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

Jupiter

2011-11-21T09:12:39Z

87.104.147.142: /* Trivia */

{{era||ACR|TWCB}}
{{WP-REAL|Jupiter (mythology)}}
{{spoilerhd}}
{{Stub}}
[[File:Jupiter.jpg|thumb|100px|Jupiter.]]
'''Jupiter''', previously known as '''Tinia''', was a member of the [[First Civilization]]. He was mentioned by [[Minerva]], also a member of the First Civilization, during her warning to [[Desmond Miles]].

Later, following the fragmentation of Desmond's mind, Jupiter spoke with him at the [[sync nexus]], informing him of the final days of the First Civilization, and the reason for the creation of the [[Vault]]s.
==Dialogue==
'''Jupiter: '''''Do you hear me cipher? Can you see me? Ah. There you are. Good. A strange place, this nexus of time. I am not used to the... calculations. That has always been Minerva's domain. I see you still have many questions. Who were we? What became of us? What do we desire of you? You will have your answers. Only listen and I will tell you how. Both before the end and after, we sought to save the world. We built vaults within which to work, each dedicated to a different method of salvation. They were placed underground to avoid the war which raged above, and also as a precaution, should we fail in our efforts. Each vault's knowledge was transmitted to a single place. It was our duty... mine, Minerva's, and Juno's- to sort and sample all that was collected. We chose those solutions which held the most promise, and devoted ourselves to testing their merits. Six we tried in succession, each more encouraging than the last. But none worked. And then the world ended...''

During the vision of the first civilization ending:

'''Jupiter:''''' The Earth shook for days. The fires burned for weeks. And when the ash had settled, less than ten thousand of your kind still lived... and far fewer of ours. But we carried on, together. To rebuild. To renew. Listen. You must go there. To the place where we labored... labored and lost. Take my words. Pass them from your head into your hands. That is how you will open the way. But be warned: much still remains in flux. And I do not know how things will end - either in my time or yours.''
==Trivia==
*Jupiter was labeled with his other name, Tinia, in the artbook of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''.
*Jupiter's helmet resembles an eagle, his representative animal in Greco-Roman religion and a common motif for the Assassins. His belt-buckle also bears vague resemblance to the Assassin Insignia, hinting that perhaps Jupiter was actually one of the very first Assassins.

==Source==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' {{mo}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''

{{ACR}}
{{First Civilization}}
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Revelations Characters]]
[[Category:Those Who Came Before]]
[[Category:Mythological Characters]]

Desmond Miles

2011-01-16T23:14:52Z

87.104.147.142: /* Trivia */

{{spoilerhd}}
{{FAimp}}
{{Character Infobox
|name = Desmond Miles
|image = Desmond_Miles.jpg
|imgdesc =
|birth = 1987 "[[The Farm]]"
|death =
|period = [[Modern Times]]
|faction = [[Assassins]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|voice = [[Nolan North]]
}}
{{Quote|I'm a bartender, for Christ's sake! What do you want me to do, teach you how to mix a Martini?|Desmond to Vidic and Lucy.|Assassin's Creed}}
'''Desmond Miles''' (born 1987) is the leading protagonist of the main installments in the [[Assassin's Creed series]] and the descendant of a long line of ancestors who swore their allegiance to the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]]. He is initially forced to use a machine, called the [[Animus]], created by [[Abstergo Industries]] – the modern front of the [[Templars]] – to relive the memories of his ancestor, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] during the [[Third Crusade|Crusader]] era, in their quest to locate the "[[Sixth Apple|Apple]]", a [[Pieces of Eden|Piece of Eden]].

Eventually escaping with the aid of [[Modern Times|modern day]] Assassins, Desmond once again uses an Animus (the improved [[Animus 2.0]]) to explore the memories of another ancestor of his, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]], so as to learn the ways of the Assassins [[Bleeding effect|much faster than normal]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
{{quote|You have any idea what it's like to be trapped in a place, knowing there was a whole world out there I'd never get to see.|Desmond to Lucy about his childhood|Assassin's Creed}}
Desmond Miles was born in an Assassin "hideout" in the desert known as "[[The Farm]]", an "off the grid" compound with a population of about thirty people, much like the city of [[Masyaf]], where he was destined to be trained as an Assassin. He was frustrated by his parents' explicit instructions not to leave the compound, and believed them to be overly concerned and paranoid. On his 16th birthday, he finally fled, ''"wanting to see the rest of the world."'' He later told [[Lucy Stillman]] that he had no regrets over leaving his parents, because as far as he was concerned, they were little more than his "wardens", and to him the Farm was his "prison". After leaving the Assassin compound, he went into hiding for nine years. While keeping a low profile, he eventually became a bartender. Aware of the Templars, and wanting to avoid both them and the Assassins, Desmond never used his real name and used only cash to purchase items. However, he was eventually found, traced through a fingerprint needed for a motorcycle license, and was kidnapped and brought to the [[Abstergo laboratory]] in Italy.<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>

===Kidnapped by Abstergo===
[[File:Warren-vidic-assassins-creed-2-character.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Dr. Vidic watches Desmond inside the Animus.]]
{{Quote|I'm not an Assassin... not any more.|Desmond Miles to Warren Vidic.|Assassin's Creed}}

In September 2012, Desmond Miles was kidnapped by Abstergo Industries, a pharmaceutical company and front for the Templars, for use as a test subject in the Animus, a device that can read the memories of Desmond's ancestors through the "genetic memory" left behind in their descendants' DNA. At first, [[Warren Vidic]] attempted to pry the information he wanted from Desmond's mind, but was met with failure. Whilst Desmond claimed to be nothing more than a bartender, Vidic revealed that they knew of his history as an Assassin, forcing Desmond to finally admit his past life. Vidic and Lucy Stillman told Desmond that they were trying to access a certain memory, but Desmond's subconscious was resisting their efforts. Vidic warned Desmond that if he refused to assist them, they would induce a coma, continue their work, and when done with Desmond, leave him to die. Without much choice, Desmond agreed to help them.
[[File:Desmond_&_Lucy_1.png|thumb|200px|Desmond and Lucy having their first private conversation.]]

[[File:Eagle_vision.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Desmond's Eagle Vision.]]
Desmond was made to explore the genetic memories of his ancestor Altaïr – a member of a clan of Assassins active during and after the Crusades, specifically Altaïr's experiences during the year 1191 – and does so over several days under the watchful eye of Vidic. During the nights however, Desmond discovered that he was able to explore the lab he was being held in, accessing the Animus computer and, after stealing Warren Vidic's pen, gaining access to his personal computer. Through [[e-mails]], Desmond learned of the previous Animus subject, [[Subject 16]], who had suffered from a "bleeding effect" due to prolonged exposure to the Animus, as well as tidbits of information from the outside world. Eventually, with the aid of Lucy, the Assassins learned of Desmond's capture and attempted to liberate him, with the gunfire of their assault being heard through an intercom device, although the rescue attempt failed. Vidic boasts that those Assassins were in fact the last of the group he escaped from at 16; their desert hideout having been previously destroyed. Lucy's actions, however, suggested otherwise, and when Desmond asked if Lucy knew anything about his parents, she responded by saying that she didn't know, but that they ''"probably escaped."'' During this discussion, Lucy revealed herself to be an undercover member of the Assassins. Desmond eventually achieved Vidic's goal and discovered the location of numerous Pieces of Eden. Executives of Abstergo Industries then ordered his execution, but his life was saved by Lucy's intervention, who asked to keep Desmond alive in order to re-access his memories if need be. After the executives leave, Desmond suddenly accesses the "[[Eagle Vision|eagle vision]]" of his ancestors Altaïr and Ezio, seeing Vidic and Lucy for their true allegiances, as well as [[Cryptic Messages|countless scrawled messages and puzzles]] on the floor of the main laboratory.

===Escape to the Hideout===
{{Quote|Wait! Why aren't I following Altaïr? Oh, shit...|Desmond discovering his lineage.|Assassin's Creed II}}
After having spent some time alone in the laboratory, Lucy suddenly arrived, covered in blood and demanding Desmond to get into the Animus before Abstergo would discover what she'd done. Desmond, rather confused, agreed and managed to sync with the closest genetic match between himself and Subject 16 recorded in the Animus’ memory core. Inside the Animus, he experienced the birth of another of his ancestors, Ezio Auditore. He instantly got pulled out, though, and both make their escape.

[[File:Zw-desmond-fighting.png|thumb|200px|Desmond fighting off the Abstergo guards.]]
They were quickly spotted by Abstergo security and after Lucy locked a door to keep the security guards from getting to them, they turned the corner and were forced into an engagement with two more which Lucy quickly ended, allowing them to continue on stealthily. The two soon entered a glass elevator that led down to a large open room filled with office blocks that housed a large number of Animi. Following Lucy through the maze-like walkways between the Animi to avoid the guards patrolling the room they stealthily made their way through to the back, although Desmond's questions about the Animi are met with silence and Lucy telling him to ''"shut the fuck up...please."'' Upon reaching the keycode locked door of another elevator, Lucy tried to enter a code but failed, to which Desmond instinctively called upon his recently activated [[Eagle Vision]] to see the code and after successfully entering it. Lucy questions Desmond about how he knew what code to enter, which he could not give a proper answer, showing his obliviousness to the [[Bleeding Effect]] as they safely entered the elevator and rode it down. Once in the car park underneath the building, the two were halted by yet more of Abstergo's guards, but were able to overcome them and escape.

Arriving at one of the Assassins' [[hideout]]s, Desmond was introduced to two more Assassins – [[Shaun Hastings]] and [[Rebecca Crane]] – who have worked with Lucy over the years. Lucy told Desmond that they wanted him to become trained in the ways of the Assassin – thanks to the bleeding effect, they could achieve this in a matter of days – although it required him learning the ways of an Assassin through the ancestor that Desmond had synched with Subject 16 to find in Abstergo's Animus, Ezio Auditore. Desmond agrees to help almost immediately, which surprised Lucy, and was quickly plugged in the Animus 2.0.

After learning the ways of the Assassin through Ezio's memories, Desmond was retracted from the Animus, partly to test his retention of the memories, but also to prevent the mental degradation that Subject 16 had suffered from being in the Animus for an extended period of time.

[[File:Zw-desmond-dream.png|thumb|220px|left|Desmond experiencing the bleeding effect.]]
Tasking him with initiating security protocols around the Assassin hideout, Lucy left it to Desmond to work out how to reach them through the use of his Eagle Vision and new-found [[Free Running|free running]] skills. Just as he began, however, he started suffering vivid hallucinations of the Crusader era and the [[Renaissance|Italian Renaissance]]. At first the visions were short, and were nothing to worry about, but after completing the task, Desmond was incapacitated as the visions became more real.

Taken back to medieval [[Acre]] by the bleeding effect, Desmond once again followed the memories of Altaïr, this time without the use of the Animus, and discovered Altaïr and [[Maria Thorpe]] conceived a child, Desmond's next ancestor after Altaïr.

[[File:Demsondanimus2.jpg|thumb|250px|Desmond sitting in the Animus 2.0 next to Lucy.]]
The next day, Desmond had recovered from the experiences and returned to the Animus, neglecting to tell the Assassins what had happened. He continued to watch the genetic memories of Ezio Auditore, despite at one time being thrown out by [[Assassin's Creed II DLC|"corrupted memory sequences"]]. Eventually, they learned that Ezio's nemesis, [[Rodrigo Borgia]] ([[Grand Master of the Templar Order]]), had become Pope Alexander VI in 1492 so as to gain access to yet another Piece of Eden, [[The Staff|the Papal Staff]], as well as [[The Vatican Vault|the Vault]]. As Ezio's story began to conclude, Desmond and the Assassins watched deep within the Vault beneath the Vatican. Ezio found himself confronted by a "[[Those Who Came Before|god]]" hologram who called herself [[Minerva]]; Minerva warns the Assassins of the end of the world, as well as retelling the story of the war between "Those Who Came Before," and their human subjects. The Assassins are shocked when Minerva addresses Desmond by name, confusing even Ezio, and it is revealed that Minerva was in fact talking to Desmond ''through'' Ezio. Mere moments after, Desmond was quickly pulled out of the Animus, and upon seeing the three rushing to collect their belongings, realized that the Templars had found their location.

Immediately after getting out of the Animus, Lucy tossed Desmond a [[Hidden Blade]] with the Assassin's emblem on it, and asks for his assistance in covering the escape. Making their way into the warehouse, Vidic appeared, flanked by Abstergo security officials with the intent of reclaiming Desmond. The two Assassins killed the Templars that assaulted them, with Desmond – now fully synchronized with Ezio – masterfully using his Hidden Blade to kill many of the guards himself. With his entourage eliminated, Vidic was left to confront Desmond on his own, but instead retreats, promising that their victory is only temporary. The four Assassins then fled north, and Desmond is hooked up to the Animus inside the van and told to continue to search through his memories for anything useful. Meanwhile, the other Assassins begin to discuss the nature of Minerva and her talk.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

===Monteriggioni===
{{Template:Quote|What if I can't stop the visions? How long before I start painting symbols on the walls?|Desmond to Lucy about the Bleeding Effect, 2012.}}[[File:Desmond_&_Lucy2.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Desmond and Lucy under Monteriggioni.]]
After the Abstergo attack at the end of ''Assassin's Creed II'', the modern day Assassins traveled to [[Monteriggioni]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]] ''to set up their new base. The Templars were actively searching for them and were analyzing the environment using cell phone towers, so they had to set up underground, in the [[Sanctuary]] under the [[Villa Auditore]]. Whilst searching the grounds of the Villa Auditore for a way into the Sanctuary, Desmond – through the bleeding effect – saw a vision of Ezio in the past, who led him to a high, narrow ledge and leaped off. Desmond immediately followed suit, performing his first-ever [[Leap of Faith]] into a pile of hay. Desmond and Lucy made their way to the Sanctuary underground via a tunnel used by Ezio and the villagers of Monteriggioni to escape after [[Siege of Monteriggioni|the attack]]. As they passed through the tunnels, Desmond saw more visions of Ezio and the villagers escaping, which worried him, making him wonder what would happen ''"if (he) can't stop the visions ''– ''how long until (he) started painting symbols on the walls."'' Lucy scolded him, telling him not to make light of his condition, and reminded him that Subject 16 was dead, and that he needed to focus. Desmond and Lucy used glow sticks to see in the tunnel, due to the lack of power. By this time, Desmond wore a Hidden Blade with three straps attaching it to his arm, although he wore no bracer with it.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbwgvv0Ermo&feature=player_embedded</ref>
[[File:Monteriggioni3.png|thumb|250px|Desmond and Shaun having a discussion in their new base.]]
When the two reached the Sanctuary, Desmond saw another vision of Ezio, who seemed to have visited it in his old age. Before he opened the door to Mario's office, Desmond noticed the numbers 1419, 1420, and 1421 written on the walls, which he pointed out to the other Assassins. Shaun theorized the numbers to refer to dates, however he admitted that he needed to do further research. After the team set up underground, Desmond became in charge of bringing electricity into the Sanctuary by inserting a device of Rebecca's construction into four electrical power boxes, that would allow them to accumulate small amounts of power from each source. After that, he continued with his regular Animus sessions.

After finishing in the Animus, Desmond and the others learned that the Apple of Eden was hidden under the [[Colosseum]]. Upon traveling to Rome, the group separated as Desmond then tried to find a way for the others to get inside the Colosseum without needing to climb. Once they met up again, Desmond activated an elevator that took all of them down to the Apple's chamber. However, as he takes the Apple of Eden from its pedestal, [[Juno]]'s voice is heard, saying that Desmond's DNA had activated the Apple. Juno then took control of Desmond's body, and forced him to stab Lucy in the abdomen with his hidden blade.

As Desmond starts to go into shock, he is returned into the Animus by two men of unknown affiliation whose voices can merely be heard.

==Characteristics and personality==
[[File:Zw-desmond-bleeding.png|thumb|300px|Desmond's new free-running skills.]]
Desmond has an uncanny resemblance to both Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze, being the descendant of the two. Although they have very little in common about their personalities. Being a discreet individual, he does not wear extravagant clothing, and is accustomed to a white hooded jacket, jeans, and black sneakers. Interestingly, if raised, the hood exhibits a beak-like feature similar to Ezio's and Altaïr's.

In ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', his attire differs drastically. He now wears a white hooded jacket with a red collar with little wings sewn on the back of it (though it no longer has an eagle beak-like hood), with a black shirt sporting an image of an eagle underneath. His sleeves are rolled up to reveal a black, tribal tattoo where the Hidden Blade should be. He is also equipped with a sling backpack, and a hidden blade without a bracer.

Desmond was a gruff and cynical individual, who held a serious outlook on life. This was mainly due to him being aware of the Templars and Assassins since his youth, although he was initially unaware of Abstergo Industries being a Templar company. Despite this, he was not above jesting about his situation, and would occasionally make jokes, although they rarely elicited a good reaction. After his emancipation from Abstergo, Desmond's demeanor became considerably more relaxed, and he spent a noticeable amount of time conversing with Lucy. After experiencing the [[Bleeding Effect|bleeding effect]], he is more doubtful of his sanity, as with what happened to Subject 16.

===Equipment and skills===
[[File:10_128_220_133-image2_grande.jpg|thumb|250px|left]]
Being that Desmond was trained during childhood as an Assassin, he was proficient in basic reconnaissance skills, such as eavesdropping and pickpocketing. After about a week of being forced to relive the memories of his ancestor, Altaïr, Desmond began to experience the bleeding effect, and developed an extra-sensory ability called Eagle Vision. Later on, after willingly exploring the memories of his other ancestor, Ezio, Desmond learned how to free-run and use weapons. Not long afterwards, he was able to easily fend off a Templar attack with Ezio's combat skills.

Since synchronizing with Ezio, Desmond has been able to use all of the skills and abilities his ancestors could in real life. These skills may be used during the tests in the warehouse and the escape in ''Assassin's Creed II'' (where Desmond displays his agility and fighting prowess respectively), and during missions and whenever the player decides to leave the Animus and go into Monteriggioni as Desmond in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood''.

==Trivia==
[[File:Zw-desmond.png|thumb|Desmond (notice the scar).]]
*Though he doesn't know he's secretly an Assassin, he has the the Assassin colors on his hoodie; red inside, white outside
*Desmond is modeled after [[Francisco Randez]] and voiced by [[Nolan North]]. Curiously, Randez also used to be a bartender before he became a model. This may have inspired the makers of the game to give Desmond the same profession.
*Desmond possesses the same scar on his lip as his ancestors Altaïr and Ezio had, though how he acquired it is unknown.<ref name="Assassin's Creed">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>
*Desmond and Altaïr share the same age during the first game, both being 25 years of age in 2012 and 1191 respectively.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />
*Desmond is a descendant of Those Who Came Before and [[Humans|humans]]. Proof of this is his Eagle Vision, product of the unification of those two races, which also led to the birth of the first "Assassins", [[Adam and Eve]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Collector's Edition Official Game Guide">''Assassin's Creed II: Collector's Edition Official Game Guide''</ref>
*Desmond has an A+ blood type.<ref>''Assassin’s Creed'' game manual</ref>
*Desmond's history shows that he never wanted to be an Assassin, nor does he have the skills yet before the second game to be one; as Shaun puts it "you didn't even try to escape." However in the graphic novel, included with the limited edition of ''Assassin's Creed'', he does call himself an Assassin, and shows skills of stealth and lethality.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Graphic Novel">''[[Assassin's Creed: Graphic Novel]]''</ref>
*Desmond acquires a Hidden Blade at the conclusion of ''Assassin's Creed II''. The original owner of the blade is uncertain, but its bracer is identical to the one Ezio Auditore inherited from his father, [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni Auditore]].
*The etymology of Desmond's name "the world" (or "man of the world" in Celtic) is not related to either of his ancestors, whereas Altaïr's and Ezio's names pertain to avians; Altaïr's being "the flying one" and Ezio's "eagle." His surname "Miles" is also the Latin word for "soldier." The name suits him, however, as he wanted to leave his parents' watchful eyes to see the rest of the world outside the compound, and refers to his role in saving the world from destruction.
*Should the player achieve full synchronization in sequence 8 of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', Desmond will appear as a playable skin in the Animus. The Animus states that the Desmond body was uploaded from the Animus memory banks. Despite only wearing one hidden blade, double kills are still possible.
*Interacting with the statue of Altaïr in the Sanctuary at any point during the ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood ''storyline will trigger Desmond to say ''"Hey, wassa-matta-you, Altaïr?"'', followed by Rebecca reprimanding him for being racist. This can be done as many times as the player wants after the cutscene.
*In early images of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', Desmond is seen with a beard identical to Ezio's. It is unknown why the beard was present then, and was later removed.
*Despite being equipped with a hidden blade throughout ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', Desmond only uses it twice; the first in the [[Auditore Family Crypt]], to lower a platform for Lucy, and in the [[Colosseum Vault]], to stab Lucy.
*During the beginning of ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', when Desmond and Lucy are traversing the secret entrance to the Sanctuary, the two will engage in a brief argument as to how to cross a ledge. Desmond suggests that one of them give the other a boost into the air to reach the ledge, however, Lucy refuses. This is a reference to the game ''Uncharted 2'', in which the protagonist Drake, who is also voiced by Nolan North, must often launch his female companions with a boost to get around certain obstacles. Later, Lucy and Desmond also begin using a catapult jumping technique exactly like that seen in ''Uncharted 2'' to cross gaps in the path.
*At the end of ''Assassin's Creed II'', Desmond is able to perform the climb-leap ability, but in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', this ability is removed, and his climbing speed mirrors that of Altaïr's, though his movement set is identical to that of Ezio.
*In ''Brotherhood'', Desmond is practically invincible outside of the Animus, as he is able to survive, unharmed, from a fall from any height.
*An exact replica of Desmond's shirt in ''Brotherhood'' (as well as one in an alternative color) can be purchased from UbiWorkshop.

== Video ==
[[Video:Real Life Storyline|thumb|480px|left|Real Life Storyline: Desmond Miles, Lucy Stillman and Warren Vidic]]
[[Video:Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Gameplay Desmond|thumb|left|482px|Gameplay Video of Desmond]] 

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

{{AC}}
{{ACII}}
{{ACBrotherhood}}
{{ACSeries}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miles, Desmond}}

[[es:Desmond Miles]]
[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters]]
[[Category:Assassins]]

Isu

2011-01-16T23:07:28Z

87.104.147.142: /* Trivia */

[[File:Zw-Minerva-3.png|thumb|[[Minerva]], a 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 [[Humans|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 looked upon as gods.

==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 [[Humans|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 occurrences were simply manifestations of the powers of the [[Pieces of Eden]], devices created by Those Who Came Before to control the Human race.<ref name="Assassin's Creed" /><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 encounter Those Who Came Before again, when the Assassin [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] encountered a hologram of a being calling herself [[Minerva]] in The Vault. Even though Ezio told his fellow Assassins of Minerva, they still did not understand her true nature; Ezio himself 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 greater 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 until Desmond relived Ezio's memories.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Through the memories relived by Desmond, the Assassins were aware of three separate beings: Minerva, [[Juno]] and [[Jupiter]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

==History==
===Creation of humanity===
{{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|One of Those Who Came Before; using a [[Piece of Eden]] to control humans.]]
The origins of the First Civilization are unclear; Minerva simply stated that they "came before". They were responsible for the creation of humanity, creating them in their own image to be a docile workforce. While Minerva notes that they built humanity to survive, Juno asserts that they were not intended to be wise; thereby ensuring obedient and resilient cattle to suit their needs.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref> 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, fashioning them to be similar to their "gods", and therefore leaving a large 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 some humans born without the neuro-transmitter, hypothesized by Subject Sixteen to be hybrids of the First Civilization and humans, and could subsequently live without being controlled through such means.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===War and catastrophe===
{{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 between the two species. The war involved the theft of a Piece of Eden by [[Adam and Eve]], though how this related to the conflict is unclear. While Those Who Came Before were more technologically advanced and powerful, humanity had the advantage of numbers; most likely outnumbering their creators by the millions, far too much for the Pieces of Eden to effectively handle.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

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 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 endeavored 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}} While both races survived the catastrophe, few of either species remained. Working together, they rebuilt their world, though humanity continued to view Minerva's kind as gods. 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 so they 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 II" />

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 "[[Templars|the Cross]]" would stand in their way. With the deliverance of that message, one of the last remaining vestiges of the First Civilization died away; confirming that the gods had finally become extinct<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 technology utilized by the First Civilization<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />.

The Templars also knew of the existence of the Pieces of Eden, and regarded them as gifts left behind by the First Civilization for them to utilize<ref name="Assassin's Creed" />. This situation was in 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 next to nothing of the First Civilisation's existance.<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 during Minerva's conversation with Ezio Auditore, within The Vault in Rome. Minerva revealed that Ezio was simply a conduit which allowed Minerva to speak to [[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 catalogue 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 fellow "Gods"; Menrva, Uni and Tinia, who 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" />.

Unlike the human creations, who were created with only five senses, members of the First Civilization possessed six; the sixth being "knowledge". Following the catastrophe that set the First Civilization on the path to extinction, a concerted effort was made to pass on this sixth sense to humanity, their "final, faultered hope." Ultimately however, they failed; though humanity could ''"''[…]''see the blue shimmer ''[and] ''hear the words,"'' they did not fully possess the "knowledge" of their creators, convincing some, like [[Juno]], that humanity should have simply been left as they were.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

===Bloodline===
{{Quote|Why do 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 theorized 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 briefly, by [[Warren Vidic]] in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''. When talking to Desmond, Vidic claims that the Knights Templar are responsible for all major human technological advances in history, though he denies that they invented them, calling them "gifts… from those who came before."
*The story of those who came before (creating humanity as a docile workforce and being viewed as gods) bears striking similarity to the ancient astronaut theory, the idea that extraterrestrials visited the earth in ancient times and genetically altered an existing species to create humanity and were seen as gods by their creations.
*In Brotherhood, it is revealed in the end that Those Who Came Before kept a sixth sense from humans. Some fans believe this 'sixth sense' to be 'Immunity to Pieces Of Eden'

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

{{ACII}}

[[es:Aquellos Que Vinieron Antes]]
[[Category:Factions]]
[[Category:Species]]

Sanctuary

2011-01-16T22:41:48Z

87.104.147.142: /* Trivia */

{{Era|Assassins|Ren|Good}}
{{stub}}
[[File:Zw-assassin-sanctuary-1.png|thumb|400px|The Sanctuary from its entrance.]]
The '''Sanctuary''' is a location in both ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' and ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''. It was created by [[Domenico Auditore]] as a tribute to the greatest [[Assassins]] in history, and is found underneath the [[Auditore Family Villa]], with its entrance concealed behind a tall bookcase in [[Mario Auditore]]'s study. It is revealed by Mario to his nephew [[Ezio|Ezio Auditore]] as the game progresses.

It houses seven statues of seven [[Master Assassin]]s. Six of these statues are missing [[Assassin's Seal|seals]] that must be collected to unlock the gate blocking way to the seventh statue that is of none other than [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] himself, which holds the indestructible set of [[Altaïr's Armor|armor]] made by Altaïr centuries before.

In ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'', the Sanctuary serves as an escape route for Ezio, his family, and some surviving townspeople. They escape through a passageway behind the statue of Altaïr. Desmond and Lucy travel that same path later to open the secret door behind a bookcase in order for Rebecca and Shaun to gain access to the hideout. The modern Assassins use the Sanctuary as refuge after the first hideout was assaulted by [[Abstergo]] at the end of ''Assassin's Creed II''. However since the Sanctuary has no electricity, Desmond must first [[Free Running|free run]] around [[Modern Times|modern day]] [[Monteriggioni]] to reroute electricity to the sanctuary.

==Statues==
From left to right:

*[[Qulan Gal]]
*[[Darius]]
*[[Wei Yu]]
*'''[[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] '''
*[[Amunet]]
*[[Iltani]]
*[[Leonius]]

==Trivia==
*The circular grate in the courtyard at the back of the Auditore Family Villa is actually the top of the Sanctuary, which allows light in.
*In ''Assassin's Creed II'', you can examine all the statues except Altaïr's, and gain information about the Assassin. In ''Brotherhood'', only the statue of Altaïr may be interacted with, resulting in a "racist" joke that involves Desmond using stereotypic modern Italian speech.
*Surprisingly, the face of the statue of Altaïr looks nothing like Altaïr's face in ''[[Assassin's Creed]]''. This may be caused by the angle of the statue, or it is simply an inaccurate statue, as Altaïr lived a long time ago before the events of ''Assassin's Creed II'', or possibly because the statue was carved a decade or two after Assassin's Creed.
*This secret exit is present in ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', however, it is blocked by a pile of logs.
*In ''Brotherhood'', one of Lucy's computers in the Sanctuary displays the Memory menu from ''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''.
*In ''Brotherhood'', though the grate at the top of the Sanctuary appears broken from the inside, when viewed from the outside, it seems undamaged.
*Desmond Miles, through the [[Bleeding Effect]], witnessed a much older Ezio return to the Sanctuary, and looked at the statues of the great Assassins.

==Gallery==
<gallery captionalign="left" widths="229">
Arguement.png|Desmond arguing with Shaun in the sanctuary
ShaunLucyHideoutBrotherhood.png|Shaun Hastings in the Sanctuary
001624.png|Modern-day Assassins in the sanctuary
Modern Assassins (Brotherhood).JPG|The modern-day Assassins: Rebecca, Shaun and Lucy with Desmond in the animus.
</gallery>{{ACII}}
{{ACBrotherhood}}
[[Category:Good Articles]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Locations]]
[[Category:Villa Auditore]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Locations]]
[[Category:Monteriggioni]]
[[Category:Assassin Order]]