Assassin's Creed 3 - What we know so far

[JRD]

While exchanging some ideas with mandru on another thread I realised I need some more research after four games!

Found that great post here

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Prehistory

    A race of humanoid people known only as the First Civilisation, the original inhabitants of Earth, created the human race in their own image.
    They then create a few Pieces Of Eden, a set of artefacts intended to control humanity and use them as slaves.
    Adam and Eve (yes, that Adam and Eve) start a revolt against their oppressors, and steal one of the Apples Of Eden.
    During the ensuing war, a coronal mass ejection affects the Earth, flipping its polarity and exposing the Earth to the sun's radiation, causing it to become barren and inhospitable.
    This caused the war between humans and the First Civilisation to end, and once it was over resulted in only 10,000 surviving humans and "far fewer" members of the First Civilisation.
    The two races worked together to rebuild civilisation – with humans mistaking those of the First Civilisation as gods – though those of the First Civilisation did not have the numbers to survive and died out.

Altair Ibn-La'Ahad's Life (1189-1257)

    1189: Assassin Altair defends the Assassin fortress at Masyaf from Haras, an Assassin traitor leading an army of Templars against the Assassins.
    During the battle, Altair rescues his mentor Rashid ad-Din Sinan and is promoted to the rank of Master Assassin.
    1191: Altair, along with two other Assassins Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf, are sent to acquire the Second Apple Of Eden presumed to be in a vault in Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem.
    During their search, Kadar Al-Sayf is killed by the Templar Robert de Sable while his brother Malik is wounded in his right arm. Malik manages to escape with the Second Apple Of Eden, however, and returns it to Masyaf.
    The Templars follow Altair and Malik on route to Masyaf, but are deterred by Altair.
    Altair is believed to have broken the three tenets of the Assassin's Creed and is demoted to Novice.
    Altair, in a bid to restore his previous rank, set out to Jerusalem, Acre and and Damascus to hunt down and kill nine Templar targets. These were: Tamir, Garnier de Naplouse, Talal, Abu'l Nuqoud, William of Montferrat, Majd Addin, Sibrand, Jubair al Hakim and Robert de Sable.

    His final target, Robert de Sable, was killed during the Battle of Arsuf after a decoy, Maria Thorpe, had previously tricked Altair.
    Upon returning to Masyaf, Altair discovered his mentor Rashid ad-Din Sinan had used the Second Apple Of Eden to brainwash the citizens (including Assassins) of Masyaf. The pair fought – with Sinan using the various powers of the Apple Of Eden – until Altair was victorious, slaying his mentor.
    Altair later took command of Masyaf and the Levantine Assassins.
    1192: Armand Bouchart – successor to Robert de Sable – bought the island of Cyprus and began moving the Templar Knights to their new base of operations there.
    Bouchart ordered the arrest of Maria Thorpe, who was then rescued by Altair. The pair then travelled to Kyrenia to destroy the Templar presence there.
    1204: Altair travelled to Constantinople to spread the Assassin ideology to the city.
    1217: Altair, Maria and their son Darim left Masyaf to deal with the Mongol threat that was spreading, leaving Malik Al-Sayf in charge.

    Abbas Sofian took control of Masyaf during Altair's absence by framing Malik Al-Sayf for the murder of Altair's other son Sef.
    1228: Altair, Maria and Darim returned to Masyaf to discover the betrayal. In anger, the Apple Of Eden was used to put Abbas' henchman Swami into a frenzy, killing Altair's wife in the process. Altair left Masyaf and began a self-imposed exile from the Assassin Order.
    1247: Altair returns to Masyaf after years in exile, gaining support from Levantine Assassins and meeting the son of Malik Al-Sayf.
    Altair kills Abbas Sofian with a concealed gun – technology that he learned from the use of the Apple Of Eden – and takes control of the Assassin Order.
    1257: Deciding that Masyaf had become "a beacon" for the Assassins enemies, Altair began sending Assassins away from the Order in the hopes of spreading the Creed and becoming a global operation.
    Altair orders the remaining Assassins, including his son Darim, to leave Masyaf. Altair locks himself inside the fortress library before quietly passing away.

Ezio Auditore Da Firenze's Life (1476-1512)

    1476: Giovanni Auditore da Firenze and two of his three sons Federico and Petruccio are arrested by secret Templar agent Uberto Alberti.
    Ezio Auditore – son of Giovanni – witnesses his father and brothers public execution on false claims of treason. Ezio returns to the Auditore estate and claims his father's position of Assassin.
    Ezio, along with his mother Maria and sister Claudia, escapes Firenze and relocates to his uncle Mario's villa at Monteriggioni. Here Ezio discovers his family are actually members of the Italian Assassins and that Monteriggioni is in fact their hideout for the area.
    1478: During an assault on the de' Medici family, orchestrated by the Templar Pazzi family, Ezio saves Lorenzo de' Medici from being murdered.
    Ezio travels to San Grimigano to hunt down and assassinate Templar targets. During these years here he kills: Francesco de' Pazzi, Antonio Maffei, Stefano da Bagnone, Bernado Baroncelli, Francesco Salviati and Jacopo de'Pazzi.

    With the help of mercenary and Assassin Bartolomeo d'Alviano, Ezio assassinates Silvio Barbarigo and Dante Moro, his bodyguard.
    After this, the Templars set sail for Cyprus to recover a hidden Piece Of Eden.
    1488: The Templars return with an Apple Of Eden, which is stolen by Ezio Auditore while disguised as the courier. This allows Ezio to meet Rodrigo, resulting a battle between the two. Rodrigo escapes and leaves the Apple Of Eden.
    Ezio Auditore is officially inducted into the Assassin Order.
    Ezio and fellow Assassin Niccolo Machiavelli travel to Forli to hide the Apple Of Eden in Caterina Sforza's citadel.
    Rodrigo Borgia orders Checco and Ludovico Orsi to attack Forli, but Ezio manages to secure the city.
    Ezio recovers the Apple Of Eden from Checco, but is severely wounded and passes out. A monk called Girolamo Savonarola takes the Apple.

    1494: After struggling to locate the Apple Of Eden, Girolamo Savonarola – the monk who had taken it from an unconscious Ezio – reveals the artefact when he used it to gain favour throughout Florence, and start the Bonfire of the Vanities.
    Ezio helped instigate a revolt against Savonarola's false rule by assassinating nine of his Lieutenants situated throughout Florence, while fellow Assassins La Volpe and Paola helped turn the citizens against him, allowing Ezio to claim the Apple Of Eden.
    1499: While the rest of the Templars in Rome are distracted by the Assassins, Ezio infiltrated the Sistine Chapel and assassinated Pope Alexander VI who was, in fact, Rodrigo Borgia in disguise.
    Using the power of the Staff Of Eden, Rodrigo recovers from the assassination attempt and the pair fight. Eventually Ezio overpowers Rodrigo and uses the Staff and Apple Of Eden to discover a hidden vault, where a holographic image of Juno – one of the members of the First Civilisation – who warns Ezio (and through him, Desmond Miles) about an impending doom set to destroy the planet.

    Upon leaving the vault, Rodrigo had recovered, escaped and had taken the Apple Of Eden.
    1500: Monteriggioni is assaulted by Cesare Borgia in retaliation of the events in Rome. Ezio and the other Assassins manage to escape.
    Ezio returned to Rome to relocate the Apple Of Eden and assassinate Cesare and Rodrigo Borgia.
    1503: Once discovering Cesare and Rodrigo were in the Castel Sant'Angelo Ezio scaled the building. Cesare poisoned Rodrigo then demanded the location of the Apple Of Eden from his sister Lucrezia. Ezio raced Cesare and collected the Apple first.
    Ezio used the Apple Of Eden to wipe out Cesare's Templar forces then, in 1504, chased Cesare to Ostia where he assassinated the Borgia lord.
    1506: Ezio stored the Apple Of Eden away in the Colossuem Vault, which Desmond Miles would later find.
    Later Ezio would enter the First Civilisation structure known as the Pythagorean Vault, where he and Leonardo da Vinci discovered a set of longitude and latitude co-ordinates. These locations point to Turin, New York – likely an important location for Assassin's Creed 3.

Modern Day (2011)

    Clay Kaczmarek – an Assassin – infiltrates Abstergo Industries to learn more about the Animus project. Clay is intentionally kidnapped and becomes Subject 16 as part of the Animus experiments.
    In 2012, overexposure to the Animus results in Subject 16's mental health degrading, causing him to suffer from the 'bleeding effect'.
    Subject 16 uploads an AI copy of himself into the Animus for his successor to find.
    Subject 16 paints cryptic messages on the wall of his cell, before committing suicide.

Modern Day (2012)

    Desmond Miles – a bartender – is kidnapped and abducted to become a new subject as part of the Animus project.
    Desmond is forced to relive the memories of his ancestor, Altair Ibn-La'Ahad, to locate a Piece Of Eden – a mystical and powerful artefact intended to give its wielder unfathomable power.
    During his trials, Desmond meets Lucy Stillman and Warren Vidic who watch over him during his use of the Animus.
    Lucy explains to Desmond that Abstergo Industries is, in fact, a front for the Templars – the ancient group looking for the Piece Of Eden and eternal enemies of the Assassins.
    Lucy Stillman – who is, in fact, an undercover Assassin – assists Desmond in escaping Abstergo Industries, after which the pair travel to Rome. Here Desmond meets Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, both Assassins. Shaun provides historical information for Desmond, while Rebecca maintains an Animus machine.

    Here Desmond relives the life of another of his ancestors, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, as he tries to locate the Apple Of Eden.
    Warren Vidic attacks Desmond and his fellow Assassins at their Rome hideout, which is successfully deterred.
    The group relocate to a new base of operations at Monteriggioni – the old hideout for the Assassins and previous home of Ezio Auditore – and continue with Desmond's trials.
    Desmond – through Ezio – discovers the location of the Apple of Eden and takes the group to a concealed tome beneath the Colosseum in Rome. Here he finds the Apple of Eden, and communicates with the goddess Juno.
    Juno takes possession of Desmond's body and forces him to stab – and kill – Lucy Stillman before falling into a coma.
    William Miles – Desmond's father – helps recover the Assassins from beneath the Colosseum and replaces Desmond into the Animus in the hopes of repairing his mental state.
    After witnessing the end of Ezio's tale, Desmond recovers from his coma, claiming to know what the Assassins must do. The group – including William Miles – travel to New York to discover the location of the Grand Temple, a First Civilisation structure.

[PZ]

Great post, JRD!  I could almost feel myself back in the prior games as I read the account.  :-X

[JRD]

Insights from AC3:

-In the cave, Desmond speaks to Juno and she suggests there were four towers the First Civ was building to prevent the sun from frying out the Earth.... they never managed to finish them though. She says "Let metal finish what flesh couldn't" , hinting some kind of automation process to finish whatever those toweers are... maybe this is what Desmond will have to do in the end.

-The Clan-Mother puts a glassy artifact (a crystal ball but one that actually works) into a young Connor's hands and he sees his destiny. Juno again communicates with someone in a different time: She says something about the artifact being made to calculate probabilities of success, hence, allowing them to choose the best path. It might be that there several of those artifacts closer to all lineages of people descending from Altair and his ancestors. Each artifact will then point towards those who are more likely to get the job done!

-Desmond breaks into a Templar den in lower Manhattan and steals a First Civ made object... a strong power source of some sort. It can be part of the key to open the gate at the cave.

-There has been way too many traitors among the Assassins and I don't like Shaun Hastings! 

-Lucy: In the cave William Miles, Desmond's father, says she was a traitor too and deserved what she had. I still don't get what and why.... the info I found on that site doesn't mentio Lucy as a spy or a traitor. The only hint is a speculation: Minerva (or Juno, I don't know) possessed Desmond and killed her so she must have had a good reason  ????

[PZ]

-There has been way too many traitors among the Assassins and I don't like Shaun Hastings! 

I agree; he obviously hates his job.

That's an interesting thought about Lucy  ????

[JRD]

After the mission with Desmond, where you have to recover the power source cube from the Templar's HQ in Manhattan I found where to place it in the cave. You have a few places to go and people to chat when you are out of the Animus. Check the place where Desmond's dad usually is: near the stairs on the opposite site where the Animus is. It is a kind of room with pilars in the the corners and you can climb to an upper room where you'll have a chat with Juno!

You then place the cube you brough from NY and another room will open on the other side of the cave. Get there and go up and you'll meet Juno again for another cutscene. Desmond then says "Whatever is laying behind that door is of Juno's interest". He also mentions something about her being responsible for Lucy's death and he doesn't sound too sure about her being a traitor either!!  ????

Anyway... you can reach another point of the cave there which is where you probably have to place another cube later in the game!  ;)

[PZ]

Good find  :-X  I was in too much of a hurry to find where to place the cubes  :-()

[mandru]

Thanks for bring this info all together JRD.  :-X

Here's a bit of back story I found interesting for the current game AC3.

Achilles Davenport the retired and reactivated leader of the Assassin team in colonial America reluctantly accepted mentorship over our character Ratonhnhake:ton.  There is a conversation between these two as they are preparing to make a trip to the big city pick up supplies where Achilles comments that Ratonhnhake:ton is light enough skinned to pass as Italian or Spanish and that he needed a name among the colonists.

Just a stone's throw from the N.E. corner of the Homestead Manor there are two graves with headstones.  One of them is for a six or seven year old son Achilles had buried some twenty years previously.  I thought it was fitting that Achilles would select his son's name Connor for the angry young boy seeking training to fulfill a revenge pledge.

Someone Achilles could influence and raise up as an assassin, nurture and influence as an adopted son honoring the lost child he was denied the opportunity to raise.

[JRD]

That's some nice attention to details... nice find, mandru!  :-X

I remember listening the conversation about Ratonhnhake:ton (I have to copy+paste his name every time) being light enough skinned to pass as Italian or Spanish too... nice glimpse on his ancestors!

I didn't cme across the tombstone yet... will check it next time I'm in colonial America!  8)

[PZ]

... Ratonhnhake:ton (I have to copy+paste his name every time) ...

I think that is why they call him "Connor"  :-()

[mandru]

Yeah.  But they could have called him... Bill or George anything but Sioux.  ;)

[PZ]

  :-X