Editing Assassins

{{Era|Organizations|HiddenOnes|Assassins|Good}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{Quote|We work in the dark, to serve the light. We are Assassins.|[[Niccolò Machiavelli]].|Assassin's Creed II}}
{{Faction Infobox
|image = AssassinLogo.png
|founder = [[Adam]] and [[Eve]]<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> {{c|legendary}}<br>[[Bayek]] and [[Amunet]] {{c|''de jure''}}<ref name="ACO">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''</ref>
|leader = [[Mentor]]<ref name="Revelations">''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref><ref name="The Fall #1">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' - ''Issue #1''</ref>
|headquarters = 
|locations =
|predecessor  = 
*[[Artabanus' group]]
*[[Iltani's Order]]
*[[Medjay]]
|successor    = 
|subsidiaries =
[[Rooks]]<ref name="ACS">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref><br>
[[Narodnaya Volya]]<ref name="The Fall Deluxe">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' - ''Deluxe Edition''</ref><br>
|related =
*[[Raven Clan]]<ref name="ACV">''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]</ref>
*[[Patriots]]<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref>
*[[Initiates]]<ref name="ACU">''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>
|formed = c. 75000 BCE {{c|legendary}}<br>47 BCE {{c|''de jure''}}
|reorganized = 1191<ref name="AC2" />
|religion = {{wiki|Agnosticism}}<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref><ref name="ACU" />
{{wiki|Atheism}}<ref name="AC" /><ref name="ACU" /><ref name="nb1">Although the organization is irreligious and professes to an agnostic philosophy, [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]] and [[Arno Dorian]] described the creed in strongly atheist terms as well, having specifically been {{wiki|agnostic atheism|agnostic atheists}}. Despite this, individual members may practice various faiths—an example being [[Luis de Santángel]] who was a Jew.</ref>
|collapsed =
}}
The '''Assassin Brotherhood''', also known as the '''Assassin Order''', and the '''[[Hidden Ones]]''' during its early years during the Crusades, is an organized order of assassins and sworn enemies of the [[Templar Order]], against whom they fought a [[Assassin–Templar War|continuous, recondite war]] throughout the entirety of recorded [[Humans|human]] history.

Whereas the Templars seek to save humanity from itself by controlling free will, the Assassin Brotherhood fight to ensure the survival of freedom, as it allows for the progression of new ideas and the growth of individuality. The Assassins have also recently become enemies of the [[Instruments of the First Will]], a cult dedicated to re-establishing the [[Isu]] civilization's absolute rule over humanity.

The Assassins, if not the Brotherhood itself, have existed since at least 256 BCE, throughout the [[Roman Empire]], the Middle Ages, the [[Renaissance]], the New World, the Industrial Revolution, the World Wars and into the [[Modern times|Modern era]]. The first organized order of Assassins, called the Hidden Ones, was founded in [[Egypt]] in 47 BCE.

==History==
{{Main|History of the Assassins}}

==The Creed==
{{Quote|Laa shay'a waqi'un mutlaq bale kouloun moumkin.<br/>("Nothing is true, everything is permitted" in Arabic.)|The Assassins' [[The Creed|Creed]].|Assassin's Creed II}}The Order believes in a strong set of values that strictly govern their way of life, referred to as "the Creed". This Creed consists of three tenets:
#"Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent."
#"Hide in plain sight, be one with the crowd."
#"Never compromise the Brotherhood."<ref name="AC" />

These tenets permeated every aspect of the Assassins' daily life, as well as their fight for "peace in all things". The Assassins carry out their duties through political, strategic assassination, in the hope that killing one individual will lead to the salvation of thousands. They also believe that they fight on the behalf of those who do not possess the abilities, resources, or knowledge to speak out against those who abuse their power.<ref name="AC2" />

==Ideals and goals==
===Skepticism===
{{Quote|You cannot '''know''' anything. Only suspect. You must expect to be wrong, to have overlooked something.|[[Malik Al-Sayf]] to [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]]|Assassin's Creed}}Throughout its long existence, the Assassin Order has opposed tyrants and oppressors alike, priding itself as a "champion of the poor" and downtrodden,<ref name="Revelations" /> while assuming ideals such as equality and freedom and other principles associated with human rights.<ref name="Essential Guide">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide]]''</ref> Though these principles may encourage the view that the Assassins are, like their sworn enemies the Templars, founded on a distinct set of ideals, at its roots, the Assassins' philosophy is grounded not in idealism, but in rationalism and epistemology, with the unique viewpoint that before one devises a specific code of ethics or belief system, one must first approach the world from a chiefly scientific standpoint, un-tempered by biases or such subjective products as morality or faith.<ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="ACBF" /><ref name="Essential Guide" /> To an Assassin, knowledge should be obtained first and foremost through strict objective reasoning, but this method is disrupted by each individual's fundamental dependency on his or her own senses to acquire information. These senses can be deceived in some measure, or otherwise will never convey the precise intrinsic quality of an object. Consequently, they are rendered unreliable, with the end result being that "true" or "full" objectivity is, as Altaïr argued, unreachable.<ref name="AC2" /> The driving theory behind the Assassin's creed is thus that "one can only know that one knows nothing,"<ref name="AC" /><ref name="ACBF" /> a handicap corroborated by the [[Isu]] [[Juno]], who cited this as a defect of [[humans]].<ref name="Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

From this skepticism arises the Assassins' maxim that "nothing is true, everything is permitted," a relativistic assertion designed to provide an answer to the vastly disparate convictions over the perfect solution for humanity's ills: that there is no Truth and any attempted application of a singular ideal on a universal scale is first and foremost unrealistic. Moderation is therefore an inherent principle of the Assassins, who shun extremism as destructive to society. To treat one belief as absolute is to not only submit oneself to the irrationality of blind faith, but also to cloud oneself from the perspectives of inevitable dissenters.<ref name="Essential Guide" /> These perspectives must always be taken into account, not only in one's outlook of society and life, but also in aspects of one's work, which manifests in the Assassins' emphasis on precision and stealth, and has been referred to by Assassins such as Altaïr and [[Pierre Bellec]] as "variables."<ref name="AC" /><ref name="ACU" />

The second component of the creed, "everything is permitted" is an extension of this principle of uncertainty. Because the quantity of variables is infinite, it follows that theoretically, anything within nature is possible, for as long as there is no absolute answer to any query, no impossibility can be ascertained. Therefore, one must remain vigilantly open-minded to the unexpected and unknown, drawing to a conclusion while being ever mindful of that conclusion's plausibility of error. Beyond being a further vessel for pluralism, Assassins are taught to be watchful of pretensions and their own capability to achieve either great dreams or great destruction. In essence, this corollary commands one to take responsibility for one's actions towards oneself and society at large.<ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="ACU" />

Though the maxim as a whole is actually descriptive, not normative, it nevertheless serves as the threshold into Assassin ethos, wherein reason, not divinity or society, is the source for guidance;<ref name="AC" /> dogmatism is discouraged for its potential to brew prejudice and violence,<ref name="ACU" /> and diversity of thought is respected as the closest conduit to reaching truth.<ref name="Essential Guide" />

According to [[Haytham Kenway]], the Templar Order was "born of a realization" that humanity is fundamentally corrupt, necessitating strenuous control for it to be guided to peace.<ref name="AC3">''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref> From the Assassin perspective, their brotherhood was born of the "realization" that to be wise, one must first liberate one's mind from the assumption of having acquired true knowledge.<ref name="Brotherhood" />

===Humanitarianism===
{{Quote|Twenty-two years ago, I stood where I stand now – and watched my loved ones die, betrayed by those I had called friends. Vengeance clouded my mind. It would have consumed me, were it not for the wisdom of a few strangers, who taught me to look past my instincts. They never preached answers, but guided me to learn from myself. We don't need anyone to tell us what to do; not Savonarola, not the Medici. We are free to follow our own path. There are those who will take that freedom from us, and too many of you gladly give it. But it is our ability to choose – whatever you think is true – that makes us human... There is no book or teacher to give you the answers, to show you the path. Choose your own way! Do not follow me, or anyone else|[[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]]|Assassin's Creed II|Mob Justice}}Though the Assassins' philosophy begins with a purely empirical assessment of life that seemingly verges on nihilism, their order is profoundly idealistic, with a deep sentiment for the principles of social justice, humanitarianism, egalitarianism, and liberty.<ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="AC3" />

The Assassins' justify perspectivism with the view that it is logical and realistic, but it is further reinforced ethically by their ardent belief in the "sanctity of life" and each individual's humanity.<ref name="AC2" /> This, in conjunction with moral relativism, are the guiding motives behind their support for cultural diversity and free will. Assassins perceive societal norms and conventions as artificial structures that can hinder one's partiality and lead to prejudices. These false boundaries include but are not limited to national borders, gender, ethnicity, social class, and race. As a result, Assassins oppose discrimination of virtually every kind, with physical abuse and [[Slavery|slavery]] being especially abhorrent.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="AC3" /><ref name="ACBF" /><ref name="Freedom Cry">''[[Freedom Cry]]''</ref><ref name="ACRG" /><ref name="ACU" />

===Goals and motivations===
{{Quote|What can be done to stop this? To encourage tolerance and equality? Some days we speak of education, believing that knowledge will free us from immorality. But as I walk the streets and see slaves sent off to auction – my heart grows cold. When I see the husband hurl abuses and stones at his wife, insisting she exists only to serve him – my fists clench. And when I see children torn from their parents so that another man might profit – sent off to suffer beneath the desert sun and die...<br/> ...On these days, I do not think that dialogue will make a difference. On these days, I can think only of how the perpetrators need to die|Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|Assassin's Creed II}}In light of their antipathy for authoritarianism, the Assassins throughout history have fought under the banner of liberation for oppressed peoples. In spite of this, freedom was not at the heart of their ambitions, but peace. The Assassins aspire for the establishment of global prosperity and harmony, the genesis of what essentially amounts to a utopia. In this, they share with the Templars a sincere desire to resolve the chaos that plagues humanity. Their incompatible visions of the means by which such a utopia could be achieved dismantled this common spirit.<ref name="AC" />

Unlike the Templars, who condemn humanity as irredeemably weak-minded and corrupt, the Assassins uphold faith, even love, in humanity as one of their core ideals.<ref name="Embers" /> Their fundamentally skeptic Creed neither justifies the defeatism that is the hallmark of Templar ideology, nor endorses the notion that a single group can be wise enough to impose a correct way of life or belief on the people at large.<ref name="AC2" /> Consequently, they scorn the notion that a short-cut to universal peace, especially in the form of global enslavement or elitist control, could be a suitable solution to society's ills. Instead, they argue that humanity must be permitted to undergo the slow and arduous journey of developing tolerance for their myriad differences, a process derided as unrealistic and impossible by the Templars.

In the Assassin view, peace is a product of education, not force,<ref name="AC" /> and this is only possible without the stringent control over information and society that authoritarians advocate. For this reason, and due to Altaïr's reformation of the Order and focus on free will, the Assassins have increasingly identified with the ideals of liberty over the centuries. This fixation on freedom and compassion led many Templars by the [[American Revolution]], notably [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Master]] Haytham Kenway, to believe that the Assassins had abandoned their goal of peace in favor of freedom as an end, even accusing them of anarchism.<ref name="AC3" /><ref name="ACRG" /> This has shown not to be the case as Assassins support democracy, or governments that emphasizes individual liberty and choice as main principles, not the abolition of order and government in its entirety.<ref name="AC3" /><ref name="ACU" /><ref name="The Fall Deluxe" />

Ironically, in spite of the Assassins' optimistic view of humanity as a whole, they do not always retain the same faith for adversaries of human rights; this is the guiding force behind their operations, of which assassinations take primacy. Altaïr could not help but doubt the efficacy of persuasion, lamenting that many abusers were far too cemented in their ways to be redeemed through dialogue. Echoing Altaïr's sentiment, [[Rebecca Crane]] once explained to [[Desmond Miles]] that sometimes, "there's no other way." To protect the lives of innocents, the Assassins believe that realistically an ideal, noble resolution is not always possible, thus one may have to kill a perpetrator to save an innocent. For many members, compassion has acted as a key motivation, which has paradoxically translated into objectives very often revolving around murder.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" />  Social justice is a powerful unifying theme among Assassins, and in this capacity they serve as a reactionary force against perceived oppression, tyranny, and abuses against humanity, becoming the mortal enemies of the Templars.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="AC3" />

===Paradoxes and misconceptions===
{{Quote|What follows are the three great ironies of the Assassin Order: (1) Here we seek to promote peace, but murder is our means. (2) Here we seek to open the minds of men, but require obedience to a master and set of rules. (3) Here we seek to reveal the danger of blind faith, yet we are practitioners ourselves|Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad|Assassin's Creed II}}To laymen and especially Templars, the creed is very often taken literally as a propagation of nihilism, anarchism, and self-gratification. The pirate [[Edward Kenway]], before being inducted into the Assassin Order, is a prime example of this, misconstruing the creed as a suggestion to "chase every desire."<ref name="ACBF" /> The Templar [[James Wardrop]], in his dying words to [[Shay Cormac]], bemoaned that "if everything is permitted, nothing is safe," implying that the maxim is a call for wanton hedonism.<ref name="ACRG">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref> Even the scholarly woman [[Sofia Sartor]] was apt to remark on the creed's "cynicism" upon first hearing it cited by her future husband, the [[Mentor]] Ezio Auditore.<ref name="Revelations" />

As Altaïr reported in [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's Codex|his codex]], it was not an uncommon occurrence that people newly exposed to the creed be waylaid by immorality or driven mad by the disintegration of a sense of security.<ref name="AC2" /> Experienced Assassins were often obliged to chide their pupils or outsiders for misinterpreting "everything is permitted" as a message to abolish all sense of moral restraint and discipline.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="ACBF" />

The Assassins' devotion to free will and their assertion of moral relativism can indeed invite questions of whether or not they and their creed are nihilistic or anarchic. Their liberal belief system, along with their support of cultural expression and life,<ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="Embers" /> would indicate otherwise. The creed itself, however, implies that all values are meaningless. A contradiction thus arises, which can be summarized as "why do Assassins adhere strictly to beliefs while asserting that none are true?" This can be taken even further into a charge of hypocrisy when one considers that Assassins preach freedom of beliefs and yet use violence to suppress those who reject their own beliefs (of free will), an accusation that the Templars [[Abu'l Nuqoud]] and [[Jubair al Hakim]] directed upon Altaïr with their dying words.<ref name="AC" />

While Altaïr at the time noted that he had no "satisfactory answer" to these charges, even expressing fear that "none exist," Ezio Auditore and Edward Kenway both provided insight into how these paradoxes are resolved.

In addressing this paradox, Ezio explained that the creed itself is more akin to that of a scientific theory, rather than a doctrine in itself, and therefore it is neither meant to be followed nor obeyed, but merely understood.<ref name="Revelations" /> Edward Kenway, upon his induction into the Assassin Order, posed the same questions to the Mentor [[Ah Tabai]]. When Ah Tabai redirected them back to him, the former pirate answered that "it might be that this idea is only the beginning of wisdom, and not its final form."<ref name="ACBF" /> In other words, the creed would be a call to nihilism—and implicitly the Assassins hypocritical for not adhering wholly to it—if it were a dogma itself. It is not, however, the dogma of the Assassins, for it can be said to be the scientific introduction ''to'' a belief system, one that only formulates the framework of an ideology, but not the completed complex of ideals itself. As such, while "nothing is true," and all beliefs and moral values can not be validated from an objective standpoint, it does not follow that morals and beliefs should be ''perceived'' as false from an ethical standpoint. While "everything is permitted" from a naturalistic perspective, it does not follow that everything must necessarily be ethically permissible. Thus, the creed is descriptive, not normative; it does not reject the notion that there is an absolute truth, nor assert that it does exist. The Assassins regard the creed as an exposition to their concept of wisdom, in that they believe that one must first understand the subjective origins of all beliefs and values before devising his or her own ideology, so as to remain open-minded and unprejudiced, but the relativity of beliefs does not make beliefs insignificant.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /><ref name="ACBF" />

While explaining why the creed is not meant to support nihilism or anarchism, it does not resolve the paradox that Assassins murder in the name of peace or kill those that disagree with their own ideals in the name of free will. Altaïr, in attempting to provide an answer, suggested that the creed incorporates an even deeper meaning: that paradoxes exist and are not impossible, or rather that it is because paradoxes exist and cannot be avoided, that "nothing is true.<ref name="AC2" />

==Methods==
{{Quote|Cultures and religions and languages keep folks divided. But there's something in the Assassin's Creed that crosses all boundaries. A fondness for life and liberty.|Mary Read, on the Assassin's Creed and society.|Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag}}
===Precision and stealth===
Throughout the long centuries of war between the Assassins and Templars, members of both factions often mused on the similarity of their goals and the contrast between their means.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="Revelations" /> Even so, it was a frequent contention of Templars that the Assassins' methods were identical to their own in principle: "a minor evil, for a greater good."<ref name="AC" /> Indeed, the Assassins extensively hunted and murdered [[assassination targets|key individuals]] they perceived to be corrupt or a danger to humanity, and this became one of their defining attributes.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /> A critical distinction, however, lay in the strict tenet that an Assassin must refrain from harming an innocent. As Altaïr reflected, the Templars were brutal and lacked precision in their methods: burning books wholesale, committing grand massacres, and in later histories, instigating nation-wide purges.<ref name="AC" />

Accordingly, precision was a guiding principle behind the Assassins' technique and a factor behind their focus on stealth and discretion. By reducing collateral damage and the chance of open conflict, casualties would be minimized. Such a tactic aligned with their traditional respect for humanity and life, and in theory (though not always in practice), assassinations were to be carried out only in cases of utmost necessity. Once a target had been killed, agents were dissuaded from rejoicing in the death, and some even adopted the practice of paying last respects, no matter how vile they held them to be.<ref name="ACAC">''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''</ref><ref name="AC2" /><ref name="AC3" />

Although not every Assassin operated on the level of perfectionism exhibited by [[Francesco Vecellio]],<ref name="ACPL">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref> prodigious information was expected to be gathered before an assassination is attempted. Failure to do so could yield catastrophic errors, such as [[Arno Dorian]]'s mistaken murder of the Templar ally [[Chrétien Lafrenière]].<ref name="ACU" /> For their investigations, Assassins referred to a variety of means including but not limited to: [[eavesdropping|espionage]], [[pickpocketing|theft]] of documents, and mingling with locals.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /><ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="ACPL" /><ref name="ACU" />

In some ways, the reforms of Altaïr promoted a greater level of stealth than under the tenure of his predecessor, Rashid ad-din Sinan. Previously, it was common practice for the Levantine Assassins to perform high-risk, near suicidal, yet awe-inspiring assassinations in crowded, public areas.<ref name="ACU" /> This tactic relied on shock to impress power—through fear—in the public imagination.<ref name="AC" /> Under Altaïr's direction, the Assassins retreated further into the shadows, and this approach was generally discouraged, if not outright abolished, and restrictions on formerly banned methods such as [[poison]] were lifted. While some members were impatient with the secrecy demanded by the brotherhood, feeling that it hampered progress and influence, Altaïr feared the great risks of exposure to public society. Ever mindful that Assassins could be branded as madmen and destroyed if they remained an open target, as evident in the [[Fall of Masyaf]] to the [[Mongol Empire]], Altaïr withdrew the brotherhood further into secrecy. Thus, security was another reason for the Assassins' policy of stealth.<ref name="AC" />

Despite this, it was not unknown for Assassins even after the High Middle Ages to resort to open conflict, and these uncommon tactics could range from the instigation of riots, employment of mercenaries, or even a direct militaristic assault on enemy bases.<ref name="Revelations" /><ref name="AC3" /><ref name="ACRG" />

===Social reforms===
In Altaïr's time, the Assassins were markedly apprehensive that public promotion of their ideals could yield societal reforms. As a result, at first much of their activities revolved only around the elimination or sabotage of those they believed threatened the rights of humanity. With their dream that humanity arrive at utopia through free will, their way of guidance was often indirect, with an emphasis on individuals learning through self-experience. For instance, their way of teaching Ezio against the path of vengeance involved allowing him to experience that journey personally.

Over time, the brotherhood's policies evolved and during the [[Renaissance|Italian Renaissance]], the Assassins under the leadership of Ezio Auditore became more active at winning the hearts of the public. It was Ezio's conviction that the strength of the Assassins derived from the strength of the common people, a sentiment initially rebuffed by the cynical Mentor [[Niccolò Machiavelli]]. Accordingly, the Assassins' campaign in [[Rome]] was prolific in rehabilitating a city crumbling under the weight of [[Borgia]] corruption, such as funding renovations, sponsoring merchants, and rescuing civilians.<ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="The Fall Deluxe" />

The order continued to adapt and reform gradually through the centuries, and by the 20th century, their activities began to shift over to non-violent social reforms rather than aggressive enforcement. The transition was tenuous: certain branches, such as the fledgling branch established in North America by [[Achilles Davenport]] and the Assassin-sponsored movement ''[[Narodnaya Volya]]'' engaged in operations smacking of terrorism. It was only after [[World War II]] that the Assassins definitively refocused their activities towards inspiring change through example. Assassinations became far rarer, and until the [[Great Purge|Great Purge of 2000]], the shadow war with the Templars defused to one waged through covert tampering of political elections instead.<ref name="The Fall Deluxe" />

==Practices==
===Initiation into the Order===
{{Main|Initiation into the Assassin Order}}
[[File:Ascension 9.png|thumb|250px|Claudia Auditore being inducted into the Assassin Order in 1503]]
There were two ways of entering into the Order: through birth, like Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore and Desmond Miles,<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /> or through recruitment, like [[Assassin apprentices]], Edward Kenway and Shaun Hastings.<ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="ACBF">''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref><ref name="AC2" />

After declaring oneself an Assassin under the Creed, a trainee would be tested to prove their worth over an unspecified period of time. For example, Ezio was tasked with hunting down Templar conspirators over years before he was officially inducted,<ref name="AC2" /> whereas Assassin apprentices had to gain enough experience in their contract missions across the world before joining the [[Assassins Guilds|Assassins Guild]] as fully-fledged members.<ref name="Brotherhood" />

===Training===
The Assassins spent their entire lives training to kill.<ref name="AC" /> From an early age, they were taught to observe their surroundings and plan ahead. Combat skills were essential and focused on bladed weaponry. However, the most important consideration in the Assassins' training was concealment. Stealth was the greatest weapon of the Assassins, and everything about their lives emphasized a devotion to it.<ref name="AC" /><ref name="AC2" /> It was essential for an Assassin to be able to reach their target unnoticed and then slip back into the crowd after they had struck.<ref name="AC" />

Another significant focus of an Assassin's training was maneuverability. By the time an Assassin reached the [[Ranks|rank]] of Master Assassin, they were also a master of [[freerunning]], an early form of {{Wiki|parkour}} extensively utilized by the Assassins. Widely seen as alien by the general populace, this method of movement allowed the Assassins to reach areas not otherwise accessible. Freerunning gave the Assassins a significant advantage over nearly all of their enemies and city [[guards]], and could be used to traverse crowded urban environments quickly and efficiently.

[[File:AC1 Fight Instructor.png|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr with the combat trainer at Masyaf]]
However, not all Assassins were trained from birth, particularly those recruited later in life. Trainees had to learn the ways of their craft through personal experience and the teachings from other Assassins in the field. For example, Ezio learned many techniques from other Assassins and allies like [[Paola]], his uncle [[Mario Auditore]] and the [[Thieves|thief]] [[Rosa]], as well as several fundamental assassination techniques through reading Altaïr's Codex.<ref name="AC2" /> Centuries later, Edward Kenway used skills learned through [[piracy]] to better himself as an Assassin.<ref name="ACBF" />

Unlike certain other factions, the Assassins did not have a specific style of fighting. Aside from their signature Hidden Blade, each branch used weapons and fighting styles native to the area. For example, the Ottoman Assassins favored curved daggers,<ref name="Revelations" /> while the [[Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins|Chinese Assassins]] were trained in ''{{Wiki|Chinese martial arts|wushu}}''.<ref name="Embers">''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]''</ref>

===Equipment===
Throughout the ages, the Brotherhood has had many weapons at its disposal. During ancient times, the Assassins did not have any standard attire or equipment, but ancient Assassins were known for using [[Long weapons|spears]], [[poison]]s, [[bow]]s, and other armaments.<ref name="AC2" /> By the time of the High Middle Ages, they had assumed white as their general color and robes with beaked hoods as their common clothing.

This age also marked the appearance of the Assassins' signature weapon, the [[Hidden Blade]], a retractable blade first conceptualized by [[Darius]]. Other weapons used by the Assassins included swords, [[short blades]] and [[throwing knives]], though the Order forbade the use of poison as "a coward's tool". Many such rules changed under the leadership of Altaïr, who pioneered several inventions and techniques with the assistance of an [[Apple of Eden 2|Apple of Eden]]. These included the [[Poison Blade]], the [[Hidden Gun]], and new types of assassinations which dramatically altered the practices of the Order.<ref name="AC" />

From the Renaissance onward, the Assassins' equipment did not change significantly, but some weapons were added to their arsenal. The use of armor over robes had become popular, although the white robes with beaked hoods persisted. Ezio Auditore and other Italian Assassins used a Hidden Gun, [[crossbow]], [[poison darts]], [[Bombs#Smoke bombs|smoke bombs]], and a secondary Hidden Blade, among more conventional weapons like swords and knives. Some regions also had unique weapons not seen elsewhere, like the [[Tomahawks|tomahawk]] of Ratonhnhaké:ton or [[Hookblade]]s used in the early 16th century Ottoman Empire. Still others, such as the [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|Caribbean Assassins]], did not have beaked hoods as part of their standard attire.

Under the Mentorship of the Sikh [[Jayadeep Mir]], the British Brotherhood adopted the fear tactics developed by the [[Indian Brotherhood of Assassins|Indian Brotherhood]], began utilizing fear tactics through the employment of hallucinogens and [[fear bombs]]. By scaring enemies from battle, the Indian and British Assassins could avoid being forced to kill them, thereby mitigating casualties.

In modern times, Assassins followed the rest of society into the new era. As technology progressed, guns became commonplace and computers became prevalent, with Assassins like Rebecca Crane and [[Hannah Mueller]] specializing in their use.<ref name="AC2" /><ref name="AC3" /><ref name="The Fall #2">''Assassin's Creed: The Fall - Issue #2''</ref> While Desmond Miles was being held by [[Abstergo Industries]] within their [[Animus Project laboratory|Roman facility]], a small group of Assassins attempted to rescue him, armed with automatic weapons.<ref name="AC" />

===Specializations===
While the classical Assassin is a parkour expert who specializes in eliminating targets in stealth operations, not all Assassins fit this archetypal mold. These are commonly termed field agents,<ref name="ACS" /> but more than a paramilitary organization, the Assassin Brotherhood was a transnational state within itself, composed of entire families born into the order with a diverse range of skill sets, not all of them combat-oriented.<ref name="AC2" /><ref name="ACI">''[[Assassin's Creed: Initiates]]''</ref> Many Assassins serve in support roles, such as Shaun Hastings, whose specialty is as a history analyst, and Rebecca Crane, a security expert and computer technician.<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref> Within their team, Desmond Miles and later Galina Voronina acted as their field operative.<ref name="AC3" /><ref name="ACS" />

Even among Assassins primarily trained for combat roles, there has been much variation in specialization. The Italian Brotherhood of the early 16th century deployed teams such as that of Francesco Vecellio which had among its members [[Tessa Varzi]], a herbalist with an unrivaled knowledge of concocting poisons, and [[Cipriano Enu]], a masterful archer.<ref name="ACPL" />

====Italian Brotherhood system====
{{AmbCanon Start}}
During the Renaissance in the Italian peninsula some assassins like [[Lo Sparviero]] were typed as Berserker, Shadowblade, Trickster, Thief, or some dual combination there of. Berserkers focused on attack and defense, using heavy damage to stun, knock over, and shred armor of multiple opponents at a time, and were equipped with [[splinter bomb]]s to cause bleeding. Shadowblades were masters of stealth, able to remain incognito for longer periods while under scrutiny, using throwing knives to silence and blind enemies or deal precision strikes, and smokbombs to extricate themselves from battle. Trickster were skilled in guile and creating diversions, able to disguise themselves as guards, lure or distract targets with whistling or coins, and employed [[Sticky bomb casing|sticky bombs]] and the explosive [[jack in the box]] to kill from a distance. Thieves were adept pickpocket who used sand and fast strikes to blind and overwhelm opponents, relied on precision and agility to reduce noteriety and fall damage, and set [[Trip-wire bomb casing|trip-wire bombs]] to frighten and cause bleeding.<ref>[[Assassin's Creed: Identity|''Assassin's Creed: Identity'']]</ref>
{{AmbCanon End}}

====Spanish Brotherhood system====
Depending on the branch, specializations differed and could be more formalized. During the era of the Spanish Inquisition, the Spanish Brotherhood classified its agents as either Shadow, Enforcer, or Specialist with each further broken down into three subdivisions. Shadows could focus their training more exclusively towards pure stealth, the art of assassination, or freerunning. Enforcers were warriors whose approach could be geared more towards an offensive style, defensive style, or employing crowd control tactics. Specialists provided field support as medics, saboteurs who disarmed traps, or in other miscellaneous roles.<ref name="Rebellion">''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]''</ref>

====French Brotherhood system====
The French Brotherhood utilized a similar system of nine classes which recognized a wide range of operational styles. Derived from four parameters, combat, stealth, parkour, and tactics (i.e. relying on tools), eight of the classes corresponded to either one of these specializations or was a hybrid of two; the ninth was a ''generalist'' field that encompassed all in equal measure as a jack of all trades. These classes are as follows:<ref name="ACU" /><ref name="ACI" />
*''Prowlers'' who focused all their training on mastering the art of social stealth relied almost exclusively on slow and steady, low-profile assassinations rather than the swift, high-profile assassinations of popular imagination.
*''Brawlers'', being combat purists, were akin to the Enforcers of the Spanish Brotherhood. An exception to the stealth ethos of the Assassins, Brawlers engaged in direct combat equipped with heavy plate and mail armor and often a [[heavy weapon]] such as a two-handed sword. Their role was to defend their comrades as a tank or create a diversion with their own presence.
*''Daredevils'' who mastered freerunning exclusively took a pacifistic approach where their speed and navigational expertise facilitated swift entries and getaways without ever engaging with hostiles.
*''Tricksters'' were essentially [[snipers]] armed with a [[musket]] or [[rifle]] to shoot enemies from afar. Much like archers of an older age, they provided long range cover for their squad mates, cleared rooftops of enemies, or performed assassinations from a safe distance.
*''Infilitrators'' were those who employed the traditional methods iconic with the Assassins: a fast-paced yet meticulous fusion of parkour and stealth for swift and precise assassinations. These Assassins had to be able to rapidly shift between the demands of remaining undetected and acting quickly and efficiently as the situation develops.
*''Rioters'' were what the French Brotherhood called those who relied upon {{wiki|guerilla warfare}}. They sprung from hiding to ambush enemies in berserker-like fashion before merging back into the environment.
*''Tormentors'' were so-called because they sowed chaos in their enemies by manipulating the environment from the shadows. They relied upon gadgets such as bombs and the [[Phantom Blade]] to rain confusion and strike terror of an impending yet undetectable danger looming around them.
*''Handlers'' were soldiers with light equipment, such as a single cuirass, a sword, and a pistol who fought conventionally against enemies.

These classes were not necessarily rigid, serving more as templates which permitted flexibility to accommodate the unique skills and sensibilities of French Assassins. They illustrate that although mainstream Assassin methodology mandated discretion, there has historically been a recognition of the need for specialized roles which did not conform strictly with the classical approach. Exceptions were allowed for Assassins to be battle specialists, such as the Spanish Enforcers or French Brawlers, who confronted enemies aggressively and directly, particularly as part of a larger strategem to divert attention away from fellow Assassins in charge of stealth infiltration.<ref name="ACU" /> Such tactics were not unprecedented and were akin to the way [[mercenaries]] were hired and employed by the Italian Brotherhood.<ref name="Brotherhood" /><ref name="AC2" />

===Burial system===
Historically, Assassins always showed great respect for the dead. Their own were buried in crypts or large tombs, wrapped in a cloth shroud with their red sash spread across the body. The greatest Assassins were venerated in large tombs and entombed within sarcophagi, their likeness emblazoned on the lid and their symbol venerated in the flags of the tomb.<ref name="AC2" />

For all assassination targets, unless circumstances prevented, Assassins would give them their last rites after they had passed away. Early in his career as an Assassin, Ezio Auditore was reprimanded by his uncle Mario for disrespecting the corpse of his target and longtime rival [[Vieri de' Pazzi]], instilling in him a respect for the dead.<ref name="AC2" />

===Expulsion and Reinstatement===
It is possible for members of the Order to be expelled for various reasons, including but not limited to breaking the tenents of the Creed. In such situations, the [[Assassin Council]] could call for a vote of expulsion. After being expelled, the Assassin would be stripped of their rank and exiled from the Brotherhood.

The Assassin Arno Dorian was expelled from the Order, after he had defied the Council's orders, performed several assassinations without the Council's consent and in their words "flouted the Creed at every step". Arno would be welcomed back into the Order, however, after he later reformed and demonstrated true fidelity to the Creed.<ref name="ACU"/>

In cases of extreme disregard for the Creed's tenets, an expelled member may further become the target of assassination by their former comrades, such examples being [[Perotto Calderon]] for the theft of the Shroud of Eden, and Shay Cormac for the theft of the Voynich manuscript.

==Trivia==
*In the High Middle Ages, an Assassin would prove one's target had been slain by dipping a white feather in their target's blood. This practice had fallen out of use by the Renaissance, but appeared to have been revived by the Victorian Era. Both [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] and [[Evie Frye]] engaged in the practice, though they used white handkerchiefs rather than feathers.
*Rebecca Crane noted that both the Assassin and Templar Orders had existed since before the formation of the Hashshashin and Order of the Knights Templar respectively, and queried what the two organizations called themselves beforehand.<ref name="AssassinBrotherhooddatabase">''Assassin's Creed: Syndicate'' - [[Database: The Assassin Brotherhood]]</ref>
**However, such an instance of the Assassins' earlier name is known: the [[Roman Assassins]] called themselves ''Liberalis Circulum'', Latin for ''Circle of Liberals''.
**Historically, the ''Hashashin'' were a sect of radical Persian Shia Muslims who, under Hassan-i Sabbāh, were said to be given a drug called hashish, under the influence of which they experienced "the Garden of Paradise". In exchange, they were expected to murder Sabbah's religious and political rivals, and due to the euphoria they experienced as an effect of the drug, they became unwaveringly loyal to Sabbah.
**The word ''Hashashin'' also gave rise to the word 'assassin'.
**The first and the third tenets of the Creed are mostly based upon the sayings of Islam. The first tenet of not to kill innocents matches with many hadeeths and verses of the Quran. The third and last tenet of the Creed, compromising the Brotherhood, refers to waging war against God in Islam and breaking the trust of other people. In both the Brotherhood and Islam, the punishment for violating these rulings is death.

==Appearances==
{{Scroll box|
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II: Discovery]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' novel]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Embers]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Ascendance]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Revelations'' novel]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Recollection]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Chain]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''
**''[[The Tyranny of King Washington]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Forsaken]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''
**''[[Freedom Cry]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Black Flag]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brahman]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Pirates]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Memories]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Unity (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Unity'' novel]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Underworld]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: India]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Identity]]'' {{c|non-canonical appearance}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed Volume 1: Trial by Fire|Assassin's Creed: Assassins – Volume 1: Trial by Fire]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Locus]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Volume 2: Setting Sun|Assassin's Creed: Assassins – Volume 2: Setting Sun]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Templars Volume 1: Black Cross|Assassin's Creed: Templars – Volume 1: Black Cross]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Heresy]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed (film)|Assassin's Creed: The Movie]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: The Official Movie Novelization]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants – Tomb of the Khan]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Templars Volume 2: Cross of War|Assassin's Creed: Templars – Volume 2: Cross of War]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed Volume 3: Homecoming|Assassin's Creed: Assassins – Volume 3: Homecoming]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Uprising]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Desert Oath]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''
**''[[The Hidden Ones (DLC)|The Hidden Ones]]''
**''[[The Curse of the Pharaohs]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Origins (comic)|''Assassin's Creed: Origins'' comic]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''
**''[[Legacy of the First Blade]]''
**''[[The Fate of Atlantis]]''
*[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey (novel)|''Assassin's Creed: Odyssey'' novel]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rebellion]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Valhalla]]''
}}

==References==
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{{ACLocus}}
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{{ACTemplars}}
{{ACCo}}
{{ACUprising}}
{{ACReflections}}

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