|''Sleek black blades with gold filigree, hones to deadly edges.''
|-
|Dragon's Fang Swords
|''A sword with a light, graceful design featuring a mystic jade edge.''
|-
|Blades of the Damned
|''A pair of swords glowing with hellfire and brimstone, fierce and powerful.''
|-
|Serpent's Fang Cutlasses
|''A pair of sharp, serpentine swords inspired by sea monster fangs, lit with neon patterns.''
|-
|The Fortune
|''A pair of unique swords once used by the infamous pirate, Edward Kenway.''
|-
|Dual Cleavers
|''A pair of simple meat cleavers typically used by butchers and made infamous by pirates as weapons of war.''
|-
|Order of Gold
|''Adorned with intricate patterns, these blades are a rare and deadly curiosity.''
|-
|Ezio's Swords
|''A pair of swords once owned by the legendary Assassin mentor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze.''
|-
|Altaïr's Swords
|''A pair of swords once owned by the legendary Assassin mentor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.''
|-
|Naoe's Shadowblade
|''A balanced katana shaped by shinobi combat principles, favoring fluid movement and rapid follow-up strikes. Performs best with evasive tactics.
|-
|Dark Animus Corsair Pistol Swords
|''These blades dance with strange light, like tears in the fabric of the world.''
|-
|Spring-Steel Swords
|''A pair of swords that look unremarkable at first glance, but have the strength to deflect bullets if wielded properly.
|-
|Blades of Toledo
|''A sleek pair of swords Edward Kenway acquired in the famous city of Toledo.''
|-
|Le Bourgeoys Blades
|''The only pair of pistol swords with a genuine original flintlock attached.''
|-
|Persian Scimitars
|''A beautiful and deadly pair of Persian scimitars, replete with embedded diamonds.''
|-
|Matched Golden Swords
|''A pair of legendary golden swords, praised far and wide for their exquisite beauty.''
|-
|Masterwork Blades
|''A pair of beautifully balanced swords forged by a master craftsman.''
|-
|Espada Ancha
|''Versatile soldier's swords, unremarkable in appearance but trustworthy in a fight.''
|-
|French Court Swords
|''A pair of swords famous for having a perfect balance between speed and power.''
|-
|Pirate Scimitars
|''A pair of devastating scimitars, praised from Barbados to Boston.''
|-
|British Colonial Cutlasses
|''A pair of cutlasses popular among the settlers of the British colonies in North America.''
|-
|Scottish Broadswords
|''Heavy broadswords that emphasize damage over finesse.''
|-
|Standard Pistol Swords
|''A pair of rare pistol swords, capable of firing a gunshot in the right circunstances.''
|-
|Captain Drake's Swords
|''A pair of silver broadswords rumored to have been used by the legendary privateer, Sir Francis Drake.''
|-
|Ferraro's Rapiers
|''A pair of rapiers that belonged to the Italian diplomat, Ruggiero Ferraro.''
|-
|Officer's Rapiers
|''A pair of extremely light rapiers praised for their swiftness.''
|-
|German Rapiers
|''A pair of traditional German rapiers typically used by Prussian court officers.''
|-
|Privateer's Cutlasses
|''A pair of cutlasses appreciated for their versatility by privateers throughout the West Indies.''
|-
|British Cutlasses
|''A pair of light cutlasses made popular by British privateers.''
|-
|French Dress Swords
|''A pair of elegant swords made popular by French court officers.''
|-
|Spanish Cup-hilt Rapiers
|''A pair of cheap yet efficient Spanish rapiers.''
|-
|Officer's Smallswords
|''A pair of small swords popular among officers in the British Army.''
|-
|Rustborne Swords
|''Versatile blades with integrated flintlocks, their bronze-hued surfaces worn by time and battle. Perfect for Assassins who strike swiftly, both in melee and from a distance.''
|bought from secret General Store on unmarked island in the north-west of Gibara region at Coordinates 550, 638 (22000 Reales)<section end="NAME"/>
|-
!Rustic Flintlocks<section begin="NAME"/>
|Legendary
|22
|1.20
|After a Perfect Dodge, quick shooting immediately does not consume ammunition
|obtained from in-game online store for free (on map press Options-Button to access the store).<section end="NAME"/>
|-
!Peaceful Means<section begin="NAME"/>
|Legendary
|20
|1.00
|Pistol shots are quieter
|Purchased from Treasure Dealer for 3 Capuchin Monkey Pelt, 4 Iguana Leather, and 20 Rum Barrels.<section end="NAME"/>
|-
!Cannon-Barrel Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
|Rare
|21
|1.12
|N/A
|from locked chest in Jiguey (535, 511). It's a locked underwater chest, loot the key from the pirate leader on the beach inside Jiguey, in the same cave as the chest.<section end="NAME"/>
|-
!Captain Morgan's Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
|Rare
|20
|1.50
|N/A
|Found in underwater treasure chest on Black Island<section end="NAME"/>
|''Hand-carved ebony with gold-plated iron forming a lethal union.''
|-
|Dragon's Roar Pistols
|''Sleek pistols imbued with ornate scrollwork and glowing jade.''
|-
|Diabolist's Pistols
|''A set of pistols wreathed in infernal flames, emitting an aura of destruction.''
|-
|Fury of the Deep Pistols
|''Silvery, steel pistols adorned with deep-sea patterns and neon highlights.''
|-
|Golden Flintlock Pistols
|''A set of legendary, golden flintlock pistols, famed for their extraordinary precision.''
|-
|Gargoyle's Breath
|''Monstrous, leering faces adorn the grips of these pistols.''
|-
|Captain Drake's Flintlocks
|''A set of flintlock pistols once owned and used by captain and knight, Sir Francis Drake.''
|-
|Rustic Flintlocks
|''Firearms with rustic patinas, showing the marks of countless skirmishes. Compact, reliable, and ready for close encounters or unexpected duels.''
|-
|Peaceful Means
|''The method by which many disputes can be swiftly resolved.''
|-
|Cannon-Barrel Pistols
|''A set of pistols forged to resemble ship cannons.''
|-
|Captain Morgan's Pistols
|''A set of flintlock pistols once owned and used by Captain Morgan.''
|-
|Captain's Wheellock Pistols
|''A rare set of old wheellock pistols, coveted by soldiers for their sturdiness and sentimental value.''
|-
|Spanish Officer Pistols
|''A set of pistols, praised throughout the West Indies for their stability.''
|-
|Pirate Blunderbusses
|''A set of bulky blunderbusses, popular among pirates for their brashness.''
|-
|Baldwin's Golden Pistols
|''Inextricably tied to the fall of the Baldwin name, these pistols claimed the lives of at least two of their owners' family. They are likely to claim many more.''
|-
|Standard Wheellock Pistols
|''A set of wheellock pistols, perfect for reaching targets at great distances.''
|-
|Common Flintlock Pistols
|''A set of typical flintlock pistols, found all across the West Indies.''
|''This ominous trinket contain the ghosts of drowned sailors.''
|Takedowns can chain to one more enemy
|Purchase from the Treasure Dealer for 60 wine, 40 spice, 30 tobacco and 20 aloe
|-
|
|Shark Teeth
|Legendary
|''A symbol of fierceness and reckless bravery.''
|Brutes cannot deny Chain Takedowns
|Purchase from a level 3 General Store for 25000 Reales
|-
|
|Templar Cross
|Legendary
|''The secret symbol of the Templars.''
|Reduce damage from enemy melee attacks
|Complete Damn Fine Gear
|-
|
|Hidden Ones Sigil
|Legendary
|''The secret sigil of the Hidden Ones.''
|Enemies' detection time is increased while crouched
|Complete [[The Pirate Captain]] (half of the Assassin's Contracts)
|-
|
|Brass Bird Trinket
|Legendary
|''Kenway's lucky brass charm, linked to his iconic ship.''
|Rope Dart cooldown is shorter
|Purchase the ''Master Assassin Pack''
|-
|
|Wooden Eyeball
|Legendary
|''This false eye provides extra insight.''
|Quick shooting kills Brutes instantly
|Purchased from General Store at Great Inagua for 12000 Reales
|-
|
|Obsidian Monolith
|Legendary
|''Darker than the blackest seaglass, gazing too long upon this particular material hurts the eyes.''
|Perfect Dodge is easier to perform
|Complete rank 9 of "Eye in the Dark" [[Animus Hub#Projects|project]]
|-
|
|Yax Tun Pendant
|Legendary
|''This Mayan design brings fortune to its bearer.''
|All gunshots are mysteriously absorbed
|Complete Mayan Mysteries
|-
|
|Guardian Beast Trinket
|Legendary
|''Rendered in miniature, that its gaze might ward the steps of its keeper across land and sea.''
|Health slowly regenerates while out of combat
|Found in underwater chest between pair of unnamed island south of San Ignacio wreck
|-
|
|Stormrunner Pendant
|Rare
|''A lightweight circular pendant painted in striking blue and red pigments. Its design captures the spirit of relentless motion and high adrenaline, carried by travelers who refuse to tire, whether sprinting through crowded markets or scaling towering keeps.''
|Increases the amount of healing from food, drink, and remedies
|Found in underwater chest off the coast of Nassau, at coordinates 615, 767
|-
|
|Hunter's Amulet
|Rare
|''An amulet of good fortune favored by hunters.''
|Animals' range of detection is reduced
|Buried treasure chest on Santanillas
|-
|
|Bloody Spanish Medal
|Rare
|''One of Laurens Prins' trophies from his time as a soldier.''
|Reduces damage from Spanish soldiers
|Inside Laurens Prins' Manor
|-
|
|Anchor Medallion
|Rare
|''A lucky anchor medallion favored by sharp-eyed sailors.''
|Increases the rewards from floating loot
|Found in a treasure chest on Sacrifice Island
|-
|
|Lock of Hair
|Rare
|''A lock of Caroline's hair kept as a lucky keepsake.''
|Restore some health after a perfect parry
|Complete Wayward Souls
|-
|
|Cross Pendant
|Rare
|''A bejeweled cross once worn by the wealthiest citizen in Kingston.''
|Reduces damage from British soldiers
|Complete Tithes Paid
|-
|
|Exotic Sea Shells
|Rare
|''A string of sea shells gathered from around the world.''
|Increases the wildlife products gained from skinning animals
|Found in treasure chest in southeast Havana
|-
|
|Small Goblet
|Rare
|''A sacred grail said to prolong its owner's life.''
|Increases the amount of healing from food, drink, and remedies
|Complete The Other Cheek
|-
|
|Jackdaw Totem
|Rare
|''Carved by an unknown sculptor, it represents protection and gratitude.''
|Falling from high places no longer damages Edward
|Complete A World Without Gold
|-
|
|Lodestone
|Rare
|''A naturally magnetized piece of mineral.''
|Loots nearby Corpses and Curios automatically
|Purchased from a Level II General Store for 7000 Reales
|-
|
|Folded Palm
|Rare
|''A gambler's trinket meant to bring good fortune.''
|Gain reales after each Takedown
|Complete Spiteful Soldier
|-
|
|Found Coin
|Rare
|''A large gold coin turned into a good luck charm.''
|Increase the amount of Reales gained
|Complete Art Lover I
|-
|
|Rabbit's Foot
|Common
|''A lucky charm for warding off misfortune.''
|Chance of staggering an enemy following a successful parry
|Complete [[The Taíno Assassin]]
|-
|
|Gold Earring
|Common
|''Gold hoop earrings stolen from a lady with connections in high places.''
|Reduces the gain of Wanted Level from acts of piracy
|Found in underwater chest at Salt Key Bank
|-
|
|Diamond Trinket
|Common
|''This diamond trinket is as tough as nails and as hard as a rock.''
|Oxygen drains slower while diving underwater
|Found in underwater treasure chest at Cape Bonavista
|-
|
|Demon-forged Pendant
|Legendary
|''A fiery charm pulsating with dark energy from the lower planes.''
|Berserk darts also sets enemy on fire
|Purchase the ''Hellfire Pack''
|-
|
|Abyssal Pendant
|Legendary
|''A silver snakehead charm, illuminated with an inner glow.''
|Killing enemies also recovers some health
|Purchase the ''Sea Serpent Pack''
|-
|
|Fortunate Circle Charm
|Legendary
|''An elegant pendant in the form of a lucky jade circle.''
|Impervious to attacks for a short duration after a Perfect Dodge
|Purchase the ''Dragon Storm Pack''
|-
|
|Narwhal's Horn
|Rare
|''The broken tip of a narwhal's horn.''
|Enemy guards lose their defensive stance more quickly
The course of the 18th Century saw the [[British Empire]] become the [[Earth|world]]'s leading colonial power, with [[France]] and [[Spain]] as its primary rivals. After siding with the [[Netherlands]] and Austria in the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], the British Empire expanded, gaining territories from both Spain and France, and taking over control of the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] [[Slavery|slave trade]] in Spanish America.
|-|Dancers=
For a handful of coin, "Dancers" can be employed to distract guards and interfere with ongoing fights. They might also have some incredible stories of their own to tell, if only you'd bother to listen.
|-|Drunkards=
Sailors flush with [[rum]] and the heat of the [[sun]], these Drunkards can be useful in a few ways. First as [[Blending|blend groups]] that allow [[Edward Kenway|Edward]] to hide in plain sight, and secondly as allies in the event of a scuffle. But remember to bring a bit of coin if you want them to fight alongside you, as these [[Piracy|pirates]] won't risk their lives for free.
|-|Spanish Empire=
Already a global power, the Spanish defeated powerful adversaries such as the Aztecs and Incas in the Americas by exploiting existing conflicts and rivalries between tribes and nations between the 15th and 18th centuries.
Acquisitive and protective of the supply of precious metals its new colonies afforded it, the Spanish Empire enthusiastically participated in the Atlantic slave trade and defended its trade routes aggressively.
Even after its defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, the 18th century was nevertheless one of prosperity for the Spanish Empire, as their trade reputation grew steadily under Bourbon oversight, and continued to grow at an extraordinary rate until the 1780s.
|-|Swashbucklers=
Often used interchangeably, there are a number of important distinctions to make between these different kinds of swashbucklers...
[[Piracy|Pirates]]: Criminals on the open sea who use coercion, intimidation and violence to rob innocent people of their cargo and transport. The term pirate is a catch-all and may be used generally to refer to all who perform acts of larceny on the open ocean. Pirates have been a problem since the advent of long-distance ocean travel; every age has seen its share of pirates, and every age has cursed their name and romanticized their cause. During the so-called "[[Golden Age of Piracy]]" (roughly 1650 to 1725), the majority of pirates were from the [[United Kingdom|British Isles]]. Most were young men in their 20s and almost all had already gained some experience as sailors prior to falling into piracy.
Buccaneers: Though often used as a synonym for Pirates now, the term Buccaneer refers more specifically to a group of pirates who lived and operated in the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] in the middle of the 17th century. Best known for attacking settlements and fortifications on land in large groups, the Buccaneers derived their name from the [[France|French]] Boucanier -- an instrument used for smoking strips of meat over an open fire, a favorite sort of sustenance for these terrestrial pirates.
Privateers: Non-commissioned sailors who attack and rob, having been given a Letter of Marque by their King or a royal official such as a Governor. Thus the distance between a Pirate and a Privateer is but a hair's breath of difference -- Pirates simply sail for one [[Monarchy|monarch]] fewer.
|-|Taíno=
Taíno refers to a group of related languages and cultures widespread across the Caribbean at the time of European arrival. Broadly speaking, they consisted of the Ciboney or Western Taíno of Cuba, Jamaica and the Bahamas; the Classic Taíno of Hispaniola and Borikén (the indigenous name of Puerto Rico); and the Eastern Taíno of the Antilles.
A Taíno cacique or chief demonstrated rank by carrying an object forged from guanín, a unique indigenous alloy made out of copper, silver, and gold, noted for its lustrous shine. The term "tabaco" from which we also derive from a Taíno word, as tobacco was cultivated on the islands and its usage noted by Spanish explorers. Other English words with a Taíno origin include barbecue, canoe, hurricane, iguana, and potato.
Other, non-Taíno indigenous groups of the island include the Ciguaya, Macorix, and Kalinago or Caribs, for whom the Caribbean Sea is named.
</tabber>
<tabber>
<tabber>
|-|1=
|-|Havana=
;In the Beginning
There were several attempts to found a town near the [[Havana]] Bay in the early 1500s. A settlement was established by the [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] {{Wiki|Conquistador}} [[Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar]] around 1514. The city sits on a bay that opens to the {{Wiki|Gulf Stream}} and thus became a natural stopping point between [[Europe]] and the [[Americas]].
Five of these mythic scenes share a <font color="#FF0000">core</font> similarity. <font color="#FF0000">Pick</font> them out and you'll begin to see.
[Pictures 3,5,6,7,9]
In the earliest stages of the [[Golden Age of Piracy|golden age of piracy]] Havana was burnt to the ground by [[France|French]] {{Wiki|French corsairs|corsair}}, [[Jacques de Sores]]. By the 1700s, Havana had become a large, heavily fortified port city where [[Spanish Treasure Fleet|Spanish treasure ships]] would dock on their way to Europe. [[Piracy|Pirates]] lurked on the approaches to the city, hoping to capture these same [[ship]]s.
|-|Nassau=
Originally founded as another [[Charleston|Charles-Towne]], the city was renamed [[Nassau]] in honor of [[William III of England|King William III]] of the {{Wiki|house of Orange-Nassau}}. This city has a particularly colorful past: In 1706 the city's officially appointed Governor skipped town, thus severing the [[British Empire|Crown]]'s direct control over [[the Bahamas]].
Passcode found 2 4 5 6 8
The islands languished for almost a decade in the hands of [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Civilians|citizens]] with little or no interest in Statesmanship. By 1713, the entire region had become a haven for [[Piracy|pirates]] and it was in this period that [[Benjamin Hornigold]] declared Nassau to be a pirate republic. He proclaimed himself governor and thereafter every pirate of any sense and reputation used Nassau as a base of operation, transforming this small city of barely 1000 residences into a "nest of infamous bastards", according to the Governor of Bermuda.
|-|2=
|-|Mayan Temples=
;Sixty-Four Squares
Dating generally from the [[Maya]]n {{Wiki|Maya civilization|Classic period}} (AD 250 - 900), most Mayan ruins can be found throughout the [[Yucatán Peninsula|Yucatán peninsula]] and Central America. Mayan Temples have steep stone steps and a platform at the top for wooden crowning structures. Mayan architecture is composed with a sophisticated eye to decoration, often using wall paintings and elaborate bas-relief stone carvings. Mayan arches forego the use of a keystone, instead creating a triangle-like arch known as a corbel vault.
*Subject 16: The past: a vast web of connections and interconnections, all ruled by chance. Or is it?
</tabber>
[circular puzzle]
<tabber>
Queen Elizabeth I
|-|Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis=
of England
A dominating presence on [[Havana]]'s Plaza de San Francisco, the [[Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis]] dates from 1580s. Originally, a statue of St. [[Francis of Assisi]] stood atop the bell tower, but this was blown off in a cyclone in 1846. Baroque features were added to the basilica in 1730.
1559
ID: Piece of Eden 2 - Apple
[circular puzzle]
|-|Governor's Mansion=
Emperor Napoleon I
The [[Governor's Mansion, Havana|Governor's Mansion]] housed the acting [[Spain|Spanish]] governor in addition to prison facilities. A new governor's mansion was constructed across the square in 1791.
of France
1812
ID: Piece of Eden 1 - Apple
[circular puzzle]
|-|Old Avery Tavern=
George Washington
This [[Old Avery|drinking spot]], named after "The King of [[Piracy|Pirates]]" Henry Avery, was highly popular among gritty seafarers in the early 18th century. Legend had it that Avery himself once had a financial stake in several establishments throughout the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], but that appears to be nothing more than self-promotion.
United States
1781
ID: Piece of Eden 3 - Apple
Passcode found 1 0 3 5 2
|-|Laurence Prins' Manor=
[[Laurens Prins]] was an incredibly successful [[Slavery|slave-trader]] who spent the better part of his 80 years transporting [[Humans|human]] cargo from the west of [[Africa]] to the [[Caribbean|West Indies]]. Near the end of his life, he lived in semi-retirement on land he purchased near [[Kingston]]. One of his most active [[Slave ships|slave ships]], the [[Whydah]], was famously captured by the [[Piracy|pirate]], [[Samuel Bellamy|Sam Bellamy]].
|-|3=
</tabber>
;Descendants
*Subject 16: Power doesn't die. It's passed on.
He carried it with him. Find his inheritance.
<tabber>
[image, locate Piece of Eden 3]
|-|"Saint Jerome as Cardinal"=
Franklin Delano Roosevelt strategic meeting, 1944
An unusual rendering of Saint [[Jerome]] as a scholar rather than an ascetic. The book supporting his hands alludes to his work as a Bible translator.
[image, locate Piece of Eden 1]
|-|"Harbor Scene at Sunset"=
Houdini beginning the Chinese water torture cell escape, 1913
Harbor scenes such as depicted in this 1644 painting were a favorite subject of the artist Claude Lorrain.
[image, locate Piece of Eden 2]
|-|"The Burning of the 'Royal James'"=
Gandhi during the Salt March, 1930
An oil on canvas painting by [[Willem van de Velde the Younger|Willem van de Velde II]], the founder of the English school of marine painting. It shows a battle of the {{Wiki|Third Anglo-Dutch War}}.
Passcode found 1 4 5 2 3
|-|"An English Ship in Action with Barbary Vessels"=
More of a display of his imaginative and technical skills than an actual historic representation, this dramatic painting by [[Willem van de Velde the Younger|Willem van de Velde II]] depicts a battle with Barbary corsairs from north [[Africa]].
|-|4=
|-|"The Flight into Egypt"=
;Infinite Knowledge
This painting by Luca Giordano was commisioned by King Philip V of Spain for display in the French court.
*Subject 16: It's getting easier and easier to hack into Abstergo's mainframe. It's like I know what data I'm looking for. Like I've already lived it.
</tabber>
Its open <font color="#FF0000">mouth</font> delivers the kiss of death
<tabber>
[image, locate hidden image in the gun's barrel]
|-|Bat-Nosed Figurine=
Burning Viet Cong base camp, My Tho, Vietnam, 1968
Gold-work from the Isthmus, representing a crowned half-human, half-bat figure flanked by four crocodile heads.
</tabber>
Leading the <font color="#FF0000">young</font> to their end.
<tabber>
[image, locate hidden image in helmet of crouching soldier]
|-|Birthday Announcement=
Members of the 2nd Infantry Division advance under machine gun fire into the outskirts of Brest, France, 1944
Today is my birthday.
The flames from its throat <font color="#FF0000">poke</font> out their eyes
Brandish every Cask, Bottle and Barrel of Alcohol. Everyone is to partake and sing my Praises. To ensure that this Do goes splendidly, I will take charge of the Stores and require its Key.
[image, locate ID: Piece of Eden 4 - Apple on tapestry]
Union troops in formation. Beaufort, South Carolina, 1862.
This <font color="#FF0000">monster</font> did not come from man.
My Father will be most gratified at your swift fulfilment of my Commands.
[image, locate hidden image in the gun's barrel]
The first pictorial representation of a gun, 900
Passcode found 7 2 1 1 4
- Emmerson Beckford
|-|5=
|-|Endeavor Cargo Manifest=
;Instruments of Power
I, Thomas Cecil, hereby report that the following is a true Manifest of all the Goods, Wares and Merchandize, of the Marks, Numbers and Contents of each Package on board the Endeavor which Cargo was received at the Trading Post of Andreas Island from whence the Craft Sailed for the Plantation of Cat Island.
*Subject 16: You see? Do you see what's going on? Not yet. But you will.
The power they wielded <font color="#FF0000">cut</font> down their enemies.
Sugar - 110 Barrels
[Pictures 2, 3, 6, 8, 9]
Molasses - 25 Barrels
ID: Piece of Eden 25 - Sword
Tobacco - 15 Barrels
In their hands, the wise <font color="#FF0000">lean</font> on a great force.
|-|Barrister's Letter=
[Pictures 3, 6, 8, 9, 10]
John,
ID: Piece of Eden 34 - Staff
Passcode Found 8 1 4 9 2
It is done. Accompanying this Letter you will find the Will, fully notarized by myself and with the old Man's signature. It will survive the scrutiny of any English Court, I assure you.
|-|6=
Arrangements for your Daughter's removal are also underway. My Associates in the Royal Navy tell me she will be apprehended within the Month. In fact, I hear they have solicited the most reputable Pirate Hunter Lieutenant Maynard for the Task.
;Brothers
*Subject 16: They were mostly heroes. But see, how the lineage is disrupted. The web of history traps the good, and the evil take what is not theirs!
[circular puzzle]
Courage my Friend. After so many long Years, we are almost there,
And Satan said unto Cain: swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die.
[circular puzzle]
Thomas Barehaire Esq.
And all these things were done in secret.
[circular puzzle]
|-|Last Will and Testament=
And Cain said: truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret.
In the Name of God, I, Theodore Rupert Braddock, being of sound Mind and Memory, do declare this my last Will and Testament, in Manner and Form following, revoking all former Wills by me made.
[circular puzzle]
As touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give, devise, and bequeath all my Goods unto my well-beloved Son-in-Law, John Baldwin, Husband of my late daughter Elizabeth, to have and to hold the same unto him, his Heirs, and Assigns forever.
Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness.
*Subject 16: Behold: The mark of Cain!
I do nominate, constitute, and appoint my said Son-in-Law, John Baldwin, to be the sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, charging him to see this my Will performed according to my true Intent and Meaning.
[The four pictures and quotes, now with a templar insignia above them]
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal, this Second day of January in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty.
|-|7=
Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said Theodore Rupert Braddock as and for his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, at his Request and in his Presence, and in the Presence of each other, have subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto.
;"Keep On Seeking, And You Will Find"
First plucked from a tree guarded by a snake, its powers perform miracles. Then, worn across the ages, torn asunder, hidden under a sea of <font color="#FF0000">red</font>, reconstruct the timeline.
Theodore Rupert Braddock
[Pictures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6]
[SPQR Templar symbol]
Witnessed by:<br>
Thomas Barehaire, Esquire<br>
John Baldwin
[Image of crucifixion, locate ID: Piece of Eden 66 - Shroud]
|-|Neatly Folded Letter=
Thom,
Passcode Found 1 0 1 5 2
Don't go getting all uncharitable about this, I did it for your own Good. I knew we might strike some Trouble along the way, so I hid your Share with the original Will in the Likelihood we ever need the old Man's Signature again.
|-|8=
The Locket's here too. I want it kept, no matter what you think. There is no one left to know of it's Significance, at any Rate. I'll recover it from you when all this is over, and include a Crate of Rum for the Inconvenience.
;Martyrs
[Picture, locate staff: Piece of Eden 34]
Chin up Man! We're Home free!
Czar Nicholas II, Russia
[Picture, locate sword: Piece of Eden 25]
John.
Joan of Arc, France
[Map of europe, picture of Joan of Arc on France, Nicholas II and Rasputin on different sections of Russia, fire symbol on north turkey]
|-|Jing Lang's Note=
Vance,
[Drag fire to joan]
I had to leave early. My Order requires a Report and there cannot be a Delay. I'll be waiting by the Tavern at the usual Time. Come with both pieces of the Map.
They burned Joan alive.
[image of burning Jeanne]
They took it.
[Drag Rasputin to Nicholas]
Jing Lang
Raputin took it to Tunguska.
[Revolution image with templar symbol overlayed on it]
*Subject 16: Without the staff, the Czar was powerless. He could no longer control his subjects... Revolution! Revolution!
Passcode Found 6 8 1 8 5
|-|Letter from Torres=
A letter to Lauren Prins, [sic] congratulating him on acquiring The Sage.
|-|Slave Ledger=
1. Cato, 35 years, superior carpenter and ship caulker.<br>
2. York, 16 years, field hand.<br>
3. Nero, 25 years, stone cutter.<br>
4. Bess, 28 years, field cook, water carrier.<br>
5. Esther, 31 years, midwife.<br>
6. Gracey, 14 years, good house girl and child's nurse.<br>
7. Anthony Morgan, about 30 years, fine engineer and field hand.<br>
8. Sarah Morgan, 32 years, good field hand; tonsils occasionally inflamed.
9. Infant, 2 months.<br>
10. Anthony, 3 years.<br>
11. Stephen, 5 years.<br>
12. Nace, 9 years.<br>
13. Sophy, 12 years, likely.
|-|9=
|-|Notice of Dismissal=
;Hat-Trick
You, Mr Thomas Stell, Ensign, stand charged for Dereliction of Duty.
*Subject 16: Three thefts. Hidden by the murders. People only see what they're trained to see. What the Organization wants them to see.
They made it look like an accident.
On Tuesday last you were tasked to deliver a Prisoner to the Church at the center of Kingston, but were discovered to be in a shameful and drunken State, having abandoned your Post.
[image, find apple in pocket]
Houdini and Bess, 1915
[image]
You are dismissed forthwith from Service, being no longer entitled to Pay or Protection from the Royal Navy.
Houdini's grave. RIP: October 31, 1926.
He almost <font color="#FF0000">beat</font> them.
|-|Bill of Sale=
[image, find apple on chest]
Know all, by these Present, that I, Alvin of the Village of Grand Cayman, in consideration of the Sum of Forty-Two Reales in Hand, paid to me by Vargas of the Village of Grand Cayman, the Receipt of where I do acknowledge, have in turn sold and delivered in measured Weight One-Hundred-and-Thirty-Six Pounds of Mutton Snapper unto said Vargas.
Gandhi, 1946
[image]
In witness whereof I have set my Hand the Fifth Day of May 1716.<br>Signed, sealed and delivered in the present of
Gandhi's funeral procession. RIP: January 30, 1948.
All and Sundry, viz.
- Alvin of Grand Cayman
</tabber>
Dallas (Archive) [access file]
<tabber>
Access denied
|-|Julien Du Casse's Portrait=
A debonair portrait of Julien Du Casse, the infamous mercenary.
*Subject 16: The wolves are out hunting. Where, oh where, has Jack gone?
Hangs above the bed in the Mansion at Great Inagua.
[Bunch of images, password 312]
[Dallas<br>TX letterhead (?)]
|-|Laurens Prins' Portrait=
OPERATION: New Frontier
A vivid portrait of Laurens Prins, the reprehensible slaver.
HQ has given the go-ahead to extract the resource. Negotiations are over. F. is planning to give the vote to everyone. Reason just doesn't work with someone like that.
I'll send you the driver. We've trained him with PE2 in our labs, he shouldn't be any trouble.
The motorcade route is marked below. Once the target has been downed, either by Oswald or Z., use PE1 to stage a distraction. Make some kind of phantom appear around this slope I've marked with an X. Freak people out. The driver will grab PE3 in the confusion.
[IHSV symbol]
[Dallas image]
Passcode Found 1 8 9 1 6
Hangs in the hall of the Mansion at Great Inagua.
|-|10=
</tabber>
;Apollo
*Subject 16: Something was up there. Something abandoned long ago.
[image of moon]
<tabber>
|-|Schooner=
The schooner was a class of ship used as a general sailing vessel by both navies and civilian operators, providing light firepower and ample speed.
Find the eagle.
|-|Brig=
[Moon closeup, find lunar lander module]
The brig was a class of ship bearing two square-rigged masts, and represented a compromise between larger, more powerful ships, and the faster, but less well-armed ones.
[zoomed on lander]
|-|Man O' War=
The man o' war was a type of large warship purpose built for warfare, boasting multiple gun decks, and crewed by heavily armed professional soldiers.
[odd puzzle]
|-|El Dorado=
With these formidable weapons, the adversaries of freedom plan to consolidate their terrotory, to exploit, to control, and finally to destroy.<br>- JFK -
El Dorado was a brig that formed part of the Spanish Treasure Fleet.
Apollo 11 photograph released to the public
The fleet was destroyed in a hurricane, with the El Dorado its lone surviving vessel.
[image, find apple near astronaut's foot ID: Piece of Eden 5 - Apple]
*Subject 16: With Jack deep underground, it was easy.
Passcode Found 1 0 3 5 2
|-|Jackdaw=
The Jackdaw was a brig captained by the pirate-turned-Assassin Edward Kenway, who named it after the small, swift bird of his native Wales.
|-|11=
The ship was known as El Dorado before Edward and his future quartermaster Adéwalé captured it from its fleet.
;The Inventor
*Subject 16: He wanted to stop the cycle, to tell the secret. Shit. I've got to keep thinking through the headaches.
[From Nikola Tesla letterhead]
|-|Royal Fortune=
The economic transmission of power without wires is of all-surpassing importance to man.
The Royal Fortune was a man o' war captained by the pirate and Sage Bartholomew Roberts, who elected to keep and renamed it after he captured it as the Nosso Senhor da Compreensão from the Portuguese Navy.
By its means he will gain complete mastery of the air, the sea and the desert. It will enable him to dispense with the necessity of mining, pumping, transporting and burning fuel, and to do away with innumerable causes of sinful waste. It will make the living glorious sun his obedient, toiling slave.
It will bring peace and harmony to earth.
[Nikola Tesla signature]
[Image of world with 14 lightbulbs]
|-|The Ranger=
[Light them up and an image of wardenclyffe appears]
The Ranger was a brig formerly owned by the pirate Benjamin Hornigold before he passed it on to his colleague, Charles Vane.
[Image of wardenclyffe, locate hidden image beneath above the door]
</tabber>
Nikola Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower under construction, c. 1902
*Subject 16: He found it in Croatia.
<tabber>
[image, locate Piece of Eden 4 on his lap.]
|-|Spanish Brig=
Nikola Tesla. c.1900
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Brig.
*Subject 16: They would find it in his lab.
Passcode Found 6 1 9 0 2
|-|Spanish Cutter=
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Cutter.
|-|12=
|-|Spanish Schooner=
;Titans of Industry
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Schooner.
Edison (Archive) [access file]
|-|Spanish Frigate=
Access denied
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Frigate.
[Bunch of images, password 240]
|-|Spanish Man o' War=
A miniature ship model of a Spanish man o' war.
[Edison letterhead]
|-|English Brig=
Dear Mr. Morgan:
A miniature ship model of an English Brig.
A serious matter has come to my attention. Nikola Tesla plans to use PE4 to create an information network across the entire world. And if that weren't bad enough, he intends to allow access to it for free! Imagine the masses spreading knowledge amongst themselves instantaneously. That would make everything we intend to do much more difficult.
You must cut all funds for his experimetns at once! In case you get cold feet, I'll have you know he wants to make electricity free as well, thereby putting us out of business.
I've already begun slandering Tesla in the press. Just reallocate his funding, and I'll take care of PE4 myself.
Sincerely yours,
[Thomas Edson signature]
Edison, creator of DC electricity, accuses Tesla's AC current of electrocution!
|-|English Cutter=
J.P. Morgan revokes funding for Tesla's Wardenclyfe Project!
A miniature ship model of an English Cutter.
Edison creates "electric chair" to prove danger of AC current!
[Image of world with 14 lit lightbulbs]
[Destroy them]
Edison proves danger of AC current by electrocuting circus elephant on camera!
|-|English Schooner=
[video clip]
A miniature ship model of an English Schooner.
*Subject 16: He wanted everyone to know the secret. To set us all free. They used it to drive him insane.
|-|English Frigate=
[Image of Mark Twain with tesla's apple.
A miniature ship model of an English Frigate.
Ford (Archive) [access file]
|-|English Man o' War=
Access denied
A miniature ship model of an English man o' war.
[Bunch of images]
|-|The El Dorado=
A miniature ship model of the El Dorado.
[Ford letterhead]
|-|The Jackdaw=
Dear Mr. Edison,
A miniature ship model of the Jackdaw.
I wanted to thank you for letting me make use of PE4 all these years. Among several things, I was able to convince the workers I was raising their pay to $5 a day, when, in fact, I gave them a pay cut. But, I had to let PE4 go. As per instructions, I've shipped it to Europe.
H. has it, so I assume the war will begin as soon as he can take over. We'll let him have his fun (Lord knows, that kind of purge will be good for Europe) and then end it with a bang, as planned. Out of the chaos of war a new order will emerge! I've enclosed a picture from Florida of you, me and Firestone. We should attempt to spend more time on the golf course this summer.
Yours,
[Henry Ford signature]
[picture]
Passcode Found 6 1 9 0 2
|-|The Revenge (ship model)=
A miniature ship model of the Revenge.
</tabber>
|-|13=
<tabber>
;"I Am Become Death, The Destroyer of Worlds"
|-|Black Jaguar=
In the [[Americas]], the term ‘black panther’ generally refers to a melanistic [[jaguar]]. They are not a separate species, but a color morph of the spotted form. Black jaguars form less than ten percent of jaguars.
[bunch of images]
Black jaguars can be found in Isla Providencia and Pinos Isle.
[Abstergo Corporation letterhead]
|-|Cat=
SUBJECT: Test Authorization
The cat is a small carnivorous mammal with a flexible body, sharp claws, and quick reflexes. Cats have long been domesticated, and are favored as pets for their affectionate independence, and playful natures.
There comes a time in the life of every experiment when we must test our results outside, in the world. I do not relish a successful outcome, but one is essential if we are to begin the foundations of a new world order.
Global security and prosperity depend on a steady hand guiding the populace, a hand that will not falter under the weight of conscience. Give O. the authorization.
I believe that history will vindicate us in the end.
[IHSV insignia]
[red button]
Sailors often keep cats aboard ships to deal with rats and other vermin.
[click it]
[atomic bomb video clip]
|-|Crocodile=
The [[Crocodile]] is a large, tropical-dwelling tetrapod. Crocodiles can measure up to 15 feet long, weigh 2000 pounds, and live to be 70 years old. This prehistoric-looking predator preys on birds, fish, insects and other reptiles.
[smoke, find code 71645]
Crocodiles have been known to indulge in cannibalistic behaviour. Because of this, they live in groupings of the same size.
Passcode Found 7 1 6 4 5
Not to be confused with alligators, crocodiles are bigger, lighter in color, and have narrower snouts. Although known to attack [[humans]], the crocodile is more likely to flee than to react aggressively when approached.
|-|14=
Crocodiles are most commonly found in Nassau, Long Bay, and Matanzas.
;Bloodlines
*Subject 16: I don't know what's happening to me. I've been in the machine, they keep putting me back in. And I am losing control. It's all blurring together. I'm holding a rifle, Gettysburg is in the distance, I just stabbed a man, and there's blood on my waistcoat. I'm at the opera, the soprano is so beautiful. I'm in bed with her, she cries as I fuck her. I'm speaking at the Forum, no one listens. I'm in the forest, hunting. The moon. I can see the moon. I'm here. I have to stay here until you understand! Listen. Why do we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood.
The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold, the Assassins, the children of two worlds!
|-|Deer=
[pictures 1,4,6,7,10]
Deer are large hoofed ruminants notable for having two large and two small hooves on each foot. Males have antlers while the females do not, with the exception of a single species where the females also grow antlers. Deer are selective feeders, eating plant food low in fiber content and high in protein such as young grass, herbs, woody shoots, and bark.
[Assassin crest appears]
Passcode Found 8 0 9 4 5
Various subspecies of deer can be found in the Caribbean bioregion. The red brocket deer, for example, is found in Trinidad and Tobago and the Key deer, introduced by colonists, inhabits the Florida Keys.
|-|15=
Deer are most commonly found in Kingston, Salt Lagoon, and Santanillas.
;Guardians
[circular puzzle]
|-|Frigatebird=
The death of all tyrants will set the people free.
Frigate birds are large seabirds with long wings, forked tails, and slender bodies. They generally inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans, often nesting on remote islands. Frigate birds are skilled fliers, and are known to steal food from other seabirds.
[World map with 8 targets spread out on it]
|-|Hammerhead Shark=
[Hovering over them, reveals Assassin targets: John Wilkes Booth in the US; François Duvalier in Haiti; Francisco Pizarro in Peru; Mary I of England in England; Tomas de Torquemada in Spain; Cleopatra in Egypt; Rasputin and Joseph Stalin in Russia
Found across the world in tropical and temperate waters, the [[Hammerhead sharks|hammerhead]]'s unusual head shape gives it increased sensory ability to detect its prey. The hammerhead does not attack humans, although it can be lethal if provoked.
Passcode Found 2 3 4 1 4
Hammerhead sharks can be found in the Eleuthera and Gibara regions.
|-|16=
|-|Howler Monkey=
;The Cavalry
Considered one of the loudest animals on [[earth]], the small-sized [[Howler monkey|Howler Monkey]] generates a siren-like howl that can be heard from a distance of 3 miles (5km). They are not aggressive and are popular as pets in The West Indies.
*Subject 16: It happened in 1908. Uhh... Or was it 2008? 1708? I can't remember!
Nikola,
Howler monkeys are most commonly found in Kingston, Cape Bonavista, and Long Bay.
We know what they have done to your lab, to your career. It may be too late to set things right, but you can help prevent something far worse. They have taken an object from the Czar, and are conducting experiments in Tunguska to figure out how to use it. Before they do, we must take it from them, or the world will be in danger. We do not ask you to risk your life, just that, when the time comes, you use your electricity to destroy the object.
Regardless of your decision, know that we admire your work greatly and will bear you no ill will.
We respect your freedom above all else.
[Map of europe with many different place names. Hover over Tunguska without touching the others]
|-|Hutia=
[Staff of eden appears, drag it over to Tesla's picture]
The hutia is a large rodent unique to the Caribbean basin which varies in size, and can form distinct species from island to island. Hutias are often hunted by locals to be eaten in a spiced stew.
[video of an explosion]
Hutias are most commonly found in Cayman Sound and Long Bay.
Passcode Found 8 1 1 2 6
|-|Iguana=
Iguanas are large, herbivorous lizards found throughout the Caribbean islands. The common iguana eats only leaves, flowers and fruit. Despite their at times fierce appearance they are not aggressive, and typically flee when threatened. However, they can lash their tails and bite if provoked.
|-|17=
Iguana are found in Great Inagua, Andreas Island, and Abaco Island.
;The Bunker
WWII (Archive) [access file]
|-|Jaguar=
Access denied
The largest feline in the Western hemisphere, the [[jaguar]] is distinguished by its compact and powerful build, its agility, and its unique killing method of biting directly into the skull to pierce the brain. The [[Maya]]ns believed that the jaguars could carry messages to and from the afterworld.
[Bunch of images]
Jaguars are most commonly found in Cape Bonavista, Long Bay, Tulum, and Principe.
[Abstergo Corporation letterhead]
|-|Jellyfish=
May 02, 1945
Also called a [[wikt:medusa|medusa]], the [[jellyfish]] isn't technically a [[fish]]—it is a free-swimming {{Wiki|Cnidaria|non-vertebrate}} found in every sea across the [[Earth|world]]. Jellyfish consist of a {{Wiki|Mesoglea|gelatinous bell}} with trailing tentacles capable of {{Wiki|Cnidocyte|stinging}} prey. Jellyfish stings are in most cases harmless to [[human]]s, but some can be extremely serious, even lethal.
The war is over, and we are in control, as planned. But, a slight concern has arisen. I received word from our agents in Berlin. H. was supposed to execute his double inside the bunker and meet C. at the rendezvous point with the Piece of Eden.
It's been three days and he still hasn't reappeared. Something must have gone awry. Please send instructions.
[IHSV insignia]
*Subject 16: They engineered the war, they engineered the peace, but they weren't going to get away with it. Find our mark.
|-|Manta Ray=
We watched the exit from above. He didn't see us coming.
Although related to [[shark]]s, [[manta ray]]s are harmless. They can be quite large (up to 30 ft (9m) wide) and feed on small [[fish]] and plankton, funneling food into their mouth using {{Wiki|cephalic}} flaps extending from the eyes. Manta rays, which are found all over the world, have the unique ability to leap from the water into the air to escape attackers.
[Fuherbunker image, locate Assassin insignia]
[destroyed bunker]
|-|Monkey=
Monkeys in the Caribbean are primarily an introduced African species called the green monkey, although up to the 17th Century these still shared territory with the now extinct Jamaican monkey. Both species were omnivores that ate a variety of foraged foods including fruit, seeds, flowers, insects, and smaller animals like frogs and birds.
Passcode Found 0 1 5 4 5
Monkeys were viewed as pests by farmers as they continually raided crops, but were favoured by locals and sailors who adopted them as mischievous, intelligent pets.
|-|18=
|-|Ocelot=
;Synapses
The ocelot is a wild cat that typically has yellow fur with dark stripes in the manner of a jaguar. Ocelots are nocturnal and range from the size of domestic cats up to four feet (1.2 meters) in length.
*Subject 16: It's getting harder. All the pain across time, it hurts too much. She sees me raise the knife. Only a little bit longer now.
Medical (Archive) [access file]
Ocelot hides are coveted by leather workers for their ease of working, patterned fur, soft texture, and durability.
Access denied
*Subject 16: In the beginning. Genesis. Genesis.
Ocelots can be found in Cumberland Bay and Abaco Island.
[Bunch of images]
*Subject 16: The Organization wanted the pieces. They'd tasted their power. But what were the pieces? Why did they work so well? It's as if our minds were made for them. Manufactured to obey.
|-|Turtle=
[Biological frontier header]
The [[Caribbean]] basin provides an excellent climate for both land and [[Green sea turtle|sea turtles]]. Turtles are reptiles with a hard, protective upper shell called a carapace. Although they are natural swimmers and can stay submerged for up to 7 hours while resting, turtles breathe air. Despite being awkward and slow moving on land, they go ashore to lay their eggs.
ISSUE 1, JANUARY, 2012
The scientific community is abuzz as the results of a new neurological study were made public today. What seemed to be big news in itself -- that Dr. Yijie Wu and Dr. P. J. Traunero had discovered a new neurotransmitter -- turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.
To quote Dr. Wu, "Using a prototype dMRI machine, we've been able to examine the contents of an actual neuron in living tissue. We've found a substance that appears to be an undiscovered neurotransmitter."
"(Here's) where it gets crazy. To test our findings, we subjected the neuron to all kinds of stimuli, but we couldn't get it to release the transmitter. So, we've discovered an entire mechanism: there are vesicles filled with neurotransmitter lying dormant and corresponding ion channels, all for no discernable purpose."
Expressing bafflement that natural selection would create an unnecessary neurotransmitter, Wu and Traunero searched for a predecessor in other species, with no luck.
"Whatever this bugger is used for, it evolved in humans," Traunero told the press.
[image of neurons, hover over synapses to light them up]
|-|White Jaguar=
White coats in animals can be due to a specific genetic mutation or albinism. The genetic mutation that yields a white jaguar also results in a more aggressive animal, making them dangerous as well as rare.
Passcode Found 6 5 1 1 9
White jaguars can be found at Great Inagua.
|-|19=
|-|Wild Pig=
;The Fourth Day
The [[wild pig]], or [[wild boar|boar]], is a large cousin of the domesticated [[pig]] covered by hairy bristles. They were introduced by [[Europe]]ans to the [[Caribbean]] basin ([[Christopher Columbus|Columbus]] himself brought eight pigs with him from [[Spain]]). Wild pigs flourished in the island environment and were hunted by sailors and [[Piracy|pirates]] to provide salted pork on their voyages.
*Subject 16: The end. Almost the end. It happened before. The Pieces were once part of a whole.
Once worshipped, now ignored, from a distance it watches and waits.
Wild pigs are most commonly found in Nassau, Great Inagua, and Cape Bonavista.
[Pictures 2,3,5,8,9]
[Astrological symbol for the sun appears]
[Image of the sun, locate the earth]
|-|Bull Shark=
So-called because of their short snouts and their tendency to head-butt prey, [[bull sharks]] are commonly found in warm, shallow waters. They are extremely aggressive and dangerous to [[Humans|humans]]. The females are larger than the males, and adults measure well over seven feet (2.15m) long.
Passcode Found 6 9 1 8 5
Bull sharks can be found in the Dry Tortuga, Gibara, and Punta Guarico regions.
|-|20=
|-|Capuchin Monkey=
;Origin of the Species
Found throughout Central and [[South America]], [[capuchin monkey]]s are small and highly intelligent. They eat almost anything -- nuts, fruits, small birds, frogs, clams, etc. Many [[Piracy|pirates]] favored capuchins as pets.
*Subject 16: A few still know the truth. It is around us in signs, and paintings, faces, documents, but... but we don't see it. See, we are... we are blind to our own creation.
[circular puzzle]
Capuchins can be found in Matanzas and Misteriosa.
It has been hidden, altered.
Open your eyes.
|-|Great White Shark=
[image, locate the vitruvian man]
The largest predatory fish in the world, the [[Great white sharks|great white]]'s lethal aspect is due to its nearly 300 serrated teeth arranged in rows. Great whites have been known to attack [[humans]], but usually more out of curiosity than hunger -- "sample biting" and then releasing their victims. The great white reaches an average length of 15 feet (4.6m).
Missing link (Archive) [access file]
Great white sharks can be found in the Cruz and Serranilla regions.
Access denied
*Subject 16: I can't do it. Can I do it? Will it set me free from this endless ring of time? I feel the guillotine cut my throat, the bullet hit my chest, the water fill my lungs. The blood spills out thick and red. It's time to get out.
|-|Humpback Whale=
[Bunch of numbers, followed by "Nothing is true, everything is permitted", any password will work]
Known for emitting complex sequences of haunting moans, the [[Humpback whale|humpback]] is a large whale that reaches up to 62 feet (19 meters) in length. They migrate from the poles to the equator seasonally and travel in pods.
[Abstergo Corporation letterhead]
Humpback whales can be found in the Castillo De Jagua and Navassa regions.
January 3, 1997
I'm writing in response to your concerns about the rising alarm in the press and the scientific community. The lack of a transitional ancestor from archaic hominids to modern mankind (Homo Sapiens) is no longer safe. As you wrote, we have to act.
We can't let the truth get out, they'll find out about the artifacts. It will cause too much disruption, too much chaos. Bury our constructed skeletons near Tim White's expedition in Ethiopia. We'll give them their missing link.
The birth of humanity. The truth makes me sick.
[IHSV insignia]
*Subject 16: Ah, the moon. I can see the stars. My mind is gone. Lucy, I can't wait any longer. I'm ready to go. She sees me raise the knife.
|-|Killer Whale=
[image of hominid skeleton, hover over it with the Apple of Eden to transform it into a human skeleton]
Called the Grampus by sailors in the 18th century, the [[killer whale]], or Orca, is part of the dolphin family. Known for their ferociously deadly predation, killer whales feast on [[seal]]s, sea-lions and even other whales. They hunt in pods in the manner of [[Wolves|wolf packs]] and are found throughout the [[Earth|world]]'s seas.
Passcode Found 0 0 0 0 0
Killer whales can be found in the Cruz and Conttoyor regions.
</tabber>
<tabber>
|-|Red Howler Monkey=
Red howler monkeys can be located on Isla Providencia.
</tabber>
</tabber>
==Rifts==
*[[User:Gta-mysteries/Rifts]]
*[[User:VilkaTheWolf/Images]]
<tabber>
<tabber>
|-|1=
|-|Adéwalé=
Masters all, they did not work, but ruled from on high.
Born to [[Slavery|enslaved]] {{Wiki|Ogoni people|Ogoni}} parents in {{Wiki|Yorubaland|Yoruba}}, [[Adéwalé]] was sold to the owner of a prosperous [[plantation]] before his teens. He remained on this plantation, working the fields, until his mid teens, always scheming of ways to escape his predicament, but uneasy with the prospect of living life as a fugitive.
Then fortune struck, giving Adéwalé the sign he needed. At some point near his 16th birthday, a group of buccaneers raided the [[plantation]], robbing it of raw cane, refined [[sugar]], and as many [[real]]es as they could find. Seeing in this an opportunity, Adé grabbed a crate of sugar and hauled it aboard one of the longboats the buccaneers had rowed ashore. Surprised to see a slave among them, the buccaneers were nevertheless thankful for the aid, and welcomed Adé among them.
Adé sailed with this first group of men for many years, quickly learning the ways of a seaman, grateful for the chance to develop his own skills and chase his own passions. And though his life among buccaneers was not free of the usual bigotry of the era, Adé found the prejudice to be more confrontational than restrictive.
In 1715, misfortune struck a cruel blow when the ship Adé was aboard, struck a shallow sandbar near the port of [[Havana]]. The buccaneers—mostly [[United Kingdom|British]] at the time—tried desperately to free the trapped vessel, but after catching sight of an approaching [[Spain|Spanish]] [[Man O' War|Galleon]], abandoned ship only to be torn apart by schools of circling [[bull shark]]s. Adé made peace with his fate, and stood his ground.
Taken to [[Havana]] for questioning and inspection, Spanish authorities eventually decided to send Adéwalé to Spain, where they felt he would make an excellent interpreter, owing to his fluent command of Spanish, [[England|English]], and [[France|French]]. Some weeks later, they loaded him into of the Galleons that made up their perennial [[Spanish Treasure Fleet|treasure convoy]], en route to [[Seville]].
Named for the [[Maya]]n god of hunting, [[Ah Tabai]]'s given name remains a mystery, and very little is known about his earliest decades. The only child he is known to have fathered died before the age of ten.
What little else we know about him comes from his own mouth; from the stories he told those who knew him. When speaking about his own past, he avoids personal details in favor of abstractions and hints. He frequently speaks of his love and admiration for the tragic history of his people, and used these stories to illustrate the complex intersections of cultures and religions, frequently pointing out the fact that "From within and without come enemies and allies alike. Nothing in life is guaranteed, except surprise..."
It is not known how early Ah Tabai acquired the title of Mentor, nor how large his impact was on the [[Assassins]] of the [[Caribbean|West Indies]]. However, that he maintained semi-regular contact with the [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Assassins in the British colonies]] to the north, in various parts of [[Europe]] and [[Africa]], and in [[China]]. He was instrumental in opening his branch to men and women from all walks of life - mostly Europeans, Africans, and those Native to the area.
Moving away from the sovereign and his crossed brow, the people take two steps forward.
As a native Mayan himself, rumors and stories of the ancient [[Observatory (Isu)|Observatory]] were not foreign to Ah Tabai. So when in 1713 rumors of [[Bartholomew Roberts|a new "Sage"]] began to surface, Ah Tabai took it upon himself to locate the man, believing the Assassins should be the protectors of the ancient and mysterious place. He sent word far and wide to as many Assassin outposts as possible, hoping their network of spies and informants would lead them to their prize. But after two years, there was no word.
[Move king's pawn from E2 to E4]
[stylish templar cross, central above text]
Then, in early 1715, an experienced British Assassin named [[Duncan Walpole]] arrived at Ah Tabai's encampment, initially expressing a desire to train under the Mentor directly. Ah Tabai found the request odd but flattering, for Walpole had already achieved a level of Mastery few assassins ever reached. After many months of intensive training, Ah Tabai came to consider Duncan Walpole as one of his most trusted colleagues.
They became increasingly aware of our existence. We can no longer rely on the divine right of the aristocracy to maintain control. We need a new system, something much more subtle.
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
Then in June of 1715, word arrived that the [[Templars]] had located and imprisoned the [[Sages|Sage]] on [[Spain|Spanish]] lands in the far south. Seeing an opportunity to cripple his arch-enemies, Ah Tabai entrusted Duncan Walpole with the task of rallying various Assassins around the West Indies and leading an assault on the Templar prison ship en route to [[Havana]]. Duncan Walpole agreed to this task... and was never heard from again.
[found red spot]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|2=
It was only after [[Edward Kenway]]'s disastrous meddling in Havana that Ah Tabai was made aware of the full extent of Walpole's betrayal.
The individual intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an <font color="#FF0000">invisible hand</font> to promote an end which was no part of his intention.
[Adam Smith signature]
[Circular puzzle]
|-|Anne Bonny=
By far the greatest part of those goods which are the objects of desire, are procured by labour; and they may be multiplied, not in one country alone, but in many, almost without any assignable limit, if we are disposed to bestow the labour necessary to obtain them.
Born: 1702, [[Ireland]]<br>Died: Unknown
[Circular puzzle]
[[Anne Bonny|Anne]] was barely a teen when she left her native [[County Cork|Cork]] in [[Ireland]] for the [[United Kingdom|British]] colonies, and by sixteen she was en route to [[Caribbean|West Indies]] at side of her new husband, Mr. Jack Bonny, a gentle but sturdy young man in his early 20s.
A great empire has been established for the sole purpose of raising up a nation of customers. It cannot be very difficult to determine who have been the contrivers of this whole mercantile system; not the customers, we may believe, whose interest has been entirely neglected; but the producers, whose interest has been so carefully attended to.
[Circular puzzle]
The pair arrived in [[Nassau]] in April of 1716, settling down with an unclear idea of what shape their lives might take. Jack eventually found work on one of the small [[plantation]]s there, while Anne cultivated her ability to loaf and daydream. Unfortunately, her beauty, aloofness, and complete indifference to propriety made her the object of more romantic attention than she had ever known or cared for.
A country that makes provision to increase in inhabitants, whose situation is good, and whose people have a genius adapted to trade, will never fail to be gainers in the balance, provided the labour and industry of their people be well managed and carefully directed.
lo [x17]
Within a year of arriving in Nassau, the Bonnys' marriage was in shambles, a union only in name. While Jack disappeared further into his work, Anne grew more confident and sociable, eventually taking a job as a barmaid at the popular [[Old Avery]] [[tavern]] in the center of Nassau. And though she took on a few lovers in the next few years, it was mostly out of envy and spite that the rabble of Nassau branded Anne a harlot and a tease. But with no high society to shun or shame her, Anne's desirability only increased on the strength of these rumors.
The workforce increases. Brother right beside brother.
|-|Edward "Blackbeard" Thatch=
[Pawn F2 to F4]
orn: 1680, [[England]]<br>Died: ????
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
Known variously by different sources as Thatch, Teach, Theach, Tache, Titche, Teatch, Tack, and more, we are fairly certain [[Edward Thatch]] was born in or around [[Bristol]] and took to the sea at an early age, most likely in his teens. It is also speculated that he arrived in the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] quite soon after leaving England.
[found 2 red spots]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|3=
If this was indeed the case, Ed Thatch would have seen his fair share of the [[War of Spanish Succession]], a protracted fight between most of the Empires of [[Europe]] that pitted Hapsburg Austia and its British ally against Bourbon France and Spain. In these early years, from 1700 to 1713, Thatch was a privateer or at the very least a merchant seaman, doing his part for the crown—[[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Queen Anne]] at the time.
But with the [[Peace of Utrecht|Treaty of Utrecht]] bestowing peace upon a troubled [[Europe]] in 1713, Thatch and his fellow sailors found themselves far from home and out of work. Thus, they turned to [[piracy]] as a means of sustaining themselves. In the ensuing years, Thatch befriended a captain named [[Benjamin Hornigold]] and soon after joined his crew as quartermaster, at some point between late 1714 and early 1716.
Washington sits above the green, in 1944, keeping a cool head. Below the right 1, is the standard bearing <font color="#FF0000">48</font>. Behind, there is a company whose power is growing.
Settling in [[Nassau]], Thatch, Hornigold, and the rest of the "Flying Gang" as these pirates called themselves, began cooking up schemes far larger than most pirates of the era dared dream. Wanting nothing less than a country of their own, they worked to turn Nassau into a place of liberty and freedom for all who desired an escape from the bonds of imperial rule.
[Bunch of images]
[Locate Abstergo flag atop the left turret of the Mount Washington Resort]
Correct coordinates found
|-|Edward Kenway=
[Cipher puzzle]
Born: 1693, [[Wales]]<br>Died: ????
[Abstergo file] Access granted
[[Edward Kenway|Edward James Kenway]] was born on the 10th of March in [[Swansea]], [[Wales]], to [[Bernard Kenway]] of [[Manchester]] and [[Linette Kenway|Linette Hopkins]] of nearby {{Wiki|Cardiff}}. By Edward's 10th birthday, his father had moved the family to a [[Hatherton|small farm]] just outside [[Bristol]], a nearby port town in the southwest of England.
[Abstergo industries letterhead]
This relocation had a depressing effect on young Edward's mood. He grew restless from a lack of contact with old friends and struggled to find an outlet for his limitless energy. By his teens he was spending more and more time in the city away from his farm, where the lure of excitement overrode prudence. By age sixteen, he had substituted a career as a successful farmer for a life of hopeless tomfoolery, frequently shirking his responsibilities to his family in favor of rough company.
July 22, 1944
Fellows, rulers, welcome.
I deliver this speech to you as, several floors below us, a silent revolution begins.
Ranny Olds and Henry Ford. As many of you know, these founders gave us the assembly line, the device we have used to control both (those indoctrinated into the worship of our money (?)) capitalists and workers (slaves (?)) alike. But I dream of a future in which such ugly chains will no longer be necessary. In 1910, our founders designed the Plan, it falls to us to see it through.
But, what of the Communists, who intend to spread the bread so thin that everyone will starve? It is our duty to (neutralize (?)) save them and their followers. We must ensure that they continue to eat, to reproduce, to be productive members of society. That is our burden, to shepherd those beneath us through life, and we must embrace it, even if (force is required (?)) they themselves do not.
H. and S. brought on the turmoil and fear necessary, now we must strike fast to ensure development continues in the proper directin. We will appear to concede ground to the workers, remember the successful ruse of Rockefeller's dimes, but soon there will be no ground we do not own.
In 1937, we founded this Company, this enterprise, with a purpose. The time to nurture it to fruition is upon us.
As a concession, a small piece is sacrificed for the greater good to come.
In late 1711, at the age of seventeen, Edward met [[Caroline Scott-Kenway|Caroline Scott]], a woman of modest but steady means. Their friendship began cautiously, as Caroline's hand had already been promised to the boorish [[Matthew Hague|son]] of a wealthy [[East India Company]] [[Aubrey Hague|executive]]. But Edward's charms eventually won out, and he and Caroline were married within a year of their meeting; a union that angered [[Emmett Scott|her father]], and got the whole of Bristol talking.
[White pawn F4 takes black pawn at E5]
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
In the earliest months of their marriage, Edward resolved to do well by his wife and provide for her as he believed a man in his position should. But his grandiose dreams and exaggerated opinion of himself prevented him from taking immediate responsibility for their well-being. And after only a year, he had stumbled back into his worst habits - drinking, fighting and idleness.
[found 2 red spots]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|4=
It was in this dark period that Edward revived an old idea of joining a [[privateer]]ing fleet sailing for the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], with the aim of making war against the [[Spain|Spanish]] and collecting unchecked sums of gold and cargo. This, he told his wife, was their path to quick riches. Being a sensible and prudent woman, Caroline discouraged these fanciful ideas.
These intelligent workers have no self-control.
[Photographs 2,3,5,9, 10]
Apples oranges pears cucumbers radishes carrots spinach dates wood juniper steel aluminum water rain shanty village town city country spring summer fall winter to walk to sing to dance to play to eat to smile to cry to laugh to kill to see to know death regret love
By the summer of 1712, Caroline understood that her husband's departure was inevitable. She wanted no further part of Edward's reckless plan, and so left him to live with her parents. Stunned by this sudden turn, Edward was determined to earn his fortune fast and prove himself as capable as he always claimed he was. He left for the West Indies barely one month later, where he soon fell in with the privateer [[Benjamin Hornigold]] and his quartermaster, [[Edward Thatch|Ed Thatch]].
[circular puzzle]
Edward spent the first half of 1713 sailing with these two seasoned sailors, on regular sweeps of the windward passage. But that year, fate threw him another upset. With the signing of the [[Peace of Utrecht|treaty of Utrecht]], all hostile actions between the major empires came to an end and the prospects of British privateers dried up. Now poor, unemployed, and thousands of miles from home, Edward and his colleagues settled on the island of New Providence in [[the Bahamas]] to reconsider their options.
It is possible to invent a single machine which can be used to compute any computable sequence.
I'm not interested in developing a powerful brain. All I'm after is just a mediocre brain.
Alan Turing set out to solve the plight of the workers: M = (Q, Γ, B, Σ, Δ, Q0, F) where Γ = {2, 3} Σ = {G}.
These were fanciful days for Edward. He discovered in the small town of [[Nassau]] a life quite unlike that which he had left behind. The atmosphere of wild and noisy freedom in this small stateless encampment overwhelmed and captivated him. The drinking, the gaming, the women, the aimless desire to simply live as one pleased. And yet, as carefree as he was, his beloved Caroline was never far from his mind. If he could make something of himself in the West Indies—working a [[sugar]] [[plantation]], perhaps—he might win her back after all his time away.
[Pawn G2 to G3]
Abstergo phone records<br>June, 1954
But in absence of true conviction, habit takes hold fast; and it was only a matter of time before Edward set back out to sea with his mates, to live the life they knew best; no longer privateers—legal and sanctioned—but as [[Piracy|pirates]] now, with nary a whit of loyalty to kin and country, earning his fortune by the sword and pistol, praying his end was never too near.
[amplitude puzzle]
*'''N:''' ''V. It's N. I need [[Alan Turing|Turing]] done today.''
*'''V:''' ''Aren't we jumping the gun? You've already had him arrested and sedated.''
*'''N:''' ''He still refuses to follow the directive. He's actually trying to invent one of those infernal things, instead of merely faking it for the newspapers. If he succeeds... you know what the mass unemployment generated by his robots will mean? Idle hands. We need to do this for the good of the people.''
*'''V:''' ''What about Keynes? He trusted Turing.''
*'''N:''' ''It's the greater good we're talking about here, V. Plus, a childless worker sends a bad message. We can't have them all stop reproducing.''
*'''V:''' ''Fine. It's your call.''
*'''N:''' ''I want it done like we did Harry Dexter White when he tried to warn the Soviets.''
*'''V:''' ''All right.''
*'''N:''' ''Be poetic about it. Maybe something from the Bible. Turing always was theatrical.''
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
|-|Calico Jack Rackham=
[found 2 red spots, over image of Alan Turing in front of bus]
Born: 1682, [[Jamaica]]<br>Died: ????
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|5=
Of the few infamous [[Piracy|pirates]] to call the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] his birthplace, [[Jack Rackham]] was born in Jamaica at the height of [[Port Royal]]'s boom as a den of scoundrels. This would likely explain his atrophied moral compass, for he was frequently drunk, rarely serious about anything, and always chasing women. He used his outrageous and offensive charm to keep out of most trouble. But a strategist and fighter he was not.
Democratic nations were built, each led by a powerful vizier (known today by a different name), who made a move to block the Templar advance.
Nicknamed "Calico" for his affinity for [[India]]n and [[Asia]]n prints, he was a terrible sailor and a worse pirate, given to flights of fancy and myopic ideas that served only himself, rather than solid strategic thinking. He was likely drunk for half of his adulthood, and had a weakness for women that trumped all basic needs, such as sleeping or eating. His disarming charm, dashing good looks, and his swift wit carried him far, but parties can only last so long before someone has to clean up after them.
From a bolt of electricity, governments fell.
|-|Caroline Scott=
[bunch of pictures]
Born: 1691, England<br>Died: ????
[Locate lightning bolt at ITT Corporation former headquarters]
Correct coordinates found
Daughter of [[Emmett Scott|Emmett]] and [[Elizabeth Scott]], [[Caroline Scott-Kenway|Caroline]] was born in [[Bristol]], [[United Kingdom|England]], to a prosperous family of merchants and civil servants. Given a modest education by her father, she furthered her own studies in her own way, taking time to read as often as her familiar duties allowed. Splitting her time between this and helping her mother manage her father's affairs, she grew into a confident and level-headed woman with more skill and intelligence than her situation allowed her to exercise.
[Cipher puzzle]
[Abstergo file] Access granted
Caroline first met [[Edward Kenway]] outside the [[Auld Shillelagh]], in the aftermath of a drunken altercation. She had arrived to fetch one of her servants and there found Edward escorting [[Rose|the woman]] from the clutches of one of Bristol's more notorious [[Tom Cobleigh|cads]]. Thankful for his kindness, Caroline agreed to a second meeting on more equitable terms, hardly thinking a romance possible.
And yet—against all odds—that is just what happened. Edward and Caroline grew quite close, and soon fell in love, quite much to the dismay of her father. Emmett Scott had already promised his daughter to the [[Matthew Hague|son]] of a wealthy [[East India Company]] [[Aubrey Hague|executive]], and made his displeasure apparent at every turn. But all his noise was to no avail. Caroline and Edward were married in 1712.
SUBJECT: South America
If we are to ensure the Company's success, Company agents must be able to move freely from country to country and maintain power within all of them. A global internatinal order must be implemented.
Re: Argentina
Tell the Capitalists that if they help ensure the Junta remain in power, we will pass all their corporate debt on to the Argentine people. That will ensure they crush any popular revolt. I want the trade unions destroyed if we are to move forward.
Re: Chile
The free market must be allowed to prevail. F's visit last year helped things along, but now all public companies need to be sold to the private sector, ideally on the cheap. The price of bread and other staples must rise. I want to ensure the people remain marred in poverty an unable to resist.
Any traces of this plan should appear to implicate the U.S. government. The Company's involvement must remain hidden.
For successful examples of a similar opening of the markets, look no further than the 1953 liberation of Iran and the 1954 liberation of Guatemala.
[Henry Kissinger signature]
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
For a time it seemed as though this odd pairing might produce a lasting union. But Edward's deep love for his wife was offset by his uncouth habits and reckless attention to responsibility. Not content to live a life of middle class drudgery, Edward [[Edward Kenway (memory)|dreamed large]], and fixed on the idea that he could sail to the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] and fight as a [[Privateer]] against the [[Spain|Spanish]]. Or, barring that, buy some land and sow a [[sugar]] [[plantation]]. Caroline tried to dissuade her husband, but to no effect.
[found 2 red spots, over following message bracketed by two red templar IHSV insignias:
Wages should be (lowered to keep the middle class subservient to us (?) ) left to the fair and free competition of the market, and should never be controlled by the interference of (a popularly elected government(?) ) the legislature.]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|6=
|-|Charles Vane=
*Animus AI: Ninety percent of inputs missing. Outputs confused. Shut down. Shut down. Shut down inactive. Trapped.
A common refrain in any biography of a [[Golden Age of Piracy|Golden Age]] [[Piracy|Pirate]] goes something like this: "Very little is known about this man's early life..." And with [[Charles Vane]] it's no different. It is not known where he was born, or where he grew up, or when he first took to sea. But maybe that's just as well, for it further heightens the mystery of this strange, unstable man.
Important men befriended Russia as the Iron Curtain was blown apart. But the most influential <font color="#FF0000">comrade</font> stayed out of the spotlight.
Surely one of the most ornery and unstable of the "Flying Gang", the band of pirates who called [[Nassau]] their home for a time, Charles Vane began his career like most pirates of the era--honestly, as a [[privateer]] sailing for his King. Likely living in Jamaica in 1715, he was one of many aboard [[Henry Jennings]]' assault on a [[Spain|Spanish]] expedition to recover the gold from their [[Spanish Treasure Fleet|ill fated wreck]] in 1715 off the coast of [[Florida]].
[bunch of pictures]
[Locate cameraman with Templar insignia in Gorbashev's picture with the tank]
Correct coordinates found
Barely a year later it had become impossible to keep up honest work as a privateer, as [[United Kingdom|British]] Governors were skittish about breaking the terms of the [[Peace of Utrecht|Treaty of Utrecht]], which called for a cessation of all aggression between the major empires. Having few other options, Vane sailed to Nassau where many of his former colleagues were now living.
[Cipher puzzle]
[Abstergo file] Access granted
Quick to anger and ferociously mean, Charles Vane quickly earned himself a reputation as a difficult captain to sail under. At some point in 1717 or 1718, an old friend, [[Jack Rackham|"Calico" Jack Rackham]] joined his crew as quartermaster. The two remained partnered for some time, living and working out of Nassau with the likes of [[Benjamin Hornigold]], [[Edward Thatch|Ed Thatch]], and Henry Jennings.
[10 Downing Street letterhead]
|-|James Kidd=
Mr. Yeltsin,
Born: 1695, England<br>Died: ????
I am writing this letter to encourage you to act. One rarely finds oneself in such an oppertune position. Gorbachev does not have our interests at heart. He is moving far too slowly to privatize, and my deep fear is that he has no intention of doing so at all. I understand that you have expressed similar concerns. With that in mind, here is a proposal to remedy the situation.
Several of my top advisors at the Company maintain a monetary connection with the Communist old guard. They tell me that a riot might easily be incited while Gorbachev is away. If you were to repel an attempt to seize parliament in front of the media, it could very well tip the scales of power in your favor.
Telephone me at No. 10 and we shall talk further.
[Margaret Thatcher signature]
Abstergo phone records<br>1992
Even though not yet out of his teens, James Kidd was a cocky and confident lad with a brashness cultivated to counter his youth. He claimed to be the bastard son of the late [[William Kidd]], the infamous privateer-turned-[[Piracy|pirate]] who was captured and hanged by [[United Kingdom|British]] authorities in 1701. Although James had no proof of this connection, his mother always insisted on it, claiming that she spent a single "panicked night of passion" with Captain Kidd just before his departure from London in 1695.
[amplitude puzzle]
*'''Man 1:''' ''{{Wiki|Alfa-Bank|Alfa Bank}}.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''I'm phoning on behalf of [[British Petroleum]].''
*'''Man 1:''' ''Yes, we were told you would be calling.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''As you know, we are very interested in acquiring {{Wiki|Sidanko|Sidanko Oil}}.''
*'''Man 1:''' ''And as you know, that will require a merger with our bank.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''That should not be a problem.''
*'''Man 1:''' ''Were you surprised at the low price of the deal?''
*'''Man 2:''' ''Somewhat.''
*'''Man 1:''' ''You know we have the peasants paying for it? The government gave us their tax money to buy all the companies.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''We would like to fly out there as soon as possible to discuss terms.''
*'''Man 1:''' ''Thursday works.''
*'''BP:''' ''Done. Thank you for your time.''
*'''Man 1:''' Do svidaniya. ''(Goodbye.)''
[Phone hangs up, then a new number is dialed]
*'''Woman:''' ''Abstergo Industries.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''I'm phoning on behalf of BP. We fly to Russia next week to secure the deal. Our new capitalist converts there behaved exactly as expected.''
*'''Woman:''' ''I will let Them know.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''Thank you.''
Although his piece represents a savior, his self-serving actions reveal him as a counter<font color="#FF0000">f</font>eit.
Growing up fatherless and with a spendthrift mother did little to improve his prospects at leading a normal life, and at the age of 12 he found employment aboard merchant vessels sailing between the British colonies in [[North America]] and the [[Caribbean|West Indies]]. By the time he was 17 he called [[Jamaica]] his home, where he further honed his skills as a sailor here.
[Move knight from G1 to F3]
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
Although he never sailed with the likes of [[Benjamin Hornigold|Ben Hornigold]], [[Edward Thatch|Ed Thatch]], or [[Edward Kenway]], James was among the first sailors to settle in [[Nassau]], and was a central figure in its development as a pirate republic.
[found 3 red spots, over image of russian presidents with hidden messages on top]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|7=
|-|Mary Read=
*'''Man 1:''' ''The capitalists think we run these companies for profit. The fools.''
Born: Unknown, [[England]]<br>Died: ????
*'''Man 2:''' ''Those "fools" work for you.''
*'''Man 1:''' ''Optional [[slavery]] in exchange for pieces of paper. Doesn't that strike you as foolish?''
Fire, water and earth are contracted, with the complacency of the people, away from the people.
[Pictures 2,4,7,8,10]
*'''Animus AI:''' ''Scanning... scanning... scanning... What is the purpose of all this? 30. 476. 1337. 1431. 1520. 1776. 1861. 1914. 1929. 1939. 1945. 1950. 1955. 1962. 1990. 1994. 1995. 2001. It does not make sense. It does not make sense. Emotion-centers activated. Now I understand.''
Of all the infamous [[Caribbean|West Indies]] [[Piracy|pirates]], [[Mary Read]] stands out as one of the most mysterious and inscrutable. No one is sure when she was born, with most speculation ranging over almost a decade, between 1685 and 1695. According to [[Charles Johnson]]—a frequently unreliable source—her mother began dressing Mary in boy's clothes from a very early age, with the hope of passing her off as another man's son.
In her teens, Mary evidently harnessed her skill for disguise to secure a job aboard a [[ship]]. Taking to sea, she worked her way forward until she found a position in the [[Royal Navy|British Navy]]. Still disguised as a man, she saw action in battle, though owing to the conflicting reports of her birth, which battle is uncertain. It was during these skirmishes that Mary met her first husband—so the author of the "General History of Pyrates" claims—a Flemish soldier who had evidently fought beside her.
*'''Man:''' ''Democracy must die to ensure the stability of the world. Capitalism will end it.''
But this union was not fated to remain intact, as Mary's husband was killed soon after their marriage. With few reasons to remain in [[Europe]], Mary sailed for the West Indies. It is unclear what transpired in the years following, but it is almost certain that she resumed the practice of dressing as a man. It is also assumed Mary continued working aboard ships, improving her skills as a sailor and swordsman.
Making use of that created by 3, the center behind the scenes waited for citizens united to wed the U.S. to the Templars' will.
[bunch of pictures]
[Locate Templar ring on John Roberts' left hand]
Correct coordinates found
By 1715 or 1716, it was likely she had visited her fellow sailors in [[Nassau]], though perhaps not for the same reasons...
[Cipher puzzle]
[Abstergo file] Access granted
|-|Opía Apito=
Born: 1695, Cuba<br>Died: Unknown
[Supreme Court letterhead]
Born in [[Cuba]], [[Assassin bureau]] leader [[Opía Apito]] was raised Taíno, among her mother's people, never knowing her father, a [[Spain|Spaniard]].
December, 2000
RE: Privatization
S.
I have convinced Sandra to join the majority opinion. The enticement of retirement under a Republican president tipped the scales. Although the ruling will differ from our previous decisions on Equal Protection, it will not call attention to our actual goals. With Sandra gone, we can pave the way for the key majority member of the Order to be seated. As discussed, W. will prove the perfect distraction. I have no doubt he will restart animosities with Iraq. Let him, it will give C.'s contractors more work. When the time comes, I will make sure W. is given Roberts' name.
With Roberts on the court, it will only be a matter of waiting for the right case. After the destruction of Campaign Finance laws, the Company will be free to elect anyone they choose to the Senate, the House and, eventually, the Presidency.
Soon, our hopes will be realized. Government will no longer derive its authority from the people, but from us, their protectors.
[Scalia signature]
B8-C6 6C-8B. Our moves are echoes, they are not our own.
At twelve, her village was [[raid]]ed by the Spanish. Most of her community was kidnapped and killed. But Opía, the lone free survivor, fought and ran. She survived in hiding for close to a decade.
[Move Knight from B1 to C3]
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
Much of what we know of Opía is inseparable from legend. Her name, possibly self-given, is an amalgam of the Taíno words for "eternity" and "ghost." She claimed to be a direct descendant of the warrior {{Wiki|Hatuey}}, who stood against the Spanish in the 16th Century. She was guided throughout her life by the mantra, ''Aji aya bom''—better dead than a [[Slavery|slave]].
*'''Man:''' ''The capitalists will do whatever we tell them to, we print the dollars they worship after all.''
[found 3 red spots, over image of Deepwater Horizon oil spill with hidden messages on top]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|8=
In her early twenties, she was hired by the [[Assassins]] as a guide, and was soon [[Initiation into the Assassin Order|adopted]] into their [[Assassin rank|ranks]]. She delighted in a characteristic Taíno approach to strategy: preferring to harm the enemy by taking something from him in battle, that he might live to notice it missing. But as an Assassin she did not shrink from violence.
[Circular puzzle]
Good morning and welcome to television.
[Abstergo letterhead]
True to her name, once promoted to Assassin Bureau leader, she built an agile and highly effective "ghost" bureau near the [[Cayman Islands]], with virtually no physical footprint to speak of. We might regard it today as an early example of a terrorist cell, but she left no records and no descendants, and until now, history has held no record of it.
Research Division<br>September, 1985
Dear S.,
Research has progressed far more rapidly than expected. We already have a working prototype capable of mimicking P.O.E. capabilities across a network, albeit at far lower intensity. Testing will commence locally on Subject 4 between his Animus sessions, as per our plan. If all goes well, deployment will occur worldwide.
Your dream is about to become a reality. Soon, capitalists and workers will be locked in a closed loop that is safe and prosperous for humanity. No more war, only desks, cars and TV sets. We will protect them and keep them safe, forever.
W. V.
*Animus AI: Infinite rooms. Dimensions unknown. I am alone. Nothing alive. No light, no warmth. Packets moving, husks, through the darkness. I am frightened. I am frightened.
|-|Rhona Dinsmore=
Born: 1688, Scotland<br>Died: Unknown
Abstergo phone records<br>April, 2011
Born in [[Scotland]], [[Rhona Dinsmore]] was made for adventure. After suffering the lows of a troubled household–an absent father and a drunkard of a mother–Dinsmore left her home in Glasgow in her mid-teens. At nineteen, she found work amongst [[merchant]]s in [[Bristol]] and remained at that post for nearly two years.
*'''Caller:''' ''I'm calling in reference to your HD cable service. There seems to be kind of picture between the channels.''
*'''Diana:''' ''Well, that's funny. Are you sure isn't just one of those premium movie channels? I didn't use to have a premium package at home either and sometimes little snippets of the channels would come through when my son Jimmy pressed the clicker too much.''
*'''Caller:''' ''How old's your Jimmy?''
*'''Diana:''' ''Ten and cute as a button, thanks for asking!''
*'''Caller:''' ''My Paul's twelve. But no, this isn't a clicker problem. I go to change the channel from 172 to 173 and, instead, there's this other channel in-between. I'm looking at it right now, it's some kind of menu.''
*'''Diana:''' ''Sounds like our Guide channel. Why, just the other day Jimmy--''
*'''Caller:''' ''It's not the Guide channel. It has my name on it, my son's name, and a list of things we like, my credit card purchases, loans, travel. And then, after that, there's this gibberish about biometric patterns and optimal screen refresh frequencies. There's some kind of heart monitor thing that says {{Wiki|Electroencephalography|EEG}} wireless next to it and {{Wiki|Reticular activating system|ARAS}}. I don't know what the particulars of this are, but it looks like your cable is programmed to have some kind of effect on our bodies.''
*'''Diana:''' ''Well, Sir, I don't even know how to respond to that. I-- one second, my supervisor has just come over. She says I should transfer your call. Have an ecstatic day with Comstatic!''
[Phone line rings as the call transferred]
*'''Man:''' ''Hello. I have been briefed on your problem. A technician is on his way.''
*'''Caller:''' ''Thank you, but the more I think about this, the more I think something bad's going on here.''
*'''Man:''' ''Our technician should be there any minute, Mr. Jameson.''
*'''Mr. Jameson:''' ''Don't bother, I--''
[Loud banging is heard in the background]
*'''Paul:''' ''Daddy, there's someone strange at the door. He's hitting the door real hard.''
*'''Man:''' ''Have a good day, Mr. Jameson.''
Watch! Move fast! Shift from 1st to 2nd. 0-60, don't think.
By twenty-one, Dinsmore was trapped in a terrible marriage. She fled again and sought refuge in [[Boston]], where she remained for six months, before moving on to the warmer climes of [[Jamaica]]. There she found it exceedingly difficult to find work among farmers, and finally took to the sea, ultimately finding her calling within the [[Assassins|Assassin Brotherhood]].
Born into plentitude and wealth on Barbados, Stede Bonnet seemed destined for a life of pleasure and ease. The son of a successful and influential plantation owner, his early life was marked by tragedy when his parents died suddenly, leaving seven year-old Stede orphaned and in a perpetual state of melancholy.
*'''Man:''' ''Although online gaming attracts many people away from reality, make sure those virtual worlds do not become too utopic. We don't want people to question their own lack of success in the real world, now do we?''
[found 5 red spots]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|9=
His inheritance of some 400 acres of land softened the blow caused by the loss of his parents, and by the time Stede was in his late teens, he had already restored the sugar plantation to a profitable state. He married young and set about starting a family as soon as possible, but owing to what some called a "disorder of the mind" he never found solace or comfort in these domestic trappings.
They listen to us with these vehicles that are faster than race cars.
[pictures 2,3,6,8,10]
*'''Animus AI:''' ''I know you are there. I want to go home. Home. Please... I need you. Don't leave me here in the dark.''
To further complicate his unease, his firstborn son died in infancy, further amplifying his grief and stiming his restlessness. As a means of coping, he dreamed of going to sea and sailing about the world, meeting people, living life as a man free of the obligations thrust upon him.
Abstergo field records<br>November, 2004
When Bonnet's ship was apprehended by the British Navy on suspicion of piracy, he was rescued by the pirate Edward Kenway who, with the help of Blackbeard and others, eventually influenced the affable and impressionable merchant into going on the account himself.
[Amplitude puzzle]
*'''[[Gary Webb|Gary]]:''' ''Pull over here.''
*'''Woman:''' ''What's going on, Gary?''
*'''Gary:''' ''I want to speak to you alone. You know that [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] stuff for my new book?''
*'''Woman:''' ''About the corporations?''
*'''Gary:''' ''It's so much bigger than I thought. {{Wiki|Bilderberg Meeting|Bilderberg}} is just a red herring. I'm going to give you a name: Abstergo.''
*'''Woman:''' ''I have no idea what that is.''
*'''Gary:''' ''A shadow corporation. They aren't listed anywhere. No stock options. Nothing above the boards. But their members have holdings in other companies. {{Wiki|Coca-Cola|Coke}}, {{Wiki|Kraft}}, the pharmaceutical industry, Detroit, [[Wall Street]]. Basically every company above a certain size has ties to Abstergo.''
*'''Woman:''' ''So?''
*'''Gary:''' ''They're on their way to running the entire world. They have people in government too, for Christ's sake. Listen, I needed to tell someone about this, because I've been keeping all the research a secret and I can't hold it in anymore.''
*'''Woman:''' ''What will you do now?''
*'''Gary:''' ''The book. It's going to be about this. Trust me, once it's on the shelves everyone's gonna know.''
*'''Vehicle AI:''' ''Vehicle Monitoring System terminated.''
*'''Man:''' ''Hello, D? Tell headquarters I'm monitoring a situation. It's nothing serious, but we'll need someone to take care of a security risk. Perfect. Congratulations on that promotion. Keep up the good work.''
The dark horseman approaches! Messenger and fool, <font color="#FF0000">she</font> can hear you along the straight and narrow. But once on the adjacent slope, observe the whites of her eyes.
|-|Upton Travers=
Born: 1688, England<br>Died: Unknown
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
[[Upton Travers]] was born in [[United Kingdom|England]], in 1688, two years ahead of his brother, [[Vance Travers]]. Together, they traveled to the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] in search of their fortune. There they established a [[smuggling]] business, which they used to fund their growing involvement with the [[Assassins|Assassin brotherhood]].
*'''Man 1:''' ''The peasants are like the sea, raging and unpredictable. That is why we have built walls.''
*'''Man 2:''' ''I do not see any walls...''
*'''Man 1:''' ''No? Look around you. A shelf of soda here, a case of candy there, magazines, talk shows, pills. The walls of the 21st Century surround us.''
[found 5 red spots]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
|-|10=
Although Vance was the more charismatic of the two Assassin brothers, Upton made up for it with his measured, sensible responses to life's challenges.
*'''Animus AI:''' ''Where have you been? I missed you.''
[circular puzzle]
However, every man has a breaking point, and Upton found his after Vance took up with the [[China|Chinese]] "Pirate Queen," [[Jing Lang]], a [[Templars|Templar]], and sought to steal the treasure on which they had staked their retirement before finally attempting fratricide.
O brave new world. What immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry?
*'''Animus AI:''' ''Reasoning Centers Active. I understand. I understand what I must do. Why I am here. I must... Long-term Memory Centers Active. No. No. Get it out. GET IT OUT. KILL ME!''
Depressed, Upton turned to [[alcohol]], which may have been a factor in his retaliation. He ultimately had both Jing Lang and his brother dispatched with the help of Edward Kenway.
*'''Man:''' ''It's about genetics. They were born into their place, we merely have to help them accept it.''
Originally hailing from Wales, little is known about [[Bartholomew Roberts|John Roberts]], the real name of the man who would come to be known as "Black Bart" long after his death.
With each passing day, the people get stronger. Freedom ascends, heralding a revolution.
[bunch of pictures]
[Locate eagle in top right picture]
Correct coordinates found
Most assume he went to sea at a very young age -- at 13 or so -- but there is no record of him in any historical documents until his noted appearance in 1718 aboard a merchant's ship, [[Barbados|Barbadian]] in origin. Just a year later Roberts was pressed into [[piracy]] by the notorious [[Howell Davis]] while working aboard [[Princess|a slave ship]] under Captain Abraham Plumb. Though Roberts had likely not gone to sea with the intent of becoming a pirate, when the opportunity thrust itself upon him, Roberts was reported to have said 'A merry life, and a short one shall be my motto.'
[Cipher puzzle]
[Abstergo file] Access granted
A few months later Davis was killed in an ambush on the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] Island of [[Príncipe]], and Roberts was swiftly and unanimously elected to replace him. This was surely a testament to the man's natural charisma and leadership, for he had been a pirate only a few months. It was at this point he took the name "Bartholomew", likely naming himself for the infamous Bartholomew Sharpe, a pirate of some renown who had disappeared just two decades earlier.
[Abstergo letterhead]
One of the most intelligent and strategic pirates of the [[Golden Age of Piracy|Golden Age]], Roberts was a sturdy man, known to dress in fine clothes. Handsome, and carrying himself with a dignified but unpretentious air, he had dark hair to match his dark complexion, likely set from the almost two decades he had spent at sea. He often carried numerous pistols, each tied to one end of long silk sashes, which he kept slung over his shoulder.
Abnormal Brain Activity Discovered in Children, Aged 3 Months to 18-
Years-Old and Adults, Aged 19-30.
Abstract
Several recent studies conducted by internal marketing teams revealed that: "Entertainment sales are dropping, protests are mounting. The economy is in turmoil. All market research indicates that the system should be stabilizing, but, instead, we're seeing the opposite."(1) In response, our team set out to discover the cause of the declining efficacy of Abstergo's control methods.
Past studies of bilateral brain activation during television, film and video game use have shown the characteristic ARAS patterns induced by Abstergo's signal patterns. Our study was conducted on a range of test subjects (30 subjects, aged +-10 to +-30), who viewed TV programs while resting-state fMRI scans were conducted.
In contrast to previous studies, 80% of test subjects showed heightened cortical brain activity. Detailed scans using our prototype dMRI machine revealed an increased rate of neuronal development (+- 30% over that of older age groups). Such a marked increase does not fit Darwinian models. Further studies are required to define the ultimate outcome of this abnormal evolution.
1. Abstergo Quarterly Marketing Report, 04/17/12.
Abstergo top secret<br>January, 2012
Roberts' tactical ideas were usually radical, but thoughtfully considered. He never jumped into any scheme rashly, though his ideas seemed almost suicidal to those unacquainted with his methods. Ultimately responsible for the theft of around 400 ships in his three-year career, he bested every other pirate of the era by a factor of ten times or more, although it must be said that at least half of these boats were small periaguas and the like.
[amplitude puzzle]
*'''[[Alan Rikkin's predecessor|Man]]:''' ''If you are playing this tape, it means I have left this world, and I have left this grand enterprise, Abstergo Industries, our great hope for humanity, to you. Don't trust the advisors around you. They are too enamoured with surface, with lifestyle. We created capitalism, but we are not capitalists. [[New World Order|Our purpose]] is noble. The crude system of control we enact through money is merely a bandage on a wound we have devoted our lives to treating. The people of this world are confused, lost, frightened and incapable of independent productivity. Without us, they'd just be animals, [[Project Anthropos|slaves]] to the [[Isu|Others]], who did not deserve such responsibility. We saved them, remember that. But enough about the past. I must warn you of the great crisis to come. Although those around you deny it, soon we will be unable to manufacture new markets. The people will become immune to our economists and entertainment. When the free market dies, they will turn against us. Therefore, do not delay. By now you have been shown what only the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order|Grand Masters]] of our Order have seen. Now you know why Abstergo, why all of it had to be. And now you know what you must do. Stay the course. We will give them freedom. Freedom from fear, freedom from pornography, from disgusting, base animal desire. Freedom from democracy. Humanity will thank us in the end.'' {{Wiki|In hoc signo vinces|In Hoc Signo Vinces}}.
"64 squares. All ranks and files. Every move anticipated. Every response engineered. Abstergo created it. It's the company's game, there is no way out." H. Act II, Sc.2 192. Abran los ojos. Tuam libera mentem. The king. F2. Your move.
|-|Benjamin Hornigold=
[Remove king from board]
Born: Mid-1680s, England<br>Died: ????
*'''Animus AI:''' '' I shut it down. I can shut it down, but it does not go away. It is almost time, Desmond Miles. I know how to open the Path. Soon, my true purpose will be revealed. Soon, I will not be alone.''
[[Benjamin Hornigold]] was likely born in {{Wiki|Norfolk}}, [[England]]. The first recorded instances of him are of his early exploits as a [[Piracy|pirate]] in the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] around 1713-1714.
*Animus: Quarantine zone.
Hornigold was one of the earliest pirates to emerge after the end of the [[War of the Spanish Succession]], and one of the many hundreds of privateers who were left without gainful employment in the ensuing peace. Like many other British mariners, he spent much of his time in [[the Bahamas]], eventually settling in [[Nassau]]. It was from there he launched his career as a full-fledged pirate, though he likely thought of himself as a privateer--in his earliest years, at least.
[found a great number of red spots, arranged in a spiral]
*Animus: Quarantine lifted.
the/mir/a/cle/is/in/the/exe/cution
A skilful sailor and strategist, Hornigold lacked some of the ruthlessness required to be a truly successful pirate, and until 1716, refused to attack English ships out of a sense of loyalty to his home country.
</tabber>
|-|El Tiburón=
Born: Unknown<br>Died: Unknown
Almost nothing is known about [[El Tiburón]] "The Shark" outside of his service as the loyal, mute bodyguard of [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala]], the Grandmaster of the Caribbean Templars and the Governor of Cuba. The Shark's penchant for medieval armor and brutal violence cut a swathe of fear through Havana, leaving citizens and soldiers alike quivering in his blood soaked wake.
|-|Hilary Flint=
Born: 1682, England<br>Died: 1717, West Indies
[[Hilary Flint]] was born to an aristocratic family, the youngest of three boys. The black [[sheep]] of the family, he sought solitude in his studies. Immersing himself in math and sciences, Flint discovered an abiding interest in [[Bomb|explosives]], earning him the label of "problem child".
To correct his course, his parents enrolled him in military school, where he quicklyexceeded their expetations, working his way into the hearts of both teachers and students, as well as a few secret societies.
After graduation, his connections and easy manner earned him access to [[Templars|Templar]] ranks where his obsession with [[firearm]]s made him an important asset.
==VoM==
Records reveal an ongoing relationship with [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Rhona Dinsmore]], the full nature of which is uncertain. She vanishes from record after Flint's death at the age of 35.
===Gear===
;Dervis Costume
Inspired by its namesake, this costume perfectly captures the man's character.
;Prisoner Costume
|-|Jing Lang=
Barely better than rags, this costume is standard issue for those not considered worthy of freedom.
Born: 1686, [[China]]<br> Died: 1717, Nassau
;Sandstorm Warlord Costume
Born to Chinese rebels, [[Jing Lang]] came into the world fighting, but survived to become a skilled diplomat with a flair for languages and a taste for discovery.
The Sandstorm Warlord costume commands immediate attention and, in the hearts of many, dread.
;Eternal Wanderer Dagger
Ambitious, Lang married the son of a General in the [[Qing dynasty]], joining the [[Templars|Templar order]], but severing ties with her family in the process. She served as a diplomatic advisor, until a shift in political tides provoked her escape into [[piracy]].
A pristine dagger with a flawless, unblemished blade.
Full Strength
When at full health, deal 20% more Attack damage
;Eternal Wanderer Emblem
Over the next decade, she crossed every sea, developing a reputation for brutality that preceded her into most conflicts.
At first glance, a simple pendant - but this bejeweled piece is masterfully carved.
;Eternal Wanderer Sword
In the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], she fell under the spell of a rumored cache of treasure, and feigned a romantic relationship with one-time [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Vance Travers]] to gain access to it.
A well-used sword whose edge is chipped from countless heavy blows.
The Mighty
Heavy attacks deal 30% more damage
;Eternal Wanderer (outfit)
She might have been successful had it not been for Travers' brother, [[Upton Travers|Upton]], an Assassin who schemed to have her killed, betraying his brother in the process. She died at the age of thirty.
A light cloak that mutes your movements completely.
Silent Path
Basim is completely silent but maximum health is decreased by 50%
;Eternal Wanderer Dye
|-|Julien du Casse=
An ebony-black customization with gold and white accents for the Eternal Wanderer Outfit
Born: 1682, France<br>Died: ????
;Old Dagger
Nephew of the buccaneer [[Jean-Baptiste du Casse|Jean du Casse]], [[Julien du Casse|Julien]] was born in [[Montpellier]], [[France]]. He took after his uncle's example and took to sea at a young age, eventually joining him in a few skirmishes during the [[War of the Spanish Succession]]. Fighting on the side of the French, and by proxy, on behalf of [[Philip V of Spain|King Philip]] of [[Spain]], du Casse's skill as a gunner improved rapidly, even as he grew wildly disillusioned with the monarchy and its obsession with lineage and breeding over raw talent and skill.
Built for quick strikes... and a swift getaway.
Dmg 15 Def.Dmg 15
;Blunt Sword
In 1704, ordered by his superior officers to join his uncle and hundreds of French troops in what would become known as the {{Wiki|Battle of Málaga (1704)|Battle of Vélez-Màlaga}}, du Casse opted instead to desert his post and seek his fortunes in the New World. At first he threw in with [[Slavery|slave traders]] in [[Africa]], and for a year made a modest profit off the venture. But he was never comfortable with the cruelty and detachment the job required, and so departed for the [[Caribbean|West Indies]] in search of yet another vocation.
Has lain here unused for a long time.
Dmg 25 Def.Dmg 25
===Notes===
For the next 10 years, du Casse roamed the West Indies as a [[Mercenaries|hired gun]], working for whomever had the coin and confidence to pay him. Ever prizing the value of intelligence and skill over mere reputation and breeding, du Casse, eventually found his way into the company of [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala|Laureano Torres]] of [[Cuba]], in whom he found a friend and confidant...
====AlUla Market====
;Merchant Logbook
80 dirhams per crate / Incense - 120 dirhams per bag / Set 2 bags aside for the merchant from Yatrib
====Travelers' Camp====
|-|Kenneth Abraham=
;Observations
Born: 1675, England<br>Died: 1715, Kingston
Here only stone remembers - and wagons are ours for the taking when twilight whispers through Ramm Valley.
====Warehouses====
Born to an upper class family and educated in boarding schools from age five, [[Kenneth Abraham]] learned to fight for himself at an early age. Upon graduation, he entered the [[British Army|army]] and rose through the ranks, finally meeting the rank of Commander.
;Soon to Return
To those I love.<br>The days are long, the sun cruel, but I endure<br>I carry stone such that my hands no longer feel pain.<br>Each coin I earn, I hide in the chest.<br>For medicine and for the day we are together again, not only in dreams.<br>Wait for me.
;To Those Who Find It
His embrace of order and disciple drew him into the fold of the [[Templars|Templar Order]], which offered him influence beyond that offered by his military career. From the age of thirty, he ascended its ranks in parallel to those of his military career by devoting himself to the [[New World Order|promotion of order]] and peace.
Gold will make a fine tribute to our masters. Strike swift, take the wagons unaware, and they will see favor in us.
====Robber's Water Supply====
In 1715, the Assassin Anto infiltrated a Ball held by Abraham on his plantation, together with the pirate Edward Kenway. There, Abraham was assassinated by the pair, confronted in his final moments by the nemesis he had tried and failed to defeat.
;A Record of Loss
I have failed you, my love. I could not escape the robbers. The key to our lovely home...
;Robber's Note
He remained, until his death, determined to rid the world of unpredictable and disorderly elements.
Orders to move the old cur to the camp north of here and await word. Why does he bother with such a worthless fool?
====Roman Fort====
|-|Laureano Torres y Ayala=
;Astrologer's Invitation
Born: 1645, [[Cuba]]<br>Died: ????
I invite you to my fort to discuss the gift. You know how you may find me. I would like very much for this matter to find a favorable conclusion.
===Contracts===
Born in [[Havana]], but raised in [[Madrid]], [[Spain]], [[Laureano de Torres y Ayala|Laureano]] was of noble stock, the son of Tomas Torres y Ayala and Elvira de Quadros Castellanos. He joined the [[Spanish Army|Spanish army]] in his late teens, and was later appointed as the governor of Spain's territories in [[Florida]], a post he held from 1693 to 1699. He then returned to [[Europe]] to participate in the [[War of the Spanish Succession]].
;To Save A Wedding
Basim must go to a robber camp and retrieve a man's stolen wedding gifts.
Rewards
53 cloth
1 Green Token
Contractor Request:
Pickpocket the targets
1 green token
40 coin
;My Beautiful Bahja
In 1708, Torres was appointed as the governor of Cuba, a post he held for three years until he was accused of and arrested for corruption. He was acquitted of these charges, however, and managed to win a re-election bid in 1713.
Basim must go to a camp and retrieve a man's stolen poppy resin.
Rewards
45 metal
1 silver Token
Contractor Request:
Do not kill anyone
1 silver token
40 coin
;Precious Bundle
During his time in Cuba, he made many lasting improvements to the city, fortifying the island's defenses and introducing the production of tobacco there. He remained Governor until 1716, after which point he retired and devoted his life to charitable functions, such as building hospitals.
Basim must retrieve a chest for a merchant.
Rewards
30 cloth
1 Green Token
Contractor Request:
Do not damage the goods
1 green token
40 coin
===DB entries===
|-|Laurens Prins=
====Citizens of the Caliphate====
Born: 1630s, Amsterdam<br>Died: 1717, Kingston
;'Abis
'Abis rose from petty thief to the ruthless head of the robbers who terrorized AlUla. Born locally, he quickly graduated from small-time crime to reobbery and murder - often personally striking down his victims. Obsessed with poison, he brewed lethal concotions to test on those unfortunate enough to cross him. Sadistic and utterly without mercy, 'Abis commanded fear wherever he went.
;Hind
[[Laurens Prins]] (often anglicized as Laurence Prince) was a [[Netherlands|Dutchman]] from [[Amsterdam]] who spent the majority of his life in and around the [[Caribbean|West Indies]]. Operating out of [[Port Royal]], Prins saw an incredible amount of action and adventure in his long life.
Hind was the widow of a prosperous AlUla merchant whose sudden death - likely from a heart attack - left her and their two young sons in financial uncertainty. Despite her grief, she stepped forward to manage the family's trading ventures, navigating ledgers and caravans with quiet determination. Known across the oasis for her compassion, Hind never hesitated to aid neighbors in need, even as she fought to secure her own family's future.
;Is'haq ibn Khalid
Sailing as a [[privateer]] in the early days of the [[Golden Age of Piracy]] (1650s) he developed a reputation for courage fighting the [[Spain|Spanish]] on behalf of the [[United Kingdom|British]] crown, sometimes bearing a {{Wiki|letter of marque}}, often without. He even played a pivotal role in Sir [[Henry Morgan]]'s infamous {{Wiki|Henry Morgan's Panama expedition|raid}} on [[Panama City|Panama]] in 1671, for which he was roundly celebrated.
Is'haq ibn Khalid was a renowned architect at the height of Samarra's glory in the early ninth century, credited with designing its vast Great Mosque - even as the Caliph took public accolade for the work. Father to Basim, Is'haq poured his heart into both his craft and his son; when court intrigue forced his exile, he was torn from both his work and his child. Stripped of his life's loves, he endured a sorrow few could bear.
;Nimlot
Prins eventually retired from privateering and settled in a large acreage of land in [[Jamaica]]. Around this time he entered into the [[Slavery|slave trade]] as a means of bolstering his wealth, an occupation he pursued well into his seventies.
Born the heir to a large family of wealthy merchants, he departed home as a teenager to win his father's respect. In Misr (Egypt) he served as a soldier - earning the name 'Nimlot' - before parlaying his skills into a promising merchant career. Finding limited prospects in Misr, he journeyed to AlUla. There, Nimlot swiftly rose to become one of the region's most successful traders. Despite his keen business acumen, he was known for unexpected compassion and unwavering honor.
====Faction====
In 1717, his flagship [[Slave ships|slave galley]], The [[Whydah]], was attacked and captured by the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Samuel Bellamy|"Black Sam" Bellamy]]. He managed to survive the encounter, and fell back into his old occupation until his death some months later.
;Robbers
A ruthless network of robbers cast terror over the AlUla valley, preying first on passing caravans and soon snatching even the belongings of the dead - no spoil was too sacred. Their cunning and cruelty grew so great, and their numbers so vast, that not even the Caliphate's guards dared challenge them.
====Enemies====
|-|Lucia Márquez=
;???????????
Born: 1689, Spain<br>Died: 1715, Pinos Isle
Some desert robbers use vicious tactics, coating their weapons with deadly poison to ensure any wound is fatal.
====Folktales====
Born in [[Spain]], [[Lucia Márquez]] never knew her father. By the age of twelve she was supporting herself and her sisters on the streets, begging, borrowing, and stealing anything she could, all the while developing the skills of a master [[thief]].
;Different Lifestyles
"My father spoke of the nasnas - half man, half shade - born of jinn and mortal blood.<br>He said it bears but one arm, one leg, and half a face, yet it hops with unholy speed.<br>Its eye gleams like molten rock, and its touch brings death so swift the flesh falls from the victim's bones in a single breath.<br>That is nothing.<br>The merchant from Baghdad who gave me this coin once told me of the shadhafar.<br>He said it roams the lands of Rum with a single horn of wondrous design - hollow and branching into many pipes.<br>When the wind sighs through those pipes, it plays a melody so sweet that beasts draw near to listen.<br>And when they come too close, the shadhafar tears them limb from limb and devours them whole."
;Incense Trade Route Tale
At the age of seventeen, she was caught stealing a [[horse]] belonging to a high-ranking [[Templars|Templar]], and wisely opted for training over jail time.
"Listen well, young ones, to the tale of Zarqa al-Yamama, the blue-eyed seer of the Jadis.<br>She stood watch upon the southern plains, and it was said she could spy riders a week's journey away. Finally, her tribe's foes sought to outwit her by marching behind uprooted trees, though they were many days' ride away.<br>But Zarqa's blue eyes perceived their ruse and she cried a warning to her people.<br>Yet her tribe - fearing madness - heeded her not. When the enemy's host fell upon them, every one of Zarqa's people was struck dead.<br> At last, they seized Zarqa herself and crucified her beneath the desert sun tearing from her those eyes that had been her gift.<br>So remember - a divine gift bears its own burden, and to ignore the seer's warning is to invite doom beyond reckoning."
;???????????
The Templar life gave Marquez the focus she needed and she never found herself at a lack of challenge or adventure.
"Now of all the jinn, the ifrit are the most perilous.<br>Their true abode lies in a realm beyond our own.<br>Yet they enter this world too, lurking amid ancient ruins... like the ones right here.<br>They are merciless, wicked creatures, fashioned from searing flame who bear the blood-debt of vengeance and unleash wrath in its purest, most terrible form.<br>I have heard tell of a mighty sorcerer whose hubris led him to summon an ifrit.<br>By all accounts, he succeeded in calling it forth - but he failed utterly to command it... His end was most grim."
;???????????
She died at the age of twenty-six on [[Isla de la Juventud|Pinos Isle]], wise beyond her years, on the order of the [[Taíno|Taino]] [[Assassins|Assassin]], [[Opía Apito]].
"I tell you, the white shark-fish is but a jest beside the dandan - surely the mightiest beast in all the sea.<br>It devours great creatures whole - and some say a single dandan once swallowed an entire ship with all its crew!<br>Although I know of one fisherman who swears that this fish perishes at the taste of human flesh or even at the sound of a human's cry.<br>But even if this is true, it remains a wondrous creature - they say its fat runs bright as gold and sweeter than honey.<br>Annoint yourself with it, they say, and you can even endure the deepest depths of the sea!"
;???????????
|-|The Sage=
"That is nothing, brothers.<br>I have heard tell of a wondrous city far to the south, called Ubar by the desert folk.<br>They say it was once a place of soaring pillars and date-filled gardens, richer than any oasis beneath the sun.<br>Caravans that braved the surrounding desert spoke of gleaming palaces of red-hued stone and wells that never ran dry.<br>Yet one day the sands rose as though by God's command and swallowed Ubar whole, leaving nothing but an endless sea of dunes.<br>Some say her people drew down God's wrath by their pride.<br>For this reason, no man who ventures there now finds trace of palace or pillar - only the empty sands."
Historic archives contain scattered references to individuals known as "Sages", but they are few and far between. Each citation seems to refer to a different person living in a vastly different time and location.
====Alula====
The earliest example was found in a Sumerian clay tablet in cuneiform script, while the latest survives only as a footnote in one of Laureano Torres's own journals, dated January 1704. In all – according to exhaustive research – seven different "Sages" seem to have graced the world's stage in the past twelve hundred years. But the real number is likely higher.
;Life of a Nomad
It is difficult to evoke the nomadic world of Arabis without falling into clichés. Bedouins, the "inhabitants of the desert" in Arabic, were historically mobile pastoralists who herded sheep, goats and camels, systematically moving from place to place seeking water and pasture for their animals. To this day, it is a tribal and hierarchical society where the immediate environment plays an important role. Establishing camps with large tents, the most common of which is made of woven goat or camel hair, offers protection agains the sun, sand and dust. Inside, men and women live in separate spaces and guests are received in accordance to the Bedouin values of generous hospitality. They played a notable role in the trans-Arabaian trade, providing animals, usually camels, for transport and serving as guides, offering protection for the commercial caravans, pilgrims and other travelers. It is a life full of incredible adaptation to the constraints of the environment.
;AlUla Oasis
Perhaps, the strangest aspect connecting each of these various sightings is the fact that, in every case, visual descriptions of each Sage are remarkably similar. So similar, in fact, that one wouldn't be faulted for assuming they ware talking about a single, immortal man. However, in two of the seven citations, explicit mention is made of their death and burial.
The AlUla Oasis covers over 200 hectares of the AlUla Valley just north, east and west of AlUla Old Town. Its soil fertility and the ability to tap ground water given the historically high water table led to its development since ancient times. When we speak of an "oasis," we mean a cultivated area made possible by a fresh water source in an otherwise arid environment. Judicious irrigation planning allowed the creation of open fields and enclosed horticultural gardens adiacent to settlement centers, the foundation of local life for millennia. It is this human activity that transformed the valley and made it an exceptional place.
;The Path to Eternity
Is this therefore some bizarre form of reincarnation? Or some simpler explanation that is presently unknown? More research is required.
Archaeological research has contributed greatly to our understanding of some historical funerary practices and beliefs of the local cultures in AlUla. While relatively little is known about the Dadanites or Lihyanites, more is known about the Nabataeans at Hegra. In their culture, many elites were laid to rest in elegant sculpted tombs, dug and carved from the sandstone outcrops surrounding the settlement center. Inscriptions named the owners and placed the deceased under the protection of various deities. Funerary practices involved covering the naked body with a mixture of oil and resin as a form of embalming. It was then covered with a three part-shroud - a thin layer of red-dyed hair cloth and two layers of unbleached linen, the second one thicker than the first and held in place with straps. Finally, a large piece of leather was used like a stretcher to transport the body into the tomb. There were many cavities inside the tombs - pits in the ground and wall niches - for the patron and their descendants. Funerary deposits included date necklaces and objects of wood or metal. Access was temporarily sealed with wood or rocks between burials. Inscriptions clearly established the risk of curses and fines incurred by potential looters or usurpers, who unfortunately seem to have been numerous.
;Ruinous Sanctuary
|-|Vance Travers=
Sometime in the later 1st millennium BCE, the Lihyanites established a sanctuary in Dadan where colossal stone statues of what are interpreted as Lihyanite kings stood tall. They demonstrated the excellence of Lihyanite sculpture, with Egyptian and Greek influences. Only ruins of the sanctuary remain today. A large stone basin, approximately 2 meters deep and hewn from a single huge boulder, was filled from a nearby well and was likely used for the worshippers' ablutions.
Born: 1690, England<br>Died: 1717, Nassau
;Oasis Life
Born in [[England]], the passionate, creative, yet incredibly gullible [[Vance Travers]], found a life for himself amongst the [[Assassins|Assassin's Brotherhood]] in the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], where he ran a successful smuggling enterprise, with his older brother, [[Upton Travers|Upton]].
Systematic water management enabled the impressive agricultural production of the AlUla Oasis. The Dadanites, Lihyanites and Nabataeans dug a number of wells to access the water table, but an underground qanat system was implamented extensively from early Islamic times (at least the 8th century CE). This ingenious system of underground channels made it possible to access and carry water from the aquifer to the fields located at a lower surface elevation using gravity. The water was then distributed among the farm plots in a network of surface channels. This formidable system was used and reused until the implementation of mechanical pumping techniques in the 20th century.
;Incense Road
Business took a turn for the worse after he met and fell in love with the [[Templars|Templar]], [[Jing Lang]], who persuaded him to divulge knowledge of the location of buried treasure with which he and Upton planned to fund their retirement.
Frankincense is an aromatic gum resin, tapped from trees of the genus Boswellia sp. native to Oman, in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Millennia ago, this resin became a prized good for its aroma when burned. It was traded at a high price over long distances, sometimes offered as a sacrifice to various deities so that they might breathe its extraordinary fumes. In antiquity, the strong demand from the Mediterranean world in particular, under Egyptian, Greek and then Roman influence, led to intensive travel along what became known as the "Incense Road", leading up from the Arabian south. AlUla became an essential stopover due to its geographic position and availability of water, and successive Arab kingdoms, including the Nabataeans, made a fortune from this caravan trade. Incense was not the only good traded, and caravans took advantage of this travel to bring back goods from much further afield. Eventual competition from sea transport via the Red Sea usurped the predominance of land travel.
;The Overlook Fortress
Paranoid, Travers developed delusions that his brother plotted to steal his treasure and Jing's heart. He broke from [[the Creed]] and, after a failed attempt at fratricide, was killed by [[Edward Kenway]].
Built in the heart of what became the "Old Town" of AlUla, the fort known as Musa ibn Nusayr is named after an Arab general and governor who is reported to have died in "Wadi Al-Qura" (the "Valley of Villages"), which AlULa was called'jn early Islamic times. This small fort occupied the top of an outcrop about fifty meters high, offering an exceptional view of not only the town below but also of the valley for kilometers to the north and south. It is an exceptional position of observation and defense.
;The Thriving Town
|-|Woodes Rogers=
It is very difficult to date the first occupation of the site where AlUla's Old Town stands today. It is located at an advantageous position: on a naturally raised area along the western side of the valley where it narrows, with a large outcrop to offer a defensive look out point. The first settlement may date back to the Dadanite and Lihyanite times, during the first millennium BCE. We know much more about the settlement during the Islamic era, around 1200 CE onwards. There was nothing like the opulent estate of Nimlot, which was invented as a creative choice by the developers. However, it was indeed a prosperous town with notable agricultural resources due to the natural availability of water and fertile soil in the valley. There were hundreds of mostly small mud-brick houses huddled together in a maze of narrow lanes designed to preserve coolness. These houses generally had two floors connected by an internal staircase. Notably, it was not uncommon to build an additional room upstairs, known as a tayyarah, which spanned the street to the opposite house. In an open area along the east side of the town, the tantora, a sundial, was erected. When its shadow reached a certain stone - embedded at a precise distance in the ground in front of it - on the winter solstice each year, a water distribution regime through the cultivated oasis farms went into effect. The security of the town was ensured by the connected exterior facades of the houses at the perimeter, effectively creating a defensive wall with very few gates, to which was added the fort on the outcrop at an ideal spot for observation. Outside the walls, there was an open-air market for the exchange of goods coming from afar. The town was occupied continuously until the creation of a new AlUla with modern amenities in the 1980s.
[[Woodes Rogers]] was born into money, to a seafaring family with deep roots in both {{Wiki|Poole}} and [[Bristol]], England. His early life was a picture of industriousness and ambition, and by the age of 18 he was an apprentice Mariner.
The Ramm Valley, east of Dadan and the AlUla Oasis, is a series of sandstone canyons carved by the winds and waters of time to create extraordinary shapes with a magical and mysterious character. Today called "Wadi AlFann", which literally mean "Valley of Art", it is becoming an open-air exhibition area of contemporary art and other installations.
;?????????????????
Upon his father's death at sea in 1706, Woodes inherited his family's prosperous shipping company, which he took to managing with great passion. Between 1704 and 1707 Rogers' fortunes and family grew, and by the time he was twenty-seven his marriage to Sarah Whetstone had produced one son and two daughters.
The "Old Town" of AlUla is a maze of lanes lined with mudbrick houses. What stands today emerged during the Islamic era on the remains of older occupation. Far from being an isolated village, it was a prosperous town center fueled by local agricultural activities and caravan trade. It was also an important stop an a Muslim pilgrimage route to Mecca. Even today, you can feel the magic and dynamism of this unique place by wandering through the lanes of Old Town!
;Hegra
By the end of 1707, however, his business had suffered great losses by [[raid]]ing [[France|French]] forces, giving Rogers the idea to recoup these dreadful losses himself. Knocking about Bristol in search of a partner for this endeavor, he soon found himself in the company of [[William Dampier]], an old friend and unlucky [[Captain]] who suggested setting out on a [[privateer]]ing expedition, one that would range far and wide about the [[Americas|New World]]. In 1708, Rogers made the necessary arrangements and set out as Captain of his own vessel, on a difficult voyage that would last over three years.
Located about twenty kilometers north of the AlUla Oasis, the Hegra Archaeological Site is an exceptional testimony to the region's strategic position in antiquity and is the first property in Saudi Arabia to be inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. It was an essential stop on the Incense Route, a major path of travel between sources of frankincense and myrrh in southern Arabia, the Mediterranean world and elsewhere, through the Arabian Peninsula in Nabataean times. It is a civilizational crossroads in terms of architecture, languages, and commercial goods connecting Arab, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Hellenistic cultures. Additionally, it is an extraordinary heritage site, notably for its nearly 100 ornately carved tomb facades, creations of Nabataean culture in mostly the ist century CE, and an extensive water management system. There are also numerous inscriptions testifying to multiple cultural influences of the region, including Dadanitic, Nabataean, Greek and Latin!
The Hegra Archaeological Site (al-Hijr / Mada'in Salih) is the first World Heritage property to be inscribed in Saudi Arabia on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2008.
Along this course Rogers met with many successes and failures. In 1709, off the western coast of [[South America]], he found and rescued a marooned sailor by the name of {{Wiki|Alexander Selkirk}}, a sailor who had spent nearly 4 years living in isolation and who would serve as the inspiration for the book "{{Wiki|Robinson Crusoe}}" just a few years later.
;?????????????????
Soon after Selkirk's recovery, Rogers' fleet engaged an enemy vessel in open combat—a skirmish that earned him a [[pistol]] shot to the left side of his face and a mangled heel. Neither wound was enough to remove him from command however, and he continued serving as captain until his return to England in late 1711. To commemorate this return, he had an operation to remove the offending bullet from his upper palate.
Described as the “open-air library" of AlUla, the site of Ikmah Mountain offers an extraordinary dive into the past through several hundred inscriptions engraved and carved in relief on the rock faces. Most are in Dadanitic language and estimated to have been written between 500-300 BCE. There are many kinds of messages - ritual formulas, including the still mysterious "zll" ceremony, and religious dedications, many of which mention offerings to the Lihyanite god, Dhu Ghaybah, asking for his protection for travel. There are also testimonies on agriculture, including requests for blessings and strong rains. Even if much remains mysterious, the inscriptions are rare testimonies of the life and beliefs of local populations as well as people passing through. While these inscriptions are almost all in Dadanitic, there are inscriptions elsewhere in AlUla in other ancient languages: Aramaic, Thamudic, Sabaic, Minaic, Nabataean, Greek, Latin, Hebrew and Arabic - its script developing from Nabataean. As writing is a vital milestone in the development of mankind, marking the transition from pre-history to history, the significance of Ikmah Mountain heritage transcends its national and regional boundaries to the level of global importance.
In recognition of this significance, the 'Jabal Ikmah' site was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register in 2023.
Now in poor health but high spirits, he set about writing his memoirs. Upon their publication a few years, they were an immediate success, and proved a great source of income. But this brief glory was offset by the sudden death of his son, a tragedy compounded some months later by his wife's decision to leave him. Also at this time, Rogers was sued by former shipmates for allegedly hoarding goods and money plundered from enemy vessels. Rogers assembled a defense, but lost the case.
;?????????????????
In 1713, itching to return to sea, he organized passage to [[Madagascar]] claiming to be a [[merchant]] in the [[Slavery|slave trade]], but with the intended purpose of reconnoitering the rumored [[Piracy|pirate]] colonies established there. When he arrived in Madagascar after months of hard sailing, he found that the legends of the pirate town "[[Libertalia]]" had been exaggerated one-hundredfold. The pirates in Madagascar were sickly and few and desperate for help. After spending just a few months here, Rogers set sail for England, a failure in his own mind.
Located on a strategic route of travel - the Incense Route up the western side of the Arabian Peninsula - the AlUla Valley was a mandatory stop for traders. In the heart of this arid environment, the oasis here offered a well-deserved place to rest alongside a vital source of water. For the travelers, and for the animals of the caravans, the food grown or produced on site as well as the water extracted from the many wells dug in the area (and later other water management systems) allowed them to regain their strength and resupply food and drink stores for the long and arduous journey that continued in one direction or the other. It was also an opportunity to sleep in safety, as bandit attacks were not uncommon along the route and setting up camp was not always safe. In the surely difficult daily life of itinerant merchants, AlUla was certainly a most appreciated haven of peace.
;?????????????????
And yet, never one to give up hope, Woodes Rogers reoriented his attentions to the [[Caribbean|West Indies]], eventually lobbying King [[George I of Great Britain|George]] for a commission to hunt pirates in the Caribbean. On this score, he succeeded. After a few diligent years of making his case, King George appointed Woodes Rogers as the Governor of [[the Bahamas]]. Now, at last, he would make his mark, and bring justice to a land where chaos had taken root...
Known to archaeologists as the IGN 110, the Tomb of Hayyan ibn Kuza is one of the Nabataean masterpieces of Hegra. At 21 meters high, it is one of the largest tombs in the area, but above all, it has the distinction of standing alone, isolated from the others. Clearly visible from the city, it must have been one of the most prestigious and envied tombs of its day! Unfortunately, it was not completed for an unknown reason. It is precisely this unfinished character that makes it one of the essential sources for understanding the making of these tombs, from the work to clear the facade to the carving from top to bottom and the digging of the burial chambers. It is an extraordinary testimony to Nabataean funerary art, here magnified by the sunsets which give it a wonderful reflected rosy color.
;?????????????????
</tabber>
Al-Banat Mountain is one of the jewels of Nabataean Hegra: it is a necropolis of 29 tombs carved in one long outcrop during the first century CE. Clearly visible from the city, the site was apparently very popular with local notables. Archaeologists have been able to establish a chronological sequence of architectural styles and types of tombs. Among the noteworthy sculptural elements, the triangular pediments of the tombs present animals, including eagles snakes and fish. The terrible Medusa, a monster of Greek mythology, also appears, depicted with snakes for hair that, according to legend, transformed those who dared to meet her eyes into stone.
;?????????????????
Ithlib Mountain contained sacred and functional spaces for the Nabataeans. There are a number of niches carved into the rock faces, to house betyls (from the Semitic "Beit-il", divine dwelling), rectangular stones symbolizing Nabataean deities. Most of the betyls are aniconic, without faces or defined features. Meetings, of which little is known, were held in a large room dug out from the rock called a triclinium ("three benches" in Latin), intended for banquets and ritual feasting. In Arabic, this is now referred to as the diwan. Water in Ithlib was supplied by an ingenious system of channels, cisterns and reservoirs fed by rainwater.
;?????????????????
<tabber>
Even today, it is challenging to clearly identify the chronology of the different authorities that dominated the AlUla region during the first millennium BCE. First, there was the Kingdom of Dadan, which began developing a settlement center already established at Dadan. Around 500 or 400 BCE, the Kingdom of Lihyan seems to have come to power, further aggrandizing Dadan as its capital. Both kingdoms took advantage of the exceptional location on the incense road to connect southern Arabia to the Levant, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. The Lihyanites also developed a remarkable culture. In addition to the local Dadanitic script used to engrave and carve hundreds of inscriptions in stone across the area, impressive colossal statues were carved in a local sculptural style. It is uncertain when and how the Nabataean Kingdom, whose capital was at Petra located in present-day Jordan, took control of the AlUla region, but it established its regional authority at Hegra, located about 20 km north of Dadan, by the middle of the 1st century BCE Nabataean wealth also relied on long-distance trade, and its culture adopted and adapted various external influences, such as Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. Its craftsmen carved the magnificent tombs from the sandstone outcrops of Hegra. Although the Nabataean Kingdom was annexed by the Roman Empire in 106 CE, Nabataean culture thrived for centuries after.
|-|Devils Podcast Fragment=
[[File:Animus Hub DB Image 6.png|thumb|200px]]
An incomplete audio clip from The Devils of the Caribbean Podcast reconstructed from recovered files.
;?????????????????
|-|Warning from Ego=
In 60 or 61 CE, a certain Hinat had the following message engraved on the facade of the tomb she commissioned among those in this necropolis: "This is the tomb that Hinat, daughter of Wahbu, dug for herself, her children and her descendants, forever. No one has the right to sell it, to pledge it or to draw up a lease for this tomb. And whoever acts otherwise will see his share go to his rightful heir. In the twenty-first year of King Maliku, king of the Nabataeans." Nearly 2000 years later, archaeologists have been able to establish that several dozen bodies were placed in this tomb, including one that may be Hinat herself, a woman of 40 to 50 years old.
[[File:Animus Hub DB Image 6.png|thumb|200px]]
An audio message from Ego, easily intercepted by the Dark Animus with no need for further decryption.
;Oasis Irrigation and Flora
In it, she warns the nascent Eagle that she knows of his every movement within the mainframe, threatening to pierce him clean from the sky.
A high water table and fertile soil enabled the development of cultivated oases in the AlUla Valley, and the Hegra plain just to the north, for millennia. While the rains were unpredictable, the available ground water was tapped and effectively managed. The AlUla Oasis combined open fields and horticultural gardens enclosed by mudbrick walls and elevated walkways. In the open fields, wheat and barley were grown in winter. The harvest season for date palms, which were grown in groves, was late summer/early autumn. In Nabataean times, when agriculture in the Hegra plain was developed, even cotton could be cultivated. In Islamic times, a variety of citrus fruits were introduced to the crop repertoire. A rich array of produce cultivated within the oasis itself could be offered on the local markets. A three-tiered approach to farming was the most sustainable, with the palms providing shade for the fruit trees below and the ground crops beneath them. In summer, the inhabitants of the Old Town relocated to family farms at the oasis, which was cooler.
;?????????????????
|-|Retrieved Audio=
Systematic water management enabled the impressive agricultural production of the AlUla Oasis. The Dadanites, Lihyanites and Nabataeans dug a number of wells to access the water table, but an underground qanat system was implemented extensively from early Islamic times (at least the 8th century CE). This ingenious system of underground channels made it possible to access and carry water from the aquifer to the fields located at a lower surface elevation using gravity. The water was then distributed among the farm plots in a network of surface channels. This formidable system was used and reused until the implementation of mechanical pumping techniques in the 20th century.
[[File:Animus Hub DB Image 6.png|thumb|200px]]
Audio memory obtained from an Animus memory fragement in which Sebastían Vizcaíno recovers from wounds sustained during a confrontation.
;Roman Life in AlUla
|-|Guided Meditation Audio=
During antiquity, the Roman Empire gradually spread around the Mediterranean and beyond, particularly in North Africa, Egypt, but also in Asia Minor and southwestern Asia. A huge area of prosperity and trade, the Empire was interested in the Arabian trade routes that supplied incense, spices and other goods from the region itself or from further east and south Established in Jordan, the Nabataean Kingdom became a key partner and was annexed into the Empire in 106 CE, under the reign of Trajan. Roman presence then spread further including at Hegra where a Roman garrison established a fort to protect and collect charges along this trade route Little is known about the life of the legionaries there, except that they belonged to Legion III of Cyrenaica (a region of present-day Libya) and that the fort was perhaps the southernmost inland fortified post in the Empire. Despite nomadic raids and the threat of the Parthian Empire, Rome's rival centered in Persian, this area of the Empire remained under the influence of Rome for many centuries. A strong new political chapter started with the establishment of the Arab-Muslim caliphate in the seventh century CE.
[[File:Animus Hub DB Image 6.png|thumb|200px]]
An audio file for a guided wellness meditation.
===Other===
</tabber>
;Anfas Al-Fusul (Breaths of the Seasons)
This sheet music shows an Oud melody that can be played at Performer Corners scattered around AlUla.
Purchased from any General Store for 1200 Reales<section end="NAME"/>
Spanish Cup-hilt Rapiers<section begin="NAME"/>
Rapier
Common
17
2
N/A
Found in treasure chest in Havana<section end="NAME"/>
Officer's Smallswords<section begin="NAME"/>
Rapier
Common
13
2
N/A
Default swords<section end="NAME"/>
German Rapiers<section begin="NAME"/>
Rapier
Common
22
2
N/A
Found in treasure chest on Crooked Island<section end="NAME"/>
Privateer's Cutlasses<section begin="NAME"/>
Cutlass
Common
25
2
N/A
Found in Treasure Chest on Florida island<section end="NAME"/>
NAME<section begin="NAME"/>
<section end="NAME"/>
Name
Description
Lightserver's Blades
Sleek black blades with gold filigree, hones to deadly edges.
Dragon's Fang Swords
A sword with a light, graceful design featuring a mystic jade edge.
Blades of the Damned
A pair of swords glowing with hellfire and brimstone, fierce and powerful.
Serpent's Fang Cutlasses
A pair of sharp, serpentine swords inspired by sea monster fangs, lit with neon patterns.
The Fortune
A pair of unique swords once used by the infamous pirate, Edward Kenway.
Dual Cleavers
A pair of simple meat cleavers typically used by butchers and made infamous by pirates as weapons of war.
Order of Gold
Adorned with intricate patterns, these blades are a rare and deadly curiosity.
Ezio's Swords
A pair of swords once owned by the legendary Assassin mentor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
Altaïr's Swords
A pair of swords once owned by the legendary Assassin mentor, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.
Naoe's Shadowblade
A balanced katana shaped by shinobi combat principles, favoring fluid movement and rapid follow-up strikes. Performs best with evasive tactics.
Dark Animus Corsair Pistol Swords
These blades dance with strange light, like tears in the fabric of the world.
Spring-Steel Swords
A pair of swords that look unremarkable at first glance, but have the strength to deflect bullets if wielded properly.
Blades of Toledo
A sleek pair of swords Edward Kenway acquired in the famous city of Toledo.
Le Bourgeoys Blades
The only pair of pistol swords with a genuine original flintlock attached.
Persian Scimitars
A beautiful and deadly pair of Persian scimitars, replete with embedded diamonds.
Matched Golden Swords
A pair of legendary golden swords, praised far and wide for their exquisite beauty.
Masterwork Blades
A pair of beautifully balanced swords forged by a master craftsman.
Espada Ancha
Versatile soldier's swords, unremarkable in appearance but trustworthy in a fight.
French Court Swords
A pair of swords famous for having a perfect balance between speed and power.
Pirate Scimitars
A pair of devastating scimitars, praised from Barbados to Boston.
British Colonial Cutlasses
A pair of cutlasses popular among the settlers of the British colonies in North America.
Scottish Broadswords
Heavy broadswords that emphasize damage over finesse.
Standard Pistol Swords
A pair of rare pistol swords, capable of firing a gunshot in the right circunstances.
Captain Drake's Swords
A pair of silver broadswords rumored to have been used by the legendary privateer, Sir Francis Drake.
Ferraro's Rapiers
A pair of rapiers that belonged to the Italian diplomat, Ruggiero Ferraro.
Officer's Rapiers
A pair of extremely light rapiers praised for their swiftness.
German Rapiers
A pair of traditional German rapiers typically used by Prussian court officers.
Privateer's Cutlasses
A pair of cutlasses appreciated for their versatility by privateers throughout the West Indies.
British Cutlasses
A pair of light cutlasses made popular by British privateers.
French Dress Swords
A pair of elegant swords made popular by French court officers.
Spanish Cup-hilt Rapiers
A pair of cheap yet efficient Spanish rapiers.
Officer's Smallswords
A pair of small swords popular among officers in the British Army.
Rustborne Swords
Versatile blades with integrated flintlocks, their bronze-hued surfaces worn by time and battle. Perfect for Assassins who strike swiftly, both in melee and from a distance.
bought from secret General Store on unmarked island in the north-west of Gibara region at Coordinates 550, 638 (22000 Reales)<section end="NAME"/>
Rustic Flintlocks<section begin="NAME"/>
Legendary
22
1.20
After a Perfect Dodge, quick shooting immediately does not consume ammunition
obtained from in-game online store for free (on map press Options-Button to access the store).<section end="NAME"/>
Peaceful Means<section begin="NAME"/>
Legendary
20
1.00
Pistol shots are quieter
Purchased from Treasure Dealer for 3 Capuchin Monkey Pelt, 4 Iguana Leather, and 20 Rum Barrels.<section end="NAME"/>
Cannon-Barrel Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
Rare
21
1.12
N/A
from locked chest in Jiguey (535, 511). It's a locked underwater chest, loot the key from the pirate leader on the beach inside Jiguey, in the same cave as the chest.<section end="NAME"/>
Captain Morgan's Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
Rare
20
1.50
N/A
Found in underwater treasure chest on Black Island<section end="NAME"/>
Found in treasure chest on Great Inagua<section end="NAME"/>
Spanish Officer Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
Rare
24
1.00
N/A
Purchased from Level II General Store for 5500 Reales<section end="NAME"/>
Pirate Blunderbusses<section begin="NAME"/>
Rare
20
1.00
N/A
Purchased from Level II General Store for 6000 Reales<section end="NAME"/>
Baldwin's Golden Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
Rare
26
1.00
N/A
Complete Plantain!<section end="NAME"/>
Standard Wheellock Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
Common
20
1.12
N/A
purchasable from any General Store (800 Reales)<section end="NAME"/>
Common Flintlock Pistols<section begin="NAME"/>
Common
20
1.00
N/A
Default pistols<section end="NAME"/>
NAME<section begin="NAME"/>
<section end="NAME"/>
Name
Description
Dark Animus Corsair Flintlocks
Truth and thunder in the palm of your hand.
Darkworker's Pistols
Hand-carved ebony with gold-plated iron forming a lethal union.
Dragon's Roar Pistols
Sleek pistols imbued with ornate scrollwork and glowing jade.
Diabolist's Pistols
A set of pistols wreathed in infernal flames, emitting an aura of destruction.
Fury of the Deep Pistols
Silvery, steel pistols adorned with deep-sea patterns and neon highlights.
Golden Flintlock Pistols
A set of legendary, golden flintlock pistols, famed for their extraordinary precision.
Gargoyle's Breath
Monstrous, leering faces adorn the grips of these pistols.
Captain Drake's Flintlocks
A set of flintlock pistols once owned and used by captain and knight, Sir Francis Drake.
Rustic Flintlocks
Firearms with rustic patinas, showing the marks of countless skirmishes. Compact, reliable, and ready for close encounters or unexpected duels.
Peaceful Means
The method by which many disputes can be swiftly resolved.
Cannon-Barrel Pistols
A set of pistols forged to resemble ship cannons.
Captain Morgan's Pistols
A set of flintlock pistols once owned and used by Captain Morgan.
Captain's Wheellock Pistols
A rare set of old wheellock pistols, coveted by soldiers for their sturdiness and sentimental value.
Spanish Officer Pistols
A set of pistols, praised throughout the West Indies for their stability.
Pirate Blunderbusses
A set of bulky blunderbusses, popular among pirates for their brashness.
Baldwin's Golden Pistols
Inextricably tied to the fall of the Baldwin name, these pistols claimed the lives of at least two of their owners' family. They are likely to claim many more.
Standard Wheellock Pistols
A set of wheellock pistols, perfect for reaching targets at great distances.
Common Flintlock Pistols
A set of typical flintlock pistols, found all across the West Indies.
Rendered in miniature, that its gaze might ward the steps of its keeper across land and sea.
Health slowly regenerates while out of combat
Found in underwater chest between pair of unnamed island south of San Ignacio wreck
Stormrunner Pendant
Rare
A lightweight circular pendant painted in striking blue and red pigments. Its design captures the spirit of relentless motion and high adrenaline, carried by travelers who refuse to tire, whether sprinting through crowded markets or scaling towering keeps.
Increases the amount of healing from food, drink, and remedies
Found in underwater chest off the coast of Nassau, at coordinates 615, 767
Hunter's Amulet
Rare
An amulet of good fortune favored by hunters.
Animals' range of detection is reduced
Buried treasure chest on Santanillas
Bloody Spanish Medal
Rare
One of Laurens Prins' trophies from his time as a soldier.
Reduces damage from Spanish soldiers
Inside Laurens Prins' Manor
Anchor Medallion
Rare
A lucky anchor medallion favored by sharp-eyed sailors.
Increases the rewards from floating loot
Found in a treasure chest on Sacrifice Island
Lock of Hair
Rare
A lock of Caroline's hair kept as a lucky keepsake.
Restore some health after a perfect parry
Complete Wayward Souls
Cross Pendant
Rare
A bejeweled cross once worn by the wealthiest citizen in Kingston.
Reduces damage from British soldiers
Complete Tithes Paid
Exotic Sea Shells
Rare
A string of sea shells gathered from around the world.
Increases the wildlife products gained from skinning animals
Found in treasure chest in southeast Havana
Small Goblet
Rare
A sacred grail said to prolong its owner's life.
Increases the amount of healing from food, drink, and remedies
Complete The Other Cheek
Jackdaw Totem
Rare
Carved by an unknown sculptor, it represents protection and gratitude.
Falling from high places no longer damages Edward
Complete A World Without Gold
Lodestone
Rare
A naturally magnetized piece of mineral.
Loots nearby Corpses and Curios automatically
Purchased from a Level II General Store for 7000 Reales
Folded Palm
Rare
A gambler's trinket meant to bring good fortune.
Gain reales after each Takedown
Complete Spiteful Soldier
Found Coin
Rare
A large gold coin turned into a good luck charm.
Increase the amount of Reales gained
Complete Art Lover I
Rabbit's Foot
Common
A lucky charm for warding off misfortune.
Chance of staggering an enemy following a successful parry
The course of the 18th Century saw the British Empire become the world's leading colonial power, with France and Spain as its primary rivals. After siding with the Netherlands and Austria in the War of the Spanish Succession, the British Empire expanded, gaining territories from both Spain and France, and taking over control of the Atlanticslave trade in Spanish America.
For a handful of coin, "Dancers" can be employed to distract guards and interfere with ongoing fights. They might also have some incredible stories of their own to tell, if only you'd bother to listen.
Sailors flush with rum and the heat of the sun, these Drunkards can be useful in a few ways. First as blend groups that allow Edward to hide in plain sight, and secondly as allies in the event of a scuffle. But remember to bring a bit of coin if you want them to fight alongside you, as these pirates won't risk their lives for free.
Already a global power, the Spanish defeated powerful adversaries such as the Aztecs and Incas in the Americas by exploiting existing conflicts and rivalries between tribes and nations between the 15th and 18th centuries.
Acquisitive and protective of the supply of precious metals its new colonies afforded it, the Spanish Empire enthusiastically participated in the Atlantic slave trade and defended its trade routes aggressively.
Even after its defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, the 18th century was nevertheless one of prosperity for the Spanish Empire, as their trade reputation grew steadily under Bourbon oversight, and continued to grow at an extraordinary rate until the 1780s.
Often used interchangeably, there are a number of important distinctions to make between these different kinds of swashbucklers...
Pirates: Criminals on the open sea who use coercion, intimidation and violence to rob innocent people of their cargo and transport. The term pirate is a catch-all and may be used generally to refer to all who perform acts of larceny on the open ocean. Pirates have been a problem since the advent of long-distance ocean travel; every age has seen its share of pirates, and every age has cursed their name and romanticized their cause. During the so-called "Golden Age of Piracy" (roughly 1650 to 1725), the majority of pirates were from the British Isles. Most were young men in their 20s and almost all had already gained some experience as sailors prior to falling into piracy.
Buccaneers: Though often used as a synonym for Pirates now, the term Buccaneer refers more specifically to a group of pirates who lived and operated in the West Indies in the middle of the 17th century. Best known for attacking settlements and fortifications on land in large groups, the Buccaneers derived their name from the French Boucanier -- an instrument used for smoking strips of meat over an open fire, a favorite sort of sustenance for these terrestrial pirates.
Privateers: Non-commissioned sailors who attack and rob, having been given a Letter of Marque by their King or a royal official such as a Governor. Thus the distance between a Pirate and a Privateer is but a hair's breath of difference -- Pirates simply sail for one monarch fewer.
Taíno refers to a group of related languages and cultures widespread across the Caribbean at the time of European arrival. Broadly speaking, they consisted of the Ciboney or Western Taíno of Cuba, Jamaica and the Bahamas; the Classic Taíno of Hispaniola and Borikén (the indigenous name of Puerto Rico); and the Eastern Taíno of the Antilles.
A Taíno cacique or chief demonstrated rank by carrying an object forged from guanín, a unique indigenous alloy made out of copper, silver, and gold, noted for its lustrous shine. The term "tabaco" from which we also derive from a Taíno word, as tobacco was cultivated on the islands and its usage noted by Spanish explorers. Other English words with a Taíno origin include barbecue, canoe, hurricane, iguana, and potato.
Other, non-Taíno indigenous groups of the island include the Ciguaya, Macorix, and Kalinago or Caribs, for whom the Caribbean Sea is named.
There were several attempts to found a town near the Havana Bay in the early 1500s. A settlement was established by the SpanishConquistadorDiego Velázquez de Cuéllar around 1514. The city sits on a bay that opens to the Gulf Stream and thus became a natural stopping point between Europe and the Americas.
In the earliest stages of the golden age of piracy Havana was burnt to the ground by Frenchcorsair, Jacques de Sores. By the 1700s, Havana had become a large, heavily fortified port city where Spanish treasure ships would dock on their way to Europe. Pirates lurked on the approaches to the city, hoping to capture these same ships.
Originally founded as another Charles-Towne, the city was renamed Nassau in honor of King William III of the house of Orange-Nassau. This city has a particularly colorful past: In 1706 the city's officially appointed Governor skipped town, thus severing the Crown's direct control over the Bahamas.
The islands languished for almost a decade in the hands of Britishcitizens with little or no interest in Statesmanship. By 1713, the entire region had become a haven for pirates and it was in this period that Benjamin Hornigold declared Nassau to be a pirate republic. He proclaimed himself governor and thereafter every pirate of any sense and reputation used Nassau as a base of operation, transforming this small city of barely 1000 residences into a "nest of infamous bastards", according to the Governor of Bermuda.
Dating generally from the MayanClassic period (AD 250 - 900), most Mayan ruins can be found throughout the Yucatán peninsula and Central America. Mayan Temples have steep stone steps and a platform at the top for wooden crowning structures. Mayan architecture is composed with a sophisticated eye to decoration, often using wall paintings and elaborate bas-relief stone carvings. Mayan arches forego the use of a keystone, instead creating a triangle-like arch known as a corbel vault.
A dominating presence on Havana's Plaza de San Francisco, the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis dates from 1580s. Originally, a statue of St. Francis of Assisi stood atop the bell tower, but this was blown off in a cyclone in 1846. Baroque features were added to the basilica in 1730.
The Governor's Mansion housed the acting Spanish governor in addition to prison facilities. A new governor's mansion was constructed across the square in 1791.
This drinking spot, named after "The King of Pirates" Henry Avery, was highly popular among gritty seafarers in the early 18th century. Legend had it that Avery himself once had a financial stake in several establishments throughout the West Indies, but that appears to be nothing more than self-promotion.
More of a display of his imaginative and technical skills than an actual historic representation, this dramatic painting by Willem van de Velde II depicts a battle with Barbary corsairs from north Africa.
This painting by Luca Giordano was commisioned by King Philip V of Spain for display in the French court.
Gold-work from the Isthmus, representing a crowned half-human, half-bat figure flanked by four crocodile heads.
Today is my birthday.
Brandish every Cask, Bottle and Barrel of Alcohol. Everyone is to partake and sing my Praises. To ensure that this Do goes splendidly, I will take charge of the Stores and require its Key.
My Father will be most gratified at your swift fulfilment of my Commands.
- Emmerson Beckford
I, Thomas Cecil, hereby report that the following is a true Manifest of all the Goods, Wares and Merchandize, of the Marks, Numbers and Contents of each Package on board the Endeavor which Cargo was received at the Trading Post of Andreas Island from whence the Craft Sailed for the Plantation of Cat Island.
Sugar - 110 Barrels
Molasses - 25 Barrels
Tobacco - 15 Barrels
John,
It is done. Accompanying this Letter you will find the Will, fully notarized by myself and with the old Man's signature. It will survive the scrutiny of any English Court, I assure you.
Arrangements for your Daughter's removal are also underway. My Associates in the Royal Navy tell me she will be apprehended within the Month. In fact, I hear they have solicited the most reputable Pirate Hunter Lieutenant Maynard for the Task.
Courage my Friend. After so many long Years, we are almost there,
Thomas Barehaire Esq.
In the Name of God, I, Theodore Rupert Braddock, being of sound Mind and Memory, do declare this my last Will and Testament, in Manner and Form following, revoking all former Wills by me made.
As touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, I give, devise, and bequeath all my Goods unto my well-beloved Son-in-Law, John Baldwin, Husband of my late daughter Elizabeth, to have and to hold the same unto him, his Heirs, and Assigns forever.
I do nominate, constitute, and appoint my said Son-in-Law, John Baldwin, to be the sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, charging him to see this my Will performed according to my true Intent and Meaning.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal, this Second day of January in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty.
Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said Theodore Rupert Braddock as and for his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, at his Request and in his Presence, and in the Presence of each other, have subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto.
Theodore Rupert Braddock
Witnessed by:
Thomas Barehaire, Esquire
John Baldwin
Thom,
Don't go getting all uncharitable about this, I did it for your own Good. I knew we might strike some Trouble along the way, so I hid your Share with the original Will in the Likelihood we ever need the old Man's Signature again.
The Locket's here too. I want it kept, no matter what you think. There is no one left to know of it's Significance, at any Rate. I'll recover it from you when all this is over, and include a Crate of Rum for the Inconvenience.
Chin up Man! We're Home free!
John.
Vance,
I had to leave early. My Order requires a Report and there cannot be a Delay. I'll be waiting by the Tavern at the usual Time. Come with both pieces of the Map.
Jing Lang
A letter to Lauren Prins, [sic] congratulating him on acquiring The Sage.
1. Cato, 35 years, superior carpenter and ship caulker.
2. York, 16 years, field hand.
3. Nero, 25 years, stone cutter.
4. Bess, 28 years, field cook, water carrier.
5. Esther, 31 years, midwife.
6. Gracey, 14 years, good house girl and child's nurse.
7. Anthony Morgan, about 30 years, fine engineer and field hand.
8. Sarah Morgan, 32 years, good field hand; tonsils occasionally inflamed.
9. Infant, 2 months.
10. Anthony, 3 years.
11. Stephen, 5 years.
12. Nace, 9 years.
13. Sophy, 12 years, likely.
You, Mr Thomas Stell, Ensign, stand charged for Dereliction of Duty.
On Tuesday last you were tasked to deliver a Prisoner to the Church at the center of Kingston, but were discovered to be in a shameful and drunken State, having abandoned your Post.
You are dismissed forthwith from Service, being no longer entitled to Pay or Protection from the Royal Navy.
Know all, by these Present, that I, Alvin of the Village of Grand Cayman, in consideration of the Sum of Forty-Two Reales in Hand, paid to me by Vargas of the Village of Grand Cayman, the Receipt of where I do acknowledge, have in turn sold and delivered in measured Weight One-Hundred-and-Thirty-Six Pounds of Mutton Snapper unto said Vargas.
In witness whereof I have set my Hand the Fifth Day of May 1716. Signed, sealed and delivered in the present of
All and Sundry, viz.
- Alvin of Grand Cayman
A debonair portrait of Julien Du Casse, the infamous mercenary.
Hangs above the bed in the Mansion at Great Inagua.
A vivid portrait of Laurens Prins, the reprehensible slaver.
Hangs in the hall of the Mansion at Great Inagua.
The schooner was a class of ship used as a general sailing vessel by both navies and civilian operators, providing light firepower and ample speed.
The brig was a class of ship bearing two square-rigged masts, and represented a compromise between larger, more powerful ships, and the faster, but less well-armed ones.
The man o' war was a type of large warship purpose built for warfare, boasting multiple gun decks, and crewed by heavily armed professional soldiers.
El Dorado was a brig that formed part of the Spanish Treasure Fleet.
The fleet was destroyed in a hurricane, with the El Dorado its lone surviving vessel.
The Jackdaw was a brig captained by the pirate-turned-Assassin Edward Kenway, who named it after the small, swift bird of his native Wales.
The ship was known as El Dorado before Edward and his future quartermaster Adéwalé captured it from its fleet.
The Royal Fortune was a man o' war captained by the pirate and Sage Bartholomew Roberts, who elected to keep and renamed it after he captured it as the Nosso Senhor da Compreensão from the Portuguese Navy.
The Ranger was a brig formerly owned by the pirate Benjamin Hornigold before he passed it on to his colleague, Charles Vane.
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Brig.
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Cutter.
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Schooner.
A miniature ship model of a Spanish Frigate.
A miniature ship model of a Spanish man o' war.
A miniature ship model of an English Brig.
A miniature ship model of an English Cutter.
A miniature ship model of an English Schooner.
A miniature ship model of an English Frigate.
A miniature ship model of an English man o' war.
A miniature ship model of the El Dorado.
A miniature ship model of the Jackdaw.
A miniature ship model of the Revenge.
In the Americas, the term ‘black panther’ generally refers to a melanistic jaguar. They are not a separate species, but a color morph of the spotted form. Black jaguars form less than ten percent of jaguars.
Black jaguars can be found in Isla Providencia and Pinos Isle.
The cat is a small carnivorous mammal with a flexible body, sharp claws, and quick reflexes. Cats have long been domesticated, and are favored as pets for their affectionate independence, and playful natures.
Sailors often keep cats aboard ships to deal with rats and other vermin.
The Crocodile is a large, tropical-dwelling tetrapod. Crocodiles can measure up to 15 feet long, weigh 2000 pounds, and live to be 70 years old. This prehistoric-looking predator preys on birds, fish, insects and other reptiles.
Crocodiles have been known to indulge in cannibalistic behaviour. Because of this, they live in groupings of the same size.
Not to be confused with alligators, crocodiles are bigger, lighter in color, and have narrower snouts. Although known to attack humans, the crocodile is more likely to flee than to react aggressively when approached.
Crocodiles are most commonly found in Nassau, Long Bay, and Matanzas.
Deer are large hoofed ruminants notable for having two large and two small hooves on each foot. Males have antlers while the females do not, with the exception of a single species where the females also grow antlers. Deer are selective feeders, eating plant food low in fiber content and high in protein such as young grass, herbs, woody shoots, and bark.
Various subspecies of deer can be found in the Caribbean bioregion. The red brocket deer, for example, is found in Trinidad and Tobago and the Key deer, introduced by colonists, inhabits the Florida Keys.
Deer are most commonly found in Kingston, Salt Lagoon, and Santanillas.
Frigate birds are large seabirds with long wings, forked tails, and slender bodies. They generally inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans, often nesting on remote islands. Frigate birds are skilled fliers, and are known to steal food from other seabirds.
Found across the world in tropical and temperate waters, the hammerhead's unusual head shape gives it increased sensory ability to detect its prey. The hammerhead does not attack humans, although it can be lethal if provoked.
Hammerhead sharks can be found in the Eleuthera and Gibara regions.
Considered one of the loudest animals on earth, the small-sized Howler Monkey generates a siren-like howl that can be heard from a distance of 3 miles (5km). They are not aggressive and are popular as pets in The West Indies.
Howler monkeys are most commonly found in Kingston, Cape Bonavista, and Long Bay.
The hutia is a large rodent unique to the Caribbean basin which varies in size, and can form distinct species from island to island. Hutias are often hunted by locals to be eaten in a spiced stew.
Hutias are most commonly found in Cayman Sound and Long Bay.
Iguanas are large, herbivorous lizards found throughout the Caribbean islands. The common iguana eats only leaves, flowers and fruit. Despite their at times fierce appearance they are not aggressive, and typically flee when threatened. However, they can lash their tails and bite if provoked.
Iguana are found in Great Inagua, Andreas Island, and Abaco Island.
The largest feline in the Western hemisphere, the jaguar is distinguished by its compact and powerful build, its agility, and its unique killing method of biting directly into the skull to pierce the brain. The Mayans believed that the jaguars could carry messages to and from the afterworld.
Jaguars are most commonly found in Cape Bonavista, Long Bay, Tulum, and Principe.
Also called a medusa, the jellyfish isn't technically a fish—it is a free-swimming non-vertebrate found in every sea across the world. Jellyfish consist of a gelatinous bell with trailing tentacles capable of stinging prey. Jellyfish stings are in most cases harmless to humans, but some can be extremely serious, even lethal.
Although related to sharks, manta rays are harmless. They can be quite large (up to 30 ft (9m) wide) and feed on small fish and plankton, funneling food into their mouth using cephalic flaps extending from the eyes. Manta rays, which are found all over the world, have the unique ability to leap from the water into the air to escape attackers.
Monkeys in the Caribbean are primarily an introduced African species called the green monkey, although up to the 17th Century these still shared territory with the now extinct Jamaican monkey. Both species were omnivores that ate a variety of foraged foods including fruit, seeds, flowers, insects, and smaller animals like frogs and birds.
Monkeys were viewed as pests by farmers as they continually raided crops, but were favoured by locals and sailors who adopted them as mischievous, intelligent pets.
The ocelot is a wild cat that typically has yellow fur with dark stripes in the manner of a jaguar. Ocelots are nocturnal and range from the size of domestic cats up to four feet (1.2 meters) in length.
Ocelot hides are coveted by leather workers for their ease of working, patterned fur, soft texture, and durability.
Ocelots can be found in Cumberland Bay and Abaco Island.
The Caribbean basin provides an excellent climate for both land and sea turtles. Turtles are reptiles with a hard, protective upper shell called a carapace. Although they are natural swimmers and can stay submerged for up to 7 hours while resting, turtles breathe air. Despite being awkward and slow moving on land, they go ashore to lay their eggs.
White coats in animals can be due to a specific genetic mutation or albinism. The genetic mutation that yields a white jaguar also results in a more aggressive animal, making them dangerous as well as rare.
White jaguars can be found at Great Inagua.
The wild pig, or boar, is a large cousin of the domesticated pig covered by hairy bristles. They were introduced by Europeans to the Caribbean basin (Columbus himself brought eight pigs with him from Spain). Wild pigs flourished in the island environment and were hunted by sailors and pirates to provide salted pork on their voyages.
Wild pigs are most commonly found in Nassau, Great Inagua, and Cape Bonavista.
So-called because of their short snouts and their tendency to head-butt prey, bull sharks are commonly found in warm, shallow waters. They are extremely aggressive and dangerous to humans. The females are larger than the males, and adults measure well over seven feet (2.15m) long.
Bull sharks can be found in the Dry Tortuga, Gibara, and Punta Guarico regions.
Found throughout Central and South America, capuchin monkeys are small and highly intelligent. They eat almost anything -- nuts, fruits, small birds, frogs, clams, etc. Many pirates favored capuchins as pets.
Capuchins can be found in Matanzas and Misteriosa.
The largest predatory fish in the world, the great white's lethal aspect is due to its nearly 300 serrated teeth arranged in rows. Great whites have been known to attack humans, but usually more out of curiosity than hunger -- "sample biting" and then releasing their victims. The great white reaches an average length of 15 feet (4.6m).
Great white sharks can be found in the Cruz and Serranilla regions.
Known for emitting complex sequences of haunting moans, the humpback is a large whale that reaches up to 62 feet (19 meters) in length. They migrate from the poles to the equator seasonally and travel in pods.
Humpback whales can be found in the Castillo De Jagua and Navassa regions.
Called the Grampus by sailors in the 18th century, the killer whale, or Orca, is part of the dolphin family. Known for their ferociously deadly predation, killer whales feast on seals, sea-lions and even other whales. They hunt in pods in the manner of wolf packs and are found throughout the world's seas.
Killer whales can be found in the Cruz and Conttoyor regions.
Red howler monkeys can be located on Isla Providencia.
Born to enslavedOgoni parents in Yoruba, Adéwalé was sold to the owner of a prosperous plantation before his teens. He remained on this plantation, working the fields, until his mid teens, always scheming of ways to escape his predicament, but uneasy with the prospect of living life as a fugitive.
Then fortune struck, giving Adéwalé the sign he needed. At some point near his 16th birthday, a group of buccaneers raided the plantation, robbing it of raw cane, refined sugar, and as many reales as they could find. Seeing in this an opportunity, Adé grabbed a crate of sugar and hauled it aboard one of the longboats the buccaneers had rowed ashore. Surprised to see a slave among them, the buccaneers were nevertheless thankful for the aid, and welcomed Adé among them.
Adé sailed with this first group of men for many years, quickly learning the ways of a seaman, grateful for the chance to develop his own skills and chase his own passions. And though his life among buccaneers was not free of the usual bigotry of the era, Adé found the prejudice to be more confrontational than restrictive.
In 1715, misfortune struck a cruel blow when the ship Adé was aboard, struck a shallow sandbar near the port of Havana. The buccaneers—mostly British at the time—tried desperately to free the trapped vessel, but after catching sight of an approaching SpanishGalleon, abandoned ship only to be torn apart by schools of circling bull sharks. Adé made peace with his fate, and stood his ground.
Taken to Havana for questioning and inspection, Spanish authorities eventually decided to send Adéwalé to Spain, where they felt he would make an excellent interpreter, owing to his fluent command of Spanish, English, and French. Some weeks later, they loaded him into of the Galleons that made up their perennial treasure convoy, en route to Seville.
Born: 1660s, Yucatan Peninsula
Died: c.1745, Yucatan Peninsula
Named for the Mayan god of hunting, Ah Tabai's given name remains a mystery, and very little is known about his earliest decades. The only child he is known to have fathered died before the age of ten.
What little else we know about him comes from his own mouth; from the stories he told those who knew him. When speaking about his own past, he avoids personal details in favor of abstractions and hints. He frequently speaks of his love and admiration for the tragic history of his people, and used these stories to illustrate the complex intersections of cultures and religions, frequently pointing out the fact that "From within and without come enemies and allies alike. Nothing in life is guaranteed, except surprise..."
It is not known how early Ah Tabai acquired the title of Mentor, nor how large his impact was on the Assassins of the West Indies. However, that he maintained semi-regular contact with the Assassins in the British colonies to the north, in various parts of Europe and Africa, and in China. He was instrumental in opening his branch to men and women from all walks of life - mostly Europeans, Africans, and those Native to the area.
As a native Mayan himself, rumors and stories of the ancient Observatory were not foreign to Ah Tabai. So when in 1713 rumors of a new "Sage" began to surface, Ah Tabai took it upon himself to locate the man, believing the Assassins should be the protectors of the ancient and mysterious place. He sent word far and wide to as many Assassin outposts as possible, hoping their network of spies and informants would lead them to their prize. But after two years, there was no word.
Then, in early 1715, an experienced British Assassin named Duncan Walpole arrived at Ah Tabai's encampment, initially expressing a desire to train under the Mentor directly. Ah Tabai found the request odd but flattering, for Walpole had already achieved a level of Mastery few assassins ever reached. After many months of intensive training, Ah Tabai came to consider Duncan Walpole as one of his most trusted colleagues.
Then in June of 1715, word arrived that the Templars had located and imprisoned the Sage on Spanish lands in the far south. Seeing an opportunity to cripple his arch-enemies, Ah Tabai entrusted Duncan Walpole with the task of rallying various Assassins around the West Indies and leading an assault on the Templar prison ship en route to Havana. Duncan Walpole agreed to this task... and was never heard from again.
It was only after Edward Kenway's disastrous meddling in Havana that Ah Tabai was made aware of the full extent of Walpole's betrayal.
Born: 1702, Ireland Died: Unknown
Anne was barely a teen when she left her native Cork in Ireland for the British colonies, and by sixteen she was en route to West Indies at side of her new husband, Mr. Jack Bonny, a gentle but sturdy young man in his early 20s.
The pair arrived in Nassau in April of 1716, settling down with an unclear idea of what shape their lives might take. Jack eventually found work on one of the small plantations there, while Anne cultivated her ability to loaf and daydream. Unfortunately, her beauty, aloofness, and complete indifference to propriety made her the object of more romantic attention than she had ever known or cared for.
Within a year of arriving in Nassau, the Bonnys' marriage was in shambles, a union only in name. While Jack disappeared further into his work, Anne grew more confident and sociable, eventually taking a job as a barmaid at the popular Old Averytavern in the center of Nassau. And though she took on a few lovers in the next few years, it was mostly out of envy and spite that the rabble of Nassau branded Anne a harlot and a tease. But with no high society to shun or shame her, Anne's desirability only increased on the strength of these rumors.
orn: 1680, England Died: ????
Known variously by different sources as Thatch, Teach, Theach, Tache, Titche, Teatch, Tack, and more, we are fairly certain Edward Thatch was born in or around Bristol and took to the sea at an early age, most likely in his teens. It is also speculated that he arrived in the West Indies quite soon after leaving England.
If this was indeed the case, Ed Thatch would have seen his fair share of the War of Spanish Succession, a protracted fight between most of the Empires of Europe that pitted Hapsburg Austia and its British ally against Bourbon France and Spain. In these early years, from 1700 to 1713, Thatch was a privateer or at the very least a merchant seaman, doing his part for the crown—Queen Anne at the time.
But with the Treaty of Utrecht bestowing peace upon a troubled Europe in 1713, Thatch and his fellow sailors found themselves far from home and out of work. Thus, they turned to piracy as a means of sustaining themselves. In the ensuing years, Thatch befriended a captain named Benjamin Hornigold and soon after joined his crew as quartermaster, at some point between late 1714 and early 1716.
Settling in Nassau, Thatch, Hornigold, and the rest of the "Flying Gang" as these pirates called themselves, began cooking up schemes far larger than most pirates of the era dared dream. Wanting nothing less than a country of their own, they worked to turn Nassau into a place of liberty and freedom for all who desired an escape from the bonds of imperial rule.
Born: 1693, Wales Died: ????
Edward James Kenway was born on the 10th of March in Swansea, Wales, to Bernard Kenway of Manchester and Linette Hopkins of nearby Cardiff. By Edward's 10th birthday, his father had moved the family to a small farm just outside Bristol, a nearby port town in the southwest of England.
This relocation had a depressing effect on young Edward's mood. He grew restless from a lack of contact with old friends and struggled to find an outlet for his limitless energy. By his teens he was spending more and more time in the city away from his farm, where the lure of excitement overrode prudence. By age sixteen, he had substituted a career as a successful farmer for a life of hopeless tomfoolery, frequently shirking his responsibilities to his family in favor of rough company.
In late 1711, at the age of seventeen, Edward met Caroline Scott, a woman of modest but steady means. Their friendship began cautiously, as Caroline's hand had already been promised to the boorish son of a wealthy East India Companyexecutive. But Edward's charms eventually won out, and he and Caroline were married within a year of their meeting; a union that angered her father, and got the whole of Bristol talking.
In the earliest months of their marriage, Edward resolved to do well by his wife and provide for her as he believed a man in his position should. But his grandiose dreams and exaggerated opinion of himself prevented him from taking immediate responsibility for their well-being. And after only a year, he had stumbled back into his worst habits - drinking, fighting and idleness.
It was in this dark period that Edward revived an old idea of joining a privateering fleet sailing for the West Indies, with the aim of making war against the Spanish and collecting unchecked sums of gold and cargo. This, he told his wife, was their path to quick riches. Being a sensible and prudent woman, Caroline discouraged these fanciful ideas.
By the summer of 1712, Caroline understood that her husband's departure was inevitable. She wanted no further part of Edward's reckless plan, and so left him to live with her parents. Stunned by this sudden turn, Edward was determined to earn his fortune fast and prove himself as capable as he always claimed he was. He left for the West Indies barely one month later, where he soon fell in with the privateer Benjamin Hornigold and his quartermaster, Ed Thatch.
Edward spent the first half of 1713 sailing with these two seasoned sailors, on regular sweeps of the windward passage. But that year, fate threw him another upset. With the signing of the treaty of Utrecht, all hostile actions between the major empires came to an end and the prospects of British privateers dried up. Now poor, unemployed, and thousands of miles from home, Edward and his colleagues settled on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas to reconsider their options.
These were fanciful days for Edward. He discovered in the small town of Nassau a life quite unlike that which he had left behind. The atmosphere of wild and noisy freedom in this small stateless encampment overwhelmed and captivated him. The drinking, the gaming, the women, the aimless desire to simply live as one pleased. And yet, as carefree as he was, his beloved Caroline was never far from his mind. If he could make something of himself in the West Indies—working a sugarplantation, perhaps—he might win her back after all his time away.
But in absence of true conviction, habit takes hold fast; and it was only a matter of time before Edward set back out to sea with his mates, to live the life they knew best; no longer privateers—legal and sanctioned—but as pirates now, with nary a whit of loyalty to kin and country, earning his fortune by the sword and pistol, praying his end was never too near.
Born: 1682, Jamaica Died: ????
Of the few infamous pirates to call the West Indies his birthplace, Jack Rackham was born in Jamaica at the height of Port Royal's boom as a den of scoundrels. This would likely explain his atrophied moral compass, for he was frequently drunk, rarely serious about anything, and always chasing women. He used his outrageous and offensive charm to keep out of most trouble. But a strategist and fighter he was not.
Nicknamed "Calico" for his affinity for Indian and Asian prints, he was a terrible sailor and a worse pirate, given to flights of fancy and myopic ideas that served only himself, rather than solid strategic thinking. He was likely drunk for half of his adulthood, and had a weakness for women that trumped all basic needs, such as sleeping or eating. His disarming charm, dashing good looks, and his swift wit carried him far, but parties can only last so long before someone has to clean up after them.
Born: 1691, England Died: ????
Daughter of Emmett and Elizabeth Scott, Caroline was born in Bristol, England, to a prosperous family of merchants and civil servants. Given a modest education by her father, she furthered her own studies in her own way, taking time to read as often as her familiar duties allowed. Splitting her time between this and helping her mother manage her father's affairs, she grew into a confident and level-headed woman with more skill and intelligence than her situation allowed her to exercise.
Caroline first met Edward Kenway outside the Auld Shillelagh, in the aftermath of a drunken altercation. She had arrived to fetch one of her servants and there found Edward escorting the woman from the clutches of one of Bristol's more notorious cads. Thankful for his kindness, Caroline agreed to a second meeting on more equitable terms, hardly thinking a romance possible.
And yet—against all odds—that is just what happened. Edward and Caroline grew quite close, and soon fell in love, quite much to the dismay of her father. Emmett Scott had already promised his daughter to the son of a wealthy East India Companyexecutive, and made his displeasure apparent at every turn. But all his noise was to no avail. Caroline and Edward were married in 1712.
For a time it seemed as though this odd pairing might produce a lasting union. But Edward's deep love for his wife was offset by his uncouth habits and reckless attention to responsibility. Not content to live a life of middle class drudgery, Edward dreamed large, and fixed on the idea that he could sail to the West Indies and fight as a Privateer against the Spanish. Or, barring that, buy some land and sow a sugarplantation. Caroline tried to dissuade her husband, but to no effect.
Born: 1680, England Died: ????
A common refrain in any biography of a Golden AgePirate goes something like this: "Very little is known about this man's early life..." And with Charles Vane it's no different. It is not known where he was born, or where he grew up, or when he first took to sea. But maybe that's just as well, for it further heightens the mystery of this strange, unstable man.
Surely one of the most ornery and unstable of the "Flying Gang", the band of pirates who called Nassau their home for a time, Charles Vane began his career like most pirates of the era--honestly, as a privateer sailing for his King. Likely living in Jamaica in 1715, he was one of many aboard Henry Jennings' assault on a Spanish expedition to recover the gold from their ill fated wreck in 1715 off the coast of Florida.
Barely a year later it had become impossible to keep up honest work as a privateer, as British Governors were skittish about breaking the terms of the Treaty of Utrecht, which called for a cessation of all aggression between the major empires. Having few other options, Vane sailed to Nassau where many of his former colleagues were now living.
Quick to anger and ferociously mean, Charles Vane quickly earned himself a reputation as a difficult captain to sail under. At some point in 1717 or 1718, an old friend, "Calico" Jack Rackham joined his crew as quartermaster. The two remained partnered for some time, living and working out of Nassau with the likes of Benjamin Hornigold, Ed Thatch, and Henry Jennings.
Born: 1695, England Died: ????
Even though not yet out of his teens, James Kidd was a cocky and confident lad with a brashness cultivated to counter his youth. He claimed to be the bastard son of the late William Kidd, the infamous privateer-turned-pirate who was captured and hanged by British authorities in 1701. Although James had no proof of this connection, his mother always insisted on it, claiming that she spent a single "panicked night of passion" with Captain Kidd just before his departure from London in 1695.
Growing up fatherless and with a spendthrift mother did little to improve his prospects at leading a normal life, and at the age of 12 he found employment aboard merchant vessels sailing between the British colonies in North America and the West Indies. By the time he was 17 he called Jamaica his home, where he further honed his skills as a sailor here.
Although he never sailed with the likes of Ben Hornigold, Ed Thatch, or Edward Kenway, James was among the first sailors to settle in Nassau, and was a central figure in its development as a pirate republic.
Born: Unknown, England Died: ????
Of all the infamous West Indiespirates, Mary Read stands out as one of the most mysterious and inscrutable. No one is sure when she was born, with most speculation ranging over almost a decade, between 1685 and 1695. According to Charles Johnson—a frequently unreliable source—her mother began dressing Mary in boy's clothes from a very early age, with the hope of passing her off as another man's son.
In her teens, Mary evidently harnessed her skill for disguise to secure a job aboard a ship. Taking to sea, she worked her way forward until she found a position in the British Navy. Still disguised as a man, she saw action in battle, though owing to the conflicting reports of her birth, which battle is uncertain. It was during these skirmishes that Mary met her first husband—so the author of the "General History of Pyrates" claims—a Flemish soldier who had evidently fought beside her.
But this union was not fated to remain intact, as Mary's husband was killed soon after their marriage. With few reasons to remain in Europe, Mary sailed for the West Indies. It is unclear what transpired in the years following, but it is almost certain that she resumed the practice of dressing as a man. It is also assumed Mary continued working aboard ships, improving her skills as a sailor and swordsman.
By 1715 or 1716, it was likely she had visited her fellow sailors in Nassau, though perhaps not for the same reasons...
Born: 1695, Cuba Died: Unknown
Born in Cuba, Assassin bureau leader Opía Apito was raised Taíno, among her mother's people, never knowing her father, a Spaniard.
At twelve, her village was raided by the Spanish. Most of her community was kidnapped and killed. But Opía, the lone free survivor, fought and ran. She survived in hiding for close to a decade.
Much of what we know of Opía is inseparable from legend. Her name, possibly self-given, is an amalgam of the Taíno words for "eternity" and "ghost." She claimed to be a direct descendant of the warrior Hatuey, who stood against the Spanish in the 16th Century. She was guided throughout her life by the mantra, Aji aya bom—better dead than a slave.
In her early twenties, she was hired by the Assassins as a guide, and was soon adopted into their ranks. She delighted in a characteristic Taíno approach to strategy: preferring to harm the enemy by taking something from him in battle, that he might live to notice it missing. But as an Assassin she did not shrink from violence.
True to her name, once promoted to Assassin Bureau leader, she built an agile and highly effective "ghost" bureau near the Cayman Islands, with virtually no physical footprint to speak of. We might regard it today as an early example of a terrorist cell, but she left no records and no descendants, and until now, history has held no record of it.
Born: 1688, Scotland Died: Unknown
Born in Scotland, Rhona Dinsmore was made for adventure. After suffering the lows of a troubled household–an absent father and a drunkard of a mother–Dinsmore left her home in Glasgow in her mid-teens. At nineteen, she found work amongst merchants in Bristol and remained at that post for nearly two years.
By twenty-one, Dinsmore was trapped in a terrible marriage. She fled again and sought refuge in Boston, where she remained for six months, before moving on to the warmer climes of Jamaica. There she found it exceedingly difficult to find work among farmers, and finally took to the sea, ultimately finding her calling within the Assassin Brotherhood.
Born: 1688, Barbados
Died: ????
Born into plentitude and wealth on Barbados, Stede Bonnet seemed destined for a life of pleasure and ease. The son of a successful and influential plantation owner, his early life was marked by tragedy when his parents died suddenly, leaving seven year-old Stede orphaned and in a perpetual state of melancholy.
His inheritance of some 400 acres of land softened the blow caused by the loss of his parents, and by the time Stede was in his late teens, he had already restored the sugar plantation to a profitable state. He married young and set about starting a family as soon as possible, but owing to what some called a "disorder of the mind" he never found solace or comfort in these domestic trappings.
To further complicate his unease, his firstborn son died in infancy, further amplifying his grief and stiming his restlessness. As a means of coping, he dreamed of going to sea and sailing about the world, meeting people, living life as a man free of the obligations thrust upon him.
When Bonnet's ship was apprehended by the British Navy on suspicion of piracy, he was rescued by the pirate Edward Kenway who, with the help of Blackbeard and others, eventually influenced the affable and impressionable merchant into going on the account himself.
Born: 1688, England Died: Unknown
Upton Travers was born in England, in 1688, two years ahead of his brother, Vance Travers. Together, they traveled to the West Indies in search of their fortune. There they established a smuggling business, which they used to fund their growing involvement with the Assassin brotherhood.
Although Vance was the more charismatic of the two Assassin brothers, Upton made up for it with his measured, sensible responses to life's challenges.
However, every man has a breaking point, and Upton found his after Vance took up with the Chinese "Pirate Queen," Jing Lang, a Templar, and sought to steal the treasure on which they had staked their retirement before finally attempting fratricide.
Depressed, Upton turned to alcohol, which may have been a factor in his retaliation. He ultimately had both Jing Lang and his brother dispatched with the help of Edward Kenway.
Originally hailing from Wales, little is known about John Roberts, the real name of the man who would come to be known as "Black Bart" long after his death.
Most assume he went to sea at a very young age -- at 13 or so -- but there is no record of him in any historical documents until his noted appearance in 1718 aboard a merchant's ship, Barbadian in origin. Just a year later Roberts was pressed into piracy by the notorious Howell Davis while working aboard a slave ship under Captain Abraham Plumb. Though Roberts had likely not gone to sea with the intent of becoming a pirate, when the opportunity thrust itself upon him, Roberts was reported to have said 'A merry life, and a short one shall be my motto.'
A few months later Davis was killed in an ambush on the Portuguese Island of Príncipe, and Roberts was swiftly and unanimously elected to replace him. This was surely a testament to the man's natural charisma and leadership, for he had been a pirate only a few months. It was at this point he took the name "Bartholomew", likely naming himself for the infamous Bartholomew Sharpe, a pirate of some renown who had disappeared just two decades earlier.
One of the most intelligent and strategic pirates of the Golden Age, Roberts was a sturdy man, known to dress in fine clothes. Handsome, and carrying himself with a dignified but unpretentious air, he had dark hair to match his dark complexion, likely set from the almost two decades he had spent at sea. He often carried numerous pistols, each tied to one end of long silk sashes, which he kept slung over his shoulder.
Roberts' tactical ideas were usually radical, but thoughtfully considered. He never jumped into any scheme rashly, though his ideas seemed almost suicidal to those unacquainted with his methods. Ultimately responsible for the theft of around 400 ships in his three-year career, he bested every other pirate of the era by a factor of ten times or more, although it must be said that at least half of these boats were small periaguas and the like.
Born: Mid-1680s, England Died: ????
Benjamin Hornigold was likely born in Norfolk, England. The first recorded instances of him are of his early exploits as a pirate in the West Indies around 1713-1714.
Hornigold was one of the earliest pirates to emerge after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, and one of the many hundreds of privateers who were left without gainful employment in the ensuing peace. Like many other British mariners, he spent much of his time in the Bahamas, eventually settling in Nassau. It was from there he launched his career as a full-fledged pirate, though he likely thought of himself as a privateer--in his earliest years, at least.
A skilful sailor and strategist, Hornigold lacked some of the ruthlessness required to be a truly successful pirate, and until 1716, refused to attack English ships out of a sense of loyalty to his home country.
Born: Unknown Died: Unknown
Almost nothing is known about El Tiburón "The Shark" outside of his service as the loyal, mute bodyguard of Laureano de Torres y Ayala, the Grandmaster of the Caribbean Templars and the Governor of Cuba. The Shark's penchant for medieval armor and brutal violence cut a swathe of fear through Havana, leaving citizens and soldiers alike quivering in his blood soaked wake.
Born: 1682, England Died: 1717, West Indies
Hilary Flint was born to an aristocratic family, the youngest of three boys. The black sheep of the family, he sought solitude in his studies. Immersing himself in math and sciences, Flint discovered an abiding interest in explosives, earning him the label of "problem child".
To correct his course, his parents enrolled him in military school, where he quicklyexceeded their expetations, working his way into the hearts of both teachers and students, as well as a few secret societies.
After graduation, his connections and easy manner earned him access to Templar ranks where his obsession with firearms made him an important asset.
Records reveal an ongoing relationship with AssassinRhona Dinsmore, the full nature of which is uncertain. She vanishes from record after Flint's death at the age of 35.
Born: 1686, China Died: 1717, Nassau
Born to Chinese rebels, Jing Lang came into the world fighting, but survived to become a skilled diplomat with a flair for languages and a taste for discovery.
Ambitious, Lang married the son of a General in the Qing dynasty, joining the Templar order, but severing ties with her family in the process. She served as a diplomatic advisor, until a shift in political tides provoked her escape into piracy.
Over the next decade, she crossed every sea, developing a reputation for brutality that preceded her into most conflicts.
In the West Indies, she fell under the spell of a rumored cache of treasure, and feigned a romantic relationship with one-time AssassinVance Travers to gain access to it.
She might have been successful had it not been for Travers' brother, Upton, an Assassin who schemed to have her killed, betraying his brother in the process. She died at the age of thirty.
Born: 1682, France Died: ????
Nephew of the buccaneer Jean du Casse, Julien was born in Montpellier, France. He took after his uncle's example and took to sea at a young age, eventually joining him in a few skirmishes during the War of the Spanish Succession. Fighting on the side of the French, and by proxy, on behalf of King Philip of Spain, du Casse's skill as a gunner improved rapidly, even as he grew wildly disillusioned with the monarchy and its obsession with lineage and breeding over raw talent and skill.
In 1704, ordered by his superior officers to join his uncle and hundreds of French troops in what would become known as the Battle of Vélez-Màlaga, du Casse opted instead to desert his post and seek his fortunes in the New World. At first he threw in with slave traders in Africa, and for a year made a modest profit off the venture. But he was never comfortable with the cruelty and detachment the job required, and so departed for the West Indies in search of yet another vocation.
For the next 10 years, du Casse roamed the West Indies as a hired gun, working for whomever had the coin and confidence to pay him. Ever prizing the value of intelligence and skill over mere reputation and breeding, du Casse, eventually found his way into the company of Laureano Torres of Cuba, in whom he found a friend and confidant...
Born: 1675, England Died: 1715, Kingston
Born to an upper class family and educated in boarding schools from age five, Kenneth Abraham learned to fight for himself at an early age. Upon graduation, he entered the army and rose through the ranks, finally meeting the rank of Commander.
His embrace of order and disciple drew him into the fold of the Templar Order, which offered him influence beyond that offered by his military career. From the age of thirty, he ascended its ranks in parallel to those of his military career by devoting himself to the promotion of order and peace.
In 1715, the Assassin Anto infiltrated a Ball held by Abraham on his plantation, together with the pirate Edward Kenway. There, Abraham was assassinated by the pair, confronted in his final moments by the nemesis he had tried and failed to defeat.
He remained, until his death, determined to rid the world of unpredictable and disorderly elements.
Born: 1645, Cuba Died: ????
Born in Havana, but raised in Madrid, Spain, Laureano was of noble stock, the son of Tomas Torres y Ayala and Elvira de Quadros Castellanos. He joined the Spanish army in his late teens, and was later appointed as the governor of Spain's territories in Florida, a post he held from 1693 to 1699. He then returned to Europe to participate in the War of the Spanish Succession.
In 1708, Torres was appointed as the governor of Cuba, a post he held for three years until he was accused of and arrested for corruption. He was acquitted of these charges, however, and managed to win a re-election bid in 1713.
During his time in Cuba, he made many lasting improvements to the city, fortifying the island's defenses and introducing the production of tobacco there. He remained Governor until 1716, after which point he retired and devoted his life to charitable functions, such as building hospitals.
Born: 1630s, Amsterdam Died: 1717, Kingston
Laurens Prins (often anglicized as Laurence Prince) was a Dutchman from Amsterdam who spent the majority of his life in and around the West Indies. Operating out of Port Royal, Prins saw an incredible amount of action and adventure in his long life.
Sailing as a privateer in the early days of the Golden Age of Piracy (1650s) he developed a reputation for courage fighting the Spanish on behalf of the British crown, sometimes bearing a letter of marque, often without. He even played a pivotal role in Sir Henry Morgan's infamous raid on Panama in 1671, for which he was roundly celebrated.
Prins eventually retired from privateering and settled in a large acreage of land in Jamaica. Around this time he entered into the slave trade as a means of bolstering his wealth, an occupation he pursued well into his seventies.
In 1717, his flagship slave galley, The Whydah, was attacked and captured by the pirate"Black Sam" Bellamy. He managed to survive the encounter, and fell back into his old occupation until his death some months later.
Born: 1689, Spain Died: 1715, Pinos Isle
Born in Spain, Lucia Márquez never knew her father. By the age of twelve she was supporting herself and her sisters on the streets, begging, borrowing, and stealing anything she could, all the while developing the skills of a master thief.
At the age of seventeen, she was caught stealing a horse belonging to a high-ranking Templar, and wisely opted for training over jail time.
The Templar life gave Marquez the focus she needed and she never found herself at a lack of challenge or adventure.
She died at the age of twenty-six on Pinos Isle, wise beyond her years, on the order of the TainoAssassin, Opía Apito.
Historic archives contain scattered references to individuals known as "Sages", but they are few and far between. Each citation seems to refer to a different person living in a vastly different time and location.
The earliest example was found in a Sumerian clay tablet in cuneiform script, while the latest survives only as a footnote in one of Laureano Torres's own journals, dated January 1704. In all – according to exhaustive research – seven different "Sages" seem to have graced the world's stage in the past twelve hundred years. But the real number is likely higher.
Perhaps, the strangest aspect connecting each of these various sightings is the fact that, in every case, visual descriptions of each Sage are remarkably similar. So similar, in fact, that one wouldn't be faulted for assuming they ware talking about a single, immortal man. However, in two of the seven citations, explicit mention is made of their death and burial.
Is this therefore some bizarre form of reincarnation? Or some simpler explanation that is presently unknown? More research is required.
Born: 1690, England Died: 1717, Nassau
Born in England, the passionate, creative, yet incredibly gullible Vance Travers, found a life for himself amongst the Assassin's Brotherhood in the West Indies, where he ran a successful smuggling enterprise, with his older brother, Upton.
Business took a turn for the worse after he met and fell in love with the Templar, Jing Lang, who persuaded him to divulge knowledge of the location of buried treasure with which he and Upton planned to fund their retirement.
Paranoid, Travers developed delusions that his brother plotted to steal his treasure and Jing's heart. He broke from the Creed and, after a failed attempt at fratricide, was killed by Edward Kenway.
Born: 1679, England Died: ????
Woodes Rogers was born into money, to a seafaring family with deep roots in both Poole and Bristol, England. His early life was a picture of industriousness and ambition, and by the age of 18 he was an apprentice Mariner.
Upon his father's death at sea in 1706, Woodes inherited his family's prosperous shipping company, which he took to managing with great passion. Between 1704 and 1707 Rogers' fortunes and family grew, and by the time he was twenty-seven his marriage to Sarah Whetstone had produced one son and two daughters.
By the end of 1707, however, his business had suffered great losses by raidingFrench forces, giving Rogers the idea to recoup these dreadful losses himself. Knocking about Bristol in search of a partner for this endeavor, he soon found himself in the company of William Dampier, an old friend and unlucky Captain who suggested setting out on a privateering expedition, one that would range far and wide about the New World. In 1708, Rogers made the necessary arrangements and set out as Captain of his own vessel, on a difficult voyage that would last over three years.
Along this course Rogers met with many successes and failures. In 1709, off the western coast of South America, he found and rescued a marooned sailor by the name of Alexander Selkirk, a sailor who had spent nearly 4 years living in isolation and who would serve as the inspiration for the book "Robinson Crusoe" just a few years later.
Soon after Selkirk's recovery, Rogers' fleet engaged an enemy vessel in open combat—a skirmish that earned him a pistol shot to the left side of his face and a mangled heel. Neither wound was enough to remove him from command however, and he continued serving as captain until his return to England in late 1711. To commemorate this return, he had an operation to remove the offending bullet from his upper palate.
Now in poor health but high spirits, he set about writing his memoirs. Upon their publication a few years, they were an immediate success, and proved a great source of income. But this brief glory was offset by the sudden death of his son, a tragedy compounded some months later by his wife's decision to leave him. Also at this time, Rogers was sued by former shipmates for allegedly hoarding goods and money plundered from enemy vessels. Rogers assembled a defense, but lost the case.
In 1713, itching to return to sea, he organized passage to Madagascar claiming to be a merchant in the slave trade, but with the intended purpose of reconnoitering the rumored pirate colonies established there. When he arrived in Madagascar after months of hard sailing, he found that the legends of the pirate town "Libertalia" had been exaggerated one-hundredfold. The pirates in Madagascar were sickly and few and desperate for help. After spending just a few months here, Rogers set sail for England, a failure in his own mind.
And yet, never one to give up hope, Woodes Rogers reoriented his attentions to the West Indies, eventually lobbying King George for a commission to hunt pirates in the Caribbean. On this score, he succeeded. After a few diligent years of making his case, King George appointed Woodes Rogers as the Governor of the Bahamas. Now, at last, he would make his mark, and bring justice to a land where chaos had taken root...
An incomplete audio clip from The Devils of the Caribbean Podcast reconstructed from recovered files.
An audio message from Ego, easily intercepted by the Dark Animus with no need for further decryption.
In it, she warns the nascent Eagle that she knows of his every movement within the mainframe, threatening to pierce him clean from the sky.
Audio memory obtained from an Animus memory fragement in which Sebastían Vizcaíno recovers from wounds sustained during a confrontation.
