Secret location
Secret Locations are memories which must be completed through a combination of free-running and puzzle solving. Many of these locations were scattered throughout Italy and Constantinople, and were explored by the Assassin Ezio Auditore during the Renaissance.
While mainly being an optional element, with the exception of the Assassin Tomb inside the Santa Maria Novella, the Lair of Romulus inside the Terme di Traiano, and the four locations traversed in order to collect the Seals of Altaïr, secret locations offered various additional benefits once they had been fully explored, such as the armors and weapons of key Assassins and Templar figures or a sum of money.[1][2][3]
Renaissance Italy
Assassin Tombs
The Assassin Tombs were seven landmarks around Italy, each containing the tomb of an Assassin said to have protected the freedom of mankind when it was most threatened. They also contained (with the exception of Domenico Auditore's tomb in the Auditore Crypt) an Assassin seal, which were collectively used to obtain the Armor of Altaïr within the Sanctuary at the Auditore Villa.
- Santa Maria Novella - contained the tomb of Darius.[1]
- Il Duomo - contained the tomb of Iltani.[1]
- Auditore Family Crypt - contained the tomb of Domenico Auditore and his son.[1]
- Torre Grossa - contained the tomb of Wei Yu.[1]
- Rocca di Ravaldino - contained the tomb of Qulan Gal.[1]
- Basilica di San Marco - contained the tomb of Amunet.[1]
- Santa Maria della Visitazione - contained the tomb of Leonius.[1]
Templar Lairs
The Templar Lairs (with the exception of the Palazzo Medici) hid treasure that presumably belonged to and funded the activities of the Templar Order. All of these could be accessed through a wooden door, marked with a large red cross.[1]
- Palazzo Medici in Florence.[1]
- Santa Maria Dei Frari in Venice.[1]
- Arsenal Shipyard in Venice.[1]
Rome
Secret locations were also found in Rome, in the form of Lairs of Romulus. There were six of them in total, located throughout the city at various landmarks. Additionally, there were also two Templar Lairs that could be found in Rome.[2]
Completing all of the Lairs of the Followers of Romulus would allow Ezio to obtain two of the treasures they guarded, which were the Armor and Dagger of Brutus. Through traversing these locations, Ezio also obtained some special documents that gave background details on the cult, as well as the Assassin Marcus Junius Brutus.[2]
Lairs of Romulus
These were the locations of the Lairs of Romulus, spread across Rome.
- Catacombe di Roma.[2]
- Terme di Traiano.[2]
- Il Colosseo.[2]
- Cloaca Maxima.[2]
- Palazzo Laterano.[2]
- Basilica di San Pietro.[2]
Templar Lairs
As well as the Lairs of Romulus, two Templar Lairs were available to be explored.
Constantinople
In Constantinople, there were many secret locations that could be explored.
Seals of Altaïr
Despite being the main focus for Ezio Auditore's search for knowledge, various secret locations for the Masyaf Keys could be located from hidden books within the city of Constantinople.
Others
As well as locations hiding the Masyaf Keys, two other secret locations resided in the city.
- Hagia Sophia - Required Ishak Pasha's memoirs to be found.[3]
- Vlad the Impaler's Prison - Available from a tome in Sofia Sartor's Book shop.[3]
- There are 27 Hidden Wells throughout the game that are covered with wood and need to be blown up. The game reports there are 31 Hidden Wells but the remaining 4 are somehow missing. There has been speculation that another explorable area was located in the north west part of Constantinopole but was either cut and/or could be part of a future DLC.
Trivia
- In the tomb hidden in Santa Maria della Visitazione, if Ezio activates the lever and stands on the edge of the floor to stare into the water, he will see a large figure move through the water after a minute, as it swims and stares at him with what appears to be a yellow eye. After the cutscene, the lever will reset, allowing Ezio to activate it again. If Ezio does this and goes to the same spot and waits, a giant tentacle will shoot out of the water, though he will dodge before it manages to hit him.
- In the tomb in the Basilica di San Marco, the banners clearly show the poison symbol, despite the Assassin seal bearing the snake symbol.
References
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