Abbas Sofian

Abbas Sofian (1166 - 1247) was a Grand Master of the Assassin Order, and bitter rival of 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 begun his tutoring from 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 sometime, begun to notice a change in Abbas' mood, the strain of his father's dissapearance 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, 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.

Following these events, the two continued the training, although now neither 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 populous to undermine the rule of the Order's acting-Master; Malik Al-Sayf. In 1225, he struck.

Abbas had his lackey, Swami, murder Sef Ibn-La'Ahad, the son of the Grand Master, who had remained in Masyaf, and pin the blame on Malik. As a result, Malik was imprisoned and an acting Council took over in accordance with the tenants of the Creed, with Abbas at it's head.

Two years later, Altaïr, his wife Maria, and their eldest son, Darim, returned from their ten year journey to the Far-East, unawares of the events that had transpired in their absence. Arriving at the fortress, the ageing 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 Mailik just one month before, an that as a result the Council had been set up following his arrest. Altaïr demanded 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, Abbas confronted the Grand Master again, this time accusing him of killing Malik out of vengeance, though in reality he had been killed on Abbas' orders. Following a brief struggle, which resulted in the death of both Swami, Malik's true murderer, and Maria Ibn-La'Ahad, Altaïr fled, and Abbas assumed the title of Grand Master.

Grand Master of the Assasin Order
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 sever levies on the local populous, and took severe action against uprising and dissent, like that that 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 Masyaf fortress. Once again refusing the accept the truth surrounding his father's death, Abbas ordered his few remaining followers to kill Altaïr. A second later, the castled echoed with the sound of an explosion. Looking down, Abbas saw the small pile of blood in his chest expand, until the front of his robes were entirely wet with blood. Abbas died, the first victim of the hidden gun.

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.