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

Piece of Eden

2010-04-25T20:45:27Z

84.61.161.32: changed affect to effect, seriously what the hell

{{Era|Good}}
[[File:Zw-eden-slave.png|thumb|300px|The Piece of Eden used by [[Those Who Came Before]] to enslave humans]]
{{Quote|They're gifts, Mr. Miles. From Those Who Came Before|Dr. [[Warren Vidic]] on a Piece of Eden|Assassin's Creed}}
The '''Pieces of Eden''' were technologically advanced pieces of equipment created by the [[First Civilization]]; each possessed unique properties, and all were known to be capable of bending the thoughts of one or more individuals to the will of the user.

==History==
{{Quote|Current examination of Subject Seventeen indicates that aside from the Piece of Eden, all other artifacts related to Christ-figure are literary devices for derived from Piece of Eden, and not actual objects.|[[Alan Rikkin]] [[e-mail]] on the Pieces of Eden adoption as biblical and historical artifacts|Assassin's Creed}}
[[Those Who Came Before]], also known as the First Civilization<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>, were an ancient yet advanced race of beings that lived on Earth long before humanity. The creators of the Human race, the First Civilization used the Pieces of Eden to control their slaves through hypnotic trances<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>. Whether humanity was created to be susceptible to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, or if the Pieces were created after humanity remains unknown; [[Minerva]] attributed the peace between humanity and their "gods" to the effects of the Pieces of Eden<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Eventually however, two humans, [[Adam and Eve]] became immune to the hypnotic effects of the Pieces of Eden, and stole one of the Pieces – the Apple of Eden – from their masters. Soon after this war broke out, pitting humanity against their gods. Despite their strength in technology, the Pieces of Eden failed to protect the creators from the slaves, who heavily outnumbered the masters. The war ended catastrophically for both sides, and both humanity and their gods were forced to work together to rebuild their world<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. Eventually though, the gods became extinct, and their Pieces of Eden were lost to the annals of history<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Over the centuries, the Pieces of Eden resurfaced; seen as religious artifacts or holy relics, foremost among which being the Apple of Eden. However, as time continued, so groups of individuals begun to see the Pieces of Eden for what they truly were, advanced technologies to be exploited. As early as the 12th Century, the [[Knights Templar]] were actively seeking and obtaining numerous Pieces of Eden<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />, in the hopes of uniting the world in peace much like Those Who Came Before had done<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />, and in 1191, they sought the Apple itself.

Led by the [[Robert de Sable|Grand Master]] of the Order, the Knights Templar used the cover of the [[Third Crusade]] to infiltrate the catacombs of [[Solomon's Temple]], in the city of [[Jerusalem]], where they knew the Apple to be located. Unfortunately for them, [[Al Mualim]], leader of the [[Assassins|Order of Assassins]] and secretly also, a Knights Templar, had sent his best to capture the device. [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and the [[Malik A-Sayf|brothers]] [[Kadar A-Sayf|A-Sayf]] intercepted the Templars, and despite the death of Kadar and Altaïr being thrown from the battle early on, the Assassins prevailed and spirited the Apple to their fortress in [[Masyaf]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. For a year the Assassins and Knights Templar fought one another for control of the artifact, until finally the deaths of both Robert de Sable and Al Mualim at the hands of Altaïr ended the conflict. Originally intending to destroy the Apple, Altaïr found himself unable to do so, and instead decided to seal the Apple in the [[Limassol]] [[Templar Archive|Archives]] after he had liberated it from the Templars; circumstances worked against this however, and he decided to keep the Apple himself, lest it fall into the wrong hands<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines">''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>. Ultimately, the Apple did find it's way to Cyprus, where it was buried away until it's discovery and exhumation by the Knights Templar in 1487<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Centuries later, whilst hacking into the [[Animus]], the mysterious [[Subject 16]], discovered that throughout history, the Pieces of Eden had had an extensive history of changing hands, with many historically notable figures, many Templars or Assassins, laying claim to them; Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Gandhi, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill and even Adolf Hitler to name but a few<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. By 2012 however, many had fallen into the hands of the Knights Templar; seeking to obtain the rest, the [[Animus]] project was set up with the intention of mapping the location of, and securing the remaining Pieces of Eden<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

This Animus project was also an important component in the Knights Templar goal of ensuring world peace, through use of the Pieces of Eden. By using the Pieces of Eden known as "the Apples", the Templars sought to manipulate the neuro-transmitters in the entire human race to achieve their goal. Eye-Abstergo, a branch of [[Abstergo Industries]], planned to launch an "all-in-one telecommunication" satellite into orbit of the Earth; unbeknownst to humanity and indeed, many employees of Abstergo Industries, the satellite would contain at least one Apple, and spread it's power out on a global scale<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

==Characteristics==
===Abilities===
[[File:Almualimxs.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Al Mualim]] uses the Apple to project multiple images of himself.]]
Amongst the greatest tools known to man; by interacting with a neuro-transmitter located deep in the brain of the human body, the Apples of Eden could control the human mind. Other Pieces of Eden were capable of warping reality, creating illusions and ensuring total obediance; both the Knights Templar and the Order of Assassins believed that the Pieces of Eden were the sources of many historical tales and miracles, such as the Parting of the Red Sea, the Trojan Horse, and the miracles enacted by "the Christ-figure" who foreshadowed the Christian faith, and the Biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, among other supernatural happenings. Some were known to intereact with and change the passage of time, possibly creating paradoxes<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />, while at least one provided an inpenetrable barrier, that would protect the wearer from any attempt at penetration<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Following the destruction of the second Piece of Eden during experimental use at Denver International Airport, the Knights Templar found themselves in need of another artifact with similar properties. Needing access to a map that indicated the location of ''all'' Pieces of Eden, the Templar front company [[Abstergo Industries]] kidnapped the descendant of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad – [[Desmond Miles]] – in order to view the memories of his ancestor. This would allow them to view the very same map Altaïr had viewed in 1191<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

Each Pieces of Eden contained a great deal of energy stored within, and the destruction of one would cause an explosion on the same scale of a nuclear blast. [[Tunguska event|One such blast]] occured in 1908, in the region of Tunguska, Russia, when the Piece of Eden known as "the Staff" was seemingly destroyed by [[Nikola Tesla]] as a strike against the Knights Templar<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

===Resistance===
{{Quote|I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID. I SAW HIM. HE HAD A METAL BALL. IT OPENED. THEY WENT CRAZY. SHOOTING. STABBING. TORE EACH OTHER TO PIECES. I KNOW IT WAS YOU PEOPLE. SAW THE LOGO. HEARD THE NAME. I'M GOING TO TELL. ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN. YOU'LL BE EXPOSED. THEY'LL KNOW THE TRUTH. AND THEN YOU WILL PAY. YOU CRAZY BASTARDS. YOU'LL PAY.|An unidentified individual's [[e-mail]] to Dr. [[Warren Vidic]]|Assassin's Creed }}
Although the First Civilization created humanity with a neuro-transmitter that forced them to accept the will of the Pieces of Eden, eventual cross-breeding between the gods and their slaves bore a hybrid species. These new humans passed ''some'' of the [[Eagle Vision|natural abilities]] of their gods, but most notably, were free of the neuro-transmitter that binded them to the will of the Pieces of Eden<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. The first two known individuals to be born immune to the effects of the Pieces were [[Adam and Eve]], who later stole the Apple of Eden and precipitated the war that followed<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. Members of the lineage also inherited these natural abilities and immunity to the mind-control of the Pieces, although the Pieces' ability to physically control them remained<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Individuals such as Altaïr and his descendants [[Ezio Auditore]], Subject 16 and Desmond Miles all possessed these enhanced abilities, and presumably, an immunity to the Pieces of Eden<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

By the early 21st Century, the Knights Templar were aware of both the existance of Those Who Came Before and the fact that some humans were immune to the mind control of the Apples of Eden, and as such actively sought other devices to compensate for this<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. One at least one occasion Dr. [[Warren Vidic]], an employee of Abstergo Industries, recieved an [[Vidic's e-mail|email]] from an unknown individual who had not been affected by the powers of the Apple, and threatened to expose what he had seen<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

==Confirmed Pieces of Eden==
[[File:Zw-eden-4.png|thumb|The First Apple of Eden, and the Staff.]]
Below is a list of known Pieces of Eden to exist, including their owners;

'''01: The First Apple''', also called the ''Apple of Eden''

: '''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]], "Christ-figure", [[Girolamo Savonarola]], [[Napoleon]], Houdini.
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership: '''Adam and Eve, Abel, [[Al Mualim]], [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]].
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' [[Cain]], [[Al Mualim]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]].

'''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]].

'''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]].
: '''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:''' N.A.S.A.

'''25: The Sword'''

: '''Use:''' Unknown.
: '''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]], [[Genghis Khan]].

'''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 to gain possession of the Shroud. Somehow Jesus' disciples were able to recover the Shroud and probably used it to resurrect their Master. After this, traces of the Shroud has disappeared. It was definitely used for healing, a characteristic of the shroud exemplified in the story of the sick lady who touched Jesus' robe, who's health was restored back to normal.
: '''Status:''' Unknown
: '''Neutral Ownership:''' Those Who Came Before, Jason, Joseph, David, [[Jesus]].
: '''Assassin Associated Ownership:''' None.
: '''Templar Associated Ownership:''' Rasputin (reputed).

According to the [[E-mails|computers]] at [[Abstergo]] found by Miles during the one week he spent imprisioned in their labs, the Templars are in possesion of a Piece of Eden which can turn back time. It is currently being hidden in a special facility because the Templars are too worried about damaging the timeline.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />

==Known locations of Pieces of Eden==
[[File:Codexmap.jpg|thumb|The Codex Map]]

Following the death of Al Mualim and the Apples projection of a map indicating the location of all Pieces of Eden, Altaïr copied the map and included it in his [[Codex]], hidden away so that only one of his bloodline might see it<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Based off of the locations given on the Codex map, the following locations can be identified as containing a Piece of Eden<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />;

#Giza, Egypt
#Lake Victoria, Africa, more on the Kenyan side
#The Gambia River, Gambia
#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
#Salisbury Plain, England
#Loch Ness, Scotland
#Maroantsetra, Madagascar
#Nara, Japan
#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
#Jerusalem, Israel
#Colombia, South America, around the area of the Igara Paranda River
#Nazca, Perú
#Colombo, Sri Lanka
#Hellissandur, Iceland
#The area of Sabiene Island, Nunavut, Canada
#Phoenix, Arizona, or somewhere outside the city
#Washington D.C.
#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

The other two that made up the last of the 50 pieces; one of the Apples and the Staff, were both destroyed in the DIA Satellite Incident, Tunguska blast respectively<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

==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 copies of himself, much like [[Al Mualim]] did against Altaïr. If Ezio is [[Customization|customized]], his copies will appear with different sets of armor and colors whereas when if he is not customized, each copy will be perfectly identical to the real Ezio.
*The maps in Assassin's Creed I and II show that there are only 50 Pieces of Eden, but Subject 16 says the Shroud is Piece of Eden 'number 66'. This could be because there might only be 50 known Pieces of Eden on Earth at the time.

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}
{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACSeries}}
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Series]]

Isu

2010-04-25T20:43:16Z

84.61.161.32: correct "affect" to "effect"

{{spoilerhd}}
[[File:Zw-Minerva-3.png|thumb|250px|[[Minerva]] is the only known representative of "Those Who Came Before"]]
{{quote|We simply came... before.|Minerva|Assassin's Creed II}}
'''Those Who Came Before'''<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>, also known as '''the First Civilization'''<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>, were an ancient and advanced species on Earth who created the [[Piece of Eden|Pieces of Eden]], as well as the Human race itself. Exactly who they were, where they came from and when they disappeared is largely unknown. With early humans unable to comprehend the First Civilization for what they truly were, they were viewed upon as gods. However, when Ezio asks Minerva if she was a god, she chuckles and replies "We simply came before."
==Knowledge==
Though various religious beliefs seem to have been based on aspects and misinterpretations of Those Who Came Before, their existence was largely unknown to humanity<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. As early as the 12th Century, both the [[Assassins]] and the [[Knights Templar]] knew that the focus of human religions, the Gods, did not truly exist, and that miracles and other supernatural were simply manifestations of the powers of the [[Pieces of Eden]]<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />; devices created by Those Who Came Before to control the Human race<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. However, it is unclear if the Assassins and Templars understood the origin of the Pieces at that time. By the 15th century, at least one Templar, [[Rodrigo Borgia]], was aware of the existence, if not the nature, of Those Who Came Before; he mistakenly believed that [[The Vault]] underneath the Sistine Chapel housed a living God<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

The first known instance of a human becoming aware of their existence following their disappearance was that of [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]], who made mention of them in his [[the Codex|Codex]]. However, it would not be until the year 1499 that humanity would first "meet" Those Who Came Before; [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], an Assassin, encountered a hologram of a being calling herself [[Minerva]] in The Vault. While Ezio likely told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, it is possible they still did not understand her true nature; Ezio showed great difficulty in understanding [[Minerva]]'s explanation of her existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

By 2012, the Templars in [[Abstergo Industries]] had a sizeable understanding of the true nature of Those Who Came Before. Whether they learned this information through the use of the [[Animus]] or had found evidence of it earlier is unknown. However, none of the Assassins seen in this time period indicated that they had previous knowledge of the existence of Those Who Came Before<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

==History==
===Creation===
{{Quote|We built you in our own image, we built you to survive.|Minerva|Assassin's Creed II}}
[[File:Eden-Slaves-Workshop.png|thumb|350px|Minerva, using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans.]]
The origin of the First Civilization are unclear; Minerva simply stated that they "came before". They were however, responsible for the creation of humanity, creating them in their own image to be a docile workforce. Research by [[Subject 16]] seemed to suggest that Those Who Came Before radically altered the genetic make-up of a pre-existing species on the planet to create humanity; leaving a sizeable gap in terms of transitional species between archaic hominids and modern humans. By 1997, the Templars had taken note of this and arranged for fake skeletons to be planted in Ethiopia, so as to limit human exposure to the possibility of the existence of Those Who Came Before<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Control of humanity was assured through use of the Pieces of Eden, which tapped into a neuro-transmitter located deep within the human brain. However, there were humans who born without the neuro-transmitter, and could subsequently live without being influenced by the First Civilization through such means<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

===War===
{{Quote|When we were still flesh, and our homes still whole, your kind betrayed us. We who made you, we who gave you life.|Minerva|Assassin's Creed II}}
Eventually, despite humanity and the First Civilization living in peace for some time, war broke out. Possibly the result of at least two immune individuals stealing a Piece of Eden from their masters. The fate of these two – [[Adam and Eve]] – following their attempt is unknown, however humanity and Those Who Came Before soon found themselves at war with each other. While Those Who Came Before were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Somehow, the Piece's of Eden had lost their ability to influence humanity, whether it be through deactivation or by natural immunity building up within the Human race, remains unknown<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

====Catastrophe====
The war did eventually end, although with casualties greater than the First Civilization could have ever anticipated. The distraction of war had blinded them to all else, and their preoccupation prevented them from seeing the signs of an impending danger from the "heavens"; by the time they had noticed it, it was too late. [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Lucy Stillman]] later hypothesized that this "danger" could have been a massive solar flare, that had flipped the Earth's weakening magnetic field, reversing the polarity and making the planet geologically unstable. This hypothesis was supported by evidence found by [[Subject 16]];

*"Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi"
*"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi"
*"They died in the fire from the heavens."
*"[[Toba catastrophe|75ka was not a volcano]]."<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Aftermath===
{{Quote|You may not comprehend us, but you will comprehend our warning. […] And as life returned to the world, we endeavoured to ensure that this tragedy would not be repeated.|Minerva to [[Desmond Miles]], through the memories of [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
Both races survived the catastrophe, however, few of either species remained. Working together, they rebuilt their world, though humanity continued to view Minerva's kind as Gods<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. Despite their survival, Those Who Came Before were unable to fully recover and began heading toward extinction. They knew however, that the catastrophe that had burned their world before would eventually reoccur and took steps to prevent it. Recording a holographic, yet interactive, message to serve as a warning to those who entered [[the Vault]]. In it, Minerva warned of the impending doom, and spoke of the [[Temples]] that could save Earth from destruction, built by those who "knew to turn away from war"<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />.

Delivering their message to the Assassin Desmond Miles, who was viewing the memories of his ancestor [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], Minerva warned that time was short, and that "the Cross" would stand in their way. With the deliverance of that message, the last vestiges of the First Civilization died away, the Gods had become extinct<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

==Characteristics==
{{Quote|The rest is up to you, Desmond.|Minerva to Desmond Miles, through the memories of Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Assassin's Creed II}}
The First Civilization were a technologically advanced and powerful race, who seemed to possess precognitive abilities; either natural or technological. This was proven when Minerva told Ezio within the The Vault that he was simply a conduit and spoke directly to the invisible [[Desmond Miles]], who was viewing his ancestor's memories. Furthermore, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] mentioned in [[the Codex]] that his Piece of Eden not only possessed a catalog of past events, but also future events, implying that the Pieces contain predictions made by Those Who Came Before<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

Those Who Came Before also have connections with many of Earth's religions, and likely influenced their developments directly. During her warning to Desmond, [[Minerva]] made mention of her former names, as well of those of her; Menrva, Uni and Tinia, who were later became known as Minerva, Juno and Jupiter, respectively. The former names correspond to the Etruscan Triad of Deities, while the latter are the names of their Roman counterparts, who make up the Capitoline Triad. This shift in names may be indicative why various religions have numerous similarities, as they are all based on the story of Those Who Came Before<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

==Legacy==
{{Quote|They're gifts, Mr. Miles. From those who came before.|Dr. [[Warren Vidic]]|Assassin's Creed}}
Despite the mark they left behind on Earth, the First Civilization faded into obscurity rapidly after their decline; the inability of humans to comprehend their creators as anything but Gods did however allow their names at least, to live on. The lack of evidence for their existence did not prevent all humans from learning about them however, and by the 21st Century the Knights Templar had a limited understanding of the nature of those who had lived before<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Indeed, the technology used to view the genetic memories of ones ancestor – the [[Animus]] – was based off of technology utilised by the First Civilization<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

The Templars also knew of the existence of the Pieces of Eden, and believed them to be gifts left behind by the First Civilization for them to utilise<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. Ironically however, this situation was a significant contrast to the situation in the 15th Century, where it had been the Assassins who knew explicitly of the existence of Those Who Came Before, whilst the Templar Grand Master [[Rodrigo Borgia]] merely believed the Vault to be the location of God himself. This changed however, and five hundred years later, the Order of Assassins knew nothing of the First Civilization's existence.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Bloodline===
{{Quote|Why is it that we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood! […] The seeds were planted as two world became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!|[[Subject Sixteen]]|Assassin's Creed II}}
The mysterious individual known only as [[Subject 16]] at one point theorised that the true reason behind the [[Eagle Vision|abilities]] of some Assassins was genetic, suggesting a lineage including both human and creator blood. 16's own [[The Truth|genetic memories]] indicated him to be a direct descendant of both Adam and Eve, suggesting that his bloodline, if not many more, would all have access to these abilities. Indeed, Subject 16, Altaïr, Ezio and Desmond Miles all possessed [[Eagle Vision]], while Ezio and Altaïr both showed themselves resistant to the effects of the Apple<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />. In addition, Ezio was able to use the Staff and the Apple to open The Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />, and Altaïr had previously used the Apple to enlighten the people of Cyprus to [[Armand Bouchart]]'s lies<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''</ref>.

==Trivia==
*Though they play an important part in the plot of ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', Those Who Came Before are first mentioned by [[Warren Vidic]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''. When talking to Desmond, Vidic claims that Abstergo is responsible for all major human technological advances in history, though he denies that the Templars invented them, calling them "gifts...from Those Who Came Before."
*It seems that not all of the history of them was lost to the Greeks and Romans, who still worshipped them, but as Deities. When monotheism (the belief in one god or deity) came about it became farther from the truth.

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

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