Acre

Acre (Hebrew: עכו (Akko)) is a city in Israel which is featured in the Assassin's Creed series.

Assassin's Creed: Penny Arcade Comic
On an unknown date, Al Mualim sent Altaïr to assassinate a businessman in Acre. While fighting the target, he tried to persuade Altaïr that Al Mualim was using him. Altaïr eventually was victorious and left Acre to return to Al Mualim.

Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles
In the year 1190, the city is under siege by the Templars, who planned to poison its water supply, and wipe out the city's entire population. Altaïr was able to stop this plot by killing the Templar commander in charge of the siege. Even though the city was saved from Templars this time, it was nevertheless eventually taken by them.

Assassin's Creed
In the year 1191, the city has been recently recaptured by the forces of Richard the Lionheart from the Saracen army, which formerly occupied it. The city would serve as the capital of the Kingdom of Jerusalem during this period. It is in this city that the Christian Crusaders have established a base of operations, in order to stockpile weapons and troops. With this, they intend to march south towards Jaffa, and from there launch an all out siege upon their true target, Jerusalem, which they have come from Europe to reclaim in the name of their religious faith. In Acre's Middle District there is a large port, whose docks possess many troublemakers and drunken sailors. In the Chain District of Acre, there is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which conceals a Templar in the incomplete spire, and is the tallest point within the virtual world.

In Acre there are more than just one set of flags; there are three: the Templar Flags, the Knights Hospitalier Flags, and the Knights Teutonic Flags. It should be noted that each of these give their own achievement or trophy of 10 points. Acre is a much more European city than the others, unlike Damascus or Jerusalem. Due to the recent siege, the Poor District is still recovering from the numerous people killed. Dead bodies covered in blood line the streets and alleys and main gate into Acre. The people also fight off disease, despair, oppression, corruption, and the memories of those lost. The haunting stench of death constantly plagues the air. This entire district falls under the jurisdiction of the Knights Hospitalier, given to them by King Richard, and they govern from their fortress located at the north end of the district.

The Middle District is more lively, in terms of both citizens and military presence. The area is under the jurisdiction of the Knights Teutonic, given to them by King Richard. The paranoid Sibrand keeps an extremely sharp, yet clouded eye (result of paranoia) over the district. Rumors have reached him that the Assassins have come to take his life, and this has driven him to fortify the entire area. He even goes to the extent once to kill a harmless scholar he accuses of being an Assassin.

As King Richard the Lionheart fights Saladin and his Saracen forces, the duty of governing the entire city falls to the regent and liege-lord, William of Montferrat. The Chain District is where he holds his power, and it is the district suffering the most under his rule. Much of the population complains about their ill treatment, while others plot his downfall. It is these actions that draw the Assassins once more to the city. Within the beautiful Rich District are notable landmarks such as King Richard's Citadel, within which is William's Quarters, a small fortress within a fortress. The citadel's interior contains mass numbers of guards and archers (more than any other place in the game besides Arsuf), and operates like a small town within itself.

Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
After Altaïr discovered that the Templars were sailing to Cyprus, he decided to take the fight to them. His first step was to infiltrate the Templar harbor fortress somewhere in Acre, where the Templar ships were preparing for the voyage. Altaïr, along with some fellow Assassins, successfully entered the fortress and killed all of the Templars. He intended to interrogate the fortress commander, who was revealed to be Maria. He captured her and took her to Cyprus with him.

Assassin's Creed II
Due to the bleeding effect, Desmond was able to accidentally access a genetic memory without the Animus. He had a "dream"-like vision, playing as a hallucination of Altaïr back in Acre, chasing Maria through William's fortress on the night their child was conceived.

Assassination Targets in Acre
In Acre, Altaïr is ordered to assassinate the following:

1190

 * A Templar Captain in charge of the siege.

1191

 * Garnier de Naplouse, a corrupt surgeon and the tenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalier, who enjoys experimenting on his patients and removing himself from the world around him for his sadistic fantasies.
 * William of Montferrat, the regent of Acre who vigorously trains his soldiers in preparation for the "New World," and despite his position, retains a core hatred for King Richard.
 * Sibrand, Master of the Knights Teutonic who occupies the Port Area of Acre in a fearful attempt to escape the Assassins' rumored approach, his decisions are clouded by his paranoid judgement.



Trivia

 * The cinematic video shown at the start of Assassin's Creed occurs in Acre.
 * Acre is also the location shown in most of the official pre-release Assassin's Creed trailers.
 * Acre was dramatically altered from the first few gameplay demo's shown at E3 in 2006. The first version of Acre had a larger area outside the city walls and could even be entered while on horseback. The reason for such a change is unknown.
 * Acre appears in Assassin's Creed: Altaïrs Chronicles, Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines and Assassin's Creed II.
 * Acre's climate is dramatically different from the other settlements, as it is next to the Mediterranean Sea, giving a misty and foggy effect to the streets.
 * The tallest view point in Assassin's Creed is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which is located in Acre.

Appearances

 * Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles
 * Assassin's Creed
 * Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines
 * Assassin's Creed II