acre, and Jerusalem with Templar locations marked by green dots. When you mouse over the dots, a screen shot showing the Templar will pop up.

== Extra Templars ==
During the Robert de Sable assassination you will fight more Templars. However, these do not count towards the total.

== The Historical Templars ==
The Knights Templar was a real Roman Catholic military order who were prominent during the Crusades. They were among the most skilled fighters at the time, which is reflected in the game. Their ruthlessness against non-Catholics was also infamous; this also is reflected in the game.

{{AC}}

{{ACII}}
[[Category:Templars| ]]