Rings of Eden

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A Ring of Eden is a Piece of Eden which is molded in the form of a ring and serves as personal shields for its wearer, whether human or Isu. Invented by the Æsir Idun,^[1] the Rings project an electromagnetic field which deflect diamagnetic projectiles as well as energy-based weapons discharges. The Rings do not grant the wearer complete immunity, however, and were sometimes used by the Isu in conjunction with a shielding device.

History[edit | edit source]

In the decades preceding the Great Catastrophe, the Isu attempted to adapt the principles behind the Rings to create a shield that could protect the Earth from the impending cataclysm. However, they did not have the time or resources to make even a large enough shield to safeguard a single city, and so they abandoned the research for other, more favorable solutions.^[2]

During the late 17th century, the renowned privateer-turned-pirate William Kidd acquired a Ring and used its ability to deflect lead musket balls, which contributed to folklore stories of his invincibility. Kidd eventually chose to hide his Ring on Oak Island to keep it safe from Templar forces who sought it. To this end, Kidd created a map that provided clues to the Ring's location and divided it among four of his former crew members before he was captured by the British and executed.^[3]

Decades later, the Colonial Assassin Connor managed to gather the four pieces of the map from "Peg Leg", a sailor who sat near the docks of Connor's ship, the Aquila. With the map complete, Connor and his first mate Robert Faulkner sailed to Oak Island to obtain the Ring. Though both wondered why Kidd protected this "treasure" so carefully, Connor soon realized its power when it threw Faulkner's whiskey flask out of his hand. The Assassin would thereafter keep the Ring, taking advantage of its ability to deflect musket balls much like Kidd had done.^[3]

Around the same time, the Louisianan Templar Madeleine de L'Isle's archaeological digs beneath Chichen Itza's tunnels uncovered a number of Rings and other Isu artifacts.^[4]

Hnituðr[edit | edit source]

Main article: Hnituðr

Despite taking the form of a golden arm ring forged in seven pieces, Hnituðr was made by the Isu blacksmith Völund^[5] and is also considered a Ring of Eden, sharing many of their properties such as magnetic field manipulation.^[6] It was kept atop an altar in Völund's forge in the North Sea until the late 9th century, when he offered it to the Viking Geirmund Hel-hide, who accepted the gift.^[5] The bracelet passed on to Guthrum, who wore it during the battles of Bedwyn^[7] and Meretun.^[8]

Following Meretun, King Alfred of Wessex negotiated peace with the Vikings and included in his terms that the bracelet be given up to be destroyed. Upon learning that Guthrum and Alfred had been working together, Geirmund confronted his jarl about the deception and they fought. Most of Geirmund's weapons proved useless apart from a bronze knife that he used to wound Guthrum in the thigh. Realizing Geirmund had the will and the means to kill him, Guthrum returned the bracelet.^[9] After Geirmund's death, the bracelet disappeared and was not found on him nor in any of his halls.^[10]

Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]

In both the 2012 video game Assassin's Creed III and the item description for the 2018 official replica prop sold by Ubiworkshop, the artifacts are erroneously referred to as "Shards of Eden", contradicting the franchise's previous use of the name from the 2011 comic series Assassin's Creed: The Fall to describe the adamant fragments from the Russian Imperial Sceptre, a Staff of Eden that was near-completely destroyed in the 1908 Tunguska explosion.

After players have Connor acquire the Ring, its effects are present if players then have Desmond Miles relive Haytham Kenway's earlier genetic memories. The Ring's effect can also be seen on Desmond himself in the modern day missions if players had uncovered it before leaving the Animus.

A number of Rings are included among the character and item cards for the expected Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game. Although the "Pirate Ring of Eden" and its ability to project an energy shield over its wearer is identical to previous Rings, the rest have colorings and names that are unique to the tabletop game while their functions are taken from characters in Universal Monsters' classic horror films and have not been previously established in Assassin's Creed to be among a Ring's alternate powers. The "Ring of Blood" disguises its user as a vampire and lets them influence minds, the "Ring of Sand" cloaks one as an undead mummy while granting illusory and fear-projecting powers, and the "Ring of Moon" presents one as a werewolf and grants extrasensory perception that operates like Eagle Vision in the games. Despite these differences, the images for all four are included in the below gallery because they are still reskins of the original Ring.