Feather

"They're eagle's feathers. There's an old nest up there. [...] Ezio, would you mind getting a few more for me?"

―Petruccio asking Ezio to bring him feathers

Feathers were used by Assassins to prove they had assassinated their target, in the High Middle Ages. However, after the fall of the order, the feather lost its importance in missions, to merely become an item for collection in Ezio's time.

High Middle Ages

File:Jabal.png

Jabal handing Altaïr a feather.

In Altaïr's time period, feathers were used by Assassins to prove that an assassination target was dead. By staining a feather with the blood of the slain, they could prove their accomplishment. Assassins' Bureau leaders always gave the chosen Assassin a feather, symbolizing that they were satisfied with the information the Assassin had gathered and was ready to commence with the actual assassination. In the case of Altaïr, he was only able to attain the feather after performing his own investigations and reporting his findings to the leader.

Among Assassins, the phrase "feather on one's head" meant a mark of death. For example, an Informant in the Rich District of Damascus comments that "there is a feather on Abul Nuqoud's head," implying that the Merchant King was marked for assassination.

15th Century

File:Feather - Florence SG 2--article image.jpg

Ezio collecting a feather

Petruccio Auditore asked his brother Ezio to collect three feathers for him. After the murder of Ezio's father and two brothers (Federico and Petruccio Auditore), his mother, Maria Auditore prayed over Petruccio's feathers. As Ezio traveled across Italy (with the exception of Rome and the Apennine Mountains) he was able to collect more feathers and returned these to a box in Maria's room in the Villa Auditore.

After collecting 50 Feathers, Mario Auditore spoke with Ezio and let him know that there was a new weapon, the Condottiero War Hammer, waiting for him at the Monteriggioni blacksmith. He also suggested that Ezio should give up on trying to search for the feathers.

After collecting 100 Feathers, Maria thanked Ezio for not giving up on her, and presented him with the Auditore Cape.

Achievements

Collecting all 100 feathers gives the Achievement/Trophy "In Memory of Petruccio" and the Auditore family Cape. Owning the Auditore Cape is necessary to complete the "Show Your Colors" Achievement/Trophy.

Icon	Name	How to obtain	Points	Trophy
File:In Memory of Petruccio.jpg	In Memory of Petruccio	Collect all the Feathers.	30	Bronze
	Show your Colors	Wear the Auditore cape in each city as well as the mountains.	10	Bronze

16th Century

In Rome, 10 feathers could be found on notable landmarks scattered throughout Rome. Collected feathers could be placed in a chest at Ezio's Hideout similar to the box in Maria's room during the 15th century.

Achievement

Gathering all feathers results in the Achievement/Trophy "In Memoriam." After Sequence 3/4 you can buy a map detailing the locations of all the remaining feathers from any art merchant.

Icon	Name	How to obtain	Points	Trophy
	In Memoriam	Collect All Feathers.	20	Bronze

Trivia

• Due to his death, it is never revealed why Petruccio was collecting the feathers in the first place; although a line from the novelization suggests that they were meant to be a present for his mother (which would explain why Ezio would want to give them to her).
• Maria's feather box can be found as an artifact in Monteriggioni while playing with Desmond.

See also

• The Hidden Blade
• Glyphs/Rifts
• Flags