Assassin's Creed Limited Edition Art Book,
The overall story within Assassin's Creed is set in September
2012 AD. Desmond Miles, a bart
ender, has been kidnapped by unknown people (Abstergo) prior to
the start of
the game, and is brought to a building belonging to Abstergo Industries, where researchers are working on a project involving a machine called
the Animus.
The Animus is able to extract memories from
the DNA of
the user, passed on from desc
endant to desc
endant, allowing
the user to replay those memories as if he were
there himself. Desmond was "chosen" for
the project due to his relationship to his ancestor Altaïr Ibn La-Ahad (at-ta'er in Arabic meaning "Flying One" and his last name meaning "Son of None"), a member of
the Assassins Order during
the Third Crusade of
the Holy Land;
the researchers express interest in understanding more of how
the Assassins worked. Though initially Desmond's subconscious rejects
the memories of Altaïr, he eventually learns to accept
them and is able to proceed to follow Altaïr's actions through
the Animus.
The memories of Altaïr that Desmond experiences start in
the year 1191: Richard I of England has just recaptured
the port city of Acre from
the Saracens. With a base of operations established,
the Crusaders prepare to march south.
Their true target is Jerusalem, which
they int
end to recapture for Christianity. However
the Saracen forces are massing in Arsuf, int
ending to ambush
the Crusaders and prevent
them from reaching Jerusalem.
These war maneuvers have left
the rest of
the Holy Land wide open. While Richard and Saladin battle one ano
ther,
the men left to govern in
their stead have begun taking advantage of
their newfound positions of power. Exploitation, manipulation, and provocation rule
the day.