Abbas Sofian

Abbas Sofian (1166 - c. 1247) was a member of the Assassin Order, and became Grand Master after his coup d'etat circa 1227; usurping the position from his bitter rival, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.

Early years
Abbas Sofian was born in Masyaf, in the year 1166. The son of Ahmad Sofian, a member of the Assassin Order, Abbas spent the first decade of his life living with his father until, in 1176, his father disappeared. Unknown to Abbas at the time, Ahmad had committed suicide in recompense for the death of Umar Ibn-La'Ahad, who had been executed by the Saracens following the Siege of Masyaf.

Informed that his father had left Masyaf, Abbas began his tutelage under Al Mualim. Paired with the son of Umar, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, the two eventually developed a close friendship, though the thought of his father's self-imposed exile was never far from his mind.

After some time, Altaïr began to notice a change in Abbas' mood, with the strain of his father's disappearance beginning to wear him down. In the hopes that it would give him some peace, Altaïr informed Abbas that his father had not deserted Abbas as he had thought, but that he had actually committed suicide in Altaïr's chambers not long after the Saracen siege.

Abbas refused to believe him, and during combat training the next day, he attacked Altaïr, demanding to know why he had lied. Reluctantly, Altaïr eventually admitted to lying, and the two were thrown in the cells for a month. When they were allowed to continue their training, Abbas was punished further, as Al Mualim decreed that he had brought disrepute to the order by allowing his emotions free rein, and as such his training was to be extended by a year.

Following these events, neither of the two considered the other a friend.

Life as an Assassin
By 1191, Abbas had joined the ranks of the Assassins. Following Altaïr's failed mission to retrieve the Apple of Eden, Abbas was waiting to intercept him. The two exchanged harsh words at the fortress' main gates before parting ways.

Abbas continued to serve the Assassins during the events that followed, well into Altaïr's reign as Grand Master. However, following Altaïr's departure for the Far East in 1217, he slowly begun to build up support among the populace to undermine the rule of the Order's acting-Master and second-in-command; Malik Al-Sayf. In 1225, he struck.

Assuming control
Abbas commanded his subordinate Swami, a weak-minded Apprentice, to murder Sef Ibn-La'Ahad, the youngest son of Altaïr, then pin the blame on Malik. As a result, Malik was imprisoned and an acting Council took over, in accordance with the tenets of the Creed, with Abbas at its head.

Two years later, in 1227, Altaïr, his wife Maria, and their eldest son, Darim, returned from their ten year journey to the Far East, unaware of the events that had transpired in their absence. Arriving at the fortress, the aging Grand Master was informed that his son, Sef, had departed for Alamut not long before their arrival. Darim left for Alamut immediately, and the next day Altaïr and Maria met with Abbas and the ruling Council.

During the meeting, Abbas informed the Grand Master that Sef had been murdered by Malik just one month before, and that the Council had been set up following his arrest. Altaïr demanded that the council turn over command of the Order to him, though Abbas refused.

The next day, after Altaïr learned the true circumstances surrounding his son's death. He decided to confront Abbas again, but he managed to turn the Assassins against Altaïr after he accused him of killing Malik out of vengeance, showing Malik's decapitated head in public as proof. However in reality he had been killed by Swami on Abbas' orders. Following a brief struggle, which resulted in the death of both Swami and Maria, Altaïr fled from Masyaf, and Abbas assumed the title of Grand Master.

Later life
Twenty years passed before Abbas once again had to deal with Altaïr. During his reign, the Assassin retreated into their fortress, leaving the surrounding countryside to the mercy of Fahad's bandits. He imposed increasingly severe levies on the local civilians, and took severe action against any uprising and dissent, like that which followed Altaïr's escape in 1227. In the year 1247, Abbas learned that Altaïr had returned, intent on reclaiming his position.

After a brief power struggle, which saw most of the Order return their allegiances to Altaïr, Abbas confronted the eighty-two-year-old Assassin on the steps of the Masyaf fortress. Once again refusing to accept the truth surrounding his father's death, Abbas ordered his few remaining followers to kill Altaïr. A second later, the castle echoed with the sound of an explosion. Looking down, Abbas saw a small stain of blood appear on his chest, which then expanded, until the front of his robes was entirely wet with blood. The shot being lethal, Abbas died as the first victim of the hidden gun. Abbas still refused to believe that his father commited suicide and said that he would know the truth in the afterlife. Abbas then died from the wound he recieved from Altair.

Trivia

 * "Abbas" translates to "the lion which all lions fear," or "severe in manner of appearance."
 * He is voiced by Nolan North, who also provides the voice for Desmond Miles, and Adam from the Truth, featured in Assassin's Creed II.