CONTRACTS
London, England
Cologne, Germany
Moscow, Russia
Paris, France
Vienna, Austria
Calicut, India
Lisbon, Portugal
Barcellona, Spain
Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Henry VII of the House of Tudor rules England with unflinching power. Though England enjoys peace and stability under his command, he may soon become a victim of Templar manipulation.
Memory 1 – PRETENDERS |
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Templars actively struggle to gain power over the English throne. King Henry VII spoiled their first two attempts, imprisoning Lambert Simnel and hanging Perkin Warbeck, both pretenders to the throne. Find the link and end future attempts.
Henry tells us that both pretenders had a co-conspirator: Margaret of York, but he cannot touch her due to her family ties to the Holy Roman Emperor.
We do not tell Henry who we are, only that we have similar interests. He makes us assure him that Margaret dies "naturally."
Margaret believes herself to be safe. We are amazed to find her surrounded by acquaintances but not guards.
Two of us distract Margaret's serving staff, delaying them with questions and propositions, while a third enters her home.
To avoid wasting our poison on a food taster or unintended servant, we separate the components of a deadly brew, harmless until combined within the body. A dash in the food, a pinch in her face paint, and just a touch on her pillow.
Margaret of York has died a "peaceful" death. Outside the Brotherhood, King Henry alone knows of our involvement. We will let him believe our services were bought with royal coin, but, in truth, we have dealt a major blow to the Templar scheme in England.
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Memory 2 – DOUSING FIRES |
| Margaret's death has sent her co-conspirators scrambling into the streets of small baronies throughout England. They urge the people to rise up against Henry's throne. We must find the leaders of these rallies and kill them.
We don the local garb and infiltrate the agitated crowds, seeking those most vocal or most convincing.
These men are playing on ignorance and fear! Though no leadership is free of corruption, we find many false claims and exaggerations in the speeches. Templar tactics.
Killing these men will be simple enough, but how to deal with the repercussions? Shall we martyr them?
Ultimately, we decided the will of these people is not our concern. They have a right to express their grievances and demand action for them. With careful, discreet shots, we kill all but one of the Templars. The last, we question. For his life, he shares disturbing information.
While we have no interest in protecting Henry from his people, we must not allow Templars to lead the rebellion. No doubt we will find them among the numbers.
The surviving Templar explains that these distractions were intended to keep us from the real plot—the Templars have infiltrated the Star Chamber, England's secret high court!
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Memory 3 – THE STAR CHAMBER |
| King Henry uses the Star Chamber to try powerful public figures without any public knowledge of the proceedings. Now that our enemy has worked its way into the court, they wield a very dangerous weapon.
Henry uses the chamber to castrate dangerous political enemies. If it takes aim at our allies, the damage could be immense. We will identify the Templars and remove them.
We ask the king directly if he doubts any man on the council. He does not. He advises us to cease our investigation. We bribe some of his court and uncover a few vague rumors.
Further ignoring Henry's request, we begin to follow the council members. For days, we observe nothing suspicious. We threaten them to see how they will react, but they do not. Perhaps the Templar was toying with us?
Contact! Two ambassadors from Roma have arrived and met with four elder member of the Star Chamber. Letters delivered by the ambassadors bear the Borgia seal! The English sign and return them!
We ambush the Borgia party, easily slaying both men before they can react! The letter warns of our interference in the Templar plot. We will turn over the letter and let the King deal with his own men.
We exposed the Templars sitting on the Star Chamber council and handed them over to Henry's guards. In gratitude, the king has offered us one of the empty seats. We leave it up to the Brotherhood to decide if they will claim it.
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Maximilian's Holy Roman Empire is celebrating its blossoming culture, science and reform, seeing significant advances in Germany. The Brotherhood is carefully following this progress.
Memory 1 – FORGET TO MENTION |
| The historian Conradus Celtis focuses his studies on the history of the world rather than a specific region. Though his goals are admirable, he has uncovered quite a few secrets that need to remain secret.
Our contacts in Germany arrange a meeting with Celtis. We have offered him knowledge about underground orders and cults, an offer we are told he immediately accepted. We plan to share nothing about our own.
Celtis is a gracious host, welcoming me in and treating me as an honored guest. He seems to have guessed who I am.
He wastes no time, explaining that he is writing a book that tracks our Order throughout history. I deny our part in any Order and he simply smiles.
He asks to see my hidden blade. Is it true that I have removed my finger to show my loyalty? He studies my glove as he asks who leads us.
He tells me he wishes to portray us as heroes, that history should celebrate our work. I explain why that cannot happen. Why it will not happen. It pains me to threaten this scholar, but I must.
Celtis agrees to keep our secret, though he has lost years of work. He protests, but I take his work back to Roma with me. It is too dangerous. However, despite everything, I believe we may have gained an ally with the power to write history.
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Memory 2 – SCHOOL TAX |
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Elector Friedrich der Weise intends to construct a University in Wittenberg, one dedicated to religious reform. Even now, the Borgia prepare a bribe for Friedrich and his colleagues, to encourage them to back away from their "foolish" project. We will intercept the money.
We arrive in Wittenberg and procure several shabby costumes. We will attack as bandits!
We intercept the Borgia carriage outside the city! Our costumes work; the driver responds by trying to wheel his carriage around to flee us!
The driver cannot maintain control and the carriage overturns! Its defenders climb out and we cut them down!
The driver hobbles away on a broken leg. We let him escape while we collect the coffers buried inside the wreckage.
Weise's teachers intend to question the practices of Rodrigo and his circle. Open defiance is usually met with violence from the Borgia. Why send a bribe? These men must be powerful.
We went to great lengths to ensure the Borgia will believe their bribe stolen by bandits. Meanwhile, the university has received a tremendous contribution from an anonymous donor.
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As Ivan III Vasilevich seeks to expand Moscow's power and territory, he focuses internally on security and knowledge. Very little information leaves Moscow and we are fairly blind to Ivan's ambitions and alliances.
Memory 1 – GONE SILENT |
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Our Brother in Moscow, Pietro Antonio Solari, has gone missing, leaving us blind to Ivan's plans. Use whatever means necessary to find out what happened to Solari and whether or not we are compromised.
Solari was sent to Moscow years ago with several of our Brothers. All of them were Italian architects personally recruited by Ivan to renovate the Kremlin, where we will begin our search.
With careful, coordinated moves, we enter the secured hallways of the citadel and work our way towards our goal.
So much has changed since Solari's initial report. Ivan's restructuring has rendered our map nearly worthless. Still, we manage to find a vault with stored records.
As we work at the lock, two guards enter the connecting hallway. We have no reason to kill these men, so we lure them into the room and strike them unconscious!
We take as many records as we can carry in an attempt to fill in the gaps left by our missing agent.
Our translators tell us Pietro was murdered. Records show that the murderer is another Italian who uses only the name “Aristotele."
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Memory 2 – CHASING GHOSTS |
| Ridolfo "Aristotele" Fioravant was another Brotherhood spy sent to Moscow to work alongside Pietro on the Kremlin. We believed he had died over twenty years ago. If he lives, we must find him.
We begin our hunt at the Kremlin, offering small amounts of coin for even the wildest of rumors. Many of the stories contradict one another, but one thing is clear—Aristotele lives!
Eventually, we are directed to a nearby church where Aristotele supposedly hides among the clergy. We wait outside, patient, watching for any signs of our Brother.
We watch as the priests minister to the poor in the streets outside their church. They bring food and clothing for the less fortunate. These vagrants must know Aristotele.
We ask the beggars about Aristotele. They respond violently, shoving us and shouting! They are hiding him!
We demonstrate our swordsmanship and the crowd backs away! Believing his people in danger, Artostotele steps in front of us! He implores us to speak somewhere quiet.
Aristotele tells us that Ivan is close to uncovering the truth about our Order, that deception was necessary. We will bring him back to Rome for further questioning.
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Memory 3 – SCAPEGOATS |
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Aristotele tells us that Ivan's men killed Solari. Ivan knew Solari and Aristotele were both spies, but hadn't figured out who they worked for. Ivan now believes he is close to uncovering a major conspiracy, so we will give him one - the wrong one.
Ivan has already begun seeking proof of a reemergence of the Strigolniki Sect, a cult that disappeared last century. Aristotele is responsible for their rumored rebirth. He shows us his plans.
No Strigolniki actually exist, yet Moscow's people believe they do. Aristotele has created personas, signatures, and communications from the sect. We help him distribute some of his false preachings.
Aristotele's tactics are brilliant. Ivan's guards begin to storm abandoned buildings where meetings do not occur. Arrest posters are hung bearing faces that don't exist. Paranoia runs rampant.
Ivan's top agents investigating the sect are the same two who investigate our Brotherhood. They are cruel men and they almost murder a man for information he does not have. We intervene.
We leave the bodies hanging from church beams, the Strigolniki symbol carved into the floorboards beneath them. Aristotle [sic] leaves a note for Ivan, declaring himself the leader of the sect.
Ivan's investigation into the Brotherhood is finished. The deaths of two of his top investigators have been linked to the Strigolniki Sect. We have placed new spies in Moscow will [sic] lay low for the next year.
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King Louis XII of the House of Valois rules France from afar. His military conquests have temporarily drawn him away from his throne.
Memory 1 – DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM |
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Louis XII now quarrels with Ferdinand II over ownership of Naples, leaving his foreign ministers to command in his absence. These men are Borgia-bought and have targeted one of Rodrigo's opponents—the religious reformist, Desiderius Erasmus. We must protect him.
We track the Dutch priest to a church in Paris where he holds his daily study. The priors tell us he departed, fearing the outbreak of Plague sweeping the country.
Erasmus sought to buy a carriage out of the city, so we visit the stables. He did, in fact, approach the horsemen for his trip, but he was offered a place on a stranger's carriage. Borgia, no doubt.
We track the carriage to a small villa outside of Paris. It is well guarded and poorly lit. We begin to pick our targets.
Our shots are coordinated and lethal! The patrolling guards drop in unison!
We move inside, encountering a few remaining guards who have overestimated their defenses. We slay them before they can reach their weapons! Inside, we find Erasmus bound in a small cell.
The priest is safe, but he has provided us with disturbing news. He was held captive along with others, one of them a member of our Brotherhood. We were unable to discover where they are holding him or what information has been gained through torture.
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Memory 2 – ON THE TRAIL |
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We know that Louis XII has left his kingdom in the hands of Templars loyal to the Borgia. They have captured one of our Brothers and now subject him to torture, hoping to loosen his tongue. If they break him, the impact could be staggering—we must find him soon!
Upon our arrival in France, we find the populace eager to talk about corruption and conspiracy. Though much of it is surely rumor, we find several solid leads.
We are led to Archbishop Georges d'Amboise, Louis' chief advisor. The Borgia may already have his ear. We follow him throughout the city, waiting until he is alone.
We grab d'Amboise and shove him into an alley, away from public scrutiny. He panics, fearing for his life. He is not wrong to panic. He has provided us with a list of ministers who he believes were involved.
The ministers are careless, flaunting their connections to buy more power. We divide our forces and target three men.
Each of us received only scraps of information, but together, we have much more!
At dusk, we bury the three ministers outside the city. Their disappearance should cause delay in Cesare’s plans. We now know where to find our captured brother, but he will be well protected. We will need time to prepare.
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Memory 3 – MAN DOWN |
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We have no more time to spare! We will assault the manor where our Brother is held captive. If he yet lives, we will free him.
The manor sits deep in thick forest. The walls are steep, but not beyond our abilities. Behind them, skilled mercenaries heft imposing spears.
We try to mask our movement, but these men have been waiting for us! They watch the tops of the walls as well as the trees which reach over them.
If stealth is not an option, we are willing to fight! We hurl smoke bombs over the wall and soon follow them ourselves!
We overpower our enemies, attacking two to one where we can! Distracting the tip of the spear, striking from the flank!
The spearmen fall into our traps, but the fight is hard; many of us are battered and bleeding when we enter the manor!
We have found our Brother, but his legs have been crushed. He has remained strong, giving them more false trails than actual details. Before he dies, he gives us a warning, something he overheard from his Templar torturers: we should be wary of the Orsini.
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Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I's warfare experience has taught him the weaknesses of relying on foreign mercenary armies. We believe we have found a way to bribe him, to turn him against any allies he may have in Roma. Perhaps we can further divide the attention of our enemies.
Memory 1 – A SLAP TO THE FACE |
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Maximilian took a heavy beating from Swiss mercenaries during the Swabian War. He would be shocked to know that the Borgia have hired several Swiss commanders as their papal guard, the same commanders that gave Maximilian so much trouble.
The commanders of Borgia's Swiss mercenaries often drink well into the night at a popular tavern. We find them gathered around a table. They are loud, but charismatic.
We drink with them, listening to their stories. Inventing some of our own. We try several times to convince them to leave, but they question our reasons, sometimes eager to fight.
We wait until they are drunk and slip poison into their drinks!
Carrying our "drunken friends" through the streets of Roma is not a problem, but our gags prove ineffective when they awake. Fortunately, we have paid our driver well to ignore such things.
We present our captives to Maximilian, who is predictably outraged, but not surprised.
Maximilian thanks us for our efforts and pays us well. Our real payment, however, is knowing that we've removed key Borgia commanders and that Maximilian will temporarily cut funding to the Borgia while he investigates further.
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Memory 2 – RISING AN ARMY |
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The Swiss captives we delivered to Maximilian are now in his employ as trainers. Since we were able to best the Swiss, they've asked for our input as well. We will teach them how to fight.
We wear the garb of condottieri, careful not to give away our secrets, and return to Vienna.
The Swiss are not happy to see us at first, but soon acknowledge our cunning. They talk to us as colleagues, but will not share drinks.
Maximilian has called in Georg von Frundsberg, his finest knight, to work with the Swiss to train an infantry strong enough to rival their own units.
Through our combined knowledge, we are able to set into motion a rigorous training method difficult even for the strongest of the recruits.
We have created the beginnings of a powerful force and, more importantly, a force more loyal to commander than coin.
With our assistance, Maximilian and von Frundsberg have formed the first of the Landsknechte, who will surely rival the Swiss mercenaries on the battlefield. He has offered us a regiment of his best Landsknechte, should we ever need them.
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The Indian city of Calicut is a major trading hub for exotic spices under the control of the Saamoothiri. Our Order has established a guild near the shore to watch over the busy port as the world's powers seek to control it.
Memory 1 – HUNTED |
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Manuel I of Portugal has sent Pedro Álvares Cabral's fleet to Calicut, their spice trade a cover for their real purpose: we believe they seek to ferret out our guild contained within the city!
Our Brothers have called on upon us to help them bite back. The journey will be long, but we will not leave them to stand alone!
Our Brothers from India point out Cabral's storehouses and shops. We raze them and wait for Cabral's response!
Cabral has paid many of the locals to bolster his force. We watch them as they scramble to put out the fires. Several Portuguese commanders shout orders to them. These men are our targets!
Dressed as workers, we deliver the poisonous bites of our blades to key commanders. A small sting and minor irritation precede an agonizing death minutes later!
In the aftermath of our targeted kills, Cabral has ordered an evacuation! His men scramble to their ships, taking what goods they can! The people of Calicut join us in our chase, angry at the abuse they have suffered under Cabral's occupation!
We sent Cabral back to his king with only four of his thirteen ships. Through interrogation of one of his commanders, our fears were confirmed: Cabral had no interest in trade. He even knew the location of our guild.
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Memory 2 – VANISHING ACT |
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Our trouble with Portugal has not ended! Our spies learned of Manuel's disappointment with Cabral and his impending response to our defiance in Calicut. We must return to warn our Brothers!
Vasco da Gama now sails for Calicut with a fleet 800 men strong. The implications should be obvious! We board a merchant vessel and sail for India.
We arrive before our enemy. There is no time to prepare a defense! We deliver warnings, urging civilians to leave! Many do not listen!
We help our Brothers clear out their guild, hiding relics and documents, helping their friends and families to evacuate.
Gama's fleet has arrived! He has demanded the expulsion of all Muslims, knowing full well that his request will only bring violence!
Gama's assault on Calicut is relentless! He bombards the city and slaughters hundreds of men, women, and even children. His cruelty to his unfortunate captives is deplorable!
The Brotherhood has survived the onslaught, only to witness Gama's deployment of several cruel captains aimed at controlling the port city.
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Memory 3 – INSIDIOUS |
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Manuel struggles to keep his grip on Calicut, leaving several of Gama's captains behind to crush any resistance. We will strike at these men, wearing the local garb.
The battered people of Calicut are happy to provide us with the supplies we need. We assemble an army of disguised Assassins!
The tactics used against Cabral's men will not work here. We must kill in plain sight. We must make examples! We charge our opponents, stabbing each a dozen times. We roar!
We echo Gama's cruelty when dealing with his men. They suffer. They scream. It is messy, disturbing work, but it is necessary.
Several Portuguese flee on a small boat. We let them. Someone must report to their king. Someone must warn him that he is not welcome here.
We have granted the people of Calicut another victory, though they still recover from Gama's assault. There may be retaliation, but they say they will be ready.
We have crippled Manuel's efforts in Calicut, more specifically, his efforts to remove our presence. We were unable to trace the source of his information, but we do know his ties with Spain are growing. Our enemy has held the queen's ear in the past...
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King Manuel has brought great wealth to Portugal, as well as a relentless drive to dominate naval trade routes and land discoveries. With such blossoming power, his diplomatic ambitions cause us concern.
Memory 1 – A FLEETING CHANCE |
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Our operations in India have raised great concern about King Manuel's ties to the Templars. Where does he get his information? What are his intentions?
Entry into Portugal proves troublesome. Manuel has ordered strict control over all ship traffic and we are delayed by hours as we present our forged documents and speak our lies.
We find a weak link in Manuel's council, an indulgent man with repulsive practices. In a country hammered by growing religious ideals, we could easily put this man in peril. We tell him.
He begins to talk, but his stories are unimpressive. He knows more! We put a blade to his bulging gut!
He begins to spout new stories. Good ones. As feared, the Borgia have a steady hand in Portugal's affairs, as does Spain. Promised marriages. Land. The secret deals are astounding!
We stare at one another, unable to absorb all of the rapid facts we've been thrown. Conquistadors with cruel instructions. The Inquisition. Calicut.
We must make haste—Manuel is building a massive fleet for his prize explorer, Vasco da Gama. He's planning retaliation at Calicut. Another favor for his Borgia masters. We must warn our Brothers! Here in Portugal, the threat of exodus grows.
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Memory 2 – EXODUS |
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Under pressure from Spain, Manuel I has ordered the Jewish population out of his country. However, his men block the port, preventing any escape and forcing conversion to Christianity. Those who refuse religious conversion are beaten, or worse! We will do what we can to help.
We send word to all of our contacts in Portugal, so they will know where to meet us! Portuguese guards sympathetic to the Jews have allowed us to use an abandoned port. We have delivered three ships, though they are not enough.
We cannot help those trapped in the cities; we cannot face the Portuguese forces alone. Long hours pass and we begin to lose hope that any of our allies have survived.
Finally, familiar faces begin to arrive! Scholars and craftsmen. Their families. All are eager to depart, but we must wait a while longer. More will come.
Others arrive wounded, chased by mocking soldiers. They are surprised to find an armed force waiting for them!
Driven by disgust, we tear through the Portuguese soldiers! They are no match for us and we soon blanket the beach with their bodies!
We overload our ships, saving thousands of lives. It is not enough! The situation in Portugal remains grim.
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Memory 3 – A FIGHTING CHANCE |
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We return to Lisbon with weapons, rations, and simple armor. We will teach the oppressed how to use them, giving them tactics to strike back against Manuel's men from the shadows without raising alarm.
We do not have the resources to fight their war but we will do our best to help them survive it. If we can train a few of their strongest, they will train the rest.
We equip our allies, but they are not fighters. They are merchants and craftsman, philosophers and inventors. We do not encourage them to fight. They demand the right.
Our training is brief, but brutal. We cannot hope to teach them mastery of their weapons, so we focus instead on tactics. Surprise. Shock. Intimidation. Some are appalled, which is why these tactics work.
We share the names we have uncovered with the rebels. People whose death will cause significant confusion among enemy ranks. They will not be easy to reach.
Before we leave, we offer again to carry more people back with us. Very few accept.
They will strike back at Manuel and they will kill many of his guards, but victory feels impossible. However, if their distraction occupies Manuel, keeps his attention off of Templar demands, we will have more room to breathe elsewhere in the world.
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Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand are Spain's Catholic royalty. Their masterful diplomacy and religious initiatives have gained them Templar attention in the past. It must not happen again.
Memory 1 – PICKING UP THE PIECES |
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After Luis de Santángel's death, we have no eyes within the Spanish royal circle. Queen Isabella's Templar influence has often concerned us, but without Luis to report on her activities, we are blind.
We begin the long journey to Spain in an attempt to infiltrate the queen's court. We enter under the guise of emissaries from Roma.
We are careful to avoid anyone with significant power, but we manage to find a minor official who will point us to Santángel's quarters.
Santángel's room has been stripped, all evidence of his work seemingly lost. Fortunately, we can see what the Templars cannot. We find his journal hidden in the hollowed wall!
As we leave the chambers, we are stopped by Spanish guards! They demand to search us!
I hand over Santángel's journal, knowing what they will find. Religious text. Study. The real content is hidden behind the facade. Unimpressed, they return the book and let us pass.
The journal tells us much! Though the Spaniards believed Santángel to be a willing collaborator, he was slowly poisoning the queen. Likely retaliation for the Inquisition and the slaughter of his family, but perhaps there is more...
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Memory 2 – PEER PRESSURE |
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We must know the extent of the Templar influence over Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. They are powerful, but unpredictable. If are aiding the Borgia, we must stop them.
We follow Isabella and study her behavior. She is always accompanied by her personal guards, which makes our task difficult, but they do not often watch the rooftops!
She spends most of her time with religious advisors. Her faith has already driven her to extremes, causing great suffering through the Inquisition.
We witness the priests and prophets easily manipulate their queen. Strange that she dominates politics, but is eager to let others control all matters of faith. A weakness.
We intercept her couriers, recovering dangerous letters. Death sentences. deals brokered by the Borgia. Cesare seeks to influence Portugal. Spain has the power to help.
Cesare's letters are punctuated by threats, backed by his father's church. For one as intensely religious as the queen, her situation must be grim.
Queen Isabella has chosen to secretly serve the Borgia rather than rebel, and even now, her power over Manuel I of Portugal threatens to further spread her vile Inquisition. Her reign must come to an end.
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Memory 3 – CLOSURE |
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We will finish what Luis de Santángel began. We will poison Queen Isabella. Paired with her husband and under Borgia direction, she has too much power.
Hidden within the journal are recipes and dose measures of Santángel's poison. The doses he has administered should have been fatal.
We decide to double the dose. We cannot afford leaving Cesare any amount of power over the Spanish throne.
Santángel's journal mentions one of Isabella's servants as his accomplice. Since Santángel's death, she must not have been able to craft the poison herself.
Santángel meant much to this woman and she still mourns his death. We tell her there is a way to finish what they started. We can provide her with the poison.
The servant hesitates, but we show her the journal and its hidden entries singing her praises. She trusts us. She will continue Santángel's plan.
Queen Isabella is dying, unaware of her affliction. We left no evidence to imply treachery. We can only hope her death will weaken Ferdinand's resolve. Perhaps he will even lash out at the Borgia.
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Constantinople, Ottoman Empire
Sultan Bayezid II rules the Ottoman Empire with a just hand. He controls deadly naval power as well; we must never underestimate its might, nor allow our enemies to influence it.
Memory 1 – MY ENEMY'S ENEMY |
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Rodrigo is wary of any peace between Venice and the Ottoman Empire, though it draws near. We can be sure Borgia mercenaries will attempt to disrupt this treaty, so we will be on guard.
It is critical that our involvement remains secret. We will work within the shadows. Success means we solidify Borgia's enemies.
We begin to patrol Roma's port, watching for Borgia interference. Days later, we find it! About a dozen men board a ship whose records show it bound for Constantinople!
These men are some of Cesare's finest killers and they outnumber our small band. We could try to face them, but we have found an easier way.
As the ship leaves port, we shower it with flaming arrows! Those who do not die in our initial attack are picked off; we target heads that rise for air as they swim away from the wreckage!
We have drawn too much attention! We flee from Borgia guards, but our task is done. Tomorrow, we will sail for Constantinople.
With our careful manipulation, the sultan of Constantinople and the doge of Venice were able to reach an agreement. Free trade has resumed, but more importantly, we have weakened the Borgia.
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Memory 2 – AGE OF DISCOVERY |
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As powerful nations launch their expeditions into uncharted seas and claim pieces of the New World, we must ensure that our Brotherhood expands to keep our enemy in check. We have an opportunity.
An exceptional Ottoman cartographer, Piri Reis, has begun to compile detailed maps of newly discovered territories. We will find his workshop and steal what we can.
Piri Reis is skilled at what he does, but he is often called away for naval combat. We locate his workshop but we are informed of his absence at sea. Perfect.
We wait until we can move under the shroud of night. The lock on the workshop is simple. We enter unseen!
Fantastic maps line every wall and table in the workshop! The writing changes from map to map, telling us that Piri Reis is studying the progress of other countries. Where does he keep his work?
Of course! We find the maps hidden beneath an ugly decoy map on his main table. They are astonishing! Lands we've not heard of, rendered in minute detail! We take them.
We do not doubt the accuracy of these maps, but we are overwhelmed by the necessity to act quickly; some of these maps track our common enemy to the new colonies. We must infiltrate these voyages and ensure that we are equally represented in the New World!
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Memory 3 – WEEDS AND SEEDS |
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Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II has offered refuge to the victims of the Inquisition, who now flee Spain and Portugal. However, King Ferdinand has placed spies within the migrant population. We must expose these spies and replace them.
Bayezid realizes these people will make his own empire stronger as Isabella, Ferdinand, and Manuel weaken theirs. This community is flourishing with artists, scientists, and philosophers. We set out to meet them.
Ferdinand's men are difficult to spot. He chose agents who were already part of the migrant community; he must have paid them a small fortune to hold their loyalty after the Inquisition.
Those loyal to Ferdinand have revealed nothing about themselves. There are simply no rumors to learn. We watch for strange behavior and meetings between small groups of people. Nothing feels suspicious.
Ferdinand has exposed his own agents! A boat has arrived, filled with exquisite furniture and statues. A bribe! We watch the port, ready to intercept any who would come to claim these items.
By the end of the day, we have caught a dozen men. We threaten to expose them as Spain's agents among the other refugees and they quickly confess. Their deaths are swift; we cannot afford to let them live.
Upon the removal of Ferdinand's spies, we are able to send in several of our own to replace them. These men had no friends among the refugees, no stories to tell due to the risks. Our Brothers will assume their identities and work to establish a guild here.
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