Roshan

"I won't let the past define me. This is why I now consider myself the daughter of no one."

―Roshan to Basim Ibn Ishaq, 860s.

Roshan (Arabic: روشان; born c. 802), also known as Roshan bint-La'Ahad (Arabic: روشان ابنة لا أحد), was a Hidden One of Persian descent based in Alamut during the 9th century. Holding the rank of Master Assassin, she was, alongside Rayhan and Fuladh Al Haami, part of the council that governed over the brotherhood. She was also a brief lover of the mercenary Azadeh in her younger years.

In 861, Roshan became a mentor to Basim Ibn Ishaq, a street thief from Samarra, and was secretly aware of his Isu heritage as the reborn form of Loki long before Basim himself had realized. Fiercely loyal to the brotherhood, Roshan tried to suppress his nature but became disillusioned when Basim and the Hidden Ones leadership learned the truth and stood by each other anyway. In protest, Roshan left the brotherhood and cast aside her Hidden Blade for several years until reclaiming it ahead of an encounter with the Viking Eivor Varinsdottir in England.

Biography

Early life

Roshan was born in 802 to a family of five, which included her and her two younger sisters Bolour and Masha. When she was fourteen, a Persian harbor master came to their house and offered a dowry to her parents in exchange for one of their girls as a wife. She volunteered herself as to save her sisters from the grim fate of being his wife. For the next three years, she was abused by her husband but was comforted by his other wives, especially Talâyi. While together on his boat, Roshan was given herbs by Talâyi to stop her from becoming pregnant by their husband.

On the Run

One day while stationed in Baghdad, Roshan suffered enough and slit her husband's throat, causing havoc on the ship. While hiding from the guards, she was saved by Talâyi, who thanked her for killing him but advised her not to go home. Realizing the guards were coming, she jumped off the ship while the other wives distracted the guards for her escape. Swimming to shore, she soon disguised herself as an old man and found her way at the House of Wisdom.

Student to Bakhit's assistant

Realizing she was at the House of Wisdom, she managed to live on scraps and rats. She soon followed a reclusive inventor and ate his leftovers whenever he left unattended. One day, she was noticed by the Sudanese inventor and he introduced himself as Bakhit. While discussing her education, he began to mentor her and even encouraged her to take classes at the center. Within months, she excelled in the classes and became well-read and knowledge in both sciences and mathematics. After eight months, Bakhit offered her to become his assistant and move with her to a new home in Thatta. She accepted and they both left for Thatta under the protection of Thatta's prince's bodyguards.

While being escorted, Roshan found an interest while watching the bodyguards train under fellow guard Advi. Advi noticed Roshan and also began training her, despite Bakhit's reluctance. A month on the road, she became stronger and toned from practicing with tahtib sticks alongside Advi. Upon arriving in Thatta and at Bakhit's new quarters, Roshan soon learned that her position as Bakhit's assistant was dangerous as she noticed one of the servants disfigured while she was his assistant. Nevertheless, she exercised caution even more while working for Bakhit.

For the next two years, Roshan survived Bakhit's experiments, especially the recent one with her vision. One day, after sparring with each other, Advi admitted his feelings towards her but she rebuffed him and maintained a friendship before she left for home. However, after a bath, she heard a knock and readied her dagger, only to find an impressed Advi. However, Advi told her that Bakhit had been forfeiting the deal by doing odd jobs other than the prince's and to be careful. Worried, she began to keep an eye on Bakhit.

Fleeing Thatta

Within a year, Roshan learned more under Bakhit and his other clients, especially different languages. One client Maryam offered her a job if Bakhit's work does not pan out. While keeping an eye on Bakhit during the day, she continued to practice with Advi at night. One night, Advi gifted her a set of a sword and a dagger and her own tahtib sticks, personally detailed by Bakhit himself. Elated, she stated her love of the gift before retracting her emotions and then left Advi feeling grateful. Time passed and she tried to tell Bakhit to not work for others, but he stated it will be fine.

One evening, horror came as Advi broke a vase while breaking into Roshan's room. Advi told her that the prince found out and the guards were coming. Roshan packed quickly and went to warn the other servants. Sadly, the guards barged in and found Bakhit and other servants first. Roshan escaped over the estate's wall with Advi. Venturing through Thatta, they ebbed and flowed through the streets until a group of soldiers spotted Advi. Hiding, Roshan watched Advi be interrogated for Roshan's location. With Advi silent, one guard slit his throat while Roshan watched in horror. With his sacrifice, Roshan ran and managed to find Maryam's caravan. Maryam was soon informed of Roshan's warning and rushed her clients out of the caravan. Leaving Thatta, Maryam brought Roshan with her.

Joining Maryam's brothel

Traveling with Maryam, Roshan thanked her while stopping herself from bursting into tears from Advi's death. Maryam consoled her and offered her a job as her bookkeeper and Maryam's bodyguard. Fortunate and feeling more secure, she accepted. While traveling along the Silk Road, she continued to have nightmares about Advi but the caravan's women comforted and assured her of her innocence. When they all arrived and toured around Chang'an, Roshan felt more free and thankful for Advi's sacrifice.

Saving Masha

Working for Maryam for a year, Roshan suggested Tabriz as a stop but wanted to visit her home village Kandovan. Keeping herself hidden, she found her parents living well before being spotted by a pregnant Bolour. Happy to see each other, Bolour tells Roshan of her own new family with her childhood sweetheart Amon but lamented and lied over Masha's situation. Pushing for the truth, Roshan learned that Masha had not been home due to her controlling husband Bogd. Realizing she needed more information, she returned back to Maryam and contacted one of her clients Dervis, a master thief and dealmaker. She made a deal with Dervis to investigate Bogd's life and business. After two nights, she learned Bogd was in debt and was going to lose all of his wives. To make matters worse, she learned that they are the same people that Maryam owed and they wanted to overtake Maryam's business themselves.

Realizing her life with the caravan was at an end, Roshan was offered a job by Dervis as his own bookkeeper. Before accepting, she warned the caravan's women of the danger while readying her departure. After the women left, Maryam caught Roshan packing. She explained how her financer Xex and the other debtors were going to take the caravan and needed to leave. Maryam held Roshan and kissed her goodbye before venturing into the city's market to meet her fate. Meanwhile, she asked Dervis to make a deal with Bogd to pay off his debt for Masha's freedom. Later that day, she watched Dervis arrive with a malnourished Masha, who hugged an incoming Bolour. While she watched her sisters leave with the rest of her money, she started over with Dervis but felt at ease and happy at her sisters' futures.

Working for Dervis

Roshan moved with Dervis to Karachi after leaving Maryam in Tabriz but learned her old mentor Bakhit was still working and creating explosive traps within ordinary objects. While Dervis acted as a middle man for transport, Roshan felt guilty about Bakhit's devices being used. Ultimately, she usually worked to dismantle the bombs secretly before they went into transit.

Riches to Prison

Three months later, she and Dervis moved to Fustat but she was still dealing and deactivating Bakhit's devices. Nevertheless, she had her own home and was content with her life. Unfortunately, she woke up one morning to meet a entourage of soldiers arresting her for theft. Realizing she had been framed, Roshan tried to escape but the soldiers captured her and restrained her. Imprisoned, she planned to escape prison, but was noticed by another inmate, whom she named "Black Eyes." Although she escaped the cell, Black Eyes followed and attacked her. Fortunately, she managed to immobilize him and made her way to escape until a hooded stranger appeared and offered his hand.

Contracted by the Hidden Ones

Initially rejecting his hand, Roshan was found by the guards and imprisoned again. However, the hooded stranger came and offered a way out in exchange for a job. Despite her doubts, she accepted. While leaving, Roshan watched while the stranger dispatched and killed the guards in their way. Astounded, Roshan wondered what she got herself into, while learning that he had an eye on her for a long time. Arriving at a tavern, Roshan met with her other colleagues while the stranger addressed his group of mercenaries. He explained that their task was to track and find a cult, the Martyrs of Agaunum, and acquire a case they were safeguarding.

During the meeting, the stranger detailed the case's appearance while gifting his mercenaries both weapons and rations. She soon met one of colleagues, Azadeh, who introduced her partner and companion, Onyx, while Roshan gave a false name to protect herself. After the group prepared themselves, they left on horseback, with each member partnered up. Roshan rode with Wei, a Chinese bombmaker, with whom she became acquainted. While talking with each other, she learned from Wei that the stranger came from a group called the Hidden Ones and how they have been around for a long time and stood for justice. Soon, they took turns sleeping and keeping watch.

While Roshan watched the sun rise, she met with Azadeh again as they discussed their reasons for committing to this group. After confiding with Azadeh, Roshan soon met with the group and relayed the plan of ambushing the Martyrs. Moving towards a passage along Sinai, they separated, with Wei and Azadeh together while Roshan stood below to fight alongside Roman pirate Dias, Samoan warrior Nafanua, Welsh mercenary Mared, and twin Northmen brothers Geir and Gud. Meanwhile, the other member, a self-proclaimed Christian prophet Francis was in charge to signal Wei to drop a bomb on the incoming Martyrs. However, they all witnessed the plan go wrong as Francis signaled too early.

Losing Teammates

Altogether, the mercenaries fought the Martyrs nevertheless. Roshan, quickly joined by Azadeh and Onyx, fought the guards until Roshan tried to acquire the chest inside the caravan. She noticed the symbols on both the Martyrs and the case. However, she was pulled out and nearly killed by a Martyr. Soon, all were surprised when they saw Dias hold and kiss Mared, who was used as a human shield from incoming arrows. Ultimately, the Martyrs fled while Dias was accused by Nafanua of murder. Although tensions arose between most of the men and the women, they all realized their predicatement. However, Roshan interceded and came up with a plan to travel ahead the Martyrs across the Red Sea to Karachi. They all agreed but knew they had to get around the mountain in front of them.

Paired and roped with Azadeh and Wei, Roshan survived the ascent of the mountain. However, during the descent, Roshan's team lost their footings until Geir and Gud saved them. However, Gud's foot set some rocks loose over Wei and he was knocked out by one. With Wei coming loose and losing consciousness, Roshan tried to save him but it was too late as Wei fell to his death. Feeling guilty, Roshan, joined by Azadeh, went to find Wei's body while the rest went to steal a ship. Finding of what was left of Wei and Onyx waiting near his remains, Roshan believed Dias and the twins were behind his death but had no proof. Taking Wei's jade trinket, Roshan promised to go to Chang'an before leaving with Azadeh to find their group. After stealing a dhow, they all sailed towards Karachi.

Finding the Traitors

While sailing towards Karachi, both Roshan and Nafanua were targeted and nearly tossed overboard. Fortunately, they climbed back aboard with Azadeh's help. Trusting no one, Roshan and Nafanua guarded themselves until Azadeh came to watch over them. Azadeh also apologized to Roshan for not believing in her about having a traitor, to which she accepted. Arriving in Karachi, they all found an inn to rest. Roshan left to find new maps for their journey. After acquiring the maps, she soon realized that she was being stalked by the twin brothers. Initially losing them, she was soon cornered by them in an alley.

Evading and fighting the brothers, Roshan found an opening to escape and planned to outsmart them. She soon led them on a chase towards the residental areas and made Geir and Gud infiltrate a harem belonging to a wealthy man. With the brothers surrounded by guards, Gud soon grabbed one of them and snapped his neck. Within moments, both the harem's guards and the twins ended up killing each other while Roshan escaped. While changing her clothes, Roshan was soon found by Azadeh and Onyx. Thankful, Roshan had Azadeh come back to the library with her to find out more information about the Martyrs. Soon, they learned that the Martyrs are made of devotees of the historical Theban Legion and how they were rumored to use the legion's graves for miraculous healing powers. Shocked, they rushed back to the inn to inform their group.

Back at the inn, Roshan surveyed her fellow mercenaries and realized they were still tired. Yet, she still informed them of the Martyrs' true purpose. While Dias readied everyone and Francis left to find horses, Roshan worried over Nafanua, who looked sick. While following Onyx, who had the Martyrs' scent, they all stopped as Onyx signaled Azadeh that they were not alone. Soon, a flurry of arrows were loosed right as Nafanua fell down. The rest hid while Onyx was ordered to hide but she found and killed two of the attackers. Soon, Roshan, Dias, and Azadeh joined Onyx and killed their attackers.

While Dias accused Francis of betraying them, Roshan noticed Nafanua was dead but by poison. Realizing who was left, she soon accused Francis of poisoning Nafanua and even questioned about how he must be from the Holy Roman Empire and knowledgable about the Theban Legion. Feigning a smirk, Francis shouted out his support for the Martyrs before fleeing. Letting him flee, Roshan stated that Onyx has Francis' scent and that he will lead them to the Martyrs. While following Onyx, they found themselves in Baghdad. Entering the city, they soon found Francis, who entered the House of Wisdom following the Martyrs.

Joining the Hidden Ones

Infiltrating the House of Wisdom, they soon found the Martyrs gift the case to their customer. While the Martyrs were in prayer, Roshan and her team positioned themselves. When the customer opened the case, he hissed at the Martyrs after his first glance. When Azadeh whistled, Onyx attacked and killed Francis while Roshan and Dias attacked and killed two Martyrs with head blows. However, the other Martyrs fought back fiercely and one even destroyed her tahtib sticks. Defenseless, Roshan was about to die, until Onyx attacked the Martyr. Sadly, the Martyr fatally injured the wolf, which led Azadeh to attack and kill him. Fighting another Martyr, Roshan was able to inflict a gruesome wound and made the Martyr flee. Suddenly, the stranger came and eliminated the wounded Martyr.

When the stranger fought the customer, Dias killed the other Martyrs while Azadeh held her Onyx, who died in her arms. Roshan soon looked at the case and realized it was of Bakhit's design. She saw Dias run and almost warned him but stopped herself. When Dias opened the case, an explosion occurred, killed him instantly, and made everyone lose their composure. When Roshan regained stability, she saw the stranger kill the customer. With Azadeh and Roshan left, the stranger admitted to watching them and offered Roshan a new purpose while keeping true to his promise to Azadeh. Although Azadeh tried to convince her not to join, Roshan believed in their cause and tearfully said goodbye to Azadeh. Roshan soon turned to the stranger, accepted his proposal, and asked him for his name. After he introduced himself as Fuladh Al Haami, Roshan was welcomed into the Hidden Ones.

Rising the ranks

Roshan rose through the brotherhood's ranks and, by the 860s, had become a Master Assassin, operating out of the Hidden One fortress of Alamut, which at the time was still under construction. Alongside the Mentor Rayhan and the Eagle-Master Fuladh, she sat on the council that led the Alamut Brotherhood and ensured their tenets were up-kept. Roshan was also responsible for the training of most of the brotherhood's new initiates.

Seeking to put her past behind, she adopted the name of Roshan bint-La'Ahad, calling herself the "daughter of no one". Despite having taken on a new name and responsibilities upon joining the Hidden Ones, she regretfully had to dissuade her old friend Azadeh from constantly following rumors trying to find her.

Training Basim

Roshan rejecting Basim's services

In late 861, Roshan was operating in Anbar, where she maintained contact with her old acquaintance Dervis, who led a network of thieves in the city that the Hidden Ones regularly relied on to gather information. While trying to learn more about an artifact that had recently arrived in Anbar, Roshan met the young thief Basim Ibn Ishaq, who had been assigned by Dervis to steal a shipping ledger from the docks. The ledger revealed that the artifact had been delivered to the Winter Palace and Basim volunteered to steal it. However, Roshan brushed him off and left.

Despite Roshan's warnings, Basim did so anyway and managed to steal the artifact, though in the process he was forced to kill the caliph, Al-Mutawakkil, becoming a fugitive. Roshan visited Basim at his home the next day, taking the artifact and invinting him to join her in fleeing Anbar. Although Basim refused at first, he changed his mind and went to the docks. There, Roshan protected him from several guards before climbing to the top of a nearby building. There, she leaped into the water below to escape, with Basim following closely behind.

Roshan sparring with Basim

Roshan subsequently brought Basim to Alamut, where she became his mentor and trained him in sword fighting, stealth and freerunning. She also explained to him the reach of the Order of the Ancients' influence in the Abbasid Caliphate and the rest of the world, and why the Hidden Ones fought against it. In February 862, around two months into Basim's training, Roshan decided to transition his training from wooden swords to steel ones and asked the Hidden One blacksmith Rebekah to forge Basim a scimitar and an accompanying parrying dagger, which her apprentice quickly put to use in a duel against his master.

After Basim and another Hidden One, Nur, eliminated a group of mercenaries trying to find the Hidden Ones' base while on patrol, they reported back to Roshan and the rest of the Alamut council. Suspecting the mercenaries had been sent by the Order, Rayhan decided to dispatch Nur to Baghdad to investigate their enemies' presence in the city, instructing him to seek aid from the Zanj rebel leader Ali ibn Muhammad, a Hidden One ally. Although Roshan viewed Ali as a dangerous and delusional fool, she agreed with the Mentor's decision and Nur departed for Baghdad.

Mission to Baghdad

Rayhan sending Fuladh, Basim and Roshan to Baghdad

Eventually, Basim completed his training and was formally inducted into the brotherhood by Roshan and the rest of the council. However, shortly after Basim's initiation, Nur returned from Baghdad gravely wounded, as the Order had attacked him during his investigation and captured Ali and his rebels. Realizing that the Order held more power in Baghdad than they initially suspected, Rayhan decided to send Roshan, Basim and Fuladh to the city to continue Nur's investigation and find and rescue Ali.

Crossing the desert, the three Hidden Ones eventually reached Baghdad, whereupon Roshan and Fuladh went to the Harbiyah district to establish a bureau while Basim investigated around the city before eventually joining them. Discussing their leads, the trio decided to follow up on the information Nur had managed to gather. While Basim went to meet with Ali's rebels and investigate a dyeing factory marked by Nur on a map, Roshan and Fuladh remained at the bureau to search for more clues.

Broken trust

Once Basim had uncovered the identity of the Ra's Al-Af'a of the Order, the royal concubine Qabiha, he reported his findings to Roshan, who decided to assassinate the Order leader herself, believing her apprentice was not yet prepared to undertake such a mission. However, Basim argued that this was an opportunity to put all his training to the test and Roshan relented, however uneasy she felt.

Suspicious of Basim's true motives, Roshan decided to follow him as he infiltrated the Caliphal Palace to assassinate Qabiha and, to her shock and anger, witnessed the Order leader tell Basim about the Isu temple underneath Alamut, which she claimed held the answers to all of his questions. As Qabiha offered to inform Basim about his true nature, Roshan acted quickly and stabbed her from behind with her Hidden Blade, killing her. She then angrily confronted her apprentice over his actions, only for Basim to accuse Roshan of preventing him from uncovering his origins and criticize the Hidden Ones' creed, which promoted free will but asked the brotherhood's members to obey without question.

Aware of Basim's true nature and its implications, Roshan believed it was in everyone's best interest if her apprentice remained unaware of it and invinted him to accompany her back to the Hidden Ones, no more than a man but no less than their brother. However, Basim refused, prompting Roshan to threaten him that, if he decided to seek out the temple, she would not hesitate to kill him herself. With that, she stormed off, leaving Basim to escape from the palace by himself.

Roshan's worst fears came true when, amidst an attack on Alamut by Tahirid forces allied with the Order, Basim returned to the fortress to investigate the temple. After fighting off several of the attacking Tahirid soldiers and getting injured in the process, Roshan made her way to the temple's entrance to prevent Basim from entering. As the master and her former student fought, Basim was able to break Roshan's defense with a throwing knife to the shoulder before taking advantage of her injuries to defeat and non-fatally stab her with his Hidden Blade.

No longer in any condition to fight, Roshan could only try to dissuade Basim from entering the temple, claiming that she had the Hidden Ones' best interest in mind and begging her former apprentice to trust her. However, her pleas fell on deaf ears as Basim proceeded into the temple, where he ultimately unlocked Loki's dormant memories inside him. After learning that Rayhan had given Basim his blessing to investigate the temple, a disillusioned Roshan decided to leave the Hidden Ones and, following an argument with the Mentor, discarded her Hidden Blade and departed Alamut.

Activities in England

Despite no longer serving the Hidden Ones, Roshan remained a loyal follower of their creed and continued to hunt down Order members across the globe. Two decades after leaving Alamut, she had managed to recover her Hidden Blade after some difficult years spent without it, and tracked the Ancient Makira to England, where the latter had formed an alliance with Sir Edward, Earl of Westerna. The Saxon mercenaries in Edward's employ often stole the Raven Clan's gear and launched raids with it to frame them, keeping all looted gold and silver while Makira took any writings they managed to recover for herself.

Roshan after having killed Makira, with Eivor in the back

While tracking Edward's men, Roshan encountered the Raven Clan's jarlskona Eivor Varinsdottir, who was also investigating the raids. After informing Eivor that Edward and Makira were responsible for tarnishing her clan's name, Roshan striked an alliance with the Viking to eliminate the two, who had taken refuge in Ravensburg. Eivor infiltrated the fortress and publicly assassinated Edward, sending his men into disarray and allowing Roshan to drop from a tree and kill Makira. The former Hidden One then looted a scroll from her body and said she would deliver it to Jerusalem, describing its contents as "a seed to plant" for the future, before parting ways with Eivor.

Personality and traits

Roshan was a woman of Persian descent and had a strong personality. A true warrior who was loyal and honest, she fought for justice and to protect her fellow Hidden Ones, but kept details of her life shrouded in mystery.

Behind the scenes

Roshan is a character created for the 2023 video game Assassin's Creed: Mirage, where she is voiced by Iranian-American actress Shohreh Aghdashloo, but her older self was introduced in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla as part of a free 2022 downloadable update titled Shared History.

Etymology

Roshan (روشن) is a name derived from the Middle Persian word lwšn' ("splendid light, bright, daylight"), While her patronymic surname Bint-La'Ahad (ابنة لا أحد) simply means "Daughter of No One" in Arabic.

Gallery

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  Concept art portrait
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  Concept art
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  Promotional Art
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  Roshan talking to Fuladh and Basim
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  Character model of Roshan
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  Character model of Roshan
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  Character model of Roshan
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  Character model of Roshan
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  Database image of Roshan
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  An elderly Roshan in England

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – Shared History (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Mirage
• Assassin's Creed: Mirage – Daughter of No One