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{{Era|Organizations}}
{{Era|Organizations}}
{{Pre-release}}
{{Pre-release}}
The '''Department of Immortality''' was a military department of the [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] established by [[Qin Shi Huang]] with the goal of researching ways to extend his lifespan.<ref name="Loading screen message">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – Loading screen message: "Department of Immortality"</ref> It was commanded by [[Yang Duanhe]], who secretly reported to an agent known as The Fox, whose real name was [[Nie Jing]]. Its placement in the official Qin military chain-of-command was controversially defined, as Grand General [[Meng Tian]] mistakenly believed he had authority over them while Duanhe and his troops maintained otherwise. Their soldiers dressed in distinctive purple uniforms and conducted covert operations for their own ends, even going as far as to collude with the [[Xiongnu]] against Qin national security interests.
The '''Department of Immortality''' was a military department of the [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] established by [[Qin Shi Huang]] with the goal of researching ways to extend his lifespan.<ref name="Loading screen message">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – Loading screen message: "Department of Immortality"</ref> It was commanded by [[Yang Duanhe]], who secretly reported to an agent known as The Fox, whose real name was [[Nie Jing]]. Its placement in the official Qin military chain-of-command was controversially defined, as Grand General [[Meng Tian]] mistakenly believed he had authority over them while Duanhe and his troops maintained otherwise. Their soldiers dressed in distinctive purple uniforms and conducted covert operations for their own ends, even going as far as to collude with the [[Xiongnu]] against Qin national security interests.


==History==
==History==
===Massacre of Jade Spring===
===Massacre of Jade Spring===
In 215 BCE, the Department of Immortality under Yang Duanhe's orders launched a surprise attack on [[Jade Spring]], a village west of [[Yangzhou City]] in [[Shang Commandery]], in retaliation for the theft of a treasure case that contained a talisman with seemingly magical powers. The troops pillaged at will and indiscriminately rounded up civilians for torture and interrogation. Any who resisted or could not divulge information regarding the treasure were executed on the spot despite Nie Jing reacquiring it from the village's great hall in short order. The only defenders were the village's ''youxia'' and their martial arts master [[Ji Wei]], who was killed in a fight with three of the soldiers. Of the troops who invaded the village, casualties were high because [[Wei Yu's disciple|one of the ''youxia'']], with the aid of their sworn brother [[Chu Huan]], took out all who were present.<ref name="The Longest Day">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[The Longest Day]]</ref>
In 215 BCE, the Department of Immortality under Yang Duanhe's orders launched a surprise attack on [[Jade Spring]], a village west of [[Yangzhou City]] in [[Shang Commandery]], in retaliation for the theft of a treasure case that contained a talisman with seemingly magical powers. The troops pillaged at will and indiscriminately rounded up civilians for torture and interrogation. Any who resisted or could not divulge information regarding the treasure were executed on the spot despite Nie Jing reacquiring it from the village's great hall in short order. The only defenders were the village's ''youxia'' and their martial arts master [[Ji Wei]], who was killed in a fight with three of the soldiers. Of the troops who invaded the village, casualties were high because [[Wei Yu's disciple|one of the ''youxia'']], with the aid of their sworn brother [[Chu Huan]], took out all who were present.<ref name="The Longest Day">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[The Longest Day]]</ref>


Nonetheless, the Department of Immortality successfully retrieved the talisman and exacted retribution on the village to the fullest extent, having put almost the entire populace to the sword. Yang Duanhe personally killed Chu Huan in an ambush while he and his sworn sibling were escaping the village. More survivors were killed when the Qin soldiers attacked their safehouse on the outskirts.<ref name="A Difficult Reunion">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[A Difficult Reunion]]</ref> Subsequently, Nie Jing tricked the two remaining ''youxia'', [[Yu Ying]] and Chu Huan's sworn sibling, into gathering into one place the rest of the villagers who were either away in [[Yangzhou City]] or had escaped there.<ref name="A Difficult Reunion" /><ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[The Survivors of Yangzhou]]</ref> As they met together at the city's rear gate as Nie Jing had directed, the Department of Immortality launched an ambush. Once again, although all the ambushers were killed in action against the ''youxia'', the aim of extermination was completed. Only the two ''youxia'' remained as survivors of Jade Spring.<ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou" />
Nonetheless, the Department of Immortality successfully retrieved the talisman and exacted retribution on the village to the fullest extent, having put almost the entire populace to the sword. Yang Duanhe personally killed Chu Huan in an ambush while he and his sworn sibling were escaping the village. More survivors were killed when the Qin soldiers attacked their safehouse on the outskirts.<ref name="A Difficult Reunion">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[A Difficult Reunion]]</ref> Subsequently, Nie Jing tricked the two remaining ''youxia'', [[Yu Ying]] and Chu Huan's sworn sibling, into gathering into one place the rest of the villagers who were either away in [[Yangzhou City]] or had escaped there.<ref name="A Difficult Reunion" /><ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[The Survivors of Yangzhou]]</ref> As they met together at the city's rear gate as Nie Jing had directed, the Department of Immortality launched an ambush. Once again, although all the ambushers were killed in action against the ''youxia'', the aim of extermination was completed. Only the two ''youxia'' remained as survivors of Jade Spring.<ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou" />


The entire operation was orchestrated by Nie Jing from the start, as even the ''youxia''{{'}}s theft of the treasure had been a ploy devised by Nie Jing to create a pretext for the Qin massacre.<ref name="The Longest Day" /><ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou" /><ref name="Youxia in the Palace">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[Youxia in the Palace]]</ref><ref name="Homecoming">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[Homecoming (Jade)|Homecoming]]</ref>
The entire operation was orchestrated by Nie Jing from the start, as even the ''youxia''{{'}}s theft of the treasure had been a ploy devised by Nie Jing to create a pretext for the Qin massacre.<ref name="The Longest Day" /><ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou" /><ref name="Youxia in the Palace">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[Youxia in the Palace]]</ref><ref name="Homecoming">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[Homecoming (Jade)|Homecoming]]</ref>


===Conspiracy with the Xiongnu===
===Conspiracy with the Xiongnu===
As the operation against Jade Spring had not been authorized by Grand General Meng Tian, he immediately put the Department of Immortality under investigation the following day, ordering its officers to report to his then posting at the [[Great Wall of China|Great Wall]].<ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou" /> Yang Duanhe did not comply with the command, sending a subordinate in his stead to repudiate his authority over their division. The meeting was interrupted by a [[Xiongnu]] assault on the wall that was then repelled.<ref name="The General on the Great Wall">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[The General on the Great Wall]]</ref>
As the operation against Jade Spring had not been authorized by Grand General Meng Tian, he immediately put the Department of Immortality under investigation the following day, ordering its officers to report to his then posting at the [[Great Wall of China|Great Wall]].<ref name="The Survivors of Yangzhou" /> Yang Duanhe did not comply with the command, sending a subordinate in his stead to repudiate his authority over their division. The meeting was interrupted by a [[Xiongnu]] assault on the wall that was then repelled.<ref name="The General on the Great Wall">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[The General on the Great Wall]]</ref>


At this time, [[Touman|Touman Chanyu]] was the leader of the Xiongnu, and Yang Duanhe had covertly forged an alliance between him and the Department of Immortality.<ref name="Nobility of the Xiongnu">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[Nobility of the Xiongnu]]</ref> The department harboured their own secret goals which they believed would be facilitated by a full-scale Xiongnu incursion into Qin territory. To that end, Duanhe plotted to destroy a section of the Great Wall at [[Tulu Pass]] just as Touman led his army into an all-out assault onto it.<ref name="The Exile's Plan">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[The Exile's Plan]]</ref> The two surviving ''youxia'' of Jade Spring and [[Modu]], Touman's son and rival claimant as ''chanyu'', caught wind of the plan and worked to thwart it. At the battle of Tulu Pass, Yang Duanhe succeeded with his own hands in creating the breach in the wall, but he was slain by one of the ''youxia'' shortly afterwards. Upon his demise, Nie Jing confronted the ''youxia'' in mortal combat but fled when Yu Ying and Meng Tian arrived to assist the ''youxia''. The Department of Immortality thus failed in their objectives for the battle.<ref name="Battle at the Wall">''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' – [[Battle at the Wall]]</ref>
At this time, [[Touman|Touman Chanyu]] was the leader of the Xiongnu, and Yang Duanhe had covertly forged an alliance between him and the Department of Immortality.<ref name="Nobility of the Xiongnu">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[Nobility of the Xiongnu]]</ref> The department harboured their own secret goals which they believed would be facilitated by a full-scale Xiongnu incursion into Qin territory. To that end, Duanhe plotted to destroy a section of the Great Wall at [[Tulu Pass]] just as Touman led his army into an all-out assault onto it.<ref name="The Exile's Plan">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[The Exile's Plan]]</ref> The two surviving ''youxia'' of Jade Spring and [[Modu]], Touman's son and rival claimant as ''chanyu'', caught wind of the plan and worked to thwart it. At the battle of Tulu Pass, Yang Duanhe succeeded with his own hands in creating the breach in the wall, but he was slain by one of the ''youxia'' shortly afterwards. Upon his demise, Nie Jing confronted the ''youxia'' in mortal combat but fled when Yu Ying and Meng Tian arrived to assist the ''youxia''. The Department of Immortality thus failed in their objectives for the battle.<ref name="Battle at the Wall">''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' – [[Battle at the Wall]]</ref>


==Behind the scenes==
==Behind the scenes==
The Department of Immortality featured in the closed beta test of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]'' as an enemy faction. Their soldiers were distinguished from the regular Qin guards by their purple uniforms instead of red. Described as a "new military department"<ref name="The Longest Day" /> and "rogue Qin elements"<ref name="Nobility of the Xiongnu" /> in an antagonistic relation with Grand General Meng Tian, as of the beta test, the motives and goals of the Department of Immortality has not yet been revealed.
The Department of Immortality featured in the closed beta test of ''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]'' as an enemy faction. Their soldiers were distinguished from the regular Qin guards by their purple uniforms instead of red. Described as a "new military department"<ref name="The Longest Day" /> and "rogue Qin elements"<ref name="Nobility of the Xiongnu" /> in an antagonistic relation with Grand General Meng Tian, as of the beta test, the motives and goals of the Department of Immortality has not yet been revealed.


==Appearances==
==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Codename Jade]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Jade]]''


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Qin military]]
[[Category:Qin military]]

Revision as of 17:26, 23 August 2023

You cannot know anything. Only suspect.

This article contains content from pre-release sources that may or may not be reflective of canon upon release. This article therefore likely contains spoilers.

The Department of Immortality was a military department of the Qin established by Qin Shi Huang with the goal of researching ways to extend his lifespan.[1] It was commanded by Yang Duanhe, who secretly reported to an agent known as The Fox, whose real name was Nie Jing. Its placement in the official Qin military chain-of-command was controversially defined, as Grand General Meng Tian mistakenly believed he had authority over them while Duanhe and his troops maintained otherwise. Their soldiers dressed in distinctive purple uniforms and conducted covert operations for their own ends, even going as far as to collude with the Xiongnu against Qin national security interests.

History

Massacre of Jade Spring

In 215 BCE, the Department of Immortality under Yang Duanhe's orders launched a surprise attack on Jade Spring, a village west of Yangzhou City in Shang Commandery, in retaliation for the theft of a treasure case that contained a talisman with seemingly magical powers. The troops pillaged at will and indiscriminately rounded up civilians for torture and interrogation. Any who resisted or could not divulge information regarding the treasure were executed on the spot despite Nie Jing reacquiring it from the village's great hall in short order. The only defenders were the village's youxia and their martial arts master Ji Wei, who was killed in a fight with three of the soldiers. Of the troops who invaded the village, casualties were high because one of the youxia, with the aid of their sworn brother Chu Huan, took out all who were present.[2]

Nonetheless, the Department of Immortality successfully retrieved the talisman and exacted retribution on the village to the fullest extent, having put almost the entire populace to the sword. Yang Duanhe personally killed Chu Huan in an ambush while he and his sworn sibling were escaping the village. More survivors were killed when the Qin soldiers attacked their safehouse on the outskirts.[3] Subsequently, Nie Jing tricked the two remaining youxia, Yu Ying and Chu Huan's sworn sibling, into gathering into one place the rest of the villagers who were either away in Yangzhou City or had escaped there.[3][4] As they met together at the city's rear gate as Nie Jing had directed, the Department of Immortality launched an ambush. Once again, although all the ambushers were killed in action against the youxia, the aim of extermination was completed. Only the two youxia remained as survivors of Jade Spring.[4]

The entire operation was orchestrated by Nie Jing from the start, as even the youxia's theft of the treasure had been a ploy devised by Nie Jing to create a pretext for the Qin massacre.[2][4][5][6]

Conspiracy with the Xiongnu

As the operation against Jade Spring had not been authorized by Grand General Meng Tian, he immediately put the Department of Immortality under investigation the following day, ordering its officers to report to his then posting at the Great Wall.[4] Yang Duanhe did not comply with the command, sending a subordinate in his stead to repudiate his authority over their division. The meeting was interrupted by a Xiongnu assault on the wall that was then repelled.[7]

At this time, Touman Chanyu was the leader of the Xiongnu, and Yang Duanhe had covertly forged an alliance between him and the Department of Immortality.[8] The department harboured their own secret goals which they believed would be facilitated by a full-scale Xiongnu incursion into Qin territory. To that end, Duanhe plotted to destroy a section of the Great Wall at Tulu Pass just as Touman led his army into an all-out assault onto it.[9] The two surviving youxia of Jade Spring and Modu, Touman's son and rival claimant as chanyu, caught wind of the plan and worked to thwart it. At the battle of Tulu Pass, Yang Duanhe succeeded with his own hands in creating the breach in the wall, but he was slain by one of the youxia shortly afterwards. Upon his demise, Nie Jing confronted the youxia in mortal combat but fled when Yu Ying and Meng Tian arrived to assist the youxia. The Department of Immortality thus failed in their objectives for the battle.[10]

Behind the scenes

The Department of Immortality featured in the closed beta test of Assassin's Creed: Jade as an enemy faction. Their soldiers were distinguished from the regular Qin guards by their purple uniforms instead of red. Described as a "new military department"[2] and "rogue Qin elements"[8] in an antagonistic relation with Grand General Meng Tian, as of the beta test, the motives and goals of the Department of Immortality has not yet been revealed.

Appearances

References