Tariq al-Nasr

Tariq al-Nasr (fl. 15th–16th century) was a Moorish Assassin who was recruited into the Spanish Brotherhood in the aftermath of the sack of Málaga, his home, during the Granada War.

Biography

Early life

Born in Málaga to a poor Muslim family, Tariq was a Moorish pit fighter. To support his family, he worked as an enforcer-for-hire in the city's underworld.

In 1487, when Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada drove the Christian forces of the Reconquista to sack the city of Málaga as part of the Granada War, all of Tariq's people were killed or enslaved to be sold to Spanish nobles. Unwilling to submit to slavery, Tariq escaped the city in fury at the Spanish atrocity. He eventually met the Assassins and joined the Brotherhood through which he hoped he could bring justice and freedom to the Muslims of Spain.

Establishing a new base

He accompanied María and Aguilar de Nerha on the latter's first mission, during which Aguilar reported back to them after spying on Grand Inquisitor Tomás de Torquemada. Aguilar alerted to them of a plot the Spanish Templars had in motion involving Pieces of Eden. Recognizing that their numbers were too few to challenge Torquemada, María instructed Tariq and Aguilar to assemble Assassins at an abandoned fortress in the Sierra de Cazorla, where they were to establish their new base-of-operations and build up their strength.

The two made contact with another Assassin in their city, Luis Chico, saved him from Templars that had trapped him in a warehouse, and relayed him María's orders, following which the three rode together to the Cazorla mountains and set to work on their new home.

Personality and traits

Despite his prior profession as a pit fighter and gang enforcer, Tariq al-Nasr was neither a violent nor a cruel man by nature. He did enjoy sparring as a hobby nonetheless in part for his love of competition. A determined individual, he espoused the ideals of freedom and justice, especially in light of the oppression of Muslims at the hands of the Spanish, having witnessed it firsthand in the aftermath of the Siege of Málaga.

Skills and equipment

Tariq was of tough and vigorous physique, and he did not depend on heavy protection in fights, wearing only light armor in missions. What he did rely on instead was his Moorish warrior training and conditioning, which, coupled with his rage against the Inquisition, provided him with an incredible iron will to call upon a second wind. Even with his two-handed, heavy battleaxe, he was capable of delivering surprising swift cuts, and he favored techniques aimed at crippling an enemy's ability to remain mobile.

Gallery

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  Tariq's avatar in Rebellion's character menu

Behind the scenes

Tariq al-Nasr is a playable character in Assassin's Creed: Rebellion, where he is the second hero to be unlocked after the default Aguilar de Nerha. His given name is derived from the Arabic verb طرق‎ (ṭaraqa) "to strike", and into the agentive form طارق‎ (ṭāriq) "the striker". His surname al-Nasr النصر‎ "the Victory" is the title of the 110th sura of the Quran.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Rebellion