ABOUT

In 2012, bartender Desmond Miles is kidnapped by agents of Abstergo Industries, the world's largest pharmaceutical conglomerate, and is taken to the headquarters in Rome, Italy. Under the guidance of Dr. Warren Vidic and his assistant Lucy Stillman, Desmond is forced to participate in a series of trials revolving around the "Animus", a machine capable of translating the genetic memories of his ancestors into a simulated reality. Vidic instructs him to relive the early years of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, a senior member of the Assassin Brotherhood during the time of the Third Crusade. His investigation reveals that Altaïr, blinded by arrogance, botched an attempt by the Assassins to retrieve an artifact, the Piece of Eden, from the forces of Robert de Sablé, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, leading to the death of one Assassin, and severely wounding another in the process. Though Altaïr manages to partially redeem himself by fighting off a Crusader attack on the Assassin home base of Masyaf, his mentor and superior, Al Mualim, orders him to assassinate nine individuals in order to regain his honor:

• Tamir, an arms merchant selling weapons to both sides.
• Garnier de Nablus, a prominent Crusader conducting alchemical experiments on the sick.
• Talal, the leader of a gang of slavers.
• Abu'l Nuquod, a pompous trader stealing money meant to fund the war.
• William V, Marquess of Montferrat, the cruel and abusive regent of Acre.
• Majd Addin (based on Baha ad-Din ibn Shaddad), a tyrant who rules Jerusalem through fear.
• Master Sibrand, a paranoid knight planning to betray the Crusaders.
• Jubair al Hakim, a scholar using his position to seize and destroy all written knowledge.
• Robert de Sablé, the grandmaster of the Templars, the ancient enemies of the Brotherhood.

As Altaïr eliminates each target, he learns that all nine are secretly members of the Templar Order and that they were conspiring to locate an "Apple of Eden", a relic of a long-forgotten civilization said to possess god-like powers. During an initial attempt to assassinate Robert at a funeral in Jerusalem, Altaïr discovers that Maria, a young Templar agent, had disguised herself as him in order to buy enough time for Robert to negotiate an alliance between the Crusaders and Saracens against the Assassins. Sparing her life, Altaïr catches up to Robert in the camp of King Richard I and exposes his crimes. Unsure of whom to believe, Richard suggests a one-on-one duel to decide the truth, remarking that God will decide the victor. Upon sustaining a mortal wound from Altaïr, Robert confesses that he did not act alone, Al Mualim had also sought the Apple and betrayed the Templars in the process.