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{{Quote|Take these carrier pigeons for example. Each one sent from Machiavelli bears the name of an important [[Templars|Templar]] in Roma. Eliminate them and you will have more of an impact than a battle ever could.|Pantasilea to Ezio Auditore.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood}}
{{Imageneed|''[[Assassin's Creed II]], [[Assassin's Creed III]], [[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]], [[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]], [[Assassin's Creed: Unity]], and/or ''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''}}
[[File:BH-PigeonCoop.png|thumb|250px|Contracts were typically assigned via [[pigeon coops]]]]
{{Quote|Take these carrier pigeons for example. Each one sent from Machiavelli bears the name of an important Templar in Roma. Eliminate them and you will have more of an impact than a battle ever could.|Pantasilea Baglioni to Ezio Auditore, 1500.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood|Between a Rock and a Hard Place}}
'''Assassination contracts''' were assignments sent to the [[Assassins]]. The details of these contracts were generally sent via carrier pigeon, which was a method similar to the system that [[Rashid ad-Din Sinan]] once used to inform [[Rafiq]]s of [[Assassins' Bureau|Assassin's Bureaus]].
[[File:BH-PigeonCoop.png|thumb|250px|Contracts were typically assigned via [[pigeon coop]]s]]
'''Assassination contracts''' were assignments given to the [[Assassins]], marking one or more individuals as a threat and ordering their elimination. The details of these contracts were generally sent via carrier pigeons or couriers.


Before his induction into the Order, [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] carried out assassinations for [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] in the cities of [[Florence]], [[Tuscany]], [[Romagna]], and [[Venice]]. When he was a [[Master Assassin]] living in [[Rome]], contracts were provided by [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] and relayed to him through [[Pantasilea Baglioni]]. Ezio could also provide [[Contracts (Project Legacy)|contracts of his own]] for his [[Apprentices|Assassin recruits]], so that they gained the experience necessary to progress through the Assassin Order.
==History==
===Classical Era===
During the [[Peloponnesian War]], habitants of [[Greece]] left assassination contracts on [[message board]]s for ''[[Mercenary|misthios]]'' to accomplish them. The targets could vary between soldiers, bandits, politicians and mercenaries. The ''misthios'' [[Kassandra]] accomplished some of these contracts during her journey, having her own message board on her ship, the ''[[Adrestia]]''. She could also be contacted directly by civilians who hired her for killing their targets. The assassination of a governor was a strategic move to weaken the defense of a region, facilitating the invasion by foreign troops.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''</ref>


The Assassin [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]] carried out assassination contracts given to him through couriers, and also gave his recruits [[Contracts (Assassin's Creed III)|contracts]] to fulfil, gaining them experience as they provided aid during the [[American Revolution]].
During the final years of the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]], the [[Medjay]] [[Bayek]] of [[Siwa]] received complaints from citizens about criminal activities. As a protector of [[Egypt]], his task was to eliminate the bandits to bring justice. When Bayek became Medjay of all Egypt, he acceded to [[Apollodorus]]' network of informants, receiving reports on the [[Order of the Ancients]]' activities and their allies. Bayek eliminated them to protect the citizens of Egypt.<ref name="ACOR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''</ref>


==Florence==
When Bayek and his wife [[Amunet|Aya]] later founded the [[Assassins|Hidden Ones]], a group dedicated to protecting [[Human|humanity]]'s freedom and safety, assassination contracts were their primary tactics to stop the tyranny of the Order of the Ancients or other despots.<ref name="ACOR"/> 
===Day at the Market===
Lorenzo explained that there was a plot to cut off Florence's supply line, which could be prevented by assassinating a merchant located in the [[San Marco District|San Marco district]]. It was relatively simple, as he was standing next to an [[Art Merchants|Art Merchant]], and [[Eagle Vision]] could detect him easily. There was an Elite [[Guards|guard]] near one of the entrances of the corridor that led to the target.


===Fallen Archers===
===Middle Ages===
Several [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi]] [[archers]] were spotted attacking the [[Palazzo della Signoria]] and tracked down to the San Marco district, the largest district in Florence. There were 3 of them, and they were spread out quite thinly, so Ezio had to travel a while to reach them. Open combat or stealthy assassination were acceptable ways to take them out.
In the 9th century, the [[Hidden Ones of Alamut|Alamut Hidden Ones]] received several assassination contracts from their allies or individuals who had heard of their deeds. These [[Contracts (Mirage)|contracts]] were posted inside their [[Assassin bureau|bureaus]] in [[Baghdad]], where any Hidden One could read them and decide whether to accept them. During the 860s, [[Basim ibn Ishaq]] completed several such contracts, which awarded him with [[dirham]]s and [[Khidmah Tokens]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref>


===Political Suicide===
[[File:AC1 Acre Bureau Feather.png|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr receiving his feather from [[Jabal]]]]
Lorenzo claimed that a member of the Signoria was working with the Pazzi to turn the tide against the Medici. They were meeting in a low passageway, concealed from the rooftops, and each entrance was guarded by 4 guards. Hiring some [[courtesans]] or [[thieves]] allowed Ezio to distract the guards, and some of them concealed him from the target, allowing to assassinate them unnoticed, as being detected by the target or his companion would cause them to flee, with Ezio failing his mission.
After the Hidden Ones were reformed as the Assassins in the 11th century, they continued to use the practice of assassination contracts. Under the leadership of [[Al Mualim]], word of the intended target was sent through [[Pigeon coop|courier pigeons]] to the [[Rafiq]] present within the target's city or region. [[Novice]] Assassins were sent out by the Rafiq to [[Investigation|investigate]] the plans, routines and surroundings of the intended target, amassing information that might help with the actual assassination, carried out by an Assassin of a higher [[rank]].<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>


===Caveat Emptor===
Before said assassination was carried out, the Assassin was judged on the value of their knowledge and, if deemed sufficient, handed a [[feather]] to dip in the target's blood as proof of the deed's success. [[Master Assassin]]s, due to their skill, were not obligated to meet with the Rafiq after the investigation had been completed and could immediately proceed with the elimination of the target. Although rare, investigations and assassinations were sometimes carried out by the same person, as was the case with the disgraced Assassin [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]].<ref name="AC"/>
It seemed that a member of the Salvucci family, who helped smuggle enemies into Florence, had been sighted. Ezio had to find the target and kill him without being detected. The target had one guard following him.


===Meeting Adjourned===
===Renaissance===
Several enemies were planning a meeting in the city; Ezio had to tail the only known lead and then kill all those affiliated. As soon as he accepted the contract, Ezio could clear out the area of the guards stationed nearby in the courtyard. Then when the target returned, the area was less guarded. Following the target, Ezio saw he'd walked into a heavily guarded room. The number of targets increased, and Ezio had to kill all of those responsible. With this, Ezio could toss a smoke bomb to reduce the chances of his targets fleeing, but he had to beware of an escapee in order to remove all the targets.
By the 15th century, much of these practices had been abolished, with the Assassin receiving the contract also being the one that carried it out. Following his rescue of [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] began to serve as the man's unofficial assassin, receiving messages through pigeon coops and carrying out contracts in [[Florence]], [[Tuscany]], [[Romagna]], and [[Venice]]. Since these targets were picked out by Lorenzo, they were frequently enemies of the [[House of Medici]]; in particular, people that had [[Pazzi conspiracy|collaborated]] with the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>


===Needle in a Haystack===
[[File:BH coop.png|thumb|250px|Ezio accepting a contract in Rome]]
Lorenzo remarked that the Assassins were so close to eliminating all those responsible for the attack on Florence. One of the conspirators had been spotted near the [[Santa Maria Novella]]. The target would be in one of the courtyards within the area. It appeared to be entirely random as to which garden he appeared in. Ezio was best suited to searching from the rooftops and using Eagle Vision to find his prey without being detected.
When he was a [[Master Assassin]] living in [[Rome]], Ezio's [[Assassins Guild|contracts]] were provided by [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] and relayed to him through [[Pantasilea Baglioni]] and pigeon coops. By eliminating these targets, who were primarily affiliates of the [[House of Borgia|Borgia family]], the [[Italian Brotherhood of Assassins]] gradually weakened the position of power held by the [[Templars]].<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>


===Peacekeeper===
Ezio also provided [[Contracts (Project Legacy)|contracts of his own]] for his [[Assassin apprentice|Assassin recruits]], sending them to countries across [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]. In completing their missions, the apprentices damaged the Templars' presence in various regions and gained the experience necessary to progress through the Assassin Order.<ref name="ACB"/><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>
A contingent of traitorous guards were planning to march to Lorenzo's palazzo, and Ezio had to kill them before they started a riot. They were just west of the bridge, where the company of guards was composed of 10 [[Brutes]]. One method that would prove easy to dispatch them was by tossing a Smoke Bomb and assassinating or poisoning each guard in turn. Ezio could also hire the mercenaries nearby and have them fight them. So long as Ezio hadn't been spotted, using the Hidden Blade allowed him to quickly remove the guards without an alert sounding.


===Leader of the Pack===
Having grown somewhat weary by the time he reached [[Constantinople]], Ezio no longer carried out assassination contracts himself, though he still aided the [[Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins|Ottoman Assassins]] in other ways. As he did in Rome, Ezio recruited [[Civilian|citizens]] and then sent them out on [[Mediterranean Defense|strategic missions]] across the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] to train them. This proved critical not only to the apprentices' development but also to the expansion of the Assassins' knowledge and influence in the region.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>
Several [[Mercenaries|condotierri]] who attacked Lorenzo's palazzo were regrouping. Ezio had to tail one of them to their garrison and kill their leader. Once he found the target, Ezio had to follow him for a while as more guards started to follow him. The target led Ezio to a guarded alley that lead to a garden, from which the leader could be removed.


==Tuscany==
===Age of Empires===
===Reap What You Sow===
[[File:A Botched Escape 1.png|thumb|250px|left|Edward taking on a contract]]
One of the benefactors of the Pazzi had been found in a farm east of [[San Gimignano]]. Ezio first went to the [[View Points|View Point]] located conveniently near his target and performed a [[Leap of Faith]] into the hay below. This cart of hay was adjacent to the target, so Ezio assassinated him from the [[Hiding spots|hiding spot]]. If he had seen Ezio, he would have fled.
Upon being introduced to the Assassins in 1716, the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] was persuaded by the [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|West Indies Assassin]] [[Mary Read]] to complete assassination contracts in the [[Caribbean]] for monetary rewards. These contracts, delivered through a network of pigeon coops, covered a plethora of islands, with the majority being located in the more densely populated cities of [[Havana]], [[Nassau]], and [[Kingston]]. The people targeted by the Assassins were not limited to Templars and also included cruel [[Slavery|slave traders]], corrupt officials, and criminals of all sorts.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>


===Don’t Get Your Hands Dirty===
During the [[Seven Years' War]], the [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Colonial Assassins]] used the same system as their West Indies brothers, with the notable difference that the contracts were assigned to multiple members of their affiliated [[gang]]. The former Assassin-turned-Templar [[Shay Cormac]] intercepted some of their courier pigeons and foiled many of their assassination contracts.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref>
There were four guards who wanted Lorenzo dead. Ezio's task was to have these guards killed without ''appearing'' to have killed them himself. It was fairly easy because three of the guards were on towers. Ezio simply had to climb up to the top of the tower, grab them, and throw them over the edge to their death. The fourth guard was in the market at ground level and easily removed.


===Supply in Demand===
In 18th-century [[New Orleans]], the Assassin [[Aveline de Grandpré]] occasionally carried out assassinations on the orders of her [[Mentor]] [[Agaté]], who left messages for her in [[Saint Peter's Cemetery]]. These missions were meant to sabotage the Templars' attempts to gain power within the region, eliminating new recruits or vital enemy contacts. Similarly, Aveline received contracts from [[Gérald Blanc]]'s informants, targeting various corrupt Templar business rivals active in the city. By eliminating them, more shops became eligible for renovation, allowing slaves to attain employment and a decent wage.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''</ref>
A local guild leader had been supplying the Pazzi with arms. Ezio's task was to tail one of his men to find him then kill him. After following the member, he simply had to assassinate the leader by running to him.


===Flee Market===
Edward's grandson, [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], occasionally accepted assassination contracts given to him through couriers, who identified the locations of Templars nearby, allowing him to complete them in his own time. Following his liberation of the [[Boston]] and [[New York City|New York]] districts, Ratonhnhaké:ton also recruited six individuals, who were sent to fulfill [[Contracts (Colonial Brotherhood)|contracts]] around the [[United States|British American colonies]]. In this way, his recruits gained experience, acquiring valuable resources for the Colonial Brotherhood and aiding the [[Continental Army|Continental]] war effort during the [[American Revolution]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref>
There were several conspirators who plot against Florence. Arriving in the area, Ezio had to dispatch the Archers first to avoid being detected. Perform a Leap of Faith into the cart of leaves below, Ezio assassinated both targets before they left the area.


===Vertical Slice===
===French Revolution===
Several [[Borgia]] soldiers might have been planning a coup. Needing to kill them without being seen, as [[Rodrigo Borgia]] might have used his involvement as an excuse for a war, Ezio had to carefully use his hiding abilities to remove the conspiring soldiers.
During the [[French Revolution]], the [[Assassin Council]] of the [[Parisian Brotherhood of Assassins|Parisian Brotherhood]] was the only authority that could approve the assassination of a target. The young Assassin [[Arno Dorian]] was the steward of the [[Café Théâtre]], the intelligence gathering front of the Brotherhood in [[Paris]]. As Arno bought other cafés through the city, the buildings served as safe houses for the Assassins and the Council left assassination contracts for Arno. They primarily targeted Templars, thugs, [[Extremist]]s or corrupted officials who operated in Paris. As Arno completed the contracts, it permitted the moderate revolutionaries allied to the Assassins to operate in the districts.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>


===No Camping===
As some contracts were too difficult to be taken by one person, the French Assassins organized themselves in clubs and teams to assure the coordination of a mission.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]'' – [[Explore the Café Théâtre]]</ref>
Ezio had to kill the leaders of several troop encampments without being detected. Horse-riding was a necessity to fill the time requirement, and stealth was advisable to slow the response of other guards who might have gotten in Ezio's way.


===Showtime===
===Victorian Era===
One of the people responsible for hiring the condotierri who attacked Florence had been spotted. He regularly took a walk around the countryside and could be ambushed in the Ancient Roman Theater. Ezio had to tail the target to the Theater, then approach him from the opposite side of the landmark to avoid conflict with the guards as much as possible. The target kept two Brutes close, and fled to the center of the theater if he saw Ezio.
[[File:ACS Somewhere That's Green 14.png|250px|thumb|right|Jayadeep providing the Frye twins with information on Templar targets]]
During the [[Industrial Revolution]], the Council of the [[British Brotherhood of Assassins]], which was in a fragile position against the [[British Rite of the Templar Order]], ordered careful assassination contracts to not compromise the Brotherhood. They also modernized the practice to dip a feather in the target's blood, replacing the feather with a handkerchief.<ref name="ACS">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref>


==Romagna==
When the Assassin twins [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] and [[Evie Frye]] arrived in [[London]] without the consent of the Council, they entered in contact with [[Jayadeep Mir]], the leader and only Assassin of the city's guild. As their plan was to [[Liberation of London|liberate]] London from the Templars' control, Jayadeep gave them contracts on high-ranking Templars and [[Blighters]] throughout the city.<ref name="ACS"/>
===Thin the Ranks===
Six guards, posted in pairs, needed to be eliminated in the city.


===Beginnings of a Conspiracy===
==Behind the scenes==
Some of [[Girolamo Riario]]'s men broke into the [[Palazzo Pitti]] and stole a valuable map. Ezio needed to kill them without being spotted. One was near a fountain, one near the west side of the district, and one with a bodyguard near an overhang from which he could be air-assassinated.
In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', during memory sequences 13 and 14, as well as the succeeding free-roaming sequence, assassination contracts were still available, even though Lorenzo de' Medici had already died by that point. As it turned out, Ezio was also tasked to assassinate associates of various characters who had been dead for years by then.


===Arch Enemies===
In "[[Hunting the Hunter (II)|Hunting the Hunter]]," the attacking [[guard]]s bore Medici colors. If Ezio looted the scarecrow target afterward, it yielded a [[Easter eggs#Dummy keys|set of keys]].
Some Borgia archers had to be taken care of quickly. Ten archers posted on the roofs of the buildings on the edge of the river needed to be cleared within two minutes. Free-running and using throwing knives eased Ezio's work.


===Wet Work===
In ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'', contracts were available for Edward to complete as soon as he reached [[Havana]] in 1715, despite him not being officially introduced to the system until 1716.
An [[Ottomans|Ottoman]] boat had been seen scouting for a suitable place for an attack, and Ezio needed to kill the captain. Either by swimming or using a [[gondola]], Ezio traveled out to the ship and removed the threat. Had he removed the surrounding guards, his work would have been easier.


===Dead on Arrival===
==Appearances==
Ezio needed to dispatch the courier before the message was delivered. Located not far from the pigeon coop, he would flee upon detecting Ezio, but he could be easily dispatched with throwing knives or a hidden blade high-profile assassination.
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
 
===Go towards the Light===
Ezio was told to kill the new commander of the army of [[Forlì]] at the lighthouse. Using mercenaries near the lighthouse, Ezio was able to distract the guards and remove the threat after climbing the lighthouse.
 
===Mark and Execute===
Ezio had to kill the captor of two of Lorenzo's spies without being detected—no mean feat. The target and his bodyguard could easily be executed by a double air-assassination once the archers had been removed.
 
==Venice==
===Thicker than Water===
Following a gondolier supplied by Lorenzo, Ezio remained undetected until he reached the target. His easiest method to remove the target unseen was a ledge assassination.
 
{{-}}
=== Zero Tolerance ===
A family friend of Lorenzo was being harassed by a merchant, who had to be killed without her noticing. Finding the target was difficult, since he and Lorenzo's friend were constantly circling around the area. Poisoning the man from a blended moving crowd or assassinating him from a hide spot with the Hidden blade were easiest.
 
===Blade in the Crowd===
The Doge had decided to send several trusted administrators to rouse the populace in Florence. They were supposed to meet with the Doge soon after. Ezio needed to find and kill them before the meeting, without alerting them to his presence, within three minutes.
 
===Honorable Thief===
One of Lorenzo's connections uncovered a plot to destroy the Venetian branch of the Medici bank. Ezio met his informant, a nimble thief, and followed him to the target's location to kill him. The informant was to the north of [[Piazza di San Marco]], and archers lined to rooftops to interfere with Ezio's mission.
 
===No Laughing Matter===
There were three harlequins that are actually co-conspirators of Archbishop Salviati, already marked and identified. One was in the open, easily dealt with. The two others were in guarded locations, easily removed if flushed out or assassinated from a hide spot.
 
===Crash a Party===
One of [[Francesco de' Pazzi]]'s cousins was throwing a party. Ezio tailed one of the guests and assassinated him. The area was on high alert, but Ezio could easily bypass it by taking to the rooftops.
 
===False Legacy===
A Venetian condottiero (who acted like a Brute guard) was forcing artists to depict him as a war hero. This job was quite difficult, as he was surrounded by Elite guards, though he was easy to distinguish. Any method to remove the guards from the equation eased Ezio's work.
 
===Hunting the Hunter===
This mission was the last contract Ezio received. Ezio's first task was to kill a marked target—an Agile. A single shot from the Pistol ended him. Looting the body gave Ezio another location. He approached the 'person' in front of the fountain, revealing it to actually be a scarecrow. Afterwards, a Venetian Agile and some Medici Leader Guards ambushed him. Killing the Agile finished mission.
 
==Rome==
===Two's Company===
In an attempt to scare the citizens of Roma, the Borgia hired two notoriously cruel guards to beat up anyone they see. Ezio removed them using the Hidden Blades from the streets to give people hope.
 
===Tactical Correction===
[[Cesare Borgia|Cesare]] called one of his chief tacticians back to Roma. He was a valuable asset, so the Captain General had provided a [[Horses|horse]] and an escort. Ezio removed the tactician within two minutes of receiving the contract.
 
===...And Three's a Crowd===
Cesare hoped that the Assassin-sponsored rebels would stumble into his line of fire. His expert gunmen waited, instructed by their master to shoot unsavory targets on sight. Ezio removed them in three minutes.
 
===Serf's Turf===
Farmers had a hard enough time turning a profit in times of war, but Romans had to deal with the Borgia taking their hefty share. Ezio removed at least three of the oppressors with the Hidden Blade.
 
===The Three Amici===
To bolster his troops, Cesare began to recruit untrained soldiers. His veteran trainers were critical to his success, so Ezio assassinated them using the Hidden Blades.
 
===Red Letter Day===
The Assassin's enemy was feeling pressure as they closed in. Important messages were starting to be delivered by armored mercenaries. Ezio removed the couriers within a minute.
 
===The Merchant of Rome===
Merchants under Borgia protection often traded favors at the expense of their honest peers. Ezio used Assassin Apprentices to teach the merchants a lesson.
 
===Bearers of Bad News===
The Borgia unleashed their interrogators. They brutalized the people of Roma until they found answers when they couldn't find the Assassins. Ezio removed the given targets before they could call for reinforcements.
 
===Cardinal Sin===
Servants of the Borgia believed they could hide behind the church, their actions protected by the clothing they wear. Ezio killed a Borgia-sponsored [[Cardinals|cardinal]] before he reached the [[Basilica di San Pietro]].
 
===Turning the Tables===
Cesare's charisma had brought his guards the best equipment available. Ezio killed at least one Brute, one Seeker, and one [[Papal Guard]] in the process of ending the given targets.
 
===Graduation===
Four of the Borgia's Papal guards were scheduled to complete their training when Ezio removed them flawlessly.
 
===Brutes and Brutality===
The Borgia sent large numbers of heavily armored guards in the city, hoping to further dissuade any opposition. Ezio removed them within fifteen seconds as a demonstration of his mastery.
 
==Colonial America==
Around the time of the [[American Revolutionary War]], the Assassin [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]] would receive contracts from a contact in the [[Frontier]], [[Boston]] or [[New York City]]. These contracts identified the locations of Templar guards in the region, allowing him to find and kill them in his own time.
 
==Trivia==
*In ''Assassin's Creed II'', during Memory sequences 13 and 14, as well as the succeeding free-roaming sequence, these contracts were still available, even though Lorenzo de' Medici had already died by that point. As it turned out, Ezio was also tasked to assassinate associates of various characters who had been dead for years by then.
*In "Hunting the Hunter," the attacking guards bore [[House of Medici|Medici]] colors.
**If Ezio looted the scarecrow target afterward, it yielded a [[Easter Eggs#Dummy keys|set of keys]].
 
==References==
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''
{{AC2}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''
{{ACB}}
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''
[[Category:Assassin Order]]
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Assassin Brotherhood]]
[[Category:Criminal practices]]

Latest revision as of 01:12, 25 May 2026

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"Take these carrier pigeons for example. Each one sent from Machiavelli bears the name of an important Templar in Roma. Eliminate them and you will have more of an impact than a battle ever could."
―Pantasilea Baglioni to Ezio Auditore, 1500.[src]-[m]
Contracts were typically assigned via pigeon coops

Assassination contracts were assignments given to the Assassins, marking one or more individuals as a threat and ordering their elimination. The details of these contracts were generally sent via carrier pigeons or couriers.

History[edit | edit source]

Classical Era[edit | edit source]

During the Peloponnesian War, habitants of Greece left assassination contracts on message boards for misthios to accomplish them. The targets could vary between soldiers, bandits, politicians and mercenaries. The misthios Kassandra accomplished some of these contracts during her journey, having her own message board on her ship, the Adrestia. She could also be contacted directly by civilians who hired her for killing their targets. The assassination of a governor was a strategic move to weaken the defense of a region, facilitating the invasion by foreign troops.[1]

During the final years of the Ptolemaic Kingdom, the Medjay Bayek of Siwa received complaints from citizens about criminal activities. As a protector of Egypt, his task was to eliminate the bandits to bring justice. When Bayek became Medjay of all Egypt, he acceded to Apollodorus' network of informants, receiving reports on the Order of the Ancients' activities and their allies. Bayek eliminated them to protect the citizens of Egypt.[2]

When Bayek and his wife Aya later founded the Hidden Ones, a group dedicated to protecting humanity's freedom and safety, assassination contracts were their primary tactics to stop the tyranny of the Order of the Ancients or other despots.[2]

Middle Ages[edit | edit source]

In the 9th century, the Alamut Hidden Ones received several assassination contracts from their allies or individuals who had heard of their deeds. These contracts were posted inside their bureaus in Baghdad, where any Hidden One could read them and decide whether to accept them. During the 860s, Basim ibn Ishaq completed several such contracts, which awarded him with dirhams and Khidmah Tokens.[3]

Altaïr receiving his feather from Jabal

After the Hidden Ones were reformed as the Assassins in the 11th century, they continued to use the practice of assassination contracts. Under the leadership of Al Mualim, word of the intended target was sent through courier pigeons to the Rafiq present within the target's city or region. Novice Assassins were sent out by the Rafiq to investigate the plans, routines and surroundings of the intended target, amassing information that might help with the actual assassination, carried out by an Assassin of a higher rank.[4]

Before said assassination was carried out, the Assassin was judged on the value of their knowledge and, if deemed sufficient, handed a feather to dip in the target's blood as proof of the deed's success. Master Assassins, due to their skill, were not obligated to meet with the Rafiq after the investigation had been completed and could immediately proceed with the elimination of the target. Although rare, investigations and assassinations were sometimes carried out by the same person, as was the case with the disgraced Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.[4]

Renaissance[edit | edit source]

By the 15th century, much of these practices had been abolished, with the Assassin receiving the contract also being the one that carried it out. Following his rescue of Lorenzo de' Medici, Ezio Auditore da Firenze began to serve as the man's unofficial assassin, receiving messages through pigeon coops and carrying out contracts in Florence, Tuscany, Romagna, and Venice. Since these targets were picked out by Lorenzo, they were frequently enemies of the House of Medici; in particular, people that had collaborated with the Pazzi.[5]

Ezio accepting a contract in Rome

When he was a Master Assassin living in Rome, Ezio's contracts were provided by Niccolò Machiavelli and relayed to him through Pantasilea Baglioni and pigeon coops. By eliminating these targets, who were primarily affiliates of the Borgia family, the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins gradually weakened the position of power held by the Templars.[6]

Ezio also provided contracts of his own for his Assassin recruits, sending them to countries across Europe and Asia. In completing their missions, the apprentices damaged the Templars' presence in various regions and gained the experience necessary to progress through the Assassin Order.[6][7]

Having grown somewhat weary by the time he reached Constantinople, Ezio no longer carried out assassination contracts himself, though he still aided the Ottoman Assassins in other ways. As he did in Rome, Ezio recruited citizens and then sent them out on strategic missions across the Mediterranean to train them. This proved critical not only to the apprentices' development but also to the expansion of the Assassins' knowledge and influence in the region.[8]

Age of Empires[edit | edit source]

Edward taking on a contract

Upon being introduced to the Assassins in 1716, the pirate Edward Kenway was persuaded by the West Indies Assassin Mary Read to complete assassination contracts in the Caribbean for monetary rewards. These contracts, delivered through a network of pigeon coops, covered a plethora of islands, with the majority being located in the more densely populated cities of Havana, Nassau, and Kingston. The people targeted by the Assassins were not limited to Templars and also included cruel slave traders, corrupt officials, and criminals of all sorts.[9]

During the Seven Years' War, the Colonial Assassins used the same system as their West Indies brothers, with the notable difference that the contracts were assigned to multiple members of their affiliated gang. The former Assassin-turned-Templar Shay Cormac intercepted some of their courier pigeons and foiled many of their assassination contracts.[10]

In 18th-century New Orleans, the Assassin Aveline de Grandpré occasionally carried out assassinations on the orders of her Mentor Agaté, who left messages for her in Saint Peter's Cemetery. These missions were meant to sabotage the Templars' attempts to gain power within the region, eliminating new recruits or vital enemy contacts. Similarly, Aveline received contracts from Gérald Blanc's informants, targeting various corrupt Templar business rivals active in the city. By eliminating them, more shops became eligible for renovation, allowing slaves to attain employment and a decent wage.[11]

Edward's grandson, Ratonhnhaké:ton, occasionally accepted assassination contracts given to him through couriers, who identified the locations of Templars nearby, allowing him to complete them in his own time. Following his liberation of the Boston and New York districts, Ratonhnhaké:ton also recruited six individuals, who were sent to fulfill contracts around the British American colonies. In this way, his recruits gained experience, acquiring valuable resources for the Colonial Brotherhood and aiding the Continental war effort during the American Revolution.[12]

French Revolution[edit | edit source]

During the French Revolution, the Assassin Council of the Parisian Brotherhood was the only authority that could approve the assassination of a target. The young Assassin Arno Dorian was the steward of the Café Théâtre, the intelligence gathering front of the Brotherhood in Paris. As Arno bought other cafés through the city, the buildings served as safe houses for the Assassins and the Council left assassination contracts for Arno. They primarily targeted Templars, thugs, Extremists or corrupted officials who operated in Paris. As Arno completed the contracts, it permitted the moderate revolutionaries allied to the Assassins to operate in the districts.[13]

As some contracts were too difficult to be taken by one person, the French Assassins organized themselves in clubs and teams to assure the coordination of a mission.[14]

Victorian Era[edit | edit source]

Jayadeep providing the Frye twins with information on Templar targets

During the Industrial Revolution, the Council of the British Brotherhood of Assassins, which was in a fragile position against the British Rite of the Templar Order, ordered careful assassination contracts to not compromise the Brotherhood. They also modernized the practice to dip a feather in the target's blood, replacing the feather with a handkerchief.[15]

When the Assassin twins Jacob and Evie Frye arrived in London without the consent of the Council, they entered in contact with Jayadeep Mir, the leader and only Assassin of the city's guild. As their plan was to liberate London from the Templars' control, Jayadeep gave them contracts on high-ranking Templars and Blighters throughout the city.[15]

Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

In Assassin's Creed II, during memory sequences 13 and 14, as well as the succeeding free-roaming sequence, assassination contracts were still available, even though Lorenzo de' Medici had already died by that point. As it turned out, Ezio was also tasked to assassinate associates of various characters who had been dead for years by then.

In "Hunting the Hunter," the attacking guards bore Medici colors. If Ezio looted the scarecrow target afterward, it yielded a set of keys.

In Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, contracts were available for Edward to complete as soon as he reached Havana in 1715, despite him not being officially introduced to the system until 1716.

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed: Origins
  3. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Mirage
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Assassin's Creed
  5. ↑ Assassin's Creed II
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
  7. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy
  8. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Revelations
  9. ↑ Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  10. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Rogue
  11. ↑ Assassin's Creed III: Liberation
  12. ↑ Assassin's Creed III
  13. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity
  14. ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity – Explore the Café Théâtre
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Assassin's Creed: Syndicate
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