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

Leap of Faith

2014-10-08T19:15:36Z

69.120.200.31: /* Middle Ages */ small grammatical edit (... before the attacking Knights Templar--> before the attack by the Knights Templar

{{Era|AC|ACBL|AC2|AC2D|ACB|ACR|AC3|AC3L|AC4|PL|TSC|TF|FC|ASD}}
{{Quote|They lead, each Brother plummeting from the tower and landing safely below in a bale of hay. They are like eagles. Truly free. I do not hesitate. The fall feels like a flight. Exhilarating!|[[Perotto Calderon]] performing a Leap of Faith for his initiation.|Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy}}
[[File:Glory 5.png|thumb|250px|Altaïr, Rauf, and another Assassin performing Leaps of Faith in Masyaf]]
The '''Leap of Faith''' was an acrobatic [[freerunning]] maneuver in which the person performing it dived off of a high structure and landed, unharmed, into a cushioning material.

The move was integral for the members of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]] and served as a requirement for their [[Initiation into the Assassin Order|initiation]] for many years, though the practice fell out of use in [[Modern Times|modern times]].

==History==
[[File:AC1 Altair Leap of Faith Damascus.png|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr performing a Leap of Faith in Damascus]]
The acrobatic move itself traditionally consisted of a vertical leap with a completely straight stature, followed by a head-over-heels roll in mid-air to allow the one performing it to land on their back.<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>

The move could also be performed by simply walking off of a high ledge or beam, and leaning the entire body forward. This method was used by [[Rome|Roman]] Assassin [[Apprentices|recruits]] after their initiation ceremony.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

An alternative Leap of Faith could be performed while hanging from a ledge, and dropping down backwards onto a safe landing spot that was directly below.<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

Areas from which a Leap could be performed were often marked by bird droppings with small hay patches, or with pigeons perched upon the respective ledge.<ref name="AC"/>

===Middle Ages===
In 1191, during the [[Defense of Masyaf]], [[Rashid ad-Din Sinan]] ordered several of his Assassins to perform Leaps of Faith before the attack by the [[Templars|Knights Templar]]; both to proclaim that the Assassins did not fear death, and to successfully trigger an ambush that would rout the attacking forces.

In the field, the Leap of Faith was mostly used to descend from [[View Points]], each of which always provided a suitable safe target for it. However, it could be used to descend from anywhere, provided a safe spot was situated underneath.

The Leap could also be used to escape pursuing [[guards]] on rooftops, since they were unable to perform the maneuver.<ref name="AC"/>

===Renaissance===
[[File:AC2 San Gimignano Leap.png|250px|thumb|right|Ezio performing a Leap of Faith from a tower in [[San Gimignano]]]]
Though [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] only performed Leaps of Faith into piles of hay, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] could make use of water and other sorts of soft material, such as spice carts or flower petals.<ref name="AC2"/>

Upon traveling to Rome, Ezio made use of the Leap of Faith to quickly escape from the [[Borgia Towers|Borgia towers]] he had climbed and set aflame.

As per tradition, whenever Assassin recruits were initiated, they performed a Leap of Faith, signifying their new rank. Ezio himself performed a Leap of Faith from atop a bell tower in [[Venice]],<ref name="AC2"/> and his Roman recruits performed the act from atop the [[Tiber Island]] [[Tiber Island headquarters|headquarters]], into the [[Tiber]] below.<ref name="ACB"/>
===Enlightenment Age===
During the [[Golden Age of Piracy]], the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] was also able to perform Leaps of Faith from high points. However, many of Edward's jumps were often directed into pools of water below - provided the water was deep enough - such as those he executed while [[Nothing Is True...|defending Tulum]] or while chasing [[Charles Vane]] during their [[Marooned|marooning]] on [[Isla Providencia]]. It was also possible for Edward to perform diving leaps from the crossmasts of [[Ships|ships]], landing safely in the sea.

During the [[American Revolutionary War]], Edward's grandson [[Ratonhnhaké:ton|Connor]] was able to perform Leaps of Faith into moving carts of hay below. Notably, Connor also leapt from the seaside cliffs of a burning [[Fort Wolcott]], and later into a giant cavern below [[Oak Island]] while searching for the treasure of [[William Kidd]].

===Modern times===
[[File:BH-Mesmond LoF.png|thumb|250px|left|Desmond's first Leap of Faith]]
In 2000, [[Daniel Cross]] performed a Leap of Faith into the Persian Gulf to escape the Assassins' [[Dubai]] headquarters, shortly after instinctively murdering [[Mentor (2000)|the Mentor]] with his newly acquired [[Hidden Blade]].<ref name="ACTF">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''</ref> Later on, in 2012, [[Desmond Miles]] performed his first Leap of Faith in the modern, but run-down city of [[Monteriggioni]], after witnessing a vision of Ezio climbing to a View Point due to the [[Bleeding Effect]].<ref name="ACB"/> A few months later, Desmond executed another, much higher Leap of Faith in [[New York City]], jumping from the {{Wiki|One World Trade Center}}, before deploying a [[Parachute|parachute]] to glide to another rooftop. Several Abstergo recruits also performed Leaps of Faith during the simulations they have trained with, as a part of the [[Animi Training Program]].<ref name="ACB"/>

==Trivia==
;''Assassin's Creed''
*When [[Masyaf]] was attacked by Templars, three Assassins displayed their devotion by performing Leaps of Faith from a cliff. This was based on a historical incident involving the {{Wiki|Hashshashin#Origins|Hashshashin}}, in which their leader proclaimed that his followers were more devout than any and would follow all commands he gave.
*There was nothing coincidental about the placement of the piles of hay in the Animus. It was explained that the bales of hay and the birds indicating them were programmed into memories by [[Lucy Stillman]], as a way to help in navigation.

;''Assassin's Creed II''
*When being pursued by Ezio, [[Francesco de' Pazzi]] leapt from the [[Palazzo della Signoria]] into a haystack for a quick escape. This was the only known example for a non-Assassin performing a Leap of Faith until ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''.
*To earn the "'''High Dive'''" [[Assassin's Creed II achievements|achievement]], Ezio had to perform a Leap of Faith from [[Campanile di Giotto|Giotto's Campanile]] in [[Florence]], as it was the highest View Point in the city.
*Ezio was forced to perform an alternative Leap of Faith at least once, after speaking with [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|his father]] at the Palazzo della Signoria in "[[Jailbird]]."

;''Assassin's Creed: Revelations''
*[[Vali cel Tradat]] performed a Leap of Faith, becoming the second Templar to ever use the move. However, he was a former Assassin.

;''Assassin's Creed III''
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed III]]'', the [[Kanien'kehá:ka]] woman [[Kaniehtí:io]] performed a Leap of Faith, becoming the first person to perform this acrobatic move, who was not a member of the Assassins or Templars.
*The [[Colonial Rite of the Templar Order|Colonial Templar]] [[Grand Master]] [[Haytham Kenway]] also performed a Leap of Faith, becoming the third Templar to perform the move. However, he was raised as an Assassin during his childhood.
*Crows indicated where a Leap of Faith could be performed, instead of pigeons.

;''Assassin's Creed: Unity''
*[[Arno Dorian]] employed a maneuver similar to the Leap of Faith, known as the "Base Jump", leaping from a high point and swinging on an object as he fell to the ground.

;'''Other'''
*It was suggested that very few of the modern-age Assassins performed the Leap of Faith, due to Lucy Stillman saying it was "pretty awesome" when she witnessed Desmond Miles' Leap from the walls of Monteriggioni.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]'', Ezio could also perform the alternative Leap of Faith by hanging above a haystack and letting go of the ledge. Doing so correctly would let Ezio flip three times.
*In ''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]'', it was mentioned that the haystacks used in the Leaps of Faith at the Templar siege of Masyaf were placed there on the orders of [[Rauf]].
*As an [[Easter eggs|easter egg]] in ''[[w:c:metalgear:Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker|Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker]]'', Big Boss – and by extension, the soldiers he recruited – could perform Leaps of Faith into a straw box called the "Assassin Straw Box."
*An easter egg in ''[[w:c:witcher:The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings|The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings]]'' showed an individual dressed in clothing similar to an Assassin's robes, lying dead on top of a collapsed hay cart; whereupon the main character commented ''"Guess they'll never learn."''
*In the reveal trailer for ''[[w:c:hitman:Hitman: Sniper Challenge|Hitman: Absolution Sniper Challenge]]'', a man standing on a high beam was shot by Agent 47. After a few seconds, he fell, and as he tumbled, the sound of an [[Eagles|eagle]] screeching played; the same sound that could be heard whenever a Leap of Faith was performed.

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
AquilusLoF.jpg|[[Aquilus]] performing a Leap of Faith
Concept art for Leap of Faith.jpg|Concept of three Assassins performing Leaps of Faith
TiberIslandHQ_LeapOfFaith_Concept.JPG|Concept of Assassin recruits performing Leaps from the Tiber headquarters
Vali-leapoffaith.png|[[Vali cel Tradat]] performing a Leap of Faith
AC4 Leap of Faith.png|[[Edward Kenway]] performing a Leap of Faith
FC Leap of Faith.png|[[Adéwalé]] performing a Leap of Faith
AC3 Haytham Leap.png|Haytham Kenway performing a Leap of Faith
ACIII-HostileNegotiations_10.png|Ratonhnhaké:ton performing a Leap of Faith in the Frontier
The Fall.jpg|Daniel's Leap of Faith
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC}}
{{AC2}}
{{ACB}}
{{ACR}}
{{AC3}}
{{AC3L}}
{{AC4}}
{{ACFC}}
[[Category:Assassin skills]]

Jerusalem

2014-09-10T23:06:58Z

69.120.200.31: /* Rich District */ Second sentence- inserted "of between "much" and "the". Grammatical

<div id="myEventWatcherDiv" style="display:none;"></div>{{Era|ACAC|AC|ACR|ACM|TSC}}
{{WP-REAL|Jerusalem, Israel}}
{{Location Infobox
|name = Jerusalem
|image = Jerusalem_beam.jpg
|state = [[Israel]]
|rulers = [[Roman Republic]] and [[Roman Empire|Empire]] (37 BCE-395) [[Byzantine Empire]] (395-614; 629-638) [[Crusaders]] (1099-1187; 1229-1244) [[Ayyubid dynasty]] (1187-1229; 1244-1260) [[Mamluks|Mamluk Sultanate]] (13th century-1516) [[Ottoman Empire]] (1516-1917) [[British Empire]] (1917-1948)
|factions = [[Saracens]] [[Assassins]] [[Templars]]
|date = 19th century BCE
|landmark = [[Dome of the Rock]] [[Al-Aqsa Mosque]] [[Temple of Solomon]]
|flags = Jerusalem crosses
|targets = [[Talal]] [[Majd Addin]] [[Robert de Sable]]}}
'''Jerusalem''' is a city located in the hills of the Judean Mountains, in between the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and the Dead Sea.

==History==
===Antiquity===
The city was founded sometime in the 19th century BCE. After being conquered several times, it was finally possessed by [[David|King David]]. David's successor, Solomon, built a [[Solomon's Temple|temple]] which guarded the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

===High Middle Ages===
In the early 12th century, the [[Templars|Templar]] [[Bernard de Clairvaux]] sent nine trusted men to find Solomon's Temple beneath Jerusalem. When these men returned nine years later, he reinvented the Order into a knightly organization. This organization became known as the Knights Templar, allowing the Templars to become public for the first time since their Order's founding.<ref name="ACR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>

Jerusalem was the largest city in the [[Kingdom|Holy Land]] during the 12th century and housed exquisite mosques and cathedrals, which denoted the contrast of the cultures present. The city was under the control of Sultan [[Salāḥ ad-Dīn|Saladin]] and his [[Saracens|Saracen]] army during the [[Third Crusade]], while the [[Crusaders]] under King [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] were vying heavily to take control of the holy city.<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>

By the time of the Third Crusade, the city secretly housed both Templars and [[Assassins]]. In 1191, a group of Templars led by their [[Grand Master]] [[Robert de Sable]] and a team of Assassins composed of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and the brothers [[Malik Al-Sayf|Malik]] and [[Kadar Al-Sayf]] infiltrated Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, to obtain an "[[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]]" – an artifact that was hidden deep inside the temple – atop the Ark of the Covenant.

When both factions met, it resulted in a conflict that led to the death of Kadar and the severe wounding of Malik's arm, though Malik was successfully able to bring the Apple of Eden back to the headquarters of the [[Levantine Assassins]] in [[Masyaf]].<ref name="AC"/>

Throughout the rest of the year, in order to redeem his failure due to his arrogance and disregard for the [[The Creed|Assassins' Creed]], Altaïr assassinated several clandestine Templars who worked inside Jerusalem. He did so with the help of Malik Al-Sayf, who had become the [[Rafiq]] of the city's [[Assassins' Bureau]].

Among these Templars was [[Talal]], a slave trader, and [[Majd Addin]], the regent of Jerusalem in Saladin's absence. Ultimately, Altaïr also attempted to take the life of Robert de Sable during Majd Addin's funeral; however, he failed due to Robert having taken precautions and disguising his fellow Templar [[Maria Thorpe]] as himself to act as a decoy.<ref name="AC"/>

When Altaïr, who by 1257 had become the [[Mentor]] of the Levantine Assassins, dispersed the Assassin Order from Masyaf,<ref name="ACTSC">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''</ref> they shifted their primary presence in the [[Levant]] to Jerusalem, working in secret.<ref name="ACRM">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'' - [[Mediterranean Defense]]</ref>

===Renaissance===
By the time that the [[Renaissance]] had begun spreading throughout Europe, the [[Mamluks]] ruled over Jerusalem. Unlike the Saracens, the Mamluks directly opposed the Assassins and attempted to erase their presence from within the city.

In 1511, the Mamluks arrested the Assassins' [[Assassin leader|leader]] [[Mujir]] in order to intimidate them, but their attempt failed when he was rescued by a group of [[Turkish Assassins|Ottoman Assassins]] sent from [[Constantinople]] by the Mentor of the [[Italian Assassins|Italian branch]] of the Assassin Order, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]. With help from the Ottoman Assassins, Jerusalem eventually came under strong Assassin control and flourished due to it.<ref name="ACRM"/>

===Modern times===
In 2012, part of the city functioned as a simulated training location for the [[Assassin's Creed: Revelations|second stage]] of the [[Animi Training Program]], included within a [[Mediterranean Traveler Map Pack|system update]].

The simulation depicted the [[Dome of the Rock]] and its surrounding area, which, aside from the occasional building, largely consisted of tents and market stalls that sold various goods and produce. Decorative archways were a common sight.

Jerusalem, like most of the simulated locations in the first and second stage, had two aesthetic variations. As such, it could be utilized during the day or at dusk.

==Districts==
===Poor District===
The Poor District of Jerusalem was the smallest of the city, with a large amount of alleyways and low buildings. Guards were fairly spread across the area, while the traffic moving through the streets was relatively clear.

The main features of the district included a mosque, a southernmost church and a synagogue. These were all places that were generally alive with activity and provided a good source for information, which was valuable for Altaïr during his assassination tasks.

It was in this district that Altaïr tracked his target, Majd Addin, to an execution that he was performing in its eastern side. This section contained a platform that was set against the rocky outcrop and walls of the Dome of the Rock, along with several high buildings that overlooked the area.<ref name="AC"/>

===Middle District===
The Middle District was a medium-sized district that was fairly spaced out with guards and civilians. The most significant landmarks in the district included the hospital and guard tower, situated near to the edge of the district, and the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre]], located in the bottom half of the district.

Founded around 326 CE by Queen Helena, the church was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times during the Crusaders' occupation of Jerusalem in the 12th century. This district was also were the funeral of Majd Addin was held, in an area just behind the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Here, Altaïr attempted the eliminate the Grand Master of the Templar Order, Robert de Sable, but instead discovered he had been replaced by Maria Thorpe as a decoy.<ref name="AC"/>

===Rich District===
The Rich District was easily the largest of the districts, dominating the city. Given its size, guards and civilians populated much of the area. The buildings were relatively high, with a number of climbable viewpoints.

Several notable landmarks included the district's mosque, the markets that lined the border between the Jewish and Muslim quarters of the district, and [[Saint Anne's Church]]. However, the most prominent landmark in the district – and probably the entire city – was the Dome of the Rock.

Completed in 691 CE, the Dome of the Rock was situated atop the [[Temple Mount]], and was the one of the holiest sites in the {{Wiki|Islam|Islamic}} faith. Underneath the Temple Mount was the ancient temple of King Solomon, where the Ark of the Covenant was located, along with the Apple of Eden recovered by Altaïr and the brothers Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf.<ref name="AC"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="center" position="center" spacing="small" widths="180">
Ac-jerusalem1.jpg|Concept art of Jerusalem
A Public Execution.jpg|Concept art of Jerusalem's poor district
Ac-jerusalem4.jpg|Concept art of the Assassins' Bureau in Jerusalem
Solomonjerusalemview.png|Altaïr looking out over the city from Solomon's Temple
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{ACAC}}
{{AC}}
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Jerusalem| ]]
[[Category:Animi virtual locations]]
[[Category:Secondary stage locations]]
[[Category:Mediterranean]]
[[Category:Capital cities]]<div id="myEventWatcherDiv" style="display:none;"></div>