Abbas Sofian

Abbas Sofian (1166–1247) was a member of the Syrian Assassins during the High Middle Ages. Raised as an Assassin from birth alongside Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, these two men became best friends during their childhood. However, after Altaïr revealed to Abbas that Abbas' father had killed himself rather than leaving the Order as Abbas had thought, Abbas labelled Altaïr a liar and developed a hatred for him that would span a lifetime.

After Altaïr killed their former Mentor, Al Mualim, Abbas stood against Altaïr, who desired to become the Order's new leader. He eventually repented, and laid low during Altaïr's time as Mentor.

When Altaïr and his family left for Mongolia to deal with the Mongol threat and Genghis Khan, Abbas staged a secret coup d'état against the Order, killing Altaïr's son Sef and framing Altaïr's best friend and right-hand man Malik Al-Sayf, who was thrown into prison. With Sef and Malik out of the way, Abbas was the only one left with the most power in the Order and implemented a council into the Order with himself as its head. Eventually, he also disbanded the council, usurping the title of Mentor and becoming the sole leader of the Syrian Assassins.

Under Abbas' leadership, the Order declined and became corrupted. Additionally, Abbas spent the majority of his time hiding in Masyaf's fortress, fearing for his life. Eventually, the Assassins joined Altaïr once again, and Abbas was killed.

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. That year, during the Siege of Masyaf, his father was captured by the attacking Saracens, who, under torture, revealed the name of Umar Ibn-La'Ahad as being the Assassin who killed a Saracen nobleman. Ahmad's life was traded for that of Umar, on request of Umar himself, and the Saracens executed Umar. Ahmad, feeling guilt of Umar's death, killed himself in Umar and his son Altaïr's quarters; however, Abbas was brought up to believe that his father had left the Order, to eventually return.

Abbas was paired with Altaïr and together they began their training to become an Assassin under Al Mualim. The two boys developed a close friendship, eventually being constantly by one another's side and referring to each other as brothers, 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 simply turned around in his bed, silent.

During combat training the next day, he requested their instructor Labib to use real swords, which was accepted. However, instead of doing the normal training, he attacked Altaïr in a burst of hatred, 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.

Attack on Masyaf
Following these events, neither of the two considered the other a brother. When Abbas was 16 years old, Masyaf was attacked by the Templars, due to an agent infiltrating the order. Abbas joined his fellow Assassins in battle against the Templars. When Altaïr arrived, Abbas met up with him and told him they needed to fall back and that they could do nothing for Al Mualim, who the Templars took hostage. However, Altaïr ordered Abbas to flank the Templars once they were driven from the castle by him, though Abbas protested against this idea.

Altaïr was eventually successful in saving Al Mualim, after which Altaïr was leveled to the rank of Master Assassin. Abbas, jealous, spat on the ground before Altaïr's feet, who simply sneered at Abbas. This event was the first sign of Altaïr's arrogance, which would over time further fuel Abbas' hatred for Altaïr.

Retaking of Masyaf
"Forgive me... I did not... know..."

- Abbas apologizing to Altaïr after having used the Apple.

In late 1191, Al Mualim used the "Apple of Eden" that he had acquired earlier the same year to brainwash the Assassins and use them for his personal gain. Revealed to be a secret Templar as well, Al Mualim was confronted by Altaïr, who eventually killed him.

Altaïr carried Al Mualim's body through the shocked crowd of Masyaf, and eventually lay Al Mualim's body on a pile of wood on a cliffside. As Altaïr lit the body on fire, Abbas confronted him, saying that burning a man's body is forbidden. In his defense, Altaïr said that the body could be "another one of Al Mualim's phantoms" and that he could not return. Angry, Abbas shoved Altaïr off the cliff, who was confronted by angry citizens and Assassins.

Abbas somehow obtained the Apple of Eden, and climbed to the top of the watchtower right outside the fortress. He activated the Apple, but realized it was too much for his mind to bear, and the life was slowly being drained from his body and was also affecting several Assassins in the area. Altaïr had climbed up the tower and took the Apple from Abbas, after which he muttered an apology to Altaïr while falling to the ground.

Not too soon later, Altaïr gained full support of the other members of the Order, and became the Mentor of the Syrian Assassins, to Abbas' displease. However, his new-found hatred for his late mentor surpassed even his hatred for Altaïr.

Assuming control
Abbas continued to serve the Assassins during the events that followed, well into Altaïr's reign as Mentor. 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.

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 Mentor 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 Mentor 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. Abbas refused claiming that Altaïr was impartial since his son had just been murdered and he might act out of vengeance.

The next day, after Altaïr learned the true circumstances surrounding his son's death. He then went into the dungeons to see Malik and in order to see what was going on. Seeing that Malik was in an extremely bad state he left him in the care of his family. 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 Mentor.

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. With the help of Malik's son, Altaïr gained help from his fellow Assassins against Abbas. Altaïr made stress of the fact that no blood was to be spilled this day and because of that, most of Abbas's supporting forces joined Altaïr.

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. The former Mentor extended his arm at Abbas and placed his other hand on the wrist, and 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. He collapsed and rolled down the stairs to Altaïr's feet, where he uttered his final words, telling his former friend that he hoped there was a second life after death, where they could meet again and Abbas could know the truth about his father. Closing his eyes, he 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 in Assassin's Creed, who also provides the voice for Desmond Miles, and Adam from the Truth, featured in Assassin's Creed II.