Library of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad
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He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning recent or upcoming releases from the Assassin's Creed series. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. |
- "A library hidden beneath the stones of Masyaf. A sanctum full of invaluable wisdom."
- ―Ezio Auditore regarding the library in 1511.[src]
Altaïr's library was a hidden library beneath the fortress of Masyaf, rumored to contain hundreds of books abundant with wisdom gained from the Apple of Eden by the legendary Assassin, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. It was also said to be the hiding place of a powerful weapon, which caused the Assassins and the Templars to take interest in the library during the Renaissance.[1][2]
History
Creation
"I see. This is not a library at all. It is a vault"
―Darim Ibn-La'Ahad upon realising the purpose of Altaïr's library.
Sometime before 1257, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Mentor of the Levantine Assassins, had a library built over the gardens of Masyaf. When finally completed, the library was used to store all of the knowledge Altaïr had gained from studying the Apple.[1]
Hoping to keep the contents of his library out of the wrong hands, he had his son Darim Ibn-La'Ahad move all books and other sources of knowledge to a safe location when the Assassins abandoned Masyaf. Altaïr himself remained, locking himself in his library with the Apple, changing the function of the library to that of a vault.[1]
The door to the library could only be opened by using the keys, which he had given to Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, who would hide them in Constantinople.[1]
In a desire to keep the contents of his library safe from the hands of the Templars, Altaïr sealed it, only allowing its reopening through five separate keys. During the Mongol siege of Masyaf, Altaïr left the keys in the possession of Niccolò and Maffeo Polo, who later hid them in Constantinople.[1]
Reopened
By 1511 both the Templars and Assassins sought the five keys to discover the weapon locked within the library. The Assassin Ezio Auditore was able to recover all of the keys, and subsequently opened the library to discover its contents. It held no books, scrolls or weapons as Ezio had previously thought; instead, he found only the remains of Altaïr himself, tightly holding a sixth and final memory seal, and the Masyaf Apple hidden in the background.[2]
Gallery
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Altaïr at the library entrance.
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Concept art by Martin Deschambault. -
Concept art of the library door. -
Concept art of Ezio entering the library. -
Concept art of Ezio meeting Altaïr by Gilles Beloeil.
Trivia
- In the upper and lower area of the door there is some Arabic script written in the form of ancient Arabic Poetry. They read: إتق دم البرئ - لآ شيء مطلق بل الكل ممكن - إختبئ وسط الأزحام - إختبئ وسط الأزحام and نحن من إتمنك - لأ تخن من إتمنك. This translates to: "Revere the blood of the innocent - Nothing is absolute, everything is possible" - "Hide in the midst of the crowds - Hide in the midst of the crowds" and "We are the ones who have entrusted you - Do not betray our trust"
References
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