Database: Shroud of Eden

The First Civilization created many strange and powerful objects, which we refer to as Pieces of Eden. We've discovered Apples - strange spheres that can manipulate minds - powerful Swords and Staves, as well as some other objects that are a little bit less impressive.

But perhaps one of the strangest ones has to be the Shroud of Eden. Civilians know the object as the Shroud of Turin, which some allege is the burial shroud of Jesus of Nazareth. On the surface, it's a white linen cloth stained with blood, with the imprint of a man who appears to have been crucified.

What we know about this object has been pieced together from various sources: genetic memories stolen from Abstergo's Project Legacy by the hacker collective known as Erudito and the semi-coherent ramblings of the Assassin Clay Kaczmarek, who was driven insane by prolonged exposure to the Animus. It apparently has the ability to heal severe injuries, but we don't know how. It has ties to a Precursor named Consus, but we've not been able to dig up anything more about him.

Early reports of the artifact are hidden within myths and legends: the Golden Fleece of Jason and the Argonauts, Joseph's famous multicoloured coat, and it allegedly helped David fell Goliath. Yet its most famous owner is undoubtedly celebrity carpenter Jesus, whose resurrection was apparently facilitated by the Shroud.

It bears mentioning that other than Jesus, there are no reports of any Piece of Eden capable of bringing back the dead, and until I see it for myself in an Animus or otherwise, I remain a complete skeptic. To me it's just a fancy napkin. Dead is dead, no matter how much I might wish otherwise.

The object's been stolen back and forth between the Assassins and Templars over the centuries. The last report was that the Templars had managed to acquire it in the 1940s, and have it stored away. Being the ever-imaginative sort they refer to it as "Piece of Eden number 66."

Although it might not be the sexiest Piece of Eden out there - it's certainly not a laser sword or a mind-control ball or a hover spoon - I've always been curious to know more about the Shroud. I'm glad to know there's at least one more of them out there. I hope we get to it first!