S2: Crossroads of the World

Sequence 02: The Crossroads of the World

This new Sequence begins with a long CS in which we are introduced to Constantinople -- a city that played a major role in the previous games -- but has since fallen and is now called Istanbul. 

During the presentation for Revelations at E3, Alexandre Amancio, Creative Director of the Assassin's Creed series, suggested that Constantinople was intended to serve as a visual metaphor for the two characters from the first two games -- Ezio and Altair -- meeting ins a spiritual way, which is visualized by the fact that half of Constantinople was in Europe, and the other half in Asia.

If you played the first game (Assassin's Creed) you will know the story of Altair Ibn-La'Ahad -- but if not, then this will be very much of interest to you!

Altair was born in Syria in 1165 and died in 1257, at which time he was the Mentor for all of the Assassins in the Levant.

Arriving in Constantinople

Like Desmond and the children of countless other Assassins through the ages, Altair was raised from birth to be an Assassin, and it was a vocation at which he excelled, earning the position of Master Assassin when he was just twenty-fourth years old, which is the time period when the first game takes place.

Altair was tasked with obtaining the Apple of Eden from Robert de Sable, but failed to do so, and he also failed to prevent the Templars from invading the fortress at Masyaf which served as the  headquarters for the Order of Assassins.  Because of these two failures Altair was demoted back to Novice and given what was clearly intended to be a suicide mission to kill nine targets who were scattered throughout the region.

What Altair did not know was that these nine targets were the core leaders of the Templar Order in the Holy Land -- and in the process of completing the mission, Altair uncovered a far greater threat to both the Order of Assassins and the world itself; Al Mualim, Grandmaster of the Order of Assassins, had not only betrayed the code, but was actively using the Order to further the goals of their hated enemy the Templar because he was one.

In his final confrontation with Al Mualim Altair discovers that the Grandmaster is in possession of the Apple of Eden, one of the treasures that was looted from King Solomon's Temple, a supernatural object that holds the power to control humanity collectively and individually.  After a monumental battle Altair defeated Al Mualim and took the Apple, using it to alter the path that the Order was following, allowing it to spread throughout the world and form secret Assassin Enclaves, from which the members of the Order served as the stewards of humanity, actively opposing despotism.

When Ezio arrives in Constantinople it is a very different city than that of Altair's memory, and yet eerily similar at the same time.  And it is still the seat of many Assassin secrets.

After you are met by Yusuf at the port you take a leisurely walk through the city and get a lesson on the reality of modern Constantinople from him -- including the relations between the Templar and the Ottoman Empire -- which as you see is not really friendly.  But then there is no reason why it should be, right?

As you progress along the streets you are shown how to pick pockets and, when you arrive at the Assassin's HQ you are introduced to the members before Yusuf dispatches them on missions.  You gain 100% Synchronization by simply following Yusuf, which you do anyway to continue your conversation so there really is no special requirements for this.