Iɴғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Tʜᴇ Gᴀᴍᴇs
Apr. 13th, 2015 01:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
theflyingoneName: Altaïr ibn La-Ahad
Fandom: Assassin's Creed
Canon point: end of Memory Block 3, on his way back home after having assassinated Garnier and Talal, rank 4
PB: His in-game model was based off Francisco Randez, so he might crop up in icons.
Age: 25
History: http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Alta%C3%AFr_Ibn-La%27Ahad
Score: 11
District: 11
He is at times insufferably rebellious. Both Al Mualim and the Bureau leaders spend half the game berating Altaïr for rash actions and not shutting up. Altaïr has a habit of turning his head and avoiding someone's eyes when they said things he doesn't want to hear, much like an indignant teenager being scolded. A conversation with an informant reveals that, before he got a swelled head, Altaïr used to work in cooperation with his fellow teammates. As Altaïr regains his rank piece by piece, he attempts to work together with people again, but he has to also regain their trust.
Altaïr vocally questions everything, from the laws of society, to Al Mualim, to the threads that bind his nine targets together as – he would later find out – Templars. It was Al Mualim who taught him to question the world, and Malik who counseled him to never know, only suspect. Altaïr openly makes every effort to see facts for himself, to place trust in what he sees with his own eyes. He has little patience for manipulation of himself or others. He will never blindly follow anyone.
Altaïr is habitually to-the-point. He demands information, and gives large amounts of information quickly and succinctly, not stopping to make small talk. Altaïr has a focused directness that gets things done quickly, and the goal of parkour – to get from point A to B as swiftly and efficiently as possible – meshes nicely with that. In his interactions with civilians and noncombatants, Altaïr may seem frustrated at their unsubtlety in delicate situations. Everything is unsubtle to a man trained in stealth, especially to a man who has learned from the mistake of blowing his cover. In addition, other characters may see his reticence as rude, and... it probably is. But he is secretive for a purpose. He doesn't want to compromise the Brotherhood.
Because Altaïr has seen Crusaders and Saracens commit unspeakable acts in the name of a benevolent God, he says he doesn't believe in such a thing. In Solomon's Temple, when he, Kadar and Malik viewed the Arc of the Covenant – an extremely important religious artifact from Biblical times – he told the novice Kadar not to be silly, there is no such thing. However, Altaïr will fight for people's right to choose their beliefs. When the Templars take people's freedom in exchange for peace, Altaïr is ready to pit himself against them.
The events of the summer of 1191 left little time for merrymaking. However, Altaïr is not without a sense of fun. His job requires he complete missions with as much stealth as possible, but he also loves a good sword fight, as evidenced by his occasionalshit-eating grin when successfully dispatching several opponents in a row. He repeatedly uses the rooftops to his advantage, even if civilians comment that he is "acting like a child." To be fair, once a person has learned to use the city's surroundings to get around in an unconventional way, it is hard to adhere to the mundane. The game mechanic of collecting flags to sync with more of Altaïr's memories implies that he walked, climbed, and jumped everywhere. He conducted more than just business on rooftops. A few years after the events of the first game, c.1196, it is revealed that Altaïr has no qualms about passionately conceiving his child(ren) outside on high towers – in enemy territory.
When we first met Altaïr, it was clear from his struggle for Al Mualim's approval and the excuses he tried to make about his mistakes at Solomon's Temple that he had experienced years of emotional deprivation and a struggle for approval in this man's eyes. He dealt with it by being aggressive, and, in Abbas's words, was "loathe to share the glory" of a successfully completed mission. Despite his lack of patience and questioning of some of Al Mualim's methods, he was eager to regain his rank and his master's approval again. It was all he knew and all he had.
Altaïr harbored affection privately. His time with Adha in 1190 had him considering laying down his blade. Some fellow Assassins knew of Altaïr's involvement with Adha, though it is unclear how much exactly. After her death, he responded to their inquiries about her whereabouts with silence. Though Altaïr killed the Templars responsible for Adha's death, he realizes that revenge did not bring him peace. He still wakes from nightmares of the terrified face she wore in her last moments. Since what happened to her, he has suspected that a life of peace is merely a dream that can never be a reality for him. He's not sure if he can feel the same way about another woman again. (Anyone who has read his Codex will know that he eventually did some years later, with enemy-turned-ally Maria Thorpe; she was his better half until death.)
Assassins are trained not to hesitate in the face of danger, but merely show discretion before acting. Altaïr is accustomed to hiding in plain sight, and making his first strike his last. He demonstrates extensive observational skills that help profile his targets, and there is a lot of information (visual, cultural, psychological) he must retain. During his hunt for the nine targets, Altaïr completed all the reconnaissance and information gathering as directed, which was necessary in order to even get close enough to his targets. If a mission went differently than planned, Altaïr counted on his own ability to adapt to change. It has saved him countless times, though his friend Malik cautions him on relying on it too much. Malik acts as Altaïr's (often harsh) conscience when it comes to discretion, and Altaïr would exchange equally harsh words with him.
It is strongly implied through the game's system that Altaïr followed the Creed very closely – at first to regain his rank and keep his life, then because he felt remorse for his mistakes. His arrogance cost the life of one Assassin, and the left arm of another. And, though the Templars already knew the location of their hideout, Al Mualim convinced Altaïr that it was he who led them to battle on their doorstep, resulting in more lives lost.
Part of the Creed forbids the killing of innocents, but Altaïr took it a step further, going out of his way to help civilians being tormented by the corrupt guards who are supposed to protect them. A staunch believer in free will, he cannot tolerate the oppression of others, and he risks his life to prevent it. This often puts him at odds with the law.
The final boss of the game, who seeks to enslave the minds of others, states that who Altaïr is and what he does are too strongly intertwined, and that it would be impossible to enslave Altaïr's mind without completely breaking it and rendering him useless. Mind control or Avoxing would either be ineffective or damage him beyond usefulness.
Setting: The Crusades and his own profession provided ample opportunities to witness violence, cruelty, and slavery. He will be furious that he is being held in the Tower and arenas, then confused that he is allowed the run of the city. He will try to sleep on roofs and listen at doors. He may get into fights with Peacekeepers until he learns that tranquilizers and sheer numbers are a thing. Unless someone stops him, he will steal knives from the kitchen and hat pins from Capitolites. He will look for like-minded rebels, but be cautious about whole-heartedly joining one side of a conflict. Assassins prefer an impartial bird's eye view.
[ He breathed hard but quietly, instinctively not wanting to give away his position, but no one was in the room. He would not rest or stay still as long as he felt in danger. He jumped up and paced like a cage animal. The speaker went off, startling him. He scowled. This was foolishness.
He honestly didn't think he'd come back. Cheat death? What was the point, then, of assassination? of assassins? He sat back down, brooding at the wall for quite some time. Finally, the communicator tried his patience one too many times, and he angrily snatched it up. Several seconds of fumbling later, he managed to get it to work. He had no notion of pointing the camera properly, so an unfortunate view of his crotch it was--clothed, for the record. ]
Who was it that fought me? What was their name?
[ His voice did not carry bitterness or murderous intent, but curiosity, annoyance, and admonishment. ]
You should have known better. We are allies. It was foolish of you. You can either come speak to me plainly, or I can find you. I will find you.
[ He didn't mean to sound ominous, but.... well. Hunting people down was his line of work. ]
Prose:
Of course he tried to choke the peacekeepers.
He had to be forcibly thrown into the demonstration room, sporting several bruises and a bloody nose. They had overwhelmed him with sheer numbers and better armor. He staggered to his feet. Once he realized he wouldn't be pincushioned by a firing squad of archers, the tall man stood still, taking time to wipe a dark hand across his aquiline nose, glaring daggers at the Gamemakers as instructions were issued.
Demonstrate his skill? What did they expect him to be, a gladiatorial slave from Roman times? Who did these fools think they were? He, Altaïr, balanced the scales of life and death, carved his will into the world with his blade. He fought for freedom and peace, both of which were sorely lacking here.
The only options were death or escape. His eyes cast around the room. If the door was bolted behind him, he would have to try the entrance the Gamemakers used. Their balcony was at a safe height--if Altaïr were a normal man, or even a normal soldier. He formed a plan, though an unfortunately half-baked one. He was too impatient.
"Very well. You will see some skill."
It will be the last thing you see. He peeled off his shirt and tied it around his waist as a belt. Then he began slipping blades into it, eyes flicking up every once in a while to see if this pilfering in plain sight was allowed. His shirt was not strong enough to hold a sword, but that was fine. His torso was lean but muscled well, with some scars from blades and bad falls.
"This table is in my way. You will not mind if I move it?"
Without waiting for permission, he cleared it of the remaining weapons and pushed it against the wall to his left. Positioning it under the balcony would be too obvious, and would leave him at the disadvantage of being below them while pulling himself up.
All at once he was on the table, then on the wall, feet flying as his momentum carried his wall run towards the Gamemakers. He jumped, knife poised like a talon, aiming to land on their balcony. It was a forcefield window that greeted him instead. He saw the sparking hexagons as he shouted in confused pain. He fell, and blacked out before he hit the floor.
- A hereditary sixth sense, dubbed Eagle Vision (video here), can be activated while standing still and at full health. This intuition shows people's true intentions, and can even lead one in the direction of an unseen target. Red = soldiers/enemies, blue = allies, white = informants and hiding places, gold = assassination targets. Permissions post here. This is his only power.
- Altaïr fights with: longsword, knife/short blade, throwing knives, fists, swordfighting while on horseback, hidden blade (retractable blade hidden in the left bracer, for which an Assassin's left ring finger is removed)
- Pickpocketing, eavesdropping, interrogation by fists, parkour, climbing almost any building.
- Leap of Faith: Experienced Assassins can jump from dangerous heights to land safely in a bale of hay/leaves
- All Assassin initiates had to be well-educated to help them infiltrate various cultures. Altaïr is able to blend in plain sight with groups of both European and Middle Eastern scholars. His education is outdated in Panem, but his observational skills, discipline, and instincts are still useful.
- He can travel alone on horseback through soldier-infested mountains and small settlements. He can camp if necessary, but most of his time is spent within reach of civilization.
- He's pretty good at drawing.
2015-04-20 Sleepwear
2015-04-20 Token: an eagle pin in white
2015-05-25 Arena 14 A Grimm Age only: Medieval Europe farmer's outfit
2015-06-01 Arena 14 A Grimm Age only: Four days food and water, first-aid kit, Celebrus magazine, small folding knife, from China Sorrows
Fandom: Assassin's Creed
Canon point: end of Memory Block 3, on his way back home after having assassinated Garnier and Talal, rank 4
PB: His in-game model was based off Francisco Randez, so he might crop up in icons.
Age: 25
History: http://assassinscreed.wikia.com/wiki/Alta%C3%AFr_Ibn-La%27Ahad
Score: 11
District: 11
Presentation
His quick promotion to Master Assassin had stirred up some dissent, which wasn't helped by his arrogance. Before his failure at Solomon's Temple, Altaïr regarded fighting and killing as ways to show off his skill. Altaïr would often return from a mission to looks of admiration, yes, but also jealousy. As Al Mualim's favorite, he was used to competition and rivalry, and his aggressive manner encouraged it. He initially responded to his demotion with anger, especially when novices, who were supposedly beneath him, were tasked to help him. He cut their words short, saying they were in his way. He claimed he could do everything himself without their help.He is at times insufferably rebellious. Both Al Mualim and the Bureau leaders spend half the game berating Altaïr for rash actions and not shutting up. Altaïr has a habit of turning his head and avoiding someone's eyes when they said things he doesn't want to hear, much like an indignant teenager being scolded. A conversation with an informant reveals that, before he got a swelled head, Altaïr used to work in cooperation with his fellow teammates. As Altaïr regains his rank piece by piece, he attempts to work together with people again, but he has to also regain their trust.
Altaïr vocally questions everything, from the laws of society, to Al Mualim, to the threads that bind his nine targets together as – he would later find out – Templars. It was Al Mualim who taught him to question the world, and Malik who counseled him to never know, only suspect. Altaïr openly makes every effort to see facts for himself, to place trust in what he sees with his own eyes. He has little patience for manipulation of himself or others. He will never blindly follow anyone.
Altaïr is habitually to-the-point. He demands information, and gives large amounts of information quickly and succinctly, not stopping to make small talk. Altaïr has a focused directness that gets things done quickly, and the goal of parkour – to get from point A to B as swiftly and efficiently as possible – meshes nicely with that. In his interactions with civilians and noncombatants, Altaïr may seem frustrated at their unsubtlety in delicate situations. Everything is unsubtle to a man trained in stealth, especially to a man who has learned from the mistake of blowing his cover. In addition, other characters may see his reticence as rude, and... it probably is. But he is secretive for a purpose. He doesn't want to compromise the Brotherhood.
Because Altaïr has seen Crusaders and Saracens commit unspeakable acts in the name of a benevolent God, he says he doesn't believe in such a thing. In Solomon's Temple, when he, Kadar and Malik viewed the Arc of the Covenant – an extremely important religious artifact from Biblical times – he told the novice Kadar not to be silly, there is no such thing. However, Altaïr will fight for people's right to choose their beliefs. When the Templars take people's freedom in exchange for peace, Altaïr is ready to pit himself against them.
The events of the summer of 1191 left little time for merrymaking. However, Altaïr is not without a sense of fun. His job requires he complete missions with as much stealth as possible, but he also loves a good sword fight, as evidenced by his occasional
Motivations
His birthparents, like all Assassin parents, were not allowed to be emotionally close to their children. Altaïr saw Al Mualim as the closest thing to a father. He didn't know he could do better. Emotion was a weakness in Al Mualim's eyes, one Altaïr was raised not to show. We do not see the Levantine Assassins greet each other with much physical affection, such as the (bro)hugs common among Middle Eastern men of the time.When we first met Altaïr, it was clear from his struggle for Al Mualim's approval and the excuses he tried to make about his mistakes at Solomon's Temple that he had experienced years of emotional deprivation and a struggle for approval in this man's eyes. He dealt with it by being aggressive, and, in Abbas's words, was "loathe to share the glory" of a successfully completed mission. Despite his lack of patience and questioning of some of Al Mualim's methods, he was eager to regain his rank and his master's approval again. It was all he knew and all he had.
Altaïr harbored affection privately. His time with Adha in 1190 had him considering laying down his blade. Some fellow Assassins knew of Altaïr's involvement with Adha, though it is unclear how much exactly. After her death, he responded to their inquiries about her whereabouts with silence. Though Altaïr killed the Templars responsible for Adha's death, he realizes that revenge did not bring him peace. He still wakes from nightmares of the terrified face she wore in her last moments. Since what happened to her, he has suspected that a life of peace is merely a dream that can never be a reality for him. He's not sure if he can feel the same way about another woman again. (Anyone who has read his Codex will know that he eventually did some years later, with enemy-turned-ally Maria Thorpe; she was his better half until death.)
Assassins are trained not to hesitate in the face of danger, but merely show discretion before acting. Altaïr is accustomed to hiding in plain sight, and making his first strike his last. He demonstrates extensive observational skills that help profile his targets, and there is a lot of information (visual, cultural, psychological) he must retain. During his hunt for the nine targets, Altaïr completed all the reconnaissance and information gathering as directed, which was necessary in order to even get close enough to his targets. If a mission went differently than planned, Altaïr counted on his own ability to adapt to change. It has saved him countless times, though his friend Malik cautions him on relying on it too much. Malik acts as Altaïr's (often harsh) conscience when it comes to discretion, and Altaïr would exchange equally harsh words with him.
It is strongly implied through the game's system that Altaïr followed the Creed very closely – at first to regain his rank and keep his life, then because he felt remorse for his mistakes. His arrogance cost the life of one Assassin, and the left arm of another. And, though the Templars already knew the location of their hideout, Al Mualim convinced Altaïr that it was he who led them to battle on their doorstep, resulting in more lives lost.
Part of the Creed forbids the killing of innocents, but Altaïr took it a step further, going out of his way to help civilians being tormented by the corrupt guards who are supposed to protect them. A staunch believer in free will, he cannot tolerate the oppression of others, and he risks his life to prevent it. This often puts him at odds with the law.
The final boss of the game, who seeks to enslave the minds of others, states that who Altaïr is and what he does are too strongly intertwined, and that it would be impossible to enslave Altaïr's mind without completely breaking it and rendering him useless. Mind control or Avoxing would either be ineffective or damage him beyond usefulness.
Setting: The Crusades and his own profession provided ample opportunities to witness violence, cruelty, and slavery. He will be furious that he is being held in the Tower and arenas, then confused that he is allowed the run of the city. He will try to sleep on roofs and listen at doors. He may get into fights with Peacekeepers until he learns that tranquilizers and sheer numbers are a thing. Unless someone stops him, he will steal knives from the kitchen and hat pins from Capitolites. He will look for like-minded rebels, but be cautious about whole-heartedly joining one side of a conflict. Assassins prefer an impartial bird's eye view.
Samples
First Person Thread:[ He breathed hard but quietly, instinctively not wanting to give away his position, but no one was in the room. He would not rest or stay still as long as he felt in danger. He jumped up and paced like a cage animal. The speaker went off, startling him. He scowled. This was foolishness.
He honestly didn't think he'd come back. Cheat death? What was the point, then, of assassination? of assassins? He sat back down, brooding at the wall for quite some time. Finally, the communicator tried his patience one too many times, and he angrily snatched it up. Several seconds of fumbling later, he managed to get it to work. He had no notion of pointing the camera properly, so an unfortunate view of his crotch it was--clothed, for the record. ]
Who was it that fought me? What was their name?
[ His voice did not carry bitterness or murderous intent, but curiosity, annoyance, and admonishment. ]
You should have known better. We are allies. It was foolish of you. You can either come speak to me plainly, or I can find you. I will find you.
[ He didn't mean to sound ominous, but.... well. Hunting people down was his line of work. ]
Prose:
Of course he tried to choke the peacekeepers.
He had to be forcibly thrown into the demonstration room, sporting several bruises and a bloody nose. They had overwhelmed him with sheer numbers and better armor. He staggered to his feet. Once he realized he wouldn't be pincushioned by a firing squad of archers, the tall man stood still, taking time to wipe a dark hand across his aquiline nose, glaring daggers at the Gamemakers as instructions were issued.
Demonstrate his skill? What did they expect him to be, a gladiatorial slave from Roman times? Who did these fools think they were? He, Altaïr, balanced the scales of life and death, carved his will into the world with his blade. He fought for freedom and peace, both of which were sorely lacking here.
The only options were death or escape. His eyes cast around the room. If the door was bolted behind him, he would have to try the entrance the Gamemakers used. Their balcony was at a safe height--if Altaïr were a normal man, or even a normal soldier. He formed a plan, though an unfortunately half-baked one. He was too impatient.
"Very well. You will see some skill."
It will be the last thing you see. He peeled off his shirt and tied it around his waist as a belt. Then he began slipping blades into it, eyes flicking up every once in a while to see if this pilfering in plain sight was allowed. His shirt was not strong enough to hold a sword, but that was fine. His torso was lean but muscled well, with some scars from blades and bad falls.
"This table is in my way. You will not mind if I move it?"
Without waiting for permission, he cleared it of the remaining weapons and pushed it against the wall to his left. Positioning it under the balcony would be too obvious, and would leave him at the disadvantage of being below them while pulling himself up.
All at once he was on the table, then on the wall, feet flying as his momentum carried his wall run towards the Gamemakers. He jumped, knife poised like a talon, aiming to land on their balcony. It was a forcefield window that greeted him instead. He saw the sparking hexagons as he shouted in confused pain. He fell, and blacked out before he hit the floor.
Abilities
Score: 11. This high-ranking Assassin would be a 12, if not for arriving fresh from the 12th century. He is woefully unequipped to handle a world of technology. He has never held a gun. He doesn't know what cameras, bombs, or nerve gas are. His understanding of firepower is limited to hand-pump flamethrowers and stories about Chinese powder. His version of biological warfare involves blankets rubbed on plague sores and dumping bodies in enemy water sources.- A hereditary sixth sense, dubbed Eagle Vision (video here), can be activated while standing still and at full health. This intuition shows people's true intentions, and can even lead one in the direction of an unseen target. Red = soldiers/enemies, blue = allies, white = informants and hiding places, gold = assassination targets. Permissions post here. This is his only power.
- Altaïr fights with: longsword, knife/short blade, throwing knives, fists, swordfighting while on horseback, hidden blade (retractable blade hidden in the left bracer, for which an Assassin's left ring finger is removed)
- Pickpocketing, eavesdropping, interrogation by fists, parkour, climbing almost any building.
- Leap of Faith: Experienced Assassins can jump from dangerous heights to land safely in a bale of hay/leaves
- All Assassin initiates had to be well-educated to help them infiltrate various cultures. Altaïr is able to blend in plain sight with groups of both European and Middle Eastern scholars. His education is outdated in Panem, but his observational skills, discipline, and instincts are still useful.
- He can travel alone on horseback through soldier-infested mountains and small settlements. He can camp if necessary, but most of his time is spent within reach of civilization.
- He's pretty good at drawing.
Inventory
2014-04-20 Nondescript but well-fitted athletic wear2015-04-20 Sleepwear
2015-04-20 Token: an eagle pin in white
2015-06-01 Arena 14 A Grimm Age only: Four days food and water, first-aid kit, Celebrus magazine, small folding knife, from China Sorrows
