Assassin Den

Yusuf showing Ezio an Assassin den.

Assassin Dens were towers used by the Assassins as headquarters, and a means of monitoring a city or district. They were ideal locations for the Templars as well, who staged many attacks to claim the dens for themselves.

Many dens were used across several Mediterranean cities during the 16th century, with eight found scattered in the districts of Constantinople. These eight towers all shared the same appearance, and each held an Assassin insignia at its pinnacle.

Defense

Main article: Den Defense

Ezio directing the defense of a den.

The Ottoman Assassins fought to defend each of their dens in Constantinople, however, a Master Assassin, such as their leader Yusuf Tazim, was often needed to personally oversee and direct the defense. When Mentor Ezio Auditore da Firenze arrived in the city in 1511, he aided them by acting as General for some of these attacks as well.

Should an Assassin apprentice complete his or her training, he or she could be assigned as a particular den's Master, and protect it without the help of any other higher-ranked Assassins.

Despite successfully repelling an attack, the Templars would often send further attempts to take the den, particularly should the Assassins become notorious within the city.

The Assassins of Constantinople closely aided many other nearby cities as well, and would establish dens within them to increase their influence on the local populace.

Reclamation

Ezio lighting a signal fire atop a reclaimed den.

Should ever a den fall to a Byzantine Templar attack, they would place their own guards around it, and work to defend it from a reclamation attempt.

Similarly to Master Assassins, Templar Den Captains would be assigned to guard a den. However, often on these occasions, Ezio would use his talent to identify the Captain and eliminate him.

Upon doing so, simply lighting the signal fire atop the tower of the Assassin den would signal the Templars that their Captain had fallen, and most soldiers would withdraw without a fight.

Constantinople dens

• Galata headquarters
• Galata Den
• North Imperial Den
• Southern Imperial Den
• North Bayezid Den
• South Beyazid Den
• North Constantine Den
• South Constantine Den
• Piri Reis' Shop

Trivia

File:86.jpg

Concept art of an Assassin Den in Constantinople.

• Templar Dens and their Captains are the conceptual evolution of the Borgia Towers in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.
• Reclaiming a den will switch nearby Templar guards in the area with Ottoman guards, who will still react to crimes, but are not immediately hostile.
• Each den comes with a bomb-crafting station, and a map to access Mediterranean Defense.
• Once a Master Assassin is assigned to a den, it is still attacked, but now the Master Assassin will handle the defensive line.
• In the Mediterranean Defense, apprentices can build dens in other cities and occupy them. There is a limit of five apprentices per city; 65 apprentices are required to completely garrison all cities.
• If you look at a den in Eagle vision, even when it's occupied by Byzantines, it is blue, showing it is an ally structure.
• When you kill the Templar Captain, most Byzantines will run from you, but, occasionally, some will remain to try to kill you and reclaim the reclaimed den for themselves.

Source

• Assassin's Creed: Revelations