The Creed
- "Nothing is true, everything is permited."
- ―The Creed's maxim
The Creed was the code and guiding philosophy of the Assassin's Order.
The Tenets of the Creed
The Creed was an unwritten set of rules orally passed down from generation to generation among the brotherhood and known by every member of the order. It focused on three simple tenets that focused on a successful mission and ensured the safety of the brotherhood.
Stay your Blade from the Flesh of the Innocent
- "That man had no need to die!"
- ―Malik at Solomon's Temple
The goal of the assassins is to ensure peace in all things. The Assassins believe that political assassinations and the death of the corrupt bring peace and a sense of security to the common people. Slaying innocents and bystanders who do not need to die goes a long way towards spreading strife and discord, as well as ruining the name of the Assassin Order itself.
Do not Draw Attention to Yourself
- "Let the people mask you such that you become one with the crowd."
- ―Al Mualim
Be unseen. Assassins aim to get close to their target, usually in public, to perform awe-inspiring assassinations. The greatest effect is when an Assassin seems to materialize from nowhere, slay a corrupt leader, and vanish into the darkness. If an Assassin is seen stalking a target, the supernatural effect of fear is diluted, as well as simply making it harder for the Assassin to reach his target.
Never Compromise the Brotherhood
- "Your actions have put us all in grave danger! For that, you must be punished! I'm sorry, child."
- ―Al Mualim before fakely stabbing Altaïr
The actions of one must never bring harm to all. If an Assassin fails, is captured, or is being chased, he must never commit an action or say anything that can be tied back to the Brotherhood or the location in Masyaf.
Assassin's Creed
During an extremely important mission at Solomon's Temple, Altaïr breaks all three tenets: he murders an innocent old man who would have alerted the guards; he shows himself to Robert de Sable before he attempts to kill him; and he leads the Templars back to the location of the Masyaf headquarters. The breaking of the second tenet allows Robert de Sable to evade Altaïr and escape. The Templar Treasure they were all seeking seems lost forever- until a gravely wounded Malik shows up with it.
Believing that the failure was caused by his breaking of the Tenets, Al Mualim strips Altaïr of all his weapons and equipment, demoting him to Novice rank. Altaïr then must earn his way back to the top of the order.
When Desmond is reliving Altaïr's memories, he must follow these tenets as well to stay synchronized with his ancestor's memories in the Animus.
If the player makes Altaïr break the 1st Tenet (hurt or kill innocent people) he loses one Synchronization and then onto five.
There is no punishment for breaking the 2nd tenet, but there is an significant advantage to following it. Be discreet- do not draw attention to yourself unless necessary. Use low profile actions when possible, blend with the people, and take advantage of Scholars , and the guards will never trouble you.
"The 3rd Tenet is simple. Your actions must never come to harm the Brotherhood, direct or indirect." As an example, you will not be able to enter to the Assassins' Bureau when you are Exposed, as this would cause the guards to discover it.
Altair unknowingly breaks this Tenet after dispatching 8 of the higher ranked Templar members. Since they were from both Saracen and Crusader origins, their respective leaders, Saladin and Richard the Lionheart, would have been more willing to join together to combat a new threat, the Assassins. Robert de Sable, leader of the unknowingly corrupt Templars, attempted to convince Richard of building up forces with Saladin and attacking Masyaf. It was all Robert's plan to take the Piece of Eden from Al Mualim's grasp. In this way, he indirectly broke the third Tenet.
Reasoning
Most of the information above, which is rather impressive might i add, is related mainly to the first Assassin's Creed story line, but still plays a very important roll in the sequal. This is not just for the sake of making the game harder, it provides a way to play and understand the game(s). Even though i believe strongly that the 3rd Assassin's Creed video game will take place in the future, the story line, im sure, will still incorparate these teachings of the ways of an assassin. After all, isn't that what the games about?