Jerusalem
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Jerusalem is a city located between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. The city was often visited by Assassins during the time of the Third Crusade, and housed an Assassins' Bureau in the city's Rich District.
Jerusalem was the largest city in the Holy Land during the 12th century, housing exquisite mosques and cathedrals, denoting the contrast of cultures here. Two major Templar structures were found here: the Templar Tower, and Solomon's Temple, a structure under the city where the Apple was kept, inside the Ark of the Covenant.
History
Quest for the Chalice
- Main article: Quest for the Chalice
In 1190, the Master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad visited the city twice. During his first visit, he reported to Kadar, the Rafiq at the city's Assassins' Bureau in order to receive information about Basilisk, whom Altaïr wanted to confront. Kadar informed Altaïr that Basilisk that the Templar was frequently present in the King's audience, and that the King was to host a party tonight. Before Altaïr departed from the Bureau, Kadar informed him that the city gardens was a popular spot for gossip to be exchanged.
After traversing the rooftops of Jerusalem, Altaïr eventually reached the city gardens. Altaïr listened in to a few conversations, eventually learning of a man named Ayman, who was one of the guests set to attend. The citizens also spoke of how Ayman was just on the other side of the gardens, and Altaïr immediately began to pursue the guest. He eventually located and confronted Ayman, who informed him that the party was to take place at a villa just north of the gardens.
Once arriving at the villa, Altaïr scouted the exterior of the building, and found that the only way in was directly through the front entrance, guarded by several soldiers. Altaïr dealt with these soldiers, and made his way along the villa's rooftops. However, Altaïr fell threw an unstable wooden platform, and plummeted down into the villa. A few guards caught sight of the Assassin, but he quickly dealt with them and met up with one of the King's men, who also happened to be an informant of Kadar.
The man explained to Altaïr that there was a secret passage for those who needed to exit the building while remaining concealed. The man also informed Altaïr that there was an old mechanism up ahead that would reveal the entrance to the secret passage, once four floor panels were pressed simultaneously. After receiving this information, Altaïr and the informant parted ways, and Altaïr continued on into the villa.
Upon reaching the entrance, Altaïr killed the nearby guards, and activated the mechanism by placing wooden crates on each of the four panels. He then made his way inside the secret passage, where he encountered yet another mechanism. Altaïr managed to activate this mechanism by hurling a throwing knife at the structure's trigger. After making his way through the secret passage, Altaïr arrived at a stone wall, and triggered the hidden doorway. Emerging from the darkness of the passageway, the Assassin caught sight of the man he sought, Basilisk.
Upon seeing Altaïr, Basilisk viewed him as a challenge, and readied himself for a duel with the Assassin. However, Altaïr did not want to fight the Templar, he only wished to obtain the key he held. Altaïr managed to fend off Basilisk's attacks, and climbed onto his back and stole the key wrapped around his neck. The Assassin then fled from the villa, while Basilisk called desperately for guards.
After fleeing from the villa, Altaïr made his way back to the Assassins' Bureau, where he encountered Templars on the verge of assassinating the Rafiq, Kadar. Altaïr managed to save the Rafiq, and he told Altaïr of a map that detailed the way to the Temple of the Sand, which the Templars had just taken by force. Kadar also informed the Assassin that the guards were set to bring the map to a tall tower in the city, and with this, Altaïr left the Bureau and set off to search the city.
Search for the Apple
- "The Master believes the Templars have found something beneath the temple mountain."
- ―Altaïr to Kadar Al-Sayf during their mission.[src]
In 1191, the Grand Master of the Assassin Order, Al Mualim, tasked Altaïr, Malik Al-Sayf, and his younger brother, Kadar Al-Sayf, with the retrieval of an unidentified object at Solomon's Temple. The three Assassins were sent to Solomon's Temple underneath the Dome of the Rock in order to acquire an object that the Templars believed was of value. During their journey through the site, the three Assassins encountered an elderly man who was working. Altaïr assassinated the innocent man, despite Malik's protests and his violation of the first tenant of The Creed, stating that it did not matter how their mission was completed, just that it was successful.
Following this path, the three Assassins eventually came to a ledge overlooking a large room with a golden tomb inside of it, which Malik and Kadar believed was the Ark of the Covenant. This brief discussion was ended when the Assassins noticed Crusader soliders enter the room, and among them was Robert de Sable, the Templar Grand Master. Seeing it as a chance to assassinate their nemesis, Altaïr recognized the opportunity, despite going against the second tenant of the Creed and Malik's protests. Altaïr then climbed down a ladder and approached the Templar Grand Master, and attempted to take his life with his hidden blade.
However, Robert seized Altaïr's hand, and stopped his blade before it could kill him, and told him that he did not understand his mission, or his overall work as an Assassin even. He then told Altaïr to inform his master that the Holy Land was lost to him, and that Al Mualim should flee while he has the chance. After this threat, Robert threw Altaïr threw the Assassin threw an exit, which caused rubble and boulders to collapse and block his passageway back. After this, Altaïr heard Robert tell his men to kill the Assassins, which meant Altaïr had compromised the Order, breaking the third and final tenant of the Creed. Unable to journey back to aid his fellow Assassins, Altaïr left for Masyaf to report his failure to Al Mualim.
Hunt for the Nine
- "I hold here a list. Nine men adorn it, nine men who need to die."
- ―Al Mualim to Altaïr on his new quest.[src]
Altaïr returned to the city in 1191, and during his first visit, he failed to retrieve the Templar treasure from under the Dome of the Rock. He was punished for his failure, and ordered to kill nine men. The third target in Altaïr's quest for redemption was in Jerusalem, where he was sent to assassinate Talal, an infamous slave trader in Jerusalem, who resided in the Rich District of the city within his slave complex.
After collecting information in the city through an investigation, Altaïr infiltrated the slave complex, encountering captive slaves calling for his help. Upon catching sight of one of Talal's guards, Altaïr called out to Talal, calling him a slaver and telling him that he was imprisoning innocents. Talal replied to Altaïr's comments by claiming that he was not a slaver, and that he was actually helping these citizens by keeping them safe and "preparing them for the journey that lies ahead."
Talal then exclaimed that he made a mistake in allowing Altaïr into his complex, and that he still would not understand the true meaning of his actions. After their brief discussion, Talal opened the gate and let Altaïr into his complex, and ordered his guards to kill the Assassin. However, Altaïr overpowered his opponents, and began to pursue a fleeing Talal. After a lengthy chase, Altaïr assassinated Talal in the city streets, ending the slaver's oppression. In his final words, the slave trader informed Altaïr of the strong brotherhood he belonged to, and gave a warning to the Assassin, claiming that he would soon see the irony of his deed.
Several weeks later in 1191, Altaïr once again visited the city, this time to slay the tyrannical Regent of Jerusalem, Majd Addin, the sixth of his nine targets. Majd was a corrupt ruler, all the while being a sadistic and unlawful executioner. After completing an investigation about the corrupted regent, Altaïr reported back to Malik Al-Sayf, the Rafiq present in the city's Assassins' Bureau. After receiving permission to carry out his assassination, Altaïr departed for an execution Majd had organized, where one of his fellow Assassins was set to be executed.
Altaïr was instructed to assassinate Majd, but also to let Malik's men liberate their fellow Assassin who had been captured and was set to be executed. After making his way to the Poor District where the execution was being held, Altaïr listened as Majd talked extensively about each person and their supposed crimes. However, Altaïr rushed up onto the stage which Majd was standing on, and assassinated the corrupt ruler, preventing the death of his fellow Assassin as well. In his last conversation, Majd told the Assassin of how he felt like a god, feared and omnipotent, while at executions, standing in front of the cheering public.
For his ninth and final target, Altaïr was tasked with the assassination of the Templar Grand Master and nemesis of the Assassins, Robert de Sable. For this assassination, Altaïr headed to Jerusalem, where Altaïr first confronted Robert that same year.
Like any other assassination, Altaïr investigated his target, and learned Robert was to attend the funeral of Majd Addin to pay his respects. Altaïr made his way to the funeral, and became one with the crowd and listened to the priest speak about the late regent. However, just after the priest finished his speech, Robert stepped forward and whispered into the priest's ear. Immediately after this, the priest spoke again, but this time, he spoke angrily of Majd's killer being right in the crowd. The Crusader soldiers who had accompanied Robert moved close to the crowd, and the priest pointed at Altaïr and shouted for the soldiers to grab him so that "God's justice might be done!"
Robert, the soliders, and several guards attacked the Assassin, but Altaïr proved to be stronger, defeating all of them, until he was just up against Robert. Altaïr fought aggressively with Robert, and eventually bested the Templar. However, removing his helmet, Altaïr revealed Robert to actually be Maria Thorpe, the latter's assistant. Altaïr talked with Maria, who explained that Robert had left her as a decoy, and he now rode for Arsuf in an attempt to unite the Crusaders and Saracens against the Assassins. After this discussion, Altaïr spared Maria, stating that she was not his target, and that he therefore did not have to take her life. With the end of this conversation, Altaïr left the funeral and headed for the Assassins' Bureau to discuss things with Malik.
Gallery
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The Rich District of Jerusalem.
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The Middle District of Jerusalem.
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The Poor District of Jerusalem.
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A painting of the city.
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Concept art of the Assassins' Bureau in Jerusalem.
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Concept art.
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Altaïr looking out over the city from Solomon's Temple.
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Concept art of a merchant's stall in Jerusalem.
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