Question the Creed

Question the Creed was a promotional website for the 2014 video game Assassin's Creed: Rogue. Launched at the end of July 2014 and restricted to European IP addresses, it hosted video clips of key assassination scenes from across the eight main Assassin's Creed games released up until that date. After listening to audio files arguing for and against the murders, users could then vote on Ubisoft's now-defunct forums as to whether they felt the killings were justified. The site was taken down a year after its debut though an archived plain-text version without media is still accessible through the Internet Archive; this page collects the texts and presents them in a more readable format.

Description

"From Florence to New Nork and Boston to Constantinople, you've joined forces with the Assassins and written a glorious story together. But there are always two sides to every story. Relive the most impactful assassinations hearing both the Assassins and Templars perspectives before you decide where the truth lies."

―The website's landing page text

The website's world map background

On first visiting the site, users saw a pop-up saying that the site contained "key moments throughout the history of Assassin's Creed" and warning anyone who had not yet finished the games to "be aware that storyline details and events are unveiled throughout this experience". Users could only proceed to the site after accepting the warning's terms. Once properly in the site, they were presented with a map of Earth with various markers on it representing the locations of cities that appeared in the games.

Clicking any marker brought up an information window that gave details on an assassination: the Assassin perpetrator, the Templar target, the year it happened, and the city where the target died. All windows also included WebM videos of the targets' final moments as well as in-universe MP3 files, in which the Assassin historian Shaun Hastings and Abstergo Entertainment employee Melanie Lemay hoped to sway listeners' perspectives on their shadow war by arguing for and against these deaths, respectively. The same information could be filtered based on the Assassins' names or by the episodes' internal numbered sequence.

After hearing both cases, users were invited to vote on Ubisoft's forums on whether they felt the deaths were warranted before sharing their experience on Twitter to attract more fans or potentially interested other people with the tweet, "Question the Creed and hear both the Assassin and Templar sides of the story with the #ACRogue experience. [site link]". They could also share their opinions with the pre-scripted tweets, "I regret the death of [assassination target's name]. Question The Creed to see how you feel. #ACRogue" or "I don't regret..." Whatever their choice, users were then directed to a page that congratulated them for having "bravely decided to Question The Creed" and gave the option to pre-order Rogue or watch a trailer.

Assassinations

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Abu'l Nuqoud's Assassination

Abu'l Nuqoud was the merchant king of Damascus that lived in a large mansion in Damascus' Rich District.
Target: Abu'l Nuqoud
Killed by: Altaïr
City: Damascus
Year: 1191

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Abu'l Nuqoud was an obese brute of a man with expensive tastes and a penchant for murder. The merchant king was known for throwing lavish parties in his palace laden with gaudy, expensive pieces of art and feasting on only the richest foods. He certainly wasn't the type of man to do anything out of the kindness of his heart, however. His celebrations were purely self-serving. He would flaunt his so-called generosity to the people of Damascus in order to gain the favor of those who mattered. And who mattered? Anyone with money and power. The only thing he couldn't stomach were the poor. He viewed them as the scourge of society, and took immense pleasure in tricking and torturing them. But the poor weren't his only victims. He would lash out at anyone within reach of his grubby, greasy fingers, often murdering dozens of innocent citizens out of his own pettiness and insecurity. His gluttony couldn't have come to a more deserving end. I supposed you could say he got his just desserts.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Abu'l Nuqoud got a really bad rap but he was actually a really generous person. He was constantly throwing parties for the people of Damascus because I think he actually genuinely cared about them. He kept them out of the Crusade, didn't he? He didn't support that war and he supplied an incredible amount of funds to help create peace a stability for the future of his people. No one ever talks about that do they?

Forum Link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939973-Abu’l-Nuqoud

William of Montferrat's Assassination

William of Montferrat was a Crusader in the army of King Richard I of England.
Target: William of Montferrat
Killed by: Altaïr
City: Jerusalem
Year: 1191

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: William of Montferrat was a fervent believer in the term "might makes right." Although his definition of "right" was highly questionable. As a crusader in King Richard's army, he spent countless hours training and berating his men. He demanded perfection, consistently making examples of their weaknesses, and even killing individual soldiers in front of the others to make his point. And despite being sworn to protect the Holy Land, he played quite a large role in plotting to usurp it. Add that to the authorization of the execution of 3,000 Saracen prisoners who King Richard had planned to ransom off and it's easy to see how he fell out of loyal favor quite quickly. Unfortunately for him, his passion for perfection didn't extend to his morals, and he met the demise he deserved.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: William of Montferrat was a perfectionist. He demanded a lot of himself as a leader and so he expected a lot of his men. I mean, you're in the King's army, sometimes you have to be stern. I don't know of any army where the leader isn't a strict disciplinarian. He believed in order and organization. That's how empires are built and maintained. Has chaos really gotten anyone anywhere?

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939974-William-of-Montferrat

Jubair al Hakim's Assassination

Jubair al Hakim was the Chief Scholar of Damascus.
Target: Jubair al Hakim
Killed by: Altaïr
City: Damascus
Year: 1191

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: One would assume that the Chief Scholar of Damascus would have stronger mental fortitude than Jubair al Hakim. However, he allowed the Templar ideologies to completely corrupt his views on literature. Rather than seeking knowledge, as was once his passion, he influenced his fellow scholars to begin hunting down and destroying all written texts within Damascus. He believed that education was an illness that set people in their ways, preventing them from achieving their higher calling. As a violent man who was easily angered, piles of burning books soon accumulated the burning bodies of those who disagreed with him. He was attempting to free people's minds, but ignorance is never the answer. A lesson he learned a little too late.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Jubair al Hakim was a brilliant man. Certainly the brightest scholar in Damascus and one of the most intelligent of his time. He spent so much time studying written texts that he started to notice a pattern in them that no one else realized. Sure, his methods were a bit strong, but he was right that the war between King Richard and Saladin had started because of ancient scrolls. He was attempting to free people's minds, to get them to think for themselves. How many people would be assassinated today if that was justification for murder?

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939975-Jubair-al-Hakim

Garnier de Naplouse's Assassination

Garnier de Naplouse was a doctor, and the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalier in Acre.
Target: Garnier de Naplouse
Killed by: Altaïr
City: Acre
Year: 1191

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: A physician has a very serious responsibility: providing proper care at the highest level possible to patients who don't know the difference. Which is why a doctor with an agenda is an incredibly dangerous person. Garnier de Naplouse saw his patients not as people but as experiments, and no price was too high to continue his work. Exiled from France for his cruel treatment of patients, he found sanctuary at the King's Hospital in Acre to continue his brutal research. Garnier claimed to believe that his work was helpful, however, his actions said otherwise. Often pulling patients from the poorest neighborhoods, sewers, and brothels, the less they would be missed, the better. He would even shatter their legs to prevent their escape from his operation rooms. Garnier suffered from a severe lack of morals and ethics, and the only cure was a bit of his own medicine: death.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Garnier de Naplouse was accused of performing experiments on his patients and was exiled because of it. Let me ask you this—what is science but a series of experiments? We've arrived as some of the most incredible modern miracles of science through experimentation. If you want to eliminate medical trials you can give up penicillin, chemotherapy, even those aspirin you pop whenever you get a little headache. It's people like Naplouse that created all of our modern day cures. He also built tons of hospitals and generously lent his aid and medicine to all walks of life. He took in the poor and disadvantaged when no one else would. Had he been allowed to continue his work, who knows what diseases could have been eliminated by now?

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939976-Garnier-de-Naplouse

Robert de Sable's Assassination

Robert de Sable was the Grand Master of the Order of the Knights Templar from 1190 until his death, and a lieutenant in King Richard I's Crusader army.
Target: Robert de Sable
Killed by: Altaïr
City: Jerusalem
Year: 1191

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Robert de Sable was a trifecta of trouble: an incredibly accomplished fighter, an ingenious strategist, and one of the most manipulative men we've ever seen. He was a lieutenant in the royal army while simultaneously plotting to take control of the Holy Land and dethrone the King. Despite being a Grand Master, there were very few Templars that trusted him, and with good reason. Every move he made was for personal gain. He doled out promises of power in the new world to anyone he could recruit for his cause, most likely intending to kill anyone who had the audacity to collect. But I for one am glad he never got the chance.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Robert de Sable was one of the greatest warriors in the Third Crusade. He was dedicated to creating a New World Order where peace could finally find a foothold. He was an ingenious strategist that was responsible for helping King Richard's army recapture fortresses and cities all along the Palestinian coast that had been lost. He may have been brutal to his enemies, but that's how you protect what's yours, that's how you keep your own people safe.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939977-Robert-de-Sable

Emilio Barbarigo's Assassination

Emilio Barbarigo was a Venetian merchant and tyrant of Venice, and secretly a member of the Templar Order.
Target:
Killed by: Ezio
City: Venice
Year: 1485

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Emilio Barbarigo was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and he used that spoon to scoop out the eyes of his enemies. He rose to dominate the Venetian mercantile district through the support of his powerful family, and stayed on top by lobbying the government and funding the entire police force. With those two in his pocket, he was able to run his business tax-free as well as extort rent money from the other merchants. But Emilio wanted even more power and control, so plotted to kill the Medici in Florence with his fellow Templars. He constantly claimed that he was seeking unity and stability through his actions, though perhaps the most unifying thing he did for Florence was taking his last breath.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Emilio Barbarigo was a successful business man. There was a lot of jealousy and accusations because of that. Can you imagine what it was like to run your own business as a merchant in the 13th Century? Only the strong survived. But Emilio not only looked after himself, he looked after the entire mercantile district for years. He funded the entire police force out of his own pocket! He kept San Polo safe, and when people violated the rules he had to crack down. You have to be strict to prevent crime, otherwise people will walk all over you.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939978-Emilio-Barbarigo

Dante Moro's Assassination

Dante Moro was once the captain of the Venetian city guard, and also an heir to one of the most prestigious and affluent families in Venice.
Target: Dante Moro
Killed by: Ezio
City: Venice
Year: 1486

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Dante Moro was a victim himself before he started claiming his own. He was attacked and stabbed several times at the order of fellow Templar Marco Barbarigo. He was a proficient fighter and so escaped with his life, but also with a knife embedded in his skull. Sadly, the severe brain damage he received from the incident allowed him to be manipulated into becoming Marco's personal bodyguard. Equipped with the battle skills of a captain and the mind of a child, Dante became incredibly dangerous. He was a loyal and dedicated guard dog for the Templars and would follow through with his duties at all costs. For this reason alone he was a threat, and it was impossible to avoid eliminating him.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Dante Moro was stabbed in the back. Well, the back of the head, I guess. He was ambushed by his so-called friend out of pure jealousy and suffered horrible brain damage because of it. Marco Barbarigo tried to have him killed so he could take his wife but instead turned him into a simpleton, and took his wife anyways. He was manipulated and only served as Marco's bodyguard because he could no longer think for himself. He was a great fighter, and if he hadn't been outnumbered and injured he would have gone on to do amazing things. Dante didn't deserve to die, he needed help.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939979-Dante-Moro

Checco Orsi's Assassination

Checco and Ludovico Orsi were brothers that started a loan-sharking business, and murdered any who failed to pay their debts.
Target: Checco Orsi
Killed by: Ezio
City: Forli
Year: 1488

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Checco and Ludovico were blood brothers in the most gruesome sense. Bored with their leisurely lives in the countryside, they started a money lending business that was extremely successful, mainly because they murdered anyone who wouldn't pay up. They made the incredibly easy career transition to become mercenaries that would stop at nothing to fill their pockets. They were hired by non-Templars to kill Templars, then hired by Templars to get revenge. Without a scrap of ethics between them, they threatened, kidnapped, and killed anyone who would fetch them a price, including children. The bond that these two shared was one that needed to be broken.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Checco and Ludovico Orsi were good at what they did, you had to hand it to them. Though their methods were quite brutal, they were trusted members of the Templar Order and carried out their missions in an incredibly timely manner. The most important mission being the retrieval of the Apple of Eden, keeping it out of the hands of anyone that would misuse it. While they didn't make it out alive, they managed to keep the artifact out of reach for another 10 years, delaying any further abuse of its power.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939980-Checco-and-Ludovico-Orsi

Ludovico Orsi's Assassination

Checco and Ludovico Orsi were brothers that started a loan-sharking business, and murdered any who failed to pay their debts.
Target: Checco Orsi
Killed by: Ezio
City: Forli
Year: 1488

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Checco and Ludovico were blood brothers in the most gruesome sense. Bored with their leisurely lives in the countryside, they started a money lending business that was extremely successful, mainly because they murdered anyone who wouldn't pay up. They made the incredibly easy career transition to become mercenaries that would stop at nothing to fill their pockets. They were hired by non-Templars to kill Templars, then hired by Templars to get revenge. Without a scrap of ethics between them, they threatened, kidnapped, and killed anyone who would fetch them a price, including children. The bond that these two shared was one that needed to be broken.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Checco and Ludovico Orsi were good at what they did, you had to hand it to them. Though their methods were quite brutal, they were trusted members of the Templar Order and carried out their missions in an incredibly timely manner. The most important mission being the retrieval of the Apple of Eden, keeping it out of the hands of anyone that would misuse it. While they didn't make it out alive, they managed to keep the artifact out of reach for another 10 years, delaying any further abuse of its power.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939980-Checco-and-Ludovico-Orsi

Girolamo Savonarola's Assassination

Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar and the leader of Florence from 1494 to 1498.
Target: Girolamo Savonarola
Killed by: Ezio
City: Florence
Year: 1498

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Girolamo Savonarola was a Dominican friar who took his responsibilities to humanity a little too seriously. He was fed up with the excess of materialism he witnessed during his lifetime. From the rich stomping the poor into the dirt to the priests selling indulgences to the populous, he became enraged and he snapped. He declared himself an instrument of God, and with the Apple of Eden in his hand attempted to pull Florence back into Medieval times. He demanded an end to all personal property. Books, instruments, art—no symbol of ownership were safe from the bonfires he created. Eventually, he lost his grip over the people of Florence and was dragged to be burnt at the stake, by the fires he created himself. In an act of mercy, Ezio ended his life swiftly, unable to believe that any man should die in such a gruesome manner.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Girolamo Savonarola had good intentions but it was his presentation that needed a little work. He spoke out against corruption in the church at a very young age and denounced the tyrannical rule and exploitation of the poor he saw running rampant in Renaissance Italy. He was fed up with materialism that had already tightened its grip on the populous. His intention was always to serve the greater good, to give people guidance and encourage them to look within themselves for enlightenment. He made a spectacle of burning possessions because of this, but isn't that what the Bible preaches? To give up your worldly goods? Turns out people are pretty attached to their stuff, though. He was dragged to the bonfires he himself had created and the people tried to burn him at the stake. I don't blame the Assassins for his death, they did the right thing. But if they had intervened earlier, they could have steered Savonarola in a better direction and the utopia he dreamed of could well have been created.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939981-Girolamo-Savonarola }}

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Manuel Palaiologos' Assassination

Manuel Palaiologos was a Byzantine nobleman, born as an heir to the throne of the Byzantine Empire.
Target: Manuel Palaiologos
Killed by: Ezio
City: Cappadocia
Year: 1512

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Manuel Palaiologos was the delusional heir to the throne of the fallen Byzantine Empire. Tucked away underneath the streets of Constantinople, Manuel plotted the revival of his birthright and started a secret war between the Byzantines and the Ottomans. He planned on creating a haven for the Templars out of his city, giving them a huge advantage within the Ottoman Empire. It's just as well that he was killed in the sewers underneath his city, where thousands of fellow vermin died before him.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Manuel Palailogos was heir to the throne of the fallen Byzantine Empire, and saw Constantinople as the perfect place for the Templars to begin restoring order to the world. He strove to revive his empire without the use of violence, which is an incredibly noble feat considering his era. He was incredibly caring and saw the people of Constantinople and Cappadocia as his own family, going out of his way to keep them safe from the ravenous Assassin attacks. His death is black spot on the reputation of Assassins, honestly. He was peacefully trying to rebuild something beautiful and safe and the Assassins, once again, were only there to destroy.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939983-Manuel-Palaiologos

Juan Borgia the Elder's Assassination

Juan Borgia the Elder was one of Cesare Borgia's three generals, who ruled over Rome during the reign of Pope Alexander VI.
Target: Juan Borgia the Elder
Killed by: Ezio
City: Rome
Year: 1503

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Juan Borgia the elder was an appointed glutton. Often referred to as "The Banker", Juan was in charge of Roman ruler Cesare Borgia's finances. He was fond of throwing lavish, public sex parties which one could safely assume were funded by the city's tax money. Needless to say, his role as a man of the cloth was a farce as he spent more time naked with courtesans than he did honoring any type of holy clothing. Juan was the bank roll to Borgia's empire, so in order to destroy Cesare and free Rome from his grasp, it was necessary to cut off his funding. Fittingly, Juan was moving through one of his sex parties after strangling one of his courtesans in a display of power when he was swiftly dispatched and his celebrations were cut short.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Oh, the Borgias. This entire family was conflicted. Juan Borgia had his vices. Like any man, I guess. His parties were...of questionable morals, and he did spend a considerable amount throwing them. However, he also raised a considerable amount of money for the Templar cause. His goal was to bring stability to Renaissance Italy, even if his methods were a bit misguided.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939984-Juan-Borgia-The-Elder

John Pitcairn's Assassination

John Pitcairn was a British marine stationed in Boston, Massachusetts, for a time before the American Revolutionary War.
Target: John Pitcairn
Killed by: Connor
City: Charlestown
Year: 1775

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: John Pitcairn was an accomplished soldier and a great leader. He was a British Marine that served his country well. He was also a peacekeeper who cared about soldiers on both sides of the lines. He would rather resolve a dispute without bullets than go into battle and that's what got him stationed in the colonies in the first place. The only problem is what he was planning on doing next: his goal was to assassinate George Washington. For that fact alone, he needed to be stopped. I have all the respect in the world for Pitcairn, but he found himself on the wrong side of the battle, and therefore the wrong side of the blade...

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: John Pitcairn was one of the most well-respected Templars to this day. His legacy in life was as a peacekeeper, not a murderer, which is why he was sent to settle the colonist rebellion. He was a keen soldier and strategist for the British military with strong leadership abilities and the charisma to match. I'd dare to say he had more positive qualities than most Assassins do. In addition to freeing the Kanien'keta':ka [sic] slaves from their shackles during his disputes, he genuinely cared about the lives of soldiers on both sides—always trying to minimize deaths. No one fighting a war is completely innocent, but very few people came as close as Pitcairn did, on either side of the dispute.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939985-John-Pitcairn

Thomas Hickey's Assassination

Thomas Hickey served as a soldier in the British Army during the French and Indian War, but he later joined the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Target: Thomas Hickey
Killed by: Connor
City: New York City
Year: 1776

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Thomas Hickey was a mercenary first, a soldier second, and a Templar third. He wasn't guided by any principles and therefore went wherever the ransoms took him. He had no loyalties, starting as a member of the British Army, then becoming a member of the American Continental Army, and finally playing a huge role in the Templar plot to assassinate George Washington—losing his life in the process. Hickey was a lecher, a counterfeiter, a drunk, and was only interested in short term pleasures. He even died with a grin on his face, confident that he had fit enough earthly pleasures into his life, allowing him to die satisfied. And he left most other people satisfied with his death as well.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Thomas Hickey certainly enjoyed the finer things in life. He spent a lot of time lazing about in bars and brothels, but when he was hired for a purpose, he performed. He worked with the Templars purely for a profit, and while he didn't necessarily share their ideals, he also never betrayed them. He played a key role in the Braddock Expedition, which was a huge success for the Templars, and never hesitated to put his life on the line. Even in his final assignment, he threw himself into a dangerous position where the final outcome would have been his own death regardless of his success. Hickey may not have made the best decisions but he was certainly committed to them.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939986-Thomas-Hickey

William Johnson's Assassination

Sir William Johnson was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire.
Target: William Johnson
Killed by: Connor
City: John's Town
Year: 1774

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: William Johnson was an official for the British Empire who was in charge of relations between the British and the Iroquois. He was also a member of the Templar Order who was truly dedicated to their vision. Unfortunately for Johnson, he was associated with some unsavory characters, such as his assistant Thomas Hickey, who weren't known for handling delicate situations lightly. Johnson's main objective was to maintain good relations with the native tribes, however, he was not met with as much trust as he intended, most likely because he was trying to cheat them out of the true value of the land. Johnson threatened the lives of the Assassin Connor's tribe in an effort to put pressure on an agreement, and gave Connor no choice but to defend his people. His dying words were a warning to the Natives that the colonies were their biggest enemy. It turns out he was right.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: William Johnson was the Templar liaison to the First Nations, and he took his job very seriously. He was committed to a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with them, remaining well-mannered and calm throughout all their negotiations. He truly believed in the righteousness of his cause and his duty to protect the Natives from harm. His undoing was a death threat that he was forced to issue while trying to negotiate with the Iroquois, and he was genuinely uncomfortable having to resort to that kind of force. He was dedicated to his role as a protector, even warning Connor of the impending danger of the colonies to his people as he lay dying. Johnson was a huge asset for native relations, even the Assassins knew that, and they regret what they did to this day.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939987-William-Johnson

Haytham Kenway's Assassination

Haytham E. Kenway was the first Grand Master of the Templar Order's Colonial Rite, reigning from 1754 until his death.
Target: Haytham Kenway
Killed by: Connor
City: New York City
Year: 1781

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Haytham Kenway has an interesting story indeed. He died as a Templar Grand Master but he was born into the Assassin's Brotherhood. As he matured he found he identified strongly with Templar ideologies, despite learning that his own father was an Assassin. He seems to have sincerely believed that order, purpose, and direction were ultimately what mankind needed. Beneath these good intentions, however, beat an irrational, impulsive, and cruel heart. Under his direction, the Colonial Rite flourished and he purged most of North America of its Assassin presence, though the details elude us. His actions became increasingly driven by anger and bitterness, eventually leading him to order the (of course, unsuccessful) murder of George Washington. He also made several personal attempts on the life of his own son, and Assassin, Connor. Connor finally killed his father, which was ultimately Haytham's punishment for losing track of the ideologies he claimed to have followed.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Haytham Kenway was born into the Brotherhood, but as he matured he became a devout believer in the Templar ideology, fully convinced that bringing order, purpose, and direction was for the benefit of mankind in the long run. It was for this reason that he became the first Grand Master of the colonies. He was calm, collected, respectful, and reasonable in all his dealings, most notably those with Native Americans. While most treated them as savages, Haytham showed great compassion, freeing them from slavery on several occasions and engaging in a relationship with Kaniehtí:io. This relationship bore a son, an Assassin named Connor, who inevitably clashed with his father due to their opposing ideologies. Haytham felt deceived by the Brotherhood and as an ultimate gesture of love, he left behind his journal to help Connor understand his life's journeys and the reasons behind his decision. He also spared his life during battle, a favor Connor did not return.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939988-Haytham-Kenway

Charles Lee's Assassination

Charles Lee was a General of the Continental Army and Haytham Kenway's second-in-command of the Templar Order.
Target: Charles Lee
Killed by: Connor
City: Monmouth
Year: 1782

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Charles Lee rose to become Grand Master of the Templars after the murder of Haytham Kenway. However, unlike Kenway, he was drawn to the Templars not out of principle but out of a ravenous appetite for power. He was an accomplished veteran warrior and commander, but he was far from noble and honorable. Instead, he had a vengeful, cruel streak in him that separated him from most other Templars of his time. He hated the native people with a passion, calling them human refuse, and took great pleasure in destroying their culture. He also unabashedly slandered General Washington and played a key role in his attempted assassination so that he himself could take over the role of Commander-in-Chief. He even spent his final moments standing over an injured Connor asserting his superiority, which allowed for the gunshot that eventually turned the tables and prompted Lee to finally accept his fate.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Charles Lee wasn't very popular among the Patriots, due mainly to his brash and arrogant attitude. Despite having a long and very successful military career, he was constantly stuck as a second-in-command, which could have attributed to his dissident behavior. However, Haytham had strong faith in Lee's ability, loyalty, and understanding of the Templar vision for a New World Order.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939989-Charles-Lee

Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie's Assassination

Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie, born in France, was the Governor of Louisiana prior to the Louisiana Rebellion.
Target: Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie
Killed by: Aveline
City: New Orleans
Year: 1765

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie was a power-hungry politician who would sacrifice the lives of others for even a small improvement to his own. As the French-appointed Governor of Louisiana, he was involved in backhanded dealings to secretly maintain New Orleans instead of handing it over to the Spanish. And wouldn't you know it, an agreement was met to send slaves and vagrants on a Templar mission to Mexico, a huge benefit to him at the extraordinary cost of others. He also agreed to let Templars take control of New Orleans while he was in power, an agreement that lasted all but 5 minutes before he was swiftly relieved of his title along with his life.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie was a good and noble diplomat. He cared for every single person under his rule in French Louisiana. He also understood that Louisiana should remain French despite being lost to Spain and so he worked diligently to ensure that his people were treated fairly under Spanish rule. Jean-Jacques wasn't a Templar but had the good sense to realize that their ideologies were the best way forward.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939990-Jean-Jacques-Blaise-d’Abbadie

Baptiste's Assassination

Baptiste was the Saint-Dominguan voodoo leader of a cult of former slaves in the Louisiana Bayou. Former Assassin, he made a deal with the Templars of New Orleans.
Target: Baptiste
Killed by: Aveline
City: Louisiana Bayou
Year: 1766

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Baptiste was a former slave who was welcomed into the Brotherhood by François Mackandal and escaped his plantation to become an Assassin. He fought alongside his mentor for many years until Mackandal was captured and executed, leaving Baptiste alone, abandoned by his fellow Assassins as well. Baptiste then started his own cult, using his deceased mentor's name to attract more followers. He continued his most important mission, in my opinion, which was poisoning the nobles of New Orleans, thus avenging the slaves. However, his sense of abandonment got the better of him and he struck a deal with Templars to flush out his old Assassin friend Agaté, hand him over, and then welcome Templars into control of New Orleans. Agate survived, Baptiste was laid to rest, and along with him, so was the Templars' dream of controlling New Orleans.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Baptiste, an escaped slave, was initially led astray by the Assassins but realized the error of his ways and ended up siding with the Templars. His mentor Francois Mackandal was killed in the colonies and he was subsequently abandoned by his fellow Assassins and supposed friends. He felt betrayed, especially after finding out that Mackandal had broken the Creed and kept vital information from him. Baptiste found himself caught in a web of lies used to manipulate him into following the Brotherhood, and even as he lay dying he bestowed information on his assailant, Assassin Aveline, that revealed the deception rampant in the Brotherhood. Aveline lost trust in the Assassins as well. I hope you're sensing a pattern here.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939991-Baptiste

Madeleine de L'Isle's Assassination

Madeleine de L'Isle served as Master Templar in the Southern Colonies of America, operating under the alias of the "Company Man".
Target: Madeleine de L'Isle
Killed by: Aveline
City: New Orleans
Year: 1777

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Despite living at a time when women had very low social standing, Madeleine de L'Isle managed to become Master Templar in the southern colonies. As you can imagine, a second-class citizen rising to such high rankings within that powerful organization requires first-class trickery. At this, Madeleine was one of the best. Manipulating nearly the entire life of her stepdaughter and eventual Assassin Aveline, she sent the girl's mother off to Mexico as part of her slave-trafficking operation, then used Aveline to undermine the plans of the Assassins once she had joined the Brotherhood. Much to the eventual dismay of Madeleine, however, Aveline learned a lot from her stepmother. She herself joined the Templars in a sham ceremony as an attempt to destroy the Order from the inside, and assassinated her stepmother after learning of her unbelievable atrocities.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: I don't think I need to emphasize how hard it was to assume a position of power as a woman in the era that Madeleine de L'Isle was a Master Templar. The amount of intelligence, poise, and business sense it would take to overcome such hurdles is astounding. Most men would be backhanded about assuming such a position but Madeleine had the acumen to not only acquire the role legitimately but she also went out of her way to improve the lives of others, namely, by freeing slaves. She ordered the creation of a community in Chichen Itza where slaves could work honestly, make a decent living, and earn their freedom. Madeleine was forging a new way forward for women, slaves, and humanity in general, and that was taken away from her. Truly regretful.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939992-Madeleine-de-L’Isle }}

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Duncan Walpole's Assassination

Duncan Walpole was a Master Assassin that chose to betray his Order and join the Templars of the West Indies.
Target: Duncan Walpole
Killed by: Edward
City: Cape Bonavista
Year: 1715

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Duncan Walpole was yet another victim of his own arrogance. He rose quickly through the ranks of the Royal Navy as a young man, but was stunted by his impulsive nature and violent temper. His lack of upward movement turned him to the Brotherhood where he became an Assassin and once again sought the glory he felt he deserved. Unsurprisingly, his skills were matched only by his sense of superiority, and when his volatile actions once again prohibited him from achieving glory and fortune, he turned coats and joined the Templars. A vigilant and motivated con-artist, he continued to carry out missions for the Assassins as he searched for his next sabotage attempt. However, a shipwreck put him squarely in the sights of future Assassin Edward Kenway. His life ended fittingly, as Kenway assumed his identity as well as his rewards.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Duncan Walpole was yet another Assassin who discovered that being inside the Brotherhood doesn't always live up to expectations. Grand Master Torres offered him a less violent way to achieve their mutual goals and it didn't involve the murders and scheming that's preferred by the Assassins. Duncan realized that personal success and world peace need not be exclusive from one another, that they can co-exist on the Templar's path to a New World Order. Every former Assassin that learns this weakens the Brotherhood considerably, and so Duncan became a piece of evidence that needed to be destroyed.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939993-Duncan-Walpole

Julien du Casse's Assassination

Julien du Casse was a French arms dealer and a member of the Templar Order in the West Indies.
Target: Julien du Casse
Killed by: Edward
City: Great Inagua
Year: 1715

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: The first job that Julien du Casse took after deserting the French Navy was that of a slave trader. Not satisfied with the business of buying and selling lives, he made a transition to taking lives. He spent 10 years as a mercenary before he decided that transporting guns for the Templars was a much more fulfilling trade. In that role, he combined his passions as both a hitman for Laureano de Torres and the main supplier of munitions to the Templar Order of the West Indies. Despite his extensive knowledge of weapons, he was unaware that he was transporting a pair of Hidden Blades, with an Assassin attached, on his final voyage. His oversight cost him his life, but undoubtedly saved the lives of thousands of others.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Julien du Casse was a talented privateer who was disgusted by the nepotism present in the French military and was searching for an outlet to apply his skills. Unable to stomach the brutality of his trial as a slave trader, he ventured out on his own in search of those who shared his ideologies. He eventually met Grand Master Laureano de Torres y Ayala, in whom he found a friend and confidant. He played a vital role in defending the Templar's vision of a new world by providing arms to the Templar Order in the West Indies. His passion to help build an existence of peace and stability was stamped out by the Brotherhood in a show of violence and brutality. Classic.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939994-Julien-du-Casse

Kenneth Abraham's Assassination

Kenneth Abraham was an officer of the British Army, and a member of the Templar Order in charge of eliminating the Assassins in Kingston.
Target: Kenneth Abraham
Killed by: Edward
City: Kingston
Year: 1716

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Kenneth Abraham was the slave trader with a heart of gold. His near-obsession with order and discipline allowed him to rise up through the ranks of the British Army, and then the Templar Order. He was tasked with eliminating the Assassins in Kingston, however, such a noble gentleman couldn't stand to end their lives so instead cycled them into slavery and begrudgingly accepted the profits that came with it. Despite his contributions to the thriving slave community, Abraham was assassinated which completely eliminated the Templar's influence in Kingston. In retrospect, maybe that was for the best.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Kenneth Abraham had a talent for order and discipline that allowed him to quickly ascend to Commander in the British Army. Upon joining the Templar Order, he climbed the ranks just as quickly, but this time devoting himself to the promotion of order and peace. He had the constant urge to create stability in the world, and so when he was tasked to eliminate the Maroon Assassins in Kingston, he took to it naturally. However, in the name of peace, instead of outright killing the Assassins, he instead spared their lives and entered them into the slave trade, to work until they found redemption. His respect for each man's life that he encountered was rewarded with a blade to the throat.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939995-Kenneth-Abraham

Benjamin Hornigold's Assassination

Benjamin Hornigold was an English pirate, most famous for mentoring Blackbeard and for being one of the founders of the Pirate Republic at Nassau.
Target: Benjamin Hornigold
Killed by: Edward
City: Santanillas
Year: 1719

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Benjamin Hornigold started out as an English pirate, best known for founding the pirate colony of Nassau. He joined forces with fellow pirates and Assassins to spurn British rule and begin their own colony. However, after Nassau succumbed to disease and began to crumble from lack of organization, Hornigold started to doubt his vision, which could have certainly been clouded by some ocular virus. Instead of standing his ground, Hornigold fled the scene of the crime, accepted a pardon from the British government, and became a pirate hunter himself. Even among pirates, the audacity of abandoning your brethren as they wallow in your failure was the most heinous form of disrespect.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Best known as a founder of the Pirate Republic in Nassau, Benjamin Hornigold found himself surrounded by disease and disorder, and became disillusioned with the pirate cause. Instead, seeking out stability and order, he joined the Templars and sought to dismantle the travesty he had created. Hornigold always stood out from his compatriots in his strong idealism, and it was his lofty concepts about the future of civilization that prompted him to join an order that supported that. He also carried with him principles of honor that were rare among his earlier company. But it made him a perfect fit for the Templars. He rejected the aimless lifestyle that was being perpetrated in Nasssau and applied his strong leadership skills to the greater good, something pirates and Assassins would never understand. His past eventually caught up with him, and he was eliminated before he could achieve his full, true potential.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939996-Benjamin-Hornigold

Laureano de Torres y Ayala's Assassination

Laureano de Torres y Ayala was the Spanish Governor of Florida from 1693 to 1699, and Grand Master of the Templar Order in the Caribbean.
Target: Laureano de Torres y Ayala
Killed by: Edward
City: Long Bay
Year: 1722

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: As if being the Grand Master of the Templars in the Caribbean wasn't enough power, Laureano de Torres y Ayala set off in search of a First Civilization site known as the Observatory. Torres knew that if he could find the Observatory, he would be able to gain total control over the European empires, causing a full collapse and installing Templars as the reigning world power. Luckily Kenway was able to infiltrate the Templars and eliminate Torres before his plan for world domination could take root.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Laureano de Torres y Ayala took upon himself the noble task of restoring order and peace in the Caribbean—one of the most dangerous regions in the world. Even faced with this challenge, he was notable for his conspicuous lack of ruthlessness. This trait inspired his goal to develop a less violent way to achieve the Templar goals: by using Precursor artifacts as a surveillance system, rather than murdering and scheming. He was absolutely disgusted by slavery, and held respect for the life of every individual. He even possessed the capacity to respect the Assassins' strength of conviction, even though he disagreed with their methods. It is argued that under Torres' leadership of the Templars, less people were killed than by Edward Kenway himself. I wonder if his life would have been taken so readily had Edward been enlightened of that fact.

Forum link: https://web.archive.org/web/20141109131153/http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939997-Laureano-De-Torres-y-Ayala

Pierre, Marquis de Fayet's Assassination

Pierre, Marquis de Fayet was a French aristocrat and Governor-General of Saint-Domingue.
Target: Pierre, Marquis de Fayet
Killed by: Adéwalé
City: Port-au-Prince
Year: 1737

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: Pierre, Marquis de Fayet was a slaver of the worst kind. He regarded his slaves as beasts who needed steady discipline to remain under control. They were merely disposable pieces of property who he sadistically tortured to prove his superiority. He defended his opinions to his death, insisting that they were animals who would resort to murder and rebellion without proper guidance. My only regret about his assassination is that none of his slaves were allowed to explore that theory.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Pierre, Marquis de Fayet was committed to ending the disputes in Saint-Domingue without violence. An incredibly risky maneuver, considering the dangerous climate in that area. However, de Fayet, as a true believer in the power of the Templar ideologies, attempted to put them into play at the risk of his own life. He was attempting to negotiate a deal with Maroon resistance leader Augustin Dieufort when the Assassins resorted to their tried and true method of negotiation—murder.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/939999-Pierre-Marquis-de-Fayet

Cesare Borgia's Assassination

Cesare Borgia, was Captain General of the Papal armies, that secretly plotted against his father Rodrigo (Pope Alexander VI) to take over Rome, and all of Italy.
Target: Cesare Borgia
Killed by: Ezio
City: Navarre
Year: 1503

Assassins' PerspectiveTemplars' Perspective

Shaun Hastings, Member of the Assassin Brotherhood

• Shaun: If you haven't caught on yet, the name Borgia raises an immediate red flag. Cesare Borgia had all the family traits: Power-hungry, violent, petulant, and tenacious. His bloodline was the only reason for his position of status, but he still felt no loyalties to them. He slept with his sister, murdered his brother, and had his best friend assassinated as he clawed his way to becoming Grand Master in Italy. There was no deed too disgusting for Cesare, most likely because he had convinced himself that he had ascended beyond mortality. His God-complex was so strong that he believed no living man could actually kill him, a theory that Assassin Ezio was more than happy to put to the test. To be fair, though, it wasn't a man that killed him, it was the fast approaching cobblestone street below his castle wall. It was merely a man that made the introduction.

Mélanie Lemay, Employee of Abstergo Entertainment

• Melanie: Cesare came from a long line of bad decision-makers. He learned very early on that power and corruption went hand in hand, so it's hard to imagine him conducting business in any other way. He was certainly smarter than he got any credit for, however, developing into a brilliant military strategist during his rise to Captain General of the Papal Armies. Cesare has been accused of legitimately going mad and declaring that he could not be killed by any mere mortal. However, while most people felt it was the demon inside him saying that, I'm more apt to believe it was the syphilis talking. He was a sick man surrounded by tortured souls, I'm not sure he had much choice in the path his life would take.

Forum link: http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/940000-Cesare-Borgia

Gallery

• 
  Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Robert de Sablé
• 
  Ezio Auditore and Cesare Borgia
• 
  Edward Kenway and Benjamin Hornigold
• 
  Adéwalé and Pierre
• 
  Aveline de Grandpré and Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie
• 
  Connor and Haytham Kenway

External links

• Question the Creed (content now obsolete; backup link)