Assassin Guild

The Tiber Island Hideout

Assassins Guilds were organized groups of Assassins based in cities across the globe. The guilds formed the basis of the Assassin Order's command structure after Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad disbanded the Order from Masyaf in 1257, with each guild coming under the control of a Master Assassin.

During modern times, the Order seemed to have organized itself into smaller groups of Assassins per city, dropping the idea of complete guilds.

Guild management

Ezio accessing a pigeon coop

The Assassin guilds recruited their members in a number of ways - in the city of Rome, for example, the guild recruited from the city's disaffected population; those who had suffered at the hands of the Templar House of Borgia flocked to the guild when approached by a member. Once members, recruits trained through experience; they would embark on actual missions across the globe and aid in the progression of the Order's goals. Communication both between and within the guilds was facilitated through use of pigeon coops.

Each guild provided its recruits with a wide array of weapons and armor qualities. These usually improved in step with the apprentice's rank; higher ranked Assassins would gain access to weapons such as the Hidden Gun and Smoke bombs. Additionally, the number of ranks in a particular guild varied between cities; the guild in Rome, for example, only had ten ranks, whilst the guild in Constantinople had fifteen.

In Rome, the ranks progressed as follows:

1. Recluta (Recruit)
2. Servitore (Servant)
3. Assistente (Assistant)
4. Milite (Soldier)
5. Discepolo (Disciple)
6. Mercenario (Mercenary)
7. Guerriero (Warrior)
8. Veterano (Veteran)
9. Maestro (Teacher)
10. Assassino (Assassin)

Whereas in Constantinople the ranks were:

1. Recruit
2. Initiate
3. Apprentice
4. Novice
5. Footpad
6. Disciple
7. Mercenary
8. Warrior
9. Veteran
10. Assassin
11. Assassin First Rank
12. Assassin Second Rank
13. Assassin Third Rank
14. Assassin Fourth Rank
15. Assassin Fifth Rank
16. Den Master

Ceremony

"Laa shay'a waqui'n moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. The wisdom of our Creed is revealed through these words. We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins. Nothing is true, everything is permitted."

―Ezio Auditore during the ceremony.

The Initiation ceremony

Upon reaching the rank Assassino, an initiation ceremony would be held. This ceremony marked an Assassin's passage from apprentice to a full member of the Assassin Order. In Rome, these ceremonies would take place within the Tiber Island headquarters. Following the ceremony, the Assassin would don the official garb of Order, similar in style to Mentor Ezio Auditore da Firenze's.

As the guilds in the 18th century colonies became disorganized, initiation ceremonies were discontinued, although performing the Leap of Faith as an initiation returned by the 21st century.

Guilds

Constantinople, Ottoman Empire

The guild in Constantinople worked to prevent the Byzantine Templars from influencing Sultan Bayezid II's actions, or taking control of the Empire's military. They also worked to remove Portuguese spies from the migrating Jewish population, who had been offered refuge in the empire by Bayezid II.

By 1511, the Assassins in Constantinople were led by the Master Assassin, Yusuf Tazim.

Monteriggioni, Italy

The guild in Monteriggioni was the primary guild during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Rome, Italy

The principal guild during the 16th century, the guild in Rome was led by the Italian Assassins' Mentor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Although based in Rome, the guild's presence was spread across northern Italy, influencing the politics of cities such as Venice and Florence, as well as cities as far as Paris, Moscow and Cologne.

Barcelona, Spain

A guild of Assassins was based in the city of Barcelona. In 1491, Ezio Auditore visited the city and aided the guild against the Spanish Inquisition as a part of his own, greater quest.

Calicut, India

The guild in Calicut joined with their brothers from the guild in Rome, though to protect their own survival. Combating Vasco da Gama, the Assassins managed to survive the assault, but were unable to uncover the source of Da Gama's information.

Davenport, Massachusetts

The Colonial Assassins were led by Achilles Davenport at the Davenport Homestead in Massachusetts. Once a powerful branch that possessed its own navy, the guild was destroyed by the Templars led by Haytham Kenway in 1763. Seven years later, Ratonhnhaké:ton joined the Order and recruited apprentices to fulfil contracts across the colonies from Quebec to Georgia, revitalizing the guild.

Louisiana

The Assassins in Louisiana were relocated from Saint-Domingue by Agaté.

St. Petersburg, Russia

During the turn of the 20th century, the Russian Assassins, known as the Narodnaya Volya, had a presence in St. Petersburg. They also had contacts in the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, who ensured the safety of Nikolai Orelov's family when they were deported following the Palmer Raids.

Trivia

• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the Assassin mark is not visible on the recruits' ring finger after the ceremony.