Staves of Eden

2011-12-04T18:23:18Z

76.29.156.220: /* Powers */

{{Era|AC2|Brotherhood|Renaissance|Bbook|The Fall|TWCB}}
{{Item Infobox
|image = Zw-eden-4.png
|type = Piece of Eden
|powers = Can be used to conjure illusions and control bodies of people.
|current = Destroyed
|period = Prehistory until [[Russian Revolution]]
|created = [[Those Who Came Before]]
|made = Unknown
|destroyed = 1917, Tunguska Incident
|notable = Those Who Came Before Moses Alexander the Great John the Baptist Saint Peter Rodrigo Borgia Tsar Alexander III Tsar Nicholas II and Rasputin
}}
{{Quote|Better in the hands of the Earth, than in the hands of Man.|[[Mario Auditore]] regarding the Staff after being lost during the [[Renaissance]].|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
'''The Staff''' was a [[Pieces of Eden|Piece of Eden]]. Known throughout history by names such as the '''Papal Staff''' or the '''Russian Imperial Sceptre''', the Staff of Eden was used by various [[Egypt]]ian Pharaohs, Roman Catholic [[Papacy|Popes]], and [[Russia]]n Tsars.

==Powers==
Designed to control men's minds and bodies and had the power of killing who ever disobeyed the man weilding it, it has a cradle in the headpiece where an [[Apples of Eden|Apple of Eden]] can be placed, in order to enhance its mind control effects. This conjunction of two Pieces of Eden can also be used to open the door to the [[Vatican Vault]].<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

Its bottom end is sharpened, and can be wielded as a spear in combat. It also grants the possessor the ability to conceal his presence entirely, and the ability of levitation; though whether these are physical effects, or simply manipulations of the viewers' perceptions, remains unknown. It also had, somehow, the ability to change its shape, as its appearance had changed to various different forms over the course of time.<ref name="AC2"/>

When [[Nikolai Orelov]] approached the Staff in 1908, he heard several voices emanating from it, namely voices of the past, playing almost like recordings, speaking things such as "Always the fighter," "[[Adam and Eve|Adam]], I have it," "Just like your father," and "Eve."<ref name="ACTF2">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' – Issue #2</ref>

==History==
The earliest known use of the Staff seems to be by the prophet [[Moses]], who used its powers of illusion and mind control to "part" the Red Sea, and free the Israelites from [[Egypt]].<ref name="AC2"/>

It is also known to have been used by the Pharaoh [[Shabataka]], who used it to rule over Ancient Egypt in the early 7th century BC. It was likely used by various pharaohs before and after him.<ref name="AC2"/>

The next known user is [[Alexander the Great]], who led a united Greek army into Asia. Possibly he acquired the Staff in Egypt, and he probably lost it when he was poisoned by the Assassin [[Iltani]] in 323 BC.<ref name="AC2"/>

It was later kept by [[John the Baptist]]. who was a prophet and religious leader who baptized [[Jesus Christ]] (who himself owned at least one Piece of Eden). It would then pass into the hands of the first disciple of Jesus, [[Peter|Saint Peter]], who would establish Christianity and become the first Pope. It is assumed that the Staff circulated through the hands of the Roman Catholic Popes until it was used by [[Rodrigo Borgia]], who became Pope Alexander VI in 1492 so that he could use the Staff to gain access to [[Vatican Vault|the Vault]].<ref name="AC2"/>

[[File:IBAL 9.png|thumb|left|250px|Rodrigo Borgia using the Staff.]]
In December 1499, the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio Auditore]] infiltrated the Sistine Chapel to confront Rodrigo, and a fight ensued, during which the Staff was wielded as a spear- or halberd-like weapon against Ezio. Eventually Ezio defeated the despairing Rodrigo and used the Staff (combined with [[Sixth Apple|the Apple]]) to enter the Vault.<ref name="AC2"/>

When leaving the Vault, Ezio tried to remove the Staff from the center of the room, where it was secured in the Vault floor. Upon doing so, Ezio activated machinery making the Staff descend underground, despite Ezio's efforts to retrieve it.<ref name="ACBH">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

It was seemingly somehow recovered at some point afterwards, as it had come into the possession of [[Alexander III of Russia|Tsar Alexander III]] as of 1888. On October 29 of that year, while returning home to [[Petrograd]], the Tsar was [[Borki train disaster|attacked]] by Assassin [[Nikolai Orelov]]. After the Royal Train derailed, he threw the Staff to Orelov, challenging his assailant to attack him with it.<ref name="ACTF1">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' – Issue #1</ref>

The Tsar subsequently repelled the assassination attempt, leaving with the Piece of Eden still in his possession. After his death, it was passed on to his son [[Nicholas II of Russia|Tsarevich Nicholas II]], who was unaware of the Staff's powers,<ref name="ACTF3">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' – Issue #3</ref> but it was later secretly stolen by [[Grigori Rasputin]], who had infiltrated the Royal House,<ref name="AC2"/> and brought to a Templar research station in Tunguska.<ref name="ACTF2"/>

[[File:Tungaska_Explod_v.png|thumb|250px|The Tunguska Explosion.]]
In the summer of 1908, members of the Assassin Order contacted Tesla, offering a chance to get back at the Templars. Using his mastery of electricity and the [[wikipedia:Wardenclyffe Tower|Wardenclyffe Tower]], Tesla broadcast destruction into the facility, creating one of the largest explosions in history (more than 2,000 kilometers of forest were flattened and it is estimated that the explosion had a force of more than 30 megatons of TNT). This explosion obliterated the research facility and the Staff within.<ref name="ACTF2"/>

The explosion was a complete Assassin victory. The explosion destroyed the Staff and injured only one Assassin, [[Nikolai Orelov]].<ref name="ACTF2"/> Orelov later returned to his partner [[Anna]], barely alive, muttering that the Staff was destroyed.<ref name="ACTF3"/>

The Staff wasn't completely destroyed, though, and there was at least one shard that still existed. This shard somehow came into the possession of Rasputin, who used it to manipulate Nicholas' wife [[wikipedia:Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)|Alexandra Feodorovna]].<ref name="ACTF3"/> In 1914, Rasputin was assassinated by the Assassins,<ref name="AC2"/> and took the shard with him to his grave. In 1917, Orelov, having learned of the shard's existence from the Tsarevich and concluding that even a fragment of the Staff would be a threat, dug up Rasputin's body and retrieved the shard.<ref name="ACTF3"/>

==Owners==
*[[Those Who Came Before]] (? – ?)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Moses]] (? – ?)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Shabataka]] (? – ?)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Alexander the Great]] (? – ?)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[John the Baptist]] (? – ?)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Saint Peter]] (? – ?)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Rodrigo Borgia|Pope Alexander VI]] (1492 – 1499)<ref name="AC2"/><ref name="ACBH"/>
*[[Alexander III of Russia|Tsar Alexander III]] (? – 1894)<ref name="ACTF1"/>
*[[Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar Nicholas II]] (1894 – 1908)<ref name="AC2"/>
*[[Grigori Rasputin]] (1908)<ref name="AC2"/>

==Trivia==
*It is possible to kill [[Rodrigo Borgia]] without triggering the cinematic cutscene while in the [[Capella Sistina|Sistine Chapel]]. Similarly, the Staff can be knocked from his hand using a [[Heavy Weapons|Heavy Weapon]]. After this, it can be wielded though none of its powers can be used.

==Forms==
Over the course of time, the Staff had changed to take on different forms.

<gallery position="center" bordersize="medium" captionalign="left">
Moses-Staff.jpg|The Staff, as wielded by [[Moses]].
Shabataka-Staff.jpg|The Staff, as wielded by Pharaohs.
AlexandertheGreat-Staff.jpg|The Staff, as wielded by [[Alexander the Great]].
JohntheBaptist-Staff.jpg|The Staff, as wielded by [[John the Baptist]].
Peter-Staff.jpg|The Staff, as wielded by [[Saint Peter]].
Tsar_3_v.png|The Staff, as wielded by Tsars.
Ezio and Staff.jpg|Ezio attempting to remove the Staff.
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{PoE}}
{{First Civilization}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Staff}}
[[Category:Pieces of Eden]]
[[Category:First Civilization technology]]

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

Staves of Eden