Vatican Vault

I wanted to ask you something. Which is... what's your name? This article title is conjecture. Although the article subject is canon, no official name for it has been given.

Rodrigo: "Don't you know what lies within? Or do you mean to tell me that the great and powerful Assassins didn't figure it out?"

Ezio: "Figure what out?"

Rodrigo: "God! It's God that dwells within!"

—Rodrigo Borgia and Ezio Auditore discuss the Vault, 1499.

The interior of the Vault

The Vatican Vault was a large chamber constructed by the Isu, located beneath the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. It was used to transmit a message of warning to Desmond Miles during the year 2012, through the memories of the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

History

The entrance to the Vault could be opened by combining two Pieces of Eden, an Apple and a Staff of Eden. These two also needed to be held by a chosen descendant of the Isu.

Recognized as "the Prophet" in 1499, Ezio Auditore was able to access the Vault by using the Papal Staff, in conjunction with his Apple of Eden. Despite attempting to use the same two Pieces of Eden, Rodrigo Borgia was unable to open the door to the Vault.

The floors, walls, and pillars of the Vault were covered in glyphs that only appeared to Ezio as he moved toward them. The entire chamber and the hallway leading to it were marked with lines of blue light, an appearance unique to most Vaults.

Minerva and Ezio within the Vault

Rodrigo Borgia was convinced that the Vault contained God himself, and he intended to kill him using the Pieces of Eden and steal his power. However, the chamber instead held a holographic projection of the Isu scientist Minerva.

Upon the arrival of Ezio, Minerva explained that her race had created mankind, but faced rebellion soon thereafter. Glyphs on the wall confirmed this, showing an Egyptian hieroglyphic of an Isu holding a Piece of Eden as humans charged toward them with weapons.

Minerva also spoke of several Temples that had been built by "those who knew to turn away from war," presumably referring to those who did not fight in the Human-Isu War. These Temples had been built to protect the world from a repeat of the First Disaster, which had nearly wiped out both warring species.

Finally, Minerva spoke through Ezio to directly address Desmond Miles, who she knew would look through his ancestor's memories with the Animus. She tasked Desmond with locating the other Temples, and averting a second cataclysm. These words puzzled Ezio, though before he could receive any answers, Minerva's hologram faded away. The Assassin subsequently left the Vault, which became sealed once again after having served its intended purpose.

Trivia

• The walls of the Vault were covered in symbols, including Sumerian numerals.
• The Vault in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood appears to have been redesigned since Assassin's Creed II, where the floor has a shiny, polished look, and the walls and obelisks are blue and give off a dim glow.
• After leaving the Vault with Mario Auditore, the player cannot return to the Vault even after completing the game.
• In Assassin's Creed III, the conversation between Ezio and Minerva is displayed twice, once by Juno to Desmond, and in the introduction recap. In both instances though, the outfit Ezio wore was incorrect.

Gallery

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  Concept art of the Vault entrance
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  Concept art of the Vault before Ezio's fight with Rodrigo
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  Concept art of Ezio opening the Vault
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  Concept art of Minerva and Ezio within the Vault
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  Early concept art of Ezio leaving the chamber
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  Ezio inside the Vault
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  Isu script inside the Vault
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  The Vault's entrance within the Sistine Chapel
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Appearances

• Assassin's Creed II (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: Renaissance
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
• Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood novel