Hidden Ones of the Great Desert: Difference between revisions
imported>Sol Pacificus m Sol Pacificus moved page Central Asian Hidden Ones to Hidden Ones of the Great Desert: update |
imported>Sol Pacificus I'm not sure the best way to cite to a Wikimedia image file. There may have been a more authoritative source for the boundaries of the Gobi Desert, but that was the one I saw & found so it is only honest I cite to it. I cited an atlas for the location of the Taklamakan Desert (again what I actually happened to use), but that same atlas doesn't give clear boundaries for the Gobi Desert. |
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{{Era|HiddenOnes|Organizations}} | {{Era|HiddenOnes|Organizations}} | ||
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{{ | {{Quote|The important thing is that we are here now. The important thing is that we are watching over this great desert.|Éléna, 751|Assassin's Creed: Dynasty|Beacon Fire (Part 2)}} | ||
[[File:AC Dynasty - Hidden Ones.jpg|thumb|250px| | [[File:AC Dynasty - Hidden Ones.jpg|thumb|250px|The Hidden Ones of the Great Desert]] | ||
During the 8th century, a '''group''' of [[Hidden Ones]] operated in the [[Western Regions|western reaches]] of [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] [[China]]. Led by [[Éléna]], | During the 8th century, a '''group''' of [[Hidden Ones]] operated in the [[Western Regions|western reaches]] of [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] [[China]]. Led by [[Éléna]] at mid-century, it was composed of people of various ethnicities, including [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]], [[Sogdia]]ns, {{Wiki|Tocharians}}, [[India]]ns, and [[Arabia|Arabs]].<ref name="Dynasty 9">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[Beacon Fire (Part 2)]]</ref> They regarded it as their duty to protect the people of the deserts northwest of China.<ref name="Dynasty 9" /> | ||
In | Their activities lent them a positive reputation among the locals, as the Tang poet [[Li Bai]] spent his childhood impressed by stories of these legendary heroes.<ref name="Dynasty 1">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Flower Banquet (Part 1)]]</ref><ref name="Dynasty Special 1">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Flower Banquet (Special)]]</ref> | ||
In 751,<ref name="Dynasty 8">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[Beacon Fire (Part 1)]]</ref> Éléna led the Hidden Ones on a hunt for the [[Abbasid Caliphate|Abbasid]] Caliph [[Abul Abbas As-Saffah]] and his troops.<ref name="Dynasty 9" /> Arriving at the aftermath of the [[Battle of Talas]], they rescued a Tang [[crossbowman]] named [[Li E]] making a lone last stand just before he could be cut down by the victorious Abbasids.<ref name="Dynasty 8" /> Subsequently, they recruited him into their ranks.<ref name="Dynasty 9" /> Under Éléna's tutelage,<ref name="Dynasty 5">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Flower Banquet (Part 5)]]</ref> Li E grew to become an exceptionally skilled [[Assassins|Assassin]],<ref name="Dynasty 4">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Flower Banquet (Part 4)]]</ref><ref name="Dynasty 23">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[Golden Turtles (Part 7)]]</ref> learning techniques such as the [[Leap of Faith]].<ref name="Dynasty 5" /> | |||
By 754,<ref name="Dynasty 1" /> the year before the outbreak of the [[An Lushan Rebellion]],<ref name="Dynasty timeline">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[Record of Major Events in Tianbao Year 14]]</ref> this branch of the Hidden Ones had been all but exterminated, with Li E as the sole surviving member. At some point, As-Saffah had sent his forces to besiege their headquarters, and Li E only managed to escape by jumping into a carriage and returning to the lands of the Tang.<ref name="Dynasty 33">''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]'' – [[The Hidden Ones (Part 1)]]</ref> | |||
==Behind the scenes== | |||
The Hidden Ones of the Great Desert debuted in a flashback during the [[Beacon Fire (Part 1)|opening chapters]] of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – Volume 2: Beacon Fire|Beacon Fire]]'', the second volume of the manhua ''[[Assassin's Creed: Dynasty]]''. They were, however, mentioned indirectly as early as the first chapter of the volume one by Li Bai. They serve as the Assassins who trained the main protagonist [[Li E]]. | |||
Their name is derived from a line spoken by a hallucination of Éléna to Li E in chapter 33, "[[The Hidden Ones (Part 1)]]": <blockquote>「你要一直记得，你是大漠最后一个无形者。」<br>"''You must always remember: you are the last Hidden One of the Great Desert.''"</blockquote> The syntax of the original Chinese text suggests that the term may be more descriptive than nominative. ([[wikt:cf.|cf.]] 「你是最后的大漠无形者。」"''You are the last of the Hidden Ones of the Great Desert''") although it does not preclude that it may be intended to be both. Regardless, it is the closest to a name for this group of Hidden Ones to date. | |||
"The Great Desert" is a historical Chinese name for the {{wiki|Gobi Desert}},<ref>[[wikt:大漠|大漠]]. ''Wiktionary''. Accessed 25 March 2022.</ref><ref>{{WP|zh:Gobi Desert|戈壁}}</ref> but the territory this branch of Hidden Ones is shown to preside over is beyond the desert's western extent,<ref>[[w:c:wikimedia:User:Christophe cagé|Christophe cagé]]. "[[w:c:wikimedia:File:Gobi desert en.jpg|File:Gobi desert en.jpg]]". Uploaded 29 May 2011. Accessed 25 March 2022.</ref> corresponding more closely to the {{wiki|Taklamakan Desert}}.<ref name="Oxford world atlas">"Asia: Physical". ''{{wiki|Oxford Atlas of the World}}'' (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.</ref> Talas itself is situated on the other side of the {{wiki|Tian Shan}} from either desert.<ref>{{WP|Talas (river)|Talas}}</ref> | |||
==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
Revision as of 23:01, 25 March 2022
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I wanted to ask you something. Which is... what's your name? This article title is conjecture. Although the article subject is canon, no official name for it has been given. |
During the 8th century, a group of Hidden Ones operated in the western reaches of Tang China. Led by Éléna at mid-century, it was composed of people of various ethnicities, including Byzantines, Sogdians, Tocharians, Indians, and Arabs.[1] They regarded it as their duty to protect the people of the deserts northwest of China.[1]
Their activities lent them a positive reputation among the locals, as the Tang poet Li Bai spent his childhood impressed by stories of these legendary heroes.[2][3]
In 751,[4] Éléna led the Hidden Ones on a hunt for the Abbasid Caliph Abul Abbas As-Saffah and his troops.[1] Arriving at the aftermath of the Battle of Talas, they rescued a Tang crossbowman named Li E making a lone last stand just before he could be cut down by the victorious Abbasids.[4] Subsequently, they recruited him into their ranks.[1] Under Éléna's tutelage,[5] Li E grew to become an exceptionally skilled Assassin,[6][7] learning techniques such as the Leap of Faith.[5]
By 754,[2] the year before the outbreak of the An Lushan Rebellion,[8] this branch of the Hidden Ones had been all but exterminated, with Li E as the sole surviving member. At some point, As-Saffah had sent his forces to besiege their headquarters, and Li E only managed to escape by jumping into a carriage and returning to the lands of the Tang.[9]
Behind the scenes
The Hidden Ones of the Great Desert debuted in a flashback during the opening chapters of Beacon Fire, the second volume of the manhua Assassin's Creed: Dynasty. They were, however, mentioned indirectly as early as the first chapter of the volume one by Li Bai. They serve as the Assassins who trained the main protagonist Li E.
Their name is derived from a line spoken by a hallucination of Éléna to Li E in chapter 33, "The Hidden Ones (Part 1)":
「你要一直记得，你是大漠最后一个无形者。」
"You must always remember: you are the last Hidden One of the Great Desert."
The syntax of the original Chinese text suggests that the term may be more descriptive than nominative. (cf. 「你是最后的大漠无形者。」"You are the last of the Hidden Ones of the Great Desert") although it does not preclude that it may be intended to be both. Regardless, it is the closest to a name for this group of Hidden Ones to date.
"The Great Desert" is a historical Chinese name for the Gobi Desert,[10][11] but the territory this branch of Hidden Ones is shown to preside over is beyond the desert's western extent,[12] corresponding more closely to the Taklamakan Desert.[13] Talas itself is situated on the other side of the Tian Shan from either desert.[14]
Appearances
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – Beacon Fire (Part 2)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Part 1)
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Special)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – Beacon Fire (Part 1)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Part 5)
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Part 4)
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – Golden Turtles (Part 7)
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – Record of Major Events in Tianbao Year 14
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Hidden Ones (Part 1)
- ↑ 大漠. Wiktionary. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑
戈壁 on Wikipedia
- ↑ Christophe cagé. "File:Gobi desert en.jpg". Uploaded 29 May 2011. Accessed 25 March 2022.
- ↑ "Asia: Physical". Oxford Atlas of the World (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.
- ↑ Talas on Wikipedia
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