Hunt for the Nine

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"I hold here a list. Nine men adorn it, nine men who need to die. They are plague–bringers, war–makers... Their power and influence corrupt the lands, ensuring that the Crusades continue."

―Al Mualim to Altaïr^[src]

Ordered by Al Mualim, the hunt for the nine Templars was tasked to Altaïr following the recovery of the Apple at Solomon's Temple. Initially an effort to stop the Crusade from destroying the Holy Land, the hunt turned out to be part of a world control conspiracy that would lead to the destruction of the Templar's and Assassin's Order.

Before the Hunt

After being tricked by Al Mualim into thinking that he was killed, Altaïr was stripped of his weapons, due to his actions at Solomon's Temple. Demoted to a novice, he was given a chance of redemption by Al Mualim. His first task was to hunt down a traitor within their ranks, who opened the gates of Masyaf during the attack of Robert de Sable. Using nothing but his knowledge of gathering information, Altaïr was able to steal a letter from one of the traitor's accomplices, a basket weaver from the village.

He had found out that there were two traitors. One was a man named Masun, a preacher within their village. The other, Jamal, was a member of the Assassins. Altaïr headed off to find Masun within the village and found him, preaching to the villagers about a "new world order". After tailing and interrogating Masun, he was revealed to be in league with the Templars, whom he believes to be righteous and just, and believes Al Mualim to be a madman.

Altaïr brought Masun back alive to Al Mualim. Unrepentant of his sins to the Brotherhood, Al Mualim stabbed him with a longsword, killing him and handing the bloodstained blade to Altaïr. When asked about the other traitor, Al Mualim replied that would speak with him and decide if he was only misled and could be saved, or if he was corrupted by the Templars as well and must've be putted down.

Damascus Market Inspection

After taking back the Hidden Blade, Altaïr was encumbered by Al Mualim with hunting nine men-Crusaders and Saracens alike-who supported the Third Crusade, as an exchange for keeping his life. Altaïr accepted the offer and began his quest riding to Damascus, to hunt down the first in the list, a Muslim weapons dealer named Tamir.

Arriving at the Assassin's Bureau of Damascus, Altaïr began to gather information around the Poor District of Damascus. Through this, he was able to learn that Tamir had an unusually large shipment of weapons for a yet to be named client. After gathering enough information, the Rafiq of the bureau gave Altaïr a feather, that needed to be covered in the blood of the target, to be shown as proof of his success. Altaïr set off to the Marketplace, to kill Tamir.

Altaïr arrived at the marketplace. and saw Tamir harassing a man who was filling out the client's orders. The man claimed that he doesn't have enough time, or the manpower, to finish the orders. Enraged, Tamir killed the man in a frenzy, and left the corpse in the middle of the market, to serve as a reminder to the people, so they may think twice before telling him something can't be done.

As Tamir walked to the stand of a merchant, Altaïr moved slowly behind him and stabbed him across the throat.

Before he died, he revealed that he serves a far nobler cause, not just for profit. He also revealed that he has "brothers", and that he was only a piece, a man with a role to play, and warned Altaïr of his companions, for his death wouldn't be overlooked. Altaïr proceeded to smear the feather on the wound of Tamir, covering it in blood and then left for the bureau.

Slaver Demise

After returning to Masyaf from his successful mission in Damascus, Altair was promoted to the third rank and was rewarded with the short blade. After receiving this, he was then instructed to leave for Jerusalem, a city governed by the Saracens, to assassinate the second man on the list, a slave trader named Talal.

Arriving at the city's Assassin Bureau, Altair was greeted by Malik, the man who was with him during his mission in Solomon's temple. Their conversation was brief, as Altair quickly left to search the Rich District of Jerusalem. Through the information he has gathered, it seems that Talal's slave trading was easily ignored by the guards of the city, presumably because of his ties with other major figures in Jerusalem. He also learned that Talal was transporting these slaves to Acre, a city ruled by Crusaders, to a yet to be named man.

After receiving the feather from Malik, Altair left for the Rich District, in search for the Slave Warehouse.

He was able to locate the warehouse, and moves in quietly. Discovered quickly, Altair was greeted mockingly by Talal, as his men surrounded Altair. Ordering his men to kill Altair, Talal watched as his men were quickly dispatched by the assassin. Scared for his life, he ran outside his warehouse through the roof and into the streets of Jerusalem. Altair follows him outside, and, after a long chase, was able to kill the Slave Trader.

Before dying, he exclaimed that God has abandoned him & the people he has captured. He claims that he was not taking away their lives, but saving them, liberating them from the troubled streets. He also said that the Brotherhood, the same brotherhood mentioned by Tamir, would not be easily stopped by his death. As he drew his last breath, Altair smears the feather with his blood & leaves for the bureau.

Hospital Terminal

For his third mission, Altaïr was given throwing knives and told to travel to Acre, a city currently held by the Crusaders. There he had to kill a doctor by the name of Garnier de Naplouse, the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. Altaïr travelled to the bureau in Acre and was told to search the poor district for signs of the target, and as Altaïr walked the streets, he learned that Garnier would soon be leaving his secluded study to see to his "patients". Altaïr was told that all the man that resided in his so called hospital were taken against their will from Jerusalem, possibly even slaves stolen away by Talal. Men had heard terrible screams coming from the hospital as men were experimented on by the cruel doctor. Altaïr scouted out the hospital and returned to the bureau leader, telling him of his discoveries. The leader told Altaïr he had done well and gave him another white feather.

With the help of some scholars, Altaïr was able to sneak into the area just in time to see a patient breaking free from his oppressors. He ran out of the hospital but was soon caught by Garnier de Naplouse's guards. Garnier spoke kindly to him, telling of how he will heal him, but the run away was not convinced, he yelled of the evils done by Garnier and his men within the hospital. The pseudo doctor was angered and commanded the guards to send him back to his cell, when the screaming man proclaimed he would simply escape again, Garnier denied this, as his next command was for the guards to break both the man's legs, which they did.

Altaïr followed Garnier deep into the hospital, climbing along above him to avoid the crazed patients flailing about below, and soon leapt down on his prey, silencing his experiments.

Garnier accepted death, but worried about his "children", Altaïr was surprised by this man's concern for the subjects he kidnapped against their will, however, Garnier claimed they had no will, as the majority of his patients were insane and had mental disorders that Garnier de Neplouse and the Knights Hospitaller were trying to remedy. That they were only taken for their own good, and that the Grand Master had been occasionally successful, stating that his guards were only insane mental patients as well.

Altaïr was very confused by this, and after asking the bureau leader for guidance he was sent to report to Al Mualim. Altaïr's master said that Garnier was lying about his good intentions and that Altaïr should trust what he had seen there (the pain and leg-breaking) rather than what he had been told by an enemy.

The Merchant King's Party

After Altaïr received a new pair of gloves from his master and his fifth rank, he was given three more names and three more pigeons were sent out. Altaïr returned to Damascus by horse and travelled to the Assassin's bureau, asking about the wealthy Abu'l Nuqoud. The bureau leader gave Altaïr a backhanded compliment about the importance of his target, saying he envies him, other that his demotion, failure, and the hate of his comrades. Altaïr claimed he didn't care of the others opinions and was told that his new target is very secluded and "strange". He was instructed to gather more information around the Rich District

Altaïr then scoured this district for information on the merchant king of Damascus, Abu'l Nuqoud, and found that the man is having a rare celebration during which he would be removed from the seclusion of his home and out in the public that Abu'l hated so much. After returning to the bureau and telling of his plan to strike during this party, Altaïr was given his feather as he leaves to kill the man.

At the party, his target, Abu'l Nuqoud, came out to give a speech on a balcony above the people he rules. Abu'l told of his people's foolishness of paying for the war, that they only feared those that are different from themselves, such as the Europeans, and himself. Abu'l Nuqoud then accused the party goers of mocking him and his idiosyncrasies, as well he gleefully explained that they would no longer talk behind his back, for the wine was poisoned and all the people began coughing and choking. Altaïr then acted, climbing up and around the target as he watched the public die.

As the assassin ended Abu'l's life, Abul said that he, a templar didn't believe in God, who had called him an abomination, (at this point it is realized that Abu'l Nuqoud is a homosexual) and Altaïr saw that the goals of the Templars may go beyond that of simple religious conquest. He then returned to Masyaf with news of his success.