Numbskull's personal files

A Helix research analyst at Abstergo Entertainment obtained a number of personal and hacked files while assigned to relive Shay Cormac's genetic memories in 2014.

Diary

A Rude AwakeningDamage ControlHigh PlacesUnderstandingA Time to Choose

Day 1 of repairs

My Animus session triggered a virus hidden in the Shay Cormac file. I've been tasked with assisting two security contractors, Violet da Costa and Otso Berg. Violet knows her stuff, but what's Berg's story? Questions can wait, we have to work together to restore the Helix servers.

Day 2 of repairs

We still can't get at the main servers in the basement. We'll have to work floor by floor. I should help restore some computers and clean up some tablets. The sooner everything is cleaned up, the sooner life can get back to normal. Ha. What's normal?

Day 3 of repairs

Still no basement access. Fixed servers in CCO's office. Had a chat with Ms. Lemay. I feel like she's trying to tell me something about what I'm actually doing for Violet and Mr. Berg. There's more going on here than I realize. Shay is the key.

Day 4 of repairs

Finally restored basement servers. It all makes sense now. Mr. Berg protects us from the Assassins. I'm glad to have helped. Who knew that they were hiding under the skin of the world like parasites? The last couple of years working here make more sense now.

Day 5 of repairs

What a crazy week. My eyes have been opened. I've been offered a place among the Templar Order, to continue the fight against the Assassins. I feel an obligation to accept, or am I just afraid to refuse? They've given me time to think it over.

Tablet Documents

AE Emergency ManualEmails

1. Emergency Manual

Internal diagnostics have detected a malfunction in the building's operating systems. This emergency manual has been programmed to replace the message section of your communicator.

To ensure your personal safety, please keep your communicator with you at all times and refer to this manual as needed.

Abstergo Entertainment cares about the safety and well-being of all its valuable assets. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

---

2. Abstergo Industries VIPs

On rare occasions VIPs from Abstergo Industries may be on site. They may impose on you certain requests for information or services that you feel may or may not fall under your jurisdiction or mandate.

Abstergo Industries VIPs are to be obeyed without question or hesitation. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary actions and possible termination.

---

3. Communicators

Your communicator is an essential part of your daily life at Abstergo Industries. It should be on your person at all times as it allows you access to various parts of the building.

Should you find a communicator anywhere in the building, we recommend that you collect it and identify its owner. While the owner will face consequences for losing it, it is a mistake they will only make once.

---

4. Computer Maintenance

In the case of network corruption, it is your duty as an Abstergo employee to safeguard not only your data, but the data of your friends and colleagues.

If you see a computer or workstation left unattended during an emergency, take a moment to restore it and make sure that its vulnerable contents are not easily accessible to unauthorized personnel.

The data is as important as you are.

---

5. Security

Please respect your Non Disclosure Agreement. Our work here is exciting and confidential. Security breaches will not be tolerated.

This past year has seen many leaks of internal information get out to the public. Do not speak about your work with fellow travelers on airplanes, for example. Do not engage the so-called entertainment media without a PR representative with you.

It is embarrassing to the company and threatening to your job security.

---

6. The Bunker

From time to time, you may wake up from an Animus session in unfamiliar surroundings. In such drastic cases, it is likely you are being investigated as a security risk, and we have placed you in the bunker for your protection while we run background checks on you.

If you have done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about. Your release is sure to be forthcoming.

---

7. Dress Code

Hooded sweatshirts of any kind are not permitted within the building. If you see any individual wearing a hood of any kind, report them to security immediately. Should the weather be unpleasant, we strongly recommend the use of umbrellas.

Anyone displaying an overt fondness for the colour gray should also be treated with suspicion.

---

8. Bleeding Effect

Overexposure to the Animus may result in something called the "Bleeding Effect" where reality becomes indistinguishable from the genetic memories in which you immerse yourself daily. It is possible that the emergency or obstacle you are facing is not there in reality.

For example: If you see a fire, take steps to ensure the fire is real before you act. QUICKLY and carefully, touch the fire.

If the fire is real, remove your hand and proceed to the nearest exit in a calm and orderly manner.

If the fire was a hallucination, proceed to section 11.

---

9. Server Maintenance

Helix is the engine that powers Abstergo Entertainment. From time to time, it will be necessary to perform maintenance on the servers to ensure that business continues to run smoothly. We recommend that you take courses on server maintenance. Courses are offered every month, at no charge.

Should a server fail, you will emerge as a hero to your colleagues and superiors if you are able to restore the core segments that power our cloud servers.

---

10. Hackers

Abstergo's revolutionary Helix servers are an attractive target to many types of criminals and malcontents. It is important that you do your part to keep our cloud secure and report any anomalous behavior with your Animus workstation or any other Abstergo equipment in the building

---

11. Psychiatric Care

At times, the deadline of virtual feature development can feel overwhelming. Abstergo Entertainment has a variety of resources for you.

Refresh yourself with complimentary Herne+ energy drinks. Revitalize your body with personalized routines programmed into a Bodyband exercise bracelet.

Our in-house psychiatrist can prescribe you Midazolam and a stunning array of Abstergo pharmaceuticals to ease your mental anguish and delay the onset of the Bleeding Effect.

---

12. The Danger is Over

Internal diagnostics read all systems normal.

We have registered that you have performed above and beyond your mandate to facilitate the repairs. This has been noted in your permanent file.

Work life should resume within a few business days and you will regain access to your messages. Thank you for your hard work and cooperation.

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Robert Fraser
Date/Time:	18 Jun 2014
Subject:	Arno Dorian
CC:	Aidan St. Claire, Victoria Bibeau
Hi Robert, You come highly recommended and I'm thrilled to have you in our studio. I'm putting you to work on a special project for me. Your subject is Arno Dorian. His story takes place during the French Revolution! I want you to explore every avenue of his life that you can. The goal is to have a new blockbuster to present to the Abstergo brass nest year. As such, this is SUPER classified. Your direct supervisor will be Aidan St. Claire (cc'ed) You can ONLY discuss the project with Aidan or myself. As you'll probably be logging some overtime in your Animus, I've added a mandatory weekly meeting with our psychiatrist Dr. Bibeau (cc'ed) to make sure you're not suffering from any Bleeding Effect. Welcome to Abstergo Entertainment! Don't let me down. :) M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jean-Francois Brunet
Date/Time:	07 Jul 2014
Subject:	The Tragedy of Jacques de Molay
Hey, I just read the final text for the first episode: "Last of the heroic Knights Templar, Jacques de Molay was a man of principle, a towering intellect betrayed by the man he trusted most—the corrupt King of France." LOVE IT. And I think our users are going to love it too! This is going to be the crown jewel of our Helix launch in the fall! Great job everyone! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	M.-O. Boudreault
Date/Time:	09 Jul 2014
Subject:	History's Hitmen Altair
Hi M-O! I understand your concerns, given that we already have passed on several of these historical figures in previous market analyses. Having said that, I think we can use a lot of this data to present these people not as fictional action heroes, but as the focus of historical documentaries. After a few iterations, we've come up with this as our best angle: "Amid the chaos of the Crusades, one man's moral transgressions tower above all others. Experience firsthand what is means to be a remorseless killing machine in an age of philosophical turmoil." These could be in a series, something like "History's Hitmen?" haha, that's turbo lame, but you get the idea. Or they could be standalone. Maybe this one can be "Murder in the Levant" or something like that. We're going to commission a few features using these controversial figures for Helix's launch. Let's see how they do and then well discuss continuing the series or trying something else. Thanks for your honest feedback, it's always appreciated! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	M.-O. Boudreault
Date/Time:	16 Jul 2014
Subject:	Ezio Auditore
Hi M-O! I agree that Ezio's shady character makes him unsuitable for a leading role. So maybe we can take him out altogether and create a virtual tourism feature? Something like: "Travel to the Italian Renaissance for a taste of wine, free thought, and filthy hearts as Abstergo Entertainment shows you the true meaning of enlightenment. Attend wild parties, witness spectacles unseen for 500 years, and rub elbows with the most famous nerd the world has ever known, Leonardo da Vinci." I'm also considering a series focusing on some notable serial killers of history, Ezio certainly qualifies. Anyways, have a think and let me know what you come up with! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	M.-O. Boudreault
Date/Time:	19 Jul 2014
Subject:	Connor
Hi M-O! I think we should focus on George Washington, rather than Connor. "Washington and the Wolf" has a nice ring to it. "Take part in the unlikely friendship between America's most revered hero, General George Washington, and a sullen Mohawk native named Connor—a stirring tale of violence, revenge and betrayal set during the earliest years of the American Revolution." George Washington we can franchise. I don't know that we'd get more than one feature out of Connor. Plus, don't even get me started on his wife or the way he died. What a mess. M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jean-Francois Brunet
Date/Time:	21 Jul 2014
Subject:	Haytham Kenway
Just to keep you in the loop. I heard back from editorial this morning. The story itself is untouched, but this is going to be the menu text for the Haytham Kenway feature: "Devoted patriot, celebrated scholar, loving father. Exclusive to Helix, witness the rise and martyrdom of one of the American Revolution's least known heroes. A Helix exclusive!" I think it fits perfectly with the title you've chosen, "The Lone Eagle". Haytham's going to appeal to a wide audience, and his story is going to definitely going to give people a bad case of "THE FEELS" as those internet kids like to say. Oh my God I'm old, aren't I? M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Christopher Darby
Date/Time:	27 Jul 2014
Subject:	Edward Kenway
We have Devils of the Caribbean taken from his genetic memories. But I think we can do more. Is there a way we can spin a cautionary tale around his actual life? Alternatively, do we know anything about his life once he returned to England? I know his family had a big mansion in London somewhere. Is it still standing? I don't want to give the impression that the studio is just reusing the same genetic memories over and over, so while I want to recycle assets to save money, the experience has to be totally fresh. M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Kristina Uhrich
Date/Time:	01 Aug 2014
Subject:	Aveline de Grandpre
I'd like to explore the possibility of a follow up to Liberation. We found footage of Aveline's activities in New England, and it seems clear that she was still very active later in life. Ideally, I'd like a sequel to Liberation or some kind of follow up, but I understand that's going to take some resources that we don't have right now. A quick fix option is to re-use existing assets and take a more family-friendly angle on her story: "From a scrappy servant to a woman of dignity and poise, experience the heartwarming 18th century take of a young Creole woman as she struggles to find her long-lost mother and heal the wounds of separation forever." Additionally, "The Liberation of Lady Aveline" might open up some revenue from women, which is a demographic I think we have been ignoring for too long now. M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jean-Francois Brunet
Date/Time:	04 Aug 2014
Subject:	Robert de Sable
I am starting to have second thoughts about doing a feature on Robert de Sable. While he was a good leader, I just don't know if there's anything about a knight that fought and died during the Crusades that makes him stand out. I'm wondering if we can leave him aside for now, and focus on Madeleine de L'Isle? A successful business woman in pre-colonial Louisiana is more of a feel-good success story. M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jean-Francois Brunet
Date/Time:	05 Aug 2014
Subject:	Triumph of the Borgias
I think focusing on his dysfunctional life is the wrong track to take. I've modified your initial pitch, and I would suggest going for something like this: "Rodrigo Borgia's quest to reform the irrational excesses and corruptions of the Catholic Church from its highest office—the Papacy. Experience firsthand his rise, his reforms, and his untimely death." The program itself is top notch, though. Great work! Give my best to your team! :) M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jean-Francois Brunet
Date/Time:	10 Aug 2014
Subject:	Cesare Borgia
Hi, After looking over the footage that you presented, I've decided that rather than dedicate an entire feature to the loathsome Cesare Borgia, We'll use it to add some spice and conflict to the existing Rodrigo Borgia piece. Cesare is just too much of an asshole to have his own show! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jean-Francois Brunet
Date/Time:	17 Aug 2014
Subject:	Laureano Torres
I don't know how to say this politely, so please don't think this is anything personal or a reflection of you or your work. You're a star! But. I think doing an entire virtual feature about Laureano Torres is the single most boring pitch that's ever come across my desk. Sorry! :( M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Philippe Chartrand
Date/Time:	21 Aug 2014
Subject:	Giovanni Borgia
So, if I'm reading your reports properly, you're saying that Giovanni Borgia was born deformed, miraculously survived, but frequently hallucinated about past lives and associated with some of the biggest occultists of the Renaissance? That's AMAZING! Out last supernatural movie, "They Walk Among Us" was met with really mediocre reviews. If we can use these genetic memories to start a new occult thriller franchise, we might be able to win back some of those disgruntled fans! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Ajay Rana
Date/Time:	24 Aug 2014
Subject:	Dvija A.I.
Hello Ajay! It looks like we'll be able to use Animus tech to create a digital version of Monima Das to finish production of Dvija A.I. My condolences again to your resilient cast and crew. If nothing else, we'll be able to give Monima the glamorous send-off she deserves! When it's done, I'd like to talk about using MySore Tech [sic] to remaster other traditional forms of entertainment (concerts or sporting events, for example) into fully immersive Animus experiences. Best, M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Kama Neron
Date/Time:	25 Aug 2014
Subject:	Shao Jun
We first got a glimpse of Shao Jun while in the Ezio Auditore section of Sample 17. With so much demand for "Strong Female Characters" right now, do you think we can focus some R&D into finding her genetic material? There is some evidence connecting her to the Jiajing Emperor. Who by all historical accounts, was a cruel jackass. Great villain potential. If memory serves, I think there was also a Mongol invasion around that time! There's a lot of potential for a great new action franchise! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Philippe Chartrand
Date/Time:	01 Sep 2014
Subject:	Fiora Cavazza
Hey Philippe, You're getting great data from Fiora Cavazza, but I just want to chime in now, and say that I don't want to focus too much on her early life as a courtesan in the Rosa in Fiore. Rather, I want to focus on the intrigue and tension when she betrays her gang. I cannot stress enough how much I do not want Fiora to be perceived as a over-sexualized object, but rather as a cunning spy, who has to make difficult choices to overcome life-threatening obstacles. I'm going to be on your ass about this, to always err on the side of good taste! I believe in you! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Kloe Lesney
Date/Time:	08 Sep 2014
Subject:	Nikolai Orelov
I like this take a lot! "A psychotic Russian terrorist meddles in the affairs of a once proud monarchy. Now, for the first time in history, learn the truth about Russia's swift and brutal descent in to anarchy and chaos at the genesis of the 20th century." I am not sure about "White Death" as a name though. "Radical Reds?" "The Fall?" Haha, I suck at naming, but I think we need to sit down and hammer out a final title Coffee soon? M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Philippe Chartrand
Date/Time:	10 Sep 2014
Subject:	Kyros of Zarax
I thought the fad would die out, but big budget historical epics are still a thing. I think it's time Abstergo Entertainment showed everyone how it's really done. A quick glance through some DDS files brought up the name Kyros of Zarax. He was a renowned athlete, but also studied with Pythagoras. That's a well-educated slice of beefcake right there. M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Jennifer Tam
Date/Time:	17 Sep 2014
Subject:	Animus combat sports
Hey you! Remember when you said you wanted to see MMA events through an Animus? IIRC, what you "actually" said was "I want a cage-side seat to bathe in their man sweat" :p Well, I took the idea to heart, and we're working with our partners at MySore Tech in India to remaster some traditional entertainment as virtual features. We're going to have concerts and historical tourism, but I made sure we got some combat sports, just for you, my dear! We're going to have a series called "The Best of Tornedo de Combate", Brazil's biggest promotion. Their CEO (find?) was a bit of a dick, but the Abstergo name carries a lot of weight, so that definitely helped us out :) Volume 1 is going to include fighters like Guilherme Venancio, Arend Schut, and Luis Otavio Duris! Means nothing to me, but I hope you're excited! M.L.

---

From:	Melanie Lemay
To:	Evan Dean
Date/Time:	29 Sep 2014
Subject:	Conspiracies
Hi Evan, I want to diversify our programming a bit and attract a big ofsic the fringe element in terms of customer base. With that in mind, I thought a new series focused on crazy conspiracy shit might be right up your alley. A few subjects to focus on: Hermetecists The Lost Civilization of Lemuria Miracles in the Bible Planetary consciousness The Singularity I'd like to see if we can get some big time celebrities to narrate these things. Now, at first glance, they'll probably balk at the subject matter, but I bet if we feed them the script in chunks that are out of order, we can easily manipulate them into thinking they are participating in a proper science documentary. Go nuts! M.L.

Otso Berg's Profile

12345

Vidic's New Recruit

• 2010, Helsinki: Dr. Warren Vidic introduces himself to Juhani Otso Berg.
  2010, Helsinki: Dr. Warren Vidic introduces himself to Juhani Otso Berg.

• Soldier 1: All points ready.
• Warren: Begin.

[Sound of a door breaking, boots running]

• Soldier 1: Go! Go! Go!
• Juhani: Who are you?

[A baby cries]

• Juhani: Don't you touch her!
• Soldier 2: Oh, for God's sake. Restrain him.
• Warren: You, give me the child. Shush now, you're all right.

[The baby stops crying]

• Berg: Elina!
• Warren: Calm down, Mr. Berg. I promise you I won't hurt your daughter.
• Juhani: Who are you?
• Warren: My name is Warren Vidic. I work for Abstergo Industries. You quit the Utti Jaeger regiment and became a freelance mercenary in order to afford better care for Elina's cystic fibrosis. How's that working out for you?

[The baby resumes crying]

• Juhani: Perkele! (The Devil!)
• Warren: I have an offer for you.
• Juhani: I don't work for people I don't know.
• Warren: It's not that type of offer. I'm going to remove an item from my pocket.
• Juhani: What is that?
• Warren: This little pill? It's actually for her. Go on, little one, have some medicine...
• Juhani: Stop!

[The baby stops crying]

• Warren: There now, isn't that better? This pill will cure her... It isn't on the market. But it can be yours, if you agree to participate in a little training program I've put together.
• Juhani: What does Abstergo need with someone like me?
• Warren: Oh, you won't be working for Abstergo. However, if you perform, Abstergo could work for you.
• Juhani: I want one thing before I agree.
• Warren: Name it.
• Juhani: That one there, he upset my daughter.
• Warren: I understand. Gentlemen, release Mr. Berg. Jenkins, give him your gun.
• Jenkins: What?
• Warren: Now.
• Jenkins: Yes, sir.

[A gunshot sounds]

• Warren: Satisfied?
• Juhani: It's a start.

Cross Training

• August 2012, Rome: Daniel Cross teaches Otso Berg a lesson.
  August 2012, Rome: Daniel Cross teaches Otso Berg a lesson.

• Daniel: Otso Berg. The big star of the Animi Training Program. Show me what you've got, you arrogant prick!
• Juhani: If you insist, Master Cross.

[Sounds of violent melee combat]

• Juhani: I believe that my training will soon be complete. Wouldn't you agree?

[Daniel gives a short laugh]

• Juhani: What's so funny?
• Daniel: I was wrong about you. You're not arrogant, you're just deeply fucking stupid.
• Juhani: Oh?
• Cross: Your body, your mind, they're not yours anymore, you understand? All you have left are the voices.
• Juhani: I don't suffer from your condition. My Animus sessions were carefully—
• Cross: No, no, no! My voices are ghosts. Dead. So they can only ever say the same things over and over and over and over. But the ones in your head will never die. And they own you now.
• Juhani: I am the Order's humble servant.
• Daniel: You're not even a person anymore! You're a tool, a weapon, a plaything!
• Juhani: We're done here.

[Sounds of a scuffle]

• Daniel: And in their glorious New World Order, there won't be any room for broken toys like us!

[A metal door slams shut in the background]

Florence Goes FUBAR

• November 2012, Florence: Sigma Team's mission ends in disaster.
  November 2012, Florence: Sigma Team's mission ends in disaster.

[Sound of gunfire]

• Violet: The Kill Box is live, Sorkin's picking off the stragglers as they escape.
• Juhani: Good. Proceed to Stage Two.
• Violet: All points, the word is given. Stage Two is a go. I repeat, Stage Two is a go!
• Juhani: Get those doors down!
• Soldier 1: Three... Two...

[Sound of an explosion]

• Juhani: Adriano Maestranzi! I have come for you!
• Soldier 2: What's he holding?
• Adriano: Vittoria agli Assassini! (Victory to the Assassins!)
• Violet: Bomb!

[Sound of a large explosion]

• Violet: Berg? Sigma Team!? Anyone, do you copy?

[Transmission dies, cutting to static]

Cairo Debrief

• December 2013, Philadelphia: Otso Berg reports on his first mission with the new Sigma Team.
  December 2013, Philadelphia: Otso Berg reports on his first mission with the new Sigma Team.

• Ctibor: It is 4:26 on December 13, 2012. Debriefing of Sigma Team's Cairo Operation. Debriefing conducted by: Abstergo Psychiatrist Ctibor Hašek, level 7, and Director of Operations Laetitia England, level 9. State your name and rank for the record
• Juhani: Juhani Otso Berg. Service number OP114-8506-B. Master Templar.
• Ctibor: How would you classify the result of your Cairo mission, Master Berg?
• Juhani: I would call it a complete success. The new Sigma Team performed admirably.
• Laetitia: That's going a bit far, don't you think?
• Juhani: The target William Miles was apprehended and the First Civilization artifact was retrieved. Both were handed off to Warren Vidic without incident. May I ask how you would rate the mission?
• Laetitia: We're pleased with the results, but not with the methods with which you achieved them.
• Juhani: I see. May I ask why?
• Ctibor: You went off mission. You were supposed to apprehend the target at the airport, not at the museum.
• Juhani: When the target emerged from the plane, he was posing as a tour guide for a class of high school students on a field trip.
• Ctibor: A member of Sigma Team informed us that you aborted the mission then and there.
• Juhani: I will not deny this, but tell me: Who talked?
• Ctibor: I cannot reveal that.
• Juhani: No matter. I will find out on my own. Back to business: The target was very smart, but also very sloppy.
• Laetitia: Explain.
• Juhani: The target possessed advanced counter-surveillance techniques, but lacked the skills to implement them properly.
• Ctibor: The target was trained as an Assassin since birth.
• Juhani: I am aware. However, it has been many years since he was an active field agent. He must have been very desperate to go himself, as these days, he is more of a talker. A puppet master.
• Ctibor: And what are you?
• Juhani: A predator.
• Ctibor: A predator who defied orders because of the presence of some schoolgirls.
• Juhani: I prefer to think of myself as one who can choose the most opportune time to strike. The last time I followed orders to the letter was in Florence. That did not end well for anyone.
• Ctibor: Was it that, or did the students perhaps remind you of your daughter?
• Juhani: I separate my work and personal life completely.
• Laetitia: Your daughter's recovery has been remarkable. I do hope her progress continues...
• Juhani: Please don't.
• Laetitia: I beg your pardon?
• Juhani: I find your attempt to threaten my child vulgar and unnecessary.
• Laetitia: Explain.
• Juhani: Abstergo's pharmaceuticals have given my child a chance at life free from pain. And I have at last found what I believe to be my calling in life.
• Laetitia: And for that, we expect obedience.
• Juhani: For that, you have my loyalty. The involvement of the children in Egypt compromised the original mission. Nothing more.
• Laetitia: We already have one Master Templar that we can barely control. I don't like the idea of having two loose cannons out there.
• Juhani: With all due respect to Master Cross, while he is gifted, he is mentally disturbed.
• Ctibor: We mean no disrespect. But after losing your team in Florence, we felt a need to keep a close eye on you.
• Juhani: I achieved all mission objectives, and achieved them without bloodshed. So my only question for you is: Am I in command of Sigma Team or not?
• Laetitia: As you said, the results were impeccable.
• Juhani: Then I believe this meeting to be at an end. I request permission to leave.
• Ctibor: Do you have something more important to do?
• Juhani: I am going to find out who among my team talked to you. I will not tolerate that kind of insubordination.
• Laetitia: I think we can stop here.
• Ctibor: Debriefing ended at 4:34. Transcript to be sent to Alan Rikkin for security clearance.

Lindsifarne

• November 2014, Montreal: Otso Berg shares a story of his past with Violet.
  November 2014, Montreal: Otso Berg shares a story of his past with Violet.

• Violet: Okay. The Numbskull is in another Animus session, and I have acquired caffeine. All is right with the world.
• Juhani: Good.
• Violet: This isn't really your kind of mission, is it, boss?
• Juhani: Every mission is important in its own way.
• Violet: Still, I bet you'd rather be out with the rest of the team, hunting Shaun Hastings or something.
• Juhani: Wouldn't you?
• Violet: Hell yeah. I want a front row seat for that show.
• Juhani: Any word from Sorkin?
• Violet: He's scheduled to update me in... 43 minutes.
• Juhani: Good.
• Violet: Can I ask you something?
• Juhani: Of course.
• Violet: What's it like, using an Animus?
• Juhani: I went through the Animi Training Program. It felt like the drills we used to do in the Utti Jaeger.
• Violet: You never used a normal Animus, like this one? To relive your own genetic history?
• Juhani: Only once.
• Violet: Really? Who were you?
• Juhani: I was a young man... On the Viking raid on Lindsifarne. [sic]
• Violet: 793. Northeastern coast of England. Sorry. History nerd! So how was it?
• Juhani: It was summer, good sailing weather. The monastery was a center for religious studies and we crashed into the city like a tidal wave.
• Violet: And? And?
• Juhani: We pillaged and burned. They thought we were demons. The details of the memory were so vivid... I lost myself in the bloodlust. I defeated a Saxon, a great warrior, but did not kill want to kill him. I invited him to join our clan.
• Violet: Oh! Norse adoption rituals! The chance to sail the world with the Vikings!
• Juhani: Yes, a chance to see the world as it really is.
• Violet: What happened then?
• Juhani: He wept. Then he cried out that God had abandoned his people and that nothing remained but chaos. I felt such pity for him. I killed him without a second thought.
• Violet: After we're done here, are we gonna have to kill the Numbskull?
• Juhani: We will see.

Sigma Team's Most Wanted

12345

The Leaders

• Sigma Team profiles William Miles and Gavin Banks.
  Sigma Team profiles William Miles and Gavin Banks.

• Juhani: Following the Great Purge of 2000, William Miles became the de facto leader of the Assassins. A cunning and ruthless strategist, he trained several agents who infiltrated Abstergo, including Clay Kaczmarek and Lucy Stillman. In late 2012, I captured William Miles in Cairo and delivered him to Warren Vidic in Rome. Miles' son Desmond attacked Abstergo, killed Vidic and Master Templar Daniel Cross. He fled to a First Civilization temple in New York. On December 21st, Desmond Miles was killed inside the Precursor structure. A grieving William Miles went underground, and left the Brotherhood in the hands of Gavin Banks. Banks lead a small team across the globe, attempting to rebuild Assassin cells. We have confirmed sightings in Kyoto, Moscow, and Paris. Miles resurfaced in late 2013, and we have confirmed his involvement in the infiltration of Abstergo Entertainment Montreal by the Assassins Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane. Both Miles and Banks remain at large. Agent da Costa has tasked Akashic Satellite Plexus to sweep the planet for traces of Assassin activities. We have yet to locate them.

The Support

• Sigma Team profiles Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane.
  Sigma Team profiles Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane.

• Juhani: Shaun Hastings was a university professor whose hobby was leaking Abstergo secrets. He was hours away from being killed by Abstergo when he was saved by Rebecca Crane, an Assassin hacker. Since then, the pair have been inseparable, providing technical support for Assassin field agents. Hastings and Crane infiltrated Abstergo Entertainment Montreal in late 2013, and were responsible for the theft of classified information. It is unclear if they planted the virus currently affecting the Helix servers, or if they merely left the door open for other hackers to exploit. Rebecca Crane's skills are not to be underestimated. She created the Animus 2.0, an Assassin version of Warren Vidic's original machine. It appears that she was also largely responsible for establishing a new, more secure, Assassin network. It would seem Crane and Hastings have been promoted within the Brotherhood. There are rumors that that they are now leading some kind of hacker collective known as "The Initiates" and attempting to lure them to the Assassin's side.

The Soldiers

• Sigma Team profiles Harlan Cunningham and Arend Schut.
  Sigma Team profiles Harlan Cunningham and Arend Schut.

• Juhani: Details of Harlan T. Cunningham's life were difficult to acquire, as many traces of his identity before becoming an Assassin were altered or erased by Gavin Banks. It is only thanks to Agent da Costa's remarkable skills that we are able to piece together this profile. Cunningham was outed as homosexual in high school, which unfortunately ruined a promising wrestling career. He left Texas as quickly as he could, and fled to Europe. Cunningham was recruited by the Brotherhood in Florence, Italy, under the leadership of Assassin veteran Adriano Maestranzi. Sigma Team attacked the Florence hideout in 2012, but Maestranzi detonated a bomb. Three Assassins were killed before the explosion, but Sigma Team was annihilated in the process. Cunningham and I were the only survivors. Cunningham was last sighted in Rotterdam, alongside Arend Schut, a former mixed martial arts champion who also suffered a career backlash when he came out as homosexual. It is clear that Cunningham is mentoring Schut in the ways of the Brotherhood. Although physically gifted and extremely dangerous, Schut is a poor choice as an Assassin. He is incapable of keeping a low profile, and will compromise the Brotherhood, despite himself. Recently, Cunningham stole a Piece of Eden from an Abstergo facility in Rotterdam. During the operation, Schut was charged to attack Abstergo employees throughout the city to draw attention away from his mentor. Although Sigma Team managed to reclaim the item, both Cunningham and Schut escaped. I will not allow Cunningham to get away from me a third time.

The Cult

• Sigma Team profiles Juno and the Instruments of the First Will.
  Sigma Team profiles Juno and the Instruments of the First Will.

• Juhani: The First Civilization entity known as Juno re-emerged from the Grand Temple in New York in December 2012. Although no longer a corporeal being, she exists in a kind of digital consciousness somewhere in the Abstergo cloud. To accomplish her goals in the real world, Juno uses two types of people. The first is another Precursor consciousness that emerges in a human being at random. This person is commonly known as a Sage. Juno also holds sway over a group of disciples called the Instruments of the First Will, who believe it is humanity's natural role to serve the First Civilization. Abstergo is currently using the First Will as a cheap and hands-off way of acquiring Pieces of Eden and other relics. However, I suspect the reverse is also true, that they are using our resources to locate objects that will help them further their own goals. I do not trust them. But for now, all I can do is have da Costa monitor their activities. Juno's motives are unclear. Although she has made one attempt to possess a corporeal body, she appears to be more powerful as a digital entity. Agent da Costa fears that should humanity ever achieve "Singularity"—a fusion of humanity and machines—Juno would become unstoppable. Ironically, it is Abstergo itself which is driving civilization in that direction.

The Dead

• Berg re-opens two closed files: Clay Kaczmarek and Desmond Miles.
  Berg re-opens two closed files: Clay Kaczmarek and Desmond Miles.

• Juhani: Given the nature of our current investigation, I have been looking at Assassins who, despite themselves, have helped the Templar cause. The first is Clay Kaczmarek, who infiltrated Warren Vidic's Animus project in Rome. He became the project's Subject 16. Kaczmarek's rich ancestry helped Vidic to identify the Renaissance Assassin Ezio Auditore as a person of interest. Driven mad by overexposure to the Animus, he committed suicide. However, Kaczmarek may have unexpectedly become useful again. While in the Animus, Subject 16 came into contact with the First Civilization entity known as Juno. Perhaps studying his bizarre Animus experiences can help us find a way to deal with the looming threat Juno promises. With Subject 16 out of the picture, Vidic needed a replacement. Desmond Miles, a runaway Assassin, was captured in September 2012 and was used as Animus Subject 17, to further the search for an Apple of Eden. He managed to escape, and uncovered an imminent threat to the planet: a solar flare similar to the one that wiped out the Precursor race over 75,000 years ago. Desmond Miles also reactivated a First Civilization temple in New York and used it to save the world, but it would cost him his life. Abstergo recovered his body. In death, Desmond Miles became Sample 17, and his valuable genetic data was uploaded to the cloud servers in order to benefit all branches of Abstergo. Whether they live or die, we must continue to find ways to make the Assassins work for us.

Berg's Inspiration

12345

Al Mualim (1135 – 1191)

• Berg discovers that the Old Man of the Mountain was wise indeed.
  Berg discovers that the Old Man of the Mountain was wise indeed.

• Juhani: The Assassins would have you believe that Al Mualim was a great Mentor who became corrupted by greed... and that he schemed with the Templars to acquire an Apple of Eden. I see instead a shrewd and cunning leader. A man who used his best Assassin, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, to eliminate his conspirators in order to keep the Apple for himself, so that he could use it to enforce world peace. While it must be stated that Al Mualim was not a Templar, it is interesting to me that his vision of peace was more in line with Templar philosophy then Assassin. In the past, both sides has the same goal, that of peace. Our only difference was how we chose to achieve it. Had Al Mualim not been killed by Altaïr and allowed to carry out his plan, perhaps we would not be fighting now. It was only after Altaïr reformed the Brotherhood with its new ideals of "free will" that the conflict truly escalated and spread across the planet. For if the so-called "Wise Man of the Mountain" can see things from our point of view, surely the same can be said for other Assassins.

Baptiste (1725 - 1766)

• Berg admires Baptiste's willingness to prove himself to the Templars.
  Berg admires Baptiste's willingness to prove himself to the Templars.

• Juhani: François Mackandal saved Baptiste from slavery, and inducted him into his so-called Brotherhood. Mackandal was a vicious Mentor, and in his desperate attempt to liberate slaves, he broke his own Creed by indiscriminately killing nobles. Misguided as they are, some Assassins are honorable. Mackandal was not one of them. Thanks to the calculating genius of Madeleine de L'Isle, the Templars made an example of Mackandal by way of public execution in 1758. His pathetic excuse for a Brotherhood quickly fell apart. When his comrade and childhood friend Agaté fled to Louisiana, Baptiste saw the futility of his former life in Mackandal's Brotherhood. Madeleine saw Baptiste's potential and instructed her Templars in New Orleans to strike a deal with him. If he could draw Agaté out of hiding and eliminate him, he would be granted a place in the Templar Order. Although Baptiste was killed by the Assassin Aveline de Grandpré, his path clearly demonstrates the inherent superiority of Templar ideals over Assassin terrorism.

Duncan Walpole (1679 – 1715)

• Berg approves of Duncan Walpole's ambition.
  Berg approves of Duncan Walpole's ambition.

• Juhani: Duncan Walpole rose through the ranks to become a Master Assassin, but he was restricted by a Brotherhood which chose to send him across the ocean to the West Indies, rather than find a way to nurture his potential. Once there, Duncan attracted the notice of Laureano Torres, former governor of Cuba and Templar Grand Master. Through their correspondence, Torres offered a less violent way to achieve their mutual goals, by using Precursor artifacts as a surveillance system rather then the murders and scheming favored by the Brotherhood. Sadly, Duncan was killed by a pirate before the Templars could help him achieve his potential. Although Duncan's story does not have a happy ending, it clearly demonstrates that the Templars' highest goals of peace and order need not exclude personal success and achievement.

Haytham Kenway (1725 - 1781)

• Berg ruminates on Haytham's place in Templar history.
  Berg ruminates on Haytham's place in Templar history.

• Juhani: Haytham Kenway remains a controversial figure for me. I have great respect for him. After all, he was the Grand Master of the Colonial Rite, charged with finding a Precursor site. Haytham was cunning and ruthless, but he had a streak of emotional weakness that ultimately triggered his downfall. He lost his father when he was a child and the British Grand Master, Reginald Birch, raised him to become a Templar knight. Haytham eventually learned that his father Edward had been an Assassin. That he chose to stay a Templar rather than follow in his father's footsteps indicates to me that he believed he was already on the right path. When Haytham discovered that Birch was the one who murdered his father, he and his sister killed him in revenge. I believe that this was the beginning of his downfall. Templars kill for efficiency, not petty emotions. When he discovered that his son Connor was an Assassin working against him in the Colonies, the same emotional weakness stayed his blade. A pity Connor did not show him the same mercy.

Daniel Cross (1974 – 2012)

• Berg reflects on his predecessor, Master Templar Daniel Cross.
  Berg reflects on his predecessor, Master Templar Daniel Cross.

• Juhani: Like Haytham Kenway, Daniel Cross came from an Assassin family, as the Orelov family had at least two generations who served the Brotherhood. Daniel Cross's history of drug addiction and Animus-induced psychosis should not take away from his many accomplishments for the Templar cause. Under the influence of Warren Vidic, he was planted into the Brotherhood and earned their trust, eventually meeting their reclusive Mentor. Then his subliminal programming activated, and he killed the Mentor, triggering the first "Great Purge" of the modern age.
  Al Mualim. Haras. Vali cel Tradat. Baptiste. Duncan Walpole. Haytham Kenway. Lucy Stillman. Daniel Cross. These are but a few prominent examples of something I've always felt... that there will always be Assassins who are willing to abandon their cause to serve ours. Yet there is no one who embodies this idea better than Shay Cormac, and I want the Assassins to confront this painful reality.

The Phoenix Project

12345

New Orders

• November 2013, Philadelphia: Laetitia England disbands and reassigns Sigma Team.
  November 2013, Philadelphia: Laetitia England disbands and reassigns Sigma Team.

• Laetitia: Speak.
• Juhani: Why has Violet da Costa been removed from Sigma Team?
• Laetitia: I'm reassigning our assets as I see fit to align with the goals of the Phoenix Project.
• Juhani: The Phoenix Project? Sigma Team would be of more use hunting down the remaining Assassins. Let Delta Team hunt Precursor relics instead.
• Laetitia: Those relics are the key to sequencing First Civilization DNA. Accomplishing that goal will in turn make the Assassins even less of a threat than they are now.
• Juhani: Be that as it may, Agent da Costa should not be wasted on something like Abstergo Entertainment.
• Laetitia: Last year's fiasco with the Sample 17 Project showed me that Abstergo Entertainment is more than just a disposable subsidiary. It's the best resource we have to finding new Pieces of Eden.
• Juhani: It is a weak link that has been compromised by our enemies time and time again.
• Laetitia: All the more reason to have da Costa secure their access to the Cloud servers. We're confident that Melanie Lemay won't fuck it up like Olivier Garneau.
• Juhani: Bringing a civilian like that into our ranks is also unwise.
• Laetitia: Time will tell with Ms. Lemay, but she handled the John Standish situation with an even hand. She helped us discover the existence of Sages, and in doing so, has done more for Phoenix than you have, Mr. Berg.
• Juhani: She also continues to ignore the presence of the Instruments of the First Will within her operation.
• Laetitia: Those whackjobs are actually useful to us for now. They're a cheap source of relics we can exploit. If they become too much of a problem, well deal with them with the same efficiency we deal with the Assassins.
• Juhani: Giving the Assassins time to regroup is a tactical mistake. We should strike them now, while they are still at their most vulnerable.
• Laetitia: We value your passion and expertise, Mr. Berg, and your concerns have been noted. Now, pack your bags. You've got a busy year ahead of you.

The Koh-i-Noor

• November 2013, Mumbai: Berg arrives in India, too late.
  November 2013, Mumbai: Berg arrives in India, too late.

• Juhani: Field report: Phoenix Project. November 1, 2013. Agent da Costa alerted me to a possible lead on the Koh-i-Noor diamond. A replica can be found among the Crown Jewels of England, however, the true diamond is a powerful Piece of Eden, and has been lost for centuries. Jot Soora is a programmer at MySore Tech, [sic] a company working with Abstergo Entertainment to release a variant of the Animus headset to Asia, called the Brahman Device. He's been associating with Siobhan Dhami, the sister of Jhadsip [sic] Dhami, a known Assassin. Could the Brotherhood be using the Brahman Device to locate the Koh-i-Noor? Until we have more evidence, I have decided to use a local Abstergo strike force rather than mobilize Sigma Team.
  
  Update: November 3, 2013: Jot Soora was abducted outside of Dream Land Studios in Mumbai. He was seen being forced into a van by Siobhan and Jhadsip Dhami. This confirms my suspicions. The Assassins must be using Jot Soora's genetic memories to locate the Koh-i-Noor. I have authorized the local Abstergo soldiers to engage and eliminate the Assassins, with the instructions that the Brahman device be kept intact. I am en route to India.
  
  Update: November 4, 2013: I arrived in India too late. Our strike team was engaged be the Assassins in two separate conflicts. The body of Siobhan Dhami was found at the first site, but her remains were too badly damaged in an explosion to collect any genetic information. I found the Brahman device at the second site, but after reviewing the genetic memories recorded within, I am relieved to find that Jot Soora's bloodline was a dead end. The real Koh-i-Noor diamond remains lost to both sides. Jhadsip Dhami escaped, which means we must monitor this new Assassin activity in India closely. I am closing this file and proceeding to my next mission.

The Box

• February 2014, Rotterdam: Sigma Team scrambles to recover a stolen artifact from two Assassins.
  February 2014, Rotterdam: Sigma Team scrambles to recover a stolen artifact from two Assassins.

• Violet: This is a priority message to all Sigma Team operatives. Assassins have stolen an artifact from our Rotterdam storage facility. Rally point is at 51.887107 by 4.559017. Be there by oh-six-hundred local time. Stragglers will be put to death, so move it!
  
  Listen up, losers. There are two confirmed Assassins operating in the city. Target number 1 is Harlan Cunningham, the only survivor of a cell in Florence that our fearless leader eradicated a couple of years back. He stole the Precursor box and is on the run. Target number 2 has been identified as Arend Schut, former MMA champion and now Cunningham's disciple... and lover. How romantic. He's running interference, murdering our Templar agents embedded in Abstergo facilities throughout the city.
• Juhani: Sorkin, take Sigma Team and go after Schut. I will take down Cunningham myself, and recover the artifact.
• Violet: I don't like the idea of you going alone, boss.
• Juhani: I want to deal with him personally. Sigma Team, maintain contact with Violet at all times. You have your orders!
• Violet: Sorkin you dipshit, don't engage him hand-to-hand! Pull your men back!

[Sounds of glass shattering, gunfire]

• Arend: Come get some!
• Sorkin: He's got my gun!

[Sound of heavy gunfire]

• Violet: Sniper One, do you have a shot?
• Sniper One: Negative, he's using Sorkin as a shield!

[Sound of heavy gunfire]

• Sorkin: He's tearing us apart! Take the shot!

[A muffled gunshot sounds]

• Sorkin: AAAAAAAAAARRGGGGGHHH!
• Sniper One: I hit Sorkin!

[Sounds of an explosion, gas hissing]

• Sniper One: He dropped a smoke bomb! I've lost visual!
• Sorkin: He's... gah... he's gone!
• Violet: That's our cue. Pick your sorry asses up and get to the extraction point! Double time!
• Harlan: Just... just fucking kill me already!
• Juhani: I had a dream about you.
• Harlan: That's sweet, but I'm with someone.
• Juhani: In my dream, you never made it out of Florence alive.
• Harlan: What can I say? I'm too stubborn to die.

[Sound of a large explosion]

• Arend: Hello, lover!
• Juhani: Perkele! (The Devil!)
• Harlan: We can't leave the box behind!
• Arend: Fuck that. I killed half of Sigma Team. Let's quit while we're ahead!

[Sound of gunfire]

• Harlan: See you in your dreams, Berg!

[Sounds of gunfire, sirens]

• Violet: What a shit show.
• Juhani: Compile the relevant parts of our audio logs and send them to Laetitia England. Tell her this is exactly why she should be letting us hunt Assassins.

The Ankh

• May 2014, Essen: Berg investigates a Piece of Eden that may not exist.
  May 2014, Essen: Berg investigates a Piece of Eden that may not exist.

• Violet: Hey boss. Calling from Germany?
• Juhani: Yes. I am in Essen, searching for an artifact called the Ankh of Isis. Can you tell me anything about it?
• Violet: Give me a minute to fire up my machines here... Okay. Not much. There's an obscure file from the Data Dump Scanner that mentions it. It was allegedly in 14th century Germany, where an Assassin named Lukas Zurburg fought a Templar offshoot called the Brothers of the Cross. How original.
• Juhani: That's the file that led me to this bland shit pile. Is there anything else? Anything outside of official Abstergo [sic] records?
• Violet: Nobody's ever seen this thing. There's all kinds of stories about is history... from Roman Gallia, Egypt during the Middle Ages, and even a cell of modern-day Assassins. Oh, and apparently it raises the dead.
• Juhani: Is there any evidence to support this?
• Violet: None at all. You know what I think? I think this is bullshit the Assassins are spreading around so that people like us waste our valuable time sniffing after it. Smells like a trap.
• Juhani: Agreed. Keep an eye out for any new information about the Ankh. While it may not lead to an artifact, we may be able to follow the data back to some Assassins.
• Violet: You got it, boss. Where you off to next?
• Juhani: Cuba. I am going to excavate the Observatory.

Paris

• October 2014, Paris: After the Assassins destroy an Abstergo lab, Berg pushes for Sigma Team's resurrection.
  October 2014, Paris: After the Assassins destroy an Abstergo lab, Berg pushes for Sigma Team's resurrection.

• Laetitia: Do you care to explain what happened in Paris?
• Juhani: Gavin Banks led a team of Assassins to your laboratory and destroyed it.
• Laetitia: That lab was supposed to be completely off the grid. How did they find it?
• Juhani: Banks is a known associate of Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, who have infiltrated Abstergo before. He is also not your typical Assassin brawler. He follows information. They found a way to access your Helix servers. Nothing is off the grid anymore.
• Laetitia: That facility was dedicated to studying the Sage we recovered from Montreal last year.
• Juhani: If you had informed me of its existence, Sigma Team could have protected your interests.
• Laetitia: Did you engage Bank's team?
• Juhani: Sorkin and I tracked them from Paris to La Rochelle, where their ship was waiting for them. We fought, but we were outnumbered. Sorkin was stabbed seven times by an Assassin we have identified as Galina Voronina.
• Laetitia: And you let them get away.
• Juhani: Let's be very clear. I was trained to hunt and kill Assassins. It was you who disbanded my team and sent me on a fool's errand across the surface of the Earth. I warned you this would happen.
• Laetitia: You know what? I can admit when I'm wrong. You have my permission to re-form Sigma Team.
• Juhani: I need da Costa back.
• Laetitia: Impossible. She's still in Montreal.
• Juhani: Unacceptable.
• Laetitia: I've apologized for my oversight, Berg, but don't push me. The fact is, we need to find new Sages. Álvaro Gramática tells me that Melanie Lemay has a few promising leads in Montreal.
• Juhani: When will da Costa be finished?
• Laetitia: She's ahead of schedule on security upgrades and firewalls, but Helix is a target for Assassins, Erudito, and... the First Civilization consciousness. So there have been some setbacks.
• Juhani: Is the building physically secure?
• Laetitia: There's security on site.
• Juhani: Send me there.
• Laetitia: Oh? I thought you were too good to be wasted on such trivial matters.
• Juhani: I want da Costa back on my team, and if that building is a target, I need to make sure she's looked after. I will also improve their security, in my own way.
• Laetitia: Very well. I'll start preparing the necessary documents. Like da Costa, you'll be a consultant from Abstergo Industries there to help bring them up to speed on some new policies.
• Juhani: In the meantime, send some extra agents to Paris. I suspect there may still be Assassins lurking there.