Master of the Tower

They call me many things: Murderer. Cutthroat. Thief. But you may call me Master of the Tower. This article is about a subject that lacks an official name and is known only by its nickname, title, or alias.

The Master of the Tower was a high-ranking member of the Templar Order who commanded a Templar base, the Jerusalem Tower, and adopted a personal apprentice.

His attire was identical to that of the Assassins. Skilled in freerunning, his uncanny resemblance to the Assassins was further reflected in the inverted Assassin insignia he adopted for his flag. In his attempts to effect Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's defection of the Assassins, he cryptically remarked that he shared their same creed.

Biography

In 1190, the Templars sought after an ancient artifact, known as the Chalice rumored to be found in the Temple of Sand. Although the Crusaders lacked all three keys to access the Temple, the Master possessed a map to its location and safe-guarded it in his fortress.

Before the map was to be presented to the Templar leader Basilisk, it was stolen by Assassins under the command of Hazad. The Crusaders tracked the theft to Hazad's shop, killing the man and recovering the map. Fearing that they would be executed if the map was not returned to the tower before Basilisk's arrival, the Crusaders hurried back, but were pursued by Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who was on his own quest for the Chalice.

Although the knights were able to return the map, they could not stop the advance of Altaïr. Defying all odds, the Assassin single-handedly fought through the entire military compound surrounding the tower before entering the tower himself.

There, Altaïr confronted the Master who, impressed by the Assassin's prowess, attempted to elicit him to join the Templars. Altaïr, however, refused, and under a charade of giving him time to reconsider, the Master left him alone with his hostile guards. After slaying these guards, the Assassin followed the Master to the next room, where once more the Master attempted to persuade him to defect, and once more, it was rebuffed. With no recourse in sight, the Master attacked Altaïr, but in the ensuing duel, he discovered that the Assassin was even more skilled than he had expected.

The Master withdrew, commanding his guards to cover his retreat. As he rested on the upper levels, he ordered his apprentice to demand Altaïr's defection one last time. Altaïr eluded much of the tower's forces as he scaled the tower's façade but encountered the apprentice in the dungeon room, where he reaffirmed his rejection and slew him in a duel.

Climbing the tower further via the stairway, Altaïr killed a few captains before catching up to the Master. A second engagement between them ensued, but the Master sensing defeat, fled once more. As Altaïr followed, the Master left behind obstacles that challenged the Assassin's parkour and cleverness, knowing now that he could not defeat him through combat. Still, this failed to impede him, and at last the Master was trapped in the very chamber that held the map at the center of the room.

As Altaïr and the Master circled around the display case, the Master's nerve finally broke, outraged that Altaïr had slain half his forces in order to kill him. Altaïr reminded him that his goal was the map not him, before a bitter final duel broke out between them. In the end, Altaïr emerged the victor, overwhelming the Master's defenses and cutting him down.

Trivia

• The Master shares his character model with Harash.
• Upon confronting him for the first time, Altaïr says that the Master wears "strange garb," despite being dressed in near identical robes.

Gallery

• 
  Altaïr and the Master of the Tower
• 
  The Assassin-inspired emblem of the Master of the Tower

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles

References

• Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles