Talal

"Beggars, whores, addicts, lepers. Do they strike you as proper slaves? Unfit for even the most menial tasks? No. I took them not to sell, but to save! And yet you'd kill us all, for no other reason than it was asked of you."

―Talal's final words to Altaïr, 1191.

Talal (c. 1157 – 1191) was a slaver and a member of the Levantine Templars. He was one of nine men killed by the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad on his quest for redemption, upon the order of Al Mualim, the Mentor of the Levantine Assassins during the Third Crusade. He was located in the rich district of Jerusalem where he had based his slave trading business.

Biography

The slaver of Jerusalem

"He traffics in human lives, kidnapping Jerusalem's citizens and selling them into slavery."

―Altaïr about Talal.

A former member of the Saracen army, ^{[citation needed]} Talal returned to the holy city of Jerusalem, where he established a bandit gang made up of men whose loyalty to him was unquestioned. Talal occupied an area in the north of the city, near the barbican, where he operated out of an old warehouse. To acquire his "stock", he utilized a herald near the city gates to lure the poor and desperate with promises of work, comforts, and rewards. Those who fell for the ruse were held in his warehouse until they were sent to Acre, many of whom were destined to become subjects for the experiments of Garnier de Naplouse. Although the city guards were aware of Talal's activities, he kept to the shadows and paid them a tribute to turn a blind eye.

Talal was a master archer who favored the bow, often seeking higher ground to kill his enemies from afar. Despite his skills, he was rumored to be a coward who would flee at the first sign of trouble, a trait he demonstrated by fleeing from his warehouse when confronted by Altaïr. He justified these abductions by claiming that since they were "unfit for even the most menial tasks," they could not be slaves; instead, he maintained he was "saving" them and preparing them for a "journey" that lay ahead.

Death

"It seems I cannot help you, for you do not wish to help yourself. And I cannot allow my work to be threatened. You leave me no choice. You must die."

―Talal speaking to Altaïr, 1191.

Altaïr investigated Talal's movements within the rich district and tracked him to his warehouse. Upon entering, the doors were barred behind the Assassin, and Talal began taunting him from the shadows of the upper floor. The slaver claimed to have orchestrated the encounter, boasting that he had unbarred the doors and cleared the path for Altaïr.

A ceiling hatch opened, casting a ray of light into the chamber, and Talal challenged Altaïr to step into it. Once the Assassin complied, Talal ordered his loyal followers to surround and eliminate him. Despite the ambush, Altaïr overpowered the guards, prompting Talal to flee the complex through another hatch. During the subsequent pursuit through the streets of Jerusalem, Talal's followers intervened to hinder Altaïr, providing their master with time to escape.

Altaïr assassinating Talal

Talal often looked over his shoulder during the chase and tried to convince his pursuer into sparing him. As he was occupied with this, he failed to notice a civilian woman carrying clay jugs and collided with her, sending both tumbling to the ground. Before Talal could resume his flight, Altaïr quickly closed the gap and stabbed him with his Hidden Blade.

In his final moments, Talal asserted that his death would not stop the Brotherhood's designs upon the Holy Land, noting that Al Mualim was not the only one with plans for the region. He maintained that God had long abandoned both him and the outcasts he had taken in, insisting to the end that he had sought to save these unfortunate souls rather than profit from the war.

Personality and traits

Altaïr confronting Talal

Talal possessed a complex moral perspective, viewing his actions as a necessity despite locking up men and women against their will. He claimed and thought he did the right thing, stating the people he imprisoned to be mere beggars, whores, addicts and lepers who he was trying to save.

Like his fellow Templars, he had lost faith in God, claiming that not only he had been abandoned, but the people he took into his care as well. He was somewhat arrogant as well, believing that Altaïr would fail to defeat his men and even taunting Altaïr beforehand.

A master marksman, Talal favored the bow and was capable of neutralizing enemies from higher ground. He usually carried a bow on his back along with a quiver full of arrows, and though he wore a sword sheathed in its scabbard, he was far more experienced with his ranged weaponry. Physically, he was of average height and stature. He wore a dark gray tunic with yellow stripes, plain white leggings, and two vambraces on each wrist. Talal also had a goatee and wore his hair braided flat against the back of his head.

Trivia

• Talal was featured in the E3 2007 gameplay trailer, where Altaïr infiltrated the slave trader's den, before chasing and killing Talal.
• Talal was one of the assassination targets that could be stopped by vigilantes while escaping, the others being Sibrand, Abu'l Nuqoud and Jubair al Hakim.
• Talal was one of the five targets of the original game that had personal bodyguards; the others were Tamir, Abu'l Nuqoud, Majd Addin and Jubair al Hakim.
• Talal's guards could still be found in Jerusalem after his death.
• Ṭalāl (طلال) is an Arabic name meaning "admirable" and "nice".
• In the mobile adaptation of Assassin's Creed, Talal's name was spelled "Tallal". Although still described as a slave master, he was portrayed without any affiliation with the Saracens, donning the heavy battle armor of the Knights Templar. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad assassinated him by firing his crossbow at a lantern above his head, which then fell onto the puddle of oil he and two other Templars were standing on, sending them to a fiery demise.

Gallery

• 
  Talal's model by Michel Thibault
• 
  Talal in his warehouse
• 
  Talal's final moments

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed (first appearance)
• Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade