Glyphs are encrypted messages that appear when using Eagle Vision in various locations in Assassin's Creed II. They also appear as Cryptic Messages in the original Assassin's Creed as part of the cliffhanger ending, and in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (in modified form) as Rifts. They were created by the late Subject 16 as his final message to the world, an apparent attempt to stop Abstergo from achieving their goal.
In Assassin's Creed II, before Lucy Stillman and Desmond Miles fled from Abstergo Industries, Lucy stole a memory core containing data from the Animus, to be used in the Animus 2.0, the Animus version utilized by the Assassins. It was later discovered that Subject 16 had hacked into the Animus to place the glyphs, and they had been accidentally copied into the Animus 2.0 by Lucy. Coincidentally, it was also discovered that Subject 16 and Desmond shared a common ancestor: Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
In order to ensure security, Subject 16 locked each file with a series of puzzles, with each set of puzzles relevant to the content of the encoded message within the glyph.
Each of the glyphs contain a hidden message, which is encoded within image or voice files placed within the puzzle sequence. These messages contain snippets of information about the Templars and the roles that the Pieces of Eden have played throughout human history. Each glyph also contains a small piece of a video that combine after successfully unlocking all of the glyphs, revealing a final video that Subject 16 calls "The Truth."
Regardless of the order in which the glyphs are located, the order of the puzzles required to unlock each one will remain the same. As areas with glyphs are discovered, they will be added to the Animus 2.0 database, with specific symbols in a manner similar to the Assassin's Tombs.
From left to right are the maps for; Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Romagna and Monteriggioni.
When referring to the picture ring puzzles, the innermost ring is called Ring 1 and the outermost ring is called Ring 5.
Subject 16 states that "everything we've been brought up to believe is a lie" and explains he has proof. This proof has been split into 20 encrypted pieces and hidden in the Animus software as the Glyphs.
The puzzle to solve involves finding the "core similarity" in each painting. Identify and select the pictures with apples: The Fall, Hercules in the Garden of Hesperides, Atalanta and Hippomenes, Judgement of Paris and Idun and the Apples.You must solve 3 picture rings: spin the various rings in turn until they form an image. The centre circle of the puzzle is fixed, so work you way from the inside out. Sometimes rotating the thickest circles first makes understanding the correct positions of the smaller ones easier.
Each picture is of a famous historical leader who held an Apple of Eden during their career. These leaders are Queen Elizabeth I (Piece #2), Napoleon Bonaparte (Piece #1) and George Washington (Piece #3).You are presented with a series of pictures, which you will see normally and then under a red light. When the picture is under the red light, you'll have to search the images for the hidden Apple of Eden. While you're searching the paintings, you will also uncover some hidden Morse or Mason Pigpen symbols that contain a hidden message.
Subject 16 explains that each photo subject was murdered by the Templars and their Piece of Eden stolen.
Like the previous glyph, you need to find the Apple of Eden in each photo.
Like the first Glyph, you need to select the pictures that share a common theme. There are two sets of pictures to solve.
This is a slightly more difficult variation of the picture rings, last seen in Glyph #2. As you spin a specific ring, another ring in the puzzle will also move. There are 4 rings to solve, each depicting the story of Cain and Abel.
The quote is from the Book of Mormon (Moses 5:29-31) and the Morse Code reads "Templar texts adapted by Mr. Smith".
Subject 16 then proclaims the Templar emblem (technically a Maltese Cross) is actually the Mark Of Cain.
The first part of this puzzle is a 'common picture' puzzle. Identify the paintings with a person wearing a red robe: Joseph, Egypt c. 1700 BCE; Jason, Greece Prehistory; Jesus Christ, Jerusalem c. 30; David and Goliath, Valley of Elah c. 970 BCE; Christ Disrobed, Jerusalem c. 30. Each of them once held Piece Of Eden #66, The Shroud.
The second part of the puzzle involves scanning a picture of the crucified Jesus Christ for a Piece of Eden. You will hear a beeping sonar that becomes more rapid as you approach your target. Located around Jesus's legs is the red Shroud. Hidden amongst this picture is the Templar cross, the SPQR logo and the words "They took it".
Similar to the previous Glyph, you need to look for a Piece of Eden using the sonar beeps to guide you.
The next phase of this puzzle involves picking up the flame and placing it over the picture of Joan. Subject 16 explains the Templars killed Joan to recover The Sword. Then place the image of Rasputin over the image of Nicholas. Subject 16 explains that Nicholas used The Staff to maintain power but Rasputin stole The Staff and Nicholas lost control of the populace, resulting in the Russian Revolution.
The first part of this puzzle involves using sonar to locate a Piece of Eden in the photos. (There are no hidden texts in these photos.)
The next puzzle involves solving a Caeser cipher to obtain the access code. The cipher key is easily spotted amongst the images (6=1). The access code is 321.
The unlocked letter reveals the Templars plan to kill John F. Kennedy for "planning to give the vote to everyone". Oswald was the successful assassin but another agent referred to as "Z" was also present to ensure success. Once JFK was down PE1 was used to stage a distraction on the infamous 'Grassy Knoll'. The driver (who was trained with PE2 in the Templar labs) took advantage of the confusion to steal PE3.
The first puzzle involves using sonar to locate and identify the Apollo 11 landing module. It's not actually over the Moon itself, but out in space: around lower left of the picture. Over the Moon is a Mason pigpen cipher that reads "Johnson was one of them. The bee's drone too. Follow the money".
The next puzzle is another picture ring. Spin Ring Five 6 times to the left; twist Ring Two 4 times to the left; twist Ring Four 3 times to the right; twist Ring Three 5 times to the left. Then rotate Ring One around until the puzzle is complete.
The final puzzle involves using sonar to locate the Piece of Eden. As you survey the image you'll find several hidden alterations. The title of the Moon photo reads "Apollo 11 photograph released to public"; underneath it reads "Original unreleased negative." When scanned, the US Flag contains the Abstergo logo, and the white flag contains the Templar Emblem. You can find Piece of Eden #5 next to the astronaut's foot on the left.
This puzzle begins with a letter from Nikola Tesla, before giving you two 'find the Apple' pictures. Unlike previous puzzles, you won't be able to home in on the sonar.
Subject 16 reveals that Tesla found the Fourth Apple in Croatia, but the Templars found the Apple in Tesla's lab and used it to drive Tesla mad.
For the final image, move your cursor over each of the light globes to activate them.
The first puzzle is a Caeser wheel: the key is hidden in the schematics that is also shown on the page, 4=1. The password is thus 240.
For the next map, move your cursor over each of the light globes to deactivate them.
The next puzzle is a 'spot the Apple' picture, showing Mark Twain in Tesla's lab. The Apple is in Twain's hands; there is also a hidden Morse cipher reading "They used it to make Tesla go insane. The organization took his research. Alien Property Custodian Office".
You are then shown a letter from Thomas Edison to a Mr Morgan, both Templars, advising that Tesla intends to use the Fourth Apple to provide free electricity and information networks, which the Templars oppose. Edison thus urges Morgan to cut Tesla's funding.
Now you have a second Caeser wheel to solve: but some of the symbols used on the wheel are obscured. The symbol pattern is fairly simple: dashes represent multiple dots, which represent a tally. The key to the Caeser wheel is split amongst two images: the Model T car (2) and the cover of the newspaper. The code to enter is thus:
The next letter is from Henry Ford to Edison. Edison apparently gave (or at least authorised the use of) the Fourth Apple by Ford, allowing Ford to keep his workers on lower wages. Ford was eventually instructed to give the Apple to "H", who will "take over" and begin a war that will allow a new Templar order to arise from the chaos. The letter also reveals the Templars know H is intending to "purge" Europe and that Ford, at least, supports this idea. The letter also implies Firestone is also a Templar.
The first phase of the puzzle is another partially-obscured Caeser wheel. The two pictures on the left each have the key: one has the number 9 while the other has a triangle rafter highlighted. When you align the wheel, you'll see how the symbols go from triangles to squares and circles. The solution is thus:
You are then shown an Abstergo memo instructing a Templar to give "O" the authorisation to proceed with a real-world verification of his experiments.
The next screen presents you with a big red button. There are no hidden texts here, so move your cursor over the button and fire, revealing a video clip of an atomic explosion.
The final screen presents a 'sonar location' puzzle. Listen to the sounds of the Geiger counter to home in on the access code that completes the puzzle.
Bloodlines
Solution: Select the five paintings that portray a coupling between a god and a mortal: Danaë Visited by Zeus, Jupiter and Io, Leda and the Swan (Zeus), Cupid and Psyche, and Rape of Europa (by Zeus).
Information: Subject 16 indicates that Those Who Came Before were the original inhabitants of the Earth, and that the Assassins are the result of cross-breeding between the two.
Guardians
Solution: First, solve the ring puzzle by doing the following (inner ring is Ring 1, outermost ring is Ring 5): Twist Ring Three 2 times to the right; twist Ring One 4 times to the right; twist Ring Four 5 times to the right; twist Ring One 5 times to the left; twist Ring Two 5 times to the left; then twist Ring Five 5 times to the right. Then, simply move the cursor over the targets on the map to activate them.
Information: The message shows that the various Tyrants listed were killed by the Assassins (point of interest: Cleopatra was listed as one of the Tyrants, and she was the target of Amunet, one of the assassins in the Sanctuary). The Cipher painting, once solved, shows Ivan the Terrible, the first Czar of Russia, holding his dead son. Historically, Ivan killed his son in an argument by striking him on the head with his staff.
The Cavalry
Solution: For the first puzzle, place the cursor over the word "Tunguska," without hitting any other word on your way there; after that, place the cursor over the staff, then drag the staff to the portrait.
Information: It reveals that the Tunguska explosion that occurred in 1908 was caused by Nikola Tesla, working for the Assassins, who tried to destroy the Staff of Eden as a strike against the Templars.
The Bunker
Solution: Enter the following password:
Then locate the Assassin symbol on the upper right corner of the upper right building.
Information: One Cipher reads "His double was killed in his bunker." Near the bottom left of the picture, when highlighted, the letters RIP appear. The Templars were successful in their World Government Takeover after WWII. The "C" in the letter may be Winston Churchill, implying he is a Templar; though WWII seems to have been a huge victory for the Templars, the Assassins did manage to kill Hitler and take PoE 4.
Synapses
Solution: Enter the password below, then move the cursor over the eight neurotransmitters to light them up.
Information: The file shows that Those Who Came Before created humans as a slave race, genetically programmed to be susceptible to control by the Pieces of Eden.
The Fourth Day
Solution: Pick the five pictures that focus on the sun (Nazca Textile. c. 200; Aztec Calendar Stone. 1427; The Eastern Gate. 1816; Book of the Dead. c. 1310 B.C.E.; Sistine Chapel Ceiling Fresco. 1512). Then find the small image of Earth, located way between the middle and the lower left side of the sun.
Information: Indicates that a catastrophe involving the sun previously devastated the earth. Subject 16 states that the Pieces of Eden "were once part of a whole."
The Origin of the Species
Solution: Solve the ring puzzle (innermost ring is "Ring 1," outermost ring is "Ring 5"): twist Ring Five 10 times to the right; twist Ring Four 2 times to the left; twist Ring Three 2 times to the right; twist Ring Two 5 times to the right; and then twist Ring One 3 times to the left. After that, select the eye at the top of the picture. When asked to enter a password, use any three glyphs; there is no real password. Then, move the cursor over the skeleton to realign the bones into a man.
Information: The file indicates that the Templars planted false fossil evidence for human evolution, so as to hide the truth of humanity's history.
| Icon | Name | How to obtain | Points | Trophy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tip of the Iceberg | Use your Eagle Vision to scan a Glyph in the environment. | 10
|
Bronze |
|
Vitruvian Man | Unlock all 20 pieces of Subject 16's video. | 20
|
Bronze |
