FLORENCE

ROMAGNA.

TUSCANY

VENICE

VILLA AUDITORE

Assassin's Creed 2Puzzle and Codex Contents and AnalysisVersion 1.00Author: Irvine TomoeEmail: DarkerCompanion@gmail.comDate of Submission: November 26, 2009

*******************************Table of ContentsI. Disclaimer/Spoiler AlertII. IntroductionIII. Puzzle Information and InterpretationIV. Codex Script and Interpretation - IncompleteV. Auditore Tomb Script and InterpretationVI. SpeculationVII. Personal Musings

VIII. Legal SomesuchIX. Credits*******************************

I. Disclaimer/Spoiler Alert

Before I say anything else, I have to warn that this file is intended to provide post-game information. This is not a guide having anything to do with how to beat the game, or the glyph puzzles. It is assumed that readers have solved all the glyph puzzles, beaten the game, and in some respects, have beaten Assassin's Creed 1 as well. I will discuss potentially every major plot reveal post game, as that is what this entire guide concerns. So if you are intending to find out the plot yourself, please, stop now. If you are reading this, and you are about to play Assassin's Creed 2 and you have NOT played Assassin's Creed 1, stop. Go buy AC1 for 20 bucks and play it first. Unless you hate it (in which case you will likely dislike the second as well), it will enrich the experience of the second.

Furthermore, there is a significant amount of speculation on my part in this file. The first half is examining imagery, references to history, implied connections and deciphered codes, so most of it is only one step (or less) away from what is spelled out directly. However, there will be a few connections I make that may not necessarily be true, so nothing can be taken as absolute truth . . . I'm sure the Assassins would agree. The speculation section will be the most distant from fact, as I will tie together a picture of the state of things in a more linear, definitive fashion, but including some of my interpretations of the more vague plot points. If you are still reading, awesome. Moving on.

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II. Introduction

Assassin's Creed 1 is an interesting, fairly popular game about an assassin during the crusades and the political strife and conspiracies he and his order discover while fighting with their enemies, the Templar. That's all fine and dandy . . . but it doesn't get really interesting until you beat the game. At the end of the game, there is a tantalizing spoiler of Science Fiction potential in a game that was fairly grounded in reality up until that point. The game left you hanging, having just discovered what little was provided to you, and it left you in the ultimate cliffhanger.

But, for those with an insatiable appetite for more, there were hints. Drawings on the walls, that hinted at clues as to the direction of the next game. Emails that hinted that certain well known events were not what they seemed. Suddenly, a game about killing people in an awesome manner, on a

historical political backdrop became so much more . . . and said "See ya in two years!" Well, that's just mean. Some of that information requires knowledge of lots of minute details and mythological references, as well as math and languages. And you know, not everyone gets that stuff. Nor is everyone interested in spending days deciphering all the clues. So when I played Assassin's Creed 2, and found that it had at least ten times more subtle clues than the first, I decided I had to look into it. Rather than have people dismiss this aspect and ignore what I consider to be the most interesting part of the game, I aim to combine it all for the reader, so that these aspects do not go ignored.

So here we are. I've written down the contents of the puzzles, and what they seem to imply about the plot. When something vital is referenced, but not spelled out, I have done my research and included the facts in the file. If any of it calls to you, I recommend wikipedia. So much of this is there, waiting to be read . . . would you believe that nearly every conspiracy in this game is a REAL conspiracy theory? They may not be real conspiracies in real life, but they are real conspiracy theories in real life. Assassin's Creed 2 makes up very little. I have also deciphered all of the hidden messages in the background of the pictures. It is possible that I have missed one, and if that is the case, please, let me know.

In fact, while this file was written nearly entirely by me, I know I could not have caught everything. There must be underlying references of extraordinary value that slipped past me. Or perhaps I missed something obvious and inferred something else (you wouldn't believe some of the bad ideas I had WRITTEN DOWN in this file that I realized were wrong later). If you have anything you think would work well here, or if you have a suggestion, or maybe wish to contest that I have something so absurdly wrong it couldn't possibly be right,let me know. My email is DarkerCompanion@gmail.com, and while I can't guarantee a fast response, I know I am interested in hearing more tie-ins and references. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have written this. You could say the length of this document is how interested I am in hearing what you might have to say.

With that explained, let me begin.

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III. Puzzle Information and Interpretation

Here, I will list each puzzle and the relevant images, facts, quotes, and the like included. I did NOT record all of Subject 16's dialogue, however, when it seemed important, I did. If you are here looking for solutions to the puzzles, you likely won't find it, except for on a few that the answer is relevant to the story.

------------------------------------Puzzle #1: In The Beginning-----------------------------------

This is an image matching puzzle. Its hint is "Five of These Mythic Scenes Share A CORE Similarity. Pick them out and you'll begin to see."

The FallHercules in the Garden of the HesperidesAtalanta and HippomenesJudgement of Paris Idun and the Apples

These five include apples in them in a prominent sense, many of which are tied into biblical or mythological settings. Upon completion, the image of the Piece of Eden (The Apple) is displayed.

Interpretation: This puzzle hints that the Apple/s have played a relevant role in the mythological history of mankind. It also notes several situations in which an apple was potentially more than just a fruit.

The Fall - This is a simple image of Adam and Eve by the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Given the contents of Subject 16's video, this one is fairly obvious.

Judgement of Paris - This moment from the life of the Greek mythological figure Paris concerned a marriage celebration held by the Gods. Not invited, Eris, the Goddess of Strife, sought to disrupt the party by offering a Golden Apple of Discord to the most beautiful attendant of the party. This caused bickering amongst the arrogant attendees, allowing Eris to manipulate the attendees into doing what she wanted (ruining the party themselves, since she wasn't invited). This use of the apple to control others behavior is especially worth nothing. Eventually, it came down to Paris, a mortal, having to choose which of the three goddesses, Hera, Athena (a.k.a. Minerva) and Aphrodite. He choice and subsequent actions eventually led to the eruption of the Trojan War, a war which concerned humans, super-humans (Achilles was the son of a nymph and a human, who were supernatural beings, leaving him with vaguely defined half-God status, see the Speculation section for more), and Gods.

Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides - Hercules, a half-God (see the Speculation section for more on this subject) traveled to this location during his journeys to steal a Golden Apple as a task. Within the myth, these Apples had supernatural abilities, including immortality. Notably, in some variations of the myth, after the theft, Athena (Minerva) returned the Apples to the

Garden.

Idun and the Apples - Idun is a Norse goddess who was known, amongst other things, as a guardian of youth giving supernatural apples.

Atalanta and Hippomenes - In this particular myth, Atalanta was a athletic, warriorlike woman who was far more capable than the average athletica male. Uninterested in marriage, she finally agreed that she would marry a male who could outrun her. Hippmenes was, according to the myth, granted 3 golden apples by Aphrodite that he used to trick her into slowing down, and through their use, was able to win. This myth is the only one of the five aside from the Judgement of Paris myth in which someone uses a Golden Apple to manipulate someone's behavior, but it is worth nothing.

In all five of the myths, the apples are highly desirable and capable of what seems to be more than just being a simple fruit. Furthermore, except for that of Idun, all of the apples are golden. In all five myths are the apples related to the Gods in one way or another.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #2: Sixty-four Squares-----------------------------------

This puzzle begins with a number of spinning circle puzzles.

The first: Queen Elizabeth of England,1559In this image, Queen Elizabeth holds an orb in her hand. The implication is that this is no simple orb. Upon completion, it is highlighted and identified as: ID: Piece of Eden 2 - Apple

The second: Emperor Napoleon 1 of France, 1812In this image, Napoleon's characteristic "hand in jacket" pose implies a Piece of Eden. Given how well known this pose is, it may imply that the Apple had begun to influence his behavior. Upon completion, it is highlighted and identified as: ID: Piece of Eden 1 - Apple

The third: George Washington, United States, 1781In this image, George Washington is shown in a similar pose to Napoleon, and the completed puzzle reveals the same result. Upon completion, it is highlighted and identified as: ID: Piece of Eden 3 - Apple

Interpretation: This puzzle is fairly simple in its implications. It shows three incredibly influential world leaders and gives evidence that they each were in possession of an Apple. Queen Elizabeth is considered to be the most recognizable leader in English history, and her reign has been considered as veritable golden age for the nation. Napoleon I was similarly one of the most

recognizable leaders of France, as well as being extremely competent in war. George Washington is the first and the most recognizable of the presidents of the United States, and he too was a reputable politician and general.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #3: Descendents-----------------------------------

This puzzle starts with a relevant comment by Subject 16: "Power doesn't die; its passed on."

A Where's Waldo style puzzle, this includes images of several famous individuals.

The first: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Strategic Meeting, 1944The image is labeled. "HE CARRIED IT WITH HIM. FIND HIS INHERITANCE"

There is a hidden message that goes horizontally across the board. It says:THE MASONS BROUGHT IT ACROSS THE SEA.GEORGE WASHINGTON PASSED IT ON.

The Apple one the table is IDed as the Piece of Eden #3.

The second: Houdini Beginning the Chinese Water Torture Cell Escape, 1913A Morse code message says "They hit him in the stomach."The Apple is on the water tank IDed as the Piece of Eden #1.

The third: Gandhi During The Salt March, 1930A Morse code message says "The bullet hit him in the chest."The Apple is on the end of his walking stick, seemingly invisible, IDed as the Piece of Eden #2.

Interpretation: A second time, the puzzle reveals that influential world leaders were in possession of Apples. However, in these pictures, the others present in the picture seem ignorant of the presence of said apples. This would imply that that had not just used the apple to gain their power, but to blind their followers to the presence of the apple. This is particularly relevant to Houdini, a master of escape and illusion. The power of the apple would easily allow him trick audiences into believing he had performed his famous stunts, several of which are still considered "impossible" today. Also, this puzzle assigns an accusatory tone towards the Templar for the deaths of Gandhi and Houdini.

The note above Roosevelt's picture is not present in the other pictures. When considered in the context of the hidden message in his picture, it shows an important link. Roosevelt was a member of the Freemasons, a fraternal

organization guarded by secrecy. Membership was earned, and one had to rise through the ranks to attain higher levels of membership and access to greater secrets. The Freemasons are several centuries old, going as far back as the 16th century. George Washington was also a member of the Freemasons, 150 years before Roosevelt's time in office. Both Roosevelt's and Washington's apples are IDed in the pictures as Piece of Eden #3, so it is clear that it was passed along through the Freemason organization.

The most important clue here, however, is that for over two centuries, speculation and conspiracy theories have existed claiming that the Freemasons are a front for the Templar, who were forcefully disbanded. The theories claim that the Templar, losing their official power, created a new order that they could control from behind the scenes, and it is certainly a powerful group, even today, with many important historical figures having been members. It is worth noting that one conspiracy claims that the Freemasons were responsible for faking the Apollo 11 moon landing (See Puzzle 11: Apollo). The hidden message was also encrypted in Masonic code, a form of secret writing used by the Freemasons to keep their communication from prying eyes.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #4: Infinite Knowledge-----------------------------------

This puzzle is another Where's Waldo puzzle.

The first: Burning Viet Cong Base Camp, My Tho, Vietnam, 1968The image is labeled: Its open MOUTH delivers the kiss of death.The picture shows a soldier in Vietnam with a rocket launcher on his back, set against a backdrop of destruction. The MOUTH refers to the rocket launcher.

The second: Members of the 2D Infantry Division Advance Under Machine Gun Fire into the Outskirts of Brest, France, 1944The image is labeled: Leading the YOUNG to their end.The picture shows soldiers in France. The YOUNG refers to a soldier in the background.

There is a hidden message in this picture, encoded in Hexidecimal. Once deciphered, it says "Antikythera Mechanism, much older than 150 B.C.E."

The third: Union Troops in Formation, Beaufort, South Carolina, 1862The image is labeled: The Flames from its throat POKE out their eyes.The picture shows a group of soldiers, many of which have bayonets. The poke refers to these.

There is a hidden message in this picture, that once decoded says "Ancient city, Rajasthan, India, irradiated by PoE"

The fourth: The First Pictorial Representation of a Gun, 900The image is labeled: The MONSTER did not come from man.An asian picture depicts a horde of demons assaulting a central figure. There is what looks like a firearm/cannon in the picture, and a demon holds a blazing golden sphere. This sphere ends the image, and it is IDed as "Piece of Eden 4 - Apple"

There is a hidden binary message in this picture that translates to "Sumerian. Me 23."

Ends on a picture of a demon, holding a flaming sphere (ID: Piece of Eden 4 - Apple)

Interpretation: Well, this one is a doozy. It has a lot to say, and makes a lot of references. First, the overarching theme is of firearms. The labels imply that guns are not a human creation. With the last picture in mind, it seems evident that a human used the knowledge in one of the Pieces of Eden to develop guns. As to their demonic appearance, that same Piece of Eden (being wielded alongside the guns in the picture) could have been used to convince the wielder's opponents that they were fighting not humans, but demons. Or perhaps the presence of a newly invented gun could have brought such terror that the event went down in history as being a demonic event.

The first hidden message refers to the Antikythera Mechanism, a real life artifact found in a shipwreck. It is a surprisingly complex tool that seems to have been used as an astronomical calculator. It was comprised of several dozen mobile gear parts, and when its calibration is compared to reality, it is exceedingly accurate. The mechanism's level of technology is considered to be equivalent to that of somewhere between the 15th and 18th century clockwork. However, it is estimated to be over 2000 years old, showing levels of advanced computing technology not believed to have existing during that period of time. The message implies that it is far older than estimates predict, implying is ancient technology from "Those Who Came Before", though not powerful in the sense of the Pieces of Eden.

The second hidden message refers to a combination of myths and scripture. There is a seemingly difficult to trace study on the internet concerning soil samples taken from the Indian state of Rajasthan. The study indicates that they were contained dangerously irradiated dust from a depth indicating that a radioactive event at least several thousand years ago in this area. This study itself has been notoriously hard to back up, however, for the purpose of this explanation, we will take it at face value. Where this ties in is that in Indian scripture, like most scripture, there is a large amount of metaphoric imagery, as well as supernatural beings. Unlike many instances of scripture, however, taken in a science fiction context, the descriptions and powers of

the people and beings seem to resemble not saints and gods, but members of an advanced civilization, complete with references to flying machines similar to jets/spaceships, and weapons with the destructive power of an atom bomb. It is the weapons themselves that tie into this, for in the scripture, there is implication that there was a terrible war, and being that this is Indian scripture, it took place in the general area of India.

Allow me to say this in another way: An ancient civilization of incredibly advanced technology went to war, and phenomenal destruction ensued, including weapons that match the description of nukes, in the general vicinity of India. And according to this difficult to trace study, an Indian state have heavily irradiated soil under several thousand years worth of sediment and dirt. Suddenly, this seems incredibly relevant.

Finally comes the last hidden message, Sumerian Me 23. In Sumerian mythology, the gods granted to humanity many dozen "Me" or aspects of humanity. These are not rules, like commandments, but literal gifts of abilities. Furthermore, these abilities are embodied within literal objects. Me #23 is "Weapons". A physical embodiment of a weapon could refer to an object of vastly powerful combat usefulness, which could match the description of a Piece of Eden. -----------------------------------Puzzle #5: Instruments of Power-----------------------------------

This is an image matching puzzle. Its hint is "The power they wielded CUT down their enemies."

Perseus, Greece Attila the Hun, Eurasia Sigmund, Norse King Arthur, Britannia Joan of Arc, France

These five include powerful figures from the world's history, well known for their warrior nature and combat prowess. Each, in turn wields a sword. When completed, Piece of Eden 25 - The Sword is displayed.

In this puzzle, the hint is "In their hands, the wise LEAN on a great force."

John the Baptist, Jerusalem Alexander the Great, Macedonia Shabataka, Egypt Peter, Jerusalem Moses, Egypt

The five include important figures from history, with all of them being from the bible or old world civilizations. In the images, each possesses a staff. Once completed, Piece of Eden 34 - The Staff is displayed.

Interpretation: This puzzle reveals the first indication that not all Pieces of Eden are Apples, although we now know that there are multiple apples. The sword and the staff are both Pieces of Eden here, and one might infer from the famous figures wielding them that they possess powers relevant to their purpose.

Amongst the wielders of the sword, there is a mix of contemporary history and myth.

Perseus, a Greek mythological hero, was in possession of an enchanted adamantine sword that was granted to him by the Greek god Hermes. Interestingly, he was granted a plethora of magical items, including winged boots granting flight (also from Hermes), the shield of Athena (Minerva), and a helmet of Invisibility from god of the dead, Hades

Sigmund was a hero in Norse mythology, who amongst other things, came to possess a legendary sword. The Norse god Odin (the leader of their gods), came to a party he was attending and embedded the sword in a tree, claiming that only the person who could pull it from the tree could have it. Sigmund was the only one able to remove it, leading to much jealousy and a fair bit of murder.

Attila the Hun was a powerful conqueror from 430 A.D. to 450 A.D. He managed to conquer a significant portion of the known world at the time, and was well known for his skill in warfare and, in many accounts, his cruelty. A legend has arisen around him regarding his sword, which was found in the wilderness. He referred to it as "The Sword of Mars", the Roman god of war, equivalent to Ares in Greek mythology. Amongst non-Roman accounts, it was known as the "Sword of the War God".

King Arthur's tale is far too well known to bother explaining it here, but his possession of the legendary sword Excalibur is evidence enough of its place here. Its role as being a sword in the stone, only removable by a specific individual closely parallels Sigmund's sword, indicating a potential connection. Excalibur was mentioned to have the ability to blind its opponents, and its scabbard was said to prevent the wielder from bleeding to death.

The last, chronologically, in the line of individuals in this set is Joan of Arc. She stands out from the other four in that there is no record of her sword being in any way spectacular. However, her own life fills this role. She was an uneducated, poor farm girl who claimed to have received divine

visions instructing her to lead France, her native country, to reclaim its lost territory from the English. With a lot of convincing, she received permission to fight with the troops, and her influence, through divine knowledge, innate skill, or extreme luck, turned the tide time and time again, resulting in a string of victories that had been preceded by decades of failures. Nearly every tactical decision she made resulted in a victory where others had failed, and she predicted enemy movements with an uncanny degree of accuracy that even veteran military tacticians did not foresee. She did this in the years when she was only 17 and 18. Ultimately, after making great strides in France's name, a political conspiracy against her resulted in her being burned at the stake. It was later officially found that the trials were performed unlawfully, and that she was innocent of the charges.

On the subject of the staff puzzle, the individuals depicted all were in a position of power or leadership at one point.

The first is Moses, of Jewish and Christian scripture. Most relevant to this topic, while doing God's bidding, he was told by God to perform certain acts with his brother's staff. This often resulted in supernatural event, and it soon became common for Moses to use his staff whenever invoking God's power. Included in these acts are: turning the staff into a snake, invoking numerous plagues upon Egypt, parting the Red Sea for passage, conjuring water, and allowing the Israelites to win a battle so long as the staff was raised high.

The second is Shabataka, an Egyptian king who ruled around the year 700 BC. Aside from a brief campaign in Jerusalem, there is little linking him to previous owners of the staff, nor is there significant record of events or a particular staff in his possession.

Third is Alexander the Great. Like Shabataka, there is no particular evidence of a staff in his career, however, he led a tremendously successful campaign that created an empire reaching from Greece to India. He accomplished this in about ten years, although his conquest eventually slowed to a standstill. After his death, his empire fell apart within a few short years, unable to maintain itself.

Fourth is John the Baptist. His role in birth of Christianity is paramount, as he is arguably the second most important human in its creation, second only to Jesus himself. He himself had a sufficiently large following independent of Jesus, founded around baptism. He himself was the one to baptize Jesus, at which point his followers slowly merged with those of Jesus. He was soon killed by the regions local ruler, at a time which historians believe was within a year before Jesus himself was killed. It should be noted that his mother was a "Daughter of Aaron", or an individual

who's lineage could be traced to Aaron, the brother of Moses.

Last is St. Peter, apostle of Jesus, and often their leader when Jesus was not present. He would later become the first Pope, and in some ways, could be considered the founder of Christianity as an actual religion (In that Jesus merely spread the belief, but it was more of a following at the time). As the first Pope, it might be inferred that his possession of the staff allowed it to be passed down through the years, eventually culminating in Rodrigo Borgia.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #6: Brothers-----------------------------------

This puzzle contains 4 spinning circle puzzles, each depicting Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve. The first image depicts the burning altar sacrifice, and the remaining three depict the two struggling. Upon completion, each shows that they were reaching for the Piece of Eden.

Each image has a line of text, forming a passage:

And Satan Said Unto Cain: Swear Unto Me By Thy Throat, And If Thou Tell It Thou Shalt Die

And All These Things Were Done In Secret

And Cain Said: Truly I Am Mahan, the Master of This Great Secret.

Wherefore Cain Was Called Master Mahan, and He Glorified In His Wickedness

Upon completion, subject 16 says "Behold; the mark of Cain!" The red templar cross appears upon all four images. A passage of morse code below says "TEMPLAR TEXTS ADAPTED BY MR SMITH".

Interpretation: This one holds an impressive array of implications.

First: Cain and Able are the sons of Adam and Eve. In the context of Assassin's Creed, this may mean that they would inherit the Piece of Eden that Adam and Eve stole. However, it seems clear that Cain, the ever jealous brother in scripture and culture, would attempt to take the Piece of Eden for himself, and in doing so, commit the first murder in the name of possessing the Apple. This, with the mark of the templar appearing, shows that he was the first person willing to commit terrible acts upon other humans in the name of acquiring the power of the Pieces of Eden for himself. Whether his association with the Templar order is symbolic or real is not clear, but it could be that he would later go on to found the order, attempting to gain control of more of the pieces.

Second: "Templar Texts Adapted By Mr. Smith". What an incredibly useless piece of information, what with Smith being so common a name. Fortunately, it is inextricably linked to one important Smith in history. "Master Mahan" is not a phrase present in most biblical accounts. It is, in fact, fairly exclusive to Mormon texts. The founder of the Mormon Order (The Latter Day Saint movement), who also "translated" the texts founding their scripture, is a certain Joseph Smith, Jr. Joseph Smith, Jr., as well as several other founding members of the Mormon Order were members of the Freemasons, and some aspects of Mormon ritual are based upon the rituals of the Freemasons (See Puzzle 3: Decendents). The take home message, however, is that the Mormons are implied to be Templar.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #7: Keep on Seeking, And You Will Find It-----------------------------------

Here, another image matching puzzle appears, with a lengthy hint:First Plucked From A Tree Guarded By A Snake, Its Powers Perform Miracles. Then, Worn Across The Ages, Torn Asunder, Hidden Under A Sea of RED, Reconstruct the Timeline

Joseph, Egypt. C. 1700 B.C.E. Jason, Greece, Prehistory Jesus Christ, Jerusalem, c. 30 David and Goliath, Valley of Elah, c. 970 B.C.E. Christ Disrobed, Jerusalem. c. 30

These images share a slightly more subtle similarity than previous ones. All but one depict a figure from Christian/Jewish scripture wearing a bright red cloak or shirt. The fifth of Jason of the Argonauts, battling the hydra to take the Golden Fleece, a legendary article of clothing made from the fur of a supernatural ram.

After matching the images, a new picture appears of Jesus crucified on the cross. Using the scanner, one finds the message "They Took It" written across the image. Scanning the note on the top of the cross reveals a Templar logo, and in the bottom corner the scanner reveals Jesus' cloak. Selecting it solves the puzzle, revealing the message: "Piece of Eden 66: The Shroud".

Interpretation: This puzzle shows that Christianity has two Pieces of Eden resurfacing time and time again. Along with the Staff from Puzzle 6, the Shroud shows that it played a part in the lives of several of them. Furthermore, it implies it was more than a simple cloak by attaching it to the Golden Fleece.

The quest of Jason is a lengthy one, concerning many aspects of Greek mythology, however, only a few are relevant to this context. First, the entire course of his quest is an attempt to get a golden fleece from a foreign land, so that he may rightfully take his place as king in his own nation. Later in the story, the fleece itself shows the power to heal the injured, and protects its wearer from harm. Another relevant thread in the plot is that Jason had a strong association with the Greek god Hera (Juno). It is worth noting that one of Jason's companions was Heracles (Hercules in Roman mythos).(See Puzzle 1: In The Beginning).

The tale of Joseph is an important part of Jewish scripture, as it marks one of the many points at which Judaism began its spread in the world. However, one important portion of the tale concerns the beginning, where Joseph's father, Jacob, grants him alone out of his twelve brothers a beautiful, colorful cloak. Out of jealousy, the brothers betrayed Joseph, and sold him into slavery. The cloak is well known for being associated with Joseph's tale.

David and Goliath is another tale in Jewish scripture accounting a battle between a young boy with little to no combat training and an immensely large warrior. Despite all odds, David overcame Goliath without so much as a scratch, and eventually went on to become king of the Hebrew nation, bringing it into a brief golden age that it has never regained. In the picture, he is depicted as wearing a bright red shirt. It is interesting to note that David's King, Saul, offers him the use of his own armor, but David refused, using his own cloth tunic instead.

The dual images of Jesus both depict him wearing a bright red cloak, defying the conventional depiction of Jesus' cloak being a beautiful blue. However, if the cloak were indeed to be the same as the Golden Fleece, it could be in possession of the same healing powers. This would make sense, given that several of Jesus' miracles include him healing the disabled, sick, dying, or dead. The disrobing of Jesus is an important stage in the depiction of his crucifixion, and if the message at the end of the puzzle is indeed correct, then this may have been the ultimate purpose of Jesus' death. This might also be the earliest depiction of the Templar in action.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #8: Martyrs-----------------------------------

This puzzle is a simple Where's Waldo type puzzle, showing two images.

The first: Czar Nicholas II, RussiaThere is binary code in the picture, which, when translated, says "17 July, 1918". This is Nicholas II date of death.Searching the picture reveals his scepter is the Staff, Piece of Eden 34.

The second: Joan of Arc, FranceThere is binary in this picture as well. It says "30 May, 1431". This is also her date of death.Searching the picture reveals her sword is the Piece of Eden 25.

A pointer with the templar logo appears on a map.Place Fire over Joan of Arc, and it shows her burning at the stake, revealing the message "They took it".

Place a photo of Rasputin over Nicholas, and it shows the revolution, with a red Templar cross overlaid, revealing the message "Rasputin took it to Tunguska."

Subject 16 notes that without the staff, Nicholas could not control his subjects, leading to the Russian revolution.

Interpretation: This ties the deaths of two historical figures into the mix. Joan of Arc was mentioned before as having the sword, and the conspiracy to have her executed seems that it may have been a Templar plot to get Piece of Eden 25, the Sword. Whether this is the case or not, the Templar came into possession of the Sword after her death.

The information on Czar Nicholas is a bit harder to discern. While it says that Rasputin took it to Tunguska, it does not deliberately state that he stole it from Nicholas. Rasputin was a close advisor and highly trusted by the Czar. His status as a mystic, well versed in the ways of the spirits and magic, might have led Nicholas to trust him with his "magic staff". Czar Nicholas may not necessarily have been a good leader, but it seems he was manipulated by the Templar as well.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #9: Hat-trick-----------------------------------

A combination puzzle here, some Where's Waldo puzzles first, then a deciphering puzzle.

First: They Made It Look Like An AccidentHoudini and Bess, 1915Sliding templar symbol over Houdini's chest/abdomen reveals one of the apples, with a heartbeat sound. It then shows Houdini's grave.

He Almost BEAT them.Gandhi, 1946The templar symbol over his chest reveals one of the apples.It then shows Gandhi's funeral procession.

Dallas (Archive) file appears.

Subject 16 says: "The wolves are out hunting. Where, oh where, has Jack gone?"

When you solve the deciphering puzzle, a letter appears:

===================================Operation: New Frontier

HQ has given the go-ahead to extract the resource. Negotiations are over. F is planning to give the vote to everyone. Reason just doesn't work with someone like that.

I'll send you the driver. We've trained him with PE2 in our labs, he shouldn't be any trouble.

The motorcade route is marked below. Once the target has been downed, either by Oswald or Z, use PE1 to stage a distraction. Make some kind of phantom appear around this slope I've marked with an X. Freak people out. The driver will grab PE3 in the confusion.===================================

The bottom of the letter displays a later Templar logo, that looks similar to a corporate logo, with the letters IHSV written on it.

Interpretation: The first half of this puzzle reinforces what Puzzle 3: Descendents showed, which is that Houdini and Gandhi were in possession of Apples and that the Templar engineered their deaths, likely to take the Apples.

The second part indicates that the Templar were behind the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It also sounds like JFK was in possession of Piece of Eden 3 at the time of the assassination. Lee Harvey Oswald and an unnamed "Z" sound both to be Templar operatives, and were both gunmen present at the scene. The grassy knoll, famous for having somehow been involved, seems merely to be a red herring created by generating hallucinations with Piece of Eden 1. It also sounds as if, by the end of the assassination, the Templar would be in control of Pieces of Eden 1-3. One of the only relevant Z individuals tied to the assassination is Abraham Zapruder, the famed individual who filmed the assassination. (Pointed out Failbaddon)

The wording of the second sentence of the letter could mean two things. It says "We've trained him with PE2". This could mean either than they have trained him in the use of Piece of Eden 2, or that they have used Piece of Eden 2 to "train" him to be effective and/or obedient. The latter would

indicate a new possibility; that the Templar can use a Piece of Eden to not just make an obedient, mindless follower (think of the Masyaf populace at the end of Assassin's Creed 1), but a functional, talented operative who will mindlessly follow instructions. The logo at the end, with the letters IHSV likely stands for "In Hoc Signa, Vinces." This is Latin for By This Sign, Conquer, and the original Latin phrase was a Templar motto.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #10: Apollo-----------------------------------

An image of the moon appears in this Where's Waldo scanner puzzle. It is labeled "FIND THE EAGLE".

A hidden code is on the moon in the Masonic script from Puzzle 3: Descendents. It says:

JOHNSON WAS ONE OF THEMTHE BEES DRONE TOOFOLLOW THE MONEY

The scanner detects the Apollo landing craft, which then zooms in and begins a spinning puzzle.

Below the puzzle, a quote is written: With these formidable weapons, the adversaries of freedom plan to consolidate their territory, the exploit, to control, and finally to destroy. - JFK

After solving puzzle, a photo appears: Apollo 11 photograph released to the public.

Scanning it reveals the image in negative, and the message at the top says, when scanned "Original Unreleased Negative"

Scanning the American flag reveals the Abstergo logo.

Scanning the banner on the moon reveals a Templar standard banner.

Finally, scanning the ground in front of the astronaut reveals a Piece of Eden. When scanned, it is IDed as "Piece of Eden 5, Apple". Subject 16 comments "With Jack deep underground, it was easy."

Interpretation: This one indicates that, for some reason, a Piece of Eden was on the moon, and the mission to the moon was created to get it. JFK had been

a serious proponent for going to the moon, however, this decision was based upon the recommendation of his Vice President, Lyndon B. Johnson. Johnson would become president after JFK's assassination, and the moon landing occurred soon after the end of his tenure as president. The hidden message, along with two other cryptic lines, indicates that President Johnson was a Templar. Subject 16's comment indicates that JFK was not a Templar, or might have even been opposed to them. With him out of the way, and Johnson in power, they engineered the retrieval of Piece of Eden 5 without opposition.

The images revealed by the scanner show that the entire mission wasn't even a hidden Templar mission under the guise of an American mission. It WAS a Templar mission, and the photos were doctored later to make it look like an American mission. It is interesting to note that there is conspiracy theory accusing the Freemasons of faking the moon landing. Given the information revealed in Puzzle 3: Descendents, the theory is only half true. It is clear that they were involved, but rather than fake the moon landing, they just concealed its true purpose.

One interesting suggestion made to me by contributor Tyler Martin was that "the bees drone" might refer to the name of Apollo astronaut "Buzz" Aldrin. While a subtle and debatable reference, the possibility that "the droning noise of a bee" or a "buzz" is a play on words indicating the astronaut on the moon. However, what of Armstrong? Was he also a Templar, or was the entire secret meaning of the mission hidden from him. If so, how was that possible? It is important to point out, however, the "the bees drone" might not refer to the sound, but a drone bee, though this indicates little as to the meaning of the sentence.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #11: The Inventor-----------------------------------

A letter appears instantly upon starting this puzzle.

===================================The economic transmission of power without wires is of all-surpassing importance to man.

By its mean he will gain complete mastery of the air, the sea and the desert. It will enable him to dispense with the necessity of mining, pumping, transporting and burning fuel and so do away with innumerable causes of sinful waste. It will make the living glorious sun his obedient, toiling slave.

It will bring peace and harmony on Earth.

- Nikola Tesla

===================================

After a small pointer game, an image appears:

Nikola Tesla's Wardenclyffe Tower, Under Construction. c. 1902

A number of quotes are hidden throughout the picture:

"Fights between individuals, as well as governments and nations, invariably result from misunderstandings in the broadest interpretation of this term. - Nikola Tesla"

"Money does not represent such a value as men have placed upon it. All my money has been invested into experiments with which I have made new discoveries enabling mankind to have a little easier life. - Nikola Tesla"

"Misunderstanding are always cause by the inability of appreciating one another's point of view. The best way to dispel ignorance of the doings of others is by a systematic spread of general knowledge. With this object in view, it is most important to aid exchange of thoughts intercourse." - Nikola Tesla

Scanning one of the upper windows leads to the next picture, one of arcing lightning coursing through a room.

The image is labeled Nikola Tesla, c. 1900

A hidden image appears in the lightning. When deciphered, it says "HE USED IT TO DEVELOP A BOTTOMLESS SOURCE OF ENERGY TELEFUNKEN WIRELESS STATION".

Scanning Nikola Tesla's lap reveals an artifact, IDed as "Piece of Eden 4, Apple".

Subject 16 says "He found it in Croatia. They would find it in his lab."

Interpretation: This one introduces a string of puzzles concerning Nikola Tesla. The first two thirds of the puzzle demonstrate that Nikola Tesla greatly valued technology and its advances, especially those of energy transmission and the sharing of information for the purposes of education. His philosophy on life seems to be that lack of communication, understanding, or knowledge seems to be at the core of all major disputes, and that one can reduce the risk of these disputes by improving these things.

The second image shows Nikola Tesla in a room with arcing electricity. In his lap is an Apple, Piece of Eden 4. Subject 16 says he found it in Croatia,

where Tesla was born. The hidden message indicates he used the inherent knowledge in the Apple to develop limitless energy, or the Apple itself provided the energy. It also references Telefunken Wireless Station, the first trans-Atlantic wireless station, which Tesla helped create. Subject 16s comment that "They would find it in his lab" foreshadows what would be revealed in the later puzzles, that the Templar took the Apple from him.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #12: Titans of Industry-----------------------------------

A file called Edison appears. Opening it reveals a letter:

===================================Dear Mr. Morgan:

A serious matter has come to my attention. Nikola Tesla plans to use PE4 to create an information network across the entire world. And if that weren't bad enough, he intends to allow access to it for free! Imagine the masses spreading knowledge amongst themselves instantaneously. That would make everything we intend to do much more difficult.

You must cut all funds for his experiments at once! In case you get cold feet, I'll have you know he wants to make electricity free as well, thereby putting us out of business.

I've already begun slandering Tesla in the press. Just reallocate his funding, and I'll take care of PE4 myself.

Sincerely yours, Thomas A. Edison===================================

A point and click game occurs, and as you complete it, it shows various actions Edison took to slander Tesla, culminating in a real video of an elephant being electrocuted to show that Tesla's energy was dangerous.

An image of Edison holding a glowing light appears.

Subject 16 says "He wanted everyone to know the secret. To set us all free. They used it to drive him insane."

A hidden string of Morse code in the picture says "THEY USED IT TO MAKE TESLA GO INSANE THE ORGANIZATION TOOK HIS RESEARCH ALIEN PROPERTY CUSTODIAN OFFICE".

Scanning the glowing orb reveals a file labeled Ford. Opening it reveals a

letter:

===================================Dear Mr. Edison,

I wanted to thank you for letting me make use of PE4 all these years. Among several things, I was able to convince the workers I was raising their pay to $5 a day, when in fact, I gave them a pay cut. But, I had to let PE4 go. As per instructions, I've shipped it to Europe.

H. has it, so I assume the war will begin as soon as he can take over. We'll let him have his fun (Lord knows, that kind of purge will be good for Europe) and then end it with a bang, as planned. Out of the chaos of war a new order will emerge! I've enclosed a picture from Florida of you, me and Firestone. We should attempt to spend more time on the golf course this summer.

Yours, Henry Ford===================================

Interpretation: At this point, it becomes clear that the slander of Tesla by Edison fueled by a Templar initiative, of which J.P. Morgan, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford are all members of. In addition to their regular drive to attain any Pieces of Eden they can get their hands on, Tesla represents a triple-pronged assault on their belief of what the world should be like. He intends to allow limitless and instantaneous transmission of information, he intends to offer it for free, and he intends to make electricity free as well, thereby undercutting the Templar's control of information and one of their sources of income.

They instituted a dual assault on Tesla; Morgan cutting off his finances and urging other investors to avoid Tesla, and Edison publicly ruining Tesla's image. Without money and without people backing him, his finances fell apart. Further troubling this was that he had a number of mental issues including depression and eccentric behavior. The puzzle implies that this was a third method of reducing the threat of Tesla, by using the Piece of Eden to unsettle his mind.

The second letter reveals an even more catastrophic turn of events. Henry Ford used the Piece of Eden 4 to manipulate his employees into happily accepting pay cuts. After he was done with it, he sent it to Europe to H. (Definitely revealed to be Hitler in Puzzle 17: The Bunker), knowing full well that Hitler intended to begin a purge and takeover of Europe. This means not only that Hitler was a Templar, but that the Templar order supported World War II's existence, and engineered the entire thing. The Piece of Eden, as often used in other situations, would be used to manipulate people, allowing his takeover of Germany and the creation of his army. The icing on

the cake is that in the same paragraph as talking about deliberately causing the largest loss of human life in the world's history, they talk about playing golf. This provides very good insight into how far the Templar are willing to go to accomplish their means, and how little they care for the loss of life in the process.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #13: I am become death, the destroy of worlds.-----------------------------------

A file labeled Trinity appears, unlocking it reveals the following letter:

===================================Abstergo Corporation

Subject: Test Authorization

There comes a time in the life of every experiment when we must test our results outside, in the world. I do not relish a successful outcome, but one is essential if we are to begin the foundations of a new world order.

Global security and prosperity depend on a steady hand guiding the populace, a hand that will not falter under the weight of conscience. Give O. the authorization.

I believe that history will vindicate us in the end.

Signed with the Templar logo.===================================

Pressing a button after the letter shows an atomic bomb go off.

Interpretation: This one is not particularly full of hidden meaning, however, it shows very soundly that the Templar were responsible for the development of the atomic bomb. It may be likely that O (Oppenheimer, the most significant creator of the atomic bomb) is a Templar, or at least a pawn of the Templar.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #14: Bloodlines-----------------------------------

A matching image puzzle appears, with the following clue: The Seeds Were Planted As Two Worlds Became One. Behold, the Assassins, the Children of Two Worlds!

Danae Visited By Zeus

Jupiter and IoLeda and the SwanCupid and PsycheRape of Europa

Upon selecting these five, depicting a human and a god mating, an Assassin Symbol is shown.

Interpretation: A very brief puzzle, but exceptionally full of hidden clues. In Assassin's Creed 1, the implication was made that Eagle Vision was merely a talent, taught by the Assassin Order. However, it is clear further in history, that this is a gift that only a few possess. The only individuals we know of who possess it are Desmond, Ezio, and Altair, and they share a common bloodline. Altair and Ezio are also far more skilled than other assassins in their respective era, putting some level of significance in them that cannot just be coincidence.

This puzzle indicates that Assassins are, if possible, some sort of cross-breed between the Ones Who Came Before and humans. This grants them a few advanced abilities, but not the longevity or other unknown powers possessed by the Ones Who Came Before. It is also possible that this is what grants Altair his immunity to the mind control of the Piece of Eden. While purely physical effects such as immobilization or temporary duplication still come into effect, the neural pathways transmitting the mind control neurotransmitter are not present. Perhaps it is possible that they are just less effective, as Altair still was susceptible to illusions, and it took him decades to try and destroy the Piece of Eden (inability to destroy the controlling Piece of Eden would be an intelligent inclusion when controlling hordes of enslaved humans). Either way, this puts a whole new spin on the many myths mentioned earlier in the puzzles concerning half-god individuals.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #15: Guardians-----------------------------------

The Death Of All Tyrants Will Set The People Free (Shows Assassin Symbol)

Image of the world shows the following names: Joseph StalinRasputinMary I of EnglandTomas De TorquemadaCleopatraFrancois DuvalierFrancisco PizarroJohn Wilkes Booth

Many of these individuals were cruel leaders in their respective countries. Some of them merely commit gross atrocities, including genocide or persecution. Cleopatra herself was one of the targets of one of the six Assassins in the Assassin's tomb, Iltani.

Interestingly, one individual does not fit with the rest. John Wilkes Booth, while certainly responsible for what many would consider an "atrocious" act in assassinating Abraham Lincoln, was the only of these individuals who does not fit the description of tyrant. Despite being a popular actor, Wilkes Booth was effectively little more than an opponent of a political change with no financial backing, and little more than a few accomplices for support. In other words, aside from one act, he did not have a reputation, and no history book would ever describe him as a tyrant, or even a shadow ruler (like Rasputin may have been).

-----------------------------------Puzzle #16: The Cavalry-----------------------------------

The puzzle begins with a letter:

====================Nikola,

We know what they have done to your lab, to your career. It may be too late to set things right, but you can help prevent something far worse. They have taken an object from the Czar, and are conducting experiments in Tunguska to figure out how to use it. Before they do, we must take it from them, or the world will be in danger. We do not ask you to risk your life, just that, when the time comes, you use your electricity to destroy the object.

Regardless of your decision, know that we admire your work greatly and will bear you no ill will.

We respect your freedom above all else.=====================

A map appears. When you put the Assassin symbol over the word Tunguska, a picture of the Staff over the Abstergo logo appears. When touched with the logo and a picture, it shows an immense explosion.

Interpretation: Whether Tesla and the Assassins were involved with each other regularly cannot be seen, but at the very least, they contacted him and asked him to help them in their endeavor against the Templar. The letter echoes that expressed in Puzzle 8: Martyrs, that the Staff, Piece of Eden 34,

ended up in Tunguska under the control of the Templar. It is worth noting that the Assassins show a great deal of respect for Tesla, and even more respect for his right not to help them, if he were to choose not to.

However, the Tunguska event did happen. For those not familiar with this event, it was a phenomenal explosion that occurred in northern Russia in 1908. It was far larger than the explosions caused by the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in World War II, however, it was non-nuclear, and did not cause radioactive fallout. It was also in such a secluded area that no one is known to have been killed by it, but it was seen by many, for thousands of miles around. It is unknown how it was caused, and many theories have arisen. One of the less commonly believed theories is that Nikola Tesla test-fired a weapon he had been developing, and that it caused Tunguska. Nikola Tesla had spent many years developing wireless energy, and theorized that by the same means wireless energy could be accomplished, the same energy could be used as a long range weapon, theoretically striking anywhere on Earth. He supposedly test-fired the weapon at the same time as the Tunguska event, but because the event was kept under wraps by the Russian government, little information got out for several years, and the test-firing was a "failure". This letter would imply it was not a failure at all, or a test-fire. That the Assassins asked him to use "his electricity", it is even more evident that this is the case.

Theoretically, if the explosion was successful, the Staff should be destroyed. It is not shown in the ownership of any individuals after this point in time, nor does Abstergo reference its existence post 1908. However, in Assassin's Creed 1, an email did say that the destruction of an artifact by an Assassin agent cause the Tunguska event, and that a survivor was being sought so that they could use the Animus to examine the situation.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #17: The Bunker-----------------------------------

A file labeled WWII appears. When opened, a letter appears.

===================================Abstergo Corporation, May 02, 1945

The war is over, and we are in control, as planned. But a slight concern has arisen. I received word from our agents in Berlin. H. was supposed to execute his double inside the bunker and meet C. at the rendezvous point with the Piece of Eden.

It's been three days and he still hasn't appeared. Something must have gone awry. Please send instructions.

===================================

An image of Hitler's bunker appears. A message above it says: "We watched the exit from above. He didn't see us coming."

Subject 16 angrily comments on the picture "They engineered the war, they engineered the peace. But they weren't going to get away with it. Find our mark." A hidden message exists in the picture that says: The Double Was Killed In the Bunker

A hidden Assassin's logo is on the building. The building is later showed destroyed, the same logo still visible.

Interpretation: This puzzle indicates that the Templar succeeded in their goal of gaining control over more of the world than prior to the war. As Subject 16 says, they started the war, and they ended it. The sole purpose of the war was to shift the power, and allow them to gain a better foothold in the world's governments. It had nothing to do with any of the other factors of the war. However, the Assassins seem to resurface once again in an attempt to hinder them. Hitler has not appeared to me with C (possibly Churchill), and this is of some concern to the Templar, as he also had Piece of Eden 4. Based on the letter, the label on the picture, and the hidden message, two possibilities occur.

Scenario A) The double was killed in the bunker, Hitler left the bunker, and was killed from above by the Assassins. The Assassins claimed Piece of Eden 4.

Scenario B) The double was killed in the bunker by the Assassins mistaking him for Hitler, striking from above as he left the door. Somehow, they did not realize that had Hitler escaped. However, if he does not return to the Templar, this means he likely went rogue, possibly with Piece of Eden 4 in tow.

In Scenario A, the Assassins now have two successful victories against the Templar; The destruction of the Staff at Tunguska, and the killing of a high ranking Templar official and procuring Piece of Eden 4, putting the Templar down 2 Pieces of Eden. Either way, despite their success with the war, the Templar did not come out unscathed, as either way, they are missing an Apple.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #18: Synapses-----------------------------------

A Medical file appears, with the following letter inside:

===================================Biological Frontier

Issue 1, January 2012

The scientific community is abuzz as the results of a new neurological study were made public today. What seemed to be big news in itself - that Dr. Yije We and Dr. P. J. Traunero had discovered a new neurotransmitter - turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.

To quote Dr. Wu "Using a prototype Dmri machine, we've been able to examine the contents of an actual neuron using living tissue. We've found a substance that appears to be an undiscovered neurotransmitter."

"Here's where it gets crazy. To test our findings, we subjected the neuron to all kinds of stimuli, but we couldn't get it to release the transmitter. So, we've discovered an entire mechanism: there are vesicles filled with neurotransmitter lying dormant and corresponding ion channels, all for no discernable purpose."

Expressing bafflement that natural selection would create an unnecessary neurotransmitter, Wu and Traunero searched for a predecessor in other species, with no luck.

"Whatever this bugger is used for, it evolved in humans." Traunero told the press.===================================

A minigame has you highlight neuron synapses (the space between one neuron and another, where information is relayed) with an icon. Upon highlighting the last, the icon turns into a PoE apple.

Interpretation: Knowing what we would know from beating the game (That the Ones Who Came Before created humans, and that we were created to be obedient), this puzzle reveals information that is not particularly surprising. The Pieces of Eden function within the laws of logic, physics, and reality. Their function of mind control merely works on a level that only modern technology can comprehend: Humans, engineered down to every detail by the Ones Who Came Before, were designed with a genetic control collar. An otherwise inactive neural pathway is designed to respond ONLY to a signal emitted by the Pieces of Eden. The Pieces of Eden use this neural pathway to control, manipulate, or cause hallucinations in humans. This, of course, cannot be resisted, because it is a physical manipulation

of the function of the brain. However, Al Mualim of Assassin's Creed 1 expresses interest in how Altair resists the Apple's influence. This may be due to a few possibilities. (See Speculation).

-----------------------------------Puzzle #19: The Fourth Day-----------------------------------

At the beginning of this puzzle, Subject 16 says "The End. Almost the End. It happened before. The pieces were once part of a whole."

Once worshipped, now ignored, from a distance it watched and waits.

Nazca TextileBook of the Dead (portraying Ra)Sistine Chapel FrescoAztec Calender StoneThe Eastern Gate

Five images are amongst the ten, each of which depict an image of the sun. Matching them reveals an image of the sun. An extremely small dot against the sun is revealed by the scanner to be the Earth.

Four messages are displayed against the sun:

1. They died in the fire from the heavens.

2. Toba, 75ka was not a volcano

3. Near the day of purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky. - Hopi

4. A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans. - Hopi

Interpretation: If the explanation of Minerva and Lucy at the end of the game weren't enough to indicate that the sun was the culprit behind the first "end of the world", then this one is. Subject 16 starts by saying the end had nearly happened before. Afterwards, he says that the pieces were part of a whole. This may indicate that the Pieces of Eden are paramount to preventing or alleviating the catastrophe should it occur a second time.

The portion about the sun being worshipped as a God is interesting. It is personified, given traits such as being able to watch and wait. However, it is unlikely that the sun itself is sentient in this manner, although it was indeed worshipped as a God by many cultures, several of which are displayed

amongst the five pictures. Most important is the inclusion of the word "waits", indicating that something will happen in the future with the sun. The part where it shows how small the Earth is compared to the sun is important, demonstrating how miniscule the Earth really is. If something extreme were to happen with the sun, it would not be at all unreasonable to think it could utterly devastate Earth.

The four messages on the sun contain cryptic information. Two of them are quotes from a Hopi prophecy, describing catastrophic events involving the sky, and what sounds like smoke/clouds/ash. One of them, "They died in the fire from the heavens" seems to resonate with what we know of the Ones Who Came Before. The fourth has, potentially, the most hidden meaning. Toba, 75ka stands for a gigantic eruption that occurred 75,000 years ago. This eruption has been detected by examining the layers of dirt under the earth. At this time, there is a thick layer of ash, found in many parts of the world, with a layer 15 centimeters thick covering the entirety of India. All evidence indicates that it was what is called a "mega-colossal" volcanic eruption. The passage in this puzzle indicates otherwise.

-----------------------------------Puzzle #20: The Origin of the Species-----------------------------------

An image of God holding a sphere appears, labeled "It Has Been Hidden, Altered."

Open Your Eyes.

In the image, Jesus wields a sword and wears a red cloak, which glow under the scan. A staff leans against a sheep, which also glows. As does a sphere that is in God's hand. When scanning the eye above, Leonardo's Virtruvian Man appears. This ends the image.

A file called Missing Link appears. The following letter is inside:

===================================Abstergo Corporation

January 3, 1997

I'm writing in response to your concerns about the rising alarm in the press and the scientific community. The lack of a transitional ancestor from archaic hominids to modern mankind (Homo Sapiens) is no longer safe. As you wrote, we have to act.

We can't let the truth get out, they'll find out about the artifacts. It will

cause too much disruption, too much chaos. Bury our constructed skeletons near Tim White's expedition in Ethiopia. We'll give them their missing link.

The birth of humanity. The truth makes me sick.

Signed with the Templar logo.===================================

A cursor with the Apple allows you to shift an ape skeleton into a human skeleton.

Interpretation: This letter seems to confirm that what Minerva said is true; humans were created. However, it seems as if we were not created from scratch, rather, we went through vastly accelerated evolution at the hands of the Ones Who Came Before, possibly, with the use of an Apple Piece of Eden. An interesting note is that the image you have to find to progress is that of Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man sketch. The concept behind this image is that the proportions of the human body are very structured and organized, that the length of X body part will be equal to Y body part. In other words, the human body seems designed by an intelligent mind with a respect for symmetry and mathematics.

This letter also shows that the Templar, at least the ones in the present, are not entirely unaware of what has happened in the past, and the reality of the Ones Who Came Before and our origins. To keep this truth (and the artifacts) safe from prying eyes, they created fake skeletons and planted them, leading to a scientific discovery of "proof" of human evolution from apes. The same knowledge seems, at least, to disgust the Templar writing the letter.

-----------------------------------The Truth (video):-----------------------------------

The video, as important as it is, is relatively brief in its scope, but its implications are tremendous. A brief summary is in order:

Two humans, one male and one female, garbed in suits that are shiny, skintight, flesh colored and adorned with a few markings, run quickly through a smooth stone structure, surrounded by trees and foliage. They run to a door, which slides open of its own volition. The interior is full of metal scaffolding, and the two make a variety of extremely agile and acrobatic maneuvers to climb to the top. The male bashes out a thick window with an elbow. The climb up the outside of the building, stopping briefly to look inside: there are workers, hammering and hauling boxes, as a conveyor belt runs in the background, flames roaring behind them. Standing closest to the

window is a dark figure, facing away towards the workers, holding a Piece of Eden Apple in his/her hand. Once they reach the top, the camera pans out, displaying a strangely shaped skyscraper, which they are on top of. The female turns to the male and holds out her hand: in it is a Piece of Eden Apple. She says "Adam, I have it!" The male, Adam, turns to look towards the camera, and panicked, says "Eve!" The screen fades to black, displaying a patch of binary code. Eve yells "LOOK OUT!" and the video ends. The binary says "EDEN"

The video shows, that like many things in Assassin's Creed, myths are not necessarily fabricated, but merely a fragment of the truth. Adam and Eve do not seem to be the first humans, merely a pair of humans who seem to have done something very brave or very stupid: steal a powerful artifact from their creators. Those Who Came Before seemed to have ingrained in humans a neural pathway for servitude in the presence of Pieces of Eden. How these two resisted could be a few things. First, it could be that once they had the Piece of Eden, they were not susceptible to its suppression. Second, based on the agile movements and jumps, similar to Altair and Ezio's, they could be more than human; they could be Assassins . . . or at least, the genetic offshoot of half-human, half-TWCB (Those Who Came Before). This may have granted them sufficient resistance to steal the artifact and escape, although it seems that they are not out of trouble yet, given their speech at the end.

*******************************

IV. Codex Script and Interpretation - Incomplete

The following are the text scripts of the 30 codex pages in the game. Cryptic clues left by Altair hint at his actions after the first game, and some tie in strongly with the implications of the puzzles and the plot. Some of them are merely pictures, so I have attempted to briefly describe the pictures in text, but that is all I can do for them.

-----------------------------------Page 1-----------------------------------

I have spent days with the artifact now. Or has it been weeks? Months? I can no longer be certain . . .

The others come from time to time - offering food or distraction. They say I should separate myself from these studies . . . Malik has even suggested I abandon them entirely. But I am not yet ready to turn away. This Apple of Eden will be understood. It must be . . .

Is it a weapon? Is it a catalogue? Is it somehow both? "He who increaseth

knowledge, increaseth sorrow . . ." The philosophy of such a statement I can understand . . . But for it to be true - literally true? A society that waged wars with ideas and information in place of steel and swords . . .

Its function is simple. Elementary, even. Dominion. Control. But the process . . . the methods and means it employs . . . THESE are fascinating. Those subjected to its glow are promised all that they desire. It asks only one thing in return: complete and total obedience. And who can truly refuse? It is temptation incarnate.

I remember my own moment of weakness when confronted by Al Mualim, my confidence shaken by his words. He, who had been like a father, was revealed to be my greatest enemy. Just the briefest flicker of doubt was all he needed to creep into my mind. But I vanquished his phantoms - restored my self confidence - and sent him from this world. I freed myself. But now I wonder . . . Did I really? For here I sit - desperate to understand that which I swore to destroy.

This is why: The Apple has a tale to tell. I sense the flickers of something - great and dangerous . . . We are all at risk. It is my duty to do something about it. I must not - cannot - turn away until I've found the truth.

Interpretation: If one thinks of this in a direct timeline including the end of Assassin's Creed 1, Altair's treatment of the the Apple reminds me of one thing: the corrupting influence of The One Ring of Lord of the Rings. Not implying there is a connection, but it seems a good template to understand the Apple by. Altair, having sword to destroy the Apple, finds himself confronted by it and unable to carry out its destruction, seemingly to his own horror, as if it literally had some sort of influence upon him. Immediately after, Altair enters into a period of intense study, uninterrupted by food or anything else, pouring his life into understanding the Apple and its method of function. Altair himself muses upon how he seems unable to resist the temptation of that which he sought to destroy. The influence the Apple may have upon its users may very well be similar to what The One Ring had upon its users, and this gives strong insight to what "possessing" an Piece of Eden is like.

While we know from Puzzle 18 that the Piece of Eden functionally controls humans through a specialized neural pathway, there was no discussion of the experience of the victim. If Altair's words are to be taken at face value, the Piece of Eden functions, emotionally, in this manner: The target becomes convinced that by giving in to the Piece of Eden, all of their desires and wishes would come true, as long as they are completely subservient to the Piece of Eden. Of course, none of these desires and wishes will ever come to fruition through this, but the Piece of Eden can convince them of such. It is possible that, aside from rare flukes such as Altair and Ezio,

"resisting" a Piece of Eden is impossible. There is willpower and there is strength of mind, but neurotransmitters and neurons are the bread and butter of brain function. There is only so much that can be done to resist if one's own brain betrays you.

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The second page is an image of Templars and Assassins on a battlefield. It is difficult to tell by the image, but the Assassins seem to be either in combat or dead.

Interpretation: I can see little significance in this image, aside from Altair merely depicting recent events on paper.

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The third page is an image showing the construction blueprints for a hidden blade.

Interpretation: Of course, blueprints are certainly something worth recording, but I can find no hidden meaning in this picture.

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What follows are the three great ironies of the Assassin Order: (1) Here we seek to promote peace, but murder is our means. (2) Here we seek to open the minds of men, but require obedience to a master and a set of rules. (3) Here we seek to reveal the danger of blind faith, yet we are practitioners ourselves.

I have no satisfactory answer to these charges, only possibilities . . . Do we bend the rules in service to a greater good? And if we do, what does it say of us? That we are liars? That we are frauds? That we are weak? Every moment is spent wrestling with these contradictions and in spite of all the years I've had to reflect, still I can find no suitable answer . . . And I fear that one may not exist.

Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Does out creed provide the answer, then? That one may be two things - opposite in every way - simultaneously? And why not? Am I not proof? We of noble intentions, possessed of barbaric

means? We who celebrate the sanctity of life and then promptly take it from those we deem our enemies?

Interpretation: It is at this point that Altair realizes that flaws and sacrifices that must be made in the existance of the Assassin order. At the end of the entry, he can provide no satisfactory explanation, but based on his later entries, I believe he makes an effort to address some of them, as he reduces certain traditions and rules that serve little logical purpose, freeing the Assassins from some of the oppressing set in place by Al Mualim.

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Who were The Ones That Came Before? What brought them here? How long ago? Centuries? Millenia? Longer still? So little remains of them . . . What drove them out? What of these artifacts? Messages in a bottle? Tools left behind to aid and guide us? Or do we fight for control over their refuse, giving divine purpose and meaning to little more than discarded toys?

Interpretation: At this point in the game, The Ones That Came Before are still unknown to us. It seems at this point that Altair knows no more about them than we (the players) do. He suggests several valid points, however. The idea of the Artifacts as a symbol of their intention (not to mention the stored knowledge) may very well be a message for humanity. Tools left over to aid and guide us follows a similar reasonability, as Those Who Came Before did seem willing to allow us to inherit their legacy. Yet at the same time, his final theory carries significance as well; as powerful as the Pieces of Eden are, they may have been of somewhat everyday use for Those Who Came Before, rather than objects of power.

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Robert de Sable may be dead, but his brotherhood survives. Though less conspicuous in appearance, I fear they remain a threat. Where once they proudly walked the streets - making for easier targets - now they retreat into the shadows. It grows difficult to track them. What wicked things will they weave in the darkness? Our work will be all the more complicated for it. Already there are rumors of a movement on Cyprus. I will have to investigate.

It's made me realize that our tactics, too, must change. It means an end to our fortresses. To our penchant for spectacular displays of public assassinations. We must weave our webs quietly. And we must do so

differently than we have in the past.

Though I ask my brothers now to abandon their rituals, I do not ask that they abandon the creed. THIS is what makes us assassins. Not the removal of a finger. Not a false promise of paradise. Not the prohibition of poison. Our duty is to the people, not to custom. If we must sneak, we shall sneak. If we must use poison, we shall use poison. If our blades can be used without removing fingers, we shall not demand they be taken. And we shall not manipulate our initiates with lies and parlor tricks. We shall speak plainly and honestly. We shall be made anew.

Interpretation: Altair realizes now that the Templar were unable to compete with the Assassins in face to face combat, forcing the Templar to break with tradition and go underground. Altair, a man who now follows logic rather than arrogant pride (as he did at the beginning of Assassin's Creed 1) recognizes that the only way to combat this is to follow suit. To this end, he changes the behaviors of the Assassins, but also realizes that it is the Creed that binds them, not the customs. He then lists a number of rituals of the Assassins, and gives insight into a few aspects of the Assassin order not mentioned in the game.

The Assassins are based upon the real world counterpart, the Hashshashin, an organization in many ways similar to the Assassins. Rumors were just as common as the facts, but one aspect of their society concerned their initiation. While highly speculative and based in myth, it is worth mentioning. According to the rumors, the Hashshashin, when recruiting, would drug their initiates in a way that would cause them to think they were dying. Upon awakening, they would find themselves in a beautiful garden in the Hashshashin fortress, still drugged and delirious, but fed delicious food and wine by beautiful women (virgins, apparently, and you know how our earlier civilizations were about virgins). Convinced by the people there that this was, in fact, heaven, they would come to enjoy their new found paradise (keep in mind, this garden was a bit out of the ordinary, as this was the in the desert.)

While in this state, the leader, Hassan-i Sabbah (a real life counterpart of Al Mualim) would convince the initiate that he was God or a representative of God, and that the new assassin needed to follow his every command, so that they could return and live in paradise forever in this mock up of heaven. This would add a religious slant to the mission of the assassins, increasing their devotion and zealousness to the cause.

This was not spelled out in the original Assassin's Creed. However, in the back of Masayf, there was a large garden, more lush than any other in the Assassin's Creed 1 world, filled with somewhat scantily clad dancing women. This seems to fit the bill here.

Now, consider Altair's two lines: "Not a false promise of paradise." as well as "And we shall not manipulate our initiates with lies and parlor tricks." Altair seems to acknowledge these real world rumors as being true in the in game Assassin order, and simultaneously dismisses them as unnecessary and deceptive, showing Altair's leadership style to be very different from Al Mualim (Al Mualim, a Templar at heart, kept with him his beliefs in controlling his people through deception and lies). This gives more insight into the real world and in game Assassin's Orders.

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I had thought Adha would be the one to lead me to rest, that I might lay down my blade and live as a normal man. But now I know such dreams are best left to sleep . . .

Her face. I try to banish it from my mind as I remember the days and nights during which I chased her Templar captors across the sea. I almost got to them in time. Almost. If I had only been faster. Instead, I held her lifeless body in my arms - saw the terror reflected in her fixed, unblinking eyes . . .

I hunted each man - one by one - until all responsible were gone from this world. But there was no joy in this. No satisfaction or release. Their deaths did not bring her back. Did not heal my wounds. After that, I was certain I would never again feel for a woman as I had for her.

I am fortunate to have been wrong.

Interpretation: This gives us insight into the ultimate fate of Adha. Adha is an individual many Assassin's Creed players may not know. She was mentioned one time, and only once, in Assassin's Creed 1 by an informant who knew Altair well, saying something along the lines of "Have you heard word of Adha? No, well, I'm sure you will find her one day". Adha was revealed in the Nintendo DS version of Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles to be a human with powers similar in some ways to the Pieces of Eden. While not explicitly said, it may even be possible she was somehow a human embodiment of one. While Altair's original mission was to retrieve this artifact, known to him initially as "The Chalice", he realized it was a person and actually fell for her. At the end of the game, the Templar escaped with her, and he swore to track her down, and we never found out what happened.

Well, now we know it did not quite end well. Altair, an otherwise emotionless and cold man, seems to be quite traumatized by the loss of this woman, and

it opens up more ability to sympathize with him emotionally.

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Why do our instincts insist on violence? I have studied the interactions between different species. The innate desire to survive seems to demand the death of the other. Why can they not stand hand in hand? So many believe the world was created by the hand of a divine power - but I only see the designs of a madman, bent on celebrating destruction and desperation. Our origins seem chaotic. Unintended. Purpose and being instilled solely by the passage of time. Imposed first by nature - and later men . . .

Interpretation: Altair thinks philosophically on the nature of violence and the violence of nature (I didn't even do that intentionally). While what he says is not particularly relevant, it does tie into one fact; Minerva states that humans, built in the image of Those Who Came Before, shared at least one major trait with their masters: A desire for war. While it is a bit of circular reasoning, the answer to Altair's question is thus: Our instincts for violence exist because we were created in the image of a species with the same instinct for violence. We were designed that way.

Altair then dismisses such designed as insane, but it is worth noting that following the apocalypse, Minerva stated that the two races were able to put aside their differences and work together in peace. So while Altair is correct, that humanity's creators were no more enlightened than humanity in this regard, both species were able to rise above it in a time of need. I am sure this would have been of some comfort to him.

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Over time, and sentence uttered long and loud enough becomes fixed. Becomes a truth. Provided, of course, you can outlast the dissent and silence your opponents. But should you succeed - and remove all challengers - then what remains is, by default, now true.

Is it truth in some objective sense? No. But how does one ever achieve an objective point of view? The answer is you don't. It is literally, physically impossible. There are too many variables. Too many fields and formulae to consider. We can try, of course. We can inch closer and closerto a revelation. But we'll never reach it. Not ever . . .

And so I have realized, that so long as The Templar exist, they will attempt

to bend reality to their will. They recognize there is no such thing as an absolutely truth - or if there is - we are hopelessly underequipped to recognize it. And so in its place, they seek to create their own explanation. It is the guiding principle of their so-named "New World Order"; To reshape existence in their own image. It is not about artifacts. Not about men. These are merely tools. It's about concepts. Clever of them. For how does one wage war against a concept?

It is the perfect weapon. It lacks a physical form yet can alter the world around us in numerous, often violent ways. You cannot kill a creed. Even if you kill all of its adherents, destroy all of its writings - these are a reprieve at best. Some one, some day, will rediscover it. Reinvent it. I believe that even we, the Assassins, have simple re-discovered an Order that predates the Old Man himself . . .

Interpretation: Altair's description of concepts, objectivity, truth and the like is very interesting to be sure, but potentially the most important sentence in this entry his is suggestion that the Assassin Order itself is an idea that has existed long before Al Mualim founded it. Given the presence of Assassins in the Assassin Sanctuary from before Altair's time, this is likely, even more likely in consideration of the fact that the Assassin Order may have drawn its origins from the Assassin Bloodline (See Speculation on Assassins for more)

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The tenth page is an image of a man in priestly clothing, with a glowing halo, preaching and reaching out to the masses. Above, three images exist; on the left, an apple (the fruit) and on the right, a mechanical device. In between them is an apple (the fruit) with the mechanical lines overlaying it, symbolizing the Apple (the Piece of Eden)

Interpretation: This image seems to depict the control granted to a human by a Piece of Eden, with an interesting artistic depiction of the Piece of Eden as a combination of fruit and machine (though the true Piece of Eden Apple is nothing like a fruit). However, given the presence of actual Golden Apples of Power in mythology, this implies the connection may be more literal.

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Attis. Dionysus. Horus. Krishna. Mithra. Jesus. Simlilar stories color their lives. Too similar, I think. Divine birthright. Persecution. Disciples.

Miraculous acts. Resurrection . . .

How is it possible?

Perhaps it isn't . . . merely a single story told over the ages? Borrowed then changed to fit the times? Evolving as our tools and language do? Is this tale borne of fact or fiction? A bit of both? Could these figures be the same person - their life extended and transformed by a Piece of Eden?

Al Mualim spoke of Jesus as a real person - a mortal who had mastered the arts of manipulation. But what if he was wrong? If these men are real - and if they have walked amongst us many times before - does it means they'll come again? Perhaps they are here now? So many questions, and every day, even more . . .

Interpretation: Altair discusses a myriad of possibilities regarding several ancient mythological figures. With our knowledge shown in the Puzzles, implying the presence of a Piece of Eden at play in many myths, the reality of these stores may be far more simpler than Altair can imagine (especially since it seems Jesus possessed the Shroud, Piece of Eden 66).

However, in the last paragraph, Altair considers the possibility that these individuals, at some level, were still more than human. He almost seems to indicate that they may have been related to Those Who Came Before, as superhuman beings walking the Earth in the form of man. Another possibility to consider, certainly.

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The twelvth page seems to be a depiction of the solar system.

Interpretation: Altair draws the solar system in a fairly advanced manner, seemingly unrelated to his other pages. Is this an image granted to him by the Piece of Eden? Its certainly possible.

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The Hidden Blade has been a constant companion of ours over the years. Some would even say it defines us - and they would not be entirely wrong. Many of our successes would not have been possible without it. Still, the device has begun to show its age - and so I have been researching improvements beyond ending the need to remove one's finger to weild it.

The first is the addition of a metal plate that can be used to deflect incoming blows. The other Assassins believe it is forged of a new metal - and credit me with the discovery of the formulae (included on this page). It is better that they not know the truth.

I have also worked with Malik to describe new methods of assassination: from on high, from ledges, and from hiding places. Basic movements, but critical nonetheless.

The third and final improvement is the most simple - the provision of a second blade - identical in every way to the first. Should an Assassin ever find himself tasked with dispatching two targets, he need only time his strike in such a way that he might reach both at the same time. These blades will be limited in number since the metals with which we forge them remain difficult to obtain. I will need to think carefully about who shall be allowed to carry two . . .

(This page includes an image of a dual-wielding assassin, dispatching enemies from a variety of complex directions, as well as the construction of the new blade cover)

Interpretation: Altair finally seems to have taken time away from his self-absorbed research into the Piece of Eden to further the goals and technology of the Assassins, starting with enhancements to the Hidden Blade. It is revealed he has already changed the law dictating the removal of a finger for the sake of the hidden blade, so he is true to his intentions to grant greater freedom to the Assassins.

It is also revealed at this time (possibly years after the original Assassin's Creed) that Malik, who once hated him, now possibly his closest confidant, is still with the order, alive and contributing. The entry also shows that he has developed enhanced technology, and is secretive about the source of the knowledge (based on his later entries, it is likely he found the knowledge by using the Piece of Eden.)

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Man seeks dominion over all that he encounters. I suppose it is a natural tendency for us to aspire towards mastery of our surroundings. But this should not include other human beings. Every day more and more are pressed into service - by deception or by force. Others, though not so firmly imprisoned, are made to feel as if their lives are worthless. I have seen the ways in which men persecute women. Heard the cruel words hurled at those

who come from other lands. Watched as those who believe or act differently are made to suffer . . .

We discuss such things often - watching as we do from the spires of Masyaf. What can be done to stop this? To encourage tolerance and equality? Some days we speak of education, believing that knowledge will free us from immorality. But as I walk to streets and see slaves sent off to auction - my heart grows cold. When I see the husband hurl abuses and stones at his wife, insisting she exists only to serve him - my fists clench. And when I see children torn from their parents so that another man might profit - sent off to suffer beneath the desert sun and die . . .

. . . On these days, I do not think that dialogue will make a difference. On these days, I can think only of how the perpetrators need to die.

Interpretation: Altair examines the cruel realities of his era, specifically, the terrible treatment humans give to one another. He specifically mentions slavery, sexism, and discrimination against minorities. It is clear he wishes to help abolish such terrible behavior, but he seems unsure if it is possible. He also implies that he is tempted to ignore the path of enlightening the ignorant, almost giving into the simplicity of just murdering those who disagree with you.

Whether he acted on these temptations is unknown. Given Altair's consistant morality and loyalty to freedom and knowledge, it is unlikely he gave in, but is gives another chance to see that even the good can be tempted by the same behaviors that the Templars have embraced. Why spend time and effort to show someone why they should change, when you can just remove threats to your belief system by force? Two sides of the same coin, and showing how easy it would be to just flip to the other.

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The fifteenth page shows an image of an island, Cyprus.

Interpretation: Cyprus is visited in Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, and an Assassin base is established there. The Piece of Eden may have been stored there, eventually.

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The Apple is more than a catalog of that which precedes us. Within its

twisting, sparkling innards I've caught glimpses of what will be. Such a thing should not be possible. Perhaps it isn't. Maybe it is simple a suggestion. How to know? How to be sure?

I contemplate the consequences of these visions: are they images of things to come - or simple the potential for what might be. Can we influence the outcome? Dare we try? And in so doing, do we merely ensure that which we've seen?

I am torn - as always - between action and inaction - unclear as to which - if either - will make a difference. Am I even meant to make a difference? Still, I keep this journal. Is that not an attempt to change - or perhaps guarantee - what I have seen?

Interpretation: Altair reinforces the notion that the Piece of Eden is a database of some sorts, though he still seems unable to fully use it (this may be due to a hesitance on his part to use it too much). He has also discovered it possesses some form of prescient ability as well, but he is unsure what it means.

Following this, he muses on consistant time travel/future seeing themes, such as the future being either THE future, or one of many futures, the idea that the future is changeable (or do your efforts to change the future CAUSE the future) and other such things.

The fact that through the Piece of Eden Altair is able to see the future gives credence to the idea that it may have been the Pieces of Eden which granted prescience to Those Who Came Before in the first place. It seems as if such prescience was not necessarily an easy activity, and it may be that Altair would need advanced training and experience to make full use of it. Considering that he sees more specific images of the future, he may be getting more experience as time goes on.

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Of all the things I've seen, none troubles me more than the image of the flames . . . Pillars so tall they seem to pierce the heavens. The ground rumbled and shuddered. Mountains split and crack. Great metal towers splintered, their innards strewn about the ground . . . And everywhere there was screaming. A chorus so terrible that even now I feel its echoes still.

What is this madness I have seen? Is it them, I wonder? Those who came before . . . Is this where they went? Into the fire? Into the dust? Perhaps this destructive power is what the Templars seek. That they might hold it

over us and command devotion. What hope would we have, then, if they held such darkness in their hands - that they could murder the world . . .

Interpretation: Altair has seen something in the Piece of Eden, but it could be two different things. First, he could be seeing the effects of atomic weaponry. Vast pillars of flame, widespread destruction, and the idea of "murdering the world" match atomic weaponry. Especially the idea that Templars might seek to control this weaponry (which they eventually do, if you recall the Puzzle about the atomic bomb), this codex could be referring to nuclear weaponry.

It could also be speaking of the apocalypse which brought about the end of Those Who Came Before. It would also make sense, widespread fiery death in pillars of immense fire. He also specifically mentions that perhaps Those Who Came Before may have been lost to this destruction. Either of these possibilities could be the case.

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We are obligated to hide. To be silent. To shape the course of history in secret. But some of my brothers and sisters disagree. They grow angry, insisting it is a mistake to shroud outselves. They say it slows our work. But they do not understand the risks. To expose ourselves now would be too dangerous. I fear we would be branded madmen and attacked. So it goes. So it always has. If there is one think I know for certain, it is that men to not learn by being told. Instead they must be shown. They must make the connections themselves. If I say unto a man, be kind, be tolerant, be of an open mind - these words will wither and die long before they've affected change. It would be a waste. And so we must maintain our course.

Interpretation: Altair's comments on the concept of educating draw dangerously subtle differences between variations of the Creed and the Templar's intentions. He specifies that you cannot spread wisdom by merely sharing knowledge, but that active learning must take place. To this end, the Templar would likely agree; you cannot just tell people things to make them believe what you want. But rather than find more creative ways to educate, the Templar would rather just force knowledge (truth or falsehood) on people instead.

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Legend speaks of a Golden Fleece. Could the two be related?

. . . I have further refined the metallurgic process, allowing for the production of a suit of armor the likes of which the world has never seen . . .

. . . It is possessed of great strength, yet so light as to allow complete freedom . . .

. . . I alternate between wonder and fear. Here we have crafted something that will surely change the face of warfare, making those who wear it nigh invincible . . .

Perhaps it was a mistake to create these pieces. I think it best to erase the formulae. What if it were to fall into the hands of our enemies? The risk is too great . . .

(An image is shown of a suit of armor, likely the Armor of Altair)

Interpretation: This is the second mention of the Golden Fleece in the game. Likely through the use of the Piece of Eden, Altair has developed a supermetal, exceedingly strong and resilent, maybe even invulnerable, yet light, possibly lighter than aluminum. This would imply that he created a metal more advanced than anything developed in modern day. This sort of technology could be only one thing; a crude recreation of technology developed by Those Who Came Before. Given this, his thoughts about the similarity between his armor and the Golden Fleece (Piece of Eden 66) are shown to be closer to reality than he might think.

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I have studied the ancient pagan faiths that came before this more recent obsession with a single, divine creator. They seem to have focused more on the fundamental forces at play in the world around us and less on arbitrary moral rules . . .

The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. The tides ebb and flow. Grass grows, withers, dies and then in time, emerges from the ground once more. The air turns warm then cools and back again. Some hidden energy keeps us fitted to the ground and pulls us back when we attempt to leave it.

Each of these movements was represented before by a god or goddess. Each force given face, but recognized as something distinct and powerful. Which is not to say there were not connections between these forces - a pantheon of individual spirits - of rules. Invisible hands guiding to progress of

the world around us.

And so here there was an attempt to categorize, study, explain, and understand the way things work - even if it was flawed. But no more. Now we are asked to succumb to a far more simplified explanation. How naive to believe there might be a single answer to every question. Every mystery. That there exists a lone divine light which rules over all. They say it is a light that brings truth and love. I say it is a light that blinds us - and forces us to stumble about in ignorance.

I long for the day when men will turn away from invisible monsters and once more embrace a more rational view of the world. But these new religions are so convenient - and promise such terrible punishment should one reject them - I worry that fear shall keep us stuck to what is surely the greatest lie ever told.

Interpretation: Another philosophical discourse is created by Altair, this time on the concept of religion. While interesting, it is not particularly full of higher implications. One of them is his reinforcement of the idea that the Judeo/Christian/Islamic faith is based on a lie. However, he does discuss the concept of multiple Gods associated with various phenomenon, as well as pantheons of Gods. This may mirror the actual existance of Those Who Came Before, but I can find little else to be taken from this.

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One may cultivate extracts from various plants found throughout the region. More exotic species can sometimes be obtained from traders and travelers, but their properties are less documented and required further examination.

Traditional alchemical implements can be used to distill the poison. Care should be used as certain poisons can be absorbed through exposed skin. Many are those who have lost their lives to carelessness.

One's blade should be hollowed according to the specifications listed herein. Deviation may create fractures within the metal, causing the blade to weaken and possibly break.

(An image is included of metalwork hollowing a hidden blade and various plants being processed)

Interpretation: A very logical, straightforward recording of new methods of intruding poison into the Assassin repertoire. Little hidden meaning, but it does show Altair staying true to his word to eliminate the rule against

poison.

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What to make of this map? It appears to contain the entire world. Not flat as they claim, either, but round - like a ball. Like the Apple. But how is such a thing even possible? Stranger still are the lands it shows - great patches of the unknown. The unexplored. So many places yet to be discovered . . . Are there men there? Are they like us? And if not - different how? I should like to know the answers. Perhaps - in time - I'll have the chance to travel. To chart a course and make my way to these distant lands . . .

(An image is included of a mostly accurate image of the world, focusing on the Euro-Asian side of the planet.)

Interpretation: This may be one of the few instances (and they are few, rare and low in number) of Ubisoft not having their facts entirely straight. Research has shown that the idea of the Earth being flat was not nearly as prevalent, recent, or widespread as popular media portrays it. While the misconception of a flat Earth certainly existed, an educated man in the Middle East (a center of knowledge and advanced technology during the crusades) would likely have known the Earth to be round.

That being said, under the pretense that Altair and peers were of the impression that the Earth was flat, it seems Altair came into possession of the knowledge that it was not, and seems amazed by the idea. Like other such information in these pages, he likely recieved the knowledge from the Piece of Eden, possibly the hologram displayed at the end of Assassin's Creed 1.

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The twenty-third page shows an image demonstrating a variety of climbing and movement techniques used by the Assassins.

Interpretation: Why Altair would record images that detailed what amounts to novice Assassin maneuvers in his personal journal, I cannot say. Perhaps he wished to record them for later use in education, but I do not see anything to interpret on this page.

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Some days I miss my family . . . Or at least the thought of them. I never knew my parents well, despite them having lived within these walls. It was our way. Perhaps they were sad, though they showed no sign - it was not allowed.

For my part, so much of my youth was spent in training, they was little time left to reflect upon the separation. And so when they were finally lost to me, it seemed no different than the passing of two strangers. Al Mualim had been as my father, and his was a weak and dishonest love, though at the time it seemed enough - better, even. Or so I thought.

Some day I will have a child - such is the way of our Order. And I will not make the same mistake. Nor any who call themselves an Assassin. We shall be allowed to love our children - and, in turn, to be loved. Al Mualim believed such attachments would weaken us - cause us to falter when our lives were on the line. But if we truly fight for what is just, does love not make such sacrifice simpler - knowing that we do so for their gain?

Interpretation: The Altair of Assassin's Creed 1 may have been one of the coldest, most emotionally detached (except for his arrogance) protagonists I have ever encountered. The man cared for nothing but his mission. You could tell him the funniest joke in the world and he would probably hate you that much more for it.

Yet here we have him, discussing the empowering nature of love for one's family. Certainly, in his time in study over the many years, he has come to realize that cutting oneself off emotionally, while having its benefits, may not necessarily be optimal. To this end, he seeks again to overturn an Assassin tradition, allowing families to keep their children, and for these children to know the true love of parents.

As is clearly his way at this point, he seeks once again to allow freedom within the Assassin Order, removing that which blinds us from reality, and allowing his peers to experience the powerful emotions that make us human, rather than removing them to make an even more efficient killing machine.

-----------------------------------Page 25-----------------------------------

The twenty-fifth page shows a drawing of a templar, fairly feminine in appearance, potentially depicting Maria.

Interpretation: Again, another page that may have just been Altair's drawing for his own enjoyment. The Templar depicted looked fairly female, and if he and Maria were together at this point in time, it is a reasonable thing for him to draw.

-----------------------------------Page 26-----------------------------------

I have the answer now. I know the truth. I shall not touch that wretched thing again. Best that no one do, now or ever. I have tried - at least - to destroy it, but it will neither bend nor break nor melt. Oh the irony - I am certain if I asked, the Apple would tell me what need be done. But even this promise is insufficient. Always it holds one more gift to give. I must refrain. So it shall be sealed. We will take it to the island - once theirs, now ours. There is a treasury there - hidden well - and it shall have to suffice. Risky to separate myself from the artifact that others may discover it. Riskier still to keep it close. In time I will be tempted. I am weak. We all are. Who wouldn't be? Oh the things I have seen . . . The tale is here - inside the text. Not between the lines but beneath them. Where only our eyes might peer.

Go and see it for yourself. That you might succeed where I and the others have failed. Time marches on - bringing with it new discoveries and developments. And so at least one day the doorway might be opened and the message delivered. They will have their prophet.

Interpretation: It seems that Altair finally found the truth of the Pieces of Eden, the Apocalypse, and Those Who Came Before. How much he found out is not clear, but he knows enough that he feels that his search for "the truth" is fulfilled, but he does not seem happy now that he knows the truth.

While it is unclear how many years have passed since Assassin's Creed 1 and this entry, it is more than a few and it took him this long to get up the nerve to destroy the Piece of Eden, even if he failed. This shows just how much of a hold it had on him, a hold I believe to be more than just Altair's own curiousity. Even now he speaks of being tempted by it, but he does not seem certain whether he should distance himself from it. While he knows what others do not, and he would be best suited for guarding it, he also fears he may be just as much of a threat, if not more, with it in his possession.

This codex page contains a lot of information that would be relevant to someone who had not already completed the game, foreshadowing the hidden vault under the Vatican, the Prophet, and reveals the clue to seeing the hidden map under the codex.

-----------------------------------Page 27-----------------------------------

We are growing larger. More make their way to our fortresses every day. Men and woman. Young and old. From different lands. Of different faiths. Each tells a similar story - of having discovered the first part of our creed: that nothing is true.

Too often, though, the revelation undoes them. They lose their morality, certainty, security. Many are driven mad. We must guide them. Help them to heal. Their minds must not be filled with more fairy tales, but with knowledge instead. Let them have answers - and let those answers be difficult and complex. Such is life.

Interpretation: Altair mentioned a variant of the saying that "Ignorance is bliss" earlier in his codex. While he seems to believe that this is a true statement, he feels that despite ignorance bringing happiness, knowledge must be sought after nonetheless. He reinforces the idea that full disclosure towards initiates is necessary, mentioning fairy tales (he may be referencing the Hashshashin initiation rites). He ends with a final instruction: let those answers be difficult and complex. This is a powerful statement, showing his devotion to knowledge and education.

-----------------------------------Page 28-----------------------------------

Success! We have found a way to alter the structure of the hidden blade so that it can be used to launch small projectiles. It is capable of grievous damage - even from great distance. I confess, the means by which I came about the discovery was . . . risky to say the least. But I have found that in small doses, and with a focused mind, the Apple can be used without ill effect. Or so I hope.

The knowledge of projectile combat is not new to us, having been observed amongst our Eastern neighbors. But their weapons were much larger - and insufficient for our needs. I have now found a way to miniaturize their designs, embedding their fiery weapon into a form that can be worn on the wrist.

We have also refined the formula for combustible powder, such that common ingredients might be used. This is a dangerous bit of knowledge and it is best shared with only our closest allies . . .

Interpretation: Again, Altair develops advanced technology through

disciplined use of the Piece of Eden. He finally mentions that use of the Piece of Eden may have negative side effects on the user; this is not clarified indepth, but it may be that use of the Pieces of Eden by humans is not intended, and results in potentially disasterous results (likely of the mental kind). He seems to be taking his possession of the Piece of Eden very seriously, using it as responsibly as he can, though he fears that it might still be too dangerous, even with his precautions.

-----------------------------------Page 29-----------------------------------

A dark tide rises to the east - an army of such size and power that all the land is made quick with worry. Their leader is a man named Temujin, who has adopted the title Ghengis Khan. He sweeps across the lands, conquering and subsuming all who stand in his way. Whatever his motives, he must be stopped. Were I younger, I might attempt to undertake this work in secret - as I suspect to presence of a Piece of Eden. But those days are years gone, now. The mantle must be passed. It is time she and I spoke with our sons. We will travel there together, that they may be tested and that this threat might be stopped.

Interpretation: This entry provides a vital link into the timeline of the codex. If Altair went to combat Ghengis Khan, then this could explain why the Codex was in the possession of Kublai Khan, brought back to Italy by Marco Polo. Ultimately, through Marco Polo, the Codex found its way into the hands of Ezio's great-great grandfather, who spread it across the nation, though most seems to have come under possession of the Templar.

This is also a sign that Altair still seeks to eliminate the threat of the Pieces of Eden in the hands of those who would abuse their powers. Even in his later years, he still stands by his mission to protect humanity from those who would oppress it.

Finally, this codex confirms that Altair bore at least two children, and that their mother was still with him in the later years (likely Maria, given Desmond's dream sequence). While Altair must have had children for Desmond to be his descendent, this is the first definitive proof that it happened, and in that sense, it is important.

-----------------------------------Page 30-----------------------------------

Soon I shall pass from this world. It is my time. All the hours of the day are now colored by the thoughts and fears borne of this realization. I know

that the elements of my body will return to the Earth. But what of my consciousness? My identity? That is to say, what of ME? I suspect it will end. That there is no next world. Nor a return to this one. It will simply be done. Forever.

Our lives are so brief and unimportant. The cosmos cares nothing for us. For what we've done; Had we wrought evil instead of good. Had I chosen to abuse the Apple instead of seal it away. None of it would have mattered. There is no counting. No reckoning. No final judgement. There is simply silence. And darkness. Utter and absolute . . . And so I have begun to wonder - might there not be a way to stop - or at least delay - death's embrace?

Surely the ones who came before were not so frail and feeble as we. But I have sworn to be done with the artifact. To not gaze into its core. Still: faced as I am with the prospect of my end, what harm is there I one last look . . .

Interpretation: Altair, in his last days, muses on the concept of the soul, heaven, the insignificance of humanity, and other such topics, but ultimately comes to the idea of extending his own life. His mind immediately shifts to Those Who Came Before and the Piece of Eden. Despite his oath, he is tempted again by the Apple, leaving one to wonder how tragic his life must have been in some ways, constantly tempted by a weapon of power and knowledge, but resisting its urge for decades.

The last passage again implies another aspect of Those Who Came Before: their extended lifespan. It seems as if they were capable of living for long periods of time, but was this a innate aspect of their species, or was it brought about by effective use of Pieces of Eden?

This last codex entry ends on a uncertain note, with Altair examining the Piece of Eden one last time, trailing off without telling us the result. While it is speculation, there is a strong possibility Altair might find a way to extend his own life, and it is possible we will see him again in Desmond's time, somehow surviving nearly a thousand years.

That will remain to be seen.

*******************************

V. Auditore Tomb Script and Interpretation

There is a hidden tomb in the game, unlocked if one makes a UPlay account. It is located in Monterrigioni, the tomb having been built by Ezio's great, great, grandfather. I would highly recommend making the UPlay account to see this, as it costs only UPlay points, which are unlocked by doing

"achievements" that are accomplished throughout the game. Inside of the crypt are engraved plates that tell the tale of the first Auditore.

Venice, 1296 I was raised in a small house by the Venetian lagoon, within sight of the rough foam-capped waves of the sea. When I was barely old enough to walk, I became a sailor, navigating the Atlantic first as an apprentice and then while carrying cargo for my father's patron, Messer Marco Polo. It was a good life.

Ashore One day, while ashore in the harbor looking for work, I fell in love. She was barely twenty, but when I looked into her eyes, the whole world was reflected back, clearer and brighter than the sun. After that, I still went to sea, but my heart remained on land with the girl, who had become my wife, and our young son.

Birthright One afternoon that summer, Messer Polo called me in his study. My father was already there, beside an older man, dressed in a strange hooded cape, watching us. At that moment everything about my life changed, my father told me that he was an Assassin. Removing his ring, he showed me a strange marking on his finger, explaining that our family came from an ancient order that protected and defended mankind. He paused, and then, when I didn't speak, Messer Polo stepped forward. He told me that the stranger in the hood would teach me, and in return I would carry him across the Mediterranean to Spain. And so began my apprenticeship with Dante Alighieri, one that was to destroy every bit of happiness I would ever have.

A Mentor In preparation for our voyage, Messer Alighieri met with me repeatedly. At first, our meetings were about purchasing supplies, but soon they became about higher things about life, love, honor and justice. He taught me that society was set up in such a way as to control its members, to stop us from thinking, from seeing. Soon, I could look past all laws and illusions. I understood that mankind was being used by its rulers, that we, the people, deserved freedom. It was then that Dante began showing me pages from a book that Messer Polo had brought back from the palace of the great Genghis Khan. The manuscript, the Codex, was about our order, the Assassins.

An Unexpected Farewell Our planned voyage never took place. While returning to Ravenna to pick up the remainder of his belongings, Dante died. Dismayed at the loss of my mentor, I went to inform my father and Messer Polo of the sad news. Before I could even speak, I was ushered into the study, and my father, his face white, locked the door behind me. Shocked, I listened in silence as he

spoke. Dante intended to take the codex to Spain where it would be safe. But he was being watched. The enemy of the Assassins, the Knights Templar, still existed. I recalled the stories he had told me of the Templars, and it all became clear. Dante had been murdered. The Templars knew about the Codex and they knew about us. Shaking my father told me to take the Codex and leave for Spain at once with my wife and child. As Messer Polo ushered me out the door, he handed me a small piece of paper with a number on it. With this number, I could draw on his credit, more Ducats than I had ever seen in my life, at any bank in Italy.

At Sea We set sail that night, the ship filled with cargo to sell in the markets at Barcelona. At first, all was well. Then, to avoid a coming storm, we laid anchor in the Otranto harbor. Cloaked in darkness, the pirates came. I didn't see them until they were already boarding my ship. I hid my family in the hold. Pulling out the Codex, I ran the worn leather cover through my hands, then, I broke the spine. The pages slid silently onto the floor, I scattered them into the chests, boxes and containers I was carrying to market. The men who found us were drunk, I could smell it on their breath. When they asked for the Codex, I knew who had sent them. Holding back my rage, I said I had thrown it overboard. They started to laugh. Two held me down, still grinning, while the rest cut off my wife's clothes. She begged for mercy until her voice gave out. Once they were done, they threw her into the sea. They took my cargo and sunk my ship, and left me, adrift, clinging to a piece of railing. I made it to the beach with my son. My wife's body washed up on shore the next morning with the tide.

A New Name I never saw the sea again. Making my way to Florence, I rented a small room and then visited the bank. I had memorized Polo's account number. With the vast sum I now had at my disposal, I went to Venice in disguise to find my father. I returned to Florence the next day. Both Polo and my father were already dead. From that moment forward, I collected treatises on architecture, studied the classics and took vocal lessons. I adopted the name Auditore, impersonating a noble at the Florentine Court. Accepted as one of their own, I took on the trappings of the nobility and constructed this villa for me and my son. And then, I hunted them. I raised my son to fight, to find the Codex, and to kill Templars. Together, we would regain the honor of my wife and avenge the death of my father, two debts that would never, that could never, be repaid. To the Auditore that reads this, remember that you are not a nobleman. You are not one of the deceivers, you are one of the people. Avenge us!- Domenico Auditore

Interpretation: The records left by Ezio's ancestor show us a number facts:

Altair's mention of an assault on the encroaching horde of Genghis Khan seems to have been attempted, though the details are unknown. However, for Kublai Kahn (the Mongolian leader with whom Marco Polo met) to have possessed the Codex, Altair's involvement must have been a present. As to how the Codex came to be in Kublai's possession is unknown. Based on the statue in Qulan Gal in the Assassin's Sanctuary, an individual trained by the Assassins was certainly responsible for Genghis Khan's demise. Is it possible that Altair, Maria, and his sons left a base of operations in the area? This might mean friendly relations with later leaders, including Kublai. He would have to be a most trusted ally to be gifted Altair's Codex, which contained many secrets he wished no one to know of. He may himself have been an Assassin, giving the Codex to Marco Polo, a fellow member of the Order, for safe keeping.

The Templar seem to have come out of a "dark age" of their own during the time of Domenico's training. After the events of Assassin's Creed 1, Altair's Codex indicates that the Templar went into hiding, and it sounded as if their foothold was significantly weakened. However, during this period, the Templar struck back, eliminating several Assassins, as well as nearly gaining Altair's Codex, which would have provided them with extremely useful information, not to mention the location of a Piece of Eden. Based on the events of Assassin's Creed 2, it seems as if from this point on, the Templar Order once again rose to a position of power, having the advantage over the Assassins.

The Auditore family, hinted in subtle conversations earlier in the game, is most definitely fabricated. Prior to killing Uberto Alberti, if you listen to his discussion with other upper class individuals, you can hear mention of the Auditore family "showing up so suddenly". The individual seems to imply she never really trusted the Auditore and harbored some secret suspicion as to their origins.

While not explicitly spelled out, it is likely this is the origin of Altair's descendents leading to Ezio. Domenico was Ezio's great, great grandfather, and Domenico's father was only 2-3 generations away from Altair, possibly even 1, although that would be somewhat unlikely.

*******************************

VI. Speculation

Contents:1. The Ones Who Came Before A. Speculation on Nature B. Speculation on Origins

C. Speculation on Members2. The Event A. What Might Have Happened B. When It Might Happen Again3. Humans A. Origins B. Inherited Legacy4. Assassins A. Known Assassins B. The Assassin Bloodline C. Links to Adam and Eve D. Half-Gods E. The Assassin Order F. Motives of the Assassins5. Templar A. Known Templar B. Organizations and Influence C. Ultimate Goals6. Artifacts A. Known Artifacts and Timelime B. Artifact Powers C. Present State of Things D. Deeper Meaning Behind the Artifacts

-------------------------------1. The Ones Who Came Before-------------------------------===A. Speculation on Nature===

The Ones Who Came Before. We know so little about them . . . we don't even have a convenient name for them. Minerva's imbedded AI scoffed at the use of the word "God" to describe them, indicating without a doubt that they worldy and mortal. It is clear that they are of significant potency, but it seems as if much of this power comes from technology. What, amongst their clearly vast repertoire of abilities, were actually natural powers, and which were technological? It seems that, at the very least, they had extended lifespans. If Assassins are the result of a hybrid between them and humans (See VI/4/C), then some semblance of an Assassins powers likely originate from Those Who Came Before. This would mean that Eagle Vision (better said as a form of ESP that included subtle form of emotion reading) was derived from them, as well as enhanced agility and learning aptitude. It also seems that the Pieces of Eden may not respond fully to the touch of a human; whether this is a design of the Pieces of Eden, or if it requires a special ability natural to the Ones Who Came Before, it is not said.

Either way, it is clear that they are a massively advanced, human-like race, who possessed technology so powerful that early humans could not comprehend them as anything but Gods. They seemed to be few in number (possible hundreds or thousands? It is not clear, but Minerva makes it clear that they were far fewer than humans), and possibly had a low birth rate. Their minds, while intelligent and more capable than those of humans, still function in a manner similar to humanity, complete with some level of emotion, as well as being susceptible to emotions clouding their judgement. While I will discuss it more in a bit, it seems that in most ways, they were extremely similar to humanity, but that humanity at the time could not see past their powers, granting them a divine nature.

===B. Speculation on Origin===

The discussion with Minerva's embedded AI does not reveal anything about the origins of Those Who Came Before. However, there are two clues that indicate two different possibilities.

The first is that they were somehow extraterrestrial. The heavy use of space symbolism in Minerva's chamber may imply that they came from another planet. It would certainly make sense; they had the technological prowess to potentially engage in interstellar travel.

The second, and the theory that I personally believe, is a bit more complicated and contrived. The Ones Who Came Before imply that their primary difference from humanity is that they "came before". Furthermore, they created humanity by using their technology to accelerate the evolution of apes to create humans. Ultimately, the resultant humans were very similar to the Ones Who Came Before, who stated that they created humans in "their image". Additionally, they seem to have been capable of crossbreeding the two species, indicating that they had similar genetic lineage. In my opinion, this indicates that The Ones Who Came Before were merely a primate to evolve into civilization far earlier than we did. If this logic is a bit hard to follow, allow me to put it this way.

A. The Ones Who Came Before created Humans.

B. They did this by advancing the evolution of Apes.

C. Humans (with a genetic template based in Earth primate DNA) were able to crossbreed with The Ones Who Came Before.

D. For the genetic material of the two species to be close enough to crossbreed, Those Who Came Before would have to be of a similar genetic template (with a template based in Earth primate DNA).

E. This would exclude the possibility that they were extraterrestrials. There are possible arguments against this theory. The most prevalent of which is that if Those Who Came Before had such advanced technology, they could FORCE their DNA and human DNA to be compatible. A second argument against would be that it would be extremely unlikely that two parallel evolutionary lines descending from different parent ape species would be able to crossbreed anyway, however I counter this with Minerva's claim that they made humans in their image. While clearly the two species are distinct, Those Who Came Before made have used their own evolutionary path and applied it to early hominids, advancing humans in a way very similar to their own, resulting in a viable crossbreed potential.

===C. Speculation on Members===

We know of at least three members of the species to which Minerva belongs. Minerva herself indicates she had many names in her lifetime. She then lists two others of her kind.

Minerva - Previous names, Merva and MeraJuno - Previous name UniJupiter - Previous name Tinia

To those with knowledge of ancient Gods, these names should ring many bells. Allow me to summarize this information.

Jupiter, Juno and Minerva are part of a trio of Gods that were considered the most important in worship in Ancient Rome. They are equivalent to the Greek Gods Zeus (the King of the Gods), Hera (Queen of the Gods, sister and wife of Zeus) and Athena (Zeus' daughter, and an influential member of his court). Amongst the Romans, Greeks and proximally located Etruscans, there was a vast overlap of religion. These same dieties find their counterparts in Etruscan mythology as Tinia, Uni and Merva/Mera. Minerva's explanation of this solidifies the nature of these religions as worshiping the same dieties.

Due to the fact that three of these individuals are the classic "Greek/Roman" Gods, it may be likely that more of their number represent other Godlike individuals throughout mythology. At least one image in Minerva's chamber indicates a a member of their species in Egyptian style art, reminescent of Horus or Ra, but without the characteristic orb above the head which Ra possesses. Given this, it is likely that other members of the species may later come to be associated with Gods from other pantheons, such as:

- Other Greek/Roman Gods

- Egyptian Gods- Norse Gods- Mesoamerican Gods (Notably, Quetzalcoatl of this pantheon was mentioned in Assassin's Creed 1) - Sumerian/Mesopotamian Gods (Sumerian mythos being referenced in the Puzzles)

-------------------------------2. The Event-------------------------------

===A. What Might Have Happened===

We know, now, from Minerva, that some sort of apocalypse occured which scorched the Earth, killing a vast majority of both Those Who Came Before and humanity. She does not say what it was, but there are a lot of hints indicating what it might have been. She first says that while distracted by the war on Earth, they failed to "look to the heavens". At this point, a picture of the solar system appears, and a blast of energy, possibly a solar flare, bursts out of the sun, coursing over the inner planets in the solar system. She then stated that it left the world covered in nothing but ash, implying the visuals are probably exactly what happened.

In Puzzle 19, there are a lot of hints towards this. The entire puzzle revolves around the sun, saying it was, at one time, worshipped, but is not anymore. This would make sense. Minerva speaks of how humanity could not understand that the powerful Ones Who Came Before were NOT Gods. Similarly, it is likely that following the apocalypse, humanity would not be able to understand that the sun was merely a natural phenomenon, and that they worshipped it as something they feared, hoping to avoid its wrath.

In the puzzle, Subject 16 says that "End. Almost the End. It happened before.", implying again that this was what caused the apocalypse. Hidden against the Sun are four messages; two are from Hopi folklore, describing, in a symbolic, scripture like manner what sounds like massive destruction. The other two say "They died in the fire from the heavens." and, more importantly, "Toba, 75ka was not a volcano". This not only makes it clear what happened, but gives us a when as well. Possibly, 75,000 years ago, the fire apocalypse occured, resulting in an ash layer that, found today, indicates a massive explosion.

Finally, at the end, Lucy speculates on the idea of a geomagnetic reversal. She says that one theory indicates that a sufficiently large solar flare could cause the magnetic poles to shift, temporarily weakening the Earth's magnetic field (which provides protection from stellar radiation and energy). Once weakened, the massive solar flare would pour through

and incinerate the now undefended Earth. Given the depictions shown by Minerva, this may very well be exactly what happened, and that it will happen again.

===B. When It Might Happen Again===

Since Assassin's Creed 1, the end of the Mayan Long Count Calendar has been posited as being relevant to the game's universe. The predicted date of the Templar's satellite mind control scheme, the ultimate culmination of their plans, would occur on the same day as the end of the Mayan Long Count. Furthermore, a barcode written by Subject 16 showed the numerical representation of this date.

For those who are not aware, the Mayan Long Count Calendar is a complex calendar system that is not at all like the one used by the modern world. It used a base of 18 and 20, rather than a base 10, and it had an internal limit to how far it could go (akin to a counter reaching 99:99 and going no further). According to the math, this "limit" will be reached on December 21, 2012, which is indicated in Assassin's Creed 1 to be the day the Templar would launch their satellite. As of AC1, it was believed this represented the coming "end of the world" that many associate with the Mayan Long Count. However, one of the previously existing apocalypse theories about this date was of a geomagnetic reversal triggered by a solar flare. So now, this has become the forefront expected occurance on that date, in game. That does not change the fact that this is still the date for the launch of the satellite. That makes for an interesting literary plot climax; with days to go until December 21, 2012, Desmond and Co. strive to do what they need to do, knowing full well that both a worldwide fire apocalypse AND a mind control apocalypse were about to occur. They will have to stop both; if they fail to stop either of the two, all is lost . . . god I can't wait for Assassin's Creed 3.

-------------------------------3. Humans-------------------------------

===A. Origins===

Through the puzzles and the speech by Minerva at the end of the game, it is very clear that humans were engineered by Those Who Came Before. Humans were "made in the image" of Those Who Came Before, paralleling the famed concept that the Judeo/Islamic/Christian God created man in his image. Thus, humans look very much like Those Who Came Before.

Humans were created, it seems, by causing accelerated evolution of apes into the modern day humans through the use of Pieces of Eden. The Templar

discuss how there is an incomplete fossil record; this indicates that up to a certain point, apes were evolving naturally, but the process was accelerated many years, possibly millions, in an effort to make humanity. The Templar seem to find this concept disgusting.

Humanity was not created out of kindness or generosity, however. We were intended as slaves/servants to Those Who Came Before, providing manual labor for a group that seemed to have a low birth rate, hencing providing the necessary work force. While it does not sound as if Those Who Came Before had a particular sense of malice towards humanity, this master/servant relationship was non-negotiable. To this end, humanity was created with a failsafe to prevent uprisings. The human brain was installed with a unique neurotransmitter that is activated only in the presence of a Piece of Eden, allowing complete mental domination of a human. This neural pathway is not present in other animals, and likely not in Those Who Came Before.

Humanity was unable to understand how Those Who Came Before were so much more powerful than they, and attributed Godlike qualities to them, not understanding that Those Who Came Before were merely technologically advanced mortals. This seems to have been met with a slight bit of amusement from Those Who Came Before, but it likely served their purposes well, as it would keep humanity even more firmly subjugated.

At some point humanity was able to rebel against Those Who Came Before. In "The Truth" video, two early humans named Adam and Eve are shown stealing a Piece of Eden. It is also possible that Adam and Eve were crossbreed humans, giving them enhanced resistance to mind control. It also is possible, with evidence from the games, that Pieces of Eden grant resistance to the effects of other Pieces of Eden. Through this initial theft, a resistance may have sprung up. While Minerva and her kind were far more powerful than humanity, they had much fewer numbers, and with the stolen technology, humanity was able to actually put up a fight. Who would have won is not necessarily implied; in the distraction caused by the war, the Earth was subject to an apocalypse which crippled both sides severly. Humanity survived because, as Minerva said "we were built to survive", inciting again the idea that humans were made in their image.

Humanity, made in their image, inherited some of their traits. Apparently, one trait shared by both species was a desire for strife. Despite their advanced knowledge and technology, Those Who Came Before were not above war, and it was this weakness that allowed them to be distracted into missing the signs of the coming apocalypse. Faced with the knowledge that hatred/war had blinded them and almost cost both species their lives, the few survivors of both sides banded together to rebuild the Earth. Living in harmony, rather than in a master/servant relationship, they

worked together to recover scraps of civilization and restore the Earth, which had been completely burned by the vague apocalypse.

===B. Inherited Legacy===

A small fraction of both sides survived; humans, being far more numerous, had more survivors and were able to recover. However, Those Who Came Before were far fewer in number, and seem to have had a low birth rate. For this or other such reasons, they could not maintain a viable population and slowly died off, despite having extraordinarily long lifespans. Knowing that they would not survive, and rather than hold a grudge against humanity, they ensured the proper defenses were in place to resist against another such apocalypse, and seem to have left the Earth to humans.

However, humanity never really got over their deification of Those Who Came Before (at least not while they still existed), and traded logic and understanding of this gift/responsibility for myth and legend. Those Who Came Before went down in history as Gods, insubstantial, distant, and all powerful, while the memory of their reality was forgotten. The Pieces of Eden, left on Earth, have come to be regarded as items of godly power, used for selfish gain, their original purpose forgotten in the legends.

Meanwhile, Templars (refered to by Minerva as "the cross") were selfish humans who sought to take the legacy of Those Who Came Before for themselves. They wished to use it to rule the remaining humans, and evidently were a source of worry for Those Who Came Before. As Those Who Came Before died out, the Templar slowly gained power, forgetting the gift left to humanity that might one day allow them to avoid another apocalypse. This is a shame, as the Templar are the most likely organization to understand and be able to use defenses put in place, but this seems to be a lost cause.

Hope remains however; Minerva implies that the factions of humanity tasked with guarding these defenses might not have forgotten the value of peace, or their original purpose. If the Assassins, particularly those of the Assassin Bloodline (the last remaining descendents of Those Who Came Before), can harness this, the Earth might yet be saved.

-------------------------------4. Assassins-------------------------------

===A. Known Assassins===

Aside from the main characters, such as Altair, Ezio, Desmond, and those in

the present, a number of historical figures are also revealed to have been assassins, or people who were assassinated by them. These include:

Pre-Rennaissance:Darius - Assassinated XerxesAmunet - Assassinated CleopatraIltani - Assassinated Alexander the Great (Who had the Staff, PoE 34)Wei Yu - Assassinated Qin Shi HuangLeonius - Assassinated CaligulaQulan Gal - Assassinated Genghis Khan

Rennaissance:Bartolomeo d'AlvianoNiccolo MachiavelliDante AlighieriMarco PolloLeonado Da Vinci - Aided the Assassins, but may not have actually been one.

Post-Rennaissance:Nikola Tesla* - May have been an Assassin, but it seems more likely that he was merely an ally of the Assassins, in a way similar to Leonardo Da Vinci.

===B. The Assassin Bloodline===

It becomes clear in Puzzle 14 that the Assassin Order is not just an organization. There may actually be a genetic basis for certain Assassins. However, much of this is theoretical, so the following will be mostly speculative.

In Puzzle 14, images are shown with Gods and Mortals procreating, a message above indicating that Assassins are the children of two worlds. If this is to believed, it may indicate that The Ones Who Came Before and humans could crossbreed, resulting in a hybrid being. The Ones Who Came Before were certainly technologically advanced, but we do not know if the vast majority of their powers came from their technology, or if they were innate. They were certainly different in some way from humanity, but if they could produce viable offspring, it would mean that on a physical level, they were just advanced humans, or the other way around, that humans were an inferior version.

Evidence, however, indicates that if this is the case, they may have had physical powers beyond that of humanity. The puzzle seems to portray Assassins as something unique and distinct from humans AND Those Who Came Before. If Those Who Came Before had no powers, there would be nothing differentiating these groups. However, we do know that there is something more than just human abilities. Altair, Ezio, and Desmond all seem to be

in possession of abilities beyond human capabilities. Foremost is the most blatant, Eagle Vision. There is no human equivalent to the ability, and furthermore, not all members of the Assassin Order possess it. For instance, Lucy Stillman seems unaware of the fingerprints on the keypad in the beginning of Assassin's Creed 2, or of the writing on the walls. This would indicate that, despite being an Assassin, she does not possess Eagle Vision.

In addition to this, who are the most agile characters between the games? Altair, Ezio, and Desmond. No one seems able to quite match their nimble abilities, even other members of the Assassin Order. Why is it that Altair rose to become the most skilled Assassin in his time? Or that Ezio, a fledgling member by some standards, was chosen to fulfill the goals set forth by the other Renaissance Assassins? It seems as if they were, on some level, physically superior, both in natural aptitude and ability to learn. Keep in mind that an untrained Ezio and his brother Fredericho casually climbed dangerously tall buildings for fun, with no training, but abilities on par with that of Altair.

To me, this indicates that Desmond's ancestry, unlike most Assassins, is a direct line from an original hybrid between humans and Those Who Came Before. For the sake of definition, this means that there are now two types of Assassins.

1. Members of the Order of Assassins - These are individuals who are part of the organization of Assassins. These include the likes of Lucy Stillman or Shaun Hastings. Highly trained, they possess no supernatural abilities.

2. Members of the Bloodline of Assassins - These are individuals who are not quite human, possessing some genetic ancestry going back to a different species, Those Who Came Before. These include Altair, Ezio, and Desmond. They are also members of the Order of Assassins, but they are distinct from normal humans.

Henceforth, I will refer to those displaying the hybrid blood as members of the Assassin Bloodline, rather than the Assassin Order.

What other abilities could this genetic variant possess? For one, what is it that makes Altair different from all of his Assassin brethren, which Al Mualim points out? He is able to resist the Apple's mind control. This stunned Al Mualim, who had not yet encountered this phenomenon. This would make sense. Humans were genetically designed to be subject to the controlling powers of the Apple, and it is unlikely that Those Who Came Before were subject to these effects. Having a hybrid ancestry possibly allows Altair to resist these effects, in a way that other highly trained and disciplined Assassins could not. However, he is not entirely immune

to some effects. This could be due to dilution, or only hybrid status, or it is possible that some of the artifacts powers would indeed influence Those Who Came Before.

Another possibility is that these artifacts were not designed to be used by humans. Some, or all, of their abilities may not be usable by a normal human. While Al Mualim was able to trigger the mind control effects of the Apple, it was only Altair who was able to first access its database (initiated by the display of the Earth covered in markers for other artifacts). As he used it, he also gained access to possible visions of the future, an ability mentioned by Those Who Came Before. Later, Ezio was able to open the door to the Vault, whereas Rodrigo Borgia had not been able to. While it sounds as if Ezio was "chosen", this could merely be a roundabout way of saying that he had the correct genetic structure to activate the artifacts.

And why not? The artifacts were extremely powerful in the hands of a human. A logical, advanced society would likely include such safeguards, preventing rogue humans from making full use of their tools. This, and the fact that Assassins seem more agile than other humans leads me to my next topic.

===C. Links to Adam and Eve===

Adam and Eve. After viewing "The Truth", we know they were real, and we know they stole a Piece of Eden. If they were a "first" of some kind, it was obviously not the first humans, but possibly the first to rebel. But how was it that they were able to rebel, when so many before had not? What made them different? Well, we know that they were extremely agile. Somehow, they were able to steal a Piece of Eden, and it is likely that such attempts in the past were prevented through the Piece of Eden's mind control abilities. Well, based on our previous conclusions, we know that members of the Assassin Bloodline can resist the mind control, and have exceptional agility. This might well mean that Adam and Eve, or even just one of them (likely Eve, if such is the case) were of this hybrid Bloodline. This would explain a lot, and it is quite possible that through Adam and Eve, the first resistance to Those Who Came Before developed.

Why would Those Who Came Before crossbreed with humans? The answer may not be as complex as one would think. Minerva's assertion that humans and her own kind were both susceptible to a craving for war and strife indicates that they share more than physically similar bodies, but a similar mindset as well. It would not be out of the ordinary to think that passion could get the best of such an advanced race, given that rage did the same thing. Even in human history, when one group enslaves another, there are instances where the master may fall in love with a slave, or even just use them for sexual gratification. If Those Who Came Before are as similar to humans as

I believe they may be, this is likely what happened.

===D. Half-Gods===

So we may not reasonably speculate that the offspring of a cross between humans and Those Who Came Before would result in a semi-superhuman being, stronger than a human, but not so powerful that they became omnipotent. Well, what does that sound like? For me, it reminds me of half-God individuals from mythology, such as Hercules. He was extraordinarily strong, but not quite on the level of the Gods. Gods that we now know are symbolic, overpowered images representing individuals who truly existed.

Hercules is a great example, actually. His father was Zeus, or Jupiter in Roman mythology. Jupiter was one of the listed "others" that Minerva mentioned. If the true Jupiter is in anyway similar, personality wise, to his mythological counterpart, it would mean he too had a slight *cough* EXTREME *cough* problem with fidelity. Zeus/Jupiter of mythology was the father of dozens of half-human individuals, the result of unions he engaged in for nothing other than personal pleasure. Extrapolate that mythological reputation back to the fact that we have an advanced race (who the Gods were modeled after) with the possibility of hybrid offspring, and we have what might be a fairly clearcut solution.

Zeus was the father of both Hercules and Perseus, individuals shown in puzzles. Hercules was displayed in the Garden of Hesperides stealing Golden Apples of Power (Huh? Piece of Eden what?), and Perseus was a hero, favored by many Gods, gifted with a large number powerful items including a divine sword, pictured in the puzzle showing Piece of Eden 25, the Sword.

It might even make sense that Perseus was favored by Those Who Came Before. If we are to assume that they possessed normal human emotions (Minerva herself expressed sympathy, hope, and annoyance), then love of each other and for offspring might also be part of their psyche. If Jupiter sired an Assassin who later went on various "human" quests of his own, and Jupiter actually gave a damn about his son, he might just have done him a few favors to help him out. Its not uncommon for parents to help their kids cheat a little. It would not be extremely out of the ordinary to see Jupiter asking Minerva (his daughter, in the mythology) to keep an eye out for little Persey. Minerva, along with a few other Gods, granted Perseus possesion of a number of enchanted items for his quest, and Minerva herself kept a close eye on him, keeping him out of trouble. While this is all speculation, I will point out that none of it is all that unlikely. And this is the speculation section, afterall.

Why would Those Who Came Before willingly aid a human by giving one their covetted artifacts? We do know that after the rebellion and the apocalypse,

humanity and Those Who Came Before did actually collaborate, neither one as slaves, but as equals. It was likely some time before all of Those Who Came Before met their end, so its possible they charged select humans with taking care of tasks that they did not have the time to do themselves. At this point, it is likely that humans were governing themselves, and Those Who Came Before may have made minor strategic moves through chosen humans (or Assassins, their favorites!), without getting too involved.

Another good example of this is the story of Jason and the Argonauts. Ignoring all the irrelevant parts, it basically came down to Jason trying to get the Golden Fleece (Piece of Eden 66 - The Shroud), and going on a dangerous journy, while Hera (The Greek version of the Roman Jove) watched over him, granting him favors and advice in his mission. In my opinion, it all ties together very nicely. While I am sure much of the original myths had been changed, they reveal an underlying theme of humans or half-humans being assisted by the Gods, often with powerful artifacts in play.

===E. The Assassin Order===

As opposed to the Assassin Bloodline, the Assassin Order's origins are somewhat mysterious. It is implied in the Codex of Altair that the Order which he belonged to had been created by Al Mualim, but he muses that perhaps Al Mualim merely stumbled upon a previously existing concept. This would imply that, prior to Al Mualim's Order, there was no existing Assassin presence on Earth, but Altair discusses the idea that ideas cannot be killed, and all ideas will inevitably be rediscovered. The Order itself may harken back to the Bloodline, which may have been an organization many thousands of years prior to the events of Assassin's Creed 1.

It is worth noting that several of the six Assassins in the Assassin's Sanctuary were indicated as having been members of the order. The oldest of these is over 1500 years prior to the events of Assassin's Creed 1. The statues are clearly contemporary, however, so it is unknown whether the Assassin order merely "claimed" these famed Assassins as members of their fold, if they truly were of the same order.

The Order itself has been shifting back and forth from being the dominiant member of the feud with the Templar. This timeline is worth noting.

~1150: The Assassin Order seems to no longer exist; it is refounded by Al Mualim.1191: The events of Assasin's Creed 1 begin. The Assassins start at a disadvantage, with the Templar and their manipulated factions potentially poised to destroy Masyaf. 1191: With the defeat of Robert de Sable and many of his highest ranking

agents, as well as Al Mualim (not to mention gaining an uneasy alliance with King Henry), the Assassin Order seems to have the upper hand, especially with their possession of the Piece of Eden.~1191-1250?: Over the course of Altair's life, he pursues the Templar, but they going into hiding.~1296: Over 100 years later, Ezio's great great grandfather is trained as an Assassin. His benefactors, several Assassins, are killed by the Templars, as the Templar attempt to retake Altair's Codex. This shows the Templar coming back out of hiding into a position of power.1476: The events of Assassin's Creed 2 begin. The Templar have put a significant number of individuals into positions of power, and have orchestrated plots to allow these individuals to gain even more power. By the end of the game, their leader himself becomes Pope, possibly the most powerful individual in the world at that time in history. 1476-1499: Ezio learns the Assassin way and eliminates these Templar one by one. He eventually kills all except for their leader, but takes two Pieces of Eden which the Templar spent centuries trying to obtain, depriving them of victory and dealing them harsh blow to their number.1500-1900: Over the next few hundred years, the Templar seem to find their way into positions of power world wide, particularly that of the newly founded American Presidency.1900-1950: The Templar manipulate technological advances and politics in their favor, obtaining a number of Pieces of Eden in the process. They start World War II, with several of the main factions on either side under their control, utterly controlling the course of the war, and ending it when they pleased. Once finished, this leaves them with an extremely strong foothold in the world's power scheme, controlling the victors and the losers of Earth's largest war, but at the cost of a single Assassin reprisal; the possible loss of one of their ranking members and a Piece of Eden.1950-2010: The Templar find themselves virtually controlling the developing world. Mention is made of illegal connections in the United States government, and the Templar control major technological advances, slowly approaching their goal of world domination. They begin to systematically track down and eliminate groups of Assassins across the world, overpowering them with numbers and greater resources. A few Assassin counterattacks are made, slowing, but not stopping, the advance towards their ultimate goal.2012: The present day events concerning Desmond occur. Warren Vidic, though at least partially incorrect, indicates that all of the Assassins have been wiped out. Though we later find a few groups remain, a serious blow has been delivered to their organization. A rescue mission to save Desmond fails, resulting in the loss of even more Assassins. At the end of Assassin's Creed 1, the Templar extract the knowledge they desire from Desmond.Late 2012: Lucy Stillman escapes with Desmond from Abstergo. She attempts to train him in the ways of the Assassin, by allowing him to experience the events of his ancestor, Ezio. This is successful, though he suffers some

side effects. Lucy believes that all it takes is one person sometimes to win a war, and her hope is that Desmond will be that one person. She also identifies that the Templar are not the most significant threat, and the stakes suddenly become much higher.

===F. Motives of the Assassins=== The Assassins have several motives. While the Assassins seem concerned with countering Templar activities, they also concern themselves with politics unrelated to the feud. Similarly, while the Templar have an ultimate goal that, once reached, would bring about their victory, the Assassins have no such possible victory; their goal is to counter the Templar indefinitely, and simultaneously maintain peace through strategic assassination. More specifically . . .

The Assassins believe in the concept of freedom, particularly, freedom to choose one's own path and actions. While the idea of slavery goes against their creed, even worse an offense is enforcing ignorance on the masses. They believe that decisions are key to human life, and that these decisions must be educated ones, even if the knowledge gained in the process is painful to the person. The supression of knowledge and wisdom is a popular tactic of tyrants (not to mention the Templar), and so the Assassins believe that by eliminating these individuals, freedom of knowledge and choice can be granted to the masses. The Templar, too, would seek to subjugate humanity by removing free will, or by manipulating human knowledge to come to the same result (if you mind control all of humanity into thinking a decision is the right one, you effectively choose for them). To this end, the Assassins fight for freedom of knowledge and choice on two fronts, that of humanity in general, and that of the Templar.

-------------------------------5. Templar-------------------------------

===A. Known Templar===

I will start with a chronological list of known Templar. Speculated Templar will be marked with an asterisk.

Prehistory:Cain - First "Templar", killed Abel for the Piece of Eden. May be Templar in behavior only. Later Templar use his symbol as their own.

Crusades:1190 - AC: Altair's ChroniclesBasilisk - Grand Master of the Templar during AC:AC

Master of the Tower Alaat Roland Napule

1191 - Assassin's Creed 1Robert de Sable - Grand Master of the Templar during AC1 Maria - Robert's assistant. Eventually joins the Assassins? Tamir Garnier de Naplouse Talal Abul Nuqoud William V of Montferrat Majd Addin Jubair al Hakim Sibrand Masun - Assassin traitor

Al Mualim - Traitor to the main Templar body, forming his own sect

1191-1192? - Assassin's Creed Bloodlines Armand Bouchart - Grand Master of the Templar during AC:B Frederick the Red Moloch Shahar Shalim

1390Freemasons - Earliest known Masonic text originates from this time. Freemasons seem to be a Templar organization.

1480 - Assassin's Creed IIRodrigo Borgia - Grand Master/Leader of the Templar during ACII Uberto Alberti Jacopo de' Pazzi Francesco de' Pazzi Vieri de' Pazzi Antonio Maffei Francesco Salviati Bernado Baroncelli Stefano de Bagnone Emilio Barbarigo Carlo Grimaldi Marco Barbarigo Dante Moro Silvio Barbarigo

1700sGeorge Washington - Member of the Freemasons

1800sJoseph Smith Jr. - Possible Freemason, translated Templar text. Founded Mormon faith.

1900sRasputin - Served as Templar agent, influencing Czar Nicholas IIThomas EdisonJ.P. MorganHenry FordHarvey Firestone* - Close ally of Ford and EdisonFranklin Delano Roosevelt - Member of the FreemasonsAdolf Hitler - Worked for the Templar. Started WWII for Templar ends.C (Possibly Churchill) - Was supposed to meet with Hitler after WWII.O (Probably Oppenheimer*) - Worked under Templar, doing atomic researchLee Harvey Oswald - Commit JFK assassination under Templar OrdersZ (Possibly Abraham Zapruder*) - Assisted in JFK assassinationLyndon B. Johnson - Templar agent, president of the U.S.Buzz Aldrin* - Cryptic message "the bees drone too" may reference Aldrin.

2012 - Modern DayAllan Rikken - Highest known ranking member of modern TemplarWarren Vidic - Abstergo scientist

===B. Organizations and Influence===

The Templar are an ancient organization, using many names over the millenia. The name "Templar" itself seems to be a recent name, as they have been active at least since the time of Jesus, using the red cross as their symbol, but the Templar organization did not arise until more than a millenium later. As opposed to the Assassins, the Templar M.O. tends to be to create influential organizations, use these organizations to put members into positions of power, and then use this power to work towards Templar means. Usually, these organizations have a publicly known goal; this helps draw attention away from their true purposes, while not causing suspicion as to why they seek power. Sometimes this goal can be used as a diversion; enemies of the organizations will seek to undermine the public goal, allowing the organization to achieve its true purposes without opposition.

These influence has spread to include a large number of powerful groups over the years. These include:The Knights TemplarSeveral other Crusader Organizations

The Ruling Bodies of Jerusalem, Acre, and DamascusThe FreemasonsPossibly the Mormon Faith (likely only at upper levels of the Faith)Possibly NASAA significant number of American PresidentsVarious circles of scientific entrepreneursSeveral of the world leaders during WWII (U.S., Germany, and England?)Abstergo IndustriesThe Assassin Order

I would like to draw attention to the last group. Yes, the Templar actually controlled the Assassin Order. Furthermore, it seems as if they may have even created it, as Al Mualim was the founder and father of the Assasin Order. It is not likely he inherited his role, so it is possible the entire order was founded for the whims of a rogue Templar. However, it is worth noting that Altair muses on the idea that Al Mualim merely revived a concept that had existed far longer than the Order itself. This may refer to the difference between the Assassin Order and the Assassin Bloodline. Ultimately, however, Assassin Creed 1's Order was technically founded by the Templar, even if this were not to last.

===C. Ultimate Goals===

At face value, the Templar Order seems to have two goals. First, is the aquisition and monopoly of power, especially the artifacts of Those Who Came Before. Subjugation and control of the masses, particularly those who would oppose them, through any means necessary. The first goal, in a sense, is merely the means for accomplishing the second goal. Furthermore, the second goal is done with the ultimate purpose of instilling world peace and stability.

When asked, the Templar state that their goal is bringing peace and happiness to the world, whatever the consequences. This would be an ultimate philosophical goal for their order, giving them their moral highground from which they can comfortably do what they need to do without remorse. This is extremely effective, as virtually no Templar throughout the games shows any guilt for the actions they have done, truly believing they are doing good. This is important form of psychological conditioning; with it in place, turnover and betrayal is greatly reduced (important in a secret society), and a zealous morality strengthens and focuses the drive to serve the order.

In this sense, the Templar are not, nor do they consider themselves, evil. They merely differ from the Assassins in one key point; the Templar believe that peace is more important than free will, that removing the element of choice is a necessary sacrifice to ensure survival. The

Assassins believe that peace is a worthy goal, but it is empty and meaningless if not chosen. Their "sacrifice" in the name of peace is the belief that taking a few, key lives is worth the benefit if it allows freedom and free will.

This binds the orders on another level. They are both practitioners of the political/philosophical policy of Utilitarianism, which is to say, they both seek to attain the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, recognizing that there must be sacrifice, or a few unhappy people, to attain a "greater good". Both Assassins and Templar believe it is okay to take the lives of others to gain this goal (though the Assassins seem less liberal in the use of death for their goals. Ironic, that Assassins are hesitant to kill, in this sense). The only true difference is that Assassins believe it is NOT okay to sacrifice free will for this end. This policy is further cemented when Altair takes over the Assassin Order, removing certain rules and restrictions that hindered or blinded free will and thought. An interesting example of this is in Altair's use of his Piece of Eden. The only time he used it to manipulate others was so he could show them the truth, clearing their minds of the propaganda that clouded their judgement and free will.

I digress, however, from this lengthy comparison. The ultimate goal of the Templar, taking into consideration the artifacts, is to use a Piece of Eden's mind control abilities to entirely enslave mankind, forcing an unprecedented era of peace and "happiness". Accomplishing this goal is expensive, complicated, and requires political power, so certain parts of their organization aim not to collect the artifacts, but to maintain power and resources. As stated by Vidic, many of the technological advances throughout history were made by the Templar, either with the intention of aiding their ultimate goal (space travel and satellite technology) or to help strengthen their position of power (atomic weaponry) and resources aquisition (developing electricity and charging money for it).

Even as far back as the Crusader Templar, there was the immediate goal of "the new world order". It is possible that the Templar may have been able to subjugate the world with a Piece of Eden, even if it had to be carried by hand to various parts of the world. But Al Mualim's loss to Altair demonstrated one thing; the Piece of Eden is only part of the solution. You cannot subjugate everyone with the Piece of Eden's power, and you must also be able to defeat those who can resist it. To this end, gaining government power and a technological advantage serve a double purpose, helping to achieve their ends in the now, and ensuring victory against those who resist the mind control. Additionally, more Pieces of Eden might possess powers that could be used to defeat those who resisted the mind control.

However, as the years passed, it became obvious that just manually carrying

a Piece of Eden would not be exactly efficient, so research was put towards finding ways of gaining more power, or making said power more convenient. Rodrigo Borgia sought the Vault, hoping to find within power more potent than that of the Apple (he would have been disappointed). Meanwhile, in the present, the idea of using the Apple in a satellite was developed, and as of AC1, the day of this launch is quickly approaching.

The Templar are not stupid, however, and they seem to recognize that certain types of power are just too dangerous. The Philadelphia Experiment, seemingly performed by the government and NOT the Templar, showed that a certain Piece of Eden could allow time travel, if brief. The Templar show a strong interest in understanding and controlling this phenomenon, but once in control, they promptly secured the Piece of Eden and are conducting no more research. They fear the concept of a Temporal Paradox, a potentially disasterous outcome of time travel, and even they find that much power to be too risky to meddle with.

One trait the morally minded Templar seem to ignore is their own selfish, immorality. Many of the Templar, though convinced of their moral highground, partake of extremely violent, greedy, and weak-minded behaviors. Individuals such as Tamir the Merchant give into a blind rage, mercilessly and brutally murdering people who anger them, with no real moral reason for doing so. Others, such as Marco Barbarigo, attempt to brutally murder their own loyal retainers for selfish greed, in this situation, ordering a hit on his guard captain Dante Moro so he could have Dante's wife for his own. There is no possible reason for this to be done "for the sake of mankind", but the supposedly moral Templar seem to overlook such blatantly evil behavior. For some reason, the Templar heirarchy does not seem to believe that this sort of evil, perpetrated by their own number, is an issue. In this sense, their grand scheme of providing "the greater good" is more of a grand farce. They cannot even control their own evil behavior, so why should they be granted the right to subjugate other such deviants.

Rodrigo Borgia, like many individuals of the Rennaisance, might have been one of the best examples of a Templar corrupted by his own desires. Ignoring the other such disturbing implications shown in his video, or his willingness to kill, he infiltrated one of the largest religions on Earth, and expressed a belief that the entire religion was a sham (while maintaining his position and doing nothing to show its followers the truth). Furthermore, he did believe that a God of sorts existed, and desired to enslave God's power for his own selfish purposes. This act is associated with one other important figure in Religion; Satan. In Dante's Inferno, at the bottom of hell lies the imprisoned Satan, the most despised of all of the sinners, for committing so greivous and arrogant a sin as "Treachery against God". If Dante had played Assassin's Creed 2, Rodrigo Borgia would probably be right there next to him. Of course, Dante

Alighieri was a member of the Assassin Order, so he fits into this comparison quite nicely.

-------------------------------6. Artifacts-------------------------------

===A. Known Artifacts and Timeline===

First off, I would like to document the known artifacts.

Known artifacts:Piece of Eden 1 - ApplePiece of Eden 2 - ApplePiece of Eden 3 - ApplePiece of Eden 4 - ApplePiece of Eden 5 - ApplePiece of Eden 25 - SwordPiece of Eden 34 - StaffPiece of Eden 66 - ShroudPiece of Eden X - Unknown (Capable of limited time travel)Altair's Apple - Piece of Eden Unknown

Now, I would like to document a timeline for each.

If labeled with a (TC) it is under Templar Control.

PE11812 AD - Owned by Napoleon Bonaparte1913 AD - Owned by Houdini1915 AD - The Templar have Houdini killed, taking it (TC)1963 AD - Confirmed to still be in Templar possession (TC)

PE21559 AD - Owned by Queen Elizabeth1930 AD - Owned by Gandhi1946 AD - The Templar have Gandhi killed, taking it (TC)1963 AD - Confirmed to still be in Templar possession (TC)~2012 AD - Destroyed in the DIA Event

PE3X-1781 AD - Brought to America by the Masons (TC) 1781 AD - Owned by George Washington (TC) 1944 AD - Owned by Franklin Roosevelt (TC) 1963 AD - Owned by John F. Kennedy (TC?)November 22, 1963 - Taken from JFK during Assassination (TC)

PE4~900 AD - In the possession of an unknown Chinese warrior~1900 AD - Found in Croatia by Nikola Tesla, who kept it~1900-1908 AD - Stolen by Thomas Edison (TC)~1914 AD - In the possession of Henry Ford, lent by Edison (TC)~1914-1945 AD - In the possession of Adolf Hitler (TC)1945 AD< - Unknown, possibly in the possession of the Assassins

PE5>1969 AD - Apparently, in the dirt on the moon1969 AD - Found on the moon, retrieved during Apollo 11 (TC)

PE25 - The SwordPre-history - In the possession of Sigmund the Nordic heroPre-history - In the possession of Perseus the Nordic hero~420-450 AD - In the possession of Attila the Hun~480-900 AD- In the possession of King Arthur at some point1431 AD - In the possession of Joan of Arc1431 AD+ - Taken by the Templar, killing Joan in the process (TC)

PE34 - The Staff~1200 BC - In the possession of Moses and his brother Aaron700 BC - In the possession of Shabataka 330 BC - In the possession of Alexander the Great30 AD - In the possession of John the Baptist31 AD - Passed to the possession of St. Peter, the first pope.31 AD - 1492 AD - In possession of the popes, as the Papal staff.1492 AD - 1499 AD - In the possession of Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander (TC)~1903 - In the possession of Czar Nicholas II of Russia~1904-1908 - Taken by Rasputin, Nicholas' mystic, to Tunguska (TC)1908 - Tunguska is utterly destroyed in the Tunguska Event

PE66 - The ShroudPre-history - In the possession of Jason the Greek Hero>1700 BC - In the possession of Jacob, father of Joseph? 1700 BC - In the possession of Joseph, of Jewish/Biblical Scripture970 BC - In the possession of David, of Jewish/Biblical Scripture30 AD - In the possession of Jesus of Biblical Scripture30 AD and later - In the possession of the Templar (TC)

PEX - Time Travel Device1943 - Philadelphia Experiment "works", but causes damage to artifact (TC)2012 - Original artifact is repaired, but kept in isolation (TC)

Altair's Apple

Altair's Apple is likely Piece of Eden 1, 2, or 3, but it is not clear which one it is.1191 - In Solomon's Temple1191 - Taken by Malik from the Temple and given to Al Mualim1191 - Taken from the now revealed Templar Al Mualim, by Altair1191+ - Altair studies the artifact, and takes it to Cyprus for safekeeping14xx - Retrieved from Cyprus by Rodrigo Borgia1499 - Used by Ezio to open the Vault in the Vatican

===B. Artifact Powers===

Next, I using the ingame demonstrations, and the consistancy shown between mythology, I will create a list of definite and speculative abilties of each one.

The Apples1. Mind control over humans - This can include complete domination and (temporary?) mind cleansing, or it can be more subtle, inducing hallucinations, convincing individuals of a fact, or even insanity. Functions by activating an otherwise dormant neural pathway, specifically found only in humans. Possession of another artifact seems to negate or limit the effects, as does being a member of the Assassin bloodline. Altair was able to resist the direct mind control effect, but the hallucinations still seemed to influence him, though he fought through them. 2. Immobilization - A seemingly non-neural ability to immobilize a target. Strange bursts of light appear on the body of the afflicted target, indicating that it is purely physical. Resistance to the mind control effect does not seem to help in resisting the immobilization.3. Duplication - The Apples seem to possess the ability for an individual to duplicate him or herself, and potentially bestow a different appearance upon the duplicates, which are capable of independent behavior. It is possible this is just a use of the hallicination ability, but it seems that duplicates are physical beings and can cause physical harm, indicating that this is an independent power. Loss of a duplicate does not seem to harm the original.4. Storage of Data - The Apples seem to not only be an item of control, but also a library of data. Altair regularly mentions delving into the depths of his Apple to find information, but it seems it is not a simple task. His records indicate it requires a strong mind, and that care should be taken when using them, and he expresses a fear of losing oneself to it. It is possible that the Apples were not intended for use by humans, and that this ability is only somewhat accessible by them. It also can track the location of other artifacts in its database.5. Foresight - It seems that Those Who Came Before had a limited form of foresight which required significant effort on their part. Altair seems able to tap into this ability through the apple, in a limited manner, indicating

that the Apples themselves were the device through which the foresight was accomplished.6. Opening Vaults - By combining the Staff (PoE 34) and an Apple, it was possible to open a vault. It is not shown if all of the vaults require the same combination, or if other combinations are possible.7. Extended Life (Speculated) - In a number of the Apple related myths indicated in the puzzles, the Apple in question carried powers, and the most common of these powers was eternal/extended life/youth. Altair himself muses on the idea of extending his own life through the use of the Apple, but whether he succeeded is not known.8. Temptation/Resisting Destruction (Speculated) - It seems as if something about the apples causes humans to desire them, but in a sense that also limits their desire to destroy them. Like the One Ring of Lord of the Rings, when it comes time to destroy the Apple, it takes phenomenal willpower to do so, and many people crave possessing it. It takes Altair several years to muster up the will to destroy it (which he was unable to do physically anyway), but at the end of Assassin's Creed 1, he was unable to destroy the Apple as he swore to do, choosing rather to use it for study. If the Apples were designed to control humans, then it would be logical to instill a safeguard within them preventing humans from destroying them willfully. Altair's ability to do so after years of effort may be a side-effect of his Assassin bloodline. It is also worth noting that the Apple of the Garden of Eden is nearly synonymous with Temptation, and the Apples in the various myths are also highly coveted (and well guarded by non-human methods).

The Staff1. Area of Effect Attack - One ability of the Staff that is definitively demonstrated is a sweeping area of effect strike, used to knock over nearby opponents. Once downed, some sort of energy seems to physically weaken victims of the attack, causing them to fall prone to the ground for some time. Like the Mind Control, it is possible to resist this ability. Ezio indicates that his possession of an Apple allows this, but it is also possible his Assassin bloodline granted him this ability as well. The physical wave still seems to hit him, but the weakening status effect has limited use on Ezio (though not entirely non-existant).2. Short-range Telekinesis - The Staff demonstrates the ability to provide a short range "force push" of sorts, knocking Ezio over, allowing Borgia to use his disabling Area of Effect ability. It seems to work well on Ezio, despite his Apple and Assassin Bloodline.3. Cloaking - Using the Staff seems to allow its users to temporarily cloak themselves. The limitations and duration of this ability are not shown.4. Opening Vaults - By combining the Staff with an apple, it was possible to open a vault. It is not shown if all of the vaults require the same combination, or if other combinations are possible.5. Mind control over humans (Speculated) - Like all of the Pieces of Eden,

it seems that those in possession of the Staff had an extraordinary large number of followers. This indicates that it is possible it too was capable of the mind swaying abilities shown by the Apple. Similarly, it also seems possible it was capable of the hallucination inducing abilities, as it was used numerous times in the Moses myth to perform otherwise supernatural feats.6. Other Apple Abilities (Speculated) - Ultimately, it seems that there is some overlap between the Apples and the other Pieces of Eden. How many of the abilities shown by the Apples are possessed by the Staff is unknown, if any, but it is a possibility that it too has the Data Storage abilities. Rodrigo Borgia seemed suprised at the Duplication and Immobilization capabilities of the Apple, so it is unlikely that the Staff had these abilities as well.

The Sword (Entirely Speculative)1. Combat Prowess - All five individuals who possessed the Sword in the puzzle are known for being, in one way or another, particularly skilled in melee combat. Like the Apple, it is possible that the Sword bestows enhanced combat knowledge upon its user, or guides/enhances the abilities of the user to the point that they are notably more skilled than their opponents.2. Physically Strong Cutting Edge - Several of the myths include the Sword being made of supernatural material that was unsusceptible to wear and tear, and capable of cutting through extremely hard substances. For example, being shoved deep into a stone (Arthurian legend) or a tree (Sigmund's legend). Given the nature of those legends, it is also possible that only certain people could activate the weapon, or that its activation required a certain action unknown to most, and that only when activated did its special powers work (hence, being unable to be drawn from its place, as its edge was not active).3. Knowledge of War - Several of the owners of the Sword were also skilled tacticians, notably Joan of Arc (who was the LEAST combat skilled of the five), leading their people on successful campaigns, sometimes when completely outmatched or where others had failed. 4. Limited Foresight - Like the Apple, it is possible that the Sword offers some form of combat foresight, accounting for the successful military campaigns led by some of its owners. Joan of Arc's legacy specifically mentions divine inspiration providing her with the advanced knowledge of her enemy's movements, especially significant given that there is no way she could have made the complex military predictions on her own (she had less than a year's veterancy in the military, and was an uneducated farm girl).5. Other Apple Abilities - Like the Staff and the Apples, the users of the Sword often had a large number of loyal followers, and some were powerful leaders and kings. It may have possessed the same, or a limited form of, mind control abilities as the Apples. Possibly the same with stored

knowledge.

The Shroud (Entirely Speculative)1. Resistance to Harm - The Golden Fleece had a number of capabilities, including being highly resistant to attack. When in the possession of David, he chose to wear it to combat a veteran giant soldier, turning down a King's personal suit of armor. If it is preferable to a high quality suit of armor, and given the outcome of David's battle, it may be likely that the Shroud protects against physical harm while being worn.2. Healing Abilities (Possibly Resurrection) - The Golden Fleece was capable of healing the wounded or just-recently killed, and Jesus (in possession of the shroud) healed a number of disabled or wounded individuals. Jesus healed a variety of ailments, included fresh wounds, injury induced disabilities, birth defects, and mental disorders. He also was known to have revived a recently dead man. He himself was also well known for being revived after death, possibly through long term exposure to the Shroud (As it was taken by the Templar after he died). Hence, the Shroud may be designed so that it can repair natural and unnatural wounds and physical defects, as well ascuring mental disabilities and reviving the recently dead.3. Strange/Changing Color - The Golden Fleece was supposed to be amazingly brilliant in color, but it was definitely gold. In the puzzle, all of the later owners wore a red cloak, and Joseph's beautiful cloak was well known for being "techni-color". It is possible it could change color at the whim of the owner, but still possessed a consistant beauty.4. Other Apple Abilities - Like the Staff and Sword before, the wearers of the Shroud had large groups of loyal followers, indicating the possibility of the mind control abilities present in the Apples.

===C. The Current State of Things===

With that concluded, let us look at the present state of the Assassin's Creed universe. In Desmond's time, to the best of our knowledge, the templar are in possession of a large number of the known artifacts. At their last known sightings, the Templar possessed 3 of the 5 Apples. They also had the Shroud and the Sword in their last known sightings (2000 and 600 years ago, respectively). The last known artifact, the Staff, seems to have been destroyed. They have a reconstructed version of Artifact X, the time control artifact. Given this, it also seems the Templar have a limited understanding of the technology of the Artifacts, indicating the possibility of them being able to make them some time in the future. They also have knowledge of the location of many more artifacts.

Meanwhile, the Assassins, while losing ground, are not entirely out of the ballgame. They seem to be responsible for the destruction of 2 artifacts, and may be in possession of an Apple.

===D. Deeper Meaning Behind the Artifacts===

It is speculated by Altair that the Artifacts are merely discarded playthings, given divine significance by humans. He may have been closer to the truth than anyone things. While it is clear the artifacts are not merely trinkets, and that they are truly powerful for humans, they seem to have been a tool of everyday use for Those Who Came Before. The Apples, specifically, seem to have been some sort of multi-tool/PDA of sorts, from which the user could access a vast library of knowledge, see the location on Earth of other users, potentially see the future, and control one's human slaves. Powerful by human standards, certainly, but seemingly not so much within the context of the extremely powerful Those Who Came Before.

The artifacts, however, seem to have been limited in their creation. They are not so abundantly plentiful that they were mass produced; rather, given the limited number of the Ones Who Came Before, it is possible that there was just 1 artifact created for each, though possibly more, given that different artifacts had different uses. This may have been partly due to fear of them falling into the wrong hands; through their use, humans would gain several advantages in rebeling against their masters. In addition to gaining resistance to some of the powers of the artifacts, humanity would also gain access to the technological knowledge stored within the artifacts, as well as use of its combat abilities, and an extended lifespan (In the Bible, Adam was supposed to have lived for 930 years).

In this sense, it seems that ultimately, Altair is correct in his analysis of the artifacts as far more trivial than the millenia spanning fued between Templar and Assassins would dictate. However, Puzzle #19 reveals something more, implying that the artifacts may have had a much more significant purpose. After hinting at the end of the world almost happening in the past, Subject 16 says "The pieces were once part of a whole." Minerva's statements at the end of the game indicate that there is still hope if the other Temples can be found, possibly bearing more artifacts. It seems that through the combined power of a large number of artifacts, the apocalypse which devastated the Earth the first time might be mitigated enough to allow humanity to survive, a gift from the Ones Who Came Before to their creations.

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VII. Personal Musings

I have a few topics I would like to talk about, just for my own personal indulgence and interest.

1. The Mottos

Nothing Is True. Everything Is Permitted.

May The Father Of Understanding Guide Us.

These mottos reflecting the Assassin and Templar orders are stated time and time again throughout the games. However, I find them ironic. Ultimately, I believe that they correspond to the wrong groups.

Take the Templar's motto, for instance. "May The Father Of Understanding Guide Us" . . . this indicates a strong sense of reverence for knowledge, enlightement, and guidance by such traits. Knowing the facts, unclouded by propaganda and enforced uneducation . . . this sounds very much like an Assassin philosophy. The Templar, who seek to subjugate humanity by clouding judgement, or ultimately removing judgement entirely, do not seem to be the foremost authority to speak on the nature of understanding.

Similarly, the Assassin's motto only halfway represents them. "Nothing Is True. Everything Is Permitted." Ultimately, the first half makes sense. One of the Assassin's foremost ideas is that rulers create myths to control the people, and that one can never take these ideas (or any ideas) completely to heart. At the same time, Altair muses in his codex that the Templar are painfully aware that nothing can be completely, and ultimately true, and it is this fact that leads them to create their own reality and truth. Hence, the fact that "Nothing Is True" is the driving belief behind the Templar's goals. Next, "Everything Is Permitted." The Assassins believe that sacrifices must be made, usually in the form of key individuals, for the sake of the greater good. However, they draw the line in many things, refusing to kill innocents, and respecting free will above all else. It is the Templar who truly believe that anything can be sacrificed in the name of their ultimate goal. There is nothing so immoral or so catastrophic that it is not worth doing if it will allow them to be one step closer to realization of their new world order. The Templar live by the policy that "Everything Is Permitted".

I suppose it could be argued either way, but I found it interesting that these two mottos seem almost reversed.

2. Artifacts of Legend!

I cannot wait until Assassin's Creed 3. You know what I am waiting for most of all? More Pieces of Eden. The revelation of the Sword, the Staff and the Shroud, and the association between them and mythological items just struck a chord with me, and I find myself considering other such possibilities. I have always been a fan of mythology, and magical weapons and the like have always been my favorite. So, I would love to see more

of these items brought into the series. A few I would personally love to see:

The Spear - Athena (Minerva) wielded a spear, and Odin, King of the Norse gods, weilded an enchanted spear (Gungnir) which could not miss its target. One spear, now regarded in a mythological context, is the Spear of Longinus (also known as the Spear of Destiny), a lance used to pierce the side of Jesus while he was on the cross.

The Helmet - Athena/Minerva in mythology seemed to always were a helmet of some sort; however, we now see that Minerva wore some sort of headpiece that did not seem particularly special. However, helmets do come into play in other respects. In the legend of Perseus, he was granted several gifts, one of which was the helmet of Hades/Pluto, which allowed him to turn invisible. The Staff was already depicted as offering a cloaking ability, so this is not outside the realm of realistic.

The Boots - Another item in the Perseus myth were Hermes/Mercury's enchanted sandals. They were made of gold, and had wings which allowed the user to fly at tremendous speeds. Within the context of an artifact, they could merely be some sort of propulsion device worn on the feet, yet still an interesting item.

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VIII. Legal Somesuch

This file is written and copyrighted by me, Irvine Tomoe. That being said, much of this is interpretation of facts that are merely implied already in a game. I would appreciate not passing off the document as one's own creation, but realistically, none of this is mine. I just made the connections that anyone can, with enough effort and research. If you would like you put it on a website, go ahead, though an email sent my way would be appreciated at DarkerCompanion@gmail.com. Thanks, and I hope you will be respectful, and spread this information to as many players of Assassin's Creed 2 as possible.

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IX. Credits

Credits go to four.

Ubisoft, for making this game. All the connections I made over the past few days were not invented: they were found. The makers at Ubisoft must have had to scour history for ways to tie all of this in, and they have done an

incredible job. How they found all of these coincidences is uncanny . . . and I am impressed.

Wikipedia, for being my one-click guide to the world's information. Tesla would be proud.

And last, Failbaddon who pointed out for me that Abraham Zapruder is a significant Z named individual in the JFK assassination. I would NOT have found that one on my own.

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_____________________________| Assassin's Creed II Guide || Created by: Axel7174 |

| FAQ and Walkthrough || Copyright 2009 Ryne Gardner ||_____________________________|

Version History---------------Version 1.00 - 11/16/09 - 11/23/09--Well, here we are, the first completed version. I will admit, this guide issomewhat rough for the first edition. I'm hoping to buff out some of the roughedges very soon and start adding more things and improving existing stuff. Hereyou go though, enjoy!

Version 1.10 - 11/25/09--Alright, first update! I think I accomplished a fair amount here. I starteda few sections and their subsections. For example, the Villa section has beenstarted but not finished. Extras was started with Trophies added and the Glyphsand Puzzles section was started but not yet finished. Other than that, I addeda specks of information to the walkthrough and gave the whole guide a muchneeded spellcheck.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Version 1.15 - 11/27/09--Started some more stuff like Basics. Didn't work on the Villa section thistime so there's still some work to do there. Other than that, it was just a fewsmall updates to the walkthrough, a tip or two, information changes/edits anda pair of new FAQ questions.

Version 1.25 - 12/1/09--Welcome to the month of December! For this update, I added two newsub-sections, including one for a little info on connecting the PS3 version ofACII to the PSP game, AC: Bloodlines. I added the Stautettes, located in theVilla section. I also finished the Glyph puzzle solutions, but have not yetadded all the locations. Other than that, a bunch of fixes and small additions.

Version 1.35 - 12/21/09--Well, let me first apologize for the lack of updates. I have been simplyoverburdened with final papers and final exams in college (being an English

Major stinks sometimes!) and other obligations as well. Now that my semesteris over (huzzah!), I can finally find some time to work on this guide. I beganby updating a few sections here and there, then started the Weapon, Armor &Clothes sub-section. Added a few tips that were submitted to me and made a fewcorrections. Well I'm gonna disappear for a few days but a few more updatesshould be coming eventually. Until then, regardless of what you celebrate...

Happy Holidays everyone!

Version 1.40 - 1/4/09--Hope everyone had a good holiday and a happy New Year. Got a small updatehere, mostly just to fix some stuff here and there. I'm gonna be focusing onolder guides so I'm gonna put this one aside for a little while.

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____ _ _ ____ __ _ _ ____ __ __ __ __ ___ (_ _)( )_( )( ___) /__\ ( \( )(_ _)( \/ )( )( )/ __) )( ) _ ( )__) /(__)\ ) ( _)(_ ) ( )(__)( \__ \ (__) (_) (_)(____) (__)(__)(_)\_)(____)(_/\/\_)(______)(___/

__|_________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯|¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ 1|Introduction..................................................... [itro] |+ About This Guide |+ Using This Guide 2|Basics........................................................... [bscs] |+ Welcome To The Animus (SPOILER WARNING)........................ [bcan] |+ Controls....................................................... [bctr] |+ Side Missions.................................................. [bcsm] |+ Currency and Goods............................................. [bccg] |+ Combat......................................................... [bcom] 3|Walkthrough...................................................... [ac00]

|+ Sequence 1..................................................... [ac01] |+ Sequence 2..................................................... [ac02] |+ Sequence 3..................................................... [ac03] |+ Sequence 4..................................................... [ac04] |+ Sequence 5..................................................... [ac05] |+ Sequence 6..................................................... [ac06] |+ Sequence 7..................................................... [ac07] |+ Sequence 8..................................................... [ac08] |+ Sequence 9..................................................... [ac09] |+ Sequence 10.................................................... [ac10] |+ Sequence 11.................................................... [ac11] |+ Sequence 14.................................................... [ac14] 4|The Villa........................................................ [acvi] |+ Overview....................................................... [viov] |+ Shops.......................................................... [visp] |+ Renovations.................................................... [virn] |+ Collections & Equipment........................................ [vicl] |+ Statuettes..................................................... [vist] 5|Extras........................................................... [exra] |+ Glyph Locations & Puzzle Solutions............................. [exgp] |+ Weapon, Art, and Clothes Lists................................. [exli] |+ Assassination Contract Missions................................ [exas] |+ Connectivity with Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines................. [exbl] |+ Trophies/Achievements.......................................... [exth] 6|Miscellaneous.................................................... [misl] |+ Frequently Asked Questions..................................... [fak4u] |+ Credits/Special Thanks |+ Contact Info |+ Legal Chitchat

/|_ / |_ / / / > ( > / / / / / / __/ \_____ /- | / /-\ / / / \--/ / / / / ( >

/ > / _| / __/ /_/

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Uno (1)| Introduction | ASSASSIN'S CREED II [itro]+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Hello, and welcome to the guide. The name is Axel7174 and I'll be your host.I'm under the preconceived notion that if you're reading this guide, you'vecome for some sort of help, or you're very bored. Well, if it's the former,worry not! I'm hoping to do my best to provide as much help as possible forAssassin's Creed II, one of the 2009 holiday season's biggest hits.

About This Guide----------------This could be my last guide of 2009, though I'm thinking about some other stuffas well. This guide is being written during the end of my current collegesemester so it's possible that after most of the work is done, that updates canget a little spaced apart, while I tackle assignments and finals and all thatjunk. Other than that, I hope this guide proves helpful.

Using This Guide----------------This guide contains a general walkthrough that is fairly clear and concise. Itcovers just about all aspects of the game. Look to the table of contents abovefor help finding something. At the end of each item is a code called aquickjump. Put this code into the ctrl+f function of your web browser and youcan quickly jump to a section of the guide. You can also use this to search forkeywords.

If you have questions, please refer to the FAQ section at the end of the guidefirst before e-mailing me. If your question isn't answered, or if you havesomething to comment on or submit to me, feel free to e-mail me. If you'resubmitting something, please, please, please read the Contact Info sectionfirst for my policy on this.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Due (2)| Basics | ASSASSIN'S CREED II [bscs]+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

WELCOME TO THE ANIMUS, DESMOND. WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVIEW THE EVENTS YOUEXPERIENCED [in Assassin's Creed 1] AGAIN, REVISITING THE EVENTS OF YOURANCESTOR, ALTAIR? I MUST WARN YOU, IT CONTAINS SPOILERS, SO PLEASE DISREGARDTHIS IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED.

Yes, I want to review it, please.

OK........ ACCESSING...... MEMORY BLOCKS FOUND....... PLEASE WAIT............REVIEW PLAYBACK BEGINNING....

Desmond stepped into the Animus and relived the life of his ancestor, Altair,an assassin who lived during the time of the Third Crusade. Altair was justone assassin in an entire fraternity who hailed from Masyaf and pledged loyaltyto their master, Al Mualim, and three guiding tenets:

o Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent o Hide in plain sighto Never compromise the brotherhood.

Altair broke all three tenants in one mission, as he and his brothers tried tothwart Robert De Sable of the Crusaders from retrieving the treasure ofSolomon's Temple. His actions cost his brother Malik his arm, as well as thelife of Kadar, Malik's actual blood brother.

Al Mualim scolded Altair for his foolish behavior. Altair remarked, "Were younot the one to say "nothing is true and everything is permitted?"

"You do not understand the true meaning of the phrase, my child," Al Mualimsaid. "It does not grant you the freedom to do as you wish, it is a knowledgemeant to guide your senses. It expects a wisdom you clearly lack!"

As punishment, Al Mualim stripped Altair of his rank and had him charged withending the lives of nine men, men on both the Saracen and Crusader forces."Nine lives in exchange for mine," Altair mused.

And so he set out to kill all nine men. The assassin brothers in each cityguided Altair, including Malik who still held intense contempt for the formerace assassin. Putting his skills to good use, Altair gathered the informationnecessary, climbed impossible obstacles, and put a blade to any enemy in hisway. One by one, each man fell.

With his dying breath, Altair's first target, Tamir of Damascus revealed that

he was "but a piece. A man with a part to play." To which Altair replied, "Ilook forward to ending their lives as well." Each man had been accused of heinous crimes that threatened peace and thesalvation of the Holy Land. Yet, to Altair's surprise, each of the men had adifferent tale to tell. Tamir claimed a nobler cause than simply making weaponsfor war.

Garnier de Naplouse of Acre claimed he was not harming the sick and mentallydisabled, but saving them.

Talal of Jerusalem said he was not enslaving people for any reason but to savethem.

Abu'l Nuquod, a servant of Salahudin, revealed that he stole money to serve hisgroup, the "brotherhood" Tamir spoke of. "If you do not serve Salahudin's causethen whose?" Altair asked. "In time you'll come to know them," Abu'l Nuquod replied, choking on his ownblood. "I think perhaps you already do."

Altair continued his quest and slew Majd Addin, William de Montferrat, Sibrand,and Jubair.

As Altair suspected, there was "something that binds these men." Al Mualim enlightened him to the truth. They were Templars. Despite being on oppositeforces, the 9 Templars would hope to use the treasure from Solomon's Temple toachieve "peace" as Al Mualim put it.

Altair's face twisted in a confusing grimace. "Peace? But this would make themour allies!" Al Mualim explained that he supported the goal, but not the methodin which the Templars would achieve it, through forced control and thestripping away of free will. Understanding their purpose, Altair set off tofind his final target: Robert De Sable.

Altair found his target in Jerusalem... and struck. To his surprise however,he learned it was merely a body double. Robert was on his way to persuadeRichard the Lionheart and Salahudin to join forces against the Assassin's who,thanks to Altair, had murdered 8 men on each side.

Altair, fearing the worst for Masyaf and for the Holy Land, rode for Arsuf.There he confronted Robert as the Templar he was and after a lengthy duel, hefinally fell to his blade.

"Nine targets he sent you to kill," Robert said. "Not nine, but ten."

Altair couldn't believe it. "A tenth?! None may live who know the secret."He shook Robert and demanded a name.

"Oh, but you know him well. It is your precious Al Mualim. He used you, boy.The only difference between your master and me is that he did not want to share."

Robert faded from the world and Altair rose, weightless, trapped in a cloud ofdisbelief. Al Mualim was a Templar and he had been aligned with the others allalong. Not only that, he used Altair to kill his former allies to have thetreasure all to himself. A treasure that Al Mualim claimed "Turned water intowine and parted the Red Sea." Altair knew what he to do, and so he rode back toMasyaf.

When he returned, he found the people of the village and the assassin's allunder Al Mualim's spell, a spell cast from the treasure, the Piece of Eden.With help from Malik, Altair confronted his master in the garden. There, AlMualim raised the Piece of Eden triumphantly and cried, "Nothing is true andeverything is permitted!"

Altair could not help but find it ironic that his master has twisted the truemeaning of this phrase, just as he himself had done. Altair's significance wasexplained. Since he could not be brainwashed by the Piece of Eden like theothers, he was the perfect puppet for Al Mualim's plan. Now his usefulness hadended, he imagined. Al Mualim confirmed this notion, raising his blade, and inan almost believably solemn voice, said "You were my best student, Altair."

Altair saw through the illusions cast by the Piece of Eden and through his ownwillpower, he killed Al Mualim. Al Mualim dropped the orb and claimed he couldnot destroy it. "Then I will!" Altair remarked.

The Piece of Eden laid there in the garden. Altair approached it withtrepidation. With each step he took toward the object, he could feel his heartflutter in a most strange way, as if it ceased to not only beat, but exist inhis body. Slowly, the Piece of Eden came to life, displaying a map of theworld. The grand orange glow of its projection mesmerized Altair. There wassomething beautiful, entrancing, and serene about it.

In his head, Al Mualim's voice taunted him. "Go on, destroy it as you said youwould."

Altair struggled to even speak. "I... I can't!" he said.

"Yes you can, Altair. But you won't..."

The image ended, and Desmond awoke. The map displayed by the Piece of Eden was

what the Templar's in the present day sought. Having served his purpose,Desmond was considered expendable. Lucy Stillman bought Desmond time, and sohe returned to his room. There, he found that he possessed Altair's EagleVision and upon the walls of his room, he saw many cryptic messages... writtenin blood.

END SPOILERS

Controls [bctr]--------Here is a quick layout of the control schemes for the PS3 and 360 versions ofthe game. I split it up into two parts just for ease.

Basic Controls

_________________________________________________________________|Action |PS3 Button |360 Button ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Pause |Start |Start ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Map |Select |Back ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Movement |Left Analog Stick |Left Thumbstick ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Camera |Right Analog Stick |Right Thumbstick ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Lock on |L1 |Left Button ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Contextual Camera |L2 |Left Trigger ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||High Profile |R1 |Right Button ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Inventory Wheel |R2 |Right Trigger ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Look |R3 |Right Thumbstick In||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Select Hidden Blade |D-Pad Up |D-Pad Up ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Select Primary Weapon|D-Pad Right |D-Pad Right ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Use Medicine |D-Pad Left |D-Pad Left ||---------------------|-----------------------|-------------------||Select Fists |D-Pad Down |D-Pad Down |'-----------------------------------------------------------------'

Actions: Low Profile and High Profile

______________________________________________________________|Action |PS3 Button |360 Button | |--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Steal (Low Profile) |X |A ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Sprint/Free Run (High Profile) |X |A ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Gentle Push (Low Profile) |Circle |B ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Grab/Throw (High Profile) |Circle |B ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Tackle (while running) |Circle |B ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Attack |Square |X ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Speak |Triangle |Y ||--------------------------------|----------------|------------||Eagle Vision |Triangle (hold) |Y (hold) |'--------------------------------------------------------------'

A little insight to some extra moves that Ezio can do.

Advanced Wall Jump------------------Run up a wall and then immediately point the Left Analog Stick left or rightand hit X again. Ezio will run up the wall and use his momentum to go left orright. It's useful for grabbing a tricky ledge or a ledge that is to yourside.

Climb Leap----------Ezio learns this in Venice. Climb Leap lets Ezio leap up when climbing a wallso he can reach ledges normally out of reach. When he leaps, you have to graspwith Circle or he'll just fall down. Some buildings can only be climbed withClimb Leap. Otherwise, it's a nice way to take shortcuts when climbing.

Side Missions [bcsm]-------------The developers decided to go in a different direction with ACII. The game wasconstructed similar to Grand Theft Auto in the sense that you have a lot ofstory missions that you do in succession to progress the game. At the same timethough you have tons of side missions and other things to do in between. Inthis small section, I'll very briefly glance over some of these.

[RACES]

Each city has some races you can undertake. You don't actually race anythingexcept the clock. Usually the time you're given is pretty lenient.

[BEAT UP EVENTS]

These missions have you visiting the infidelic husband of some poor wife intown. You are given a search area to look for them. Find them and beat them upbut do not kill them. Easy.

[COURIER MISSIONS]

You are given a letter to deliver and a destination. Get it there in time tosucceed. The time limits vary from very comfortable, to a bit more strict.Overall, these are not difficult however.

Currency and Goods [bccg]------------------Assassin's Creed II sports a nifty economic system. You can now earn money andspend it how you see fit. There are numerous things to spend on, and there arevarious ways to keep the money lining your pockets.

[MONEY MAKING]

-Missions: Beating story and side missions will always reward you with a smallamount of florins, the game's currency. Later story missions yield betterrewards of course.

-Pick-pocketing: By holding X while walking, you can bump into them and stealmoney. The amounts are miniscule but remember to do it a few times every sooften and you'll find it adds up.

-Looting: Like pick-pocketing, you don't get much by looting corpses. It's anoption and a decent one early on in the game to make an extra buck but notreliable overall.

-Chests: There are chests hidden throughout the cities that have small amountsof money. The amounts can be pretty big in some of them. If you go to an ArtMerchant, you can buy a map that will show you chest locations for an area.

-The Villa: Once you have the Villa Auditore up and running, it becomes by faryour greatest source of income for the game. Put enough into it and you'll geta larger return. For more information, see the Villa section of the guide.

[WHAT TO SPEND IT ON]

-Blacksmiths: Blacksmiths deal in armor and weaponry. They can give Ezio newprimary and secondary weapons, as well as replenish his stock of throwingknives or smoke bombs and so on. The goods available depend mostly on how faryou have progressed in the game. Blacksmiths will also repair damaged armor fora small fee.

-Art Merchants: Art merchants sell... art of course! The paintings you buy fromthem increase the value of the Villa but the greatest value is earned forpurchasing all 30 of them. Each city has different artwork available. The ArtMerchants also sell maps that show the locations of treasure chests.

-Tailors: Visit a tailor and he can let you customize Ezio's wardrobe for asmall fee. This gives the player some customization which is nice. Moreimportantly I think however, is that the Tailor sells pouches to let Ezio carrymore medicine, throwing knives, and poison.

Doctor: The doctor will heal Ezio for a small fee. He will also sell medicinethat he can carry and later, poison as well.

Combat [bcom]------Combat in Assassin's Creed II is very similar to its predecessor. There are afew new features though, so if you are interested in those or are just totallynew to the AC series, you might find some useful information here.

An important thing to take note of is that some combat skills like Disarm areavailable to you early in the game. The game will give you tutorials on thesethings but you can use them before then.

===============================================================================Initiating Combat|-----------------'You can initiate combat by provoking guards. There are also many missions andinstances where combat is unavoidable. Guards will normally not attack youunless you attack first or perform High Profile actions in their presence. Theexceptions are archers who attack when you get too close to them. This changeswhen you have Notorius status, where all guards will be more quick to attack.===============================================================================Basic Setup|

-----------'Enemies will surround Ezio and typically attack one at at a time but there areinstances where more than one will attack simultaneously. While in combat, Eziocan only lock onto one enemy at a time, but he can switch targets by usingthe Left Analog Stick to point toward a different enemy when attacking.

Your health is represented by the white squares in the top left. When you takedamage, the severity is measured by the squares. If you lose a whole square,it will not be replenished except by medicine or a doctor. If you lose a partof a square, it will replenish itself if you don't take any further damage fora few seconds. Enemy health is represented by the red squares above theirheads. ===============================================================================Enemy Types|-----------'Guards come in a few varieties. You have two basic guard types. There areunarmored types with no armor (duh!). There are ones who have some armor butare still sort of small and skinny like the others. They have the pointed helmets with the visors and so on.

Going up from there you have Brutes, Agiles, and Seekers. Brutes are the bulky,heavily armored enemies that carry axes and claymores. They are much tougherdefensively and offensively. Depending on your equipped weapon, you may not beable to block a Brute attack without taking damage. You also cannot counterthem except with the Hidden Blade. Brutes are susceptible to Disarm though. Itworks very well against them.

Seekers look like Brutes but don't have a face visor and they exclusively wield spears. Seekers will patrol with guards and check out various hidingspots. If you happen to be hiding in a haystack, they can find you in thereby investigating. You can assassinate them from hiding though. As fighters,they can get annoying with the spear because they can attack pretty quicklysometimes and knock Ezio down. Disarm also works great against them.

Agiles are the least threatening of the three archetypes. They appear as smallenemies with pointed helmets that don't cover their face. They also carry knives and small weapons like that. What makes Agiles special is that if youhappen to run from them, they will chase Ezio and easily catch up to him. Theywere said to be able to chase after him up buildings, but I haven't seen anydo this yet.===============================================================================Prioritizing In Battles|-----------------------'When faced with a group of guards, you can decide if you want to end the fight

quicker by taking out bigger targets. Defeating the tougher enemies first oftenmakes the lower ones run away in fear. For example, defeating one or two ofthe normal armored enemies can sometimes make the unarmored enemies run. If youhave a group with a Brute, killing them can make the lower ones run away too.

Targeting a Brute with Disarm is always a good strategy. Taking their weaponand using it on the lower enemies makes the fight a bit easier. The problemis that counters with the big weapons like the claymore and spear often haveEzio lodging the weapon in their head or body. ===============================================================================Inventory|---------'You can use the D-Pad to quick select weapons during and before fights. Up isyour Hidden Blade(s), Right selects your primary weapon, and down will switchto your fists (unarmed). For some reason, they decided to remove the shortweapon from D-Pad Left. That button is now to quick select your recoverymedicine, which is pretty useful. To select other items and weapons, hold R2to bring up the Inventory Wheel and use the Left Analog Stick to select it.You will keep that weapon item/weapon equipped until you change to somethingelse like your primary weapon. ===============================================================================Escaping|--------'If you need to flee, hold R1 and hit X and typically back on the Left Analogstick to escape from a fight. You'll abandon your lock on and take off running.To assist your escape, deploy a Smoke Bomb first. ===============================================================================Strafing and Dodging|--------------------'Hit X and use the Left Analog Stick to strafe in a direction. It's a decent wayto avoid an attacker or move into a better position to strike. Dodging is muchmore effective however. Hold R1 and in anticipation of an enemy attak, againuse X and the Left Analog Stick to move away. Unlike Strafing, Dodging prettymuch always guarantees you escape damage (unless you back away into a wall orsomething like that). Dodging is also a useful way to inflict extra damage onan enemy by dodging their attack and striking back while they are vulnerable.===============================================================================Countering and Disarming|------------------------'To counter, hold R1 and hit Square as an enemy is attacking. The timing forthis is not extremely precise but it does require a bit of practice. Yourtiming will depend on the speed of the enemy's attack which can vary greatly.

Countering will be one-hit kills on weak enemies. The more armored ones canneed to be softened up a bit. This goes for Disarming too.

Disarming can only be performed when you are unarmed (select Fists). It worksthe same way as countering. The difference is Ezio will take the enemy of hisweapon. Following up on this with another attack will instantly kill thatenemy. This is very effective against Brutes who can't be countered exceptwith a big weapon.===============================================================================Weak and Broken Armor|---------------------'Without very much effort, Ezio's battles with the city guards will wear downhis armor. There don't seem to be any immediate effects to worn out armor, butlet it continue and the armor eventually breaks. Broken armor turns depletedhealth squares red and they cannot be replenished! The only way to fix thisis to repair your armor at the Blacksmith shop.

Armor takes a while to break, so to prevent this from happening easily, makeregular trips to the Blacksmith to repair any damage.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Tre (3)| Walkthrough | ASSASSIN'S CREED II [ac00]+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Welcome to the walkthrough portion of the guide. This section will be asspoiler free as possible. The game is thankfully divided into major partscalled DNA Sequences, which... well, you'll see. So in that way, this guidewill be divided in that way for your ease of use.

In this guide I'll be using a fair amount of detail when necessary. The worldof ACII is vast and therefore, pinpointing you to an exact location can beat times, difficult. I will also assume that after a certain point, reallybig details about common fights will not be necessary, hoping that you as theplayer will have grasped the basics enough that you can fight well on your own.I will introduce most if not all new features as they come along.

As for the Glyph puzzles, they go in a predetermined order, no matter whatglyph you find in what order. I'll be listing all the locations throughout thewalkthrough at convenient places. You are not required to go after the ones Iget when I get them. This of course means that if you are on glyph let's say...12 and I've only written up to glyph 10, you will be dealing with a differentpuzzle. Just take note of that.

Other than that, I hope you enjoy this guide and that it is useful to you.

Let's begin!

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ P R O L O G U E ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Assassin's Creed II begins at the exact point that the first game ended at.Really. You'll be seeing some strange markings on a wall in a first personview. Players of AC1 will remember this. You'll eventually be able to leavethat view and you'll get a scene.

Lucy is back and for those who didn't play AC1, her importance is explained,albeit briefly. She got a facelift since we last saw her and to be honest....I don't think it was for the better. Oh well.

Follow Lucy out into a very familiar room once you have control. Withoutwasting any time, she wants you (as Desmond) to lay down on the bed in themiddle of the room, the Animus machine. She'll get really bossy (hey, stopyelling at me!) very fast so just do it. There's nothing to see here anyway.

Hit any button near the Animus to get in. A scene plays and in a strange yetcomical way, you have some control here. Once it's done, you'll be in controlof Desmond again.

Follow Lucy through the door. AC1 fans will remember this as a door that onlyopened to reveal nothing but ominous blue light. Players couldn't go throughhere in the first game. Now we can though, so aren't you excited?!

Unlike last time, Desmond can finally run this time. Hold R1 to keep up withLucy after a very quick scene with some guards. Follow her down a few corridorsto an elevator.

This next room will be a large office-like area with a lot of Animus machines.

More than one?! Le gasp! Just follow Lucy and you'll be fine. She'll even curseat you... ._. she's so mean now. I want the old Lucy back!

The next elevator will take you the parking lot where a nice brawl will ensue.The game doesn't really tell you what to do here. Just hit that Square buttonto knock some sense into these guards. They'll surround you though, but it'snothing to worry about. Lucy can kick butt too.

After that, a scene. Once you have control again, follow Lucy up through thisnew building. She'll talk on about the new plan and it sounds very interesting.She'll even give Desmond a hug. There's sweet Lucy again!

Go into the following room for a short scene. Once you have control again, youcan look around and talk to these characters. One chat with Shaun and you canquickly see he's all business and quickly tells Desmond to bugger off. Talkto Rebecca and Lucy too, then sit down in the new Animus and it's off to theshow.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 1 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac01]

Boys Will Be Boys-----------------After the scene, you'll be in control of Ezio, and it's street brawlin' time!The game gives you a tutorial this time around (guess letting Desmond getpummeled wasn't important). You can attack still, but also lock on to a targetwith L1. The R1 button lets you block or deflect. Do this when multipleenemies swarm you.

A more interesting feature is the combo system. Time your Square button pressesso that when a punch lands, you hit the button again and you can combo anattack repeatedly. This was actually a part of sword fighting in AC1, but nowyou can do it with your fists too.

After a quick scene, you get more targets to pummel. Focus on blocking andattacking when it's clear. You should pay attention to that white bar in thetop left which is your health. It won't matter too much what happens though.

You Should See The Other Guy----------------------------Once the fight is over, you can search the bodies for money by holding Circle.Do so and get 200 florins. Once you do that, Federico wants to move on. Youcan loot the rest of the bodies though if you want. Find Federico standingnearby (the ! symbol on your mini map) and talk to him.

You can now access a Database file on Federico. Follow him as he runs downthe street. Hold R1 to run and hold X at the same time to sprint. This willlet you follow Federico as he climbs up the boxes to the left and then jumpsacross several beams. Hold these two buttons and move the Left Analog stickforward and you can effortlessly jump across these beams and follow him. Dropdown from the roof to the plaza below. Approach the guy with the goofy mask.This is the doctor.

After Ezio is all patched up you can get a Database file for the Doctors. Anew challenge arises though, this one a bit more friendly, or should we say,brotherly.

Sibling Rivalry---------------Race Federico to the top of the church. Federico will take an indirect route.Take advantage of this by running straight at the building. Look for the ledgesyou can climb onto. Hold R1 and X and you can begin climbing. From there, youjust need to use the Left Analog Stick to move upward. If you get stuck, holdR1 again to traverse a gap or some other obstacle. Get to the glowing circlebefore Federico to win.

Nightcap--------After that, get onto the perch sticking out from the tower and get a lookaround by hitting Triangle. AC1 fans will be familiar with this. Take a Leap ofFaith into the hay below when ready.

Vieri will appear. Wait for him and his men to go by, then leave the hay andmove on to your new destination. Vieri's men are still looking for you though,so you need to avoid being seen. They appear as red circles on your mini map.If they do spot you, they'll chase. You can fight back or run. If you run,notice that the enemies this time around have a search circle, very much likeGrand Theft Auto IV. Escape the search circle as seen on the mini map and theenemies can no longer see you. When they can't see you, you're free to hide.

Make your way to Cristina's house and find the white circle again. After theshort scene, climb up to her window. Well, well. Seems like Ezio is an Italianstallion. You get an interactive cutscene with some button prompts and someooh la la thrown in. The second button prompt is only available for a splitsecond so try not to miss it.

Rewards:o Doctors Availableo Races unlocked

After that, make your way to the marker, the "!" one and find Ezio's father,Giovanni. You'll get a Database file for him. Speak with him for a scene. Hegives Ezio a letter to deliver. You can read the letter with Select if youwould like.

Paperboy --------The yellow marker is your destination. Before heading off, search one of thecorners in this area for a red chest. Hold Circle near it like you were lootinga body and you can get some money.

Head to your marker. Along the way, avoid the red circles which are Ezio'senemies, unless you want to fight more, which is perfectly fine, as long asyou don't overdo it. Remember to loot them afterwards. Also inspect some ofthe shops around town. You can't buy anything yet, but you can get Databasefiles.

The marker is in an area of the town that is still shrouded on your mini mapso find a view point to clear things up. Just so happens there's one right nearthe marker. Climb it and Synchronize to get a better view.

Now, the marker is set in an alley between some buildings but each entrance isblocked by enemies. If you want to avoid a fight, you'll have to climb to theroof and drop down from the other side. Do so and talk to the guy in the back.

Return to Giovanni when you're ready. You'll unlock more Courier side missionsto do at your leisure. Talk to the woman sitting on the bench now. She isClaudia, Ezio's sister.

Rewards:o Courier Assignments unlocked

Beat A Cheat------------

Pretty straightforward. Go to the marker to meet Duccio. After some words, it'stime to throw down. Punch him and grab him. When you grab him, the game informsyou of three moves. You can headbutt (Triangle), knee him (X), or throwhim (Circle again). Beat him up and that will be that.

Rewards:o Beat Up Missions unlocked

Friend of the Family--------------------Go with Maria, Ezio's mother to meet Leonardo Da Vinci. Oh, ho, ho. Thebrilliant Leonardo wants Ezio... to carry his stuff for him. Do so and listento the conversation. Drop the box into the white circle to finish this one.

Pertruccio's Secret-------------------Ezio's little brother wants some feathers. Simple enough. Three feathers aremarked on your mini map. Go to the closest one and just climb straight up thebuilding to find it, marked by the white circle. As you make your over to thesecond, look for the foyer below the roof to find a red chest for some florins.Gather all three and return to the door to the Auditore home to finish this.

Rewards:o Feather Locations unlocked

Special Delivery----------------Three markers. Go to each one and you'll deliver some letters or get one fromthe pigeon coop. Pretty straightforward stuff here. Return to the house whenyou're done.

Jailbird--------Now things are getting interesting. Make your way toward the marker. The gamewill throw some more useful information at you about guards and notoriety.

When you get to the prison grounds, make your way around the tall tower, goingeast from where the actual marker is. Find a spot to climb up to a restrictedarea is where a guard archer is. Grab him and throw him into the scaffoldingin the center of the platform to defeat him easily.

After that, climb the scaffolding up against the wall and then onto a ledgewith a ladder. The next platform has another guard. You'll probably want todispatch him as you did the last one. When you're done, climb the tower. Make

your way up; the path is fairly obvious, and get to the window with the whitecircle. After the scene, the job is done. You will automatically be off thetower, but there's a view point at the top so climb back up if you want to getit.

Family Heirloom---------------Make haste for the Auditore home again. Once inside, turn on Eagle Vision byholding Triangle. Eagle Vision highlights npcs in specific categories. Blueare allies. Red are enemies. It also reveals hidden things, such as say, a secret entrance in the Auditore home. Interact with it and find the secretroom.

Open the chest and you get a scene. You get the Assassin Robes, sword, and abroken hidden blade, as well as the documents Giovanni asked to be delivered toUberto.

When you attempt to leave, two guards appear. They're very jealous of Ezio'snew getup. You've got a sword now, so draw it and lock on. You'll find thatunlike in AC1, you can already counter. It may take a little practice at first,but hit Square as you see an enemy attack about to connect and you can takethem out pretty easily. Otherwise, just swing away and even as they block, youcan see the red squares that represent their health deplete. Striking again asthe previous one connects lets you combo too.

With those guys down, make your way to Umberto's house. You can get some morefighting in along the way (be sure to loot bodies if you want). You might evenfight some unarmed guys and they are killed instantly if you swing at them. Youcan also grab guys know and kill them by hitting Square.

Make your way to Umberto's house and interact to get a quick scene. Well,here's hoping for the best.

Rewards:o Assassin Robeso Broken Hidden Bladeo Codex Page (1)

Last Man Standing-----------------From the marker for this mission, the entrance to the courtyard is just up thestairs from you. Go there for a scene. Then, you're taken on by several enemiesand your best option is to flee. Take to the rooftops and start running andjumping until you ditch them. Try to make reasonable jumps so you can keep

going faster. Once they're gone, that's it for this mission.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 2 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac02]

Fitting In----------Meet Annetta at the marker on your map. It's the building with the red awningand red tapestry. It's right across from a view point if you want to climb upthere and get it.

Once inside, you get a scene. Paola will teach you about Blending. No, notwith a blender! Blending in! Familiar to AC1 fans, you can now do this withanyone, not merely scholars. Just find a group of people who are walkingtogether and walk amongst them to blend. A white circle appears and that's thearea you must stay within to remain blended.

Follow Paola but do not follow her by yourself. Keep her in sight but stayinside a group of walking pedestrians and their white circle to remain hiddenfrom the guards you will walk by. Depending on how the crowd moves, you may getforced out of your blend. Try to blend again or hopefully there will be anothergroup nearby you can seamlessly blend into as well.

Follow Paola back to the starting point and she has another lesson--stealing.Oh goodie! By holding X you can speedwalk. Bumping into people doing this letsyou automatically steal from them. Try it out five times. Be sure to leave theimmediate vicinity once you do to avoid stirring up a ruckus. Return to Paolaafter this to finish the mission.

Rewards:o Blend skill learnedo Steal skill learned

Ace Up My Sleeve----------------Find Leonardo's home again. You will likely have to cross guard-infested areasto get there. Try hiring some Courtesans if you want and they will help youblend in for a while, but they can be lost too so the effect can be temporary.You might be better off just taking to the roofs, but beware, there are archersup there now. Unarmed still, you don't want to start any fights.

Find Leonardo and Ezio will hand him the broken hidden blade and after a quickscene, it will be fixed. A guard will get Leonardo to come out of the housethen attack him. Find the guard. Select your Hidden Blade (D-pad Up), and thenget near him and hit Square to assassinate him, thus saving Leonardo. Carry thebody back to his house and put it down in the marker to get a scene and endthis mission.

Rewards:o Hidden Blade acquiredo Assassination skill learned

Make your way back to Paola's. When you get there, look for that GLYPH thatShaun mentioned. When you approach a building and see the eye icon near itspicture, there's a glyph on it somewhere.

Climb the Rosa Colta to the first rooftop and put Eagle Vision on. You can seeglyphs without Eagle Vision but they stand out much, much easier if you use it.Look for the strange symbol glowing on the wall here and get near it for a fewseconds. It activates a strange transmission and then a puzzle.

-[In The Beginning]-

Ten paintings and five of them are said to have something in common. You areto select them and if you get them right, you can unlock a part of a longpuzzle that is stored in the part of your menu called The Truth. The thingfive paintings have in common is fruit, or rather the Pieces of Eden. Look ateach painting closely and look for characters holding what looks like yellowfruit. Select these five and you should solve it. If you can't figure it outread below:

o Atalanta and Hippomeneso Judgment of Pariso The Fallo Idun and the Appleso Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides

-----[1/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

You get a tiny piece of a video that is barely more than a second long. Youneed to get more glyphs to unlock more. You can view this again, from The Truthmenu which is selected from Database on the pause menu.

When you're ready, start the next mission by climbing the roof and finding themarker.

Judge, Jury, Executioner------------------------When you start, you can grab another GLYPH. Go to the building where Uberto isand climb the roof on the north side. There are some archers here so beprepared to fend them off using the Hidden Blade (go for counters). Turn onEagle Vision to find the glyph.

-[Sixty Four Squares]-

You get three circular slider puzzles. Each ring needs to be aligned properlyto form the picture. It's not really hard. The best way to start is to alignthe faces and then work your way from there to align the rest. Do this for allthree to solve it and get another part of the video.

-----[2/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

Start the mission now, officially.

You get a database file for Uberto and it has a video to play. After that, youcan begin. You need to go without being noticed. Drop down from your perch andfind a group to blend in. Let them take you around the building. Stay blendedbecause besides guards, there are Brutes which are tough customers. Despite thefact you can use the Hidden Blade to fight, being spotted here means you haveto start over.

Go around the building, staying blended. Ditch your group and find theCourtesans. Hire them and walk with them. Some will go off to distract guards.With the remaining ones, walk to the opening on the left that will let youinside. You'll likely lose the rest of the Courtesans. That's ok, just blendinside. Look for the red marker that signifies Uberto's location. Go fromgroup to group, blending until you get closer. He'll spot you finally. Walk upto him and let the fat bastard have it.

Return to Paola's again.

Laying Low----------Now you can finally get rid of that pesky Notorious status. You can do this by

doing a combination of three things: removing wanted posters, assassinatingofficials, or bribing people who would rather speak ill against you.

You should see some new markers on your mini map. You'll need to find postersor people to bribe or assassinate. Posters are easy, but some need to bereached by climbing. Assassinating officials isn't difficult with the HiddenBlade, but try to do it away from large crowds. Also, until you get yournotoriety down, beware of the guards still. Once you've done four actions, youcan walk safely amongst the streets again.

Arrivederci-----------You need to guide Claudia and Maria out of the city. With the guards no longerhounding you, this is fairly simple. Just go casually and don't do anythingsuspicious or violent and you'll be fine. Make your way through the alleys anddown streets to get closer to the markets.

Many bards will try and put on a little singing show for you but resist theurge to punch them in the face for now. There will be plenty of time for thatlater. If too many get in your way, you can hold R2 to go into your inventoryand select your money, then hit Square to throw some to the ground to distractthem as well as guards.

When you near the exit, you will see it's well guarded. Hire the nearbyCourtesans, then lock onto a guard with L1 and hit Triangle to let theCourtesans do their thing. With the guards distracted, slip by and out of thecity. Proceed from marker to marker to end the mission.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 3 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac03]

Roadside Assistance-------------------

Go down the road with Maria and Claudia until you get a scene. Looks likeVieri is up to old tricks. Still unarmed, you need to use the Hidden Blade toprotect the two women. Take the initiative and just attack them immediately andyou'll be done with the enemies in no time.

After a scene, you finally got a sword. Focus on the enemies attacking Claudiaand Maria first. Deal with the rest after that. Attacking an enemy from behindthat is attacking someone else is usually a one-hit kill.

After the scene, you're done.

Approach Uncle Mario and talk to him to start the next mission.

Casa Dolce Casa---------------Doesn't get much easier than this. After the tour, you can look around VillaAuditore. There's a view point above where the tour ends. You need to go tothe blacksmith and then to the doctor to get supplies. Mario gives you someflorins, which, in combination with what you already have, should make youpretty wealthy.

Go to the blacksmith and buy the greaves and the dagger. Then go to the doctorand get some medicine. You can use medicine by hitting Left on the D-Pad toheal your wounds. This is more convenient than going to the doctor.

Rewards:o Medicine Pouch acquiredo Dagger acquiredo Leather Greaves acquired

Practice Makes Perfect----------------------Here you can practice some of the combat skills you have. This should be veryuseful for those who have not played AC1. You will spar against a mercenaryto learn dodging, countering, escaping. After that, you can spar with Mario tofinish the mission.

Rewards:o Quickstep skill learnedo Counter skill learnedo Taunt skill learnedo Escape skill learnedo Courier missions unlockedo Races unlocked

After this, find the guy in the codex library and talk to him. Leave the housenow and try to find the next marker. Before you do that, let's find the GLYPHon the Villa house. Turn around and face the entrance of the house. Turn onEagle Vision. You should see the red glow from the top left corner of the frontof the house. Climb up there to face it and you'll scan it, then start thepuzzle.

-[Descendants]-

This one has you looking at photos with infrared to find the Pieces of Eden.First is a photo of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Hit X to turn infrared on andmove the search box over to the space below FDR's hand to find it. Scan it tomove on to the next one.

The second is on Houdini. The Piece of Eden is below his hand too. For thethird one, of Gandhi, the Piece of Eden is near his right forearm. Solve allthese to get the next piece of the video.

-----[3/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

Go back inside the house and up to the second floor where Maria and Claudiaare. After a talk, you are told that the feathers you can collect you can placeinside the chest inside this room.

Leave now and leave the villa entirely. Find a horse outside and get on. HoldR1 to move faster, and X to gallop, just like you would run faster with Ezio.Make a left at the fork to head to Tuscany/San Gimignano.

Proceed north and find the view point on the tower to get a better look aroundthis place. Just nearby is the marker where you can finally catch up withMario.

What Goes Around----------------Follow Mario and his mercenaries up to the city walls. Climb the wall whilethey distract the guards at the gate. Select your new throwing knives by goinginto the inventory wheel with R2. There are three archers on the rooftopsnear the gate. Lock onto each of them and throw a knife at them to take themout.

Once that's done, interact with the lever near the gate. Head out there andhelp out Mario and the mercenaries by slaying each of the guards. Head insidetogether.

With a group of the mercenaries, guide them toward the guards like you did withthe Courtesans. Target them and hit Triangle to send the mercenaries into

battle. Start dueling it out with each of the guards. Remember that attackingones with their backs to you is an instant kill. Counter and attack therest to defeat them.

You can fight more but you don't have to. You can just walk past the next fewguards if you prefer until you get to the marker. Speak to the injured man toget a new destination. Head there to find Mario under attack. Lock onto anyguard and send your mercenaries into action by hitting Triangle.

Mario will eventually tell you to move on and find Vieri while they deal withthe guards. Do so and abandon this fight for now. You might have gained Notorious status again. Find some posters or assassinate an official along theway if you can. Remember that when climbing, your mercenaries can't follow youso tell them to wait.

Once you're ready, move toward the yellow marker. You won't need themercenaries since you need to climb a roof to get to it. Go to the site of thenext big fight and help out Mario by defeating the guards. You'll likely becomeNotorious yet again if you shed it earlier.

Climb the wall when you're ready and then up to the guard tower where Vieri is.He'll spot you no matter what, so no stealth kill this time, my friend. Duelwith him and his guards. Use countering as much as possible. More guards willclimb up to help Vieri so try to focus on him when you can. He can counter youtoo, but not very often. Weaken him enough and deliver the final blow to endhis tale.

A Change of Plans-----------------Back at the Villa, find Mario at the marker to get a scene. After that, followhim inside the house. After the talking, read the letter you got if you didn'tdo so earlier. Find Mario just a few steps away inside the codex room next.

After the scene, you can see how this will work. Codex pages can be seen on themap after finding a view point. Kill/distract the guards get the pages, getthem to Leonardo to translate, receive an extra health square for every fouryou translate, and then return them to the villa. Together, the codex pagesmean something when gathered.

The Codex room has 6 on it already. The one you received from the chest alongwith the Hidden Blade is also added automatically, as is any you may havecollected before Leonardo fixed it because they would have been automaticallytranslated. An untranslated Codex Page cannot be added to the wall, so the oneyou got from Vieri is still in your possession.

So you need to find four Codex pages. These will give you extra health once you

get them to Leonardo. There are four inside the villa. They won't appear onyour mini-map until you are very close so use the full map (select) to helpyou. The last one is outside the villa at a tiny house on the road. Leave andget on a horse to go get it. Collect all four to end the mission and eventuallySequence 3.

Rewards:o Codex Pages (4)

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 4 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac04]

Find Claudia. She's not in the room with Maria anymore. Although if you go upto that room again, there is a hallway beside it that takes you to a ladder.The ladder leads to a room where portraits of your slain Templar enemies arekept. There's two chests up here too.

Claudia is in the room beside the codex room. Talk to her for an explanationabout how the Villa gets money which you can then in turn take from the chestbehind her. Talk to the architect next to learn how renovating the city andsprucing it up can help increase that income. It's a bit complicated to explainso just let him do it. It's a simple concept once you grasp it. Go ahead andrenovate something now if you have the money.

Return to the Codex room and speak with Mario. He'll take you to his privateBatcave of sorts where there is a shrine to some of the great assassins,including Altair himself. There is also an armor of Altair, but it will taketime to get it.

Head to the next marker which will take you to Florence, so leave the villa,hop on a horse and get going.

Practice What You Preach------------------------

You should be near Leonardo's so enter and start this mission. You get topractice some new assassination moves on some dummies. There's the hidingspot assassination you can do from a pile of hay. There's the air assassinationwhich is finally easy to do this time around. There's also the ledge assassination. Practice all three and then return to Leonardo.

Rewards:o Air Assassination skill learnedo Ledge assassination skill learnedo Hiding assassination skill learnedo Double Hidden Blade acquired

Once that's done, let's look for another GLYPH before starting the nextmission. This one is at Mercato Vechchio, which is near your next marker. Goto the north of the marker and get on the roof. Use Eagle Vision to see it andit's to the north, near a window and some tapestry on the wall. Hopefully youshould see it. Scan it and start the puzzle.

-[Infinite Knowledge]-

More photos to search for. The first one should be a picture of Vietnam. Lookfor the Piece of Eden in the mouth of the bazooka the soldier has an ID it.The second picture, look at the soldier's helmet in the background. The thirdphoto is a lot trickier. It's really hard to see but it's a little bit rightof the center. Look for the discrepancy amongst the soldier's bayonets. For thelast photo, look at the fireball the creature on the right is holding and IDthat.

-----[4/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

Head to the marker finally when you're ready to begin.

Fox Hunt--------You need to find La Volpe. Turn on Eagle Vision and look around the area for atarget highlighted in gold. Make your way over to him for a scene. The guy runsoff with your money so chase him. Run full sprint after him and try to catchup. When you get close try to tackle him. It can be difficult when he suddenlyturns away or changes direction so just stay on him until you get him down.

A scene starts and after that, the mission is over.

See You There-------------Climb the viewpoint first if you'd like. Find La Volpe again and speak to him

to start this mission. Climb up after him and stop in the marker and then itreally begins. You are given one minute to get to Santa Maria Novella. It canbe tough if you don't take a good enough route. Try to avoid any long climbingand just go from rooftop to rooftop. Go across the cables too since they area quick way to get across. Get to the marker in the time limit to succeed.

La Volpe tells Ezio about a secret entrance and you can see it below. To getthere, either climb over or use the Courtesans to distract the guards. Inspectthe handle and a secret compartment opens up.

*************************************** ASSASSIN'S TOMB - Novella's Secret ***************************************

You are automatically notorious here so keep that in mind. Find the lever on theright and pull it to open the entrance. The next part is a long platformingsequence. Jump from beam to beam and try to reach the platform with the nextlever. Pull it to open a gate behind Ezio. Go through here and platform somemore to reach the final lever.

Jump forward and you'll do a Leap of Faith to the bottom. Head through the opendoor now for a quick scene. You now need to open that door the guards wentthrough, but how isn't exactly clear.

Start by climbing the left wall. There are some broken pillars here you canclimb to jump to the wall and start climbing it. Make your way up and then overto the left. Swing around the inside corner here to a ledge where a guard willcome by. Do a ledge assassination to do away with him. Climb up now.

Take the stairs up to another guard. Assassinate him or just use your sword tokill him fairly easily. Find the swing bar here and go east back across theroom from there to some beams. Jump to the hanging lantern or whatever it isand Ezio will swing around to the platform below. Find the first lever here andinteract with it.

Before moving to the next one, collect the florins from the chest below. Lookto the east wall now for some stones to climb. There is a beam right below themso reach them from there. Climb the ledge to a balcony and jump from there toa hanging coffin. Jump south from there to a swing bar that will take you tothe other lever.

Continue to the west and you can find a spot to drop down into the haystack.You have three guards patrolling. You can either take them all on or wait forone to stop near the haystack, and then leave the haystack to assassinate himwhile the others are not looking. They'll come to investigate and you shouldbe able to do a hiding assassination on both.

Approach the guard in the hall and he'll take off running. You need to chasehim. It requires some platforming and it shouldn't be terribly difficult. Theguard will shut gates behind him, leaving you to find alternate routes. It canbe tricky at first but the guard will not move again until you catch up tohim so there's no worry of losing him.

Once you get to a certain point in the chase, keep following him to a longhallway where there is a ledge to climb on the left. While still in a fullsprint, climb these ledges and when you near the end hit Square to start anair assassination. That should do it.

Keep moving now to eavesdrop on the Templar meeting. After that scene, continueto the resting place area where you can find some chests. open them and thesarcophagus as well. It gives you one of the six seals you need to get theArmor of Altair. Find the exit and that will end the mission.

At this point, you might want to go back to the Villa. By now, some money haslikely accrued in the chest. You can also place the Seal of Darius in thesanctuary. Go to the nearest exit of the city and speak with the Viaggio. Fora little cash, you can skip the travel and get right to your destination.

Once you're back at the Villa, go to the house and put away any feathers youhave collected and put the four Codex pages you got onto the wall in the Codexroom. Collect the money from Claudia and speak to the architect if you want tospend on some renovations. Also visit the blacksmith or whomever if you wantto buy new things.

Last but not least, go down into the sanctuary and place the Seal of Darius onthe second statue from the left. Only five to go.

Once you return to Florence again, we can do a little collecting before headingoff to the next mission. If you have scaled the necessary viewpoints you shouldsee a Codex Page on your map. It's near the southeast area of Florence, near ablacksmith and tailor. On your map, the building is one of the few in darkgrey. Enter that building from the south side and inside you'll find a chestwith a Codex page.

If you go straight north from there to another gray building, the large onecalled Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore, you can look for another Assassin Seal.The entrance is on the north side. Kill the guards nearby if you want, theninteract with the glowing skull lever.

**************************************** ASSASSIN'S TOMB - Il Duomo's Secret ****************************************

More platforming and it should be fun. Once you have control, look for thatstone throne or whatever it is that you saw during the cutscene beside thedoor. Climb it and use it to scale the wall. When you get up to where themurals are, shimmy over to the right and pull yourself up.

Jump to the beam to the north and from there, across two platforms. Jump tothe next beam and move to the right as much as you can so you can jump to thenext section. Move out so you can jump to the chandelier. Jump from one to thenext, and then to the beam next to you. Jump to the south from the chandelierand you'll barely make it. A shortcut will be opened to you in case you falloff after this point.

Turn right (west) and go across the beam to the stone platform and climb it.Turn left at the top and jump from a beam to a swing bar, then to another beamand across two platforms. The path is pretty straightforward here, going acrossmore bars, and a chandelier. Get on the nearby platform when you can and thenjump across two more chandeliers to a beam.

Jump from the beam back to the north wall and climb the stone platform. Turnright and jump across the obstacles until you must turn right to get to thesouth wall again, going across more chandeliers and such.

When you reach the swing bar, just swing and jump and you'll open anothershortcut. Jump from here to the tall stone wall that encircles the center area.Take it all the way around to the other side from where you entered. Climb upthe wall to a platform. Take this to the corner where you can climb up the wallin this chamber.

Up here, find more beams to traverse. Go left and across a few gaps to a swingbar. Swing and land on the next platform and jump to the chandelier. Jump tothe platform ahead of you on the wall. Shimmy around this wall until you canfind a spot to climb all the way up.

Step out onto the beams and go left to a balcony. On the other end, make yourway to a beam. Turn left and jump to the swing bar. Swing and land on anotherbeam. Climb the wall and shimmy over to right as far as you can go. A banner ofsome sort prevents you from going any further. Climb to the very top of thispart and then hold R1 and hit X to jump away from the wall and grab onto thechandelier. Climb this, then leap to the part of the wall you can climb up.Here you'll find a chest with some florins.

Climb up the wall to the right of the chest and grab onto the beam. Jump fromthere to the swing bar. Align yourself with the hanging platform ahead of youand swing to it. From there, go left and up a few ledges to a ladder. Spinyourself around on the ladder to reach the top. Now, make your way counter

clockwise around this room, jumping across beams to reach balcony afterbalcony. You'll come full circle around to an unfinished wall. Climb the bricksto the beams up there and shimmy onto the center one and pull yourself onto it.

From here, jump straight ahead to the platform that takes you to the ladder.Climb the ladder to reach the tomb area. Raid all the chests for money, and thesarcophagus for yet another Assassin Seal. Exit through the glowing window.

If you want to head back to the Villa now (or if you didn't earlier), go ahead.You can put the new Assassin Seal in the sanctuary while you're there. Eitherway, when you're ready, let's head to the next story mission marker.

Wolves in Sheep's Clothing--------------------------Approach the area outside the church. Enter the crowd and you'll get a scene.Lorenzo comes under attack by Francesco and his men. A large brawl ensues. Ifyou are comfortable enough with combat, you can focus on all the other enemiesfirst before dealing with those attacking Lorenzo. Just beware of Francescosince he is a little tougher, though not much.

Countering is the easiest way to go. You can also quickly dispatch enemies bygrabbing them and hitting Square. Deplete the enemy force gradually but watchLorenzo's health. If it gets too low, go help him out directly. When it's justyou and Francesco, counter him and then retaliate with a quick combo. When heis near defeated, he'll turn tail and run. It is very tempting to give chase,but doing so will fail the mission. Lorenzo will come under attack by twomore guards so help him out again.

After that, you need to escort him to safety. Run with him to the marker tothe north. It's a bit of a walk so try to take the alleys but beware theguards. If you run right past them, you can avoid fighting most of them. Ifyou do get in a fight, focus on the ones attacking Lorenzo. Once you're safeagain, continue on to the destination for a scene.

The next mission marker is right where you ended. Before starting, look foranother GLYPH. It's on that dark grey building right where you basically areon the map. It's tricky to find at first, so remember to keep Eagle Vision on.This one is near the northwest corner of the building. Right next to the maindome where the cross is on the top, there is a tower beside it. The glyph ison the tower facing the rest of the building. It's right next to a smallerdome that also has a cross on it.

-[Instruments of Power]-

For the puzzle, you are given 10 paintings again. This time, the clue is theword "cut". Try to figure it out for yourself if you can or want to, otherwise:

Assemble Perseus, Atilla the Hun, Sigmund, King Arthur, and Joan of Arc tosolve the first part. The second part has even more paintings. The clue wordis "Lean".

Choose John the Baptist, Alexander the Great, Shabataka, Peter, and Moses. Thatfinishes this glyph puzzle and unlocks another fragment of the video.

If you go west from there, you can find another Codex page. This one is just alittle west of the building you've been hanging around these past few minutes.The entrance is on the north side and it's guarded. You can just as easilydispatch the guards. If you want to be a bit more creative, climb the roof ofthe building to find some Thieves. Hire them and when they climb down withyou, tell them to lure the guards away. Open the chest inside for the Codex.

-----[5/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

Go to the mission marker when ready.

Farewell Francesco------------------After the scene, make your way to the new marker at the Palazzo della Signoriaand scale the wall to reach it. It overlooks the execution grounds. On theway, you'll likely run into several large battles brewing on the streets. Feelfree to join in, as you shouldn't gain much notoriety from it all.

When you get to the marker and Francesco appears, you are given the task ofclimbing the palazzo. Do it as you did the first time. Go around instead ofjumping straight to the building. Climb up to the restricted area. Try a LedgeAssassination if you can and then climb up to duel it out with the rest of theguards up here.

Climb the ladder after that and you'll find more guards awaiting your arrival.Start dispatching them and you'll soon see Francesco flee like a coward.Finish off the guards first if you'd like, as Francesco won't be going anyway.Climb up to where the birds are and take a Leap of Faith.

At this point, Francesco will take off running. He'll get a decent head startbut won't get very far. He'll try to take to the rooftops and you can actuallyknock him down if you catch up to him as he's climbing. Either way, catch upto him and assassinate him to finish this mission and Sequence 4.

Rewards:o Codex Page (1)o Beat Up Missions unlockedo Courier Assignments unlocked

o Assassination Contracts unlockedo Palazzo Medici unlocked (must have redeemable code to play)

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 5 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac05]

You'll appear in front of Lorenzo. Speak to him. After a chat, you'll get alist of some of your next targets, as well as a new Codex Page. That shouldmake three. You'll also unlock side Assassination missions to do.

With three Codex pages, we want to bring them back to the Villa and thencollect the money and put the Assassin Seal away (if you haven't already).Before that, we need to bring the Codex pages to Leonardo first. Just sohappens that he is where your next mission marker is located.

After a scene, Leonardo, being the wonderfully helpful chap that he is, willdecipher all three for Ezio. The most important one is the one that Ezioreceived a moment ago from Lorenzo. It gives Leonardo clues on how to buildEzio a poison blade alteration for his Hidden Blade. Using this on a targetcauses them to go berserk and attack nearby npcs. After that, they die. It'sa good way to do away with several targets with little effort.

Before starting the first mission in this sequence, you can go explore a newmission type that opened up recently. Well, it will be open if you redeemed acode from Gamestop for the Palazzo Medici. If you don't know what I'm talkingabout, then skip this part. Go to the marker labeled "Templar Lair". Find theentrance on the side and go in.

Home Invasion-------------This will start off with a battle with three guards. Fairly routine so not muchthought or strategy necessary. Once you've disposed of them, climb the platformon the west wall and jump across the beams and go back to the east. Turn right

and you'll want to use the beams to enter the corridor to the south, using thebeams and swing bar. Just be sure to stop your momentum on the last beam andnot fall off.

Climb up the wall, going through the hole in the ceiling here. Drop throughanother hole into a new room. Two guards are patrolling and they might veryeasily spot you and actually climb up after you. Defeat them, then look forthe lever down below. Operate it and it opens a secret door above.

To get there, return to where you dropped into this room. To get across to theother side, climb up onto the painting frames and shift from one to the other.Hop across the beams to reach the opening. Find the ladder within and take itup. Approach the door for a scene.

More guards in the next room. Two will approach the doorway. Hide behind thedoor and then quickly lunge at them with your double Hidden Blades to take themout easily. Engage the other two in a quick fight, then make your way to thewindow.

Go outside and turn left. Climb the metal grate here and hop over the otherside. Follow this balcony to the next open window and step inside for a fightwith three more guards.

Climb up the little moveable library staircase in the corner and jump to thebeam across from it. In the corner, climb up to the balcony. Find the verylarge cabinet up here and climb it. Turn around and jump to the swing bar.Swing to the chandelier and jump to the next. A guard might very well come upthere to join you. Grab him and push him off for an easy kill. Jump the restof the way across.

You'll land on top of a bookcase. Another guard will come snooping. Wait forhim to get closer, then do an air assassination. Exit through the large windowhere.

Climb the grate, jump to the swing bar, land, then climb another grate. Swingagain to reach another open window. In here you'll find three guards, two ofwhich are Brutes. Now, you probably haven't fought any of these guys yet(unless you dared to stand your ground at the execution), but they are toughcustomers. It would probably be best to avoid them if you are still feeling newto the game.

Across from the fireplace, next to a door are some crates. Climb up these, thenshimmy all the way to the left until you can climb onto the largedresser/cabinet. Jump across to the top of the bed, and from there to thewindow sill. Pull the lever here and that opens the secret opening in theprevious room as well as an exit from this one.

It also alerts the guards though and they come snooping around. Take out thefirst two with throwing knives. As they rest are blocking your exit, a fightis inevitable. Lure them out into the previous room so you have more space. Tryto take out the lower guard first before dealing with the Brutes.

If this is your first time fighting a Brute, here's a quick crash course. Theyhit harder for one. You also can't counter them so that's one valuable assetgone. You can combo them but it takes a while to bring their health down thisway. Strafing and attacking is a good strategy to hurt them. The absolute bestway to kill a Brute with ease is to Disarm them.

To Disarm an opponent, change your weapon to Fists (unarmed) and press Squarewhen an enemy attacks like you were going to counter them. You'll instead, withthe right timing, steal their weapon. Pressing Square again after this killsthem instantly. This works on Brutes very well and is your best way to fightthem. You can use Disarm despite the fact that the game hasn't formally introduced you to it yet.

Climb the bookcase again which was moved by the lever. You can now use it tojump to a chandelier and from there, to a beam. Jump across to the next beam and then the next chandelier. Then finally, jump to the secret opening.

Drop down and take this corridor to another opening. Take the ladder here downfor a scene. Lorenzo will shower you with gifts. Four chests and one really bigone. All of them contain money, but the big one has more, obviously. When youare done, exit through the glowing door.

We are due in the Villa so head over there. Do the regular business, collectmoney, do renovations, buy supplies, armor, drop off feathers, etc, etc. Talkto Uncle Mario when you're ready. He'll take the Codex page that was for thePoison Blade and he'll start a mission up.

Evasive Maneuvers-----------------This quick and simple mission will teach you two new skills: dodge and the oneyou've probably been looking forward to the most--disarm. Dodging is better andmore reliable than strafing. Hold R1 and hit X before an enemy attacks. Use theLeft Analog Stick to determine the direction in which you dodge.

For disarming, it's much like countering. You do disarming when you are unarmedor have Fists selected. The timing seems to be a tiny bit more strict thannormal countering so practice when you can and rely on the enemy's movementsand delivery to help you. As I mentioned a few paragraphs above though, youhave always been able to do this technique, the game is just formally introducing you to it now. Remember this for the next time you play through

though.

Rewards:o Dodge skill learnedo Disarm skill learned

We're not done yet at the Villa. Go put up those Codex pages on the wall in theCodex room. Next, go downstairs and put the Seal on the statue of Ilanti whichis the second from the right.

Take care of any other remaining business before you set off to your nextdestination.

At Tuscany, you'll see there are not one, not two, but three mission markers.Two in the city and one in the countryside to the east. Go to the city first.You might want to start by taking down some posters, assassinating witnesses,since you probably have some notoriety.

You might want to collect some things before we get started. Climb someviewpoints to make it easier. The one on the north side of the city, betweenan art shop and a race marker, has a GLYPH near the top. Once you synchronizethe view point, drop down a ledge and scan the glyph to start another puzzle.

-[Brothers]-

This glyph, called Brothers, has more slider puzzles. This one is trickierthough because some rings cannot be moved alone. Moving one will move anotherso pay attention. If one ring has to be moved for another to be aligned, thenfind the ring in that pair that can also be moved by itself and purposelymisalign it so that when you move them as a pair, the single one is alignedagain.

For the second slider, note that one outer ring and one inner ring areconnected. Moving the outer one moves the inner one, but the inner one can bemoved by itself so you can fix it any time. Also, the very center is fixed andcannot be moved so you need to align the puzzle around it. The same appliesfor the third puzzle.

The fourth one is a lot harder because two pairs of rings are paired togetherand the image is black and white and it's hard to match things up. If youtinker around with it long enough though, you can match up hands to arms andso forth. Make sure the puzzle is aligned from the center outward since thecenter is also fixed here.

-----[6/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

There is another GLYPH in the area to the southwest of the city. If you lookon your map it's a grey area and it's the Teatro. If you go to the southeastportion of this area (you'll be coming back here soon) you can find the glyphunderneath a small bridge.

-[Keep on Seeking, And You Shall Find]-

More paintings for this one. The clue word is "red". It's not too hard but ifyou need the solutions, read below:

Joseph, Jesus Christ, David and Goliath, Christ Disrobed, I forgot the name ofthe last one (yikes!) but it's the second one on the top.

The second part is a picture of the crucifixion. You need to find the Piece ofEden. It's toward the lower right. You get a beep indicator that beeps inshorter intervals the closer you are. Pretty simple.

-----[7/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

Once you're done and done getting a better view, there's plenty of stuff tofind here. Start with the two Codex Pages. One is in toward the northwestcorner, the other toward the northeast corner of the city. Both are wellguarded, but there are courtesans and thieves for distractions. You can alsohire mercenaries or do it yourself for a fight.

When you're ready, let's tackle some of the mission markers. Start with theone toward the southern part of the city. Talk to the man who is highlightedin white to start.

Come Out and Play-----------------One of your targets, Bernardo, is in town. Time to take him out. Go just alittle northeast of your current location (climb the wall) and you'll see himin Gold if you have Eagle Vision on.

It's difficult to assassinate him stealthily. The best way is to jump into thewell when he isn't looking (don't get too close though) and hang over theledge. Use the camera and keep it behind Ezio so you don't accidentally climbout with the Left Analog Stick. If you wait inside the well long enough, Bernardo will stop in front of it and if you're aligned right in front of him,you can Ledge Assassinate him for an easy kill.

If this doesn't work or if you try to sneak up on him, he might run. Chase himdown. Be prepared to barrel through numerous guards. Don't let them slow youdown or you'll have to start over. Chase him down and execute him. Eliminateany chasing guards or ditch them to finish the mission.

On to the next marker, just a ways north of that one, in the center of thecity.

Town Crier----------This one is also fun. Maffei is in town as well and has perched himself up ona tall tower near you. Well there's a lot of towers. See the really tall onewith the walkway around it? That's where he is. Climb the one nearest you. Youwill have to continually go around each side to get higher. When you reach thetop, use a ledge assassination on an archer when the other isn't looking. Thenuse the Hidden Blade on the other when his back is turned.

From this, the shorter of the towers, you can go straight to Maffei's tower.Go to the others though if you want to assassinate more of the archers. You cando ledge assassinations on one of each pair, then climb up to stealthilyassassinate the other with the Hidden Blade.

When you're ready though, take the cable just below the top of the shortertower you climbed. It leads straight to Maffei's tower. Run up the wall fromthe cable and begin climbing. It will take you to the walkway where threearchers patrol. You can't do a ledge takedown like this so you'll need tosneak up when one turns his back and then assassinate him with the Hidden Bladewhen the others are not in view.

You should only need to assassinate one or two. Hang down here for a while andobserve as Maffei drops down every once in a while to the walkway. He'll pacedown it for a few seconds, then climb back up. Wait for him to do this againand when he does, climb up behind him and strike for a sweet assassination. Just make sure enough guards are dispatched.

With that done, it's time for more goodies.

First, another GLYPH. Find the large grey building in the center of the city.This is the Santa Maria Assunta. Find a way to enter so that Ezio is in thelittle square space in the center of it. Find a courtyard with a tree and ahaystack near it. Near those should be some columns supporting a roof. Go underhere and with Eagle Vision on, look for the glyph.

-[Martyrs]-

For this puzzle, it's similar to the last part of the previous one. You get asearch box and need to "ID" the area where the Piece of Eden is. You can't seeit, so you need to rely on the beeps.

For the first picture, it's about halfway up the guy's staff. For the Joan of

Arc one, it's like near what would be her left leg, near her sword. The thirdpart is a little stranger and different. You get a map-like look at Europe andRussia and all that with a few images. Take the fire symbol and put it on theJoan of Arc painting to the left. Then take the top guy and put him toward thethird guy. That solves this one.

-----[8/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

If you return to Maffei's towers, you can locate another GLYPH. This one ison the wall of one of the two towers that are really close to each other. UseMaffei's tower as reference, the one with the walkway remember? If your forgot,his tower is toward the north side of the city. East of his tower are two smaller towers close together. There is a small patch of roof between them.Either climb one and slip inside or shimmy onto that patch of roof from awindow on the side.

-[Hat-Trick]-

Here you get some pictures to look through again. The first one is of Houdini.Find the Piece of Eden near the left side of his torso. The second is ofGandhi. It's on his chest.

The third part of this might seem tough at first. You have to put in some codeto match the 867 and you get a code wheel. Seems confusing but you're given animportant clue. 6=1. Go to the code wheel and use R2 to align it so that the6 on the grey portion matches the 1 on the red portion. Now, just match 8 and7 from the grey wheel to the red one and put in the code.

It should be 312, although it's possible it is different each time. Read thedocument you find then continue to finish this and get another video slice.

-----[9/20]-------------------------------------------------------------------

Once that's done, we can now find another Assassin's Tomb. It's in the samebuilding you're currently hanging about right now. If you go to the east sideof the building, there is an alley that will take you right to the secretentrance.

******************************************** ASSASSIN'S TOMB - Torre Grossa's Secret ********************************************

There is a ledge with a door near you. You can climb the wall behind you andshimmy over to it. Pull yourself up and use the lever.

Go up the stairs and the camera will soon pan around the next few areas, giving

you a nice visual tour of the area. As soon as you have control again, proceedup to the next platform. You should be in good position to air assassinate oneof three guards here. Try to duck behind the wine keg racks and sneak up onthe others, or just fight them straight out.

Go to the southwest corner of this room where there are some kegs you can climbto reach a beam. Jump from there to a small platform, then to a ledge. Shimmyover, pull yourself up, and follow this narrow walkway to the north. Jump tothe ledge on the left side when you can. Shimmy all the way around until youcan pull yourself up onto a platform with a big crate. Find the stairs nearyou and make your way to the balcony. Take out the guard here, then proceed.

Step on the railing of the balcony and jump to the chandelier. Face left andjump to the cables running across the room. Go left and step onto the platformhere, which puts you in easy jumping range of the next balcony.

After getting a view of what's in store, proceed into the room. Start fightingthe guards and the Brute will come over as well. This time, you have the Disarmability at your disposal. Deal with the other guards first, then switch tofists and try to disarm the Brute. Disarming and killing the Brute with hisown giant claymore sword is a bit humorous.

Use some medicine if you need to, then look for a way to continue onward. Inthe southeast corner, under the second floor balcony, there is a bookcase upagainst the wall. Climb it and the camera should shift ahead of you. Crossthese gaps to a beam. Move out to the right on the beam and look for the twoblack rings on the wall. Jump to the first one and you can climb the wall tothe balcony from here. Deal with the two guards.

Go to the other side of the balcony where a chandelier is within close jumpingrange. Jump across to the third chandelier and then jump to the north wall,trying to grab onto one of those recesses that has an emblem in it. Climb them,the window, and some other objects to reach a platform above.

The platform sits across from a swing bar. Swing, then land on the cable, thenjump to another swing bar which will get you to the third floor balcony. Climbup and take care of the guard here. Enter the doorway next.

You'll be at the bottom of a tower. The path here is pretty simple so I won'tbother going into much detail. When you get up to the point where the camerashifts and shows you a guard in the foreground, turn around and jump to hisplatform and kill him. Climb the ladder here to proceed, jumping across morebeams and platforms. Eventually you'll climb another wall and two guards willbe patrolling up here.

Where to go from here isn't totally obvious at first. Find the window and climb

it. You can reach one of those rings from there and climb a beam. From thereyou can jump to another wall, climb that, get onto another beam. Make yourway across the beams to the other side of the room where you can climb anotherwall. Ezio can climb into the slotted fissures here so shimmy around thecorner and get onto the beam. Walk along the beam to the column and there arerings on it you can climb. This will take you at last to the tomb.

Open everything and take the Seal. We'll put this away when it's time to makea return trip to the Villa. For now, let's continue with the missions. Thereare two mission markers. One is in the northeast, one in the southeast, bothin the countryside. Both are roughly the same distance apart from Torre Grossa.Let's go with the one in the northeast though. Take a horse and ride in thatdirection. Be sure to get some of the viewpoints out there too.

Behind Closed Doors-------------------You get command over quite a few mercenaries and need to storm the villa whereFrancesco Salviati is hiding. It won't be long starting off until you comeacross the first few guards. Defeat them with your group, then proceed towardthe red marker, into the villa.

You'll find another group guarding the front gate. They're really easy tokill since your mercenaries do a good job at distracting them, allowing you tokill them with one blow from behind. A Brute is amongst them, but he's no sweatwhen he's all that's left against all your mercenaries.

You need to open the gate. First, use throwing knives to dispatch the guardson either side of the gate. There are some ridges you can climb up just to theside of the gate bars. Instruct your mercenaries to wait, then climb up to thetop and you can see a lot of guys patrolling inside. If you wait for a largegroup to get close, you can maybe pull off the double air assassination, whichis beyond badass.

You'll get surrounded really fast, and some of the enemies include Brutes sofind the mechanism to open the gate immediately. Sic your mercenaries on themto even the odds.

There might be one enemy in the mix who seems out of place. He'll look like afarmer guy and has an axe. This is your target, believe it or not, Salviati.He's an easy kill if you go for a Disarm. Finish him and then you get a choicebetween finishing the fighting or running.

With that done, head to the last mission marker in the south. When you getthere though, you'll come to the Monte Oliveto Maggiore, which has anotherGLYPH for you to find. Let's get that first.

It's on the southwest side of the structure on the viewpoint tower. It's thetall tower on the grounds with the cross on top. The glyph is at the base ofthe tower on the east side of it, right where it meets the roof of the rest ofthe building.

-[Apollo]-

The puzzle for this one starts with another photo ID. Find the image to theleft of the moon, out in space. For the second part, it's a slider puzzle. It'snot a photo though. Your goal is to line up all the gaps in these rings so thatyou could draw a straight line through to the center. It's tough but note whichrings move together and which you can move alone so you can fix them. For thefinal part, you get a moon landing photo. The Piece of Eden is at the bottomof the picture, to the left.

-----[10/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, go ahead and talk to the mission marker guy to start the next mission.

The Cowl Does Not Make The Monk-------------------------------It's time to knock off Stefano too. The kind mercenary gives Ezio Smoke Bombs.Schwing! These are handy for when you must make getaways, or if you have aninja fantasy.

Get inside the abbey now. You need to watch out for the armed monks. Everyoneis wearing a robe here, making it hard to pick out certain people, includingfriend and foe. Rely on Eagle Vision to see who will attack you. You can alsosee Stefano in gold. Use blend to stay amongst the non-violent monks and getcloser. If you actually do start a fight, it's funny to note the monks willnot actually attack, just surround you. Meanwhile, Stefano will flee, so if itcomes to that, get after him.

You could try using the Poison Blade on that guy following him, but it probablywon't work and just end up exposing your position. Find the group of monks nearthe middle of the abbey who are standing still. Blend with them and wait forStefano. He will end up walking right in front of you and stopping. When hedoes, deploy a smoke bomb. Everyone will be caught off guard. Now, leave theblend with your Hidden Blade drawn and pounce! Pounce like the tiger!

With Stefano dead, the monks will attack this time. Fend them off or flee. Another smoke bomb makes escape easy. Flee and become anonymous or deal withenough enemies until you are.

Rewards:o Smoke Bombs acquired

o Smoke Bomb pouch

Head to the next mission marker.

With Friends Like These-----------------------You need to tail Jacope so you can find out who more of the Templars are. Alarge crowd will leave the building in front of you. Use Eagle Vision topick out Jacope. He will then be marked by a blue arrow from here on.

Stay on high ground and follow him as he goes throughout the city. This ispretty simple. Just stay on the watch for archers and dispatch them. Jacopewill stop and inspect a dead archer body that has fallen off the roof but itwon't give you away. If Jacope is out of sight or if something is blocking yourview of him, a timer will appear. If the timer runs out, you'll fail. Get himin your sights again before this happens.

He'll pick up a friend and together they'll go on a very long walk through thecity. They'll come to the front gate and leave. Take the ladder on the sideto get out since charging through the guards isn't advised. Find a group ofpeople out here that is following Jacope and blend with them.

Keep blended and follow Jacope. A lot of guards will follow him to a secretmeeting area. When the guards have turned away, try to climb over the wallshere to get over them and get inside the secret meeting area. Step into themarker and you will get a scene.

Ezio will be discovered and some guards will grab him. When the prompt appearshit Square to totally own one of the guards. A fight then begins. This isn'thard really. Countering does the trick. One of the guards is a Brute andanother has a spear. You might want to disarm the spear guy at the start anduse it against the others. Either way, this fight should not be terriblydifficult at this point in the game.

When all the guards are dead, approach Jacope who, despite being stabbed threetimes--once through the neck--is still ticking. End his misery with some HiddenBlade treatment. That ends the mission and Sequence 5.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 6

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac06]

You'll be back in Florence. If you want to go back to the Villa you can to dothe usual routine of money collecting, dropping off feathers, etc. Keep inmind you haven't decrypted your Codex pages (if you have them) yet. We're inFlorence too so Leonardo is nearby if you want to wait. If you know the Villachest is near full though, feel free to head back.

Speaking of Codex pages, there's one near your next destination. Look for themarker on your map. It's at a grey building to the north. Just a little southof that building is the Codex Page marker (provided you have the viewpointsynchronized to see this). The entrance is on the east side and is of courseguarded. You can try to be creative, instead of just using courtesans, thievesand mercenaries all the time. You can try to distract some with money, then usethe Poison Blade, or you can use Smoke Bombs. It's up to you. Get inside andget that Codex Page though.

There's another Codex Page near the northwest corner of the city. Climb theviewpoints here to discover it. It's a bit east and a tiny bit north of thewest gate of Florence.

After that, proceed to the mission marker.

Road Trip---------It's Lorenzo. He'll start up a chat and give Ezio a Medici Cape which preventshim from gaining notoriety in Florence or Tuscany.

Go to the blue marker now which is to Leonardo's. Give the door a knock andyou'll discover he's gone to Venice. That's convenient, because that's exactlywhere Ezio is headed.

Rewards:o Medici Cape acquired

The new marker appears in the east, so head over to the east gate. First, let'scollect another Codex Page and another GLYPH. Go to the northeast corner of thecity, near a view point if you haven't gotten it already. This is close to theOspedale Degli Innocenti which is where a glyph is.

To find this one, recognize that this building has a roof that surrounds thecourtyard in a square shape. On the east side of the roof is where the glyphis, on a small wall near a chimney. Scan it to begin another puzzle.

-[The Inventors]-

For this one, "The Inventors", simply take the electricity marker and put itover each of the lightbulbs. Hit X to continue and get a photo. You don't haveany beeps or anything to help you with this one so you have to look for it thehard way. The Piece of Eden should be a little bit above the door.

For the second photo, the third part of the puzzle, you get infrared but itdoesn't help you one tiny bit. Scan this picture as much as you want, you'llnot see anything, leaving you to blindly click on spots. As you might guessthough, it has something to do with the guy sitting down. Choose the book heis holding and scan that to solve this one and this puzzle.

-----[11/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

The Codex Page is just south of here. Again, if you don't have the viewpointsnecessary to see this, the marker won't appear on your map. Defeat the guardsoutside then claim it. For another hint on this location, it's just west of aTailor shop which is exactly west of the eastern gate of Florence.

With the glyph and Codex Page in hand, go to the east gate and exit. Get a horse and ride for the Mountains.

Step into the marker which will be right in front of you to get a scene.

Romagna Holiday---------------After the scene, you'll begin a totally new type of sequence here. You haveto steer Leonardo's carriage down the road. This alone isn't difficult. Theguys chasing you make it a little tougher. They'll jump onto the carriage andtry to climb it. Shaking them off is really tough. You need to purposely aimthe carriage toward objects on the road and try to have them scrape the sideof the carriage where the guys will be climbing. Tree branches, although morecliché, are better.

When they get on top, you can try to make a sharp turn, but this isn't easyif you're not coming up to any turns. If they reach Ezio, you need to tap Circle repeatedly to throw them off. Also, when making those sharp turns, becareful when you steer back to the other side, the momentum could cause thecarriage to roll over.

Eventually, you'll get across the flaming bridge, and archers will beginshooting fire arrows along the road. The fire pockets are easy enough to dodgeexcept when coming off a turn. More riders will appear so continue to try toshake them off when possible. Continue until you get a scene.

After this, you'll be on your own against some guards. Try to disarm the Brutefrom the get go, then finish the others one by one. Head to the marker to complete the mission.

You'll be outside Forli, which is no Venice, that's for sure. Find the nearestviewpoint and scale it. Then, enter the city via the drawbridge. As soon asyou enter, you should see (provided you got that viewpoint) a Codex Page. Defeat the guards outside and take it. It's in between a Tailor and Blacksmithon the south side of the city.

Enter deeper and start finding more viewpoints to get a better view and revealmore things. As you go further north, there is another Codex Page and a GLYPH.The Codex Page is right near where the Courier Mission guy is standing.

You might notice some things about the guards here. For one, the armoredvariation of guards (not Brutes but the small ones who wear armor) can't bedisarmed until they are weakened. Also, Archers can't die in just one throwingknife. You'll just have to work a little harder, that's all.

The GLYPH is at Abbazia Di San Mercuriale which is right there as well. It'son one of the walls with all those columns. The south column wall to be exact.The glyph is above the columns. Get up there and scan it.

-[Titans of Industry]-

For this one, you start with another slider combination puzzle. The hint isstill there, though not as obvious. You can see it in the bottom left, 4=1. So align the red wheel so that its 4 matches the grey wheels 1, then input thegrey red wheel numbers for grey's 9 and 7 or whatever numbers you have. Ifthe numbers are not random, the code should be 240.

After watching a strange video, you get a photo. The location is reallyobvious: his hands. ID it and you'll get another combination puzzle. This timethough, the red slider doesn't contain numbers. Also, the clue here is a lotharder to decipher. If you look at the pictures though, you can see a number2 and one of the symbols from the red wheel on the news article. Match up thegrey wheel 2 with the red wheel symbol that is "||.."

The problem is that not all the symbols are on the red wheel. If you payattention to them, they follow an obvious pattern. You can see by messingaround with the combination that the missing symbols are there. So if the code

is 139, the 3 symbol should be "|||" and 9 should be "|..".

-----[12/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

Go further north after that to find another Codex Page. This one is in thenorth east corner of the city, just below the north side of the city walls.It's northwest of a tailor shop. Get the Codex and exit the city, continuingnorth. Grab more viewpoints along the way.

Return to the southwest area of the city. That dark grey area in the city islike a little mini-fortress. Inside is another Assassin Tomb. You can findthe entrance on the north side of it, just on the water. Either climb over orswim to it. Enter and we can begin.

***************************************** ASSASSIN'S TOMB - Ravaldino's Secret *****************************************

Start by hopping into the water and swimming to the wooden platform ahead.Climb out and begin climbing the wall. Grab the wooden ledge and then jumpaway from it to get onto a platform. From here, just make your way across theroom by going from one side to the next. Activate the lever and then runthrough the gate.

Head into the following chamber and drop into the water. Swim toward the bigiron gate and hold X to dive underneath and get to the other side. Proceednorth from here. You can climb these walls pretty easily. Just climb one side,then jump away from the wall to the opposite one and repeat. Continue on to thetop where you'll get a quick little tour of the next area.

After that, Ledge Assassinate the guard here and climb out. As you proceed overto the other side of the room, you'll attract more guards. A lot of them areeasy to deceive though and kill off stealthily.

Dispatch all the guards and then go into the southwest corner of this area. Climb the scaffolding of some sort and use it to jump to a balcony. Go to theeast wall and climb onto the crate. Jump up and grab onto the red shield. Jumpaway from this to reach another balcony.

Here you'll find the second lever and the camera will show you the third. Throwthis lever then quickly proceed north, hopping the gaps effortlessly to get tothe next one before the gates shut. Interact with this lever and it's the samething; move fast to make it to the other side.

Go around the corner using the beams and you'll see a large gap. Climb the eastwall and then shimmy over to the left using the shields and windows. Get over

to the open window and drop down to enter.

Go down the stairs then climb over the railing up and to the left. Kill thetwo guards here then take the stairs down. You'll encounter two more guards anda Brute. Disarm the Brute and kill him, then deal with the others easily.

Find the large wooden wall/fence in the southeast corner down here. Climb theplatform next to it to get up here. Now from here, you can make your wayclockwise around the room to the platform where you saw the exit earlier. Justclimb the shield and shimmy over to the one on the left to climb out of here.

You'll find a lever here. It operates a gate to the far left. It gives yousome time, but not much, to get there. First figure out how you're gonna getthere. Turn left and face that northeast corridor. You can see a broken wallon the right side. This is where you begin after throwing the lever. Climb upthat, then jump to the left side wall. You'll walk out onto a beam, climb thecolumn, then jump away from it to reach a wooden platform. The door is thenjust a beam and a swing bar away.

Provided you make it in time, you'll reach the tomb on the other side. Asusual, plunder the place of its goodies, ending with the seal from thesarcophagus. The exit is a trap door to the left.

Head to the marker to meet with Leonardo. On to Venice at last! Well... notyet. Ezio needs a pass to get on the ferry.

Tutti a Bordo-------------Find the woman who just suddenly interrupted everything by screaming for help.Locate the boat with the marker on it. Climb on board and row it by gettingnear the oar and hitting Circle. Row continually by hitting Circle. Don't tapit repeatedly. Instead, just hit it more rhythmically to get good speed.

Go to where the woman is to pick her up. Her name is Caterina. Bring her tothe dock and she'll help Ezio get on the ferry.

One last thing before we leave. North of the dock are some buildings, includinga tower that serves as a viewpoint. There is a GLYPH on the tower. Go to thetower and the glyph is on the north side of it, about two thirds of the wayup.

-["I am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds"]-

Another combination puzzle. This one is even trickier. You can see the cluesin the photos. Triangle = 9 basically is what it's telling you. Align them onthe wheels. 5 and 2, the remaining numbers, have their red wheel counterparts

smeared out of course. So that leaves you to once again try to discern apattern.

You can see though that the combination goes in the same order as the wheel.For example you can toggle from square to square and circle. So obviously whenyou get to what comes before Square in the combination, you can figure out whatis missing from the wheel, and that is circle. Figuring it out this way thecombination should be circle, square, and square for 5, circle for 2, andtriangle for 9.

Next, put the marker on the red button for a short movie. After that, you geta blank picture of some sort and need to ID something inside. Not totally easybut you get a noise to indicate how close you are. Find some numbers byscanning near the bottom left, but not quite near the corner. That will finishthis one.

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It's time to make for Venice. There is still plenty to do in Forli so stay awhile longer if you wish. Wrap up all the side missions and such or you cando it at a later time.

That ends Sequence 6. You'll get out of the Animus and have a little time withDesmond now. Talk to Rebecca and Shaun, then go down to where you firstentered this place to find Lucy. She'll have Desmond use some of his retentedskills to turn on some sensors. Sounds pretty simple and it should be. Thesensors stand out pretty well. Some require some climbing which Desmond cannow do. Overall, this isn't too difficult.

Find Lucy when she calls for you which means you're done. Go upstairs and youwill start seeing some strange visions. After that, a strange dream begins.I won't spoil this part for you, so just enjoy it. Chase the target you see. If you lose sight of them, use Eagle Vision. They will glow in gold and willleave a trail behind them. Follow them up to the top of the tower and you'llget a scene. A lot of people seem to have trouble climbing the tower when theyget to the balcony with the beam. If you can't figure it out, either do anAdvanced Wall Jump or stand underneath the very tip of the beam and hold R1 andhit X without touching the Left Analog Stick.

After that, once you're back in the office, talk to Lucy if you want, thenhop back in the Animus again.

______________________________________________________________________________

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 7 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac07]

You'll be in Venice at last. Leonardo is standing near you and he is yourfirst mission giver. Scale the viewpoint right next to you first though so youcan get some bearings on your surroundings.

Benevenuto----------Follow Alvise and Leonardo as you get a quick tour of Venice. A few scenes willhappen here and there. Nothing else to this, really.

Afterwards, go right in to visit Leonardo again in his new shop. Have himtranslate all the Codex Pages you've received. If you've not gone back to theVilla yet, this is the time. Go back east to where you got off the ferry. TheViaggio is here so pay the fee to get back to the Villa instantly. Do yourusual thing there, and also drop off the last Seal you got if you didn'tearlier.

Return to Venice when you're ready. Start by climbing more viewpoints. You'llfind a lot of the city is off limits for now. You can find a Codex Page inthe center of the city, near a blacksmith. There is a second one just a littlenorthwest of Leonardo's shop.

Find a GLYPH at the east side of Venice where the bridge, the Ponte Di Rialtois. Go to the east end of the bridge (the game won't let you go further thanthat). Now, go into the water and swim under the bridge. The glyph should behere.

-[Bloodlines]-

Bloodlines puzzle. For this one you need to pick the paintings Danae Visited byZeus, Jupiter and IO, Leda and the Swan, Cupid and Psyche, and Rape of Europa.

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There is another GLYPH very close by on the San Giacomo Di Rialto, just

northwest. It's on the west side of the roof, between the three bells and thedome.

-[Guardians]-

Guardians is a really easy one. You get a slider puzzle which should not bedifficult by now. After that, you get a map with a lot of red targets. Move themarker over each to reveal some things and that's it.

-----[15/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

Go to the next mission marker, to the northwest.

That's Gonna Leave A Mark-------------------------Help out your new friend by battling the enemies. You'll want to focus firston those attacking her. The guards can be difficult to defeat quickly enoughso that leaves Rosa at the mercy of the guards longer.

Follow her through the city. Bowl down anyone in your way to keep up with her.A lot more fights will erupt as you proceed so continue to protect her bygoing after the ones attacking her directly. There will be some Brutes in themix so try to one-shot them by attacking while they're focused on Rosa.

Eventually Rosa will meet up with her thief friends and collapse. Pick her upand carry her off to yellow marker. Along the way, one group of guards willattack. Immediately sic the thieves on them. One or two guards might stillchase you though so get far enough away, drop Rosa, then dispatch them beforecontinuing.

After the scene, you'll need to provide protection for the gondola. Go acrossthe river to the spot where the enemies are. Start taking them out one by oneas you move along and keep up with the gondola. The enemies are sometimeseasily defeated by attacking them so they fall into the water.

You'll need to do a lot of platforming to keep up with the gondola on its path.Just keep going and when enemies appear, take care of them. Two throwingknives is the price to kill one if you choose that route. Otherwise, yoursword is a better option if you can get close.

Keep following the gondola until it slips inside an entrance. Climb over thisbuilding and approach where it will dock to get a scene. You'll interact alittle here so be ready to hit button prompts. After that, the mission ends.

There's a GLYPH here so let's find it. It's on the north side of the roof ofthis area Ezio is in after the last mission ended. Climb up there. It's near

the thieves if you need another hint. Scan it and begin.

-[The Cavalry]-

This puzzle is a little confusing. You get a map and there are a bunch oflocation names all over. Some of them do not exist on this map, such as Alaskaand Florida. If you move the marker on one name, it jumbles them around. To solve this part, Tunguska is the one you want to select.

For the next part, place the cursor on the sword and stab the picture with itand you're done.

-----[16/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

Go ahead and drop down to talk to Antonio in his home. After that, talk toRosa outside for a very easy mission.

Monkey See, Monkey Do---------------------Here you can learn the Climb Leap technique which is very handy. This willmake climbing viewpoints a lot easier. There is one tower in Venice that can'tbe climbed without this.

Hold R1, then hold the Left Analog Stick forward and hit X to leap up to aledge you couldn't normally reach. Hit Circle to grab it. That's all thereis to it. Get up to the marker and that will end this mission.

Go find Rosa for her next challenge.

By Leaps and Bounds-------------------This is the tower I mentioned. With the Climb Leap in hand, you need to get tothe top of the tower in five minutes. This is more than enough time. Finding aclimbing path isn't really difficult. When you get to the tower, use ClimbLeap, then shift around to another side of the tower to finish climbing.

Synchronize the viewpoint before dropping down. Speak to Rosa to end this one.

There's another mission marker just to the northeast, near Leonardo's shop.

Breakout--------Ugo wants Ezio to help bust out some of the thieves that are being imprisonedand awaiting execution. There are three locations, noted by the blue markers.It involves fighting at each location but you can reduce the fighting by hidingand waiting for some of the guards to leave the area if possible. Otherwise

fight and then bust the thieves out. You need to return each group to Ugo'sarea first before seeking out the next.

You only need to keep 1 alive in each group. It's possible some may die whenthey have a platforming brain fart or if you come across some guards. Gettingmost of them to the destination though should not be much trouble.

You have two mission markers in the northwest: one at Antonio's and a new one.Go to the one at Antonio's first, his house is the dark grey one on your map.

Cleaning House--------------From saving thieves to killing thieves. You have three yellow markers wheresome traitors are. When you near each one, a green search circle appears onyour mini map. This means their exact location isn't clear. You'll need to useEagle Vision. The thieves will be marked in gold. Each one has a partner tohelp them but they are easy to defeat as far as combat goes.

One will be on a rooftop, and the one to the northwest will be on a boat. Youmight be able to ledge assassinate that one.

Go to the next marker.

Clothes Make The Man--------------------Three destinations. You are to find the chests at each location and loot themfor the archer armor that Ugo needs.

At each location there should be thieves nearby. Using them will make it easyand it goes along with the theme of the mission I suppose. If you'd rather havea fight or if you just want to save all the money you can, you can do ityourself. Raid each chest once the guards are gone. The first location whichis just a little southeast has another nearby area also guarded that has twochests with a good amount of florins inside.

Make the one to the north the last one, as it is near the boat that you haveto steal. This is a restricted area so be quick and just take it withoutdealing with the swarm of guards that will appear. Get on the boat and pullaway and some of them will probably fall in the water. Row it to the markerand get out to finish the mission.

Go back to Antonio's for the next mission.

Everything Must Go------------------This is what you've been building toward thus far in Venice. It's time to

storm the palazzo and take out Emilio. The thieves have got your back and theyhave a plan. Ezio's first task is to take out the archers so the thieves canreplace them. Also stock up on throwing knives if you're low.

Your targets are already marked on the map. Head over there and you'll find allthe archers on the rooftops, obviously. Antonio said quietly, but discretionisn't important here. If you want to be stealthy though, each archer standson a little platform. You can sneak up on them and hang there to do a ledgeassassination on each. Any approach will work, even if you just run up to themand attack, or grab them and push them for a more hilarious method.

Once they're down, meet with Antonio, Rosa and Ugo. There's a guard across fromthem but you can hide in the haystack to take him out.

After that chat, it's off to do the dirty work. Ugo recommends hiring somethieves to help out so do so on your way to the palazzo. Enter the grounds fromthe west or south side. One might be unguarded if you're lucky. Use yourthieves on the guys guarding the entrance and if possible, on the ones near thefront door.

You can't enter that way so once you have cleared the guards, start climbingthe west wall. Make your way up here and use Climb Leap to help you along.

When you get up to the roof, you will see a scene of Emilio. There are plentyof archers up here and more enemies below. If you have enough throwing knives,this can enable you to get closer to Emilio for the stealthy assassination.You have limited time here too; if Emilio leaves on his boat you'll have tostart over.

If you don't have the throwing knives necessary, you will likely be given awayon your way down. Being spotted by the archers isn't bad. Being spotted bysome of the other enemies below will alert everyone, except Emilio. So if thishappens, climb all the way down and run toward him to kill him before he getsaway. If you're quick, he won't get much farther than a step or two.

After that, approach the door with Rosa for another scene. This ends Sequence7.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 8

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac08]

You now have access to the eastern part of Venice now. The south side is stillunfortunately, off limits. This new area is almost like it's own place as youwon't see many viewpoints on your map, even if you scaled ones in the main part of the city. So use one to locate the others on your map and start scalingthem as you go.

There's a viewpoint tower to the west of the large restricted area in the southeast corner (where an Assassin Tomb is). Near the top of the viewpoint isa GLYPH.

-[The Bunker]-

Another combination puzzle. This is a really tough one and it took me a fewminutes to crack. The hint first off, is not easy to find. You can see a "<"symbol in the bottom left picture. The only number that appears isn't in a picture. It's the 4 that flashes in and out in between two of the pictures.

Start by lining up < and 4. Now the key here is the angles of the shapes. Forexample, < has one angle, while the next one on the red wheel, has two. If youcount each shape on the red wheel starting with <, each shape after has onemore angle, so that whatever shape 7 is must have four angles. Whatever 1 is,must have eight angles. 9 is provided to you, being that bowtie shape.

Confused? Don't blame you. Count the angles, but not corners. Count angles onlystarting with < which has one. Have < aligned with 4 on the grey wheel. I can'ttype the solution but I'll try to describe the shapes. 7 is that one that lookslike the letter "e" but tilted almost upside down. 9 is the bowtie. 1 is thesmall diamond inside the bigger diamond.

The second and last part is a photo again. You're looking for the Assassinemblem and it's a little tough to locate. Basically, you can find it in thetop right corner of the building's second floor. There's a tree partiallycovering this spot if you look at the picture.

-----[17/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

There's a Codex Page north of the basilica, east of a blacksmith. There's alsoa structure that surrounds the basilica. If you look on your map it's that

dark grey wall that surrounds it. If you go to the north portion, there is atower like structure with a railing just a little east of the bridge. Step uphere with Eagle Vision on to find the GLYPH.

-[Synapses]-

Here is another tough combination puzzle. I wrestled with it long enough to getShaun's Advice and that actually helped a lot. He explains the symbols here areSumerian. The symbol that looks like a tree is a 1, and the arrow "<" likeshape is a 10.

You'll see the hint in the bottom right picture with all the CAT scans. Thereis a 5 in one, and that tree symbol between two others. So line up 5 and thatSumerian symbol on the wheels.

Finally, the picture toward the bottom left has a sequence of numbers, startingwith that symbol which I explained (actually, Shaun did) is a 1. If you add itto 2 which is the second number, you get 3. If you look on the red wheel, thesymbol after "1" symbol is one that has three of them. You see? Now let's add1+2+6, 6 being the next number. You get 9. Sure enough, if you look on the redwheel, the next symbol after the three tree symbols has nine of them. See thepattern now?

The portion that is missing for 0, corresponds to 1+2+6+2+1+5 in that bottomleft picture. That comes to 17. The arrow shape is equal to 10, so you'relooking for the arrow shape with seven tree shapes. The one that is missing for3 is 17+3+5+6 which is 31. That would be three arrows and one tree shape. Iknow this sounds really confusing but if you grasp the initial concept, itbecomes a lot easier.

The second and last part gives you a picture of synapses, which are basicallythose gaps between cells that allow them to transmit messages for the bodyand all that scientific junk. Just put the marker over each of the. There areeight in total, including a small one in the top right corner.

-----[18/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

Now finally, the last thing we'll do before jumping to the next mission is theAssassin Tomb in the basilica. It's located in a little hidden alcove on theroof. The best way to get to the basilica roof is to climb that surroundingwall structure I mentioned and then jump to it from there. Find the entranceand let's get ready for some tomb raiding!

***************************************** ASSASSIN'S TOMB - San Marco's Secret *****************************************

As soon as you enter, the game will show you the sarcophagus in plain sight!Get down to the church floor and approach it. Can it really be that easy? Goahead and interact with it.

Of course not. Four stone tablets rise from the floor in the previous area. Goand check them out. Put Eagle Vision on to see some things on the floor. Steponto the very first tablet you see.

This activates a platforming section and a lever you must pull before itretracts. Go back to the corner behind the sarcophagus and climb up here. Jumpup to the wall and then onto the platform above the sarcophagus. Jump to thenorth wall and climb the railing. Go left and then turn left again. Jump to thetop of this wall and hop all the gaps to the south wall. Shimmy over and climbover the railing. Now, climb the dark structure that looks like a pipe organ(I think it is) and you can see the lever waiting for you. Jump to it.

Step on the southern switch next. The starting point for this platformingtrial is to Ezio's left. Take the platforms, swing bar and so on to the southwall. You'll land on top of another narrow wall. Take this all the way to theright, under an arch. Turn right and follow this wall down, then turn rightagain and take the beam under a railing. Climb up to this railing. Go left andthen turn right to jump to the hanging crosses. When you reach the oppositebalcony, turn right. Jump across all these beams to reach the south wall again.Climb up the big mural here about halfway and then jump away from the wall toreach the lever. Two down.

Step on the west one next. This one is a bit faster. Go to the left and findthe little altars. Climb the painting to get on top of the first one, then hopacross the rest. Jump to the ledge on the column here. Shimmy around it to theother side and drop onto the beam. Jump across several beams here. At the end,turn left and climb up the wall. Now, just climb up the cross as high as youcan and jump away to a swing bar. Swing twice to reach the lever.

For the last one, climb the small platform to the right. Jump to the stonestructure in front of you, and the larger one in the center. Next, jump northto the wooden poles and hop across those to the platform at the north wall.Jump to the ledge on the right and shimmy around a bit. You should see somevery small pedestals above. Point the Left Analog Stick up and Ezio shouldclimb up these. Climb and shift around until you can get up to and over thebalcony railing. Go left and find the crates in the corner. Use these to climbup the wall. At the top, jump away and you'll latch onto a beam. Pull yourselfup and then from there, it's just a short hop to the last lever.

With all four levers activated, the floor opens up to reveal a secret area.Drop down here and you'll find the real tomb. Pilfer all the goods and take

the seal. Only one more to go! Leave through the glowing wall in the top right.

Now at last, it's time to go to the next mission marker.

Birds Of A Feather------------------This is similar to a mission you had earlier. You are to trail the two templarsand eavesdrop. If you stay too close to them for too long, they will star toget suspicious like guards. Follow them, but keep a reasonable distance andwhen they stop, duck into a crowd of people or Courtesans. You can also hirea Courtesan group so you have constant moving cover to blend in. This isn'tnecessary though.

When they come to the bridge leading to the basilica though, hire the nearbythieves. Have them lure away the guards after the two pass by so you can keepfollowing them. They'll enter the plaza outside the basilica and a scene willstart. After that, follow this entourage (yummy, more victims for Ezio! err...I mean, ooh, more badguys!). They'll exit through a corridor with more guardsso hire the thieves nearby before they get too far away and lure the guardsaway.

From here, it's pretty simple. Stop whenever they stop, and if there is nocrowd to blend with, just stay far enough away or behind a corner or somethingto obstruct any possible view. Keep following them and just take it slow, notbumping into guards or anybody carrying anything. After a scene this missionis over.

Rewards:o Assassination Contracts unlocked

Head straight to find Antonio to start the next mission. The thieves havesettled into Emilio's old palazzo, so that's where you'll find the missionmarker.

If At First You Don't Succeed...--------------------------------While Antonio is talking, head to the yellow marker to the south. Cross one ofthe bridges to get inside the plaza area outside the basilica which is wherethe marker is.

After the scene, a new marker appears nearby. It's not on the tower, or therooftop near it. It's in between the two on the ground. Find it there and thena new one appears. Go southeast, around the restricted area and find theviewpoint tower near the docks. Climb it to the top to find the marker. Waitfor Antonio to get there and another quick scene starts.

The next marker appears on the north side of the basilica. Synchronize thisviewpoint if you have not already, then take a Leap of Faith. Antonio will dothings the hard way and climb down, but he won't take very long. Let him followyou to the next marker.

It looks like you've found your ticket. Climb up all the scaffolding with Antonio; it's pretty simple. Find the white marker up on the roof (yellow onyour mini map) and you get another scene. There is your target, Grimaldi, butstill no way to reach him. If only you could fly...

If you're familiar with the E3 footage of Assassin's Creed II, then you shouldknow what's coming. Without wasting a moment, make haste for Leonardo's, whichis the new mission marker.

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained--------------------------------This isn't much of a mission. You get to try out Leonardo's flying machine.It's WOW EXCITNG OH MAN I'M REALLY FLYING--until you find out the controls areinversed and that it can only take you so far--OH CRAP!!!!!

After that, you get a scene and the next mission starts immediately.

Well Begun Is Half Done----------------------- Noting that the heat from fire will keep the flying machine aloft, Ezio needsto clear areas for Antonio's men to light those fires. In this way, Ezio'sfirst flight can be successful.

The locations are signified by the red markers on your map. There are plentyof markers, but only four "areas". The first one is very close. Two Brutesare standing near each other. Approach them and go with a double Hidden Bladekill.

Head to the next closest one which should be on a boat. You'll probably starta large fight, so just disarm the Brutes first, then work your way from there.Once you've cleared that area, head to the next area which is a rooftop area.Just use throwing knives on the archers here, or push them off the rooftops ifthat's your thing.

The last area has two spots, one guarded by a lone Brute you can easily attackfrom behind with the Hidden Blade. The other spot has a lot of guards. Startwith the Brute as always and that should scare off most of the others. Finishthe rest and you're done.

Make the long trip to the next mission marker to finally begin.

Infrequent Flyer----------------You should know how this works. If not by seeing the E3 footage, then by thediscussions going on in the past mission and in the beginning of this one.You need to stay aloft by flying over the fires. At the same time, try to avoidthe archer arrows. As Leonardo suggested, you could kick some of them off.

Doing this is as simple as locking onto one ahead of you with L1 and flyingas straight at them as you can. Don't take unnecessary risks though just to geta "kick" out of this. Pardon the pun, but seriously, don't just try to kickguys off if you have to take a bad angle to do so. Try to do it at least onceto get the "Flyswatter" Trophy and then focus on flying and hitting the firesto stay aloft.

I find the best route to be to go north, then east toward the river and hitthe fires on the boat and continue east from there, before turning to theright to finally get to the basilica.

Once you make it (hopefully), you need to get into position. The archers uphere can spot you and if they do, you'll need to start over. Therefore, usethe columns up here to hide behind then try to quietly sneak in for HiddenBlade kills. Your throwing knives won't work since you need more than one fora kill. You can also climb the columns and do air assassinations.

Make your way around, killing all three, then you can drop down to the windowas noted by the white marker. You'll get a scene.

You might be disappointed to see it's not the E3 demo. I was at least, but thiswas still a very fun mission. Fight your way down the staircase. Eliminate every guard. They're pretty simple, no Brutes, so have fun. After that, you'llfind Grimaldi hasn't gone anywhere and is just standing there, trembling,waiting for Ezio to deliver the coup de grace, so give it to him.

Now, leave the basilica through the now open front doors and get far enoughaway to become anonymous again. This end the mission, gets you a Codex Page,and ends Sequence 8.

Rewards:o Codex Page (1)

______________________________________________________________________________

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 9 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac09]

You'll be in front of Leonardo's. Go inside.

Knowledge Is Power------------------Here's another upgrade you may have been looking forward to: the pistol orHidden Gun.

Go to the yellow marker which is the platform resting near the canal. Thereare three targets to practice on. You should be able to lock onto each onewithout having to leave this platform. To use the pistol, go into yourinventory wheel and select it first. Then, lock onto your target and holdSquare. An aiming mechanism appears and forms a solid line. If you hold Squareto this point, you should hit your target.

Do this for all three and then return to Leonardo's.

With that done, you get the Carnevale mask. It let's you stay incognito inVenice, but only for now while the carnevale is going on. Really though, isn'tEzio's getup a bit more recognizable than his face? Just saying...

Rewards:o Pistol attachment acquiredo Carenvale Mask

Anyways, you can now go to the south side of Venice at last. Start scaling moreviewpoints and getting a look around. There is a new Assassin's Tomb, the lastone if you've gotten all the others up to this point--huzzah! Let's head inthat direction. First though, grab the Codex Page which is just north of itslocation.

Find the tomb entrance at the base of the tower on the roof of the building.

******************************************* ASSASSIN'S TOMB - Visitazione's Secret *

******************************************

When you have control, step out of the haystack and assassinate the Brute.Approach the other guy and he'll take off running. This will be reminiscent ofthe first tomb except that the area is obviously very different.

The path isn't really hard to figure out here. Basically every time he shutsa gate, like the guy earlier in the game, you'll need to find an alternateroute that is immediately next to the gate. Keep pace with him at the end asyou jump some beams and use swing bars and do an air assassination to finishhim.

If you did it in time, the guards to the left in the next chamber will notsee you. If you want to stir up a fight, then go ahead. You can open the nextdoor without bothering them though.

In the next chamber, use the lever. This starts a timed mechanism. Go forwardand to the left, jumping up the spires to the platform. You're told about theAdvanced Wall Jump which is something you may already know. Run up a wall andthen hit the Left Analog Stick in a new direction and hit X and Ezio willuse his upward momentum to go in that direction. Use this to reach the bar.

Swing forward and climb the steps to the statue. Use the Advanced Wall Jumpagain to get to the platform on the left. Go across the beam and swing barsahead to reach another platform. Do another Advanced Wall Jump to the right toget to the next bar.

Go forward to the west wall, traversing a few gaps to reach the third swingbar. Go across a spire to the right and then move forward and to the wall onthe left. Run the wall and do another Advanced Wall Jump to get to the platformon the left. Take this to some beams and then to a swing bar, a spire, andanother swing bar. Turn this corner and you'll get to the last bar lever. Thedoor will open in the central chamber, leading to the tomb.

Take all the stuff as always, including the last seal! Schwing! You might wantto hoof it back to the Villa at once to claim the Armor of Altair. If you needanother seal though, step to it!

When you're doing tending to business at the Villa, return to Venice and go toyour next mission.

Damsels In Distress-------------------Easy mission. Chase down the murderer. He's a bit fast so don't lose him. Steering away from the crowd while sprinting will obviously help.

You'll find him attacking another courtesan. If you get too close, he'll killher too. Find a reasonable distance where you are far enough away, but stillclose to lock onto him. It can be difficult with all the NPCs around but sneakcloser and closer until you lock on. Select the pistol and shoot him. Beprepared for a possible swarm of guards to attack after this. Either fight orflee.

Nun The Wiser-------------This is more of a segue into the next few missions which are actually sort oflike mini-games. In order to get close to Barbarigo, you'll need to get entryto his party, by winning a golden mask at the Carnevale. Teodora explains asshe and Antonio escort you to the area. That's it.

Pick a game and start. Begin with the closest one.

Ribbon Round-Up---------------You need to collect at least 25 ribbons before time runs out. The women at theCarnevale have them. You can get them by doing a normal pickpocketing maneuver.If you forgot, hold X to speed walk and bump into people. Do this to collectthe ribbons. The women are marked by blue markers on your mini-map. Largergroups of women will yield more ribbons. Pretty easy.

CTF---This one is kinda fun. You need to get to the flag before your opponent,retrieve it, and bring it back to the starting position. You both have to doit three times, so if your opponent wins, it's no big deal, as long as he doesnot win three times before you.

You'll start out on the roof, and the opponent will start out on the street.You'll want to use the same route each time. Run forward to the edge of theroof overlooking the flag, then drop down fast. If you want to bear with thedamage you would take, you can also drop from that height, you'll get there alittle faster, just remember to heal.

If your opponent gets it first, give chase. He runs pretty fast so do your bestto avoid people and catch up with him to tackle him.

And They're Off---------------The third game is a race. Despite the name, this is just a race against timeand nothing more. You need to hit all the white markers in two minutes. Itmight seem tough at first, but you can practice it over and over until you seethe best route. Overall, this one isn't tough either.

The final marker for the last game appears after the first three are won.

Cheaters Never Prosper----------------------This game is a fighting style one. You will fight fists-only against a fewopponents. It's pretty easy. Focus on blocking, dodging, and remember that withyour fists you can counter too.

Things go well until you get a surprise opponent, Dante Moro. He's a little bittougher, but not by much. Counter him a few times as well and he goes downwithout too much effort.

The final challenge has you pitted against a few armed guards. You figured thiswas going to happen, right? Just disarm them and kill them with their ownweapons to end this.

Unfortunately, the golden mask will have to wait.

Having A Blast--------------You need to find Dante and get that mask. Killing him won't accomplish anythingas Antonio suggests. You'll have to be a bit more creative.

First, go to the yellow marker. This will reveal a general search area. You'llprobably have to wait for Dante to appear. Just have Eagle Vision on so youcan spot him when he does.

Hire some nearby Courtesans and follow him. Lock onto Dante and have themdistract him.

Eventually he'll stop and turn around. This is your chance to speed walk intohim to pickpocket the mask. With that done, it's time to crash a party like itit's 1399.

Go to the yellow marker and pass through the archway for a quick scene. Nowyou need to find Barbarigo.

Proceed to the blue marker for another quick scene. Marco Barbarigo will appearsoon enough. So will Dante though. You'll automatically become notorious soyou need to stay blended. Hire some Courtesans fast and just stay with themand wait for the timer to run out.

After that, Marco appears. Listen to Teodora's advice and use the pistol. Tryto get a lock on him. Use your Courtesans to sneak closer if you must. Onceyou're locked on, try to time the shot with the fireworks. It might not work

though, I'm not totally sure. I got in a fight anyway. If that happens, use aSmoke Bomb since there's a lot of them.

Flee and become anonymous by outrunning the guards or hiding. Make your wayback to the brothel (yellow marker) and on the way, try to get rid of yournotoriety.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 10 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac10]

Head to the marker to speak with Antonio.

An Unpleasant Turn of Events----------------------------This is nothing but a cutscene, outlining what's to come for this sequence.Doesn't get any easier, my friend.

Caged Fighter-------------Head over to the marker to search for Bartolomeo. The marker turns into a search area. He's held roughly near the center so he shouldn't be hard to find.You'll know you're in the right spot when you see the guards standing in frontof the cell.

Defeat them, then rescue Bartolomeo. More guards will attack. You'll need toprotect him so focus on the enemies attacking him first. Proceed to the yellowmarker now, sticking to the streets only. If you encounter any guards alongthe way, you'll probably get into more fights so continue protecting yourescort.

Get him to the yellow marker which is his home. A pair of guards will be

waiting for a fight. No problem at this point. After that, a scene and themission ends.

Your next mission can begin right where the last one ended but you now havemuch more of Venice open to you and there's still even one more section afterthat! Start by scaling all the viewpoints out in the east here if you arepatient enough for that.

The dark grey building in the southeast, the San Pietro Di Castello has aGLYPH you can find on the east side if you stand on the lower roof.

-[The Fourth Day]-

Your clue is about something "once worshipped". It's pretty easy to figure outif you think about it long enough. The sun! Anyway, the answers are:

o Nazca Textileo Aztec Calendar Stoneo The Eastern Gateo Sistine Chapel Ceiling Frescoo Book of the Dead

For the last part, search the sun for the object you need to find. Use theclicking noise to help you.

-----[19/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

Almost exactly north of there is a Codex Page if you can uncover it from theviewpoints. It's near a tailor shop too if that helps.

Continue sweeping up the viewpoints. There are two grey buildings adjacent toeach other in the north and a bit to the east. They're more north than east(meaning, not in the northeast corner of Venice but close). One is a viewpointbuilding. The one adjacent to it has the GLYPH. The glyph is on the top,behind the arch shaped mural. This should be the last one!

-[The Origin of the Species]-

Without a doubt this slider puzzle portion is probably the hardest. The reasonis because that so many rings are forced to move together. You'll want to startby aligning the picture correctly. Make sure the globe/earth in the center isbeing held with the hand underneath it, not to the side or anything like that.

After that, it'll take a lot of work but you can probably figure it out withenough effort. Recognize which rings move together and which can be movedalone. The way I did it was that I moved one pair of connected rings a certain

number of spaces away from being perfectly aligned. I then picked another pairthat also had one of the first pair in it and moved them back the same numberof spaces. This fixed one ring. I just kept doing this and I also had to improvise a bit but eventually I got lucky. I know you're angry for not havingmuch to go on here, but I'll try and get a concrete solution if possible.

Second part is a breeze compared to that. It really is though. You'll noticeone of the key Creed catchphrases, "Nothing is true. Everything is permitted."If you want to take that last part literally, go ahead and fiddle with thecombination. Just change the " - - - " to anything at all! Anything! Hit enterand you're done with that part.

The last part is also simple. Just place the marker over all the skeleton'sbones and it will transform. Voila! You're all done!

-----[20/20]------------------------------------------------------------------

With all of that done, go ahead and watch the unlocked video. You might be alittle confused, even a tad perturbed. That's ok. Shake it off, champ. Returnto the next mission marker.

Leave No Man Behind-------------------Head to the marker where some of Bartolomeo's mercenaries are being heldcaged like he was. Defeat the guards there easily and free them. Some will runoff, but many will join you.

Take your band of mercenaries to another location and have them attack theenemies here. There are more but the fight obviously becomes easier with help(not that you really need it at this point in the game. Free more mercenaries.Your group will get a little bigger, so head off to the third location.

Here, the group of enemies will be a little bigger, including some Brutes withspears. If you spend too much time trying to disarm guys, you'll likely losemost if not all of your mercenaries. It really won't matter too much though.Free these mercenaries once the last enemy has fallen to complete the mission.

Go back to Bartolomeo's for the next one.

Assume The Position-------------------Your goal in this mission is to attack some positions occupied by guards sothat Barbarigo's men are too busy, allowing Ezio to sneak in for the kill.

The first red marker is on your map. Lead your mercenaries to it. Remember thatthey can't climb buildings so you'll need to stick to the streets. If you

encounter any guards patrolling, they'll attack so be quick in dispatchingthem. Lead them to the target area and defeat all the enemies with theirhelp. Step into the marker when you're done. More mercenaries will occupy thearea and a new group will follow you to the next target area.

You'll encounter more patrols on the way to each destination and with Brutesin the mix, this gets troublesome. If you want to avoid losing too many mercenaries, go for the Brutes first. Remember that killing them early canmake some of the weaker enemies flee.

Once you've taken all three positions, the mission ends.

Head to the marker and you will finally get to work on ending the lives ofDante and Silvio.

Two Birds, One Blade--------------------Head to the viewpoint (yellow marker) and climb to it. If you haven't climbedthis one before, when you get to the top with all the cone-shaped structures,it might seem like there's no way up. On the south side of it though, thereare some ridges you can take to the very tippy top. Climb up the cross hereand you'll get a scene.

Bartolomeo is fighting with Dante. Dive off of the cross and straight into thewater in the canal. Make your way over to the battle. Dante will flee whenhe sees Ezio coming (that's right, run you wuss...), so help Bartolomeo bydefeating the Brutes and other enemies. You do need to watch out for hishealth but it shouldn't be too much of an issue at the moment.

Proceed north where another fight erupts. Defeat or ignore the normal enemies.Get to Dante and start whacking away at him. You can't disarm him, even when heis weak, so don't bother. Just counter, dodge and so forth until he runs awayyet again.

For this next part, you'll need to chase them. Early on, try to find a routethat will take you up to the roof. The path is pretty identifiable up here. Imight be wrong, but if you move quickly here, you could possibly double airassassinate both of them. I could be wrong though.

If/when they get to the boat, climb the crane overlooking the boat and you cantry to double air assassinate them both. If not, wait for them to split up andyou can do it to Silvio probably. Dante will come running over so you canjust as easily counter attack to kill him in one blow.

Say ciao to Sequence 10. On to Sequence 11. We're almost there, folks!

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 11 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac11]

This will begin with a little stroll with Leonardo. Walk with him and he andEzio will talk. At the end, Ezio will come to a rather startling conclusion.

At this point, the north section of Venice is at last open to you. Boy, this isa huge city! Find the first viewpoint there and scale it to see the rest. Startclimbing those too to uncover everything else.

Synchronizing the first viewpoint in northern Venice will reveal a Codex Pagevery, very close by to the east. You won't find anything else of interestthough.

Go to the next mission marker when you're done.

All Things Come To He Who Waits-------------------------------This can actually be a little tough. After the scene, you're to tail a courierwith a very "interesting" package. It's like the two stalking missions you'vedone with a small twist. The courier can run and there will be a few timeswhere he picks up his pace.

Your best bet it is to stay to the rooftops because it's quick and easy, savea few tough gaps. Avoid too much climbing when necessary, especially if thecourier starts to run. Like before, any little obstruction that blocks yourview on screen starts a timer. Manipulate the camera with the Right AnalogStick to prevent rooftops and other objects from blocking your view. Try notto let him get too far away, especially when he starts running.

If you follow him on foot, be aware that he turns around at some largeintervals in his route so stay out of sight when he stops. Try to avoid theground route since he will pass by guards on the way.

Eventually, after a long time of tracking him, he'll start climbing. You'veprobably been following him in a somewhat distant way on the rooftop. You needto follow him more directly when he starts climbing. Get right behind him andfollow because you can lose sight of him very fast.

He'll eventually get to his destination and store the package. You need to killhim and take his armor in 120 seconds. There's a ladder near the guards herethat you can take to the rooftop. You can't be detected or you'll fail so youneed to avoid getting very close to the archers.

It'll take a little more time, but take a more circular route, going counterclockwise and swing back toward the target area, so you can avoid the archers.You can drop into the canal near here and climb out (watch out for a guard whowill walk toward the canal--assassinate him when he turns his back). It'll bejust a short walk into the area where the target guard is. Assassinate him andyou'll finish the mission.

Immediately open the chest to begin the next mission.

Play Along----------You'll need to follow the guard so you can find the Spaniard at last. Carrythe chest and follow him and an entourage of guards as you walk through thecity.

The biggest challenge here is not drawing attention to yourself. You need toavoid bumping into people or else the guards will harass you way too much andyou'll lose some distance to the lead guard. This is easy to do once you knowthe trick. Whenever you see people carrying boxes, just stand still and letthem pass by you or wait for them to get out of the way or walk around them.

There will be plenty of them along the way so avoid them as best you can. It'sworth it just to not get harassed by the guards, because it's sometimes hardto resist that urge to stab them in the face. It's somewhat of a long walk butit's not too difficult.

After the scene, you finally get to have a showdown with the Spaniard, Rodrigo,the guy in the cloak. The guy you've probably been wondering about since thebeginning of the game (or longer if you watched the first Lineage video). Heis really not difficult at all. Use counters and dodges to bring his healthdown fast. Basically, at this point in the game, you really shouldn't have anytrouble fighting him.

Things get a little tougher when guards show up. You can make this part gofast by disarming them all one by one. After that, a quick scene in which yourallies show up.

Take down all the guards first. It'll be you and all your allies againstRodrigo. This makes the fight extremely easy because you can get a lot of freeshots on them with their help. Keep slashing at him and you'll eventually win.

That ends sequence 11. Sequence 12 and 13 are skipped. It's not entirely clearif this is 100% intentional or if there is perhaps a chance of DLC, but you'llbe brought right to Sequence 14.

______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ S E Q U E N C E 14 ______________________________________________________________________________ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ [ac14]

You'll be at the Villa. You might first notice that Ezio has a bit of a beardwhich is to characterize him as being much older than when the game began. Ithas been a long ride, although we've jumped around a lot too.

You might notice that the Codex room is off limits. You need all the pages toget in there. Luckily, the maps for each city will display any missing CodexPages even if you don't have the necessary viewpoints synchronized.

You need to get into the Codex Room to continue, so therefore, logically, youneed to gather the last Codex Pages. Find them and then bring them to Leonardofor decryption. He can be found in the architect room at the Villa.

Track them down if you need to and return to this room. Speak with Mario tobegin.

X Marks The Spot----------------Place the last few Codex Pages on the wall if you have not already. Selectthe option to turn on Eagle Vision by holding Triangle. You may have done thisonce before, just out of curiosity. You can see that together, the Codex Pagescreate a picture. You need to align them correctly though.

The best way to start is to align the border. Start with every outside pagealong the top, bottom, and sides. They're easy to align because each one has asmall line, like a border. Line the outside ones first, then work your way in.Already you should see it's a map of the continents. Start fiddling around withthe inside pages until the shapes make sense. If you don't automatically starta scene, you still need to mess around with them some more. Keep doing it untilyou get the scene.

If you're ready, you can proceed to Rome by talking to Mario. If you wish tomop up some unfinished business, collecting things, getting Trophies, you cando that now, or later. Either way, talk to Mario when you're ready to go toRome.

In Bocca Al Lupo----------------You'll start off in a small, enclosed spot near the water. Your climbing routehere is fixed, so you can't just go any way you want. When you get up the wallto where the beam is, you might think you can't jump to it, but you can. Keepclimbing up from there.

You'll find a few guards up here. Try to disarm the Brute spearman first, thendeal with the others easily. Operate the lever when they're down.

The two guards in the next area won't be immediately alerted. Take advantageof this by running at them and executing a double Hidden Blade kill.

Climb up the crates and barrels in the corner. Do an Advanced Wall Jump hereto get to the right balcony. Climb over and counter the guard that attacks tokill him easily. Throw the lever you find, then drop down and pass through thedoorway.

Try to get a jump on some of the guards with a Hidden Blade attack. Defeat theothers through normal combat. You can't disarm them until they're weak so justrely on counters mostly. It shouldn't be too hard.

Climb the tower to reach the marker. You'll get a quick scene. You'll startthis part on horseback but don't get used to it. As you attempt to chargethrough the enemy forces, you'll likely get knocked down. If not, you cant'cross the gap up ahead with your horse anyway.

Defeat as many enemies as necessary, then move on. After crossing the largegap, the enemies will lower the next gate. You can't make it through so don'tbother. Climb the tower instead, but you probably won't be very successfulwith that unless you defeat most or all of the enemies chasing you. Climb thetower, then sneak attack one guard and rush the other with Hidden Blade kills.

Take a Leap of Faith to reach the next section. Only a few more enemies willstand between you and the next tower. Disarm the Brute spearman and then dealwith the others. Pretty simple. Remember to keep using medicine when you needto, but I'm sure you know that very well by now.

There is no haystack directly below this next tower, so just climb down thehard way. You'll notice the two haystacks further down here though. You canhang over the side of the walls and try Ledge Assassinations, or quietly sneakinto the hay for Hiding Assassinations. Or of course, you can just charge inwith your battlecry and beat the heck out of them.

Climb the next tower and Ledge Assassinate the lone guard. Run up to the othertwo to get a Double Hidden Blade Kill. You can perform an Air Assassinationfrom this tower on the guard below. Climb the very next wall and kill theguard here quickly.

Climb to the top of this wall and you can see the area below. You can do a Double Air Assassination on the two guys below to start things off. It'll helpsince a large fight will erupt here when you land. Four Brutes and a few lowerguards comprise the attacking party. You will want to try and steal a Brute'sweapon as soon as possible since that will enable you to kill him and at leastone other enemy easily. Continue this strategy until all enemies are dead.

Climb the wall in the corner and operate the lever. This opens a door belowyou. Pass through to the next area. You need to remain undetected here. Thereare only two guards; one on the left and one ahead of you guarding the lever.Both can be assassinated easily from behind. Throw the lever and turn the corner to the next corridor.

You have a lot of places to blend in here so stay blended to ward off anysuspicious glances from the guards. Don't assassinate any guards here. It willmake the monks run away which takes away your hiding spots. No, you'll haveto go stealthy here. Just wait for the guards who walk in circles to walk pastand then move from one group of monks to the other. Keep doing this to getbehind the large group of guards in the back and reach the lever.

You'll finally find Rodrigo. Getting to him is easy enough. Cross from yourside of the chapel to the other. It's just a few hops away to reach the hangingplatform. From here, you can perform your Air Assassination. Take that!

Oh but of course, it doesn't go as planned. Rodrigo uses the staff but Eziohas the apple. A fight begins and Ezio pulls an Al Mualim (AC1) and makescopies of himself!

Rodrigo uses the staff like a spear and he also has the durability of a Brute.You can't counter him, nor can you disarm him. Your copies will not be very

aggressive but they will attack, so take advantage when they do. Other than that, dodge and attack so you can get the most out of yours strikes. Combo himand just keep the pressure on to slowly bring down Rodrigo's health.

Since standard attacking is difficult, I have received a few submitted tipsfrom readers that might make this fight easier. For one, you can try using adagger and you might land your hits more often.

You can also fling throwing knives at him and deplete his health pretty easilythat way.

__________________________________________________________________|Credit|Thanks to mccloven27 for the tip of using daggers against || | Rodrigo. || | || |Thanks to Lalkotna for the tip of using throwing knives. ||______|___________________________________________________________|

After the scene, you need to find the way to open the secret passage that Rodrigo fled in. Turn on Eagle Vision and you can see two buttons on the wallbeside it. Press these and you can make your way down. You'll find him in apit below. Approach for another scene.

Ah, a good old fashioned fist fight. Rodrigo is durable, but this isn't much ofa problem. You can't combo him at all and dodging then striking isn't effectiveeither. Countering his attacks is your best strategy so stick with that. Thisisn't very hard as Rodrigo is easy to counter. You might also find it faster tograb him and headbutt/knee him and so on repeatedly (thanks to RaggedLemur andDraconis for this). Just keep it up and the fight will end with Ezio chokinghim. Mash Square to finish it at long last.

After the scene, the doorway finally opens. Sequence 14 ends and you are givena path to a white marker. The path lights up as you walk down. Proceed insidethis chamber and step inside the marker.

You'll get a longer scene and this one will be a doozy. It'll get a bit strangeand confusing, and then it will get even more strange and confusing. Eventuallythough, the scene ends and while you're sitting there wondering, the creditsbegin to roll.

As they roll though, you'll get control of Desmond again. Follow Lucy out ofthe room and back down to the garage. The Templars are here and so is an oldfriend. Desmond, thanks to the Bleeding Effect can now finally kill. He hasthe Hidden Blade, but can get a club in a minute.

You'll be attacked by a few Templar guys. Lucy will fight too, but worry about

yourself. You can attack, dodge, counter, and disarm. Counter and Disarm willof course be the most effective moves. You might ask yourself why, if Desmond'sstory takes place in 2012, that these guys are using clubs and not guns? Goodquestion, actually. They want Desmond alive so I guess that's why.

Anyways, go ahead and beat their lights out. You don't get any HUD display butyou can still press down on the D-Pad to switch to unarmed if you want todisarm these guys. Otherwise, stick to the Hidden Blade or the club weapon.

It's an overall easy fight. Approach the truck for a scene and that's it.The credits roll again. You'll get some dialogue that throws only a few hintsat you. Just sit back and enjoy the rest.

Congratulations, you've beaten Assassin's Creed II!

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Quattro (4)| The Villa | ASSASSIN'S CREED II [acvi]+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Welcome to the Villa Auditore at Monteriggioni. You'll unlock access to thisarea during Sequence 3. It will serve as Ezio's home base or "headquarters" andwill be a very important tool to him as the game progresses. ________|Overview| |------------------------------------------------------------------[viov]----|

No source of income is as great and fruitful as the Villa, if you allow it tobe so. The second greatest is the money received from missions and after that,it is a huge drop off. The Villa, if you work hard and pour enough money intoit, the amount you receive back will increase exponentially.

To me, the Villa system reminded me a little of the Headquarter system presentin the Suikoden RPG games by Konami. The Villa's condition and looks willimprove as it increases in value. The higher the value, the more money is paidthrough taxes. The more tax money, the more that goes into Ezio's pockets.

To make money, you gotta spend money of course. You can do a lot of things toincrease the Villa's value. Some are required and near-required such ascollecting Codex Pages and buying near weapons and armor for yourself. Thesethings go into your Collections at the Villa and increase the value. You canincrease the value by renovating the shops and building a Church, Brothel,and other places. Not only will the value increase, but the shops will give you

a special discount on their goods.

Well let's get a little more in-depth on the Villa. From the entrance, theDoctor, Blacksmith, Tailor, and Art Merchant are all very close. Up from thereis the actual mansion.

Architect & Claudia-------------------The southeast room on the first floor might as well be called the "money room".This is where Claudia will let Ezio look at the Villa's value and what ismaking it money, what needs to be collected to get even more value, and so on.Behind her is the chest if you want to collect your money and not look at thebook. Also in that room is the architect who will take money from Ezio to spendon renovating places in the Villa.

Codex Room----------The northeast room is the Codex Room. Here is where Ezio can place the CodexPages he has received. Codex Pages can only be placed on the wall when theyare decrypted first by Leonardo Da Vinci. Eventually, Uncle Mario will open asecret entrance that leads to...

Sanctuary---------This is a secret room downstairs from the Codex Room. In here is the Armor ofAltair, hidden behind bars. To open the way to the armor, the player mustretrieve all six seals from the Assassin's Tombs.

Weapon and Armor Gallery------------------------These two rooms on the west side of the first floor contain replicas of theweapons and armor that Ezio has purchased. Items that Ezio is currently usingare replaced in the gallery by imitations. You can exchange weapons and armorby interacting with them in the gallery. The other room has his armor and replicas of some important vehicles he has used.

Art Gallery-----------The Art gallery takes up the west rooms of the second floor and is directlyabove the Weapon and Armor gallery. Here is where paintings that Ezio haspurchased are placed. Art is also hung in the main room on the second floorwalls. You can go up to any piece of art and interact to learn more about it.

Front Courtyard---------------In the front of the mansion is a training center run by Uncle Mario's

mercenaries. Aside from some required training sessions, you can come back hereany time and pay for special training which will unlock new skills and weapons.

Back Courtyard--------------Behind the mansion is a courtyard where there are four pedestals. Each has roomfor two statuettes. The statuettes are hidden on the Villa grounds somewhere.Collect them and place them in the correct pedestals.

Maria's Room------------On the second floor, southwest corner is where Maria can be found, perpetuallyin a kneeling position. Behind her is a chest where you can leave feathers youhave collected.

Attic-----If you go down the hall from Maria's room and then make a left, you'll find aladder eventually. Climb this to reach the attic where portrats of Ezio'stargets are stored as he takes down each one.

Income------The income that the Villa makes is determined by its overall value. Thisoverall value is represented by a number that increases each time you addsomething or renovate something. Value can never decrease, it can only stay thesame and increase. All the possible sources of income are categorized on theSummary part of Claudia's book:

o Shops - All shops are fully renovatedo Renovations - All town renovations are addedo Collections - Collectible itemso Equipment - Weapons and Armor gathered

Each of these has a monetary value and all those are added up to make up yourincome. Your income is accrued once every 20 minutes. This time cannot bechanged. Improve any of the above categories and your income will increase.

_____|Shops| |------------------------------------------------------------------[visp]----|

There are five shops in the Villa. Four you can access freely at any time likeother shops. There is a Doctor, Art Merchant, Blacksmith and Tailor at theVilla. There is also the bank which you can't do anything with. The Blacksmithand the Doctor are the only two available at the beginning.

The shops need renovations and they have 3 levels. Each level of renovation ismore expensive obviously, but it will further increase the Villa's value andtherefore, your income. You also get special discounts on their wares when youshop here.

Here is a list of the shops and how much each renovation costs. After that, youhave the value of each shop when fully renovated in regards to your income.

____________________________________________________________________|Shop |1st Renovation|2nd Renovation|3rd Renovation|Max Value||-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------||Art Merchant |1000 |5000 |8000 |10500 ||-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------||Bank |1500 |5000 |9000 |15500 ||-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------||Blacksmith |N/A |7000 |12000 |14750 ||-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------||Doctor |N/A |3000 |5000 |6750 ||-------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|---------||Tailor |1000 |2500 |5000 |6500 |'--------------------------------------------------------------------'

___________|Renovations||------------------------------------------------------------------[virn]----|

Renovating is how you will increase the Villa's value for the most part. Whenchoosing a shop or place, read the description. If you see that a renovationwill "greatly increase" the value, then go for that one as it will mean abigger income boost. ________________________|Renovations |Cost ||------------------|-----||Brothel |3000 ||------------------|-----||Mines |4000 ||------------------|-----||Church |4000 ||------------------|-----||Military Barracks |3000 ||------------------|-----||Thieves Guild |3000 ||------------------|-----|

|Well |4000 |'------------------------'

_________________________|Collections and Equipment||------------------------------------------------------------------[vicl]----|

Things Ezio collects will also add value to the Villa. Buying armor and weaponswill do it, as will placing new Codex Pages on the wall, seals in the sanctuaryand adding feathers to the chest. Completing an entire collection of somethinggives you some bonuses too.

For Codex Pages, you can find most of them mentioned in the walkthrough, andthey're not really hard to find and you're required to get them all anyway soI'm not listing them again.

Feathers I will not be making a list for either so unfortunately, you're onyour own there. Try looking up some maps online to help you out though. I can'tlink to any here because I don't own the ones made by the websites that havethem and I'm not really skilled enough to make my own. Also remember that it'seasier to find feathers at night and with Eagle Vision on.

The models are the models of Leonardo's carriage and his flying machine. Youwill get these automatically just by progressing far enough through the game.

Seals are the ones you get from the Assassin's Tombs.

Buy paintings from each city. Florence, Tuscany, Forli and Venice all havetheir own paintings.

You'll obtain portraits of Ezio's targets just by progressing through thegame. Note that one is a group portrait so nine is not the number of targets.

______________________________________________________|Collection |Value per |Max Value ||--------------------------------|----------|----------||30/30 Codex Pages |5 |150 ||--------------------------------|----------|----------||100/100 Feathers |10 |1000 ||--------------------------------|----------|----------||2/2 Models |80 |160 ||--------------------------------|----------|----------||6/6 Seals |25 |150 ||--------------------------------|----------|----------||30/30 Paintings |Varies |3600 |

|--------------------------------|----------|----------||9/9 Portraits of Ezio's Targets |50 |450 |'------------------------------------------------------'

___________________________________________|Bonus |Value ||------------------------------------|------||All Codex Pages on the wall |1000 ||------------------------------------|------||All feathers deposited in the chest | ||------------------------------------|------||All models collected |1000 ||------------------------------------|------||All seals returned to the vault |2000 ||------------------------------------|------||All paintings purchased |3000 ||------------------------------------|------||All portraits of targets collected |1000 |'-------------------------------------------'

Equipment ___________________________________|Equipment |Max Value ||------------------------|----------||22/22 Weapons |10850 ||------------------------|----------||4/4 Leather Armor |460 ||------------------------|----------||4/4 Helmschmied Armor |1255 ||------------------------|----------||4/4 Metal Armor |2135 ||------------------------|----------||4/4 Missaglias Armor |3790 ||------------------------|----------||4/4 Armor of Altair |3500 |'-----------------------------------'

___________________________________________|Bonus |Value ||------------------------------------|------||All weapons collected |2000 ||------------------------------------|------||Leather Armor set completed |1000 ||------------------------------------|------||Helmschmied Armor set completed |1000 ||------------------------------------|------|

|Metal Armor set completed |1500 ||------------------------------------|------||Missaglias Armor set completed |1500 |'-------------------------------------------'

__________|Statuettes||------------------------------------------------------------------[vist]----|

The statuettes are located around the town at Monteriggioni and are placedon pedestals in the back courtyard of the Villa mansion. Collecting all eightgets you the "Myth Maker" trophy.

Locating them is not too hard. They're small but they stand out, flashingwhite. They are even more noticeable with Eagle Vision on and especially atnighttime.

Start near the Blacksmith shop. Go east from there to find an open area witha cart of hay in the middle. Just near there should be a bench and beyond that,is where you'll find the NEPTUNE STATUETTE on the wall.

Look at your map and notice that the Blacksmith and Tailor and Art shops areall part of the same structure. Well go to the bottom right of this structure and climb up the slanted roof to find the MINERVA STATUETTE.

The church is at the southwest part of the town. Climb it's east wall and climbthe circular window to reach the ledge holding the JUPITER STATUETTE.

If you go to the building that has the Doctor's office in it, search the wallon the inside corner of this structure and you should find the DIANA STATUETTEon a pedestal in front of a window.

In the southwest corner of the town, there is a building just north of theBrothel. It should have a smoking chimney. Here is where you can find theAPOLLO STATUETTE.

Go to the training center and face the mansion. Go up the left stairs and thenimmediately turn left. The MARS STATUETTE is on the wall.

On the opposite side (take the right stairs up and turn right from the trainingcenter), you should find the PLUTO STATUETTE.

Go further west away from the training center until you hit the west wall. Youshould only need to go a few steps north to find some scaffolding. Climb thisand you'll easily locate the VENUS STATUETTE.

With all of them in hand, you get the "Myth Maker" Trophy. That's not allthough. Place the correct pairs of statuettes on each pedestal and they eachopen up reveal a reward of 2000 florins each! Schwing!

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Cinque (5)| Extras | ASSASSIN'S CREED II [exra]+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Here are a few extra supporting sections for additional help on the game. Youwill find all the Glyph locations and solutions which were in the walkthroughbundled up together right here for quicker reference. Trophy/Achievement infocan be found here too, along with some tips on those.

+------------------------------------+ Glyph Locations and Puzzle Solutions [exgp]+------------------------------------+Glyphs are strange designs and symbols that can be found on important buildingsin Assassin's Creed II's cities. From what I understand they do not reallyexist in Ezio's time, and are rather, "glitches" in the Animus that were leftbehind by Subject 16.

Each glyph has a piece of a secret video file locked away inside. Solving all20 puzzles gets you the full video, called The Truth.

Finding a Glyph is as easy as finding a building that has one and finding itin Eagle Vision. Getting close will scan it and add it to your Database. Fromthat point, the puzzle is always stored so even if you don't solve it now,you can access it from the Database any time. This means you do not have to return to the Glyph once you've scanned it.

For the most part, all Glyphs are located on buildings that appear dark greyon your map. Approaching an important building often yields a prompt for aDatabase entry. If you see red symbol that looks like an eye on the picture,that means there is a Glyph there.

Florence Glyphs---------------

Building: La Rosa ColtaDescription: A building a bit to the northeast. Located directly northeast ofthe first Assassin's Tomb. It's where you meet Paola early in the gameLocation: The glyph is on the top of the roof

Building: Santa CroceDescription: A bit to the east. It's the building where Uberto is assassinated

in. Location: The north side of the building, it's on a wall accessible from thelower part of the roof.

Building: Mercato VecchioDescription: The square shaped grey area toward the west. Looks like a plazaarea with a lot of columns and stuff. Location: North of the "inner square" area, there is a building with a sub-roofwhere a window is. It's hard to describe but if you look to the side where thiswindow is with Eagle Vision on, you'll see it.

Building: San LorenzoDescription: A large building north and a little west. It has a few domes andcrosses on each. Location: The glyph is on the northwest part of the building where there is atower near a dome. The glyph is on the tower, on the side facing the rest ofthe building.

Building: Ospedale Degli InnocentiDescription: This is the only dark grey building (on your map) in the northeastcorner of Florence. Location: The rooftop surrounds a courtyard in a square shape. On the easternpart of the roof there are two pieces that jut out with windows and such and achimney between them. The glyph is on the side of one of these.

Monteriggioni Glyphs--------------------

Building: Villa MansionDescription: Pretty simple actually. It's the main building, the mansion of theVilla.Location: When facing the mansion entrance, climb the front wall and go to thetop left.

Tuscany Glyphs--------------

Building: Torri Del SalvucciDescription: Two towers located very close to each other. They're near anothertower that has a walkway (Maffei's tower), pretty close to the center of thecity. Location: Between the two towers that are very close to each other is a smallpatch of rooftop. Climb up here and the glyph is on the side of one of thetowers

Building: Torre Del Diavolo

Description: This is a tower in the center of the city, maybe a bit north. Itis recognizable by the small ledges jutting out from the top on each side. Location: The glyph is located at the top of the tower

Building: Monte Oliveto MaggioreDescription: The abbey located in the far southeast of the map. You get anassassination mission here. Location: The glyph is on the east side of the tower sticking up from themain building. It's right where the tower meets the rooftop

Building: Santa Maria AssuntaDescription: The dark grey building (on your map) right in the center of thecity. Location: In the middle of this structure is a small square-shaped courtyardwith a tree. Drop down here and the glyph is a bit northwest, behind somecolumns.

Building: Antico Teatro RomanoDescription: This is the "stage" like area made of stone to the southwest ofthe city. You will go here for the last mission of Sequence 5 but if you don'tget it before that you automatically leave Tuscany when the sequence is over.Location: The glyph is under a bridge on the southeast side of these grounds

Forli Glyphs------------

Building: Abbazia Di San MercurialeDescription: A church building with a really tall viewpoint tower. A littlenorth of the center of the city.Location: On the west part of this structure are four walls that surround asmall courtyard in a square shape, an the walls have a bunch of columns. Theglyph is on the inner part of the west column wall.

Building: Avamposto VenezianoDescription: The only major building in the far northeast corner of the map,near the dock area. There's a viewpoint tower here too.Location: Go to the viewpoint tower and climb the third beam to a ledge thatyou can shimmy all the way around. Shimmy to the north side of the tower andyou should find it.

Venice Glyphs-------------

Building: Ponte Di RialtoDescription: The large bridge that is a bit east of the center of Venice

Location: The glyph is underneath the east end of the bridge, just above thewater

Building: San Giacomo Di RialtoDescription: The small building near the Ponte Di RialtoLocation: On the roof of this building is a statue. The glyph is on a wallbelow the statue

Building: Gilda Dei Ladri Di VeneziaDescription: This is the place where Antonio makes his home, in the northwestLocation: Climb the adjacent (north) wall from Antonio's door and there is awall up here near the roof with the glyph on it

Building: Campanile Di San MarcoDescription: The tall brick tower near the Basilica Di San Marco, in the southeast Location: Climb the tower until you get to a platform near the top. The glyphis on the floor of this platform

Building: Torre Dell 'OrologioDescription: The "wall" like structure that surrounds the Basilica Di San Marcoparticuarly to the north of it. Location: Below this wall (again, north of the Basilica) are the two bridges.Right above where these are, there is a white tower-like structure on the wallwith a railing. Climb up here and the glyph is on the floor.

Building: San Pietro Di CastelloDescription: Building in the far southeast district of Venice; also has a viewpointLocation: On the east side of the building, just below the top roof

Building: Scuola Granda Di San MarcoDescription: A building that is off toward the northeast (but not the verynortheast corner) of Venice. It has a blue roof and is right next to anotherbuilding that also appears dark grey (on your map). Location: On the building with the blue roof, there is a wall with some muralson it and on the other side is where you'll find the glyph.

Puzzle Solutions----------------The puzzles go in a predetermined order. It doesn't matter which glyph you do,the next puzzle will always be the one that's supposed to be next. As mentionedabove, the puzzles don't have to be solved immediately.

The puzzles come in a few categories. Sometimes there are 10 photos and a clue

connecting five of them that you must pick out. Others have photos where you must search for a secret. There are slider puzzles which are jumbled pictureson rotating rings that need to be aligned properly. Marker puzzles are thesimplest, usually having you place the cursor over the objects on screen. Thenthere are combination puzzles, having you crack a code.

Below is a list of each puzzle. When possible, I'll try and help you in tryingto figure it out. I encourage you to wrestle with each puzzle yourself and seehow good you can do, because it's more satisfying that way. The solutions aregiven when applicable for those who are stuck.

===============================================================================1) In The Beginning

"Five of these mythic scenes share a CORE similarity. PICK them out and you'llbegin to see."

The two clue words should tell you what you need to look for. You have 10paintings and there is a common thread that binds them. Pay attention to theclue words and look at each picture carefully.

Solution: The thread that binds the pictures is the apple. Thus, the picturesyou want are:

o Judgement of Pariso Atlanta and Hippomeneso Hercules in the Garden of the Hesperides o The Fallo Idun and the Apples===============================================================================2) Sixty-Four Squares

This is the first of the slider puzzles and it is by far the easiest. You canselect each individual ring and change your selection by using the D-Pad. Rotate each one to align the pictures. You have three to work on. For bestresults, start with the most recognizable features like heads and faces andwork your way from there. ===============================================================================3) Descendants

You are given three pictures, one after another. You have the option to turn oninfrared in each one. This will make the Piece of Eden you are looking for ineach more identifiable.

Solution:o Picture 1: Near FDR's outstretched hando Picture 2: Also near Houdini's hando Picture 3: Two-thirds up Gandhi's staff===============================================================================4) Infinite Knowledge

You are given four pictures and you need to search each one for the Piece ofEden. You are given a small search frame to scroll along each picture. Findingthem is fairly easy until you get to the third one.

Solution:o Picture 1: Inside the mouth of the soldier's bazookao Picture 2: On the helmet of the soldier in the backgroundo Picture 3: On one of the bayonets a little bit right of the centero Picture 4: Inside the fireball held by the top-right creature===============================================================================5) Instruments of Power

The first clue is "The Power they wielded CUT down their enemies." You have tenpaintings and need to select five. You need to look for paintings depicting asword, as the clue suggests. A sword though; anything else will not suffice sothat leaves out Alexander The Great.

Solution:

o Perseuso Atilla the Huno Sigmundo King Arthuro Joan of Arc

Part 2 has the clue, "In their hands, the wise LEAN on a great force." You'relooking for pictures with a staff in them this time.

Solution:

o John the Baptisto Alexander The Greato Shabatakao Petero Moses

===============================================================================6) Brothers

You have four slider pictures. These ones are a bit tougher than the ones inthe original, because some rings move together. So moving one will move anothersometimes. Your strategy should be to find which of a joined pair can also bemoved alone. Move the OTHER one until it's properly aligned then move the otherby itself to fix it.

The center is fixed for some of the puzzles so you need to align the ringsaround them. In the second one, one outer ring and the inner ring move togetherbut the inner one can also be moved by itself.

The last one is more difficult because there are two pairs of rings that moveat the same time. It's also black and white which makes it a little harder todiscern. Focus on aligning body parts and then fixing misaligned rings that canbe moved by themselves. ===============================================================================7) Keep on Seeking, And You Will Find

The clue is, "First plucked from a tree guarded by a snake, its powers performmiracles. Then, worn across the ages, torn asunder, hidden under a sea of RED,reconstruct the timeline.

10 paintings. The clue word is red so you should focus on paintings that goalong with that theme.

Solution:

o Josepho Jasono Jesus Christo David and Goliatho Christ Disrobed

For part two, you see a picture of Jesus on the cross. You get a beeping thatindicates how close you are to the thing you need to find. The faster it beeps,the closer you are.

Solution: It is toward the bottom right, a little bit away from Jesus' leftleg. There is a red object with a smaller object in gold inside. Focus on thatand scan it. ===============================================================================

8) Martyrs

You get a few photos to scan again. Like before, trust the beeping and payattention to when it beeps more rapidly to try and find the Piece of Eden ineach one.

Solution:

o The piece of Eden is the staff, but you need to scan it like a little bitmore than halfway upo For the Joan of Arc picture, the Piece of Eden is the sword, so scan thesword near Joan's left thigh.

The next part gives you a map of Europe with some pictures. First place thecursor on the flame and bring it to the Joan of Arc picture. Then grab themiddle guy, Rasputin, and put him over near the third guy===============================================================================9) Hat-Trick

You start with two successive pictures to scan again. Again you have a soundto guide you as you scan for the Pieces of Eden.

Solution:

o On the Houdini picture, it's on the left side of his torsoo For Gandhi, it's on his chest

The last part is a new type of puzzle. You get some pictures and two coloredsliders with numbers. You have to use these to input a combination in themiddle.

You're given the grey half of the combination, the numbers 867. 867 on thegrey wheel correpsond to numbers on the red wheel. You need to figure it outand put in the correct red numbers to solve this puzzle.

Start by looking for an important clue amongst the pictures. You should see"6=1". Use R2 to align the wheels so that 6 on the grey wheel is aligned with1 on the red wheel. All the other numbers are aligned in certain ways now. Putin the red counterpart numbers to 867 to solve the puzzle.

Solution: 312===============================================================================10) Apollo

You start off with a picture of the moon. You are told to find the "Eagle".That's actually a moon lander. You can find it out in space, a little to theleft of the edge of the moon. Find it and scan it.

You get a slider puzzle, but this one is different. To solve this one, youneed to align all the rings so that all the gaps in them are aligned. The bestway to do this is to focus on the part of each ring that has two gaps side byside. Try to align this part in every ring. Pay attention to which rings movetogether and which of those can be moved alone so you can fix any changes youmake. Also make sure that they all align with the white center.

Finally, you get a picture of the moon landing. The Piece of Eden is located onthe moon's surface, to the left of the flag. ===============================================================================11) The Inventors

You start off with a map. Take the electricity cursor and place it on each ofthe lightbulbs.

For the next part, you get a picture. You have no help on this one really soyou have to search it the hard way. You can find this solution a little abovethe door.

For the final picture, you might also be hard pressed to find what you'relooking for. Focus on the character in the center and the object in his lapand scan that. ===============================================================================12) Titans of Industry

You'll begin with another combination puzzle. The clue is a bit harder tofind, but you should see it in the bottom left as "4=1". Align the wheels andinput the rest of the numbers to crack the code.

Solution: 240

For the next part, you get a picture of a guy holding a glowing object. I'mtold that it's Mark Twain. ID the glowing object for this to be done.

Finally, you get a second combination puzzle. This one doesn't have numbers onthe red wheel. They are some sort of code and you'll have to work a bit harderto figure this one. There's a clue but it's not as obvious. In the picturewith the car, you'll see a "2", and in the news article, you'll see the "||.."from the red wheel.

You'll see that the symbols you need are missing from the red wheel. Get usedto this predicament. You should be able to see a pattern with the symbols andif you mess around with the combination you can see that pattern.

Solution:

o 1 = "||."o 3 = "|||"o 9 - "|.."===============================================================================13) I am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds

Yet another combination to crack. The pictures will tell you that triangle isequal to 9. You again need to discern a pattern as the others you need aremissing. If you flip the combination possibilities though, you can see themissing symbols and they go in the same order as those on the wheel, so fillingin the blanks should be simple.

Solution:

o 5 = two squares and a circleo 2 = circleo 9 = triangle===============================================================================14) Bloodlines

This is simple enough. You get ten pictures and got to select the correctfive again. The clue speaks about "seeds being planted" which therefore meanssex and "two worlds" which means two different species (gods, humans, etc). Soknowing that, the pattern should be easy to see in some of these.

Solution:

o Jupiter and Loo Danae visited by Zeuso Cupid and Psycheo Leda and the Swano Rape of Europa===============================================================================15) Guardians

Guardians starts off with one of those old slider picture puzzles. This shouldnot be terribly difficult by now. Just remember to fix any mistakes you make

by moving rings that were moved by others. Align helpful pieces like faces andso on to make it easier. ===============================================================================16) The Cavalry

You get a map with a bunch of location names on it, many of which don't evenexist on the map you're given like Alaska. You need to place the cursor on thecorrect location to solve this. If you touch the wrong one, some of them getjumbled around.

Solution: Tunguska

For the second grab the staff/sword and stab it through the picture. ===============================================================================17) The Bunker

This is one of the harder combination puzzles. Your clues can just barely beseen in the pictures. There's the < symbol in one, and a 4 lingering betweensome others. Line these up on the two wheels.

You need to find the symbols on the red wheel that correspond to the code onthe grey wheel, 791. Discerning a pattern here is really tough though. Shaun'shint doesn't give anything away, but might steer your brain in the rightdirection. The symbols all have angles, and each one on the code wheel, goingin a clockwise direction, has one more angle than the last symbol. So you seeO has none. The < has one. Do you see?

So if you count each symbol going clockwise until you get the one missing (thatlines up with 7 on the grey wheel) you would need a symbol that has fiveangles. Flip through the symbols on the combination until you find one that hasfive angles. Nine is provided for you as the bowtie shape so you just need 1.If you keep counting like you were, you should be able to figure out that theone you need for 1 should have eight angles.

Solution:

o 7 = the upside down and tilted "e" shapeo 9 = bowtie shapeo 1 = the small diamond inside a bigger diamond

Last, you're given a picture of a building and you need to scan for something.You're looking for the Assassin symbol which you should be fairly familiarwith.

Solution: The Assassin's symbol is located in the upper right corner of the2nd floor area of the building. You can see that it is almost partially coveredby the branches of the tree in the picture. ===============================================================================18) Synapses

Another tricky one. Shaun can give you a helpful hint that will make this a loteasier. The symbols on the red wheel are Sumerian. The symbol that is shapedlike a tree or a glass is a 1. The arrow "<" or boomerang shape is equal to 10.

You'll see the hint for this puzzle in the bottom right where there is apicture with a series of CAT scans. One of them has a 5 and between two othersis that tree shape.

Ok, so let's summarize so far:

|KEY|

Let T = "tree shape" symbolLet < = arrow shape symbol

T = 1< = 10

The numbers you're given are 603. Line up 5 and T (tree shape) on the codewheels. 6 will be provided to you as TTT. The other two are absent. The answersare not in the wheel or anywhere except one other interesting picture.

In the bottom left is a red picture with yellow numbers. The sequence is asfollows:

T + 2 + 6 + 2 + 1 + 5 + 3 + 5 + 6 + 4

The sum of consecutive numbers in this sequence are equal to the value givenfrom the symbols on the code wheel. If you treat the numbers above as "spaces"and move a certain amount from left to right, add up those numbers and you'llget the value of the same symbol on the red code wheel if you moved the samenumber of spaces there clockwise.

It sounds really confusing I know, but here is an example:

Keep in mind the number sequence. The T is a 1 remember? That's our startingspot so let's say we move one space. Add up T + 2. T + 2 = 3. Now "move" thesame number of "spaces" on the red code wheel going clockwise. T is yourstarting point as well here. You go from T, to TTT. TTT is really 1+1+1 which

is three. Well, what do you know, that's the same as the picture!

In this case, count how many "spaces" you go from T to get to the first blankspace on the red code wheel. It's five spaces. Now, go to the number sequenceand "move" five spaces from your starting spot and add all of it up. You'll addT + 2 + 6 + 2 + 1 + 5. That equals 17. Make a 17 using the symbols and thatshould look like one < and seven T's.

To figure out the last one, move three spaces from the first blank space on thecode wheel to the second one. Now reference the number sequence again and fromwhere you left off at 17, add up the next three numbers, 17 + 3 + 5 + 6 andthat is 31. Make a 31 with the symbols which is three <'s and one T.

It's confusing yes but it's extremely easy once you grasp this trick. Try tofigure it out for yourself. I've provided the walkthrough and the answers arelisted above but if you want to cut right to the chase and don't care forusing your brain, keep on reading.

Solution: 6 = TTT 0 = <TTT 3 = <<<T TTT T

===============================================================================19) The Fourth Day

"Once worshipped, now ignored, from a distance it watches and waits."

This is the clue you're given. It might seem a bit vague, but if you look atthe pictures you're given, it might become more obvious. What do all thesepictures have in common, something that was once worshipped in ancientcultures? Think Egypt and Aztec, and other cultures. It should come to you.

Solution: The sun! That was what was once worshipped. Therefore you want:

o Nazca Textileo Aztec Calendar Stoneo The Eastern Gateo Book of the Deado Sistine Chapel Ceiling Fresco

You get a picture of the sun for the last part. This can take a moment, but youget a sound to help you out as you search around for the item you're lookingfor. It should be a little to the left and below the center.

===============================================================================20) The Origin of the Species

This is a difficult slider puzzle. Start by aligning it vertically with the hand that is holding the earth being underneath it and the characters on thesides vertically upright.

There are two rings here that can be moved independently. So whenever these getmoved around by the others, go back and fix them. This one can take a while sojust stick with it.

For the next part, look at the eye in the sun and ID that to move on.

The third part looks like another combination puzzle. You might be going "Ohgreat..." but this is surprisingly simple. You are given a very important clue,the Creed saying, "Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." Going by thatlogic, if you replace the "-" symbols with anything at all, you can put that inas your code.

The last part gives you a skeleton. Move the cursor over all the joints to makeit transform and finish this and all of the glyph puzzles.

+-------------------------------+ Weapon, Art, and Clothes Lists [exli]+-------------------------------+Here I'll list the available weapons, armors, art, and tailor items availablefor purchase in the game. I'll put these in some tables along with the stats.I would like to put in prices for these too but I can't do that at the presenttime.

[WEAPONS]

The weapons available in the game vary from swords to clubs. There are alsoweapons like axes you can take from enemies. The weapons have three importantstats: Damage (self explanatory), Speed (speed of attacks), and Deflect (howwell the weapon guards against attacks). These stats are represented by thestar shaped icons that appear when looking at weapons and armor. The max valueis +5 so when you see a weapon that has Deflect 5, that means it has the mostDeflect. Compare the weapons and their stats in the tables below.

_______________________________________________|S |Name |Damage|Speed|Deflect ||W |--------------------|------|-----|--------||O |Common Sword |1 |2 |2 ||R |--------------------|------|-----|--------|

|D |Captain's Sword |2 |4 |3 ||S |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Milanese Sword |3 |5 |3 || |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Schianova |4 |5 |4 || |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Sword of Altair * |5 |5 |5 || |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Old Syrian Sword |1 |2 |3 || |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Venetian Falchion |1 |3 |1 || |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Florentine Flachion |2 |3 |4 || |--------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Scimitar |3 |3 |5 |'-----------------------------------------------'

* The Sword of Altair can only be purchased at the Villa Blacksmith

_________________________________________________|H |Name |Damage|Speed|Deflect ||A |----------------------|------|-----|--------||M |Mercenario War Hammer |1 |1 |3 ||M |----------------------|------|-----|--------||E |Condottiero War Hammer|5 |3 |4 ||R |----------------------|------|-----|--------||S |Maul |2 |1 |2 || |----------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Flanged Mace |3 |3 |3 || |----------------------|------|-----|--------|| |Cavalieri Mace |4 |2 |2 |'-------------------------------------------------'

* You unlock the Condottiero War Hammer for collecting 50 out of 100 feathers.

____________________________________________________|S |Name |Damage|Speed|Deflect ||P |-------------------------|------|-----|--------||E |Maria Thorpe's Longsword |1 |3 |3 ||C |-------------------------|------|-----|--------||. |Fredrick's Hammer |2 |2 |2 || |-------------------------|------|-----|--------||W |Mace of the Bull |2 |2 |5 ||E |-------------------------|------|-----|--------|

|A |Dark Oracle's Bone Dagger|2 |4 |4 ||P |-------------------------|------|-----|--------||O |Twins' Rapier |2 |5 |3 ||N |-------------------------|------|-----|--------||S |Bouchart's Blade |2 |5 |5 |'----------------------------------------------------'

You unlock these weapons for snycing your game with the PlayStation Portabletitle, Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines. See the connectivity section for moredetails.

[ARMOR]

Like weapons, Armor is also purchased from the Blacksmith. And like weapons,there are some stats to take note of. Armor increases your resistance againstattacks (Resist) and also increases your health by a certain number of squares.Each armor piece type has the same exact resistance as its counterparts. Thismeans that Leather Vambraces, Metal Vambraces, and even the Vambraces of Altairall have the same exact resistance. Same goes for Chest Guards and Greaves andSpaulders. So really, the only stat you need to concern yourself with isHealth Added.

_________________________________________|L |Armor Piece |Health Added||E |-----------------------|------------||A |Leather Spaulders |+1 ||T |-----------------------|------------||H |Leather Chest Guard |+2 ||E |-----------------------|------------||R |Leather Vambraces |+1 || |-----------------------|------------|| |Leather Greaves |+1 || |-----------------------|------------|| |TOTAL |+5 |'-----------------------------------------'

_________________________________________|H |Armor Piece |Health Added||E |-----------------------|------------||L |Helmschmied Spaulders |+2 ||M |-----------------------|------------||S |Helmschmied Chest Guard|+3 ||C |-----------------------|------------||H |Helmschmied Vambraces |+1 |

|M |-----------------------|------------||I |Helmschmmied Greaves |+2 ||E |-----------------------|------------||D |TOTAL |+8 |'-----------------------------------------'

_________________________________________|M |Armor Piece |Health Added||E |-----------------------|------------||T |Metal Spaulders |+3 ||A |-----------------------|------------||L |Metal Chest Guard |+4 || |-----------------------|------------|| |Metal Vambraces |+2 || |-----------------------|------------|| |Metal Greaves |+2 || |-----------------------|------------|| |TOTAL |+11 |'-----------------------------------------'

_________________________________________|M |Armor Piece |Health Added||I |-----------------------|------------||S |Missaglias Spaulders |+4 ||S |-----------------------|------------||A |Missaglias Chest Guard |+5 ||G |-----------------------|------------||L |Missaglias Vambraces |+3 ||I |-----------------------|------------||A |Missaglias Greaves |+3 ||S |-----------------------|------------|| |TOTAL |+15 |'-----------------------------------------'

_________________________________________|A |Armor Piece |Health Added||L |-----------------------|------------||T |Spaulders of Altair |+4 ||A |-----------------------|------------||I |Chest Guard of Altair |+6 ||R |-----------------------|------------|| |Vambraces of Altair |+2 || |-----------------------|------------|

| |Greaves of Altair |+3 || |-----------------------|------------|| |TOTAL |+15 |'-----------------------------------------'

So you might be wondering what makes the Armor of Altair so special when itgives the same exact total health bonus as the Missaglias armor. Well besidesbeing totally cool looking, the Armor of Altair NEVER wears or breaks. Thismeans that never will you need to repair the Armor of Altair. How's that forvalue?

+------------------------+ Assassination Contracts [exas]+------------------------+These are side missions you can take on after progressing far enough into a city. They are taken from the pigeon coops around the cities. For the mostpart, they are quick and simple missions, but some get a bit more difficult. I won't really put down too much strategy for these, unless necessary.

[FLORENCE CONTRACTS]

A Day At The Market-------------------You have a target who is somewhere on the far southeast side of Florence. Gothere and you'll see the search area. He should be located near an art shop,in a small corridor. Not too many guards around here either so it's an easykill.

Fallen Archers--------------Three archers should be posted near the far south side of Florence. They're abit spaced out but not too difficult to find. You can perform AirAssassinations on some of them.

Political Suicide-----------------A tiny bit trickier. Your target is in an alcove to the north. Both sides areprotected by guards. There are thieves on a rooftop nearby, Courtesans downthe street, and Mercenaries on the other side so take your pick. Mercenarieswill distract both sets of guards, which can help if your target faces onedirection, you can slip around the other side and attack from behind.

Caveat Emptor

-------------Your target is off to the west. Finding him can be a bit tricky. He should bejust a little west of the furthest west dark grey building. Remember to keepEagle Vision on and you should probably search on the street rather than therooftops.

He has a Seeker guarding him. This part seems to scream out for the PoisonBlade but from what I've seen, it won't work. Go figure. Such an awesome weaponand it barely works. You should therefore attempt to pull the guard away,either with the nearby thieves, or some Courtesans. After that, you should haveno trouble taking him down.

Meeting Adjourned-----------------This starts out like the few missions where you had to follow someone. Thisguy sort of speed walks though, so make sure you keep up with him. Stay on therooftops, and make sure nothing obstructs your view to keep the timer fromgetting in the way.

It should be a fairly easy trip to his meeting place. There you'll see a wholebunch of targets and several Brutes. You might be able to experiment a bithere, trying to get inside and Poison Blade some of the guards, though Iimagine this is pretty hard. You can just hire the nearby Courtesans and lurethe front guards away, then sort of try to have them follow you inside, andthey should lure all of the others away. Go inside, deploy a Smoke Bomb, andstart killing them all one by one.

Needle In a Haystack--------------------Pretty easy. Find the target off toward the northwest. There might be a lot ofguards in the area, so have the Courtesans deal with them if necessary. Climbthe wall and do an Air Assassination on him. Try to do it from an angle sinceyou might hit the roof above him if you go straight on.

Peacekeeper-----------Some people have trouble with this one. You must go to the area on the farsoutheast side of Florence and locate the 10 Brutes. You have to kill them allwithin one minute and the timer starts as soon as the first one is killed.

An easy way to do this is to approach them when they're all together and deploya Smoke Bomb and start assassinating them with the Hidden Blade, trying to gettwo at once when possible, then finish off the rest with Disarms or HiddenBlade counters. Some have reported that the game froze on them when they didthis though. It never has for me, but if it happens or if you're worried, thenstart by assassinating two. From there on, just counter each Brute with the

Hidden Blades for easy kills.

MORE TO COME

+----------------------------------------------+ Connectivity with Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines [exbl]+----------------------------------------------+If you own Assassin's Creed II for the PlayStation 3, you can sync it up witha copy of Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines for the PlayStation Portable system.Syncing them allows you to unlock some unique weapons in ACII, and it givesyou some bonuses in Bloodlines.

To sync the games, turn on your PS3 and start up ACII. Go to the main menu andgo to Extras and select Connectivity. Now, turn on your PSP and start upAC: Bloodlines. Connect the PSP to the PS3 by using a USB cable. On Bloodlines,at the Memory Select menu, go to Upgrades at the bottom, then select Connectat the bottom left. The two should detect each other and you will have a prompton ACII to sync. Hit X to select "Yes" and they will instantly sync.

Now, what you get on ACII from Bloodlines (since that's more valuable) willdepend on how far you have progressed in the PSP title. Beat the entire gameand you will get six weapons. Each boss in the game gives you a weapon, andtherefore, if you haven't beaten the final boss, you can't have all six. Theyare as follows:

o Maria Thorpe's Longswordo Fredrick's Hammero Mace of the Bullo Dark Oracle's Bone Daggero Twin's Rapiero Bouchart's Blade

Of all of them, Bouchart's Blade is the coolest looking in my opinion, and ithas decent stats. You do NOT need these weapons for collection purposes, butI'm not 100% if you need them for full sync with Ezio.

One downer is that the sound effects for some of these weapons might seem alittle off. For example, I used the Mace of the Bull which is a very hefty looking mace. When I was fighting with it though, it made a lot of swordsound effects instead of mace ones.

+---------------------+ Trophies/Achievements [exth]+---------------------+Here is a Trophy/Achievement list for the game. I will only be listing them as

Trophies but the unlocking requirements are the exact same if you are a 360user. After the list, you can find some tips on getting specific Trophies.

This section contains very little spoilers, so you should feel ok about readingthis before completing the game.

Bronze------

Trophy: The Birth of an AssassinUnlocked: Be reborn as Ezio Auditore Da Firenze

Trophy: Arrivederci AbstergoUnlocked: Break out of Abstergo

Trophy: Myth MakerUnlocked: Find the 8 statuettes in Monteriggioni

Trophy: Vitruvian ManUnlocked: Unlock all 20 pieces of Subject 16's video

Trophy: Fly SwatterUnlocked: Kick a Guard while using the Flying Machine

Trophy: Messer SandmanUnlocked: Stun 4 guards at once by throwing sand in their face

Trophy: DoctorUnlocked: Perform an Air Assassination on a Poisoned NPC

Trophy: No-hitterUnlocked: Kill 10 enemies while remaining in conflict without being hit

Trophy: KleptomaniacUnlocked: Pickpocket 1000 Florins

Trophy: Lightning StrikeUnlocked: Sprint for 100 meters

Trophy: SweeperUnlocked: Sweep 5 guards at once by using a Long Weapon

Trophy: Venetian GladiatorUnlocked: Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside Santa Maria della Visitazione

Trophy: I can see your house from here!Unlocked: Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the Torre Grossa

Trophy: Hallowed be thy nameUnlocked: Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the Basilica di San Marco

Trophy: Prison EscapeUnlocked: Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the Rocca di Ravaldino fortress

Trophy: Choir BoyUnlocked: Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo)

Trophy: Assassin For HireUnlocked: Complete your first assassination mission for Lorenzo Il Magnifico

Trophy: Macho ManUnlocked: Defend a woman's honor

Trophy: Steal HomeUnlocked: Win a race against thieves!

Trophy: Show your ColorsUnlocked: Wear the Auditore cape in each city

Trophy: Handy ManUnlocked: Upgrade a building in the Stronghold

Trophy: I like the viewUnlocked: Synchronize 10 View Points

Trophy: High DiveUnlocked: Perform a Leap of Faith from the Top of Florence's Giotto's Campanile

Trophy: MailmanUnlocked: Intercept a Borgia Courrier

Trophy: Tip of the IcebergUnlocked: Use your Eagle Vision to scan a Glyph in the environment

Trophy: A Piece of the PuzzleUnlocked: Unlock a piece of Subject 16's video

Trophy: Art ConnoisseurUnlocked: Buy a Painting from Florence and Venice

Trophy: Podestà of Monteriggioni

Unlocked: Reach 80% of your stronghold's total value

Trophy: Perfect HarmonyUnlocked: Tint your clothes with those colors: Wetland Ebony and Wetland Ivory

Trophy: In Memory of PetruccioUnlocked: Collect all the Feathers

Trophy: Red Light AddictUnlocked: Spend 5000 florins on Courtesans

Trophy: Man of the PeopleUnlocked: Toss more than 300 florins on the ground

Trophy: Victory lies in preparationUnlocked: Get all Hidden Blades, Item Pouches and Armor upgrades for Ezio

Silver------

Trophy: Welcome to the Animus 2.0Unlocked: Enter the Animus 2.0

Trophy: The Pain of BetrayalUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 1

Trophy: VengeanceUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 2

Trophy: Exit the SonUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 3

Trophy: Bloody SundayUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 4

Trophy: UndertakerUnlocked: Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the catacombs under Santa MariaNovella

Trophy: The ConspiratorsUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 5

Trophy: An Unexpected JourneyUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 6

Trophy: Bleeding EffectUnlocked: Complete training and reenter the Animus

Trophy: The Merchant of VeniceUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 7

Trophy: The Impenetrable PalazzoUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 8

Trophy: MasqueradeUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 9

Trophy: Bianca's ManUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 10

Trophy: The ProphetUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 11

Trophy: The VaultUnlocked: Complete DNA Sequence 14

Gold----

Trophy: An Old Friend ReturnsUnlocked: Escape the hideout

Platinum--------

Trophy: Master AssassinUnlocked: Unlock all trophies

Tips----

x-Messer Sandman-x------------------

To get this Trophy, you have to learn the Sand Throw Skill. You can learn thisfrom the mercenaries at the Villa's training center after a certain point inthe game. The next thing you need to do is find a suitable place. San Gimignanois a good spot, as is Venice. Any area is great actually, as long as you can

find a somewhat narrow street or alley but not too narrow.

You want to force a large group of guards to converge on you and surround youas closely as possible so narrow spaces help. You might want to go with anearlier place such as Florence or San Gimignano though, because as I noticed,the guards are less aggressive than the ones in Venice. Charge up the attackand unleash it. You probably shouldn't need to charge it to full. If you manageto daze four enemies, you're done. If they interrupt your attack, keep trying.If you have to, kill one and this might make the enemies attack less. Just makesure it's not a Brute and that you still have enough enemies to work with.

x-Sweeper-x-----------

Like Sand Throw, you need to start by learning Sweep at the training center atthe Villa when you get far enough.

You'll want to follow some similar tips for Messer Sandman. Basically you wanta place where the guards will be less aggressive so rule Venice out. You mightthink Venice would be the best place to get a spear, but the spear enemies willappear in some but not all of the earlier cities too if you get far enough intothe game.

I did this in San Gimignano. The enemies were far less aggressive than inVenice and San Gimignano had some narrow streets to work with which washelpful. Start off by finding a group with a Seeker Spearman and starting a fight with them. Try to attract even more guards. Find a spot where they willbe forced to surround you more closely, such as a narrow street or alley. Forbest results, you'll want to charge up Sweep to max so having the extra timeto do so will be helpful.

x-Macho Man-x-------------

Simply do any Beat Up mission that you unlock in a city to get this. Thesemissions are represented by the fist icon.

x-Mail Man-x------------

The Borgia couriers are the guys you might randomly see in the red clotheswho run away from you at first sight. They are not represented by an icon onyour mini-map. Simply catch these guys (I find them easier to catch than

pickpockets) and tackle them to get a small monetary reward and this Trophy.

x-Street Cleaner-x------------------

You do not get this for hiding assassinations, despite what you might think.To get this, just start a fight with a large group of guards as close to ahaystack as you can be. Kill them all and have at least five corpses (be sureto keep in mind some guards might run away). With five corpses, pick them upone by one with Circle (might be frustrating with all their weapons in the way)and carry them over to the haystack. Get close to the haystack and hit Circleagain to throw them inside. Do that for five corpses and you'll get this one.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Sei (6)| Miscellaneous | ASSASSIN'S CREED II [misl]+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

Frequently Asked Questions [fak4u]--------------------------1) There is a viewpoint I just can't climb! There's no way to get up there!A) If it's Venice, then this is possible. Keep playing until you learn ClimbLeap. You can get up there after that. If it's earlier than Venice, then youaren't looking hard enough. Be sure to climb around to another side of a towerif you're stuck. Look all around you.

2) Disarm isn't working anymore, why?!A) The small guards who wear some armor (not to be confused with Brutes) cannotbe disarmed sometimes until they are weakened.

3) How do I learn how to sweep enemies for the "Sweeper" Trophy?A) Train at the training center later in the game (not sure when exactly it isavailable) and pay a fee to learn Long Weapon training.

4) Are there any maps you can buy (like the treasure maps) that will show youthe location of all the feathers?A) Unfortunately, none that I know of. You can check your progress though byviewing the area maps and it will tell you how many feathers you have there.Also, there are plenty of websites out there that have maps with the locationsso I suggest you check them out.

5) I'm in a city and there's this see-through white wall blocking my path!A) The game will lock you out of certain areas until you progress the story

more.

6) Are big weapons like the axe and spear stored at the Villa?A) Yes, that's what the game says. You can never truly "buy" them and you can'tequip them primarily other than stealing them off an enemy. That doesn't reallyexplain why they're not visible at the display.

7) Where can I purchase Altair's sword?A) You can only buy it from the blacksmith at the Villa. Be sure to have allthree renovations for the Blacksmith discounts because that is an expensivesword!

8) Is there a part after the game where I can still collect things and dounfinished side missions after I beat it?A) Yes, you'll be able to still do all the side stuff after completing thestory.

9) I have some Codex pages but I can't visit Leonardo. Why?A) Near the beginning of the game, you won't be able to drop off Codex pagesother than the required times you must visit Leonardo. After a certain pointthough, any time you have an encrypted Codex page, Leonardo's shop will appearon your map.

10) How do I know where to find ______ where there is a glyph I need?A) All important buildings for the most part, including glyph buildings willappear dark grey on your map.

11) Can I start a new game+ or replay story missions?A) No and no. It is sort of disappointing, more so the latter, but that's justhow it is. Incidentally, I hear there's a petition going around on the ACIIforums at ubisoft.com, trying to get a patch to make old missions replayable,so if you want your voice to be heard on this, give it a shot.

12) I've done everything but I'm not at 100% sync?A) I'm fairly sure you need all the Templar Lairs which can only be receivedfrom the redeemable codes that come with the various editions of ACII. I thinkonly the Master Assassin's Edition has them all but they might come out asDLC later. You might also need the Auditore Tomb from uPlay.

13) What do you get for collecting all 100 feathers?A) A Trophy, the Auditore Cape, and the last weapon.

14) How do I climb that tower in the "Dream" Sequence?A) I'm hoping this will reduce the e-mails I get about this dreaded tower,because I'm getting a little tired of it. When you get to the balcony with thebeam above it, either do an Advanced Wall Jump on the side to reach the beam,

or stand underneath the very tip and hold R1 and hit X without touching theLeft Analog Stick.

15) Where exactly do I need to wear the Auditore Cape for the "Show YourColors" Trophy? Does Rome count? A) No, Rome is not included. You need to wear it in all the cities (Florence,Forli, Tuscany, the Villa at Monteriggioni), and the Mountains area.

Credits--------Thanks to surbyug for filling in a few blanks in the Collections subsectionof the Villa section.

-Zakuman12 for a minor fix in the glyphs section

Special Thanks---------------Ubisoft for their great work in improving on Assassin's Creed 1 which was agreat but slightly flawed game and producing this. Great game.

-GameFAQs. Enough said.

Contact Info------------If you have questions, please read the FAQ section just above. Also try usingctrl+f to search for a keyword in your question. If you can't find what youneed, feel free to e-mail me. My primary e-mail is listed below. If you havesomething to bring to my attention though, please read my guidelines below. This is very important.

First off, I prefer getting e-mails that have clear and helpful subject titles.Things like "Assassin's Creed (II) guide" or "ACII (2) FAQ" will help.Subjects like "HELP!!!!!" and other ones in all caps like that, I tend toignore these for a while so avoid it, please.

When it comes to submitting information, tips or strategies, please leave me ascreen name or other alias you go by in your e-mail. I do not publish people'sreal names or e-mail addresses in my guides. If you fail to leave me one, I'lltry to get back to you afterwards. If you don't reply to me, I will not useyour tip, no matter how good. Just how it is. I credit for most tips and especially big strategies that are comprehensive, detailed and well written. Being an English major, I cringe when I see things full of spelling errors andlacking punctuation. If English is not your first language, I understand and

I'll gladly meet you halfway. I do not credit for tiny things like typo fixes.

E-mail: veritas7ax@gmail.com

Legal Chitchat--------------This guide is solely my creation. Please do not copy this and pass it off asyour own work or post it on your site without permission. If you wish to host,please contact me first for approval, unless you've already been preapproved byme. I ask that all information in this guide remain completely unchanged. As ofnow, the following sites have permission to host this guide:

www.cheatcc.comwww.gamefaqs.comwww.supercheats.comwww.gamesradar.comwww.cheatplanet.comwww.neoseeker.comwww.MyPS3.com.au

That's all. Have a good night! Schwing!

Auditore Cape

Collect 100 feathers in the box in your villa, then talk to your mother to get the Auditore Cape.Condottiero War Hammer

Collect 50 feathers in the box in your villa to unlock the Condottiero War Hammer for purchase for 30,600 Florins at the blacksmith's shop at Villa Monteriggioni.Extra abilities

Successfully complete the indicated task to unlock the corresponding ability:

Climb Leap: Successfully complete Rosa's "Monkey See, Monkey Do" mission in Sequence 7. This ability allows you to make longer jumps while climbing and get hand holds that would normally be out of reach.

Disarm: Successfully complete Mario's "Evasive Maneuvers" mission in Sequence 5. This ability allows you to counter incoming attacks from weapons that are normally too heavy to counter, such as axes.Shop renovations

Renovate any of the five shops located in the Villa to increase the Villa's value and get special discounts. Each shop has three renovation levels. The blacksmith and doctor are available at the beginning of the game. The following is how much each of the three renovation levels cost for each shop:Ant Merchant: 1,000, 5,000, 8,000 Florins Bank: 1,500, 5,000, 9,000 Florins Blacksmith: First renovation already available, 7,000, 12,000 Florins Doctor: First renovation already available, 3,000, 5,000 Florins Tailor: 1,000, 2,500, 5,000 Florins

Finding feathers

Feathers are placed along the main quest areas of the game. This is unlike the flags in the original Assassin's Creed, which appeared seemingly at random throughout the world. Finding hidden feathers is best done by running across rooftops, since naturally that is where birds spend the most time losing them. Walk around the rooftops with Eagle Vision turned on to see feathers in a white glitch type of graphic.

To find the final few feathers, pause the game, and go to the DNA strand. There is a section at the end of the strand that shows you where the feathers are located. Then, go to the feather section to find out what districts the missing feathers are located in.Easy medicines and throwing knives

Loot bodies or pick-pocket people to get free medicines and throwing knives.Reusing axes and spears

If you lose an axe or spear inside an enemy while countering him, just pick up his corpse, and immediately drop it to be able to collect that weapon again and reuse it.Giant squid

In the assassin's tomb in Santa Maria Delle Visitazione, before the room where you get one of the seals required for the Armour of Altair, is a large room filled with water. This room has an obstacle course. Activate the lever before going through the course, then stand on the edge of the floor, and look at the water. Remain idle until a large shape swims across the water. Use the lever again after the timer resets, and stand at same

location. After awhile, a giant tentacle will shoot out of the water that Ezio dodges at the last second.

Easy kills

Once you unlock the smoke bomb, you can use it to kill guards quicker and easier. Equip the smoke bomb, then throw it. While the soldiers are coughing, use your hidden blade to quickly and easily kill them.Using horses

The horses in the game can be very useful for things other than obviously using them for travel. Ride them into a potential fight and dismount. Lure an enemy to the rear of the horse, and it will kick them, inflicting a good amount of damage. They also will follow you after you dismount them until you enter a city, making them easier to relocate.Defeating Archers

Normally Archers are not much of a threat and more of a nuisance, but in some areas there are a lot of them scattered around. If you are in a fight and there are also archers shooting at you, try to get away from the fight and run to the archer(s). This will make them drop their bow and draw their sword. You can also use the archer(s) to your advantage by positioning the soldiers in the archer's line of fire to have them wound the soldiers instead of you.Defeating Brutes

Brutes are the large armored soldiers with two handed weapons such as axes and claymores. The trick to killing Brutes is to first disarm them. You can take their weapons away from them, and then kill them easily. Trying to reverse their moves will just result in you getting hurt if you have a weapon ready.Defeating Seekers

Seekers are soldiers with spears. The trick to killing Seekers is grappling them. Grab them first to kill them quickly.Defeating groups of enemies

When fighting a large group of enemies, it is best to keep moving around so they do not surround you and attack from more than one side at once. Keep your guard up, and wait for one of them to attack, then counter it. If there are Brutes or Seekers in the group, it is a little tougher, but the other tips listed will help. Try avoiding Brutes and Seekers at first and focus on the other enemies.

When you are in a situation where you have to fight multiple guards, attack with a group (thieves or mercenaries). While they are attacking someone, come from behind with your hidden blade to instantly kill them. Note: This also works during the final battle where many Ezios fight the final Boss; however, instead of using your hidden blade (because it is never successful), use your main weapon.Defeating harder enemies

Note: This can only be done after learning the Disarm move. Sometimes you will run into the big "Golden Knights" or the men who fight better than normal soldiers and usually have unique weapons such as lances or big axes. They can also deflect attacks and counter more often. To defeat them more easily, disarm yourself by pressing Down to put your weapon away. When they attack, press X to counter and disarm them. This usually works in one attempt. Then, quickly press X again to kill the unarmed man.Glyph locations and puzzle solutions

Use Eagle Vision to scan for Glyphs in the indicated locations:

The Truth File 1: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at Santa Croce. Solve the puzzle by choosing the paintings with an apple in them.

The Truth File 2: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at Ospedale Degli Innocenti. Solve the puzzle by rotating the circle puzzle pieces from smallest circle to largest.

The Truth File 3: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at La Rosa Colta. Solve the puzzle by highlighting the circular object in each photo.

The Truth File 4: While hanging from the roof, it is on a wall at Villa Auditore. Solve the puzzle by taking the hints literally.

The Truth File 5: In the bottom dwellings of Santa Maria Assunta, it is on a wall near pillars. Solve the puzzle by choosing the paintings with a sword in them.

The Truth File 6: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at Torri Dei Salvucci. Solve the puzzle by rotating the circle puzzle pieces from smallest circle to largest, while keeping an eye on the two outer layers that will connect.

The Truth File 7: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at Torre Del Diavolo. Solve the puzzle by choosing the paintings with red in them; this can be done in any order.

The Truth File 8: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at San Lorenzo. Solve the puzzle by finding the Pieces Of Eden (success is indicated with a sound). Then, put the flame over Joan on the world map. Finally, move Rasputin's photo to the top of Czar Nicholas II’s photo.

The Truth File 9: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at Mercato Vecchio. Solve the puzzle by taking the hints literally, with the last one being 6=1.

The Truth File 10: While standing on a roof, it is on a wall at Monte Oliveto Maggiore. Solve the puzzle by not looking for the Eagle Apollo Lander on the moon. Once found, it is best to rotate the layers of the puzzle from the inside out until they all align, but note that inner layer 1 rotates on its own despite being connected to layer 4 in one instance; this also happens with layer 6. Additionally, the Piece Of Eden is on the Moon's surface.

The Truth File 11: While standing on the floor, it is under a stone arch at Antico Teatro Romano. Solve the puzzle by highlighting the light bulbs. After that, highlight the middle of the photo above the doorway. Then, highlight Nikola Tesla’s lap.

The Truth File 12: While standing on a roof (not the church tower itself), look down to the side of a wall attached to where you stand at Abbazia Di San Mercuriale. Solve the puzzle by aligning red 4 with gray 1 on the wheel and entering the related code. Then, turn off all the lights on the globe. Select the orb in the middle of the next photo. Solve the last puzzle by lining up the wheel as follows: 1=II, 2=III, 3=I.

The Truth File 13: Climb the base lookout tower until you see it on part of the stone walling on Avamposto Veneziano. Solve the puzzle by lining up the wheel as follows: 5=circle, square, square; 2=circle; 3=triangle. After that, press the red button. The final part you will find near the left-middle bottom of the letter.

The Truth File 14: Swim under the Ponte Di Rialto bridge. It is on a wall near the edge of the water. Solve the puzzle by choosing the paintings with Gods in them: Jupiter, Zeus, Cupid, Swan, and Europa.

The Truth File 15: While standing on a roof, it is on a higher up wall at Gilda Dei Ladri Di Venezia, right above a wooden hatch. Solve the puzzle by working from the inside out, and realizing these layers are connected: 1 to 6, middle two, and 4 to 5.

The Truth File 16: Climb up the Campanile Di San Marco bell tower until you can climb in, then look on the floor. Solve the puzzle by looking around on the map for the answer to appear, which is as follows: Naples, Alaska, Greece, and Tunguska. Then, go to the staff, and stab the photo with it.

The Truth File 17: Climb up the Torre Dell 'Orologio, then look on the floor to find it. Solve the puzzle by lining up the wheel as follows: 7=broken square symbol, 9=six-sided hourglass symbol, 1=square with little square inside of it. The attic on the top-right will then reveal an Assassin symbol for you to ID.

The Truth File 18: While standing on a roof (not the highest roof), it is on a wall at San Pietro Di Castello. Solve the puzzle by lining up the wheel as follows: 6=M or YYY, 0=Chalice symbol, 3=<. Then, move the symbol over the thick blood vessels to finish the photo.

The Truth File 19: It is on the back of one of the rounded-top walls that stick out on the side-parts of Scuola Grande Di San Marco. Solve the puzzle by choosing the paintings with a sun in them: Aztec Calendar, Easter Gate, Sistine Chapel Ceiling, Nazca Textile, and Book Of The Dead. Then, find the part of the sun photo that has the most radiation, and ID it.

The Truth File 20: From the roof with a fire near it, it is there when you look down to a wall on the side of San Giacomo Di Rialto. Solve the puzzle by working from the inside out, and realizing that these layers are not connected: second inner layer and fifth outer layer. Then, ID the sun. Next, you can line up the code wheel any way you want to complete the puzzle. In the final puzzle, move the cursor over the bones to change the skeleton from a monkey into a human.Mario series reference

When Sequence 3 begins and you are escorting Maria and Claudia to the Villa, you will get ambushed by Pazzi and his men. You will be rescued by your Uncle Mario. When you first talk to him, he will say "Don't you recognize me? Its-a me, Mario!"Easy "Doctor" achievement

Easy "Fly Swatter" achievement

Simply lock onto a target by holding LT and pressing X while in front of them to kick them. Note: This must be done during the Flying Machine mission to get the "Fly Swatter" achievement.

Easy "Kleptomaniac" achievement

Find a herald to reduce your notoriety, and bribe him. This will cost 500 Florins. Once done, immediately pickpocket him to get the 500 Florins back, plus 3 to 5 extra Florins. Repeat this one more time with the same or different herald to get the "Kleptomaniac" achievement.

Go to Florence, and find a large group of people. Try to have them walking towards you. Hold A while walking through the group of oncoming people, and you should pickpocket most of them in just a few seconds. Since A also serves as the "fast-walk" command, you can get Florins quickly from people if you keep it held. Repeat this trick as many times as necessary to get the "Kleptomaniac" achievementEasy "Myth Maker" achievement

Easy "No-hitter" achievement

Unlock the Smoke Bomb, then buy three Smoke Bombs. Find some guards to start a fight with, and lure additional guards if necessary so there are at least ten guards. Throw a Smoke Bomb, and kill as many guards as possible with your hidden blade. Once the

Smoke Bomb's effect wears off, throw another one. Repeat this until you get the "No-hitter" achievement.

Achievements

Accomplish the indicated achievement to get the corresponding number of Gamerscore points:The Birth of an Assassin (20 points): Be reborn as Ezio Auditore Da Firenze. Arrivederci Abstergo (20 points): Break out of Abstergo. Welcome to the Animus 2.0 (20 points): Enter the Animus 2.0. The Pain of Betrayal (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 1. Vengeance (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 2. Exit the Son (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 3. Bloody Sunday (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 4. Undertaker (20 points): Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the catacombs under Santa Maria Novella. The Conspirators (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 5. An Unexpected Journey (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 6. Bleeding Effect (30 points): Complete training and reenter the Animus. The Merchant of Venice (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 7. The Impenetrable Palazzo (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 8. Masquerade (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 9. Bianca's Man (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 10. The Prophet (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 11. The Vault (30 points): Complete DNA Sequence 14. An Old Friend Returns (100 points): Escape the hideout. Myth Maker (5 points): Find the 8 statuettes in Monteriggioni. Vitruvian Man (20 points): Unlock all 20 pieces of Subject 16's video. Street Cleaner (10 points): Hide 5 dead bodies in a Bale of Hay. Fly Swatter (5 points): Kick a Guard while using the Flying Machine. Messer Sandman (10 points): Stun 4 guards at once by throwing sand in their face. Doctor (20 points): Perform an Air Assassination on a Poisoned NPC. No-hitter (20 points): Kill 10 enemies while remaining in conflict without being hit. Kleptomaniac (10 points): Pickpocket 1000 Florins. Lightning Strike (10 points): Sprint for 100 meters. Sweeper (10 points): Sweep 5 guards at once by using a Long Weapon. Venetian Gladiator (20 points): Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside Santa Maria della Visitazione. I can see your house from here! (20 points): Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the Torre Grossa. Hallowed be thy name (20 points): Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the Basilica di San Marco. Prison Escape (20 points): Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside the Rocca di Ravaldino fortress. Choir Boy (20 points): Discover the Assassin's Tomb inside Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo).

Assassin For Hire (10 points): Complete your first assassination mission for Lorenzo Il Magnifico. Macho Man (10 points): Defend a woman's honor. Steal Home (10 points): Win a race against thieves! Show your Colors (10 points): Wear the Auditore cape in each city. Handy Man (10 points): Upgrade a building in the Stronghold. I like the view (10 points): Synchronize 10 View Points. High Dive (10 points): Perform a Leap of Faith from the Top of Florence's Giotto's Campanile. Mailman (10 points): Intercept a Borgia Courrier. Tip of the Iceberg (10 points): Use your Eagle Vision to scan a Glyph in the environment. A Piece of the Puzzle (10 points): Unlock a piece of Subject 16's video. Art Connoisseur (10 points): Buy a Painting from Florence and Venice. Podestà of Monteriggioni (30 points): Reach 80% of your stronghold's total value. Perfect Harmony (10 points): Tint your clothes with those colors: Wetland Ebony and Wetland Ivory. In Memory of Petruccio (30 points): Collect all the Feathers. Red Light Addict (10 points): Spend 5000 florins on Courtesans. Man of the People (10 points): Toss more than 300 florins on the ground. Victory lies in preparation (10 points): Get all Hidden Blades, Item Pouches and Armor upgrades for Ezio.