Interrogation

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Interrogation is a practice used by individuals or organizations to extract information from a target. Interrogation techinques may vary from developing a rapport with the subject to intimidation and even torture.

Throughout their history, both the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order have made use of interrogation to acquire valuable information, in regards to certain objectives. The members of the Brotherhood in particular have employed interrogation as one of their main methods of investigationbefore an assassination or mission, despite its questionable ethics.

History

Ptolemaic Egypt

In 48 BCE, Bayek of Siwa interrogated the Order of the Ancients member Livius, who had been captured and beaten by Queen Cleopatra's soldiers. Bayek further beat Livius up, believing him to be responsible for the death of his son Khemu, until the Order member revealed Lucius Septimius' plot to assassinate Cleopatra, which was being organized at a nearby brothel. Bayek subsequently went to investigate the brothel while Livius was taken away by the soldiers.

High Middle Ages

Altaïr interrogating an orator

For Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad to use interrogation, he needed to know his target, which was usually a public speaker that praised his current assassination target. As the target had finished talking and began to walk away from the crowd they were communicating to, the Assassin would follow them to a secluded area.

Once out of sight from the guards, he would beat his target, and after a few punches, the target would drop to their knees and give Altaïr the knowledge he required. Afterwards, to prevent them from informing anyone of the event, Altaïr would fatally stab them with his Hidden Blade and leave their body on the ground.

Renaissance

Ezio interrogating an abbot

During the Renaissance, Ezio Auditore da Firenze also used interrogation to gain information about his targets, mostly from engineers who were working on war machines designed by Leonardo da Vinci. However, he always used his fists and never killed the individual that he interrogated.

18th century

While on the hunt for the Templar keys in 1716, the pirate Edward Kenway interrogated subordinates of the key-holders in order to ascertain their location. Years later, while in Macau, Edward also attempted to interrogate a Shimazu clan ninja who had attacked him, but despite being pinned down, the man managed to take his own life using Edward's Hidden Blade to avoid revealing anything.

Haytham interrogating British soldiers

In 1756, the former Assassin Shay Cormac interrogated a gang member to find his leader and get revenge on them for bothering Barry and Cassidy Finnegan. In 1778, Shay's mentor and Edward's son, the Templar Haytham Kenway, interrogated British soldiers to learn of their plans to overtake New York City, killing them after learning their secrets. Haytham's son, the Colonial Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton, appalled by his father's ruthlessness, also interrogated Benjamin Church's cart driver to learn of his location.

In 1791, the French Assassin Arno Dorian interrogated Aloys la Touche to learn of his master, the Roi des Thunes', hiding place.

19th century

Arbaaz interrogating the officer

In 1841, the Indian Assassin Arbaaz Mir interrogated an East India Company officer and Templar in order to learn the whereabouts of his Mentor Hamid, who had been captured by the Templars along with the Koh-i-Noor. Arbaaz captured the officer and knocked him out, so that when he awakened, the officer found himself dangling upside down off the side of a building. Even after revealing the information Arbaaz was after, the Assassin left the officer dangling.

In 1862, the British Assassin Ethan Frye tried to interrogate the thief Boot, who was working as a courier for the Templars, in order to learn the identity of his boss. However, Boot was shot by his employer, Robert Waugh, before he could disclose his name.

Modern times

Orelov interrogating Dolinsky

In 1908, Nikolai Orelov interrogated an individual linked to the Templars, a man named Dolinsky. Though it bordered more on torture, Nikolai had Dolinsky tied to a chair whilst he beat him across the face and threatened his family. Once the Templar finally disclosed information about the Staff of Eden held at a facility in Tunguska, Nikolai ordered the two other Assassins who were present for the interrogation to slit Dolinsky's throat.

Trivia

• If an interrogation target is attacked while one or more thugs are nearby, they will join in the fist fight against Altaïr.
• If an interrogation target is assassinated in front of a guard, they would not react, and behave as if they had just discovered the body.
• When a public speaker was not surrounded by guards, Altaïr could run up and use his Hidden Blade to kill them. Strangely enough, the listeners would calmly walk away afterwards, as if nothing had happened.
• Interrogation missions were removed in Assassin's Creed II, being replaced with new missions where Ezio beat an unfaithful husband, though they returned in some form in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.