Assassin Guild

Concept art of the Tiber Island Hideout at night.

Assassins Guilds were organized groups of Assassins based in cities across the globe. The guilds formed the basis of the Assassin Order's command structure after Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad disbanded the Order from Masyaf in 1257, with each guild coming under the control of a Master Assassin.

During modern times, the Order seemed to have organized itself into smaller groups of Assassins per city, dropping the idea of complete guilds.

Guild management

Ezio accessing a pigeon coop.

The Assassin guilds recruited their members in a number of ways- in the city of Rome, for example, the guild recruited from the city's disaffected population; those who had suffered at the hands of the Templar House of Borgia flocked to the guild when approached by a member. Once members, recruits trained through experience; they would embark on actual missions across the globe and aid in the progression of the Order's goals. Communication both between and within the guilds was facilitated through use of pigeon coops.

Each guild provided its recruits with a wide array of weapons and armor qualities. These usually improved in step with the apprentice's rank; higher ranked Assassins would gain access to weapons such as the pistol and smoke bombs. Additionally, the number of ranks in a particular guild varied between cities; the guild in Rome, for example, only had ten ranks, whilst the guild in Constantinople had fifteen.

In Rome, the ranks progressed as follows:

1. Recluta (Recruit)
2. Servitore (Servant)
3. Assistente (Assistant)
4. Milite (Soldier)
5. Discepolo (Disciple)
6. Mercenario (Mercenary)
7. Guerriero (Warrior)
8. Veterano (Veteran)
9. Maestro (Teacher)
10. Assassino (Assassin)

Whereas in Constantinople the ranks were:

1. Recruit
2. Initiate
3. Apprentice
4. Novice
5. Footpad
6. Disciple
7. Mercenary
8. Warrior
9. Veteran
10. Assassin
11. Assassin First Rank
12. Assassin Second Rank
13. Assassin Third Rank
14. Assassin Fourth Rank
15. Assassin Fifth Rank
16. Den Master

Note that in order to reach Assassin First Rank the recruit must be allocated to a Den and partake in part 1 of a master assassin mission, and in order to become a Den Master the recruit must partake in part 2 of a master assassin mission.

Ceremony

The initiation ceremony.

"Laa shay'a waqui'n moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. The wisdom of our Creed is revealed through these words. We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins. Nothing is true, everything is permitted."

―Ezio Auditore during the ceremony.

Upon reaching the rank Assassino, an initiation ceremony would be held. This ceremony marked an assassin's passage from apprentice to a full member of the Assassin Order. In Rome, these ceremonies would take place within the Tiber Island headquarters. Following the ceremony, the assassin would don the official garb of Order, similar in style to Mentor Ezio Auditore da Firenze's.

Guilds

Constantinople, Ottoman Empire

The guild in Constantinople worked to prevent the Byzantine Templars from influencing Sultan Bayezid II's actions, or taking control of the Empire's military. They also worked to remove Portugese spies from the migrating Jewish population, who had been offered refuge in the empire by Bayezid II.

By 1511, the Assassins in Constantinople were led by the Master Assassin, Yusuf Tazim.

Monteriggioni, Italy

The guild in Monteriggioni was the primary guild during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Rome, Italy

The principal guild during the 16th century, the guild in Rome was led by the Italian Assassins' Mentor, Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Although based in Rome, the guild's presence was spread across northern Italy, influencing the politics of cities such as Venice and Florence.

Barcelona, Spain

A guild of Assassins was based in the city of Barcelona. In 1491, Ezio Auditore visited the city and aided the guild as a part of his own, greater quest.

Calicut, India

The guild in Calicut, joined with their brothers from the guild in Rome, thought to protect their own survival. Combating Vasco da Gama, the Assassins managed to survive the assault, but were unable to uncover the source of Da Gama's information.

St. Petersburg, Russia

Main article: Narodnaya Volya

During the turn of the 20th century, the Narodnaya Volya had a presence in St. Petersburg.

Trivia

• In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the Assassin Mark is not visible on the recruits' ring finger after the ceremony.