Informer

"Altaïr, my friend. You must help me."

―An informant requesting help from Altaïr.

Informants were members of the Assassins' Order who offered aid to Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and other Assassins in investigations of Assassination Targets. However, before they would share their knowledge with the visiting Assassin, they required the completion of a small task. Informants could be found within Acre, Jerusalem and Damascus by synchronizing at view points.

Tasks

Before revealing their secrets, informants asked for something in return. Generally, this task was related to something they themselves had been assigned or a situation they couldn't handle. With another Assassin's momentary assistance, their needs would be met and they always gave something useful to the other Assassin's mission in return.

Flag Collecting

Some informants tested their allies by asking them to collect some Assassin flags within three to five minutes. The flags were always placed in a path, and precise freerunning would make the flags' retrieval simple. When all the flags had been retrieved, the ally need only return to the Informant to retrieve the information promised.

Templar Assassinations

Sometimes, the informant had angered a local guard or guards through failure or complacency. Fearful for his life, he would offer to give the visiting ally information if he assassinated the threats in question within a set time limit. In addition, the ally had to stay unexposed - if he became exposed even once, he would fail the mission. To fit this requirement, throwing knives and the Hidden Blade]] were the best weapons for the job. Once all targets had fallen, Altaïr returned to his Informant.

Informant Escort

Altaïr talking to an informant.

An informant sometimes asked an allied Assassin to escort him to an exit of the city safely in exchange for information, before he was killed by a local enemy. The task consisted of accompanying the informant along a path to a city gate and repelling any attackers before they could kill the informant. Reaching the city's gates, the informant provided the ally with the promised information and then left the city.

Merchant Stand Destruction

When deemed advantageous to the Creed or the people of the city, the informant asked the visiting Assassin to destroy some corrupt merchant stalls. The allied Assassin could easily do this by throwing a city guard into the stall to bring it crashing down around the offending merchant's ears. A civilian could also be used, but this violated the Creed's first tenet.

Archers Assassinations

Similar to the aforementioned Templar Assassinations, the informant had a number of archers between him and his objective. Scattered across the rooftops, the archers had a farther field of view and the ally had less to blend behind. Throwing knives from a concealed position or good footwork with the Hidden Blade would carry the day. If the ally Assassin could quietly eliminate the archers and return unscathed, the informant would be waiting with the information.

Rooftops' Run

An informant that didn't have the information the allied Assassin needed sometimes redirected him to another informant who did. He gave the location of the other informant and the ally had to run through the rooftops to reach him in time. Should the ally arrive in time, the second informant would have the information ready and waiting.

Characteristics

Informants dressed in ankle-length robes with a headscarf and sling-pack. The robes were a tannish white with black trimming, a red sash, and leather work belt. Nationality varied among the Informants, shown by their varying skin tone and voice prints. Informants also varied in personality as much as origin. Some were friendly, even admiring, towards Altaïr -- others were downright hostile. Informants were more likely to be admiring as Altaïr regained his status, showing their respect for commitment to the Order demonstrated through action and for the skill of other members.

Trivia

• When approaching an Informant with the Hidden Blade, it is possible to assassinate him. If you wish to kill him, just getting far away from the location and coming back a short time later will make him respawn.
• On the PC version of the game, four more Investigation missions were added. These are also listed and are available on the PC version only. They were called Rooftops' Run, Archers Assassinations, Merchant Stand Destruction and Informant Escort.

References

• Assassin's Creed