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[[File:Assassination_Contract.png|thumb|281px|The pigeon cage where an Assassination Contract awaits.]]
{{Era|Assassins}}
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{{Imageneed|''[[Assassin's Creed II]], [[Assassin's Creed III]], [[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]], [[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]], [[Assassin's Creed: Unity]], and/or ''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''}}
{{Quote|Take these carrier pigeons for example. Each one sent from Machiavelli bears the name of an important Templar in Roma. Eliminate them and you will have more of an impact than a battle ever could.|Pantasilea Baglioni to Ezio Auditore, 1500.|Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood|Between a Rock and a Hard Place}}
[[File:BH-PigeonCoop.png|thumb|250px|Contracts were typically assigned via [[pigeon coop]]s]]
'''Assassination contracts''' were assignments given to the [[Assassins]], marking one or more individuals as a threat and ordering their elimination. The details of these contracts were generally sent via carrier pigeons or couriers.


'''Assassination Contracts''' are contracts sent by [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] to [[Ezio]] to assassinate key people responsible for certain nefarious deeds. These contracts are sent via carrier pigeon, a method similar to the messaging system [[Al Mualim]] once used. These contracts are acquired in the same order, regardless of which cage it is obtained from.
==History==
===Classical Era===
During the [[Peloponnesian War]], habitants of [[Greece]] left assassination contracts on [[message board]]s for ''[[Mercenary|misthios]]'' to accomplish them. The targets could vary between soldiers, bandits, politicians and mercenaries. The ''misthios'' [[Kassandra]] accomplished some of these contracts during her journey, having her own message board on her ship, the ''[[Adrestia]]''. She could also be contacted directly by civilians who hired her for killing their targets. The assassination of a governor was a strategic move to weaken the defense of a region, facilitating the invasion by foreign troops.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''</ref>


==[[Florence]]==
During the final years of the [[Ptolemaic Kingdom]], the [[Medjay]] [[Bayek]] of [[Siwa]] received complaints from citizens about criminal activities. As a protector of [[Egypt]], his task was to eliminate the bandits to bring justice. When Bayek became Medjay of all Egypt, he acceded to [[Apollodorus]]' network of informants, receiving reports on the [[Order of the Ancients]]' activities and their allies. Bayek eliminated them to protect the citizens of Egypt.<ref name="ACOR">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''</ref>
[[File:Pigeoncoop.jpg|thumb|left|Ezio aquires a new contract]]
===Day at the Market===
Lorenzo explains that there is a plot to cut off [[Florence]]'s supply line, which can be prevented by assassinating a merchant located in the [[San Marco district]]. It is relatively simple, as he is standing next to an [[Art Merchant]]. Use [[Eagle Vision]] to detect him easily. Remember that there is an Elite Guard near one of the entrances of the corridor that leads to the target.


===Fallen Archers===
When Bayek and his wife [[Amunet|Aya]] later founded the [[Assassins|Hidden Ones]], a group dedicated to protecting [[Human|humanity]]'s freedom and safety, assassination contracts were their primary tactics to stop the tyranny of the Order of the Ancients or other despots.<ref name="ACOR"/> 
Several [[Pazzi]] Archers were spotted attacking the [[Palazzo della Signoria]] and tracked down to the San Marco district, the largest district in Florence. There are 3 of them, and they are spread out quite thinly, so it may take a while to reach them. You can choose open combat or stealthy assassination to take them out.


===Political Suicide===
===Middle Ages===
Lorenzo claims that a member of the Signoria was working with the Pazzi to turn the tide against the Medici. They are meeting in a low passageway, concealed from the rooftops. Each entrance is guarded by 4 guards. It is best to hire some [[Courtesans]] or [[Thieves]] to distract the guards (using Mercenaries will result in desynchronization), and use some of them to conceal you from your target. You cannot be detected by him or his companion, else you will be desynchronized.
In the 9th century, the [[Hidden Ones of Alamut|Alamut Hidden Ones]] received several assassination contracts from their allies or individuals who had heard of their deeds. These [[Contracts (Mirage)|contracts]] were posted inside their [[Assassin bureau|bureaus]] in [[Baghdad]], where any Hidden One could read them and decide whether to accept them. During the 860s, [[Basim ibn Ishaq]] completed several such contracts, which awarded him with [[dirham]]s and [[Khidmah Tokens]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''</ref>


===Caveat Emptor===
[[File:AC1 Acre Bureau Feather.png|thumb|250px|left|Altaïr receiving his feather from [[Jabal]]]]
It seems that a member of the Salvucci family, who helped smuggle enemies into Florence, has been sighted. Find the target and kill him without being detected. He has one guard following him.
After the Hidden Ones were reformed as the Assassins in the 11th century, they continued to use the practice of assassination contracts. Under the leadership of [[Al Mualim]], word of the intended target was sent through [[Pigeon coop|courier pigeons]] to the [[Rafiq]] present within the target's city or region. [[Novice]] Assassins were sent out by the Rafiq to [[Investigation|investigate]] the plans, routines and surroundings of the intended target, amassing information that might help with the actual assassination, carried out by an Assassin of a higher [[rank]].<ref name="AC">''[[Assassin's Creed]]''</ref>


===Meeting Adjourned===
Before said assassination was carried out, the Assassin was judged on the value of their knowledge and, if deemed sufficient, handed a [[feather]] to dip in the target's blood as proof of the deed's success. [[Master Assassin]]s, due to their skill, were not obligated to meet with the Rafiq after the investigation had been completed and could immediately proceed with the elimination of the target. Although rare, investigations and assassinations were sometimes carried out by the same person, as was the case with the disgraced Assassin [[Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad]].<ref name="AC"/>
Several enemies are planning a meeting in the city; you have to tail the only known lead and then kill all those affiliated. Follow him and he'll walk into a heavily guarded room. Your number of targets increases, as you have to kill all those responsible. It is simplest to toss a [[Smoke Bomb]] and start assassinating everyone. Be careful, the lead is a quick walker, and one of the targets may start fleeing in the chaos.


===Needle in a Haystack===
===Renaissance===
Lorenzo remarks that we are so close to eliminating all those responsible for the attack on Florence. One of the conspirators has been spotted near the [[Santa Maria Novella]]. The target will be in one of the courtyards within the area. It appears to be entirely random as to which garden he appears in. It is recommended you search from the roofs, and use Eagle Vision to find him. If he detects you, you will be desynchronized.
By the 15th century, much of these practices had been abolished, with the Assassin receiving the contract also being the one that carried it out. Following his rescue of [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze]] began to serve as the man's unofficial assassin, receiving messages through pigeon coops and carrying out contracts in [[Florence]], [[Tuscany]], [[Romagna]], and [[Venice]]. Since these targets were picked out by Lorenzo, they were frequently enemies of the [[House of Medici]]; in particular, people that had [[Pazzi conspiracy|collaborated]] with the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>


===Peacekeeper===
[[File:BH coop.png|thumb|250px|Ezio accepting a contract in Rome]]
A contingent of traitorous guards are planning to march to Lorenzo's palazzo, and Ezio has to kill them before they start a riot. The timer only starts once you have sighted them. They are just west of the bridge, where the company of guards is composed of 10 [[Brutes]]. It is easy to dispatch them by tossing a Smoke Bomb and assassinating or poisoning everyone.
When he was a [[Master Assassin]] living in [[Rome]], Ezio's [[Assassins Guild|contracts]] were provided by [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] and relayed to him through [[Pantasilea Baglioni]] and pigeon coops. By eliminating these targets, who were primarily affiliates of the [[House of Borgia|Borgia family]], the [[Italian Brotherhood of Assassins]] gradually weakened the position of power held by the [[Templars]].<ref name="ACB">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>


===Leader of the Pack===
Ezio also provided [[Contracts (Project Legacy)|contracts of his own]] for his [[Assassin apprentice|Assassin recruits]], sending them to countries across [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]. In completing their missions, the apprentices damaged the Templars' presence in various regions and gained the experience necessary to progress through the Assassin Order.<ref name="ACB"/><ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>
Several condotierri who attacked Lorenzo's palazzo are regrouping. Ezio has to tail one of them to their garrison and kill their leader. First things first, make sure you're full on Smoke Bombs. Find the target, then follow him for a while. As you tail him, more and more guards will start to follow him. You will get to an alley entrance that's guarded. There should be some Courtesans nearby, hire them to distract the guards, then run into the garden area that's full of enemies. Smoke Bombs and the Hidden Blade should finish this. Otherwise, you can bypass the guards by climbing up the walls and Air Assassinating the guard leader. After this, it doesn't take much to get majority of the guards to flee.


However, the quickest way to complete this is by assassinating the leader with the [[hidden gun]].
Having grown somewhat weary by the time he reached [[Constantinople]], Ezio no longer carried out assassination contracts himself, though he still aided the [[Ottoman Brotherhood of Assassins|Ottoman Assassins]] in other ways. As he did in Rome, Ezio recruited [[Civilian|citizens]] and then sent them out on [[Mediterranean Defense|strategic missions]] across the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] to train them. This proved critical not only to the apprentices' development but also to the expansion of the Assassins' knowledge and influence in the region.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''</ref>


==[[Tuscany]]==
===Age of Empires===
[[File:A Botched Escape 1.png|thumb|250px|left|Edward taking on a contract]]
Upon being introduced to the Assassins in 1716, the [[Piracy|pirate]] [[Edward Kenway]] was persuaded by the [[West Indies Brotherhood of Assassins|West Indies Assassin]] [[Mary Read]] to complete assassination contracts in the [[Caribbean]] for monetary rewards. These contracts, delivered through a network of pigeon coops, covered a plethora of islands, with the majority being located in the more densely populated cities of [[Havana]], [[Nassau]], and [[Kingston]]. The people targeted by the Assassins were not limited to Templars and also included cruel [[Slavery|slave traders]], corrupt officials, and criminals of all sorts.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''</ref>


===Reap What You Sow===
During the [[Seven Years' War]], the [[American Brotherhood of Assassins|Colonial Assassins]] used the same system as their West Indies brothers, with the notable difference that the contracts were assigned to multiple members of their affiliated [[gang]]. The former Assassin-turned-Templar [[Shay Cormac]] intercepted some of their courier pigeons and foiled many of their assassination contracts.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''</ref>
One of the benefactors of the Pazzi has been found in a farm east of San Gimignano. First go the [[View Point]] located conveniently near your target, then perform a [[Leap of Faith]] into the hay below. This cart of hay is also conveniently placed adjacent to your target, so assassinate him from the Hiding Spot. If he sees you because you did not follow the aforementioned strategy, he will run away, but you can still catch up to and kill him.


===Don’t Get Your Hands Dirty===
In 18th-century [[New Orleans]], the Assassin [[Aveline de Grandpré]] occasionally carried out assassinations on the orders of her [[Mentor]] [[Agaté]], who left messages for her in [[Saint Peter's Cemetery]]. These missions were meant to sabotage the Templars' attempts to gain power within the region, eliminating new recruits or vital enemy contacts. Similarly, Aveline received contracts from [[Gérald Blanc]]'s informants, targeting various corrupt Templar business rivals active in the city. By eliminating them, more shops became eligible for renovation, allowing slaves to attain employment and a decent wage.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''</ref>
There are 4 guards who want Lorenzo dead. Your task is to have these guards killed without ''appearing ''to have killed them yourself. It is fairly easy because three of the guards are on towers. Simply climb up to the top of the tower, grab them, and throw them over the edge to their death.  
The fourth guard is in the market at ground level; you can poison him and wait, kill him with your fists (even though he still writhes on the ground, he counts as being dead), hire the nearby mercenaries to kill him, or throw him into the nearby drying rack.


===Supply In Demand===
Edward's grandson, [[Ratonhnhaké:ton]], occasionally accepted assassination contracts given to him through couriers, who identified the locations of Templars nearby, allowing him to complete them in his own time. Following his liberation of the [[Boston]] and [[New York City|New York]] districts, Ratonhnhaké:ton also recruited six individuals, who were sent to fulfill [[Contracts (Colonial Brotherhood)|contracts]] around the [[United States|British American colonies]]. In this way, his recruits gained experience, acquiring valuable resources for the Colonial Brotherhood and aiding the [[Continental Army|Continental]] war effort during the [[American Revolution]].<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''</ref>
A local guild leader has been supplying the Pazzi with arms. Your task is to tail one of his men to find him then kill him. After following the member, simply assassinate the leader by running to him.


===Flee Market===
===French Revolution===
There are several conspirators who plot against Florence. Make your way toward the area and dispatch the [[Archers]] first to avoid being detected. Then perform a Leap of Faith from the pigeon marker into the cart of leaves. After this, double-assassinate both targets. For best results, hire some Thieves to attack the Archers instead, diverting the guards' attention to them, then assassinate your targets. There is a bug with this mission, at least on the PC. You ''must'' kill the two conspirators before they leave the restricted area. If you let them escape across the rooftops (they are Agiles and very good at outrunning/climbing you) and then later catch up and kill them, the mission will be left incomplete, forcing you to abort the memory and try again. You do not have to double-assassinate the targets for the mission to succeed, but you must kill them before they leave the area marked red on the map, which makes this a very frustrating mission.
During the [[French Revolution]], the [[Assassin Council]] of the [[Parisian Brotherhood of Assassins|Parisian Brotherhood]] was the only authority that could approve the assassination of a target. The young Assassin [[Arno Dorian]] was the steward of the [[Café Théâtre]], the intelligence gathering front of the Brotherhood in [[Paris]]. As Arno bought other cafés through the city, the buildings served as safe houses for the Assassins and the Council left assassination contracts for Arno. They primarily targeted Templars, thugs, [[Extremist]]s or corrupted officials who operated in Paris. As Arno completed the contracts, it permitted the moderate revolutionaries allied to the Assassins to operate in the districts.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''</ref>


===Vertical Slice===
As some contracts were too difficult to be taken by one person, the French Assassins organized themselves in clubs and teams to assure the coordination of a mission.<ref>''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]'' – [[Explore the Café Théâtre]]</ref>
There are several Borgia soldiers in the vicinity who may be planning a Coup. Your task is to kill them without being seen, as [[Rodrigo Borgia]] might use your involvement as an excuse for a war. Use Ezio's ledge and Hiding Spot assassinations to its fullest, since most of the targets are archers. If possible, observe the enemies' movements to get a look at how to assassinate them efficiently.


===No Camping===
===Victorian Era===
There are enemies who have gathered in camps around the city. Kill their leaders as quickly as possible. You have 5 minutes to do so. Go to each area whilst air assassinating the leaders. Fighting the leaders is possible, however they are accompanied by many guards in the vicinity. Note that it is almost impossible to do this without a horse, as the targets are so far away from each other.
[[File:ACS Somewhere That's Green 14.png|250px|thumb|right|Jayadeep providing the Frye twins with information on Templar targets]]
During the [[Industrial Revolution]], the Council of the [[British Brotherhood of Assassins]], which was in a fragile position against the [[British Rite of the Templar Order]], ordered careful assassination contracts to not compromise the Brotherhood. They also modernized the practice to dip a feather in the target's blood, replacing the feather with a handkerchief.<ref name="ACS">''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''</ref>


===Showtime===
When the Assassin twins [[Jacob Frye|Jacob]] and [[Evie Frye]] arrived in [[London]] without the consent of the Council, they entered in contact with [[Jayadeep Mir]], the leader and only Assassin of the city's guild. As their plan was to [[Liberation of London|liberate]] London from the Templars' control, Jayadeep gave them contracts on high-ranking Templars and [[Blighters]] throughout the city.<ref name="ACS"/>
One of the people responsible for hiring the condotierri who attacked Florence has been spotted. He regularly takes a walk around the countryside, and can be ambushed in the Ancient Roman Theater. Tail the target to the Theater, then approach him from the opposite side of the landmark to avoid conflict with the guards as much as possible. He keeps two Brutes close, and will flee to the center of the theater if he sees you.


==[[Romagna]]==
==Behind the scenes==
===Thin The Ranks===
In ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'', during memory sequences 13 and 14, as well as the succeeding free-roaming sequence, assassination contracts were still available, even though Lorenzo de' Medici had already died by that point. As it turned out, Ezio was also tasked to assassinate associates of various characters who had been dead for years by then.
Kill six guards. There are six guards posted in pairs, on three different locations in the city. Double assassinations are easily made, or you can kill them in an open battle.


===Beginnings of a Conspiracy===
In "[[Hunting the Hunter (II)|Hunting the Hunter]]," the attacking [[guard]]s bore Medici colors. If Ezio looted the scarecrow target afterward, it yielded a [[Easter eggs#Dummy keys|set of keys]].
Some of Girolamo Riario's men broke into the Palazzo Pitti and stole a valuable map. Ezio needs to kill these three men without being spotted. First make sure that you are stocked up with poison, kill the guard close to the fountain using mercenaries, then walk towards the target on the left side of the map and poison him. Make your way to the last one and assassinate with the hidden blades or Pistol before he or his bodyguard detect you.


===Arch Enemies===
In ''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]'', contracts were available for Edward to complete as soon as he reached [[Havana]] in 1715, despite him not being officially introduced to the system until 1716.
Some Borgia archers have to be taken care of, and fast. Ten archers posted on the roofs of the buildings on the edge of the river, need to be cleared within two minutes. The Throwing Knives work perfectly for this job; free run between the houses and kill all the archers on the way.


===Wet Work===
==Appearances==
A boat has been seen scouting for a suitable place for an attack. Kill the captain. First make your way to the boat, either by swimming or by taking a gondola. Taking out the guards in the smaller boats will make this task easier. When ready, sneak aboard the main boat and kill the captain. [[Smoke bombs]] and ledge assassinations can be used with great profit.
*''[[Assassin's Creed]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed III: Liberation]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Rogue]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Unity]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Syndicate]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Odyssey]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Mirage]]''


===Dead On Arrival===
==References==
Kill the courier before he leaves. He is located not far from the pigeon coop, and can be easily killed with throwing knifes. Remember, he will flee on sight, and the adjacent archers (as well as a Leader and an Agile) will attempt to hinder you.
{{Reflist}}
 
[[Category:Assassin Brotherhood]]
===Go Towards The Light===
[[Category:Criminal practices]]
You need to kill the guard at the lighthouse. Keep the Guards outside the lighthouse busy using the mercenaries not far from there (or swim around them), then make your way to the top of the lighthouse and assassinate him.
 
===Mark And Execute===
You must kill the one who captured one of Lorenzo's spies without being detected. Go towards the target, but make sure that you are filled up with throwing knives, poison and smoke bombs, just in case, since this is quite tricky. First, kill the archers on the roof, then double assassinate him and his bodyguard (you can do it from the air). If you're looking for a challenge, you can clear the whole area of guards (which is quite difficult, as there are a lot of normal guards, two archers, and at least one Seeker and Brute to deal with). Additionally, there is an unguarded archway you can use to sneak behind the target and kill him, as the spy leads him in front of it.
 
==[[Venice]]==
===Thicker Than Water===
A gondolier will lead you to your target. First make your way to the gondolier, then follow the gondolier to your target. The best way should be via the buildings. Be careful though, since being spotted will lead to desynchronization. When you have made your way to the real target, you can swim behind the boat and end him with a ledge assassination.
 
===Zero Tolerance===
A family friend of Lorenzo is being harassed by a merchant, who must be killed without her noticing. Finding the target may be a little tricky, since he and Lorenzo's friend are constantly circling around the area. When you find them, stay blended until you are behind the man, then kill him in any way you like. Poison is easy since it won't get you in any trouble with the guards that will be in the vicinity; or you can assassinate him from a hiding spot.
 
===Blade in the Crowd===
The Doge has decided to send several trusted administrators to rouse the populace in Florence. They are supposed to meet with the Doge shortly. Find and kill them before the meeting, without alerting them to your presence. Find the three targets within the green circles, all of which are quite near you. There is a 3 minute countdown, thus it's probably better to kill all three with poison.
 
===Honorable Thief===
One of Lorenzo's connections uncovered a plot to destroy the Venetian branch of the Medici bank. Meet his informant, a nimble thief, and follow him to the target's location to kill him. The informant is to the north of St. Mark's Square. Be wary, as there will be many archers that will oppose you before the end.
 
===No Laughing Matter===
There are three harlequins that are actually co-conspirators of Archbishop Salviati. They have already been marked and identified for you. One is in the open, and should be dealt with easily via an air assassination. The two others are in guarded locations. The best way to deal with them both is to let them run out, away from their guards, so you can chase and kill them. All of them will flee if they catch a glimpse of you.
===Crash a Party===
One of Francesco de` Pazzi's cousins is throwing a party. Tail one of the guests to his location and assassinate him. Tailing the guest is simple enough if you aren't notorious. When you come to a guard entrance, climb the buildings. As the party is being held in a restricted area, you must not be seen. Your target is close to some Gondolas, making for a quick and easy escape.
===False Legacy===
A Venetian Condottiero (a Brute, actually) is forcing artists to depict him as a war hero. This job will be quite difficult, as he is surrounded by Elite Guards, though he is easy to distinguish. Use the Hidden Pistol for a quick (but loud) kill, or hire the nearby Mercenaries to distract them
===Hunting the Hunter===
This mission is the last contract you receive. Your first task is to kill a marked target (an Agile). A single shot from the Pistol will finish it. After that, loot the body and head to the designated coordinates. Approach the 'person' in front of the fountain, revealing it to actually be a scarecrow. Afterwards, a Venetian Agile and some Medici Leader Guards will ambush you. Killing the Agile will finish the mission, and make the other Guards disappear.
 
==Trivia==
*During Sequence 14 and the free-roaming sequence, these contracts are still playable even though[[Lorenzo Medici| Lorenzo Medici]] is already dead.
*Interestingly, in Hunting the Hunter：
**The other [[Guards]] are bearing [[Medici]] colors.
**If you loot the scarecrow target afterward, or indeed any scarecrow target throughout the game, such as the one found after testing your hidden pistol for the first time, it will yield a set of keys (With a multiplier, indicating numerous may be held); but its use and purpose are unknown.
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Gameplay]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Walkthrough]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II]]

Latest revision as of 01:12, 25 May 2026

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

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

History[edit | edit source]

Classical Era[edit | edit source]

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

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

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

Middle Ages[edit | edit source]

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

Altaïr receiving his feather from Jabal

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

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

Renaissance[edit | edit source]

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

Ezio accepting a contract in Rome

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

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

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

Age of Empires[edit | edit source]

Edward taking on a contract

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

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

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

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

French Revolution[edit | edit source]

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

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

Victorian Era[edit | edit source]

Jayadeep providing the Frye twins with information on Templar targets

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

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

Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

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

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

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

Appearances[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

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