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===Initiates Database/The Golden Age of Piracy===
===Initiates Database/The Golden Age of Piracy===
<tabber>
The Dutch Buccaneer and Slaver=
====The Dutch Buccaneer and Slaver: Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1630====
Laurens Prins was born in Amsterdam and spent most of his life operating out of Port Royal, Jamaica.


In the early days of the Golden Age of Piracy, he sailed as a privateer and developed a reputation for courage fighting against the Spanish on behalf of the British crown. He was celebrated for his role in Sir Henry Morgan's infamous raid on Panama in 1671.
After retiring from privateering, he settled in Jamaica and entered the slave trade to bolster his wealth. In 1717, his flagship slave galley, The Whydah, was attacked by Black Sam Bellamy, though Prins managed to survive and continue slaving.
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Grand Master Torres=
====Grand Master Torres: Havana, Cuba, 1645====
Laureano Torres was born in Havana to Tomas Torres y Ayala and Elvira de Quadros Castellanos. He was raised in Madrid, Spain, joined the Spanish army in his late teens, and became a Templar in his twenties, using their connections to get appointed as the governor of Spain's territories in Florida.
He returned to Europe to fight in the Spanish War of Succession. In 1708 he was appointed as the governor of Cuba, but was arrested for corruption. He was acquitted of the charges and won a re-election in 1713.
Torres developed both the Templar Order and Cuba's economy at the same time. He established the cultivation of tobacco on the island, gaining massive profits.
He recruited the French arms dealer Juilen du Casse and the pirate hunter Woodes Rogers to his Order, and even managed to entice the disgruntled Assassin Duncan Walpole to join him in his quest to locate The Observatory, a structure built by the First Civilization that could only be opened by a Sage, whom Torres believed to have captured.
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The Story of Rum=
====The Story of Rum: Bridgeton, Barbados, 1651====
Rum has been a staple of trade and nautical culture for hundreds of years. It is an alcoholic beverage produced from the by-products of sugarcane processing like juices and molasses. It is widely popular in the West Indies as well as the Canadian Maritime.
The origins of Rum are debated, but drinks made from fermented sugarcane juice have existed for thousands of years in Asia. Production of rum started out in the West Indies in the 17th Century when plantation slaves discovered molasses could be fermented into alcohol which could then be purified and concentrated by distillation.
Rum quickly became a trade staple in the Caribbean. Its popularity, value and heavy dependence on manual labor made it a key component in the era's trade triangles between Africa, Europe and the Americas. It replaced French brandy as the Royal Navy's daily ration of alcohol to its sailors, a practice shared by pirates. In fact, a daily dose of rum, or tot, was served to sailors of the British Navy until 1970.
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Buried Treasures=
====Buried Treasures: Gardiner's Island, Long Island, 1651====
Contrary to popular interpretations, chests brimming with gold and jewels were rather rare during the Golden Age of Piracy. Burying treasures in any form was rarer still. The only documented case concerns William Kidd's attempt to use some of the wealth he buried on Long Island as a bargaining chip to avoid punishment for piracy. That tactic failed miserably for him, he was hanged.
While English fiction helped popularize the myth of buried treasures, pirates were much more practical, looting food, water, alcohol, ammunition, rope, canvas and wood from ships to stay afloat. They sold anything they couldn't use, including looted valuables to pay for the crew and turn any profit from their endeavors... Which was often spent carousing on shore.
There have been ships filled with gold and treasures but they were usually warships under heavy escort. The average pirate ship could not hope to successfully overtake such tempting targets… with a few notorious exceptions. Still, a lot of commodities we consider of little value now were very valuable then because of rarity. Things like spices, fabrics and dyes were common types of pirate plunder.
</tabber>
<tabber>
The Gruff Commodore=
====The Gruff Commodore: England, United Kingdom, 1660====
Commodore Peter Chamberlaine was charged with the task of helping Woodes Rogers issue King George's pardon to pirates. However, Peter was deeply resentful of his commanding officer and flouted Rogers's orders whenever possible.
Although he was humorless, he was respected by his men as a man of fortitude and cunning.
|-|
The Mayan Mentor=
====The Mayan Mentor: Tulum, Yucatán, 1660====
Named for the Mayan god of hunting, Ah Tabai was the Mentor of the West Indies Brotherhood, as was his father Bahlam before him. Not much is known about Ah Tabai's early life, except for the fact that he lost a son.
As Mentor, Ah Tabai worked hard to open his Brotherhood to all people with good intentions as well as remain in contact with other Brotherhoods across the globe.
When the first rumors about the appearance of a new Sage began to emerge in 1713, he asked for help in keeping the First Civilization sanctuary safe from the Templars.
At the beginning of 1715, a British Assassin named Duncan Walpole arrived in Tulum, and asked to train under Ah Tabai, despite already possessing the rank of Master Assassin. When the Mentor received word that the Templars had captured the Sage, he sent Walpole to retrieve him, not knowing that Walpole was planning to betray him and the Brotherhood.
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The Maroon Assassin=
====The Maroon Assassin: Akan Region, West Africa, 1670====
Antò was born to the Ashanti tribe in the Akan region of West Africa and sold into slavery as a young man. He was sent to Jamaica, where he escaped with the help of the legendary warrior Kujo.
Antò founded a Maroon community near Kingston and established contacts with indigenous traders, who helped coordinate raids on plantations that freed more slaves to join him.
Although he ran Kingston's Assassin bureau, Antò's highest priority was always to free slaves from captivity.
|-|
The Captain Was Here=
====The Captain Was Here: Panama City, Panama, 1671-01-18====
Born in Wales, Henry Morgan became a buccaneer who raided Spanish settlements in the West Indies. Operating under the tacit approval of the English government, it is believed that Morgan was part of an expedition to seize Jamaica from the Spanish government.
After participating in several similar quests, Morgan was appointed commander of the buccaneers in 1668, and he organized multiple raids on Spanish settlements. In violation of a treaty between England and Spain, he captured Panama City and burned it to the ground.
</tabber>
<tabber>
Devoted to Discipline=
====Devoted to Discipline: England, United Kingdom, 1675====
Kenneth Abraham was born to an upper-class family and was educated in a series of boarding schools. Upon graduation, he entered the army and rose through the ranks to become a Commander.
His devotion to order and discipline earned him a place with the Templars, who offered him power and influence that the military could not.
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The Traitor Duncan Walpole=
====The Traitor Duncan Walpole: Houghton, England, 1679====
Duncan Walpole was the second cousin of Robert Walpole, who is widely considered to be Britain's "first prime minister."
He left the relative comfort of his family life at age 18 when he joined the Royal Navy as a mid-shipman with dreams of becoming an officer. However, his hot temper and impulsiveness impeded a swift ascension through the ranks.
After three years, Duncan left the navy for the East India Company and met a sailor who introduced him to the Assassin Brotherhood and its teachings.
Although he was initially hesitant, Duncan quickly learned the skills of a Master Assassin. However his temper and arrogance were still present, which led to clashes with the leadership of the British Brotherhood.
In 1714, his Mentor asked him to sail to the West Indies to rendezvous with the Brotherhood there and meet with their Mentor Ah Tabai. Duncan eagerly accepted the mission, and the British Brotherhood never heard from him again.
|-|
The Pirate Hunter=
====The Pirate Hunter: Poole, England, 1679====
Woodes Rogers was born into money, and his early life was the very model of ambition. When his father died in 1706, Woodes inherited his family's shipping company, and his fortunes grew.
However, by the end of 1707, his business suffered under raiding French forces and Rogers sought to recoup these losses himself. He became a privateer soon after.
His career as a privateer was rather unremarkable, though he was able to pen a successful memoir based upon his exploits. However, his fortunes quickly reversed. His son died suddenly, and wife left him soon after. Then he was sued by his former shipmates for allegedly hoarding profits, and lost the case.
In 1713, he returned to sea, and went to Madagascar to find and subdue the pirate stronghold of Libertalia. He was disappointed to find that it was little more than a squat.
When he returned to England, he lobbied King George for a commission to hunt pirates in the West Indies and was appointed the Governor of the Bahamas. He became an ally of the Templar Grand Master Laureano Torres y Ayala and joined his search for the Observatory.
|-|
A Vicious Captain=
====A Vicious Captain: England, United Kingdom, 1680====
The history of Charles Vane is not well documented, but he arrived in Port Royal during the War of the Spanish Succession and first served under the infamous pirate Henry Jennings.
Once he set out on his own, Vane recruited his old friend "Calico" Jack Rackham as his quartermaster. He was notoriously cruel to the crews of ships he captured and even withheld spoils from his own men, earning a reputation for being a difficult Captain to sail under.
</tabber>
<tabber>
Blackbeard's Mentor=
====Blackbeard's Mentor: Norfolk, United Kingdom, 1680====
Much of Benjamin Hornigold's early life is unverified, but he is believed to have been born in Norfolk, England, around 1680.
He first appears in history between as one of the earliest pirates to emerge after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, which suggests that he was one of many privateers who could not make a living in the ensuing peace.
Hornigold was a mentor to Edward Thatch and settled in Nassau, where he launched a career as a full-fledged pirate. However, although he was a skilled sailor and strategist, he lacked the ruthlessness required to be truly successful. He refused to attack English ships out of a sense of loyalty to his home country, and soon began to question the long-term viability of the Pirate Republic he had helped to create in Nassau.
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Birth of a Legend=
====Birth of a Legend: Bristol, England, 1680====
Little is known about the life of Edward Thatch before his exploits in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. He was most probably born in Bristol, England, and pursued a career as a sailor. It appears that he participated in the War of the Spanish Succession, but when the war was coming to an end, few jobs were available in the British Royal Navy, so Thatch, like many other sailors, settled in the Americas in search of better fortunes.
Thatch began his pirate activities under the command of Benjamin Hornigold. He then took command of his own vessel, and quickly became the most powerful pirate of his era, captaining several ships, the most famous being the Queen Anne's Revenge. During his career as a pirate, which only lasted a couple of years, Thatch terrorized the British authorities.
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Captain of the Fortune=
====Captain of the Fortune: Casnewyoo Bach, Wales, 1682-05-17====
Born John Roberts, much of his early life is unknown. However, he would later become the most successful pirate of the Golden Age, capturing over 170 vessels in his career. It is unknown why he changed his name to Bartholomew, but it's possible it was an homage to the privateer Bartholomew Sharp.
Although history remembers Roberts as "Black Bart," he never used that name during his lifetime.
|-|
Calico Jack=
====Calico Jack: Port Royal, Jamaica, 1682-12-21====
Jack Rackham was born in Jamaica, though little else is known about his childhood.
Rackham took great care in his personal appearance and presentation, and dressed himself in printed and painted fabrics, which earned him the nickname "Calico" Jack.
He was frequently drunk, and usually womanizing, using his outrageous and offensive personality to keep out of trouble. Despite associating with many famous scoundrels, Jack Rackham was not much of a fighter, sailor, or pirate.
He became the quartermaster on a British pirate ship under the command of Charles Vane, and the two joined the Pirate Republic in Nassau in January 1717.
</tabber>
<tabber>
A Collector of Hidden Blades=
====A Collector of Hidden Blades: Montpellier, France, 1682====
Julien du Casse was the nephew of the buccaneer Jean du Casse and followed his uncle's example by taking to the sea at an early age. Although he fought in a few battles in the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of King Philip, he rapidly grew disillusioned with the Monarchy and their obsession with lineage and breeding.
Julien sought his fortunes in the New World. At first he worked for slave traders in Africa, but was uncomfortable with the cruelty of the profession, and so he departed for the West Indies in search of another vocation.
Julien worked for 10 years as a mercenary for anyone who could pay and eventually landed a permanent position with Templar Grand Master Laureano Torres y Ayala.
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Mr. Wrong=
====Mr. Wrong: England, United Kingdom, 1682====
Hilary Flint was born to an aristocratic family, the youngest of three boys. He was the black sheep of the family, who found solace in his studies, where he developed a particular interest in explosives. This interest earned him the label of "problem child."
His parents enrolled him in a military school, where he quickly charmed his way into a few secret societies. After graduation, his connections earned him a place in the Templar Order. His obsession with firearms and explosives made him a valuable asset.
He was known to operate in the West Indies and was also known to have been romantically involved with the Assassin Rhona Dinsmore.
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The Orchid=
====The Orchid: Guangzhou, China, 1686====
Although Jing Lang was born to Chinese rebels, she grew up to become an accomplished diplomat with a flair for languages. She married the son of a general in the Qing Dynasty, but a shift in power forced her to become a pirate.
She spent the next decade at sea, and developed a reputation for brutality. In the West Indies, she became obsessed with rumors of a treasure and feigned a romantic interest in former Assassin Vance Travers in order to gain access to it.
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The Aristocratic Pirate=
====The Aristocratic Pirate: Barbados, 1688====
Stede Bonnet was probably the most unlikely person to end up as a pirate. Bonnet was the son of an affluent sugar planter in Barbados. His parents died when he was very young and he inherited the family estate, including the numerous slaves living on the plantation. Bonnet's liberal education did not make him an obvious candidate for a career as a pirate.
However, later on in life he left his wife and decided to take up piracy. He knew absolutely nothing about ships and seafaring, and ordered a fine vessel to be built, which he named the Revenge, and then set out to find a pirate crew.
</tabber>
<tabber>
The Steadfast Smuggler=
====The Steadfast Smuggler: England, United Kingdom, 1688====
Upton Travers was born in England, and traveled to the West Indies to seek his fortune alongside his younger brother Vance.
They established a smuggling operation that they used to fund their involvement with the Assassin Brotherhood. When it came to the challenges of a smuggler's life, Upton was the more measured and cautious of the two brothers. However, the arrival of an alluring Chinese pirate named Jing Lang caused a rift between them.
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The Runaway Bride=
====The Runaway Bride: Glasgow, Scotland, 1689====
Rhona Dinsmore was born in Scotland to an absent father and alcoholic mother. She left Glasgow in her teens and found work with merchants in Bristol.
At the age of twenty-one, Rhona was trapped in a terrible marriage and fled to Boston, before moving on to Jamaica. She tried farming, but soon found herself as a member of the Assassin Brotherhood.
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Benjamin's Lackey #1=
====Benjamin's Lackey #1: England, United Kingdom, 1689====
Little is known about John Cockram, other than he was a friend and confidant of Benjamin Hornigold. Although he was a pirate for a few years, he quickly grew disillusioned with the state of affairs in Nassau and searched for a new cause to believe in.
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Benjamin's Lackey #2=
====Benjamin's Lackey #2: England, United Kingdom, 1689====
Little is known about Josiah Burgess other than the fact that he was a friend and confidant of Benjamin Hornigold. He was a pirate for a few years but saw an opportunity in the royal pardon being offered by the King of England.
</tabber>
<tabber>
The Lady Black=
====The Lady Black: Spain, 1689====
Lucia Marquez never knew her father, though some suspect he was the explorer Alejandro Ortega de Màrquez. By the age of twelve she was living on her own, developing the skills of a master thief in the process.
She was seventeen when she was caught stealing a horse from a high-ranking Templar, but agreed to receive training rather than go to jail.
Her life as a Templar in the West Indies was never lacking in challenge or adventure.
|-|
The Bastard of Captain Kidd=
====The Bastard of Captain Kidd: England, United Kingdom, 1690====
Mary Read was born in England, at some time between 1685 and 1695, the illegitimate daughter of a sea captain's widow. Her mother dressed her as a boy in the hope of passing her off as another man's son.
As a teenager, Mary used her skills of disguise to secure a job aboard a ship, and eventually wound up in the Royal Navy. She married during the War of the Spanish Succession, but, after her husband was killed, she traveled to the West Indies and began a career as a pirate.
Mary resumed dressing as a man, and forged a false identity as James Kidd, the illegitimate son of the infamous pirate William Kidd. She soon found a new direction in life after meeting Ah Tabai, the Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood in the West Indies.
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A Fool in Love=
====A Fool in Love: England, United Kingdom, 1690====
Vance Travers was born in England, the younger brother of Upton Travers. The pair left home to seek their fortune in the West Indies and started a smuggling operation, before being recruited into the Assassin Brotherhood.
Compared to his more level-headed brother, Vance was passionate, creative, and gullible. He fell in love with a Templar pirate named Jing Lang, who was after the treasure the Travers brothers had stashed to fund their retirement.
|-|
Caroline Scott of Hawkins Lane=
====Caroline Scott of Hawkins Lane: Bristol, England, 1691====
Caroline Scott was born in Bristol, England, to Emmett and Elizabeth Scott, part of a prosperous family of merchants and civil servants.
She was given a modest education by her father, but she supplemented it by reading as often as her household duties allowed. She grew into an intelligent and confident young woman.
Caroline first met Edward Kenway outside of the Auld Shillelagh, after the latter saved one of her servants from the clutches of some of Bristol's most notorious cads.
Although she was thankful for his kindness, and agreed to meet him again under more favorable circumstances, she never imagined, at the time, that a romance would bloom.
</tabber>
<tabber>
Kingston, Jamaica=
====Kingston, Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica, 1692====
Kingston was established in 1692, following a massive earthquake that destroyed the town of Port Royal. After the tragedy, which drowned most of the land in the area, a new town was created. Kingston would later attract a number of unemployed sailors who quickly turned to piracy.
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The Taino Assassin=
====The Taino Assassin: Cuba, 1695====
Opia Apito was raised among her mother's people, the Taino, and never knew her father, a Spaniard. There were rumors that her father was the adventurer known as Alejandro Ortega de Màrquez, but these have never been verified.
When Opia was twelve years old, her village was raided by the Spanish. Most of her community was kidnapped or killed, but Opia fought and ran. She survived in hiding for close to a decade.
In her early twenties, she was hired by an Assassin as a guide, and joined the Brotherhood soon after.
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The Pirate Barmaid=
====The Pirate Barmaid: Kinsale, Ireland, 1679-03-08====
Anne Bonny was the illegitimate daughter of an Irish attorney and his housemaid. She moved from Ireland to South Carolina with her father, who settled there as a plantation owner.
Anne married a common sailor named James Bonny and they settled in Nassau. James found work at a nearby plantation, and she worked as a waitress at the Old Avery tavern, where she caught the eye of many of its regular patrons.
Within a year of their arrival, the Bonnys' marriage was in a shambles. James disappeared into his work, while Anne started taking pirate lovers.
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Ungoverned Island=
====Ungoverned Island: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1706====
In July 1703, during the War of the Spanish Succession, French and Spanish troops attacked the British territory of New Providence, and ultimately burnt it to the ground. By 1706, no one ruled over Nassau.
In the aftermath of the war, thousands of sailors were left without work. Many of them stayed in the Caribbean, where they had been stationed at the end of the conflict, while others headed towards Central America from Europe. Most of these seamen sought to take advantage of the ungoverned territory.
</tabber>
<tabber>
Chasing the Pirates=
====Chasing the Pirates: Virginia, British America, 1710====
Alexander Spotswood became the governor of Virginia in 1710. He was aware of the pirate activities around his colony and grew increasingly concerned about the menace they represented to his economic transactions, both in the area and overseas.
Spotswood had supposedly received numerous complaints from North Carolina merchants and traders as well as reports of a pirate scheme to erect fortifications at Ocracoke Island. After realizing that the government of North Carolina did not have the resources or the will to hunt down the seafaring criminals, Spotswood took it upon himself to put an end to the pirate threats.
Spotswood targeted Blackbeard as the main pirate menace. He gave orders to keep track of the movements and activities of Blackbeard's ship, Queen Anne's Revenge. On November 24, 1718, he issued a proclamation offering rewards for the capture, conviction, or killing of pirates.
The Beaches of Nassau=
====The Beaches of Nassau: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1713====
After the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, Benjamin Hornigold and other pirates stepped onto the beach at Nassau where they found it in ruins, full of abandoned buildings. The island of New Providence had already served as a buccaneer base in the 1690s, and by 1713, pirates began to meet in Nassau once again.
Tactically, the Bahamas were perfect for piratical enterprises. It was positioned right in the middle of European trade routes in the Caribbean. Moreover, Nassau was located in a labyrinth of islands where pirates could hide and plan their attacks on European merchant vessels.
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Unemployed Seamen=
====Unemployed Seamen: Kingston, Jamaica, 1714====
After the War of the Spanish Succession, Kingston was filled with unemployed sailors. The town became a place where several former sailors joined pirate groups.
Charles Vane was one of many seamen seeking employment around the docks of Kingston in search of employment. He was hired by Captain Henry Jennings, and they both later became successful pirates.
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Before the Golden Age=
====Before the Golden Age: Utrecht, Netherlands, 1714-06-26====
The Peace of Utrecht was a series of treaties between many European powers, including France, Great Britain, and Spain, that ended the War of the Spanish Succession. Aside from resolving many territorial disputes, it also settled the question of the Spanish Succession, establishing Philip V, from the House of Bourbon, as the King of Spain. The Treaties of Utrecht, however, did not resolve the problem of the unprotected coastline in the Caribbean.
The end of the War of the Spanish Succession forced Great Britain to demobilize a large part of its navy. Several thousand sailors were released and a great number of them, including Edward Thatch, headed to the Caribbean, searching for new opportunities.
Jobs were scarce and the Caribbean was soon filled with angry, bitter sailors. Taking advantage of the lack of authority in the region, several men regrouped and formed crews to attack Spanish ships. They not only wanted revenge for what they suffered during the war, but also hoped to get rich. Soon, gangs of pirates flourished in the Bahamas, and thus began the Golden Age of piracy in the Caribbean.
</tabber>
<tabber>
The Wreck of the Spanish Treasure Fleet=
====The Wreck of the Spanish Treasure Fleet: Florida Coast, 1715====
Following the War of the Spanish Succession, King Philip V of Spain, the grandson of Louis XIV of France, was in dire need of financial relief. Since Spain had accumulated a vast amount of wealth in the Americas during the war, the King ordered that his treasure be brought back to Spain. On July 13, 1715, a fleet under the command of Captain-General Don Juan Esteban de Ubila left Havana.
The galleons and their extremely valuable haul were bound for Cádiz, Spain, but they encountered a storm on July 19, while in the Straits of Florida. All ships were lost. The wrecked Spanish treasure fleet attracted many pirates, and changed the fortunes of William Jennings, Benjamin Hornigold, Edward Thatch, and Charles Vane, among others.
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The Flying Gang=
====The Flying Gang: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1715====
Around 1715, Nassau was the refuge for hundreds of pirates. Benjamin Hornigold emerged as the unofficial leader of the pirate groups evolving around the island. Hornigold and another pirate named Edward Thatch often organized their raids on European ships. The Bahamas then transformed into a republic of pirates, with Nassau a stronghold filled by outlaws.
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The Fortified City=
====The Fortified City: Havana, Cuba, 1716====
Established in 1514, Havana was a place where many merchant ships heading for Europe or Central America sought refuge before continuing their journey.
During the early part of the eighteen century, the city caught the attention of many pirate gangs. Pirates had been able to infiltrate Havana and contributed to the rise of corruption. Consequently, the harbor and the town became increasingly fortified, but this did not prevent further attacks from privateers and pirates.
</tabber>
<tabber>
The Republic of Pirates Under Scrutiny=
====The Republic of Pirates Under Scrutiny: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1716====
Reports of the pirates located around Nassau were quickly transmitted across the colonies and in Europe. The emergence of the republic of pirates was disrupting trade in the region and destabilizing the slave societies near the Bahamian islands. Consequently, by the end of winter 1714, there were persistent rumors that said the Spanish authorities were preparing an assault on the pirate base.
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Buccaneer Hideout=
====Buccaneer Hideout: Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue, 1717====
Neglected by the Spanish authorities, the region of what is known today as Port-au-Prince was encroached by French boucaniers around 1670. Even when the western part of Hispaniola was officially transferred to the French, the region did not immediately emerge as an important part of Saint-Domingue. The port of the town was not as developed as other ports in the colony. Not being the main focus of the island, the town attracted pirates who were passing through while on the run from authorities who were chasing them.
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From Slavers to Pirates=
====From Slavers to Pirates: Cape Cod, British America, 1717-04-26====
In February 1717, the pirate Sam Bellamy captured the Whydah, a British ship named after a trading post on the West African Gold Coast. Built in England in 1716, the Whydah was a massive galley with three masts that weighed three hundred tons. It was used to carry slaves across the Atlantic.
At the time of its capture, the Whydah was armed with ten guns, but Bellamy and his pirate crew converted the ship into a twenty-eight gun galley. After plundering a number of ships near Virginia, the Whydah, along with Bellamy's other ships, attempted to reach Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. However, the weather rapidly deteriorated and the ships lost contact with each other. The weather intensified near Cape Cod and the Whydah was destroyed in the storm.
</tabber>
<tabber>
Medicinal Hostages=
====Charleston, British America, 1718-05-22====
Desperately seeking medical supplies, Blackbeard and his fleet entered the Charleston harbor bay in South Carolina. For several days, he blockaded the harbor and terrorized the town. The crew took hostages and sought to exchange them for medical supplies.
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Pirates Hanged=
====Pirates Hanged: Port Royal, Jamaica, 1721-03-29====
In the seventeenth century, Port Royal, a harbor town on the southern coast of Jamaica, was a refuge for slave traders. It also became a place where semi-legal piratical activities took place. In the 1660s, British buccaneers and privateers were tacitly encouraged by the British authorities to attack Spanish ships in order to prevent Spain from retaking the island. The buccaneer Henry Morgan established his headquarters in Port Royal. When the British authorities sought to properly administer the island, the buccaneers' rule was eradicated, but Morgan was nonetheless appointed governor of Jamaica and commanded to bring order to the town.
On June 7, 1692, an earthquake hit Port Royal. Around 2,000 people were killed and several thousand others died of subsequent disease and fever. A considerable area of land sank.
Despite this, privateering continued in the region. After the War of the Spanish Succession, the streets and taverns of Port Royal were filled with bitter, unemployed sailors, among them Benjamin Hornigold and Edward Thatch. These broke seamen began to attack and plunder Spanish ships.
During the Golden Age of Piracy, Port Royal became notorious as the location where pirates were hanged after being captured by British authorities. Charles Vane and Jack Rackam were two pirates who were found guilty of piracy and were then hanged at Gallows Point.
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Explorer of the North=
====Explorer of the North: Okhotsk Sea, 1728====
Vitus Bering was a navigator and an explorer who was working for the Russian Navy. In 1724, he was appointed to explore the territory between Asia and North America, and to determine whether the continents were connected by land. The Russians wished to find a northeast passage to North America. Bering was the first European to thoroughly explore the region and in 1728, he navigated the sea between the two land masses. His explorations paved the way for Russian involvement in North America.
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Overshadowed by Slavery=
====Overshadowed by Slavery: Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue, 1730====
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the area of today's Port-au-Prince was more town than city. The mountains surrounding the town prevented the population from spreading through the region. Living conditions were particularly difficult and the expansion of slavery affected the nature and development of the city.
By the middle of the eighteenth century, the town was characterized by a brutal slavery system. During the eighteenth century, African slaves outnumbered the European population by a large margin and the conditions on the plantations were particularly harsh. The plantations were close to each other and the density of the population was far greater than that of other colonial towns on the island of Saint-Domingue. Apart from some large plantations, the buildings were remote and rudimentary, highlighting the omnipresence of slaves in the town and the importance of slavery in the region.
</tabber>
<tabber>
A Resilent Colony=
====A Resilent Colony: Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue, 1749====
The city of Port-au-Prince is located at the heart of the Gulf of Gonâve. The area had been part of the Spanish empire before being transferred to the French in 1697. The western part of the island of Hispaniola never reached its economic potential and had been progressively left on its own by the Spanish authorities. The Spaniards relinquished sovereignty over the territory and handed it over to France through the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick.
The French had begun to colonize the island even before it was officially under their possession. The Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood, François Mackandal, was active in Saint-Domingue during the early part of the eighteenth century. In Saint-Domingue, Mackandal taught his pupils Baptiste and Agaté the rudimentary principles of the Assassin Brotherhood.
In the early 1700s, the territory now known as Port-au-Prince was a remote region. The area, which was called L'Hôpital at the time, substantially developed after 1749. The emerging city suffered from major earthquakes in 1751 and 1770 that destroyed large parts of its territory. However, these crises did not prevent Port-au-Prince from replacing Cap-Haïtien, originally named Cap François, and later Cap Français, as the capital of the French colony of Saint-Domingue.
</tabber>
===Initiates Database/The American Revolution===
<tabber>
An Enlightened Merchant=
====An Enlightened Merchant: Nantes, France, 1722====
Philippe Olivier de Grandpré was born in France into a successful merchant family. He traveled to Louisiana to seek out business opportunities and quickly began a brisk trading enterprise.
In 1744, he purchased a slave named Jeanne in Saint-Dominique and brought her back to New Orleans. They grew quite close and he asked her to become his "placée bride" and live with him in his mansion. In 1747, Jeanne gave birth to their daughter Aveline. Philippe was so happy that he granted Jeanne and Aveline their freedom.
In 1752, Philippe married Madeleine de L'Isle in order to further his business. This arrangement strained his relationship with Jeanne, who vanished without a trace in 1757. Although he was devastated over the loss, he was pleased when Madeleine began to raise Aveline as though she were her own.
|-|
Fire in Her Eyes=
====Fire in Her Eyes: Kanatahséton, British America, 1731====
Kaniehtí:io was born into the Kanien'keha:ka people who were living on the frontier lands outside of Boston during the French and Indian War. As the daughter of the Clan Mother she was groomed for leadership.
However, Kaniehti:io could not obey the will of her clan chiefs, who wanted to stay neutral and silent during the growing tensions between the English and French colonists who surrounded her people.
She began to fight back against the incursions on her land and sought out allies wherever she could find them.
|-|
Lee's Early Life=
====Lee's Early Life: Cheshire, England, 1732-02-06====
On February 6th, 1732, Charles Lee was born in Cheshire, England, to John Lee and Isabella Bunbury. Encouraged by his father, he began his military career at an early age and was sent to a military academy in Switzerland. By the age of 14 Charles had joined up with his father's regiment. Charles became a lieutenant in 1751, and was sent to America to take part in the French and Indian War in 1754.
At some point, Charles became aware of the Templar Order and was keen to join their cause. To that end, he was given instructions to assist the new Grand Master of the Colonial Rite, Haytham Kenway.
|-|
Birth of a Revolutionary=
====Birth of a Revolutionary: Westmoreland County, USA, 1732-02-22====
Born at his family home in Westmoreland County, Virginia, George Washington became one of the most celebrated figures of his time. He was named commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and became the first President of the United States.
</tabber>
<tabber>
The Fiend Nadir Shah=
====The Fiend Nadir Shah: Delhi, India, 1739====
Shah Naha, who built the Taj Mahal in Agra, placed the Koh-i-Noor into the ornate Peacock Throne in Delhi, where it remained until Nadir Shah of Iran sacked both cities, and took the stone back to Persia. Allegedly, Nadir Shah exclaimed "Koh-i-Noor!" (Mountain of Light) when he saw the jewel, as no record of this name exists before 1739.
Naidr Shah was killed in 1747. In 1830, Shujah Shah Durrani, the deposed ruler of Afghanistan, was forced to give it to the Maharajah Ranjit Singh, who in turn reclaimed the Afghan throne for him.
|-|
Marquis de Lafayette=
====Marquis de Lafayette: Chavaniac, France, 1757-09-10====
Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, is often better known as simply "Lafayette." He was a French aristocrat and soldier who decided to join the American Revolution and became one of George Washington's most loyal supporters.
Lafayette abandoned his post in the French army to join the Revolutionary effort. According to one story, the French army seized the ship he was sailing on, but Lafayette escaped by dressing in women's clothing to stow away on another ship.
To appease a budget-conscious Continental Congress, Lafayette offered to work for free and was granted a commission as Major General. He was placed as an aide-de-camp to George Washington and the two became good friends.
|-|
One Step Forward...=
====One Step Forward...: Williamsburg, British America, 1769-05-17====
Despite his opposition to the 1765 Stamp Act, George Washington did not take a leading role in the resistance movement against British measures in the colonies. His widespread opposition to the 1767 Townshend Acts was laid out in terms of his rights as a British citizen and did not represent a call for American independence.
However, in 1769, Washington introduced a resolution to the Virginian House of Burgesses calling for Virginia to boycott the importation of British goods until the Acts were repealed. Although his resolutions were not successful, his formal public stance against British policies propelled him as a prominent member of the growing colonial resistance movement. Slowly but surely, George Washington aligned himself with the colonial representatives working for American independence.
|-|
...Two Steps Back=
====...Two Steps Back: Brooklyn Heights, USA, 1776-08-27====
British General William Howe landed on the southwest shore of Long Island just days before he headed an enormous campaign to retake New York City. It was George Washington's first battle as the Commander-in-Chief of the new Continental Army and he engaged Howe in the largest conflict of the entire Revolutionary War, known as the Battle of Long Island.
Mass desertions led to Washington being vastly outnumbered, and he was defeated, forcing his army to retreat across the East River on the night of August 29. Miraculously, he achieved this feat without the loss of a single life.
New York was eventually captured and remained under British control until the peace treaty of 1783.
</tabber>
<tabber>
Washington's Resignation=
====Washington's Resignation: New York City, USA,  1783-12-04====
The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, formally ending the Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the American Colonies. On December 4, George Washington dissolved his army at the Fraunces Tavern in New York, bidding farewell to the soldiers who had served him loyally during the conflict. Later that same month, Washington formally resigned from his position as Commander-In-Chief.
|-|
Number One=
====Number One: New York City, USA, 1789-04-30====
Following a short retirement spent at his estate in Mount Vernon, George Washington returned to politics. After a unanimous vote by the Electoral College, he was elected as the first president of the United States of America.
Washington took his oath of office during his inauguration at Federal Hall in New York City.
</tabber>
===Initiates Database/Modern Times===
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Revision as of 18:03, 6 March 2014

Main – Talk – Sandbox I – Sandbox II - Sandbox III - Sandbox IV

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

While working at Abstergo Entertainment, a research analyst had multiple conversations with their coworkers and superiors.

Initiates Database/Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

The Eagle's Birth: Masyaf, Syria, 1165-01-11

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad was born into the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins to a Muslim father, Umar, and a Christian mother, Maud. His mother died from complications during childbirth, leaving Altaïr to be raised by his father alone.

Saracen Siege of Masyaf: Masyaf, Syria, 1176-08

After two attempts on his life, Saracen leader Salah Al'Din raised a force of ten thousand soldiers and marched on the Assassin fortress at Masyaf, determined to end their threat to his life once and for all. His uncle Shahib failed to convince him to join forces with the Assassins, but Al'Din was not swayed from his ardent desire for revenge.

While the Saracens constructed siege engines, the Assassins weighed their options. While some recommended killing Salah Al'Din, Assassin Mentor Al Mualim preferred a more subtle approach. He sent Umar Ibn-La'Ahad to infiltrate the Saracen camp with the mission to lay a feather upon the sleeping body of the Saracen leader. He hoped this would send a crystal-clear message that Al'Din was vulnerable at any time. While Umar successfully delivered the feather, he was discovered and was forced to kill a nobleman.

After a few days of fighting with casualties rising on both sides, Shahib approached the fortress to negotiate with Al Mualim.

Shahib presented his terms to the Assassins: Give up Umar to find peace. If not, face a prolonged siege leading to inevitable destruction. Al Mualim refused so Shahib revealed they had captured an Assassin spy, Ahmad Sofian. The spy would be the first to die in the renewed conflict.

Umar convinced Al Mualim to let him take Ahmad's place and accept responsibility for his failure. The Mentor reluctantly agreed and Umar walked calmly towards his executioners as his son Altaïr cried out for him. Umar's dying wish was that Al Mualim take Altaïr as his disciple so he could be trained as an Assassin.

The Ghost of Ahmad Sofian: Masyaf, Syria, 1176-08

For two days, Altaïr was tortured by the fevered cries of Ahmad Sofian, the man he held responsible for his father's death. Wracked with a fever from his treatment at the hands of the Saracens, Ahmad could only cry out the name of Altaïr's father, Umar, as he was attended to by his son Abbas.

One night, Altaïr woke in the middle of the night to find a gaunt, pale Ahmad standing over him. The man simply said, "I'm sorry," before drawing a dagger across his own throat. Terrified, Altaïr ran to Al Mualim, who swore him to secrecy. The mentor decided to tell the Brotherhood that Ahmad had fled, so that Abbas would not be tainted with the shame of his father's suicide. Altaïr wondered why Abbas could not know the truth, but promised Al Mualim to keep the secret.

The next day, Altaïr and Abbas were placed in quarters together and began their training as Assassins. Abbas was confident that he would be reunited with his father soon, but Altaïr was reunited with Ahmad for many nights to come, as he suffered from nightmares about Ahmad and the red smile at his throat.

Brothers No More: Masyaf, Syria, 1177

Altaïr and Abbas trained together in the ways of the Assassins and grew very close. However, Altaïr began to notice his friend had become withdrawn, lost in despair about whether or not his long-lost father would return. Altaïr believed that if Abbas knew the truth about his father's death, then it would bring him short-term pain but a lasting sense of peace. One night, Altaïr finally revealed that Ahmad had committed suicide in his room, but Abbas said nothing.

The next day, Abbas demanded that he and Altaïr be allowed to train with real swords instead of the wooden training ones. In a fury of tears, Abbas viciously attacked Altaïr, knocked him down, held a knife to his throat, and demanded that he take back the lies he had told the night before. Left with no other choice, Altaïr conceded and told Abbas that he had lied. Both boys were thrown into Masyaf's cells for a month, but when they emerged, Abbas was punished again, as his training was extended for another year.

Abbas grew to hate Altaïr, and in turn, Altaïr began to pity Abbas, and the two were never friends again.

The Young Master: Masyaf, Syria, 1189

Returning from travels to find Masyaf overrun by Templars, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad fought his way up to the fortress stronghold, killing Templar soldiers and rescuing villagers along the way. He was greeted at the gates by Haras, a traitor who had facilitated the Templar attack, who was holding Al Mualim, the Brotherhood's mentor, hostage.

Altaïr climbed his way into the fortress, assassinated the traitor from above, and saved Al Mualim. In return, Al Mualim elevated him to the rank of Master Assassin at the age of 25, making Altaïr the youngest Assassin to attain that rank.

The Three Tenets: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr, an arrogant Master Assassin of the Levantine Brotherhood, was sent to Solomon's Temple by his mentor Al-Mualim to investigate a recent Templar discovery. He was joined by the brothers Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf.

Altaïr killed an elderly man near the entrance to the tunnels that led beneath the Temple Mount. While such a gesture impressed the young Kadar, Malik chastised the Master Assassin for not following the first tenet of the Brotherhood, "Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent."

As the three Assassins entered deeper into the underground passageways leading to the Temple, they came upon a large chamber displaying a golden chest. The Assassins wondered if it was the fabled Ark of the Covenant.

Several Templars entered the chamber, led by Robert de Sable, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar. Altaïr, ignoring Malik's warnings and breaking cover, confronted the Templars. He failed to kill de Sable and was thrown through a damaged portion of the Temple. Its collapse blocked him from helping the brothers fighting for their lives against the Templars.

Left with no other options, Altaïr fled Solomon's Temple and returned to Masyaf in failure.

Cold Comfort: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Altaïr returned to Masyaf and was met at the village gates by Rauf, a fellow Assassin, who directed him to the fortress to report to their mentor Al Mualim. At the fortress gates, Altaïr had a short meeting with a less-friendly face, his bitter rival Abbas Sofian.

Al Mualim was eager to hear of Altaïr's mission, but quickly became angry when he was presented with excuses instead of the treasure. As Altaïr informed the mentor of the deaths of Malik and Kadar, an injured Malik made a surprise entrance by staggering into the room.

Malik vehemently accused Altaïr, stating that the mission would have been successful had the Master Assassin not broken all three tenets of the Assassin's Creed. Malik also revealed that he managed to retrieve the treasure, at the cost of his brother Kadar's life.

Before Al Mualim could administer any punishment, a Templar force that had followed Malik from Solomon's Temple began to lay siege to Masyaf. Al Mualim ordered his Assassins to drive the invaders from their home.

Guardian: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Altaïr headed to the village to confront the Templars invading Masyaf. Rauf asked him to keep them occupied while he organized a rescue for trapped village citizens. Altaïr fought his way to the gates of the village, killing Templars until he heard Abbas relay Al Mualim's order to retreat into the fortress.

Altaïr returned to the fortress gates and saw the villagers huddled in the courtyard. Rauf beckoned him to join him in the fortress's tower and told him to stand upon a wooden platform high above a rocky landscape below.

Robert de Sable emerged from the Templar force and demanded that Al Mualim return the artifact stolen from him. Al Mualim refused, and answered de Sable's threat of a prolonged siege with proof that the Assassins had no fear of death.

On cue, Altaïr, Rauf, and a third Assassin executed a Leap of Faith off the platform and landed in bales of hay placed below. The third Assassin missed his jump and broke his leg, forcing Rauf to tend to his wounds and silence his screams of pain to avoid discovery.

Altaïr crossed a series of wooden beams placed across the gorge that led to a tower behind the Templar force. He climbed to the top of the tower and used his sword to loose a pile of heavy logs that crashed down into de Sable's army, forcing them to retreat.

The Sleep of the Dead: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Despite having successfully routed the Templar attack that followed from the ill-fated investigation of Solomon's Temple, Altaïr was chastised before the entire Brotherhood by Al Mualim. Judgment was passed on the Assassin and Al Mualim stabbed Altaïr in the stomach with a dagger.

When he awoke from the "sleep of the dead", Altaïr was stripped of his rank and possessions as further punishment. However, Al Mualim offered him a chance at redemption.

Masun the Traitor: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

As a novice again, Altaïr had to prove his abilities to Al Mualim once more. As a Master Assassin, Altaïr had others track his targets for him, but now had to carry out his own investigations. His first mission was to find the traitor in Masyaf who opened the gate for Robert de Sable and the Templars and bring him to the mentor for questioning.

Altaïr was met at the fortress gates by a Masyaf informer, who instructed him to begin his investigation at the village market where they first spotted the traitor. The Assassin eavesdropped on a conversation during which he discovered that a man named Masun was the one who opened the gates for the Templars, but he did not act alone. Masun exchanged letters to his accomplices, using the village's basket weaver as a courier.

Altaïr found the nervous basket weaver who had just received a new letter. He followed the weaver and pickpocketed the letter. The Assassin found Masun, the herald, near the cypress tree in the village. Masun was blaming the attack on Al Mualim, claiming that their mentor had betrayed them all. Altaïr trailed the herald to a secluded spot and then beat a confession out of him. Masun admitted to serving the Templars and opening the gates at the request of a man named Jamal.

Altaïr brought Masun before Al Mualim, who gave the herald a last chance to repent. When Masun refused, Al Mualim executed him with his sword.

Hunt for the Nine: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Following his disgraceful actions at Solomon's Temple, which led to his demotion, Altaïr was given a chance to climb the ranks of the Brotherhood once again by Al Mualim, who instructed the Assassin to hunt down and take the lives of nine Templars in exchange for his own.

The Smiths of Souk Al-Silaah: Damascus, Syria, 1191

Altaïr rode to Damascus and met the Rafiq of the local Assassin bureau. He then worked through the Poor District of Damascus to gain information on his first target, Tamir, a black market merchant who sold weapons to Crusaders and Saracens alike.

Altaïr discovered that Tamir planned a meeting with his merchants in the Souk Al-Silaah to discuss an important sale, the largest he'd ever arranged, with enough weapons to arm nearly a thousand men. To meet this order, Tamir pushed the merchant's guild to produce the arms through both violence and bribery. This prompted some of the merchants to reach out to Abu'l Nuquod, the Merchant King of Damascus, to explain their predicament.

Altaïr decided that the meeting would be the ideal time to strike, as Tamir would be too preoccupied with his work to notice his approach.

Suckling at the Breast of War: Damascus, Syria, 1191

Altaïr waited for Tamir to appear at a courtyard in the Souk Al-Silaah, and watched while his prey berated an old merchant for not being able to deliver a shipment of weapons on time. When the merchant suggested Tamir was asking for too much, Tamir responded by stabbing him repeatedly and leaving the body in a fountain as a warning to the other merchants.

As Tamir wandered the Souk to bully the other merchants, Altaïr found his moment to strike and killed his target. As he lay dying, Tamir cursed Altaïr and his kind and warned him that he was but one of many, who were working for a cause higher than mere profit.

Altaïr returned to the Rafiq at the Damascus Bureau, who praised him for his success and lamented that the other Assassins still held him in such poor regard before suggesting that he report back to Al Mualim in Masyaf.

The Consequences of Significance: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Al Mualim was impressed with Altaïr's first success. Altaïr spoke of Tamir's last words and asked if there was more information that he needed to know. Al Mualim replied that Altaïr's mistake was knowing too much, and would withhold information until he decided that he needed to know more.

He returned Altaïr's short blade and gave him two new targets, one in Acre and one in Jerusalem.

The Good Doctor: Acre, Israel, 1191

Altaïr traveled to Acre and reported to the aging Rafiq at the local Assassin Bureau. His target was the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalier, Garnier de Naplouse. During his investigation, he learned that Garnier hid behind the walls of the Hospitalier fortress, tending his patients one by one. Naplouse had a reputation for being a madman and a butcher, as witness claimed that his patients were not sick when they entered, but were made to suffer once under his care. Several of de Naplouse's guards had abandoned their posts and no one was allowed to enter the Grand Master's personal work space save for scholars.

The Assassin found a puzzling connection between de Naplouse and Tamir, the arms merchant he killed in Damascus, and a second man in Jerusalem who was sending him patients. Altaïr found the connection to Jerusalem particularly odd, because the two cities were occupied by opposing forces.

The Prisons of the Mind: Acre, Israel, 1191

Altaïr made his way to the entrance of the Hospitalier Fortress and saw a patient attempting to escape, screaming for help. Garnier de Naplouse emerged from the hospital and attempted to soothe the struggling man. The patient accused de Naplouse of stealing the souls of the other patients. De Naplouse calmly ordered his guards to break the man's legs to prevent another escape.

Altaïr entered the hospital and killed the doctor. Before dying, Garnier lamented that his work to help his unfortunate patients would be undone with his death. Although his patients were grown adults, their minds were not, and he had hoped to repair that mental damage, though his progress was slowed when the Assassins stole the Piece of Eden from them. De Naplouse died believing that he was helping the people under his care.

Altaïr tried to talk about de Naplouse's attitude towards his work, but the elderly Rafiq was not interested in analyzing the situation any further and ordered the Assassin to return to Masyaf.

Baser Things: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Altaïr reported the death of Garnier de Naplouse to his mentor Al Mualim and expressed his doubts that the doctor was a torturer as they first believed. Al Mualim replied that leaders would resort to any tactics to gain the support and loyalty that they needed and suggested that de Naplouse was drugging his victims into servitude.

Altaïr regained the use of throwing knives and set out towards Jerusalem.

A Powerful Slaver: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr went to Jerusalem and was surprised to find a bitter Malik Al-Sayf posted to the Jerusalem Bureau. They exchanged harsh words before Altaïr set out to learn more about his next target, a slave master named Talal.

The Assassin learned that Talal was the leader of a group of slavers who operated out of a barbican in the north of Jerusalem's Rich District. He kept to the shadows and used his men to bribe guards to turn a blind eye to his activities. Talal held his slaves in a warehouse and inspected them daily before sending them off to Acre. The slaver was known to flee at the first sign of trouble, with his loyal men covering his escape, so that he could put distance between himself and any attackers and fight with his bow and arrows.

The Journey: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr decided to strike before Talal could send his next caravan of human livestock. He entered Talal's warehouse and was taunted by his prey as he ventured further into it. The Assassin made his way deeper into the warehouse, past cages of pleading captives, while Talal insisted that these people were not captives, but being prepared for a journey.

Altaïr finally came face-to-face with Talal, who was disappointed that he could not convince the Assassin of the nobility of his work. His guards attacked Altaïr, who killed them before following his prey up to the roof of the barbican before chasing him through the streets of Jerusalem. Altaïr managed to catch up to Talal and end his life.

Talal was confident that his so-called "Brotherhood" would survive his death and died before revealing any more about his allies. Instead, Talal lamented that the "lepers, addicts, and whores", who he said were unfit for slavery, would no longer be cared for, and insisted that he was not selling them, but saving them.

Altaïr returned to the Assassin Bureau and was confronted by Malik who was furious that the death of Talal had raised alarms all over the city. Altaïr attempted to remind Malik that they were on the same side and then returned to Masyaf.

Nothing is True: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Altaïr reported the death of the slaver to Al Mualim. The Assassin asked his Mentor why Talal would use people unfit for service as slaves and soldiers. The old man replied that although training weaker people takes more time and effort, they would be rewarded with loyalty.

Altaïr thought about this perception as he made his way towards his next target.

The Secrets of their Sins: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Al Mualim expressed gratitude that three of the nine targets were dead, but warned Altaïr that his work had just begun. He informed his pupil that King Richard was moving south towards Jerusalem, and that Salah Al'Din was stationed at Arsuf to wait for him. Altaïr asked if he should kill them both and end the Crusades once and for all. Al Mualim dismissed the idea, stating that killing the two leaders would unleash thousands of aimless, bloodthirsty soldiers onto a helpless populace.

Instead, Al Mualim gave Altaïr three new targets: Abu'l Nuqoud, the wealthiest man in Damascus; Majd Addin, the regent of Jerusalem; and William de Monteferrat, the Liege Lord of Acre.

The Merchant King of Damascus: Damascus, Syria, 1191

Altaïr's next target was Abu'l Nuqoud, otherwise known as the Merchant King of Damascus. The people of Damascus hated the Merchant King for spending their money on extravagant parties held in his palace. Altaïr decided that the best chance to strike was to infiltrate one of his feasts and wait for him to emerge and address his guests.

A Coward's Tool: Damascus, Syria, 1191

Altaïr entered Abu'l Nuqoud's palace and mingled with the happy guests at the party. Soon their corpulent host revealed himself to the crowd on a large balcony that looked over the courtyard. The Merchant King greeted his guests and encouraged them to drink the wine he had provided. Abu'l praised the generosity of his guests to Salah Al'Din's war campaign, and wished that they be given everything that they deserve.

But Abu'l Nuqoud's kind words quickly soured and he began to call out his guests for their hypocrisy. The Merchant King claimed to have abandoned the Saracen cause for a new one which would allow everyone to live together in peace. Just then, a guest died from the poisoned wine and Abu'l gave the order to his archers to kill anyone who tried to escape.

Panic gripped the crowd and Altaïr used the chaos to scale the walls to reach his target. Altaïr accused Abu'l Nuqoud of stealing money from the people of Damascus and sending it away to unknown places. Abu'l refused to finance a war for a people and faith who would label him as an abomination. Altaïr demanded to know the identity of his new cause. Abu'l refused to divulge that information, and only offered that he and Altaïr were the same, willing to take lives for a greater good and told the Assassin that he could not stop them from attaining their new world.

Altaïr left Abu'l's body and returned the Assassin Bureau.

What we See to be True: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Al Mualim praised Altaïr's success and was sure that they were healing the nearby cities as they cleansed them of corruption. Altaïr was less sure, as all his targets died without regrets and confident of their success. Altaïr was convinced that there was a link between the men he had been sent to kill.

Al Mualim praised Altaïr's perception, but then advised him to silence all questions and obey him, leaving a frustrated Altaïr with no other choice but to proceed to his next target.

A Politician in his own Way: Acre, Israel, 1191

Altaïr returned to the Assassin Bureau in Acre and asked the Rafiq what he knew about his next target, William de Montferrat. The Rafiq stated that William was named Regent of Acre while King Richard fought his war. Many thought it was an odd choice, given that William's son Conrad frequently clashed with the King over many matters, to the point where many believed that each man secretly planned to do the other harm. The Rafiq believed that William was placed in Acre, not as a promotion, but as a hostage to prevent Conrad from acting out

Altaïr quickly began an investigation in the Rich District of Acre and discovered that William's army was large, but that he still had enemies, thanks to his rivalry with the King. The Assassin planned to use King Richard's visit as a cover to infiltrate the Crusader Citadel and strike while William brooded over another miserable encounter with his king.

The Words of a Snake: Acre, Israel, 1191

Altaïr watched King Richard depart the Citadel, scolding William for executing Saracen prisoners of war. William defended his actions, but Richard was not interested in his excuses, and returned to his Crusades. A frustrated William retreated into the citadel, intent on taking out his mood on his soldiers.

Altaïr infiltrated the Citadel and found William angrily berating his soldiers. The Assassin took advantage of William's distraction and ended his life. As he lay dying, William denied any attempts to claim Acre for his son Conrad. Yet he did not claim to hold the city for Richard, stating that he only sought to keep Acre for his people. Altaïr accused him of stealing food from the citizens and drafting soldiers into his army. William countered that he was hoarding food for the lean seasons and not teaching the people arts of war, but rather discipline and order. Before he died, William mocked Altaïr, informing him that he was not freeing the cities as he believed, but rather damning them.

Altaïr escaped from the Citadel and returned to the Assassin Bureau and tried to discuss William's final words with the Rafiq. The old man was not interested in hearing them, and suggested Altaïr take it up with Al Mualim.

Knowledge Precedes Action: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Al Mualim sensed Altaïr's frustration and gave him permission to speak his mind. Altaïr spoke of the cryptic dying words of his targets and Al Mualim's choice to withhold information from him and demanded answers. Al Mualim warned against the insubordinate tone that Altaïr confronted him with, but the latter held his ground. The Mentor, angered, grabbed a sword and threatened to find a more obedient replacement. However, Altaïr knew that there was no one else capable of the tasks, and again demanded to know the connection between his targets.

Al Mualim relented and revealed that the men who needed to die were bound by a blood oath not unlike that of the Brotherhood. All of Altaïr's targets were members of the Templar Order, serving under their Grand Master, Robert de Sable. Their goal was pure conquest and neither King Richard nor Salah Al'Din would be enough to stop them. Al Mualim revealed that this was the reason for the existence of their Brotherhood, to keep the world free of such tyranny.

Al Mualim declared he regretted withholding the truth from Altaïr, but felt that the young Assassin needed to find this knowledge on his own, and prove himself worthy of it. Altaïr asked about the treasure Malik retrieved from Solomon's Temple, which was so desperately sought after by Robert de Sable. Al Mualim refused to answer, stating that just as Altaïr discovered the truth about the Templars, he would also have to wait for the truth about the treasure.

A Public Execution: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr returned to Jerusalem and discussed the forthcoming death of Majd Addin with Malik Al-Sayf. Majd Addin had appointed himself the ruler of Jerusalem in Salah Al'Din's absence and Malik warned Altaïr against overconfidence, as he was well-protected. Altaïr asked for Malik's help, which impressed the bitter Rafiq.

Altaïr's investigations revealed that Majd Addin was planning to perform a public execution and the Assassin was sure that he could handle any guards present. Malik again chastised Altaïr for his overconfidence, warning him that there were no certainties in their line of work. To prove his point, he informed Altaïr of a twist: One of the men scheduled to be executed was a fellow Assassin who Al Mualim wanted saved. Altaïr promised that Majd Addin would not get the chance to take the life of their brother.

Those Who Lift Themselves Above Others: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr arrived at the public execution in time to watch Majd Addin emerge to the roar of a bloodthirsty crowd. The regent of Jerusalem whipped the crowd into a frenzy but was interrupted by a pair of desperate men trying to save one of the accused. They were brutally cut down by the guards and served as an example of Majd Addin's power.

Altaïr struck Majd Addin before his Assassin brother could be put to death. Altaïr expected Majd Addin to defend his actions as righteous as the others had, but his victim confessed that he sought only power and enjoyed the thrill of controlling the lives of the men beneath him, and that the Templars merely presented him with an opportunity. Altaïr wasted no time in delivering a final blow to the neck with his hidden blade.

Altaïr returned to Malik and was surprised that the latter didn't have words of scorn waiting for him. However, Malik was merely curt and noted that while Altaïr shouldn't expect praise for doing his duty, he had performed adequately in his task.

The Piece of Eden: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Altaïr was ready for his remaining trials, but had questions for his mentor Al Mualim. He wondered why his targets betrayed their leaders. Al Mualim replied that the Templars desired control, and each target attempted to claim their cities in the name of the Templar Order. However, the old man said he was confident that they would not succeed as long as the Assassins held the treasure from Solomon's Temple.

Al Mualim revealed a small silver globe and dubbed it "a piece of Eden". He claimed that it cast out Adam and Eve, parted the Red Sea, and performed other miracles. Altaïr noted that it was rather plain for such a powerful artifact. Al Mualim claimed that anyone holding it could command the hearts and minds of those who looked upon it. Altaïr realized that the Templars were conspiring to use the piece of Eden to enslave the entire population of the Holy Land.

Al Mualim gave Altaïr two more targets, Sibrand in Acre and Jubair in Damascus. The Mentor urged Altaïr to hurry, as he suspected Robert de Sable would be more cautious because of the Assassin's continued success.

Waiting for his Ship to Come In: Acre, Israel, 1191

Altaïr returned to Acre to find and kill Sibrand. The Rafiq was familiar with the man, who was recently named the leader of the Knights Teutonic and ran Acre's port. Altaïr investigated the area and discovered Sibrand was terrified of the Assassins and hidden within Acre's port, mad with paranoia, waiting for his ship to arrive.

Poisoned by his own Fear: Acre, Israel, 1191

Altaïr found Sibrand at the docks, terrorizing a monk, accusing him of being an Assassin. Sibrand refused to listen to the monk's pleas and eventually cut him down. He demanded his guards stay on the lookout for Assassins before retreating to his ship.

Altaïr made his way through the docks, boarded Sibrand's ship, and found his target firing arrows wildly, demanding to know why no one was helping him against the unseen Assassin. Altaïr fatally wounded the man, urging him to seek comfort with his God. Sibrand replied that the Templars had proven to him that God does not exist. Sibrand sought to free the Holy Land from the tyranny of faith, following his orders and believing in his cause.

With Sibrand dead, Altaïr left the docks and made his way to the Assassin Bureau. There, the Rafiq attempted to soothe the Assassin's doubts, claiming that sympathy, regret, and uncertainty were the emotions that would keep him human in the midst of his grim work.

The Illusion of the World: Masyaf, Syria

Altaïr returned to Al Mualim at Masyaf and asked his Mentor why Jubair and Sibrand were chosen as targets. The Mentor replied that if the two men were allowed to continue their work, they would undo all that they have worked for, and that the Templars were like a hydra, quick to replace any members that were lost.

Now it was Al Mualim's turn to ask Altaïr a question, and he asked his disciple the nature of the truth and the world. Altaïr replied that it was their duty as Assassins to recognize that nothing is true and everything is permitted, and that the world was an illusion. While the Assassins sought to dispel the illusion, the Templars would use the illusion to rule the world.

Al Mualim encouraged Altaïr to kill the final man on his list, so that they could strike at the Grand Master, Robert de Sable.

A Strange Choice of Target: Damascus, Syria, 1191

Altaïr's final target was Salah Al'Din's chief scholar, Jubair al Hakim. Jubair was obsessed with destroying all written works in Damascus, and was gathering more and more people to his cause. He held daily meetings in the Madrasah Al Kallasah to speak with his students. Altaïr vowed to end his madness.

The Gift of Knowledge: Damascus, Syria, 1191

Altaïr found Jubair and his scholars tossing books into a large fire. One of the scholars attempted to dissuade Jubair from burning the books, claiming that they saved people from ignorance. Jubair replied that their reliance on words made them weak, and that accepting written words without question was dangerous. The scholar insisted that the books gave the gift of knowledge, which prompted Jubair to throw the scholar into the fire before commanding the remaining scholars to seek out all the books in Damascus.

As Jubair wore the same uniform as his scholars, the Assassin was forced to track down the correct target. Altaïr stabbed Jubair and scolded him for destroying sources of knowledge that he disagreed with. Jubair countered that he himself was a source of knowledge that the Assassin disagreed with, and by killing him, he was committing the same sin.

Dreams of Peace: Masyaf, Syria, 1191

Robert de Sable was now the only Templar left standing in the Holy Land and Al Mualim was eager to get rid of him, so that the knowledge of the treasure could once again be hidden. Although Al Mualim shared Robert de Sable's goal of peace, he disagreed with the Templar's methods to achieve it by robbing mankind of their free will with the Piece of Eden. The Mentor sent Altaïr to Jerusalem to finish his mission.

The Funeral of Majd Addin: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr met with Malik at the Jerusalem Assassin Bureau to confirm Robert de Sable's presence in Jerusalem. Altaïr informed the one-armed Rafiq that all of Altaïr's targets, Crusader and Saracen alike, were Templars seeking to control the Holy Land. The two Assassins parted ways to investigate further.

Altaïr's investigations revealed that Robert de Sable planned to attend the funeral of Majd Addin in an attempt to smooth relations between Crusaders and Saracens. Altaïr planned to attack the Templar Grand Master during the procession. Before he left, Altaïr apologized to Malik for causing the loss of his arm and the death of his brother. Malik refused to accept the apology, and stated that the Assassin before him was not the same man who went with him to Solomon's Temple, and therefore owed him nothing.

The Decoy: Jerusalem, Israel, 1191

Altaïr entered the cemetery at David's Citadel as an imam was eulogizing Majd Addin, with Robert de Sable standing nearby. After the prayer was over, the Templar Grand Master whispered something to the imam. Suddenly additional Templar guards entered the funeral and the imam pointed at Altaïr in the crowd. Altaïr killed the guards and struck at Robert de Sable, pinning him to the ground.

Altaïr ripped off Robert de Sable's helmet and was shocked to discover a woman beneath the armor. She revealed that Robert de Sable planned to use Altaïr's killings of the other Templars as an excuse to unite the Crusader and Saracen forces against the Assassins at Masyaf.

Altaïr refused to kill the woman and fled the scene, returning to the Assassin Bureau to inform Malik of the chaos. Malik urged Altaïr to return to Al Mualim, but the Assassin felt the need to pursue Robert de Sable immediately to stop his plan of uniting King Richard and Salah Al'Din against them. Malik urged Altaïr to obey the Creed and not act without Al Mualim's blessing, but Altaïr replied that their master was keeping important information from them. He vowed to return to Masyaf for answers after he was done with Robert de Sable. In the meantime, he urged Malik to either return to Al Mualim himself, or walk among the citizens of Jerusalem to see what he could learn.

The Battle of Arsuf Plains: Arsuf, Israel, 1191-09-07

Altaïr rode from Jerusalem to Arsuf and made his way through waves of Saracen and Crusader soldiers until he came to the Crusader camp. He confronted King Richard, who mistook the Assassin for a Saracen. Altaïr revealed that he was not there to kill King Richard, but the traitor Robert de Sable. Robert dismissed the accusations, but the king was conflicted. He decided that the truth would be revealed through combat, and that God would favor the winner.

Altaïr fought through ten Crusader guards before Robert de Sable joined the fight. After a pitched battle, Altaïr killed the Templar Grand Master. In his final moments, Robert revealed that ten men had found the Piece of Eden, not nine as Altaïr originally believed. The tenth man was the Assassin mentor Al Mualim, who used Altaïr to eliminate the other Templars to keep the treasure for himself.

Before taking his leave of the King, Altaïr urged him to make peace with Salah Al'Din for the sake of the people of the Holy Land. Altaïr rode to Masyaf for a final confrontation with his master.

The Eagle and the Apple: Masyaf, Syria, 1191-09

Altaïr returned to Masyaf, only to find it empty. A deranged citizen muttered that everyone had gone to see the Master. Altaïr made his way past other dazed villagers, but was ambushed by a mob of frenzied Assassins. Malik and a team of his followers arrived and cut down the brainwashed attackers with throwing knives.

Malik revealed that he had returned to Solomon's Temple and discovered Robert de Sable's journal that detailed Al Mualim's involvement with the Templars and the treasure. Altaïr ordered Malik to create a distraction while he went after Al Mualim and urged his friend not to kill the Assassins, whose minds were not their own.

Altaïr entered the courtyard of the fortress and carefully navigated through the mass of stunned citizens. He went through the castle and emerged in the rear gardens where he was suddenly seized by glowing energy. Al Mualim, Piece of Eden in hand, revealed himself on a balcony above.

Al Mualim used the artifact to create phantoms of Altaïr's nine targets and the Assassin was forced to kill them all a second time. Al Mualim paralyzed his pupil again, who challenged his mentor to face him. Al Mulaim leapt down from the balcony, angry and unafraid, and used the Apple of Eden to split into nine copies of himself. Altaïr used his Eagle Vision to find the real Mentor and quickly attacked him. Finally, Al Mualim dueled Altaïr one-on-one, but was no match for his former student.

As he lay dying, Al Mualim could not believe that the student could defeat the master. Altaïr swore to destroy the Apple of Eden, but Al Mualim died doubting his ability to follow through on that promise. Altaïr approached the Apple, which opened slightly and emitted a holographic display of the Earth.

The Mentor's Wake: Masyaf, Syria, 1191-09

Altaïr sent Malik to Jerusalem to carry news of the Mentor's death and sent another Assassin to Acre to do the same. He also ordered the creation of a pyre and carried Al Mualim's body towards it.

Altaïr was confronted by his rival, Abbas Sofian, who demanded proof of Al Mualim's betrayal to the Templars. Altaïr explained the conspiracy surrounding the Apple of Eden and attempted to convince a suspicious Abbas about the artifact's power. Altaïr placed his Mentor's body upon the fire and burned it to make sure that it was not another phantom.

Enraged, Abbas accused Altaïr of continuing to mock their Creed and left his rival to the mercy of Assassins who sought to subdue him. Altaïr fought them off but was interrupted when Abbas emerged on a tower brandishing the Apple of Eden. Abbas accused Altaïr of murdering their beloved Mentor. Altaïr attempted to put the past behind them and decide what to do with the artifact. Abbas felt that Altaïr was unworthy to wield it but quickly lost control of it. Altaïr scaled the tower and wrestled the Apple away from Abbas.

Reclaiming the Brotherhood: Masyaf, Syria, 1247

Altaïr returned to Masyaf to reclaim his position as Mentor, which was taken in his absence by Abbas Sofian, who also murdered Altaïr's son Sef and framed Malik Al-Sayf for the crime.

With the help of the Assassins who had remained loyal to him, and Tazim (Malik's son), Altaïr made it to the castle fortress without the loss of a single life. There, he killed the usurper with his Hidden Gun and became Mentor once again.

Altaïr's Death: Masyaf, Syria, 1257

Having sent away the Polo brothers and his son Darim during the Mongol siege of Masyaf, Altaïr sealed himself, along with the Apple of Eden, in a library under the castle. Before passing away, he recorded one final memory onto the sixth of the Seals.

Initiates Database/Ezio Auditore da Firenze

Ezio's Birth: Florence, Italy, 1459-06-24

Ezio Auditore was born into a noble Florentine family. He was the second son of Medici banker, Giovanni Auditore, and his wife Maria. After a difficult delivery, the infant was suspected to be still-born, until his father, invoking the innate combativeness of the Auditores, encouraged the baby to take its first breath. The baby struggled for a short moment before uttering its first cry.

Boys Will Be Boys: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-26

Late one night, Ezio, a proud and unruly young man from an affluent banking family, gathered a group of his loyal friends and allies. Making a rallying speech, he decried the slandering of his family name by Vieri de' Pazzi, another youngster from a rival banking family. The speech was cut short by the arrival of Vieri and his band of henchmen. After exchanging verbal jabs, Vieri threw a rock that hit Ezio in the face, setting off a brawl. Ezio and his cohorts managed to beat Vieri's thugs into a retreat, in part because of the timely arrival of Ezio's older brother, Federico.

Seeing that his little brother had received a cut on the mouth, Federico urged Ezio to pilfer money from some fallen thugs to pay for a physician's care.

Sibling Rivalry: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-26

As Ezio and his brother Federico returned home from a brawl against Vieri de' Pazzi and his henchmen, the brothers wagered on a friendly race to the top of the Santa Trinità church. Initially, Ezio dashed to keep up with his brother but managed to beat him to the roof. As they surveyed the view around them, the brothers reflected on the good life they shared.

Nightcap: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-27

After beating his brother Federico in a race to the top of the Santa Trinità church, Ezio decided to delay his return home to pay a night time visit to Christina Vespucci, his current flame.

After spending a few hours in his lover's arms, Ezio was chased away by Christina's father, Antonio Vespucci. His shouts of rage roused a mob of guards to chase Ezio through the streets of Florence. He managed to lose them by climbing to the top of a building and laying low for a while. Then he made his way safely back home.

Family Maters: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-28

After a very busy night, Ezio joined his father, Giovanni Auditore, expecting to be admonished for his behavior. Surprisingly, his father went easy on him and reminisced about his own youth before sending his son on an errand to deliver a letter to Lorenzo de' Medici. Ezio learned from a servant that de' Medici was out of town, so he returned. As he entered his father's office again, he found him conversing with Gonfaloniere Uberto Alberti, a friend of Giovanni's. After a cordial exchange, Giovanni bade his son check on the rest of the family until he called on him again.

Ezio's sister Claudia moodily recounted her romantic relationship with Duccio de Luca, whom she suspected of being unfaithful. Ezio promised to have words with him and left to track him down. He found de Luca passionately courting another woman. Ezio accosted him, traded insults and delivered a thorough beating, warning de Luca to stay away from his sister.

As he returned home, Ezio met with his younger, sickly brother Petruccio. As he gently chided his little brother for being out of bed, Petruccio asked for some Eagle feathers scattered over the area's rooftops. When Ezio asked what they were for, his brother refused to say. Ezio, humoring him, bargained he would get the feathers if Petruccio agreed to go back to bed right after. He accepted and Ezio retrieved the feathers as promised. As he returned them, Petruccio promised he'd reveal what they were for, in time.

Ezio's mother, Maria Auditore, asked her son to accompany her on an errand. As Ezio and his mother traded banter about Ezio's nightly antics, she revealed that Francesco de' Pazzi had been arrested for murder. After a short walk, Maria brought Ezio to Leonardo da Vinci's studio to pick up paintings for the Auditore household. Maria introduced the young men to each other before making Ezio return home with the paintings.

Jailbird: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-28

Confused about the arrest of his father and brothers, Ezio Auditore scaled the Palazzo Vecchio, hoping to talk to them. Upon reaching the cell atop the tower, Giovanni urged his son to return home and locate a chest in his study. To prove his family's innocence, he was to locate the documents inside to take them to Giovanni's friend and Gonfaloniere of Florence, Uberto Alberti.

Family Heirloom: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-28

Following his father's instructions, Ezio scrambled once again back to his family home. Dealing with guards as best he could, he returned to his father's office. There, using his innate talent to spot hidden objects, he found Giovanni's secret room. Inside it, he found the chest containing the letter and documents he had to bring to the Gonfaloniere Uberto Alberti.

He also found a hooded, intricately detailed set of cloth armor, a sword, a vellum scroll, a leather bracer and a cracked dagger blade connected to a strange mechanism. Ezio equipped on the armor and sword, stored the rest, and set out to bring the document to Uberto.

As soon as he stepped out of his home, he was assaulted by two sword-wielding guards. They announced their lethal intentions, forcing Ezio to kill them. He made his way to the Gonfaloniere's home and, out of breath, shared his family's plight with Alberti. As he took the documents from Ezio, the Gonfaloniere made assurances that everything was a misunderstanding and would be cleared the next morning. He explained that the documents contained evidence of a conspiracy against both the Auditore family and the city of Florence. He promised Ezio he'd present them at his family's hearing at the Piazza in the morning.

As night fell, Ezio made his way to the house of his love, Cristina Vespucci. When she let him in her room, Ezio told her everything and entrusted her with the broken dagger and the vellum scroll. He spent the night with her, waiting for morning.

Last Man Standing: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-29

The day after his father and brothers were arrested and imprisoned for treason, Ezio made his way to the Piazza della Signoria. He was surprised to find a crowd of people gathering around a gallows. On it stood his father and brothers, in chains, with nooses around their necks. Gonfaloniere Uberto Alberti accused Giovanni Auditore and his "accomplices" of treason and asked if he had any evidence to prove his innocence. Giovanni said his son Ezio had given them to Uberto the night before. Feigning ignorance, Uberto sentenced all three to death by hanging. Before Ezio could react, the hangman activated the trapdoors, felling all three.

As Ezio rushed the gallows, screaming in fear and rage, Uberto named him a traitor too and called guards to kill him on sight. Ezio drew his sword but a heavily armored guard disarmed him and guards converged on him. Weaponless, Ezio had no other resort but to flee for his life, a wanted man.

Last Rites: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-29

Late at night on the day his father and brothers were falsely accused of treason and publicly executed, Ezio made his way to Christina Vespucci's family mansion to recover the satchel containing the broken hidden blade and vellum scroll he had taken from his father's secret room. Intent on ensuring a decent burial for his father and brothers, he asked Christina join him in exile with his remaining family. Torn between her love for Ezio and her duties to her family, Christina refused. The lovers parted ways.

Ezio made his way back to the Piazza della Signoria where the bodies of his father and brother laid. Being careful not to awaken the sleeping guards, he recovered the bodies and made his way to the nearby river. He prepared a funeral pyre on an open boat and set it ablaze, watching it drift slowly toward the sea.

Fitting In: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-29

Shortly after the execution of his father and brothers, a distressed Ezio Auditore met with Anetta, his family's servant. She said his mother and sister were safe, hiding in a Florentine brothel run by her sister Paola, La Rosa Colta. Although Ezio intended to immediately seek out Uberto Alberti to exact his revenge, Paola managed to halt Ezio. She insisted on teaching him the skills to avoid detection before he went out on his quest. She taught him to blend into crowds and pickpocket passers-by.

Ace Up His Sleeve: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-30

Once Ezio mastered how to hide in plain sight and move around undetected, Paola, an ally of the Auditore family and owner of La Rosa Colta, returned the broken blade she pickpocketed from him. She instructed him to visit Leonardo da Vinci's workshop to get it repaired. Before he left, Ezio inquired why Paola had helped him, a stranger. Showing gruesome scars on her right arm, she said she too had known betrayal.

Once at da Vinci's workshop, Ezio handed over the broken blade and bracer as well as the encoded scroll found with them. Leonardo deciphered the scroll and fixed the weapon. As Ezio set out to exact his vengeance, they were interrupted by a bullying guard who threatened and beat da Vinci to force him to reveal his association with the Auditores. Ezio saved his new friend by creeping up to the guard and killing him with his new weapon. They hid the body in Leonardo's cellar, which already contained several donated by the city for da Vinci's anatomical studies.

Judge, Jury, Executioner: Florence, Italy, 1476-12-31

With his father's hidden blade freshly repaired by his friend Leonardo da Vinci, Ezio returned to La Rosa Colta, Paola's brothel, where his remaining family members were hiding. Ready to strike, Ezio inquired where he could find Uberto Alberti, the city official who betrayed his family. Paola told him he would be attending the unveiling of Verrochio's latest painting at the Santa Croce cloister. Ezio tracked Uberto in the streets and overheard him arguing with Lorenzo de' Medici, gloating over his alliance with the de' Pazzi and making veiled threats against his old friend.

Hidden in crowds, Ezio approached the heavily guarded entrance of the cloister. Once inside, Uberto spotted him but Ezio stabbed his enemy multiple times before he could react. With his dying breath, Uberto told Ezio he would have done the same to save the ones he loved. Ezio answered he had done that very thing and shouted to all in attendance that the Auditore were not beaten.

As guards converged on him, Ezio made his escape through streets and rooftops.

Arrivederci: Florence, Italy, 1477-01

Returning from avenging the death of his father and brothers by killing Uberto Alberti, Ezio returned to La Rosa Colta where his sister and catatonic mother were hiding. As the owner, Paola, greeted Ezio, he said he was leaving Florence with his sister and mother. He would head for Monteriggioni where his uncle Mario Auditore resided.

Paola told him such a plan would be much easier if Ezio took to the streets to curtail his local infamy so the city guards would stop chasing him. He ripped some wanted posters off walls, bribed town heralds, and killed a city official . After that, the city calmed down.

As he returned once more to Paola's, his sister Claudia rushed to his side. Nervous and afraid, Claudia inquired about the fate of their father and brothers. Ezio's silence confirmed Claudia's worst fears and she collapsed in tears. Ezio asked her to calm down and focus on the next task at hand: get everyone out of Florence to safety.

Ezio escorted them to the city gates. Once there, he hired courtesans to distract the amassed guards on the lookout for him. While they were distracted, Ezio and his family left Florence behind them.

Roadside Assistance: Tuscany, Italy, 1477-01

On their way to Monteriggioni, Ezio, his sister and his mother were waylaid by Vieri de' Pazzi. Not content to see the Auditore family decimated and forced to leave Florence, Vieri called for Ezio's head.

As Ezio tried to keep Vieri's men from harming his family, his uncle Mario arrived with a band of mercenaries to join the fight. They dispatched Vieri's men, and forced de' Pazzi to flee. Mario then escorted Ezio and his family to Monteriggioni.

Casa Dolce Casa: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1477-01

On the way to the Villa Auditore, a 200-year-old mansion in Monteriggioni, Mario asked his nephew about the recent events in Florence. Ezio said he did not understand the purpose of the plot against his family. All he had was a list of people he took from the body of Uberto Alberti, the man responsible for the death of his father and brother.

Once at the Villa, Mario urged Ezio to settle in and get ready for training. Ezio countered he'd planned to lead his family further away than Monteriggioni. Mario insisted; Ezio had to finish the work his father had started. Confused, Ezio asked what work a banker had to finish that was so important. Taken aback by Ezio's ignorance of his father's true identity, Mario sent him off, promising to tell him later.

After purchasing some armor, weapons, and medicines as required, Ezio returned to his uncle's study. Mario repeated his offer to train him, pointing out Ezio's recent inability to hold his own against Vieri's men. He implored his nephew to do it for the sake of his mother and sister's safety. Ezio agreed.

Practice Makes Perfect: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1477

Ezio spent several weeks training for combat. Throughout his sparring session, Mario revealed that Ezio's father was an Assassin, a member of a secretive order determined to counter the plans of conquest and domination of their arch-rivals: the Templars. Mario explained that Uberto Alberti, Vieri de' Pazzi, and probably the entire Pazzi family were Templars. He also told him Giovanni had been collecting pages from a book called The Codex, a treatise of techniques, tools, and rules governing the Assassin Order. Mario said his brother believed the Codex would reveal the location of something powerful enough to change the world.

Once his training was completed, Ezio faced his uncle in one final battle in which the young man bested the grizzled warrior. As Ezio thanked his uncle, Mario mistook such gratitude as a willingness to stay. Ezio denied it, saying he was sailing out to Spain with his family. Furious, Mario deplored Ezio's lack of commitment to continue his father's work and accept his heritage. He stormed off.

Later, when Ezio went to Mario's office, he was informed his uncle had taken a group of mercenaries to confront Vieri de' Pazzi at San Gimignano. Vieri had been harassing his troops ever since Ezio and his family had arrived. Before leaving, Ezio checked on his mother, who still hadn't said a word since the loss of her husband. Worried, Ezio tried to comfort his sister Claudia.

Determined to help his uncle and to once again face his enemy, Ezio set out of Monteriggioni on horseback.

The Southern Gate: San Gimignano, Italy, 1477

When Ezio re-joined Mario and his men near San Gimignano to face Vieri de' Pazzi, he announced he was ready to take on the responsibility of facing his enemy. Mario shared their battle plan, namely striking at the undermanned southern gate of the city.

Sneaking near the city's gate, Mario and his men set out to create a diversion while Ezio snuck into town by climbing the city's wall. After he used throwing daggers to take down the archers patrolling the rooftops and nearby buildings, he opened the closed gate to let Mario and his troops inside the city walls.

Ezio took a few men with him to dispatch a group of guards without raising the alarm while Mario made his way to Vieri. Once done, Ezio joined up with his uncle and the rest of the soldiers who were deadlocked fighting Vieri's soldiers. Mario told Ezio where Vieri could be found so he could be dealt with.

What Goes Around: San Gimignano, Italy, 1477

Shortly after entering San Gimignano, Ezio made his way to the city's palazzo at the northern edge of town. Sneaking up on a roofttop, Ezio overheard Vieri, Francesco, and Jacopo de' Pazzi consorting with the hooded Spaniard he'd seen at the execution of his father and brothers. The conspirators were discussing the consolidation of positions and forces in San Gimignano and Florence, alluding to an imminent takeover. As the group broke off, Vieri was called upon by one of his mercenaries, who warned him that Mario Auditore had invaded the city. Making for one of the city wall's highest towers, Vieri ordered his men to face the invasion.

Ezio made his way to the tower and climbed to its top to face Vieri and some of his soldiers. After Ezio mortally wounded Vieri, he tried to extract the meaning of the conspiracy from his dying enemy. Spiteful to the end, Vieri died without revealing anything.

Enraged, Ezio was calmed by his uncle who voiced a short prayer out of respect for Ezio's fallen foe. He gave his nephew a letter to read and told him to return to the Auditore Villa in Monteriggioni. The letter was addressed to Vieri's father and had been written by a friar who'd been charged to observe Vieri. It concluded that the youngest de' Pazzi's brashness and unbridled violence was most likely caused by parental neglect and a desire to be noticed.

A Change of Plans: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1477

When Ezio returned to Monteriggioni after successfully slaying Vieri de' Pazzi, Mario explained that the hooded stranger consorting with the de' Pazzi family was Rodrigo Borgia, a powerful man and leader of the Templar Order. Mario confirmed he was the man responsible for the death of his father and brothers. When asked what he was planning as his next move, Ezio responded he would soon return to Florence to end Francesco de' Pazzi's life.

Later, Ezio met his uncle in his study at the Villa Auditore. Mario was contemplating a framed wood panel with several Codex pages pinned to it. Mario explained that Ezio's father had found and translated a few before his death. Ezio added his own, recently translated by Leonardo da Vinci. The Codex pages were arranged to form a map, with many pieces still missing. Mario believed they held the secrets to a prophecy. They were written several hundred years in the past by Altaïr, an Assassin who held a Piece of Eden. Altaïr referred to a powerful and ancient artifact hidden beneath the land. Ezio vowed to complete his father's work and seek out more pages to solve Altaïr's mystery.

Town Improvement: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1477

Shortly after his return to Monteriggioni, Ezio noticed his sister working the Villa's ledgers. When he inquired about her newfound pastime, an outraged Claudia told him Mario had put her to work managing the finances of the villa and the city. She told her brother to invest in the town to increase its revenues, which in turn the Auditore family could benefit from.

The Assassin Sanctum: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1477

Soon before his departure for Florence, Ezio met his uncle in his study. Activating a hidden door, he brought Ezio into the Villa's basement where an Assassin's Sanctuary had been built by Mario's great grandfather, 200 years ago. Featuring statues of some of the Order's greatest Assassins, it also displayed a complete set of Assassin's armor possessed by Altaïr. The armor was kept behind a locked grate, needing six seals to unlock it. Mario explained each seal could be found in treasure-filled crypts throughout Italy. He had searched for these crypts when he was younger, but their locations eluded him.

Villa Secrets: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1478-04-19

Ezio learned the secret history of the Auditore family from his uncle Mario. As Ezio was shown the Assassin sanctuary under the villa, he heard the story of Mario and Giovanni's abandoned quest to decipher the mysteries of Altaïr's codex.

Practice What You Preach: Florence, Italy, 1478

Two years after leaving Florence with the remnants of his family, Ezio returned with the grim intention of continuing his father's work. Before pursuing his vendetta, Ezio visited his friend Leonardo da Vinci to have the Codex page he found from Vieri de' Pazzi deciphered. Leonardo enthusiastically set to the task, uncovering what seemed to be advanced assassination techniques and plans for an armored bracer which could be paired with Ezio's original one. While Leonardo worked on the Codex, Ezio set out to master its new techniques. Once done, he returned to the workshop and took possession of the new hidden blade bracer Leonardo had built.

Ezio asked his friend about finding a mysterious character his uncle had instructed him to seek, a person who could not be approached publicly and was known only as La Volpe, The Fox. Leonardo whispered he might be found in the Mercato Veccio, where many of the city's thieves roamed.

The Best Man: Florence, Italy, 1478

Shortly after returning to Florence, Ezio paid a visit to his old flame, Cristina Vespucci. While happy and relieved to see him alive, she informed him that she'd been engaged to a man named Manfredo. As they were discussing, news came that Manfredo was being assaulted by men trying to collect on gambling debts.

Ezio offered his help and found Manfredo in the grips of his assailants by the Arno river. After chasing them away, Ezio threatened to end Manfredo's life unless he promised to abandon his gambling habits. Manfredo desperately professed his love for Christina and promised to be a good husband.

Fox Hunt: Florence, Italy, 1478

Following the advice of Leonardo da Vinci, Ezio reached the Mercato Vecchio to find La Volpe, a notorious yet mysterious thief. Dodging troubadours and other sources of harassment, Ezio used his special vision talent to spot his target from the market square's bustling crowd. As he was about to accost him, someone bumped into Ezio and stole his coin pouch. Ezio chased the thief and tackled him. As Ezio berated the thief, a finely dressed, polite gentleman interrupted him. The man identified himself as La Volpe. He made it clear he knew who Ezio was as well as everything going on in Florence.

Ezio asked how and where he could track Francesco de' Pazzi. La Volpe mentioned a recently arrived Caravan from Rome and a midnight meeting Francesco would attend. When Ezio asked where the meeting was to be held, La Volpe asked to follow him.

See You There: Florence, Italy, 1478

The mysterious Florentine master thief known as La Volpe guided Ezio to the site of a secret Templar meeting attended by Francesco de' Pazzi. Showing surprising agility and free running skills, the thief dared Ezio to keep up. Ezio caught up by the Santa Maria Novella cathedral where La Volpe revealed Francesco would be meeting with his allies. He told Ezio that he could find a secluded spot to eavesdrop on them by infiltrating the cathedral through its ruined catacombs. He told Ezio how to enter them through a specially marked secret door. Ezio thanked the distinguished thief and went on with his mission.

Novella's Secret: Florence, Italy, 1478-04-25

Following the instructions of La Volpe, Ezio snuck into the eastern garden of the Santa Maria Novella cathedral and spotted an Assassin Order symbol carved into an alcove's wall. Pulling on the skull motif found in the middle of the symbol, Ezio activated a secret door into the church's catacomb.

Ezio negotiated its dusty passages by activating levers and overcoming various obstacles and guards through climbing, jumping, activating counterweights and performing assassinations.

After dealing with the soldiers guarding the area, Ezio came to a portal featuring a carved Assassin's symbol. Activating it opened another secret door leading to an area where Ezio could overhear people in conversation.

The Cathedral: Florence, Italy, 1478-04-25

Having infiltrated the Santa Maria Novella catacombs, Ezio was able to eavesdrop on a secret Templar meeting. Among the conspirators, Ezio saw the two remaining de' Pazzi with Rodrigo Borgia discussing the last details of an imminent strike against the de' Medici family. After the conspirators left, Ezio found a sarcophagus bearing the Assassin's symbol. Activating a hidden opening mechanism, Ezio retrieved one of the seals needed to unlock Altaïr's armor.

Ezio made his way out of the catacombs and met with La Volpe again, trying to make sense of what he had overheard. They surmised that the Templars would likely strike directly against Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici during High Mass, in front of all of Florentine society. Ezio decided he would use the crowd to blend in and try to prevent it from happening.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing: Florence, Italy, 1478-04-26

Shortly before High Mass, Ezio arrived in front of Il Duomo, intent on finding both de' Medici brothers. As he spotted them about to enter the basilica, Ezio saw Francesco de' Pazzi and his fellow conspirators go after them. Before the Assassin could react, the Templars killed Guilianio de' Medici and stabbed Lorenzo. Francesco engaged Lorenzo, promising that the de' Medici family would not live to see another day. Ezio jumped into the fray, intent on protecting his family's long-time ally.

After Ezio defeated numerous enemies and forced Francesco de' Pazzi to flee, Lorenzo thanked Ezio and asked him to escort him back to safety. Ezio, wanting to chase Francesco, accepted nonetheless.

They ran through the chaotic streets of Florence, as Templar troops battled those loyal to Lorenzo. They made it safely to the de' Medici residence after dispatching enemies that directly threatened them. When Lorenzo asked why Ezio helped him, the Assassin replied that he too had lost a brother because of the de' Pazzi family, and that he was an Auditore.

As Lorenzo praised Ezio's family, a soldier arrived, announcing that de' Pazzi's forces had regrouped and were assaulting the Palazzo Vecchio to take over the city's government. Too weak to intervene, Lorenzo asked Ezio to kill Francesco de' Pazzi and put an end to the coup.

Farewell Francesco: Florence, Italy, 1478-04-26

Informed by Lorenzo de Medici's men that Francesco de' Pazzi was trying to take the Palazzo Della Signoria with his troops, Ezio ran to intercept them. As Ezio surveyed the vicious battle being fought in front of the Palazzo, Francesco spotted him from the palace's roof and called upon his men to kill him.

Ezio climbed to the roof of the Palazzo and killed Francesco's guards. When Francesco saw Ezio approach, he jumped down from the Palazzo and fled. Ezio chased him down through streets and rooftops until he tackled his enemy and killed him. Remembering his blind rage and lack of respect for his foe when he had killed Vieri, Ezio said a short prayer for Francesco's soul.

A short time later, Jacopo de' Pazzi tried to rally a mob in front of the palazzo with shouts of "Liberty!". His rabble-rousing was brutally interrupted when Francesco's body was hung from the top of the palace, a gruesome display of vengeance. Seeing his nephew's dead, Jacopo fled the plaza, under the watchful eye of Ezio.

Behind Closed Doors: San Gimignano, Italy, 1479-04-12

Continuing his hunt for the Pazzi conspirators, Ezio Auditore led a group of mercenaries in an assault on Francesco Salviati's villa in the hills surrounding San Gimignano. Having infiltrated the compound, he tracked down and assassinated the Templar-allied Archbishop.

Come Out and Play: San Gimignano, Italy, 1479-05-03

With information gathered from a contact in the city, Ezio Auditore used his skills to search the streets for the Pazzi conspirator Bernardo Baroncelli. He located the Templar wandering near the city walls and assassinated him.

With Friends Like These...: San Gimignano, Italy, 1480-01-03

Still tracking down the Pazzi conspirators, Ezio Auditore tailed Jacopo de' Pazzi to a meeting with Emilio Barbarigo and Rodrigo Borgia at the Antico Teatro Romano, where he witnessed the Grandmaster of the Templar Order stab Jacopo as punishment for his family's failings.

Ezio was discovered and fought through a barrage of guards before assassinating Jacopo and ending his suffering. During the scuffle, Rodrigo and Emilio managed to flee.

Tutti a Bordo: Romagna, Italy, 1481-03-03

While seeking passage to Venice, Ezio Auditore heard the cries of a woman stranded on an island in Romagna's flood lands. After using a gondola to rescue the woman, Ezio learned that she was, in fact, Caterina Sforza, the Countess of Forlì. Grateful of his help, under her authority she grated him passage on a ship bound for Venice.

Everything Must Go: Venice, Italy, 1485-09-11

After years building a relationship with Antonio Magianis and the Venetian thieves guild, Ezio Auditore and his allies launched a stealth attack on the Palazzo della Seta. Having infiltrated the structure he assassinated the Templar Emilio Barbarigo, allowing the thieves to take out the remaining guards and regain influence in the district.

Carnevale: Venice, Italy, 1486-02-15

In a bid to win the coveted Golden mask, an object securing entry to Marco Barbarigo's closing celebration, Ezio Auditore took part in a variety of Carnevale games, proving his superior stealth, agility, and strength. Although Ezio was technically the winner of the games, Silvio Barbarigo conspired to have the victory and the mask bestowed upon fellow Templar Dante Moro at the award ceremony.

Two Birds, One Blade: Venice, Italy, 1486-07-11

Having successfully lured Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro from their quarters with the help of Bartolomeo d'Alviano, Ezio Auditore chased the Templar duo to a nearby port and assassinated them. With his dying breath Dante revealed the Templar Order's plans to sail to Cyprus.

Welcome, Brother: Venice, Italy, 1488-06-25

After an intense duel with Templar Grandmaster Rodrigo Borgia, and having secured the mysterious Apple of Eden on its arrival from Cyprus, Ezio Auditore was formally inducted into the Assassin Brotherhood following the revelation that many of his allies were Assassins themselves. These men and women had dedicated the years to guiding Ezio and teaching him the skills required to join their ranks.

Of Forbidden Knowledge: Venice, Italy, 1488

Ezio Auditore da Firenze spent ten years hunting down the Templars who killed his father and brothers. Along the way, his uncle Mario revealed their family history as Assassins, and their mission to track down pages of Altaïr's codex, which talked about a prophecy involving Pieces of Eden.

When the Templar Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia brought an Apple of Eden to Venice from Cyprus, Ezio was there to steal it. Although he was not able to kill Rodrigo, Ezio kept the Apple of Eden and was welcomed into the ranks of the Assassin Brotherhood.

Ezio and his allies convened in Venice to try and discover the secrets behind the Piece of Eden. Ezio touched the artifact and activated it, resulting in a staggering display of energy and glyphs.

Far From the Tree: Forlì, Italy, 1488-07-09

Having aided Caterina Sforza and assassinated the Templar-hired Orsi brothers during the battle of Forlì, a critically wounded Ezio Auditore lost the Apple of Eden to Girolamo Savonarola on the outskirts of the city before falling unconscious.

Power to the People: Florence, Italy, 1498-05-23

Having returned to Florence during the Bonfire of the Vanities and liberated the city from the influence of Girolamo Savonarola's generals, Ezio Auditore and his allies gathered an angry mob near the friar's residence at the Palazzo Pitti and recovered the Apple of Eden.

Prophecy Fulfilled: Rome, Italy, 1499-12-28

Following his arrival in Rome, Ezio Auditore confronted Pope Alexander VI, otherwise known as Rodrigo Borgia, the Grand Master of the Templar Order, during a mass in the Sistine Chapel. During a ferocious battle between the two, the papal staff Rodrigo inherited was revealed to be another Piece of Eden, a powerful artifact of First Civilization origin. Rodrigo was able to use the Staff to best Ezio and gain access to the vault beneath the Basilica.

The Assassin followed the Pope below and defeated him before he could enter another chamber within the structure. Ezio spared Rodrigo's life and entered the chamber. There, he saw a mysterious apparition named Minerva, who spoke not to him, but to an unseen person named "Desmond" before showing images of a tragedy that would befall mankind hundreds of years in the future.

Initiates Database/Edward Kenway

The Scrappy Young Welshman: Swansea, Wales, 1693-03-10

Edward James Kenway was born on 10 March 1693 in Swansea. His father was Bernard Kenway of Manchester and his mother was Linette Hopkins of Cardiff. At the age of ten, the Kenway family moved to a farm just outside of Bristol. Although his parents were proud of their modest, but honest lifestyle, the move affected Edward's mood and he became more and more rebellious. By the age of 16, Edward spent as much time away from the farm as possible, getting into trouble in the excitement of the city and its rough company.

In Defense of Rose: Alveston, England, 1711

In his cups at the Auld Sheillagh pub, Edward noticed that three of his enemies, Tom Cobleigh, his son Seth, and a man named Julian, were happily getting a young maid very drunk, with less than honest intentions. When they dragged her out of the pub, Edward followed them and confronted them in the street.

While he knew he was outnumbered, Edward spotted a rider approaching in the distance, and attempted to stall for time in the hopes that the stranger would come to his aid. Although he landed the first strike, Edward was quickly overwhelmed by the three men and received a sound thrashing. As expected, the rider arrived and intervened, but it was not a man, rather a woman of some social stature. She quickly sent the Cobleighs running, and introduced herself as Caroline Scott, whose family lived on Hawkins Lane in Bristol. She thanked Edward for looking out for the young woman, who was her family's maid, Rose.

Edward asked if he could see her again when he was more presentable, but Caroline informed him that her father wouldn't approve. However, it was too late, Edward Kenway was already smitten with Caroline Scott of Hawkins Lane.

At Home to Mister Scandal: Bristol, England, 1711

Edward Kenway's marriage to Caroline Scott was the scandal of Bristol, as she had spurned a life of luxury for a common farmer. Caroline's parents attended the wedding, though only her mother seemed truly happy.

Edward and his new bride moved to an outbuilding on the family farm. The shack had a badly-thatched roof and walls made of packed mud. Dismayed at his lack of prospects to take care of his new bride, Edward began to frequent the inns again, but rather than reliving the mischievous days of his youth, he sank deep into despair and deeper into bottles.

Edward felt that his only hope to provide the life he felt Caroline deserved was to become a privateer, but Caroline was not keen on the idea.

It's Not About Need: Bristol, England, 1712

Caroline Scott asked her husband Edward Kenway if privateering was dangerous. Edward confirmed the danger, but stressed that the rewards were worth it, vowing that it would elevate their lives from their current modest conditions, in a way that service in the King's Navy would not.

Caroline reluctantly allowed Edward to pursue this dream, but made him promise that he wouldn't be away for longer than two years.

Disaster at Cape Bonavista: Cape Bonavista, Cuba, 1715-06

Against Blackbeard's advice, Edward decided to serve on a ship under the command of Captain Bramah. They were attacked by the Royal Navy, and Edward spotted a mysterious hooded figure on one of the British ships.

Edward returned fire, and managed to destroy some of the attacking vessels, but the hooded stranger appeared on deck and killed Captain Bramah with a blade mounted on his wrist. The man made for Edward, but before they could clash, the ship's magazine caught fire and exploded, sending Edward into the water.

Chasing the Assassin: Cape Bonavista, Cuba, 1715-06

Edward surfaced among flaming wreckage and swam to the beach and collapsed, exhausted but happy to be alive. He was also amused to see the hooded attacker also washed ashore, nursing a wound in his stomach.

The wounded man asked Edward to take him to Havana, offering money. Edward mocked him, and the man pulled a gun, but it misfired due to wet gunpowder. The man ran away into the jungle, and warned Edward that he would kill him if he followed.

Edward chased him through the island and caught up to him in a clearing. After a brief sword fight, Edward killed the man.

Identity Theft: Cape Bonavista, Cuba, 1715-06

Edward searched the corpse of the hooded man and found a satchel containing a crystal cube, several strange maps, and a letter. The letter was addressed to a Duncan Walpole from the Governor of Cuba, Laureano Torres y Ayala, and stated that although Torres wouldn't recognize Walpole by sight, he would know him by his distinctive clothing, made famous by Walpole's secret order. Torres also promised a reward, if the items in Walpole's possession were delivered in order to further his own secret cause.

Edward decided to assume Walpole's identity to collect the reward. He gathered up Walpole's belongings into the satchel, but tossed the damaged wrist blade into the sand. Edward set out for Havana in the dead man's clothes.

The Air on the Open Sea: Cape Bonavista, Cuba, 1715-06

Edward saw a schooner in a nearby bay. He also saw British soldiers who were accusing a merchant of piracy, threatening to commandeer his ship. One of the merchant's crew tried to make a run for it and was shot dead.

Edward leapt into action, killed the soldiers and saved the merchant. While grateful, the merchant lamented the death of the ship's captain, as he had no clue how to sail his own vessel.

Edward introduced himself as Duncan, a man on a secret mission from King George, and offered to pilot the vessel. The merchant's name was Stede Bonnet, who was relieved to learn that “Duncan” was not a pirate as he first suspected.

Both men were bound for Havana, and Edward was soon behind the wheel of Stede's schooner. The merchant told Edward that he owned a small plantation and made a living selling sugar cane, molasses, and rum, and wondered if he would attract attention from pirates. Edward chided him, saying that no pirate alive would turn his back on a keg of rum.

As they made for the open sea, Stede marveled at Edward's natural ability for sailing and combat.

Initiates Database/Haytham Kenway

The Young Eagle: London, England, 1725-12-04

Haytham Kenway was born in London, England. He was the son of Edward Kenway, a rich and inscrutable man with an enigmatic past. His mother, Tessa Stephenson-Oakley, came from a good family who shunned her when she married Edward.

Haytham had an older half-sister, Jenny, who was Edward's daughter from a previous union. Haytham suspected Jenny knew the truth about their father, but refused to tell her little brother.

The Lonely Child: London, England, 1733

Haytham began to suspect that his family was different. Although he was looked after in every way, he had no contact with other children. The neighboring children were forbidden from even looking up into the windows of the Kenway house.

Shortly before Haytham's eighth birthday, he spoke to Tom Barrett, a neighbor boy, through a hole in their fence. Tom asked if the stories about Haytham's father were true, but Tom was called away before Haytham could learn just what those stories were.

Meeting Reginald Birch: London, England, 1733-12-04

For his eighth birthday, Haytham's family took him to White's Chocolate House for cake and hot chocolate. Haytham met his father's property manager, Reginald Birch, who made a show of courting his half-sister Jenny. As they left White's, the group was accosted by aggressive beggars.

One of the beggars broke through the crowd and lunged at Tessa and Edward sprang forward to defend her. Haytham was surprised to see that his father carried a sword hidden in his cane, however, it remained sheathed. His father shoved the beggar into Reginald who threw the attacker to the ground and pulled a knife on him. Edward demanded that the beggar be spared and threatened to end his business associations with Reginald if he did not comply, and the beggar was reluctantly spared.

Real Steel: London, England, 1733-12-04

After returning home from White's, Haytham received a sword from his father. Edward began to instruct Haytham in combat and swordplay. He also taught him about a curious kind of philosophy, in which he was encouraged to question everything he had been taught through traditional education.

Friend of the Family: London, England, 1735-01-03

Reginald Birch became a regular visitor to the Kenway House as he continued to court Jenny. The young woman, who was considered a great beauty, remained cool to his advances. Meanwhile, Birch made a point of gaining Haytham's confidence, flattering the boy into revealing details of his secret training.

Attack on Kenway House: London, England, 1735-12-03

Haytham overheard an argument between his father and Reginald Birch. A few nights later, the Kenway house was attacked in the middle of the night by masked men. Haytham killed one of the attackers to save his mother's life. However, he was too late to save his father. Reginald Birch eventually arrived and rescued Haytham.

One of the attackers, a man with pointy ears, took Jenny as a hostage. He threw her in a carriage, but as she was taken away, she uttered a single word: "traitor".

Reginald Birch, Templar Knight: London, England, 1735-12-10

On the day of Edward Kenway's funeral, Reginald Birch revealed to Haytham that he was a member of the Templar Order, a society of people striving to maintain peace in the world through structure and discipline.

Birch revealed that his Templar connections suspected that Jenny was taken to Europe. To Haytham's surprise, he was to accompany the family friend on the search.

Meeting the Bulldog: London, England, 1735-12-11

Reginald Birch introduced Haytham to Edward Braddock, a gruff Templar Knight in charge of finding Jack Digweed. Edward Kenway's former gentleman, Digweed, was the suspected traitor who facilitated the attack on the Kenway house.

Haytham and Braddock took an instant dislike to each other.

The Search for Jenny: Troyes, France, 1740

For five years, Haytham and Birch scoured Europe for signs of Jenny. All the while, Birch tutored Haytham in Templar lore. Haytham discovered that while both Birch and his late father taught him to question everything, Birch's philosophies were more rigidly black and white. Haytham found comfort in this absolute approach.

At the end of five years, having found no clues to Jenny's whereabouts, Birch and Haytham settled in a chateau near Troyes, France.

Haytham the Templar: London, England, 1744-04-19

Haytham matured to become a full-fledged member of the Templar Order. His first mission was to kill a greedy merchant in Liverpool.

He soon gained a reputation as an efficient killer.

Juan's Journal: Altea, Spain, 1747-06-10

Haytham killed Juan Vedomir, a merchant who betrayed the Templar Order. Vedomir was suspected of collaborating with the Assassin Brotherhood.

Haytham obtained Vedomir's journal, which included phrases of Assassin philosophy that Haytham recognized as being remarkably similar to the words of his late father. Most of the journal was in code, however, and Haytham could not decipher it.

Family: Prague, Czech Republic, 1747-06-18

Haytham met with Reginald Birch, who revealed that Haytham's mother had suffered a fall and died from her injuries. Birch offered his condolences, assuring him that the Templars were his family now.

With some hesitation, Haytham gave Birch Vedomir's journal. Birch was convinced that it contained clues to the location of a First Civilization storehouse. Those Who Came Before had long been an obsession for Birch, but Haytham remained skeptical of Birch's theories.

The Affair: London, England, 1747-07-03

Haytham returned to London to interrogate Betty, his former nursemaid in the Kenway house, and, he now realized, Digweed's secret lover. Betty claimed that Digweed was blackmailed by an unknown man with a West County accent and denied any knowledge of his whereabouts.

The next day, she attempted to send Digweed a warning letter. Haytham intercepted the letter only to discover that the man he sought was hiding in Germany.

Digweed's Fate: St. Peter, Germany, 1747-07-14

Haytham and Birch tracked Digweed to Germany. The address on Betty's letter, which Haytham intercepted in London, led to the St. Peter General Store. Haytham threatened the shopkeeper's son for Digweed's location and the shopkeeper confessed that Digweed had a cabin in the Black Forest. He also revealed that two British soldiers had just asked after Digweed.

Just then, Haytham saw one of the soldiers riding away. It was "Pointy Ears", Jenny's kidnapper. When they reached Digweed's cabin, Haytham and Birch found Digweed about to be murdered by the other soldier. Haytham chased the soldier and discovered that he was the man with the West County accent who blackmailed Digweed and orchestrated the attack on the Kenway house.

Haytham fatally wounded the soldier, who revealed that Edward Kenway was an Assassin and had been killed for something in his possession. Papers Haytham found on the soldier's body revealed that he served under Edward Braddock.

The Black Forest: Black Forest, Germany, 1747-07-16

Digweed succumbed to his injuries and died before Haytham could question him. Instead, Haytham lashed out at Birch, accusing Braddock of being in league with his father's killers. He set off to chase "Pointy Ears", leaving Birch behind.

After days of pursuit through countryside and battlefields, Haytham caught up with "Pointy Ears". Before Haytham could extract any information out of him, they were both apprehended and knocked unconscious by Braddock's soldiers.

The Hanged Man: Zwolle, Netherlands, 1747-07-17

Haytham and "Pointy Ears" were mistaken for deserters from Braddock's ranks and were sentenced to hang. In an attempt to save "Pointy Ears" for later questioning, Haytham set out to destroy the gallows. Alas, the man died, taking any clues to the murder of Edward Kenway with him to the grave.

The Coldstreams: Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands, 1747

Braddock refused to help Haytham with his investigations, but invited him to join his men in battle at the Siege of Bergen op Zoom. After the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, Haytham left his service with the Coldstreams, but remained with Braddock's unit on several peacekeeping missions.

Meanwhile, Haytham began to make inquiries among the ranks of the Coldstreams, trying to uncover a connection between "Pointy Ears" and Braddock. He met Private Jim Holden, whose brother was hanged on the day Haytham arrived. Holden exposed Braddock's cruelty and corruption, and Haytham began to see that Braddock was turning his back on the Templar Order.

The Code Breaker's Son: London, England, 1753-06-07

Haytham met with Reginald Birch, who gave him a new assignment. Haytham was expecting another killing contract, but instead, Birch told him that he had a code-breaker and affiliate of the Italian Assassins named Monica, who could decipher Juan Vedomir's journal. However, she refused to cooperate unless she had the help of her son Lucio, who had been missing for years. The Templars tracked him to a rebel compound in Corsica, and so Haytham was sent to retrieve him.

The Enemy's Blade: Corsica, 1753-06-25

Haytham snuck into the compound and saw Lucio among the Corsican rebels. He also noticed Lucio's bodyguard, an Assassin known as Miko.

Haytham orchestrated a conflict between the rebels and the Genoese military, taking advantage of the chaos to abduct Lucio. Miko attacked, but Haytham managed not only to escape, but to steal Miko's hidden blade. He spared Miko's life, but both promised to meet again.

Haytham left the boy with Birch's associates, who took him to France.

A Surprise Visit: Droupt-St-Basle, France, 1753-08-12

Haytham arrived unannounced at Reginald Birch's chateau to check up on Lucio and his mother, only to find both of them shackled in a dungeon. Birch revealed that the journal pointed to the existence of an amulet that could open a First Civilization storehouse.

Haytham and Birch argued over the treatment of the prisoners. Haytham threatened Reginald into guaranteeing their survival.

The Amulet: London, England, 1754-04-18

Haytham met Reginald Birch at the Royal Opera House in London. His assignment was to retrieve the amulet from around the neck of an Assassin identified in Vedomir's journal. To Haytham's surprise, the target was Miko, Lucio's former bodyguard. Haytham killed Miko with his own hidden blade, taking the amulet for himself.

Master Kenway: London, England, 1754-04-18

The Templars believed that the amulet was a key that would open a storehouse built by Those Who Came Before. They did not know what was inside it, whether it was weapons, knowledge, or some object of unfathomable purpose. But they knew that its contents were powerful, and wanted to reach it before the Assassins.

The Templars' research concluded that the precursor site was somewhere in the British colonies around Boston or New York. Haytham, now promoted to Grand Master of the Colonies, was dispatched to find it.

The Providence: Atlantic Ocean, 1754-04-19

Haytham's journey to North America began on a ship named The Providence. When he had time to himself, he sat at the desk in his cabin, contemplating the challenges he was likely to face in North America, a territory rich in opportunities to increase both the Templars' goals and his own personal power.

A Treacherous Journey: Atlantic Ocean, 1754-05-21

While onboard The Providence, Haytham noticed the crew engaging in suspicious activities. The captain called him aside to investigate, fearing a possible mutiny. In particular, Haytham noticed that every night, a crew member dropped a painted barrel into the water. He realized that they were leaving a trail behind.

Finally, 33 days into the voyage, a ship appeared and fired at the Providence. It was a warning shot; boarding was imminent.

Lower Deck: Atlantic Ocean, 1754-06-14

Despite there being no signs of mutiny or damage to the ship, the captain ordered Haytham to take cover in the lower decks. There, he was confronted by Mills, a crew member who revealed he'd been tracking him since the killing at the Opera House. At Haytham's request, the man offered him a sword so that he might fight back with honor.

After killing Mills, Haytham confronted the captain with the truth: there was no mutiny, the attacking ship was just following Mills' instructions. At first, the captain said he would give Haytham up, but Haytham convinced him to sail into a storm to evade his pursuers. With Haytham's help, they managed to escape safely.

Initiates Database/Aveline de Grandpré

Disappearing Act: New Orleans, New France, 1757-05-01

A few years after her father married Madeleine de L'Isle, Aveline de Grandpré's mother Jeanne mysteriously vanished. Madeleine, already responsible for Aveline's education, continued to care for her, treating the young girl as the daughter she never had.

Welcome to the Brotherhood, Sister: Louisiana Bayou, New France, 1759-11-12

Impressed by her commitment to freedom and justice, Agaté, an Assassin, took Aveline de Grandpré under his wing. After a few months of intense training, he inducted her into the Brotherhood, becoming her mentor.

New Orleans by Night: New Orleans, New France, 1765-01-16

Aveline frequently dreamt of her long lost mother. One night, after a particularly disturbing nightmare, she was woken by Madeleine de L'Isle, her stepmother. Wondering about her mother's fate and too wired to sleep, she waited for Madeleine to leave, donned her Assassin outfit, and went to the pigeon coop that served as a dead drop for Assassin messages.

Gérald Blanc, a family friend and Assassin informant, had left a letter revealing that slaves were vanishing from a nearby plantation. Though the owner reported them missing, Gérald's network found no trace of them. Aveline decided to investigate.

A Slave in Trouble: New Orleans, New France, 1765-01-16

In order to find out more about missing slaves at a nearby plantation, Aveline went to a special dressing chamber that had been prepared for her and dressed herself as a slave. There she received further intelligence that a delivery was scheduled for the plantation, so she hid herself in a wagon to gain access to the grounds.

Once inside the plantation, Aveline blended with the other slaves to avoid attention from the guards. She found a slave who told her that the slaves were not escaping, but were being taken, the most recent being his sister, Thérèse.

Aveline used her Eagle Vision to track Thérèse's movements and found the young, pregnant slave in a nearby barn. She learned that slaves were being treated fairly by the owner, but that his son was responsible for kidnapping – and possibly murdering – several slaves.

The two women were discovered and attacked, forcing Aveline to kill the owner's son and his men. Aveline then guided Thérèse to safety.

The Safe House: New Orleans, New France, 1765-01-16

Having no other recourse, Aveline brought Thérèse – a pregnant slave she had liberated – to her family mansion, where her worried stepmother, Madeleine de L'Isle, was waiting for her.

Aveline lied to her about the exact circumstances of her meeting with Thérèse, but asked for her help in securing the slave's freedom. Although Madeleine was annoyed with Aveline's impulsiveness at bringing a slave to their mansion, she agreed to help.

While Madeline saw to Thérèse's medical needs, she ordered Aveline into town to fetch her new traveling clothes. When she returned home, she found her parents eating lunch. After her father Philippe excused himself from the table, Madeleine assured Aveline that she had taken care of Thérèse and that she would be safe. She also offered to help should similar situations arise in the future.

Taking Care of Business: New Orleans, New France, 1765-01-29

Aveline went to her father's warehouse to meet Gérald Blanc. There, she spied on a conversation between him and her father, Philippe, who was frustrated over shipments disappearing. Gérald insisted on investigating the matter.

Aveline stealthily followed Gérald through the city, until he met with a supplier, Monsieur de Saint-Maxent. De Saint-Maxent was furious that his shipments were being stolen from him, and blamed the captain of his supply ship, suggesting that he was corrupt and taking bribes.

Aveline took the initiative, located the ship in question, and bribed the men guarding it. Once onboard, she charmed Captain Carlos Dominguez, and discovered that he had diverted de Saint-Maxent's shipment to another buyer. While Dominguez was distracted, Aveline stole some of his paperwork and discovered that the goods were being kept in two nearby warehouses.

Her Father's Troubles: New Orleans, New France, 1765-01-29

Aveline searched the docks for the two warehouses that contained the goods stolen from her father's business partner, Monsieur de Saint-Maxent. She made her way past the guards and located the right crates using her Eagle Vision.

Aveline returned to Monsieur de Saint-Maxent to give him the good news about the recovered cargo, and he promised that her father would receive a considerable discount as thanks.

The Key to the Problem: New Orleans, New France, 1765-02-04

Aveline returned to the Grandpré Warehouse in time to see Gérald deliver the news about the recovered shipments to her father Philippe. After the elder de Grandpré took his leave, the two Assassins discussed the documents that Aveline had stolen from Captain Dominguez. They contained the name Rafael Joaquín de Ferrer, a known Templar.

Gérald did not know de Ferrer's purpose in Louisiana, but he received word that he would be attending a social event at the Governor's mansion later that evening. Aveline agreed to enter the mansion discretely. Gérald mentioned that a house near the mansion was for sale, which would provide an ideal spot for a dressing chamber where she could switch between guises.

Aveline scouted the governor's mansion and followed a butler to a meeting with a man who would supply food for the event. From him, she stole a key that would give her access to the kitchen near the south entrance of the Governor's mansion.

The Colony's Good: New Orleans, New France, 1765-02-04

Aveline entered the mansion of the French governor of New Orleans, Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie. She made her way to his office and spied on a conversation between the French governor and the Spanish Templar Rafael Joaquín de Ferrer. They were discussing plans to send slave labor from Louisiana to a Templar work site in exchange for d'Abbadie remaining governor of the colony.

De Ferrer left and Aveline killed d'Abbadie. As he lay dying, the Governor confessed that he did not regret his deal with the Templars, as he desired nothing more than to keep the colony under French control. Aveline asked about de Ferrer's plans and d'Abbadie told her that he knew nothing of the Templar plans, only that he was to provide them with slaves and vagrants for labor.

Aveline escaped from the mansion.

At the Pub: New Orleans, New France, 1765-02-05

Aveline found a member of Dominguez's crew who informed her that the Captain could be found at the pub. She made her way across town and found Dominguez, who was quite drunk. Aveline asked him about his connection to de Ferrer, and Dominguez admitted that he transported goods to and from New Orleans, but did not know anything more.

Aveline returned to her father's mansion. Philippe thanked Aveline for her help in sorting out the family's business affairs and gave her a page of her mother Jeanne's diary.

The Loas Guide You: Louisiana Bayou, New France, 1765

Aveline was summoned to the Louisiana Bayou by her mentor Agaté. The Templar's sudden activity unnerved him, so he retreated further into the swamp, and challenged Aveline to use her gifts to find him. She navigated through the Bayou and uncovered the clues her mentor had left her and located his new hideout.

The False Mackandal: Agaté's Hut, New France, 1765

Aveline joined her mentor Agaté at his new hideout. He informed her that a man was posing as his deceased mentor François Mackandal, and that this imposter was beginning to wield a dangerous influence in the Bayou. Agaté wanted Aveline to discover the False Mackandal's true identity and motivations.

Before Aveline left to track the imposter, Agaté gave her a blowpipe that once belonged to the real Mackandal, who was an expert in poisons. After some practice with her new weapon, Aveline felt ready to continue her mission.

Meet the Smugglers: Smuggler's Hideout, New France, 1765

Agaté revealed that the False Mackandal was gaining followers and that they were attempting to take over smuggling operations in the Bayou, but their final goals remained unclear. He suggested that Aveline contact a smuggler named Élise Lafleur, who was well versed in the swamp's underworld.

Aveline crossed the Bayou and located the Smuggler's Hideout. She arrived to see some of the False Mackandal's followers threaten a defiant Élise Lafleur. Aveline silently killed some of them before joining the fight in a more public manner.

Élise and her partner Roussillon demanded to know Aveline's identity and purpose. Aveline told her that she sought only to bring the False Mackandal to a final end and offered to help restore the smuggler's control over the Bayou in exchange for their help uncovering their camps spread out through the swamp.

A Faithful Acolyte: Louisiana Bayou, New France, 1765

Aveline met Élise in the swamp and they traveled by canoe towards one of the camps controlled by the False Mackandal. Élise mentioned that she started to have trouble with the imposter's men at the same time the new Spanish governor arrived.

When they exited their canoe, the two women were attacked by an alligator. Aveline managed to kill the beast and claim its egg as a prize.

Élise revealed that there were two bases, the first was near a wrecked ship, with the second one further along the river. Aveline killed all the followers in the first base. Inside the wrecked ship, she found a letter from the False Mackandal that talked about a "sacred ceremony" and his desire for more men to join his ranks.

The Second Camp: Louisiana Bayou, New France, 1765

Aveline found the smuggler Élise near Mackandal's second camp. Élise spotted two of Mackandal's followers and recognized them as escaped slaves from San Danje, a shanty town located in the Bayou.

Élise decided to return to her base of operations but asked Aveline not to hurt the men from San Danje. The Assassin followed one of Mackandal's acolytes to a secluded area of the camp and killed him. She searched his body and found another letter from the False Mackandal which stated that the Voodoo ceremony was scheduled for the Eve of Saint John.

Aveline returned to the Smuggler's Hideout and talked to Élise's business partner Roussillon. She knew when Mackandal's ceremony was going to take place, but not where. Roussillon suggested that she consult a witch doctor in San Danje. Élise had gone ahead to deliver supplies to him but had forgotten a small package. Roussillon assured the Assassin that by earning the witch doctor's trust, she would receive the secrets of the Bayou. He also asked to see her when her mission was complete, as he had some more work for her.

A Dark Influence: San Danje, New France, 1765-06-23

Aveline traveled to the Bayou shanty town called San Danje and met up with Élise and the witch doctor. She gave him the supplies provided by Roussillon. The Witch Doctor did not like the dark influence that Mackandal was spreading over the people of San Danje and offered to help in any way possible. He revealed that Mackandal was likely to be found on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain and that he was armed with a powerful poison. The witch doctor provided an antidote but warned that it would not be able to stop the poison, merely limit its damage. Aveline drank the antidote and decided to disguise herself as a slave to infiltrate the ceremony.

Eve of Saint John: Louisiana Bayou, New France, 1765-06-23

Aveline, disguised as a slave, and Élise traveled to Lake Pontchartrain by canoe and arrived at the False Mackandal's camp, where they saw the imposter talking to the Templar Rafael Joaquin de Ferrer. The False Mackandal, otherwise known as the renegade Assassin Baptiste, had a plan to poison the nobles of New Orleans and avenge the slaves, fulfilling his late Mentor's ultimate goal, which in turn would see control of the river fall into Templar hands. De Ferrer promised that if the plan succeeded, Baptiste would be inducted into the Templar Order. After de Ferrer left, Mackandal began the ceremony.

Aveline slipped into the ceremony site undetected and joined the dancing acolytes. She attempted to hit Baptiste with a dart from her blowpipe but before it could connect, Baptiste hit her with a dart from his own. He recognized Aveline's weapon as being the one that Agaté had stolen from him.

Baptiste admitted to usurping the identity of his deceased Assassin mentor and using it in a plan to force Agaté out of hiding. Thanks to the antidote, Aveline survived the poison attack and killed Baptiste's bodyguards, forcing the Voodoo leader to confront her himself. After a fierce duel, Aveline assassinated Baptiste.

As he lay dying, Baptiste recognized the locket around Aveline's neck, claiming to know a woman from his shared past with Agaté who wore an identical one. But before Aveline could get the woman's name, Baptiste perished.

The Whole Truth: Agaté's Hut, New France, 1765

Aveline took her leave from Élise and returned to Agaté. She reported that Baptiste was dead and that he was working for The Templars and de Ferrer. When Agaté asked her if she learned anything else, all Aveline admitted to was that Baptiste had hoped to draw him out of hiding, rather than share any of her discoveries that may relate to her missing mother.

Prelude to Rebellion: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

After France's defeat in the French-Indian war, Spain gained control of Louisiana and established a Spanish governor in New Orleans. Answering a summons to her family's warehouse sent by her ally Gérald Blanc, Aveline encountered a riot as the citizens of New Orleans rebelled against their new masters. Aveline defended the citizens from Spanish soldiers, whom she dispatched. When she was finished, Aveline questioned some citizens about the reasons for the uprisings. She learned they were upset about the surge of kidnappings following the Spanish takeover.

Aveline met Gérald at the warehouse, where he presented her with new headquarters for her Assassin activities. He also provided a place to manage her father's trading empire, as well as a room to change outfits and store her weapons and tools. As a final surprise, he gave her a parasol that also doubled as a dart gun.

His gifts to Aveline graciously accepted, Gérald turned to new business. A rival, Mr. Bouché, had set up a stall in the market, claiming that de Grandpré's coffee eroded the nerves of those who drank it. This slander had already started damaging sales. Aveline promised to cut Mr. Bouché's campaign of lies short.

Elegant and Deadly: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

Seeking to stop a campaign of slander against her family's coffee business, Aveline sought one of Gérald's informants and followed him to Mr. Bouché's stall in the market. One of Bouché's employees was spreading lies about the dangers of de Grandpré coffee and urging the citizens of New Orleans to drink East India tea instead. Aveline confronted the merchant and demanded an explanation, but all the poor illiterate employee could do was plead ignorance, asking that she seek his employer in his warehouse.

At Bouché's warehouse, Aveline dispatched a guard with her new parasol dart gun and confronted Bouché. She demanded he stop slandering her family's reputation and issue a public apology. Having no intention to apologize, Bouché claimed that his profits were declining because he was losing too many slaves. Having no sympathy for the down-on-his-luck merchant, Aveline left.

She reported back to Gérald, who surmised that Bouché's financial trouble made him sell off his shops. Aveline decided to buy him out so she could pay his slaves a proper wage and set them on the path to freedom. Gérald promised to look out for similar opportunities in the future.

After Aveline bought one of Bouché's shops, she returned to Gérald. She believed that she had put an end to the problem of vanishing slaves when she killed Governor d'Abbadie. However, the problem had only gotten worse because now laborers and the poor were being abducted as well. Aveline decided she wanted to investigate the problem further. Gérald suggested she begin her investigations at San Danje, in the Bayou. Accordingly, she went to the docks, met Gérald again to have the company settle travel costs, then set out for the Bayou.

Vanishing Slaves: The Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

Aveline arrived at San Danje and met with the Houngan she'd helped years earlier. She informed him she was investigating a new series of disappearances and asked if anyone had gone missing in the vicinity. The witch doctor replied that so many people traveled through San Danje that it was difficult to keep track. He suggested she talk to their mutual acquaintance Elise, who might have a better idea. He then gave Aveline a new type of poison for her blow gun darts.

Aveline reunited with Elise and immediately brought up the missing slaves. Elise confirmed she'd seen convoys of people being carted off. While Elise didn't know where they were being sent, she knew the convoy originated from the Fort in the Bayou.

The next day, both women met along the convoy's path and raced to catch up with it. Aveline eliminated the guards and Elise recognized some of the prisoners. She called out to a slave named Chrisfait, who replied he didn't need rescuing because he was being taken to a work site in the south where he had been promised freedom. Aveline and Elise were skeptical and decided to investigate the Spanish fort where the convoy originated.

Storming the Fort: The Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

After intercepting a convoy full of slaves heading to an undisclosed destination in the south, Aveline and Elise approached the Bayou Spanish fort. Aveline voiced her frustration about having failed to stop the abduction of slaves the last time.

Aveline silently eliminated the fort's guards. Once inside its walls, Aveline chased the ranking officer in charge while Elise provided cover fire. After killing the officer, Aveline opened the fort's cells to free the prisoners. Once again, the women were met with no gratitude, as the laborers were visibly upset that they would not get to board the work ship. Elise escorted the workers back to San Danje while Aveline returned to New Orleans.

In Vino Veritas: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

After raiding the Spanish fort and liberating slaves in the Bayou, Aveline reported back to Gérald in New Orleans. She knew that the Spanish were behind the kidnapped slaves but she didn't know where they were headed, or why the slaves seemed so eager to go. Gérald said the order must have come from Governor Ulloa, who was hiding out of reach in La Balize.

The two Assassins hatched a plan to draw Ulloa out. The Spanish governor's restrictive laws had put the predominantly French population of New Orleans on edge. There were protests and unrest in the streets regularly. Aveline, disguised as a slave, followed Gérald to a demonstration and incited a riot.

While the citizens rioted against the soldiers, Gérald informed Aveline they had an opportunity to intercept a delivery of gunpowder. Aveline quickly changed into her Assassin gear and silently eliminated the guards surrounding the gunpowder-laden carriage.

Aveline and Gérald stole the carriage and raced it through the streets of the city, chased by Spanish soldiers. They crashed the carriage into a wine storehouse, causing a giant explosion. She noticed soldiers were preventing people from escaping the burning building. She cleared the way by charging into the building and killing the blocking soldiers.

Afterwards, an exhausted Gérald suggested that they regroup at the warehouse.

Getting Ulloa's Attention: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

After starting a riot and triggering a large explosion, Aveline and Gérald reconvened at their warehouse headquarters. To cause further disturbances to draw governor Ulloa out of hiding, Gérald suggested she sabotage Spanish ships harbored at the docks.

Aveline departed for the docks, where she boarded a ship and killed the guards onboard. She cut it loose from its anchor and was ambushed by a squad of soldiers led by her old acquaintance Captain Carlos Dominguez. After Aveline killed his men, Dominguez begged for his life. She showed him mercy but told him to save himself as she set explosives to completely destroy the vessel.

A Governor No More: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1768-10-27

Aveline received a letter from her mentor Agaté, summoning her to the city's cemetery. At their meeting, Agaté asked for a show of loyalty. He requested she kill Antonio de Ulloa, the Spanish governor. The riots Aveline and Gérald incited had forced the governor out of hiding in La Balize.

Aveline prepared an ambush along the governor's route into the city. She killed nearby guards and blocked exits by crashing water towers into them. The governor's convoy arrived and quickly found themselves trapped in the town square. Aveline launched her ambush by blowing up a powder keg, killing a large number of soldiers, before eliminating the survivors.

With no one left to defend him, Governor Ulloa begged Aveline to spare his wife and child. Aveline showed little sympathy but stopped when the governor revealed that the slaves were being taken to Mexico. He couldn't say why because he had no idea. Ulloa bargained for his life by offering what limited information he possessed. He suggested the workers were perhaps excavating relics of importance to the Templars from that region. In addition, he offered Aveline a special decoding lens that was given to him by the Templar Order. Aveline accepted the trade, and told the governor to take his family away from the continent and never return. Ulloa showed clear relief at her mercy, until Aveline informed him the Templars were likely to kill him sooner or later.

Aveline returned to Agaté in the cemetery and presented him with the lens. However, Agaté's pleasure quickly melted into outrage when he discovered that Aveline had disobeyed him and allowed Ulloa to live. Aveline attempted to calm her mentor, reminding him of their shared goals to free the slaves, defeat the Templars, and deliver justice. She wanted to pursue the Templars' trail to Mexico. Agaté forbade her to go, but Aveline insisted, drawing a warning from her mentor that she would live to regret her insubordination.

Southbound: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1768

Aveline made preparations to journey to Mexico to find the slaves that had been taken from New Orleans by the Templar Order. She was met at the docks by Gérald Blanc, who had heard about her plans through a disgruntled Agaté. He asked her if she was abandoning her mission as an Assassin. Aveline explained that her cover story was that her father was sending her to Cuba to locate suppliers for their business. Gérald confessed his feelings for her, but ultimately realized that there was nothing he could do or say to stop her. Instead, he helped her board a ship full of slaves bound for Mexico.

A New Life: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1769

Aveline arrived in the Mayan city of Chichen Itza where the Templars had opened an excavation site near some ruins. The site was supervised by the Templar Rafael Joaquin de Ferrer. Aveline mingled with other members of the community to learn more about her new surroundings. De Ferrer welcomed the newcomers to what he says will be a free and peaceful life in which they can work hard and prosper.

Aveline met a slave she had freed years earlier, who explained that while they weren't paid a wage and didn't own the land, they were allowed to participate in their new community and enjoyed comfortable homes and good food. She said she enjoyed this new life and compared the settlement to Eden.

Gathering Tools: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1769

Aveline moved around the work site, obtaining materials needed to fashion weapons to defend herself. She stole belts from the Spanish Templar guards, knives from one of the cooks, and wooden planks from the nearby construction site. She distracted the blacksmith by blowing up kegs of gunpowder, then used his tools to fashion two makeshift hidden blades.

The Company Man: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1769

Now that she was sufficiently armed, Aveline trailed the work site's overseer and the Templar Rafael Joaquin de Ferrer. She overheard de Ferrer state that the Company Man was displeased with the progress of the excavation site, and that a Templar named Vazquez was going to New Orleans to continue the Order's mission after Baptiste's failure. She followed the two men until they came to a member of the community who had attempted to escape. De Ferrer told the overseer to "educate" him and left.

Aveline killed the soldiers who were attacking the captive, then killed the overseer and stole his whip, which she used to eliminate reinforcements. The captive was grateful for Aveline's help. He pointed out that the locket she wore around her neck looked like one he had seen before, worn by a woman named Jeanne, one of the first workers to arrive at Chichen Itza. He did not know where Jeanne was, only that she lived in a private residence in the south of the camp.

Trail of Truth: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1769

After learning that her long-lost mother Jeanne might be found in the Chichen Itza work camp, Aveline searched for clues. Using her Eagle Vision, she eventually found Jeanne's abandoned hut. Further clues prompted Aveline to investigate a nearby cenote.

The Secret of the Cenote: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1769

Aveline explored the ruins of a First Civilization Temple and found half of a mysterious artifact known as the Prophecy Disk.

Immediately after finding the artifact, Aveline was surprised by Rafael Joaquín de Ferrer, the high-ranking Templar agent who had plotted with Governor Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie and former Assassin Baptiste. De Ferrer now threatened to steal the artifact from her, but Aveline killed him and his men before he had the chance.

Reunited, Briefly: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1769

After finding the first half of an artifact called the Prophecy Disk, the First Civilization Temple began to crumble around Aveline. During her escape, she was briefly reunited with her mother, Jeanne.

Jeanne wondered if Agaté had sent Aveline to Mexico to kill her and warned her daughter that the disk should never fall into Agaté's hands. To Aveline's dismay, her mother fled in terror before she could explain further.

Prodigal Daughter: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1771

Aveline returned from Mexico and reunited with Gérald Blanc. She informed him that de Ferrer would no longer trouble them. However, their warm homecoming was cut short, as new business was waiting for her. Gérald reported that Spanish soldiers were causing havoc in the Bayou. One of his informants saw a man bribing Spanish soldiers in New Orleans. Aveline promised to investigate.

Aveline located the recruiter in town and followed him as he bribed soldiers in the city. She chased him down until he hid in a fort.

Rotten Barracks: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1771

Aveline infiltrated the military camp in New Orleans where the Templar recruiter was hiding. After killing him, she found a letter on his body. Aveline escaped the camp, read the letter, and discovered it was from Vazquez, who mentioned a need for more soldiers to control the Bayou.

Aveline recalled that de Ferrer mentioned Vazquez in Chichen Itza and wondered if he could be the elusive Company Man. She decided to warn Agaté and the smugglers in the Bayou.

Power of Voodoo: Louisiana Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1771

Aveline traveled to the Bayou to warn Agaté about the Templar Vazquez. However, her mentor was not pleased to see his wayward pupil and even less pleased to see the Prophecy Disk when she presented it to him. He demanded that she remove it from his sight. Aveline obeyed and was careful not to mention her mother's involvement.

Agaté was already aware that Vazquez was bribing Spanish troops. To disrupt their morale, he devised a plan to use their superstitions against them. Aveline offered to help him as proof of her loyalty. Agaté had placed signs along the Templar's patrol route, and Aveline tailed the soldiers and eliminated them silently, creating the illusion of a Voodoo curse.

Aveline doubted that Agaté's plan would be enough to stop Vazquez from recruiting more soldiers, but followed his orders nonetheless.

The Lighthouse: Louisiana Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1771

Aveline reunited with her smuggler friends Elise and Roussillon to warn them of Vazquez's plots. Roussillon heard rumors that Vazquez planned to divert a supply ship.

Aveline climbed the lighthouse at the fort on Lake Pontchartrain and shut it down.

Stolen Goods: Louisiana Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1771

After Aveline sabotaged the lighthouse, the Templar supply ship ran aground. The Assassin returned to her smuggler allies and escorted them to the ship, killing the guards that attempted to stop them.

The smugglers were overjoyed with their prize. Although Vazquez wasn't on board, Roussillon found a letter that prompted Aveline to return to Chichen Itza.

A Piece of the Puzzle: Chichen Itza, Yucatán, 1772

Realizing that the First Civilization artifact she discovered in Chichen Itza was only half of a larger disk, Aveline de Grandpré returned to the ancient Mayan city to recover the other fragment. Upon entering the site, she met her mother, Jeanne. Having gotten over her initial fear, Jeanne now greeted her daughter warmly. When Aveline asked her mother if she felt free, she hinted that she would only be at peace when someone removed the rest of the artifact.

With her mother's help, Aveline acquired the second fragment from a hidden chamber within the caves.

An Urgent Favor: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1773

Aveline returned home from Chichen Itza to find her father Phillipe suffering from an illness, despite being administered a tonic by her step-mother Madeleine de L'Isle. Her visit with her father was cut short when Madeleine requested her assistance in helping a slave named George flee to the north. Aveline promised to provide discreet help.

Aveline found George hiding from Spanish soldiers, escorted him to the city gates, and told him to find safety in the Bayou.

Supplying the Revolution: Louisiana Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1773

At the request of her stepmother, Madeleine, Aveline helped an escaped slave named George flee north. She introduced him to her smuggler friends in the Bayou, who were attempting to deliver supplies to the Patriots fighting in the American Revolution.

In exchange for her help in delivering the supplies, Aveline demanded the Patriots escort George to freedom. They agreed, provided he fight for their cause. After delivering the supplies, Aveline learned that Vazquez was back in Louisiana, and planned to resume her hunt for the Company Man.

The Last Dance: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1773

After seeing George to safety, Aveline returned to New Orleans to inform Gérald of Vazquez's return to the city. Gérald suggested that their Templar target might attend the Captain's Ball.

Aveline located her target and charmed Vazquez into dancing with her, before luring him away from the other party guests and then stabbing him. As he lay dying, Vazquez revealed that the Company Man was in fact a woman, but died before revealing her name.

As Aveline left the party, she was confronted by her stepmother Madeleine, who informed her that her father had passed away.

The Loss of a Father: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1773

With her father dead, her stepmother informed her the circumstances of her birth prevented him from leaving her anything in his will, but that she could still consider Madeleine's house as her home. Likewise, Gérald assured her that while he had inherited the family business, he considered it to be hers.

A Fool's Errand: New York, British America, 1777

Several years after the death of her father, Aveline learned from Gérald's expanded network of informants that a loyalist officer called Davidson of Lord Dunmore's Ethiopian Regiment would be able to unmask the elusive Templar known as the Company Man. Aveline headed north to New York to meet up with her local counterpart, an Assassin named Connor.

Aveline and Connor tracked Davidson to a fort. Connor distracted the guards while Aveline found Davidson, who turned out to be George, the slave she had helped free years earlier. Aveline pursued George and prevented his escape. Before he died, he revealed that Aveline already knew the identity of the Company Man.

Step-Mother Dearest: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1777

Aveline returned to her family's mansion and confronted her stepmother, Madeleine de L'Isle, otherwise known as the Company Man. Madeleine, in turn, revealed that she knew Aveline was an Assassin, and that the only reason Aveline still lived was to serve Madeleine's plans.

Aveline fled the mansion. Madeleine followed her to the courtyard and explained that she had manipulated Aveline into eliminating undesirable elements from the Templars as an invitation for her to leave the Assassins and join the Order.

Agaté's Pride: Louisiana Bayou, Spanish Louisiana, 1777

After confronting her stepmother, Madeleine de L'Isle, Aveline de Grandpré sought counsel from her estranged mentor, Agaté. However, believing that she had joined the Order, he attacked her. Aveline was victorious, but chose not to kill Agaté.

Overwhelmed with guilt about failing his disciple, Agaté took his own life by leaping from his tree-top den.

Assassin No Longer: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1777

Aveline returned to New Orleans with Agaté's necklace as proof of his death. She returned to her stepmother Madeleine de L'Isle, head of the Templars in New Orleans. Aveline gave up the Prophecy Disk and declared that she was ready to join the Order.

Aveline was inducted into the Templar Order at St. Louis Cathedral. As soon as the ceremony ended, Madeleine attempted to activate the Prophecy Disk but was unable to make it work.

Prophecy Delivered: New Orleans, Spanish Louisiana, 1777

Aveline attacked and killed the assembled leaders of the New Orleans Templars. After years of frustration, Aveline took her revenge for the murder of her father and the exile of her mother.

After killing Madeline de L'Isle, Aveline took the Prophecy Disk and inserted her mother's pendant. The Disk activated and Aveline witnessed a cryptic message from members of the First Civilization.

Initiates Database/Ratonhnhaké:ton

Ratonhnhaké:ton's Birth: Kanatahséton, British America, 1756-04-04

Haytham Kenway was sent by his London masters to North America with a mission to find a First Civilization Temple. To accomplish this, he gained the trust of Kaniehtí:io, a Kanien'kehá:ka woman, who revealed that the Precursor site he sought was considered sacred ground. Over the course of their partnership, they grew closer and conceived a child.

Shortly after showing him the site, Kaniehtí:io discovered Haytham's connections to the Templars and their desire to use the Precursor site to shape the world based on the Order's interests.

Stung by the betrayal, she kept her pregnancy a secret and ordered Haytham to leave. Despite knowing the father's affiliations, the villagers allowed Kaniehtí:io to raise her son in their community.

Hide and Seek: Kanatahséton, British America, 1760-11-02

When he was four years old, Ratonhnhaké:ton and his friends ventured into the woods outside their village. While playing hide and seek, he was grabbed and thrown to the ground by a stranger. Soon, he was surrounded by a group of Englishmen.

Ratonhnhaké:ton tried to run, but the men stopped him. One of the group remarked that he looked familiar. The man then grabbed the boy by the throat and asked him questions, but he refused to answer. He insulted Ratonhnhaké:ton and his people, saying they were worthless and should surrender what they had if they knew what was good for them. Ratonhnhaké:ton demanded to know the name of his attacker, and the Templar Charles Lee identified himself before one of his men knocked the boy out.

A Mother's Death: Kanatahséton, British America, 1760-11-02

Shortly after his confrontation with the Englishmen, Ratonhnhaké:ton regained consciousness only to find the forest full of smoke. He immediately made his way back to his village, Kanatahséton, only to find it on fire.

His mother, Kaniehtí:io, was trapped in a burning longhouse and though he tried his best, the young boy was unable to save her.

In the years that followed, Connor became convinced that Charles Lee was the man responsible for the destruction of his village and death of his mother.

Feathers and Trees: Kanatahséton, British America, 1769-10-04

Ratonhnhaké:ton, now a young man, had learned the ways of the forest and put his knowledge and skills to use for his village. He went out with his friend Kanen'tó:kon to find feathers for a ceremony by the Clan Mother, teaching him how to climb trees and move quickly through the forest on their boughs. He also showed Kanen'tó:kon how to hunt various animals such as hares, foxes, and deer for their meat and skins.

Something to Remember: Kanatahséton, British America, 1769-10-04

Ratonhnhaké:ton wondered why his village did not join the other native communities in pushing the outsiders out of their territory. The Clan Mother revealed that their village was built on sacred ground, and it was their duty to protect it and keep it hidden. She opened a box and revealed a sphere, which she handed to him.

The moment he touched it, Ratonhnhaké:ton experienced a vision. In it, an ethereal woman appeared to him and introduced herself as Juno, saying they were both now in a place called The Nexus. She transformed him into an eagle and guided him through a series of potential futures, not only of his village, but also of North America and the world. She warned that maintaining the status quo would not save anything, but instead would give the Templars time to master First Civilization technology and lay waste to the planet.

Ratonhnhaké:ton was shown Assassin symbols and told to follow them to find training.

These visions instilled Ratonhnhaké:ton with a sense of personal responsibility to prevent the Templars from achieving their goals. The Clan Mother realized that to save their village from annihilation, she had no choice but to let the boy pursue his destiny. She advises him to go to the east and seek the symbol to find a man who had helped his mother.

A Boorish Man: Davenport Manor, British America, 1769-10-04

Following his visions of Assassin symbols, Ratonhnhaké:ton arrived at a crumbling manor belonging to a man named Achilles Davenport, who at one time was the mentor of the North American Assassin Brotherhood.

Ratonhnhaké:ton asked Achilles to instruct him, but the old man wanted nothing to do with the boy and warned him against following the path of the Assassin. Undeterred by the refusal, Ratonhnhaké:ton camped out in the stables next to the mansion, where he was attacked by thieves. Achilles came to his aid and after killing the thieves, he allowed the boy inside his home to discuss his purpose.

Connor and the Assassins: Davenport Manor, British America, 1769-10-29

Ratonhnhaké:ton convinced Achilles to tell him about the Brotherhood and their eternal struggle against the Templar Order. Achilles revealed the Templar conspiracy to dominate the world, and spoke about the rise of the American Templars and the fall of the Assassins during the Seven Years' War in North America.

The boy came to realize that his visions were referring to the conflict between the Assassins and the Templars, and he started to show a serious interest in the Assassins' cause. During these history lessons, Ratonhnhaké:ton noticed that Achilles had created charts tracking the movements and important players along his basement walls. He recognized Charles Lee's portrait on the wall as well as that of his father, Haytham. He understood that all the Templars had to be eliminated, including his father.

The boy's fierce determination and unlimited potential began to restore Achilles' faith in the Assassins and their mission.

The Compleat Assassin: Davenport Manor, British America, 1769-11-03

To stop the Templar Order's advancement in North America, Achilles agreed to train Ratonhnhaké:ton in the ways of a true Assassin.

Ratonhnhaké:ton not only learned how to use various weapons and hand-to-hand techniques, he also received lessons in philosophy, language, arts, and other liberal disciplines. He was to be a complete Assassin, knowing not only the arts of assassination, but understanding the history and philosophy of the Order.

Achilles' Errand: Boston, British America, 1770-03-05

After several months of Assassin training, Achilles decided to restore his manor. Accordingly, he brought his protégé Ratonhnhaké:ton – whom he renamed Connor – to Boston to get the supplies for the renovations.

Although he was initially excited about the action and the opportunities available in the city, Connor quickly picked up on the anxiety and tense atmosphere that permeated the streets.

While he did not yet understand the context, Connor overheard citizens arguing over the treatment of the colonies by the British Parliament.

Chaos at the Custom House: Boston, British America, 1770-03-05

After purchasing items needed to renovate the Manor, Connor returned to Achilles and together they noticed a commotion in the streets of Boston. People were rushing towards the Custom House. Demonstrators were yelling anti-British slogans, and some were being restrained and beaten by Redcoats.

Connor and Achilles arrived near the Massachusetts Town House and found a crowd of citizens confronting British soldiers in a tense standoff. Achilles grabbed Connor and directed his attention towards Connor's father, Haytham Kenway, who was speaking with a Templar sniper. He asked Connor to stop the sniper, who he suspected was going to set off the crowd like a powder keg.

The Templar Sniper: Boston, British America, 1770-03-05

Connor followed the sniper through the streets and up to a rooftop. Meanwhile, the commotion in the crowd continued, forcing the British soldiers to form a firing line to confront the citizens. Connor stopped the sniper, but was too late to notice Charles Lee on another rooftop, who fired into the crowd.

The Redcoats believed that shot came from the crowd and returned fire, hitting several citizens with their shots. This event, which resulted in several deaths and injuries, would later be known as the Boston Massacre. Haytham Kenway pointed out Connor to a British soldier, suggesting that he fired the first shot.

Boston's Most Wanted: Boston, British America, 1770-03-05

Connor was on the run from the Redcoats who had mistaken him for a sniper who fired into the crowd near the Massachusetts Custom House. Connor tried to find Achilles but was called aside by Samuel Adams, a colonial activist. Adams revealed that he and Achilles were old friends and he offered to help Connor escape Boston.

Adams suggested that Connor remove "Wanted" posters calling for his arrest to reduce his notoriety. Meanwhile, Adams set up a ruse with a town crier to divert the attention of the citizens away from Connor.

Lying Low: Boston, British America, 1770-03-05

Samuel Adams realized that British troops were still searching the city for Connor. After giving British patrols the slip, Adams showed Connor a secret entrance that led them to an underground labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that had been built by the Freemasons.

After briefly losing their way, Connor found a door which led to the printer's shop responsible for the "Wanted" posters. Adams negotiated with the printer to clear Connor's name.

Although Connor questioned Adams' dishonest tactics, he realized the complexity of the situation required a certain amount of scheming to escape trouble.

The Lost Son's Return: Davenport Manor, 1770-03-18

Connor escaped Boston and made his way back to Achilles' homestead. Connor was so frustrated about having been abandoned by Achilles that he didn't realize the value of the experience he gained from his activities in the city. Connor was also upset that his father had been able to flee the scene without punishment.

Achilles talked Connor down and highlighted the importance of being patient before confronting Haytham and the Templars. Achilles then offered Connor the Hidden Blades, signature weapons of the Assassin.

River Rescue: Davenport Manor, 1770-03-18

Connor heard a noise outside Achilles' manor and opened the door to find a man named Godfrey. The frantic man, who had been calling for help, immediately started running towards the river. Godfrey explained to Connor that his partner Terry had fallen into the river while wrangling logs and was swept away by the current.

Connor leapt into action, grabbed Terry, and pulled him out of the river. Afterwards, Connor asked both lumberjacks to come work on the manor which needed a lot of wood to restore it. Terry, Godfrey, and their wives settled near the manor and began to work on the renovations.

This was only the first of many tasks Connor would perform as the keeper of the Davenport Homestead. Colonial America was a harsh and dangerous place for settlers, and Connor found himself using his Assassin skills to rescue many of them. Several moved onto the homestead, either out of gratitude, business sense, or both; it was a safe area with many resources to harvest and prepare. Skilled craftsmen, farmers, and hunters were among those Connor invited to live on his mentor's land.

The Aquila: Davenport Manor, 1770-03-18

Achilles met Connor at the shoreline near his manor to show him the husk of an old, decrepit ship. They met with Robert Faulkner, who was obviously proud of the ship, and who said he could repair "her" if only he had some supplies. This flagship of the Assassin navy, named the Aquila, later became Connor's ship.

Achilles also showed Connor a ledger representing the homestead's income and resources and taught him how to manage it all.

Connor Takes the Helm: Oak Bluffs, British America, 1773-09-13

With the Aquila restored and ready to sail once more, Robert Faulkner taught Connor how to handle the ship. The Aquila set out on the Atlantic Ocean and they dropped anchor near Martha's Vineyard to buy guns and recruit gunnery officers.

Faulkner led Connor to a tavern where he met up with the brothers David and Richard Clutterbuck, whom he intended to hire as gunnery officers. Meanwhile, Connor spotted the Templar Benjamin Church, who was chatting with British naval officer Nicholas Biddle, and asked about the location of Charles Lee. After a tense confrontation, Connor, Faulkner, and the Clutterbucks left the tavern and returned to the Aquila.

British Frigates: Vineyard Sound, British America, 1773-09-13

After leaving Martha's Vineyard, Faulkner ran Connor through some target practice, using British shipwrecks as targets. In particular, he showed Connor how to use the Aquila's swivel gun to explode powder barrels and cause major damage.

The exercise turned serious when a British patrol turned hostile and targeted the Aquila. Three schooners and then a frigate attacked Connor's vessel. Connor and his crew managed to eliminate them and continue on their way back to Davenport Manor.

The Day the Templars Cried: Davenport Manor, British America, 1773-09-27

After months of intense training in combat, philosophy, and naval tactics, Connor's mentor Achilles was content. He presented Connor with the traditional Assassin robes and gear and officially welcomed him into the Assassin Brotherhood.

As a full member of the Brotherhood, it was now Connor's responsibility to confront the Templars. But first, he needed to uncover details regarding their involvement in North America's increasingly unstable political environment.

Kanen'tó:kon's Visit: Davenport Manor, British America, 1773-10-12

Connor continued to train and hone his skills, knowing a confrontation with the Templars was fast approaching. One day, Achilles gave Connor a new weapon that had been left by an Assassin named Shao Jun.

Before he could practice further with the rope darts, Connor received a surprise visit from a familiar face. His childhood friend, Kanen'tó:kon, was now a full-grown warrior and a leader of their home village.

Their happy reunion was cut short by the news that their village was about to be sold and the villagers were being forced to leave. The purchase was even approved by the Iroquois Confederation.

Connor learned that the Templar William Johnson was responsible for the deal to oust his fellow villagers. He slammed a hatchet into one of the pillars of the mansion, explaining to Achilles that it was a symbol of his war with the Templars.

Silent Hunter: Davenport Manor, British America, 1773-10-12

On the Davenport Homestead, Connor met an injured hunter named Myriam. She said she'd been attacked by poachers after she confronted them. After Connor brought her to Achilles for help, he went after the poachers using his rope darts. He eliminated them, then invited Myriam to live on the homestead. She agreed, and began to supply furs and other goods to the growing community.

On Johnson's Trail: Boston, British America, 1773-11-06

Connor journeyed to Boston to locate William Johnson, to stop him from buying up lands and pushing the indigenous people further west. Connor sought out colonial activist Samuel Adams, asking for help finding Johnson. Adams agreed, saying he was heading to a meeting with some men who could help.

While walking the streets of Boston, Connor once again took notice of the chaos in the city as citizens protested the current state of affairs in which the British could compel them to board soldiers or provide supplies for little or no recompense.

Taxes and Tea: Boston, British America, 1773-11-15

Connor and Samuel Adams discussed the unrest in Boston. The tension started when new taxes were raised against the colonies, in particular a high tax imposed on British tea. The citizens found the taxes unfair and began to fight back against the Redcoats who were charged with enforcing British law.

Connor helped the colonists fight the tax collectors. In particular, Connor helped Stéphane Chapheau, a Boston militiaman who worked at William Molineaux's restaurant. Connor was disturbed by the tax collectors' violent actions, and did not hesitate to oppose them.

The Assassins also discovered that the Templar William Johnson was taking advantage of the high price of tea and colonial boycotts of British products to engage in a lucrative tea smuggling operation. Connor was convinced that Johnson was using the tea smuggling revenue to purchase the land under his home village.

Connor, along with Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty, vowed to put an end to it. Exploring the docks, Connor located three smuggling operations and destroyed their stockpiles of tea.

The Angry Chef: Boston, British America, 1773-12-03

Connor returned to Molineaux's restaurant, only to find Samuel Adams missing and Chapheau complaining he'd been robbed. He followed Chapheau around Boston while the chef riled up people against the injustices committed by the British.

Connor tried to calm him, but the chef was furious. The Assassin had to defend him as he rampaged through the streets and picked fights with Redcoats. Finally, he managed to teach Chapheau to control his rage and choose his targets carefully. After successfully assassinating a man working for Johnson, the chef agreed to join Connor in his cause. He would be one of many recruits Connor would bring to the side of the Assassins.

The Tea Party: Boston, British America, 1773-12-16

Connor continued to search for his ally Sam Adams. He eventually made his way to the Old South Meeting House, where he overheard Bostonians discuss returning tea to Great Britain to avoid paying the high taxes placed upon the product. The resentment from the citizens was growing, as was their willingness to physically resist the British.

At the Old South Meeting House, Connor heard Samuel Adams declare: "This meeting can do nothing further to save this country," a statement that doubled as a covert signal for the Sons of Liberty to destroy the merchandise. He confronted Adams, demanding more information before he would assist with his plans. Adams proudly explained that by dumping British tea in Boston harbor, Connor would not only be aiding the cause of liberty, but also depriving Johnson of his source of revenue and keeping him from purchasing Connor's home village. Adams suggested that Connor lead the "party" to keep them out of trouble, and Connor agreed.

Sinking Profits: Boston, British America, 1773-12-16

Connor and his allies approached three ships anchored in the harbor and loaded with tea: the Beaver, the Eleanor, and the Dartmouth. Connor dispatched the guards, allowing his allies onboard to begin their work. They smashed three hundred and forty chests of British East India Company tea, and dumped approximately forty-six tons of it into the water. Redcoats arrived, and Connor defended his allies (in particular Paul Revere and William Molineaux) as they destroyed the tea. They saved the last crate for him, which he dropped in the water as Templars William Johnson, John Pitcairn, and Charles Lee looked on.

The Templars could only watch, powerless, as their smuggling income sank in front of them, and with it, any plans to use that money to purchase native lands.

Hostile Negotiations: John's Town, British America, 1774-07-11

After the Boston Tea Party, Connor reported back to Achilles. He assumed Connor had killed William Johnson, and was disappointed to hear otherwise. Connor believed that by destroying Johnson's tea smuggling operation, he had stopped the Templars' ability to buy indigenous lands, including his home village. However, by sparing Johnson's life, he gave the Templars a chance to create other sources of income and continue their plans.

Six months later, Kanen'tó:kon returned to the Davenport Homestead to tell Connor that Johnson had raised the money to buy their village out from under them. Achilles reminded Connor of how resourceful the Templars were. Connor headed out with his friend, determined to stop Johnson.

Ultimately, Connor realized that his only chance to stop the purchase of his village was to kill Johnson. Kanen'tó:kon showed him Johnson Hall, Johnson's cliff-top meeting place, and Connor set off alone to infiltrate it. He found Johnson there in discussions with some natives. They accused Johnson of lying, saying he did not provide the support he promised. Johnson announced he'd tried to solve things peacefully, before telling his armed guards to attack his visitors. Connor assassinated Johnson, who declared with his dying breath that he was only trying to stop more violence.

Meeting the Commander-in-Chief: Philadelphia, British America, 1775-06-15

Connor went to Philadelphia with Samuel Adams and John Hancock to attend the Continental Congress ceremony where George Washington was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.

Connor was introduced to Washington, who was already aware of the young Assassin's achievements at the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Breed's Hill: Breed's Hill, USA, 1775-06-17

Hoping to locate John Pitcairn, Connor searched for a patriot camp on Bunker Hill, but realized that the patriot troops were located on Breed's Hill, where they were fighting the British for control of the area surrounding Boston. The patriots never caught sight of Pitcairn, as he had never arrived on the frontline.

During the battle, the patriots suffered heavy cannon fire from the British. In order to draw Pitcairn out, Connor moved towards the British ship in the Charlestown Peninsula, to stop the heavy artillery being launched at the patriots. After fighting Redcoats and disabling their cannons, Connor replaced the British flag on the ship with the flag of Bunker Hill to signal to Israel Putnam's command that the naval threat had been eradicated.

The Plot to Kill Washington: Davenport Manor, British America, 1775-08-22

After recovering a letter from the body of the Templar agent John Pitcairn, which revealed a plot to kill George Washington, the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Connor returned to Achilles' manor. There, he met with Benjamin Tallmadge who provided crucial details of the conspiracy. The Templars had tasked Thomas Hickey with the kill.

Tallmadge and Connor set out for New York to find and stop Hickey.

Declaration of Independence: Philadelphia, USA, 1776-07-04

After eliminating Thomas Hickey, Connor set out to find George Washington in order to prevent any other Templar attempts on his life.

Connor found Achilles in the hall of the Pennsylvania State House. He counselled Connor that Washington did not need to know about the Templar threat. Connor restrained himself and attended the formal ceremony of the Declaration of Independence.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence dealt a severe blow on the Templars' goals to control the growing Revolution.

Troubling Information: Valley Forge, USA, 1778-06-04

Connor and his father, the Templar Grand Master Haytham Kenway, traveled to Valley Forge to inform George Washington that the British were marching from Philadelphia towards New York.

While Connor tried to report to Washington, Haytham forced the Commander-in-Chief to admit to having ordered military operations against allied native communities who were collaborating with the British. Haytham also forced Washington to admit that he ordered similar attacks during the Seven Years War, suggesting that Washington was partially responsible for the destruction of Connor's home village, which claimed the life of his mother in 1760.

After hearing this shocking information, Connor became disillusioned with the Patriots' sense of justice and freedom. Though he continued to fight for the Patriot cause, Connor cut his ties with Haytham and Washington alike.

Battle of the Chesapeake Bay: Chesapeake Bay, USA, 1781-09-05

Connor sailed to the Chesapeake Bay and joined forces with the Comte de Grasse to fight alongside the French Navy. Despite the lack of reinforcements and severe enemy bombardment, Connor was able to hold the bay.

In the heat of the battle, Connor left the wheel of the Aquila to Robert Faulkner and worked his way across the enemy's man-of-war, damaging the ship and killing many of its crew. He returned to the Aquila after sinking the enemy's ship. After an exchange of heavy cannon fire, the French Navy emerged victorious in the Battle of Chesapeake Bay. This battle coupled with the siege of Yorktown, marked the end of the Revolutionary War, as Great Britain could no longer afford to support the conflict.

Initiates Database/Nikolai Orelov

Off the Rails: Borki, Russia, 1888-10-29

Tasked with the assassination of Tsar Alexander III, Nikolai Orelov infiltrated the Russian Imperial train as it journeyed from Crimea to St. Petersburg. During a struggle with his target, the train derailed.

The Tsar emerged unscathed and found Nikolai among the wreckage. He taunted and beat the Assassin, but chose to spare his life. In the process, Alexander revealed himself to be in possession of a Piece of Eden known as the Staff.

The Tunguska Event: Tunguska, Russia, 1908-06-30

Acting on rumors of Templar experiments on the Staff of Eden using technology stolen from Nikola Tesla, Nikolai Orelov led a team of Assassins on an assault on a facility in Tunguska, Siberia. The Assassins failed to retrieve the artifact before it was activated, prompting their ally – Tesla – to launch a powerful electrical weapon from his laboratory in the United States. Tesla's attack destroyed the Staff, creating an enormous explosion.

Nikolai was the only survivor.

Revolution's End: Tsasrskoye Selo, Russia, 1917-11-07

In the dying moments of the Revolution, Nikolai Orelov infiltrated the home of Tsar Nicolas II at the request of Vladimir Lenin. Although tasked with taking the Tsar's life, Nikolai was secretly hunting the Royal Staff. This Piece of Eden had been destroyed in Tunguska years before, but now appeared to be in the Tsar's possession.

After realizing that the staff held by Nicolas II was a mere replica of the Piece of Eden, Nikolai decided to spare him. During the encounter, the Tsar revealed that a surviving fragment of the Staff destroyed at Tunguska had been in the possession of his deceased former advisor, Grigori Rasputin.

Act of Mercy: Krasnoyarsk, Russia, 1917-11-15

Before searching the location of Grigori Rasputin's burial site and the fragment of the Staff he hoped it would contain, Nikolai Orelov traveled to Krasnoyarsk. There, he scaled the walls of the asylum and liberated Khioniya Guseva, a former disciple of the royal advisor who had attempted to murder him in 1914.

Guseva revealed the power witnessed from Rasputin's wielding of the fragment of the Staff of Eden, including her own involuntary self-mutilation. Granting her a final wish, Nikolai ended the woman's life and with it, her suffering.

The Mad Monk's Grave: Tsasrskoye Selo, Russia, 1917-11-22

Nikolai Orelov unearthed the corpse of Grigori Rasputin and recovered the splinter of the Staff of Eden. Ordering his underlings to burn the Mad Monk's body, he entered a carriage with his wife and daughter.

Alone with his family, Nikolai announced that his debts to his friend Ulyanov and his father had been paid, and renounced his allegiance to the Assassin Brotherhood. Though Russia's borders were closed, Nikolai vowed that they would cross them and start anew.

Setting Sail: North Sea, 1918

Nikolai Orelov and his family boarded a ship bound for the United States. Having decided to cut all ties with the Assassin Brotherhood, Nikolai believed that by fleeing to America he could live the remainder of his life in peace.

Love Lost: Hartford, USA, 1919-11-07

Shortly after their arrival in the United States, Nikolai Orelov and his family were ambushed during the Palmer Raids – an operation to arrest and deport foreign leftist radicals. Though he resisted, Nikolai was separated from his wife and daughter, and barely managed to evade capture with his infant son, Innokenti.

Nikolai spent the next few years searching for his wife and daughter, but never found them.

Cabin in the Woods: Connecticut, USA, 1926-01

After the Palmer Raids, Nikolai Orelov retreated to a remote cabin in the woods with his son Innokenti.

However, their solitary life was interrupted when an elderly Assassin named Sergei appeared. An old acquaintance of Nikolai, he urged the former Assassin to return to the Brotherhood and share the secrets he had learned. When Nikolai refused, Sergei grabbed Innokenti, brandishing a knife. In retaliation, Nikolai knocked the weapon from the Assassin's hand and strangled him to death.

A Father's Love: Connecticut, USA, 1926-01

Fearing for the safety of his son, Nikolai Orelov reluctantly returned to the ways of the Brotherhood in order to prepare Innokenti. The training was brutally intense and Nikolai showed no remorse or mercy toward his son, convinced that Innokenti needed to become as skilled and merciless as any Assassin.

A Father's Sacrifice: Connecticut, USA, 1928

Following a period of intense training, Nikolai Orelov and his son Innokenti were tracked down by a group of Assassins wishing to return them to the Brotherhood. Nikolai refused to comply and proceeded to kill numerous Assassins, but was shot in both legs in the process.

In a desperate bid to ensure his son's escape, Nikolai grasped the last of their attackers and prompted his son to shoot the man, realizing the implications. Although initially resistant, the boy pulled the trigger. The bullet passed through both Nikolai and the Assassin, killing both men.

Initiates Database/The Middle Ages

Gunpowder: China, 850

Gunpowder is thought to have been discovered by accident by Chinese alchemists around 850. However, this interpretation is contested. Some evidence suggests the black powder was discovered by the Arabs. In any case, the Chinese scientists were trying to invent an elixir that would render whoever took it immortal, but instead discovered the first explosive.

The Sung dynasty in China quickly understood the power of the explosive and used it for military purposes for protection against the Mongols in the early part of the tenth century. By 1304, the Arabs had developed the first gun, and by the fourteenth century, black powder in firearms was common in Europe, as evidenced by the presence of primitive gunpowder cannons on the battlefield becoming mandatory in the French and English military.

Forward Thinker: Baghdad, Iraq, 901-02-18

During the height of the Islamic Golden Age, Thābit ibn Qurra emerged as a leading visionary in the fields of mathematics, mechanical engineering, medicine, astrology, and astronomy. He was instrumental in ushering in many of the scientific reformations of that period; including the Ptolemaic system and the founding of statics.

Thābit also belonged to the Sabians of Harran, a sect of Hermeticists and celebrated a life of study and progression led by his beliefs. Although born in Harran, he moved to the intellectually thriving city of Baghdad, and occupied his years with teaching, study, and innovation until his death in 901AD.

Thābit's legacy did not end with his passing. His son, Sinan, became one of the most important physicians in Baghdad, who played a major role in the upkeep and development of the city's public hospitals during that era. His grandson, Ibrahim, went on to become a distinguished mathematician; studying the curves required to make sundials and advancing the theory of integration.

Daring Viking Explorer: Iceland, 970

The Norse explorer is widely recognized to be the first European to reach the shores of North America, in what is known as Newfoundland today. Although it is not clear whether he was part of the initial voyage to North America, he was certainly a member of the Viking expedition that reached L'Anse aux Meadows. According to Viking myths and sagas, Leif Ericson established a colony at Vinland.

The Templar Tomboy: Leicester, England, 1161

Maria Thorpe was born in England in 1161. Her parents forced her to wed Lord Peter Hallaton after her 18th birthday. After four years of marriage, she left her husband, obtained an annulment, and joined the Crusaders in the Holy Land.

Initiates Database/The Renaissance

Retrieving the Codex: Shangou, China, 1275

Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant who traveled extensively in Asia. Along with his father Niccolò and his uncle Maffeo, in 1271, Marco left for a diplomatic mission which led them to Kublai Khan's Mongol court.

Kublai Khan's acceptance of the Polo family gave them unprecedented access to his empire. Khan appointed Marco as a special envoy, which allowed the young man to enter places never before explored by Europeans. In 1275, Marco was able to retrieve the lost Codex of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, which was located in the Mongol summer capital of Shangdu. Marco Polo brought the Codex back to Venice and became the patron of a member of the Assassin Brotherhood.

Expedition Along the African Coast: Mogadishu, 1417

Zheng He was captured by the Ming Dynasty at an early age and served as a court eunuch. After contributing to the defeat of the Yuan Dynasty, Zheng was offered a governmental position and became an admiral and a diplomat. He was appointed to lead a large fleet to the Western Sea and embarked on several expeditions which led him to Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

On his fifth voyage, Zheng headed for Africa and the Arab Peninsula. Upon reaching Mogadishu, he and his crew did not receive a warm welcome, as the people of the city attacked them but quickly surrendered to the Chinese official.

Zheng made several other voyages and brought back many goods to China. His expeditions happened more than half a century before those of the more famous European navigators.

Sword and Smoke: Rouen, France, 1431-05-30

During the 14th and 15th century, The Hundred Years War between France and Britain saw a heroine emerge from the French side: Joan of Arc. Born a peasant, she led her country to many important victories against their enemies, but her claim of being led by divine guidance piqued the interest of the Templar Order.

The Templars discovered that the inspiration behind Joan's battles was in fact a First Civilization artifact known as the Sword of Eden. In order to take possession of the Sword, Joan of Arc was arrested, put on trial for heresy, and burned at the stake at the tender age of 19.

The Printing Press: Strasbourg, 1439

Although paper first appeared in China, the printing press emerged in Europe. Johannes Gutenberg and his associates apparently invented and constructed their wooden press in Strasbourg in 1439. Gutenberg had started to work on his printing press around 1436. The invention, which evolved greatly in the following years, allowed the mass production of printed books. In 1455, Gutenberg printed an estimated two hundred copies of the Bible. Accordingly, the printing press allowed the circulation and distribution of ideas and propaganda alike.

Eye, Eye: Monteriggioni, Italy, 1454-10-01

Acting on information extorted from an enemy spy in the city, Mario Auditore ventured into an excavated chamber beneath the Villa. Although some of his men were killed by traps and Mario himself was injured, losing an eye, he managed to locate a First Civilization artifact, known as the Shroud.

Before the Prince: Florence, Italy, 1469-05-03

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli, an Italian writer, philosopher, politician and member of the Assassin Brotherhood was born in Florence. Although his family was relatively wealthy, his early life was far from easy, with hardships brought on by debts inherited by his father. Niccolò wanted to sustain the rich intellectual atmosphere that he was raised in and so he devoted himself to his studies and gradually built up a library full of classical works.

Child of Rome: Rome, Italy, 1498-03-03

Giovanni Borgia, the probable son of Lucrezia Borgia and Perotto Calderon, was born. Heinously malformed and dangerously ill at birth, the child was not expected to live past a few days.

Funding Friedrich: Wittenberg, Germany, 1502

The Assassins discovered a Templar plot to bribe the German elector Friedrich der Wiese to prevent him from establishing a University dedicated to religious reform.

Dressed as shabby bandits, the Assassins headed to intercept the money on the outskirts of Wittenberg. There, they scared the driver, causing him to overturn the carriage. The Assassins quickly cut down the cart's defenders and seized the bribe. They left the driver alive to ensure that the bandit ruse would spread.

Soon after, the university received a tremendous contribution from an anonymous donor.

Helping Henry: London, England, 1503

During King Henry VII's reign over England, the country enjoyed peace and stability. However, the Assassin Brotherhood worried that the King might become a victim of Templar manipulation. In 1503, a team of disguised Assassins arrived in London to aid Henry in eliminating any usurpers affiliated with the Templars. After consulting with the King, members of the Brotherhood assassinated a powerful conspirator, Margaret of York, by poisoning her food. This ensured the appearance of a natural death and removed any suspicion from the King.

Following Margaret's death, her co-conspirators took to the streets hoping to ignite an uprising against Henry. The Assassins rushed to douse the flames of rebellion only to discover it to have been an elaborate distraction. The Templars had infiltrated England's secret court, the Star Chamber, Henry's method of trying powerful public figures without any public knowledge of the proceedings.

After an investigation, the Assassins discovered the identities of the Templars within the court and turned them over to the King. To show his appreciation for their assistance, Henry kept a seat open on the Chamber for a representative of the Brotherhood.

Resisting Manuel: Calicut, India, 1503

King Manuel I of Portugal sent a fleet commanded by Pedro Alvares Cabral to Calicut, India. While the alleged purpose of the trip was to trade spices, the Assassin's Guild in Calicut felt that it was a threat against them and requested the aid of the Brotherhood in Italy.

Traveling to the Indian trade hub, the Assassins prepared to combat the Portuguese King's secret Templar agenda. Posing as workers, the Assassins rallied the citizens against Cabral and eliminated his commanders before driving him out of the city.

Furious over the defiance his forces experienced in Calicut, Manuel commissioned a ruthless response in the form of a large fleet led by Vasco de Gama. Unprepared to deal with the impending attack, the Assassins were forced to clear out the guild, hide their relics and documents, and help evacuate family and friends. When Gama's fleet arrived, their assault was relentless. He demanded the expulsion of Muslims, incited violence, and slaughtered hundreds of innocent men, women, and children.

Presuming the operation a success, de Gama returned to Portugal, leaving his most trusted generals to continue his work in the city. Despite the violence, the Brotherhood endured. They stealthily eliminated their oppressors with the help of the local population, crippling Manuel's efforts to remove the Assassin presence.

Fooling Ivan: Moscow, Russia, 1503

The Italian Brotherhood was worried about the lack of information coming from Moscow and the welfare of Pietro Antonio Solari, their spy in the Kremlin. A team of Assassins traveled north to seek answers.

After arriving in Moscow, they established that Solari had been murdered. His killer was allegedly a fellow spy named Ridolfo Fioravant, a man thought to have died twenty years previous. After an investigation, the Assassins located Fioravant and, after questioning him, established that he had not taken Solari's life. The truth, however, was far more worrying.

Fioravant revealed that Ivan III had discovered their deception and had ordered Solari's execution, forcing him into hiding. Although he had confirmed their identity as spies, Ivan had not yet established for whom they worked, but had dedicated years to discovering the truth.

With Ivan dangerously close to discovering the existence of the Brotherhood, they drafted a plan to send the Russian ruler on a wild goose chase. They posed as members of the long-dissolved Strigolniki Sect and lured many of Ivan's men to their deaths, giving the impression of a wild conspiracy within the Kremlin. This shift in focus eased the pressure on the Brotherhood and allowed them to tactically re-establish a subtler presence in Moscow.

Ending Isabella: Barcelona, Spain, 1504

Following the death of Luis de Santángel, the Brotherhood was left without eyes inside the Spanish Royal court. Concerned about the unmonitored activities of Queen Isabella I and her history with the Templars, a group of Assassins journeyed from Rome to Spain in an attempt to infiltrate the Queen's inner circle.

After arriving in Barcelona, the Assassins visited Santángel's quarters in the hopes of collecting any remaining intelligence on their enemies. Although the Templars had ransacked his chambers, the Assassins discovered what the Templars could not: a journal hidden in a hollowed-out wall. It revealed that Santángel was slowly poisoning the Queen with the help of a servant woman working for Isabella.

The Assassins studied their royal target and confirmed her strong ties to the Templars and Cesare Borgia. The Assassins decided to finish what Santángel had begun. They found his accomplice and convinced the hesitant servant to continue poisoning Isabella until her eventual death.

Journey to the West: Beijing, China, 1505

In 1505, Shao Jun was born in royal captivity during the Ming Dynasty. She spent her teenage years as one of Emperor Zhengde's many concubines. After the Emperor died, she and some other concubines were freed by the Assassin Brotherhood. Shao Jun immediately devoted herself to their cause and began to train in their ways.

Years later, Shao Jun and her Mentor attempted to free the concubines that were still in captivity. She was horrified to discover that most of them were tortured to death by Zhengde's successor, Emperor Jiajing. The new Emperor sought to eliminate any who opposed him and ordered the destruction of the Chinese Assassins.

Shao Jun began a long journey west, to seek out the help of the legendary mentor Ezio Auditore.

Battle of Gogunda: India, 1576-06

The Battle of Gogunda, also known as the Battle of Haldighat, pitted the Rajput chief Pratap Singh against the Mughal Army. The Mughals sought to put down one of the last independent areas not under their control in the region of Rajasthan. Akbar, the Mughal ruler, pursued an aggressive policy to crush the Rajputs.

Even though the Mughals were victorious, Pratap Singh mounted an impressive opposition to the assault. In the aftermath of the war, he even continued his resistance from the surrounding hills and refused to recognize Mughal rule until several years after his army was defeated.

Stepped Ashore as King: Dover, England, 1660-05-25

George Monck was an English general who was instrumental in the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in 1660. After having fought in Ireland, Scotland, and the First Anglo-Dutch War, Monck was appointed Governor of Scotland.

Monck was part of the Parliamentary government installed by Oliver Cromwell and fought for them. However, after Cromwell's death, he took advantage of the Parliament's weak authority and of the confusion in London. On January 1, 1660, his army marched from the Scottish border towards London. Monck used his military power to stabilize the city.

The new Parliament proclaimed Charles II as the new king of England, and Monck traveled to Dover, Kent, to greet the new sovereign upon his return to the country, on the morning of May 25, 1660. From Dover, the new king marched toward London to secure his throne.

Executed After Death: Tyburn, England, 1661-01-30

Oliver Cromwell was the leader of the parliamentary forces against Charles I in the English Civil War, and contributed to the dismantling of the Stuart monarchy. After helping to establish the British Isles as a republic, Cromwell served as the first chairman of the Council of State during the republican Commonwealth period.

Cromwell was also a major player that helped the First Anglo-Dutch War. Despite his political and military successes, Cromwell faced the difficult task of appeasing both the Royalist and republican sides in Parliament. He refused to be a king and was careful to keep his republican officers satisfied. Cromwell attempted a new constitutional arrangement, but provoked an intense republican reaction.

During the late 1650s, Cromwell's health deteriorated rapidly. He contracted malaria and died on September 3, 1658. After his death, the Stuart monarchy began to restore itself in the country. The new Parliament ordered Cromwell's posthumous execution and a corpse who may or may have not been Cromwell's was hung up at Tyburn in London as a symbolic end to Cromwell's Parliamentary reign and the return of the Stuart monarch in England.

Monarchy Restored: London, England, 1661-04-23

King Charles I was executed at the height of the English Civil war, and the Scots proclaimed his son Charles II to be the new King of England. However, the forces of Oliver Cromwell advanced into Scotland and the young Charles II was forced into exile.

In the aftermath of Cromwell's death, the monarchy began to restore itself. Charles II was proclaimed king in May 1660, and set out for Dover, Kent, to re-enter England. After a settlement between Royalists and Parliamentarians was reached in the Parliament, on April 23, 1661, Charles II headed for Westminster Abbey to be crowned.

The Battle of Lowestoft: Lowestoft, England, 1665-06-03

The Restoration period was also marked by Anglo-Dutch wars. The Dutch and British navies collided on June 3, 1665, near the town of Lowestoft. Britain sent 109 men-of-wars and 28 war ships to square off against the Dutch's 103 men-of-war and 11 fireships.

The Dutch formation began to crumble, the British advanced. However, the Battle of Lowestoft proved to be a rare triumph for the English side, as the Dutch were able to recover and impose their conditions for peace two years after the battle.

Suspicious Fire in London: London, England, 1666-09-02, 02:00

In the 1660s, Great Britain was caught up in political and religious upheavals, as well as constant wars with the Dutch and the French. Moreover, in London, because of the close proximity of buildings made primarily of timber, the city was vulnerable to fires, and the city officials were certainly aware of it.

At 2 am, on September 2, 1666, the house of Thomas Farynor, the king's baker, caught fire. It started in the house located on Pudding Lane, near London Bridge, and quickly spread across the whole city. The fire lasted several days and was extinguished on September 5. In total, it destroyed 373 acres of the city. Fearing a rebellion among dispossessed refugees, King Charles II encouraged an evacuation of the city to resettle elsewhere.

The tension of the era allowed for the development of several conspiracy theories to explain the source of the fire. A Parliamentary Committee was set up to investigate the fire. A French watchmaker confessed to having deliberately started the fire and was convicted and hanged on September 28, 1666. However, his testimony was inconclusive and there was proof that he was not even in the city when the fire began. The Great Fire of London contributed to the political and religious tensions during the Restoration.

Initiates Database/The Golden Age of Piracy

The Dutch Buccaneer and Slaver: Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1630

Laurens Prins was born in Amsterdam and spent most of his life operating out of Port Royal, Jamaica.

In the early days of the Golden Age of Piracy, he sailed as a privateer and developed a reputation for courage fighting against the Spanish on behalf of the British crown. He was celebrated for his role in Sir Henry Morgan's infamous raid on Panama in 1671.

After retiring from privateering, he settled in Jamaica and entered the slave trade to bolster his wealth. In 1717, his flagship slave galley, The Whydah, was attacked by Black Sam Bellamy, though Prins managed to survive and continue slaving.

Grand Master Torres: Havana, Cuba, 1645

Laureano Torres was born in Havana to Tomas Torres y Ayala and Elvira de Quadros Castellanos. He was raised in Madrid, Spain, joined the Spanish army in his late teens, and became a Templar in his twenties, using their connections to get appointed as the governor of Spain's territories in Florida.

He returned to Europe to fight in the Spanish War of Succession. In 1708 he was appointed as the governor of Cuba, but was arrested for corruption. He was acquitted of the charges and won a re-election in 1713.

Torres developed both the Templar Order and Cuba's economy at the same time. He established the cultivation of tobacco on the island, gaining massive profits.

He recruited the French arms dealer Juilen du Casse and the pirate hunter Woodes Rogers to his Order, and even managed to entice the disgruntled Assassin Duncan Walpole to join him in his quest to locate The Observatory, a structure built by the First Civilization that could only be opened by a Sage, whom Torres believed to have captured.

The Story of Rum: Bridgeton, Barbados, 1651

Rum has been a staple of trade and nautical culture for hundreds of years. It is an alcoholic beverage produced from the by-products of sugarcane processing like juices and molasses. It is widely popular in the West Indies as well as the Canadian Maritime.

The origins of Rum are debated, but drinks made from fermented sugarcane juice have existed for thousands of years in Asia. Production of rum started out in the West Indies in the 17th Century when plantation slaves discovered molasses could be fermented into alcohol which could then be purified and concentrated by distillation.

Rum quickly became a trade staple in the Caribbean. Its popularity, value and heavy dependence on manual labor made it a key component in the era's trade triangles between Africa, Europe and the Americas. It replaced French brandy as the Royal Navy's daily ration of alcohol to its sailors, a practice shared by pirates. In fact, a daily dose of rum, or tot, was served to sailors of the British Navy until 1970.

Buried Treasures: Gardiner's Island, Long Island, 1651

Contrary to popular interpretations, chests brimming with gold and jewels were rather rare during the Golden Age of Piracy. Burying treasures in any form was rarer still. The only documented case concerns William Kidd's attempt to use some of the wealth he buried on Long Island as a bargaining chip to avoid punishment for piracy. That tactic failed miserably for him, he was hanged.

While English fiction helped popularize the myth of buried treasures, pirates were much more practical, looting food, water, alcohol, ammunition, rope, canvas and wood from ships to stay afloat. They sold anything they couldn't use, including looted valuables to pay for the crew and turn any profit from their endeavors... Which was often spent carousing on shore.

There have been ships filled with gold and treasures but they were usually warships under heavy escort. The average pirate ship could not hope to successfully overtake such tempting targets… with a few notorious exceptions. Still, a lot of commodities we consider of little value now were very valuable then because of rarity. Things like spices, fabrics and dyes were common types of pirate plunder.

The Gruff Commodore: England, United Kingdom, 1660

Commodore Peter Chamberlaine was charged with the task of helping Woodes Rogers issue King George's pardon to pirates. However, Peter was deeply resentful of his commanding officer and flouted Rogers's orders whenever possible.

Although he was humorless, he was respected by his men as a man of fortitude and cunning.

The Mayan Mentor: Tulum, Yucatán, 1660

Named for the Mayan god of hunting, Ah Tabai was the Mentor of the West Indies Brotherhood, as was his father Bahlam before him. Not much is known about Ah Tabai's early life, except for the fact that he lost a son.

As Mentor, Ah Tabai worked hard to open his Brotherhood to all people with good intentions as well as remain in contact with other Brotherhoods across the globe.

When the first rumors about the appearance of a new Sage began to emerge in 1713, he asked for help in keeping the First Civilization sanctuary safe from the Templars.

At the beginning of 1715, a British Assassin named Duncan Walpole arrived in Tulum, and asked to train under Ah Tabai, despite already possessing the rank of Master Assassin. When the Mentor received word that the Templars had captured the Sage, he sent Walpole to retrieve him, not knowing that Walpole was planning to betray him and the Brotherhood.

The Maroon Assassin: Akan Region, West Africa, 1670

Antò was born to the Ashanti tribe in the Akan region of West Africa and sold into slavery as a young man. He was sent to Jamaica, where he escaped with the help of the legendary warrior Kujo.

Antò founded a Maroon community near Kingston and established contacts with indigenous traders, who helped coordinate raids on plantations that freed more slaves to join him.

Although he ran Kingston's Assassin bureau, Antò's highest priority was always to free slaves from captivity.

The Captain Was Here: Panama City, Panama, 1671-01-18

Born in Wales, Henry Morgan became a buccaneer who raided Spanish settlements in the West Indies. Operating under the tacit approval of the English government, it is believed that Morgan was part of an expedition to seize Jamaica from the Spanish government.

After participating in several similar quests, Morgan was appointed commander of the buccaneers in 1668, and he organized multiple raids on Spanish settlements. In violation of a treaty between England and Spain, he captured Panama City and burned it to the ground.

Devoted to Discipline: England, United Kingdom, 1675

Kenneth Abraham was born to an upper-class family and was educated in a series of boarding schools. Upon graduation, he entered the army and rose through the ranks to become a Commander.

His devotion to order and discipline earned him a place with the Templars, who offered him power and influence that the military could not.

The Traitor Duncan Walpole: Houghton, England, 1679

Duncan Walpole was the second cousin of Robert Walpole, who is widely considered to be Britain's "first prime minister."

He left the relative comfort of his family life at age 18 when he joined the Royal Navy as a mid-shipman with dreams of becoming an officer. However, his hot temper and impulsiveness impeded a swift ascension through the ranks.

After three years, Duncan left the navy for the East India Company and met a sailor who introduced him to the Assassin Brotherhood and its teachings.

Although he was initially hesitant, Duncan quickly learned the skills of a Master Assassin. However his temper and arrogance were still present, which led to clashes with the leadership of the British Brotherhood.

In 1714, his Mentor asked him to sail to the West Indies to rendezvous with the Brotherhood there and meet with their Mentor Ah Tabai. Duncan eagerly accepted the mission, and the British Brotherhood never heard from him again.

The Pirate Hunter: Poole, England, 1679

Woodes Rogers was born into money, and his early life was the very model of ambition. When his father died in 1706, Woodes inherited his family's shipping company, and his fortunes grew.

However, by the end of 1707, his business suffered under raiding French forces and Rogers sought to recoup these losses himself. He became a privateer soon after.

His career as a privateer was rather unremarkable, though he was able to pen a successful memoir based upon his exploits. However, his fortunes quickly reversed. His son died suddenly, and wife left him soon after. Then he was sued by his former shipmates for allegedly hoarding profits, and lost the case.

In 1713, he returned to sea, and went to Madagascar to find and subdue the pirate stronghold of Libertalia. He was disappointed to find that it was little more than a squat.

When he returned to England, he lobbied King George for a commission to hunt pirates in the West Indies and was appointed the Governor of the Bahamas. He became an ally of the Templar Grand Master Laureano Torres y Ayala and joined his search for the Observatory.

A Vicious Captain: England, United Kingdom, 1680

The history of Charles Vane is not well documented, but he arrived in Port Royal during the War of the Spanish Succession and first served under the infamous pirate Henry Jennings.

Once he set out on his own, Vane recruited his old friend "Calico" Jack Rackham as his quartermaster. He was notoriously cruel to the crews of ships he captured and even withheld spoils from his own men, earning a reputation for being a difficult Captain to sail under.

Blackbeard's Mentor: Norfolk, United Kingdom, 1680

Much of Benjamin Hornigold's early life is unverified, but he is believed to have been born in Norfolk, England, around 1680.

He first appears in history between as one of the earliest pirates to emerge after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, which suggests that he was one of many privateers who could not make a living in the ensuing peace.

Hornigold was a mentor to Edward Thatch and settled in Nassau, where he launched a career as a full-fledged pirate. However, although he was a skilled sailor and strategist, he lacked the ruthlessness required to be truly successful. He refused to attack English ships out of a sense of loyalty to his home country, and soon began to question the long-term viability of the Pirate Republic he had helped to create in Nassau.

Birth of a Legend: Bristol, England, 1680

Little is known about the life of Edward Thatch before his exploits in the Caribbean during the golden age of piracy. He was most probably born in Bristol, England, and pursued a career as a sailor. It appears that he participated in the War of the Spanish Succession, but when the war was coming to an end, few jobs were available in the British Royal Navy, so Thatch, like many other sailors, settled in the Americas in search of better fortunes.

Thatch began his pirate activities under the command of Benjamin Hornigold. He then took command of his own vessel, and quickly became the most powerful pirate of his era, captaining several ships, the most famous being the Queen Anne's Revenge. During his career as a pirate, which only lasted a couple of years, Thatch terrorized the British authorities.

Captain of the Fortune: Casnewyoo Bach, Wales, 1682-05-17

Born John Roberts, much of his early life is unknown. However, he would later become the most successful pirate of the Golden Age, capturing over 170 vessels in his career. It is unknown why he changed his name to Bartholomew, but it's possible it was an homage to the privateer Bartholomew Sharp.

Although history remembers Roberts as "Black Bart," he never used that name during his lifetime.

Calico Jack: Port Royal, Jamaica, 1682-12-21

Jack Rackham was born in Jamaica, though little else is known about his childhood.

Rackham took great care in his personal appearance and presentation, and dressed himself in printed and painted fabrics, which earned him the nickname "Calico" Jack.

He was frequently drunk, and usually womanizing, using his outrageous and offensive personality to keep out of trouble. Despite associating with many famous scoundrels, Jack Rackham was not much of a fighter, sailor, or pirate.

He became the quartermaster on a British pirate ship under the command of Charles Vane, and the two joined the Pirate Republic in Nassau in January 1717.

A Collector of Hidden Blades: Montpellier, France, 1682

Julien du Casse was the nephew of the buccaneer Jean du Casse and followed his uncle's example by taking to the sea at an early age. Although he fought in a few battles in the War of the Spanish Succession on behalf of King Philip, he rapidly grew disillusioned with the Monarchy and their obsession with lineage and breeding.

Julien sought his fortunes in the New World. At first he worked for slave traders in Africa, but was uncomfortable with the cruelty of the profession, and so he departed for the West Indies in search of another vocation.

Julien worked for 10 years as a mercenary for anyone who could pay and eventually landed a permanent position with Templar Grand Master Laureano Torres y Ayala.

Mr. Wrong: England, United Kingdom, 1682

Hilary Flint was born to an aristocratic family, the youngest of three boys. He was the black sheep of the family, who found solace in his studies, where he developed a particular interest in explosives. This interest earned him the label of "problem child."

His parents enrolled him in a military school, where he quickly charmed his way into a few secret societies. After graduation, his connections earned him a place in the Templar Order. His obsession with firearms and explosives made him a valuable asset.

He was known to operate in the West Indies and was also known to have been romantically involved with the Assassin Rhona Dinsmore.

The Orchid: Guangzhou, China, 1686

Although Jing Lang was born to Chinese rebels, she grew up to become an accomplished diplomat with a flair for languages. She married the son of a general in the Qing Dynasty, but a shift in power forced her to become a pirate.

She spent the next decade at sea, and developed a reputation for brutality. In the West Indies, she became obsessed with rumors of a treasure and feigned a romantic interest in former Assassin Vance Travers in order to gain access to it.

The Aristocratic Pirate: Barbados, 1688

Stede Bonnet was probably the most unlikely person to end up as a pirate. Bonnet was the son of an affluent sugar planter in Barbados. His parents died when he was very young and he inherited the family estate, including the numerous slaves living on the plantation. Bonnet's liberal education did not make him an obvious candidate for a career as a pirate.

However, later on in life he left his wife and decided to take up piracy. He knew absolutely nothing about ships and seafaring, and ordered a fine vessel to be built, which he named the Revenge, and then set out to find a pirate crew.

The Steadfast Smuggler: England, United Kingdom, 1688

Upton Travers was born in England, and traveled to the West Indies to seek his fortune alongside his younger brother Vance.

They established a smuggling operation that they used to fund their involvement with the Assassin Brotherhood. When it came to the challenges of a smuggler's life, Upton was the more measured and cautious of the two brothers. However, the arrival of an alluring Chinese pirate named Jing Lang caused a rift between them.

The Runaway Bride: Glasgow, Scotland, 1689

Rhona Dinsmore was born in Scotland to an absent father and alcoholic mother. She left Glasgow in her teens and found work with merchants in Bristol.

At the age of twenty-one, Rhona was trapped in a terrible marriage and fled to Boston, before moving on to Jamaica. She tried farming, but soon found herself as a member of the Assassin Brotherhood.

Benjamin's Lackey #1: England, United Kingdom, 1689

Little is known about John Cockram, other than he was a friend and confidant of Benjamin Hornigold. Although he was a pirate for a few years, he quickly grew disillusioned with the state of affairs in Nassau and searched for a new cause to believe in.

Benjamin's Lackey #2: England, United Kingdom, 1689

Little is known about Josiah Burgess other than the fact that he was a friend and confidant of Benjamin Hornigold. He was a pirate for a few years but saw an opportunity in the royal pardon being offered by the King of England.

The Lady Black: Spain, 1689

Lucia Marquez never knew her father, though some suspect he was the explorer Alejandro Ortega de Màrquez. By the age of twelve she was living on her own, developing the skills of a master thief in the process.

She was seventeen when she was caught stealing a horse from a high-ranking Templar, but agreed to receive training rather than go to jail.

Her life as a Templar in the West Indies was never lacking in challenge or adventure.

The Bastard of Captain Kidd: England, United Kingdom, 1690

Mary Read was born in England, at some time between 1685 and 1695, the illegitimate daughter of a sea captain's widow. Her mother dressed her as a boy in the hope of passing her off as another man's son.

As a teenager, Mary used her skills of disguise to secure a job aboard a ship, and eventually wound up in the Royal Navy. She married during the War of the Spanish Succession, but, after her husband was killed, she traveled to the West Indies and began a career as a pirate.

Mary resumed dressing as a man, and forged a false identity as James Kidd, the illegitimate son of the infamous pirate William Kidd. She soon found a new direction in life after meeting Ah Tabai, the Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood in the West Indies.

A Fool in Love: England, United Kingdom, 1690

Vance Travers was born in England, the younger brother of Upton Travers. The pair left home to seek their fortune in the West Indies and started a smuggling operation, before being recruited into the Assassin Brotherhood.

Compared to his more level-headed brother, Vance was passionate, creative, and gullible. He fell in love with a Templar pirate named Jing Lang, who was after the treasure the Travers brothers had stashed to fund their retirement.

Caroline Scott of Hawkins Lane: Bristol, England, 1691

Caroline Scott was born in Bristol, England, to Emmett and Elizabeth Scott, part of a prosperous family of merchants and civil servants.

She was given a modest education by her father, but she supplemented it by reading as often as her household duties allowed. She grew into an intelligent and confident young woman.

Caroline first met Edward Kenway outside of the Auld Shillelagh, after the latter saved one of her servants from the clutches of some of Bristol's most notorious cads.

Although she was thankful for his kindness, and agreed to meet him again under more favorable circumstances, she never imagined, at the time, that a romance would bloom.

Kingston, Jamaica: Kingston, Jamaica, 1692

Kingston was established in 1692, following a massive earthquake that destroyed the town of Port Royal. After the tragedy, which drowned most of the land in the area, a new town was created. Kingston would later attract a number of unemployed sailors who quickly turned to piracy.

The Taino Assassin: Cuba, 1695

Opia Apito was raised among her mother's people, the Taino, and never knew her father, a Spaniard. There were rumors that her father was the adventurer known as Alejandro Ortega de Màrquez, but these have never been verified.

When Opia was twelve years old, her village was raided by the Spanish. Most of her community was kidnapped or killed, but Opia fought and ran. She survived in hiding for close to a decade.

In her early twenties, she was hired by an Assassin as a guide, and joined the Brotherhood soon after.

The Pirate Barmaid: Kinsale, Ireland, 1679-03-08

Anne Bonny was the illegitimate daughter of an Irish attorney and his housemaid. She moved from Ireland to South Carolina with her father, who settled there as a plantation owner.

Anne married a common sailor named James Bonny and they settled in Nassau. James found work at a nearby plantation, and she worked as a waitress at the Old Avery tavern, where she caught the eye of many of its regular patrons.

Within a year of their arrival, the Bonnys' marriage was in a shambles. James disappeared into his work, while Anne started taking pirate lovers.

Ungoverned Island: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1706

In July 1703, during the War of the Spanish Succession, French and Spanish troops attacked the British territory of New Providence, and ultimately burnt it to the ground. By 1706, no one ruled over Nassau.

In the aftermath of the war, thousands of sailors were left without work. Many of them stayed in the Caribbean, where they had been stationed at the end of the conflict, while others headed towards Central America from Europe. Most of these seamen sought to take advantage of the ungoverned territory.

Chasing the Pirates: Virginia, British America, 1710

Alexander Spotswood became the governor of Virginia in 1710. He was aware of the pirate activities around his colony and grew increasingly concerned about the menace they represented to his economic transactions, both in the area and overseas.

Spotswood had supposedly received numerous complaints from North Carolina merchants and traders as well as reports of a pirate scheme to erect fortifications at Ocracoke Island. After realizing that the government of North Carolina did not have the resources or the will to hunt down the seafaring criminals, Spotswood took it upon himself to put an end to the pirate threats.

Spotswood targeted Blackbeard as the main pirate menace. He gave orders to keep track of the movements and activities of Blackbeard's ship, Queen Anne's Revenge. On November 24, 1718, he issued a proclamation offering rewards for the capture, conviction, or killing of pirates.

The Beaches of Nassau=

The Beaches of Nassau: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1713

After the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, Benjamin Hornigold and other pirates stepped onto the beach at Nassau where they found it in ruins, full of abandoned buildings. The island of New Providence had already served as a buccaneer base in the 1690s, and by 1713, pirates began to meet in Nassau once again.

Tactically, the Bahamas were perfect for piratical enterprises. It was positioned right in the middle of European trade routes in the Caribbean. Moreover, Nassau was located in a labyrinth of islands where pirates could hide and plan their attacks on European merchant vessels.

Unemployed Seamen: Kingston, Jamaica, 1714

After the War of the Spanish Succession, Kingston was filled with unemployed sailors. The town became a place where several former sailors joined pirate groups.

Charles Vane was one of many seamen seeking employment around the docks of Kingston in search of employment. He was hired by Captain Henry Jennings, and they both later became successful pirates.

Before the Golden Age: Utrecht, Netherlands, 1714-06-26

The Peace of Utrecht was a series of treaties between many European powers, including France, Great Britain, and Spain, that ended the War of the Spanish Succession. Aside from resolving many territorial disputes, it also settled the question of the Spanish Succession, establishing Philip V, from the House of Bourbon, as the King of Spain. The Treaties of Utrecht, however, did not resolve the problem of the unprotected coastline in the Caribbean.

The end of the War of the Spanish Succession forced Great Britain to demobilize a large part of its navy. Several thousand sailors were released and a great number of them, including Edward Thatch, headed to the Caribbean, searching for new opportunities.

Jobs were scarce and the Caribbean was soon filled with angry, bitter sailors. Taking advantage of the lack of authority in the region, several men regrouped and formed crews to attack Spanish ships. They not only wanted revenge for what they suffered during the war, but also hoped to get rich. Soon, gangs of pirates flourished in the Bahamas, and thus began the Golden Age of piracy in the Caribbean.

The Wreck of the Spanish Treasure Fleet: Florida Coast, 1715

Following the War of the Spanish Succession, King Philip V of Spain, the grandson of Louis XIV of France, was in dire need of financial relief. Since Spain had accumulated a vast amount of wealth in the Americas during the war, the King ordered that his treasure be brought back to Spain. On July 13, 1715, a fleet under the command of Captain-General Don Juan Esteban de Ubila left Havana.

The galleons and their extremely valuable haul were bound for Cádiz, Spain, but they encountered a storm on July 19, while in the Straits of Florida. All ships were lost. The wrecked Spanish treasure fleet attracted many pirates, and changed the fortunes of William Jennings, Benjamin Hornigold, Edward Thatch, and Charles Vane, among others.

The Flying Gang: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1715

Around 1715, Nassau was the refuge for hundreds of pirates. Benjamin Hornigold emerged as the unofficial leader of the pirate groups evolving around the island. Hornigold and another pirate named Edward Thatch often organized their raids on European ships. The Bahamas then transformed into a republic of pirates, with Nassau a stronghold filled by outlaws.

The Fortified City: Havana, Cuba, 1716

Established in 1514, Havana was a place where many merchant ships heading for Europe or Central America sought refuge before continuing their journey.

During the early part of the eighteen century, the city caught the attention of many pirate gangs. Pirates had been able to infiltrate Havana and contributed to the rise of corruption. Consequently, the harbor and the town became increasingly fortified, but this did not prevent further attacks from privateers and pirates.

The Republic of Pirates Under Scrutiny: Nassau, The Bahamas, 1716

Reports of the pirates located around Nassau were quickly transmitted across the colonies and in Europe. The emergence of the republic of pirates was disrupting trade in the region and destabilizing the slave societies near the Bahamian islands. Consequently, by the end of winter 1714, there were persistent rumors that said the Spanish authorities were preparing an assault on the pirate base.

Buccaneer Hideout: Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue, 1717

Neglected by the Spanish authorities, the region of what is known today as Port-au-Prince was encroached by French boucaniers around 1670. Even when the western part of Hispaniola was officially transferred to the French, the region did not immediately emerge as an important part of Saint-Domingue. The port of the town was not as developed as other ports in the colony. Not being the main focus of the island, the town attracted pirates who were passing through while on the run from authorities who were chasing them.

From Slavers to Pirates: Cape Cod, British America, 1717-04-26

In February 1717, the pirate Sam Bellamy captured the Whydah, a British ship named after a trading post on the West African Gold Coast. Built in England in 1716, the Whydah was a massive galley with three masts that weighed three hundred tons. It was used to carry slaves across the Atlantic.

At the time of its capture, the Whydah was armed with ten guns, but Bellamy and his pirate crew converted the ship into a twenty-eight gun galley. After plundering a number of ships near Virginia, the Whydah, along with Bellamy's other ships, attempted to reach Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. However, the weather rapidly deteriorated and the ships lost contact with each other. The weather intensified near Cape Cod and the Whydah was destroyed in the storm.

Charleston, British America, 1718-05-22

Desperately seeking medical supplies, Blackbeard and his fleet entered the Charleston harbor bay in South Carolina. For several days, he blockaded the harbor and terrorized the town. The crew took hostages and sought to exchange them for medical supplies.

Pirates Hanged: Port Royal, Jamaica, 1721-03-29

In the seventeenth century, Port Royal, a harbor town on the southern coast of Jamaica, was a refuge for slave traders. It also became a place where semi-legal piratical activities took place. In the 1660s, British buccaneers and privateers were tacitly encouraged by the British authorities to attack Spanish ships in order to prevent Spain from retaking the island. The buccaneer Henry Morgan established his headquarters in Port Royal. When the British authorities sought to properly administer the island, the buccaneers' rule was eradicated, but Morgan was nonetheless appointed governor of Jamaica and commanded to bring order to the town.

On June 7, 1692, an earthquake hit Port Royal. Around 2,000 people were killed and several thousand others died of subsequent disease and fever. A considerable area of land sank.

Despite this, privateering continued in the region. After the War of the Spanish Succession, the streets and taverns of Port Royal were filled with bitter, unemployed sailors, among them Benjamin Hornigold and Edward Thatch. These broke seamen began to attack and plunder Spanish ships.

During the Golden Age of Piracy, Port Royal became notorious as the location where pirates were hanged after being captured by British authorities. Charles Vane and Jack Rackam were two pirates who were found guilty of piracy and were then hanged at Gallows Point.

Explorer of the North: Okhotsk Sea, 1728

Vitus Bering was a navigator and an explorer who was working for the Russian Navy. In 1724, he was appointed to explore the territory between Asia and North America, and to determine whether the continents were connected by land. The Russians wished to find a northeast passage to North America. Bering was the first European to thoroughly explore the region and in 1728, he navigated the sea between the two land masses. His explorations paved the way for Russian involvement in North America.

Overshadowed by Slavery: Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue, 1730

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the area of today's Port-au-Prince was more town than city. The mountains surrounding the town prevented the population from spreading through the region. Living conditions were particularly difficult and the expansion of slavery affected the nature and development of the city.

By the middle of the eighteenth century, the town was characterized by a brutal slavery system. During the eighteenth century, African slaves outnumbered the European population by a large margin and the conditions on the plantations were particularly harsh. The plantations were close to each other and the density of the population was far greater than that of other colonial towns on the island of Saint-Domingue. Apart from some large plantations, the buildings were remote and rudimentary, highlighting the omnipresence of slaves in the town and the importance of slavery in the region.

A Resilent Colony: Port-au-Prince, Saint-Domingue, 1749

The city of Port-au-Prince is located at the heart of the Gulf of Gonâve. The area had been part of the Spanish empire before being transferred to the French in 1697. The western part of the island of Hispaniola never reached its economic potential and had been progressively left on its own by the Spanish authorities. The Spaniards relinquished sovereignty over the territory and handed it over to France through the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick.

The French had begun to colonize the island even before it was officially under their possession. The Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood, François Mackandal, was active in Saint-Domingue during the early part of the eighteenth century. In Saint-Domingue, Mackandal taught his pupils Baptiste and Agaté the rudimentary principles of the Assassin Brotherhood.

In the early 1700s, the territory now known as Port-au-Prince was a remote region. The area, which was called L'Hôpital at the time, substantially developed after 1749. The emerging city suffered from major earthquakes in 1751 and 1770 that destroyed large parts of its territory. However, these crises did not prevent Port-au-Prince from replacing Cap-Haïtien, originally named Cap François, and later Cap Français, as the capital of the French colony of Saint-Domingue.

Initiates Database/The American Revolution

An Enlightened Merchant: Nantes, France, 1722

Philippe Olivier de Grandpré was born in France into a successful merchant family. He traveled to Louisiana to seek out business opportunities and quickly began a brisk trading enterprise.

In 1744, he purchased a slave named Jeanne in Saint-Dominique and brought her back to New Orleans. They grew quite close and he asked her to become his "placée bride" and live with him in his mansion. In 1747, Jeanne gave birth to their daughter Aveline. Philippe was so happy that he granted Jeanne and Aveline their freedom.

In 1752, Philippe married Madeleine de L'Isle in order to further his business. This arrangement strained his relationship with Jeanne, who vanished without a trace in 1757. Although he was devastated over the loss, he was pleased when Madeleine began to raise Aveline as though she were her own.

Fire in Her Eyes: Kanatahséton, British America, 1731

Kaniehtí:io was born into the Kanien'keha:ka people who were living on the frontier lands outside of Boston during the French and Indian War. As the daughter of the Clan Mother she was groomed for leadership.

However, Kaniehti:io could not obey the will of her clan chiefs, who wanted to stay neutral and silent during the growing tensions between the English and French colonists who surrounded her people.

She began to fight back against the incursions on her land and sought out allies wherever she could find them.

Lee's Early Life: Cheshire, England, 1732-02-06

On February 6th, 1732, Charles Lee was born in Cheshire, England, to John Lee and Isabella Bunbury. Encouraged by his father, he began his military career at an early age and was sent to a military academy in Switzerland. By the age of 14 Charles had joined up with his father's regiment. Charles became a lieutenant in 1751, and was sent to America to take part in the French and Indian War in 1754.

At some point, Charles became aware of the Templar Order and was keen to join their cause. To that end, he was given instructions to assist the new Grand Master of the Colonial Rite, Haytham Kenway.

Birth of a Revolutionary: Westmoreland County, USA, 1732-02-22

Born at his family home in Westmoreland County, Virginia, George Washington became one of the most celebrated figures of his time. He was named commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and became the first President of the United States.

The Fiend Nadir Shah: Delhi, India, 1739

Shah Naha, who built the Taj Mahal in Agra, placed the Koh-i-Noor into the ornate Peacock Throne in Delhi, where it remained until Nadir Shah of Iran sacked both cities, and took the stone back to Persia. Allegedly, Nadir Shah exclaimed "Koh-i-Noor!" (Mountain of Light) when he saw the jewel, as no record of this name exists before 1739.

Naidr Shah was killed in 1747. In 1830, Shujah Shah Durrani, the deposed ruler of Afghanistan, was forced to give it to the Maharajah Ranjit Singh, who in turn reclaimed the Afghan throne for him.

Marquis de Lafayette: Chavaniac, France, 1757-09-10

Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, is often better known as simply "Lafayette." He was a French aristocrat and soldier who decided to join the American Revolution and became one of George Washington's most loyal supporters.

Lafayette abandoned his post in the French army to join the Revolutionary effort. According to one story, the French army seized the ship he was sailing on, but Lafayette escaped by dressing in women's clothing to stow away on another ship.

To appease a budget-conscious Continental Congress, Lafayette offered to work for free and was granted a commission as Major General. He was placed as an aide-de-camp to George Washington and the two became good friends.

One Step Forward...: Williamsburg, British America, 1769-05-17

Despite his opposition to the 1765 Stamp Act, George Washington did not take a leading role in the resistance movement against British measures in the colonies. His widespread opposition to the 1767 Townshend Acts was laid out in terms of his rights as a British citizen and did not represent a call for American independence.

However, in 1769, Washington introduced a resolution to the Virginian House of Burgesses calling for Virginia to boycott the importation of British goods until the Acts were repealed. Although his resolutions were not successful, his formal public stance against British policies propelled him as a prominent member of the growing colonial resistance movement. Slowly but surely, George Washington aligned himself with the colonial representatives working for American independence.

...Two Steps Back: Brooklyn Heights, USA, 1776-08-27

British General William Howe landed on the southwest shore of Long Island just days before he headed an enormous campaign to retake New York City. It was George Washington's first battle as the Commander-in-Chief of the new Continental Army and he engaged Howe in the largest conflict of the entire Revolutionary War, known as the Battle of Long Island.

Mass desertions led to Washington being vastly outnumbered, and he was defeated, forcing his army to retreat across the East River on the night of August 29. Miraculously, he achieved this feat without the loss of a single life.

New York was eventually captured and remained under British control until the peace treaty of 1783.

Washington's Resignation: New York City, USA, 1783-12-04

The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, formally ending the Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the American Colonies. On December 4, George Washington dissolved his army at the Fraunces Tavern in New York, bidding farewell to the soldiers who had served him loyally during the conflict. Later that same month, Washington formally resigned from his position as Commander-In-Chief.

Number One: New York City, USA, 1789-04-30

Following a short retirement spent at his estate in Mount Vernon, George Washington returned to politics. After a unanimous vote by the Electoral College, he was elected as the first president of the United States of America.

Washington took his oath of office during his inauguration at Federal Hall in New York City.

Initiates Database/Modern Times

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