Choosing a character to base a design from

After creating two mood boards full of concept art of characters in different franchises, I would prefer to base my character design on Assassin's Creed, as for Gears of War there isn't as much colour, (contrasting colours) as all of the characters in the Gears franchise are all grey and dirty, which does fit in well with the theme however, personally I would like to add more colour to the suits but there is the problem of it not fitting in with the law of the game. As well the design of the suits are supposed to look the same, so changing that won't also fit so that's another reason why I picked Assassin's Creed. I could try to experiment with the looks of the Locusts as Gears of War 4 and GEARS 5 have a different variant of Locust that have more brighter colours (glowing body parts) but if I would to proceed with this I would be restricting myself to only them types of Locusts and only changing the colour as they don't wear armour.

Building up to the final piece

From the backstory I made, my character changed the design of his suit so that Ezio and the other members of the Brotherhood couldn't track him, that being the case I'm free to design the suit how I like, as long as it matches the location and time period (Rome 1500 - 1507).

After sketching a Hidden Blade, I chose to sketch quick drawings of as many different stiles of suits as possible so that when it comes to making the final piece, I would be able to pick out my favourite components from different drawings that I've made and copy them to then be combined together on one final drawing.

When making these sketches, first I gathered a couple of reference images and placed them off to the side of where I would start drawing so when I did I could get an idea of what pose the characters' /drawings will have. Same as the Hidden Blade drawing, I sketched the outline first so I could get the shape and proportions right, then I worked on doing the interior. This process was completed sixteen times (not including the Hidden Blade). Once I got everything outlined, I worked on adding colour (not including the image in the middle), I used a brush on Photoshop that makes the colour look like Watercolour paint as it looks like it was done in real life. After finishing that I added more detail in places that looked blank by adding multiple black lines to indicate where the shadows are and the same with white lines for where the light is reflecting.

Starting from the left image, for number A, I used a reference image of Ezio in his Temporary Hooded Cloak outfit (Assassin's Creed Revelations), as I thought it would be a good disguise for my character from the other Assassins. For number B, I used a reference image of an outfit from a mobile game I just recently found out existed, Prodigy Outfit (Assassin's Creed Identity), as I like the idea of it having no sleeves as its to be worn in a hot climate, Italy. For number C, I used a reference image of Ezio's Robes (Assassin's Creed 2), as I like the inclusion of the cape as it helps to hide the Hidden Blade even more as well I also like the red stripes as it matches the setting very well. 

For the image in the middle, Pilgrimage robes (Assassin's Creed Revelations), it was more of a practice as I did that one first and instead of taking one aspect from a reference image, I chose to copy the outline entirely. Although this was a practice, I should've done what I did for the rest of them.

And for the image on the right I used reference images from multiple games + the movie and just like the image on the left, I took one feature from an image (including the pose) and applied it into my own sketch.

For these sketches I tried to keep them historically accurate and within the law of the franchise as much as possible and now after finishing them all I now have a better idea of what my character will wear.

In the end, I think I will be taking components from multiple existing and non-existing characters and combining them, followed by lowering the opacity so I can then sketch over the top, like its a silhouette and add my own detail as well. I think this option is better as my character isn't trying to look like - for instance Ezio, although he is inspired by him but isn't trying to take over his legacy. And as well I want to branch off with the design and make it slightly different from what already exists but still maintaining its accuracy to the setting. 

With this method I've chosen to use, I will use other peoples sketches and concept art, as well as my own silhouettes to therefore help me achieve the correct shape of what I will be planning on having, as like a guide. As I struggle when it comes to drawing hands and scaling the characters' proportions right to the rest of the body.

My Silhouettes 

Other Peoples Character Concept Art (Middle Eastern)

Other Peoples Character Concept Art (International)

Making the final piece

The front view

I started by gathering reference images of multiple different concept art of different Assassins throughout the franchise, that helped me to get a better idea of what pose my character would make. When I had a proper idea of the pose, I then used the technique of "Heads as units" experiment, (draw multiple head shape circles one beneath the other, which determines the height of the character) and attempted to sketch my own silhouette. After I finished the silhouette, it didn't turn out the way I liked, and I chose to trace the silhouette of a reference image instead, as before I struggled to get the proportions of each limb right. With the new silhouette finished, I gathered multiple images of Assassins and used the lasso tool to take at least one component I liked from them and I placed them over the silhouette, I chose to use this method as it helped me to get the shape of the clothing later on. With that finished, I traced around the outline of each component and drew smaller lines that were later replaced with shadows and then I removed the images so what was left was my own outline.

The back view

For the back view, I used the same reference images of the different Assassins and the front view of my character, that helped me to get a better idea of how he would look as the clothes needed to match. I also experimented with taking the silhouettes from the front view and flipping them to help me make a new one, this didn't go as I liked as it made me realise the flaw in the front view, such as the character leaning on one side. For the new silhouette, I found an outline of the back view of a human body and I then used the same method as before, by gathering multiple images of Assassins and using the lasso tool to take at least one component I liked from them and I placing them over the silhouette. When done, I traced around the outline of each component and drew smaller lines that were later replaced with shadows and then I removed the images so what was left was my own outline. And from that I proceeded to draw the legs. After completing the full outline I started to add colour, I used the same colour palette as the front view for obvious reasons.

The final piece

Brief History of the Franchise

Third Crusade from 1191

Through out Assassin's Creed you play as a character in the modern day that as well as one of their ancestors. And in the first game you also play as Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, an Assassin living during the Third Crusade, is tasked by Assassin Brotherhood Mentor Al Mualim to retrieve a powerful artefact known as a Piece of Eden, specifically the Apple of Eden. His arrogance during this mission costs the life of a fellow Assassin and permanently disables another. Al Mualim then demotes him within the Brotherhood and gives him nine Templar targets to take out. Upon killing the ninth, Templar Grand Master Robert de Sable, he returns to the Assassin stronghold of Masyaf only to discover that Al Mualim betrayed the Brotherhood and stole the Apple of Eden for himself. After a fight ensues, which sees Al Mualim fall to Altair's blade, a glowing map is revealed that shows the locations for more Pieces of Eden across the world. 

Italian Renaissance from 1459 - 1508

Assassin's Creed II begins during the Italian Renaissance in Florence with the birth of Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Flash forward years later, and Ezio is a young man who sees his father and brothers killed after being framed for treason. On his journey to avenge their deaths, he discovers that his father was a member of the secretive Assassin Brotherhood, and he takes up the mantle in his stead. Traveling from Florence to Venice, stopping at a few towns in between, Ezio unravels the conspiracy taking root that sees Templar Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia becoming Pope Alexander VI. After overpowering Borgia in the Vatican, the Apple and Staff of Eden open a vault where a projection of a member of the First Civilisation tells Ezio that a great catastrophe will destroy the Earth in the future. 

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood picks up immediately after the ending of Assassin's Creed II. With the Apple of Eden in hand, Ezio retires to the country village of Monteriggioni. His life is thrust into chaos as Rodrigo Borgia's son, Cesare, lays siege to the village and steals the Apple of Eden. Ezio then journeys to Rome to take down the Borgia family once and for all. After gaining enough support and rekindling the Brotherhood, Ezio is successful in defeating both Rodrigo and Cesare. He reacquires the Apple of Eden and hides it in a First Civilisation Temple built beneath the Colosseum. 

Rise of the Ottoman Empire from 1511 - 1512 

Assassin's Creed Revelations is set during the later years of his life, Ezio makes a pilgrimage to Masyaf to understand more about the Brotherhood. Unfortunately, he finds it overrun by Templars. Upon learning that the keys to Altaïr's secret library vault lie in Constantinople, he travels to the centre of the Ottoman Empire to find them. Along the way he's caught between two warring brothers as they fight for their father's throne as Sultan. As he deals with this conflict, Ezio also relives parts of Altaïr's past through the keys to his library, which turn out to be First Civ artefacts of some sort. Settling the brothers' dispute and leaving Selim to rule, he goes back to Masyaf and enters the vault. At this point he is greeted by another member of the First Civilisation who speaks through him and to Desmond (Modern day protagonist), telling him the location of a central vault that should stop the upcoming catastrophe. Thus concluding the Ezio trilogy.

The American Revolution from 1754 - 1783 

Assassin's Creed III follows a new Assassin and jumps all the way to the American Revolution. Ratonhnhaké:ton, also known as Connor Kenway, half Native, half British, witnesses his Native American tribe burn to the ground at an early age due to what he thought was the English Templar colonisers, lead by Charles lee and his farther, Haytham Kenway. After learning that his destiny is to stop the Templars from seizing control, he gets caught in the midst of the Revolution while simultaneously trying to do what's best for his remaining people. This struggle takes him from the fledgling cities of New York to Boston and across parts of the Frontier. He then later finds out George Washington, an ally through out the whole game was the person that sent troops to burn near by Native American tribes to obtain more land, including his. Although that didn't change his mind and he still killed both his farther and Charles. Eventually he retrieves a First Civilisation key stolen from his tribe meant for a Temple, but decides to bury it in the ground in secret instead. As well concluding Desmond's arc. 

The Golden Age of Piracy from 1715 - 1722 

Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag takes us back to the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. After unknowingly killing an Assassin traitor, pirate Edward Kenway dons his robes in an effort to take his place in an important Templar meeting and to take his reward. This leads him into the age-old Assassin vs Templar conflict where he must stop those he once thought allies before they enter an ancient Observatory that has the power to locate anyone on Earth through the use of a Crystal Skull and blood vial. Successful in his efforts as well as joining the Brotherhood, he was unable to prevent the pirates' way of life from falling apart, he then retires to London where he is seen living with two children, one of which would become Connor Kenway's father, Haytham Kenway from Assassin's Creed III. 

The Seven Years' War from 1752 - 1776 

Assassin's Creed Rogue sets place in Colonial America, this time during the Seven Years' War. While on a mission to retrieve a Piece of Eden, to prevent the Templars from getting it first, Assassin Shay Patrick Cormac witnesses the destruction of Lisbon due to an earthquake. He comes to find that the earthquake was caused by his retrieval attempts and that the Assassins knew what the piece could do and plan for him to retrieve more. He becomes so disillusioned in the Brotherhood that he turns to the Templars, fearing that the Pieces of Eden would be too dangerous in Assassin hands and like the earthquake, would destroy countless more cities. Shay then hunts down his former allies, with his actions kicking off the events taking place in Assassin's Creed Unity. 

The French Revolution from 1776 - 1794 

Assassin's Creed Unity starts after witnessing his Assassin father's death at the hands of Shay Cormac, Arno Dorian is taken in by a family friend and his daughter Élise de la Serre, who unbeknown to Arno are Templars. Years later in Paris as the beginning of the French Revolution starts as civilians protest to execute the royals. Members of both the Assassins and Templars, specifically Élise, offer to parley in the hopes of peace, or at least to end the current threat against the two organisations, but was denied by the Assassins apart from Arno. A man named François-Thomas Germain, a Sage (the reincarnations of Aita, Juno's husband), planning of betrayal from within the Templars, but these offers fall through. After Arno is expelled from the Brotherhood because of his relationship and loyalties to Élise, he returns to Paris for one last fight between Germain, which ends with both Germain and Élise dead. And then after her death alongside the memory of his farther, he continued to complete the Assassin's work but outside of the Brotherhood and still with the name of an Assassin.

The Industrial Revolution from 1868

Assassin's Creed Syndicate shows that revolutions don't always need to bring about death and chaos. Twins Jacob and Evie Frye answer the call for help from a fellow Assassin in Victorian London. Upon arriving, Jacob quickly begins to build up his own gang to take back the city from Templar control during close to the beginning of the second Industrial Revolution/ Technological Revolution. While this is going on, Evie is on her own journey to find a Piece of Eden that she knows is hidden somewhere in the city. Their adventures eventually converge as they finally reach Templar Grand Master Crawford Starrick. A battle ensues in which Starrick utilises a Piece of Eden known as the Shroud; however he is defeated, and the twins return the Shroud to its Vault beneath Buckingham Palace. 

Ptolemaic Period from 49 BC - 43 BC 

Assassin's Creed Origins begins with Bayek of Siwa, an Egyptian Medjay (a police force of the pharaoh), finds himself on a journey of vengeance after five masked men cause him to inadvertently kill his own son. These men, known as the Order of the Ancients, are what would eventually become the Templar Order. His quest takes him all over Egypt, eventually even allying with Cleopatra's forces as she tries to take control from her brother Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII. During this time, Bayek discovers that one of Julius Caesar's lieutenants was one of the five masked men who was there when his son was killed. After avenging his son and quitting as a Medjay, Bayek and his wife Aya of Alexandria, begin to form the Hidden Ones, what would become the Assassin Brotherhood, to protect the world from suffering at the hands of the Order of the Ancients/ Templars and ensure freedom for all. 

Peloponnesian War from 431 BC - 422 BC 

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is one of the two main entries in the series to feature; dialogue options, gender choice and multiple endings. As such, the plot isn't exactly set in stone, but it follows the same paths more or less. Set in Greece during the Peloponnesian War, you play as Kassandra or Alexios, descendants of the legendary Spartan King Leonidas. Your character is thrown off of a cliff as a child after attempting to stop the death of their younger sibling, who an oracle prophesied would need to be sacrificed to stop the fall of Sparta. Presumed dead, your character grows up to become a Misthios (mercenary) and is contacted by a man to kill someone named "The Wolf of Sparta," who turns out to be your character's stepfather. What follows is a tale of close family drama as the Misthios' relatives all find themselves mixed in a plot with the Cult of Kosmos, led by your younger sibling, a group secretly responsible for causing the Peloponnesian War through harnessing the power of a Piece of Eden. It is during this time that the Misthios also discovers the hidden city of Atlantis, guarded by Pythagoras, the Misthios' true father, and seals it from human contact. Depending on the actions you take within the game, you can reunite with your family and start to rebuild your relationship with them or you can choose to let them perish. Either way, the Cult of Kosmos is wiped out in the end and replaced by the Order of the Ancients.

The Viking Age from 872 – 878

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is like Odyssey before it, Valhalla is the only other entry in the franchise to feature; dialogue options, gender choice and multiple endings, though it has fewer than Odyssey does. The game begins with a young Viking, Eivor Varinsson (male) or Eivor Varinsdottir (female), of the Raven clan, witnessing the deaths of their parents during a raid on their village. Years later after avenging their deaths, Eivor journeys to England to settle new land as Norway falls under King Haraldr's rule. Eivor then spends much of their time building up alliances between various regions throughout England, all while defying King Aelfred's rule, who seeks to drive the Vikings out of England. While this is going on, Eivor's adoptive brother Sigurd Styrbjornsson and Hidden Ones Assassin, Basim Ibn ishaq attempt to find the Saga Stone, an Isu relic that should make Sigurd a god. Eivor, Sigurd, and Basim also come to find out that they are reincarnations of Odin, Tyr, and Loki from Norse myth, (Sages of Isu also like Aita). When Basim tries to kill Eivor in revenge for Odin's killing of Fenrir (Loki's son), they trap him in a First Civilisation computer until he is awoken in modern day.

Modern day from 2007 - 2020+

Assassin's Creed begins with a man named Desmond Miles, a New York bartender who is abducted by Abstergo Industries and forced to relive his ancestors' memories through the Animus to help Abstergo find the locations of Pieces of Eden. He ends up being rescued by Lucy Stillman, an Abstergo employee who secretly worked for the Assassin Brotherhood. While on the run they discover that the world is to suffer a cataclysmic event in 2012 similar to the one that destroyed the First Civilization. To prevent this solar flare from wiping out humanity, Desmond and his friends find a First Civilization Temple and encounter an Isu being known as Juno, who wants to take over the world and enslave humanity once again. She states that she will protect the Earth at the cost of Desmond's life for setting her free. He does so, saving the world from the impending solar flare, thus concluding Desmond's arc. 

Here's where Ubisoft went a bit off the rails in terms of narrative, after Assassin's Creed 3. With the solar flare stopped and Juno set free, players took control of a random, unnamed, unseen Abstergo employee who was hired under the guise of helping the company create a video game. In actuality, the Templars are using the character to search for a First Civilisation ruin known as the Observatory to find the location of a Sage, (the reincarnations of Aita, Juno's husband). 

Now the story is focusing on a new protagonist, Layla Hassan and has been since Assassin's Creed Origins. She is a former Abstergo employee turned Assassin who is now helping the Brotherhood in their fight. In the newer games she uses a new design of Animus that allows her to see anyone's memories and not just her ancestors, although a sample of their DNA is required. First the memories of Bayek and Aya then Kassandra or Alexios. In the events of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, she attempts to find the Staff of Hermes on a quest that eventually leads her to the ruins of Atlantis. It's here where she counters the Misthios (mercenary), Kassandra or Alexios depending on who you play as, who was kept alive for thousands of years thanks to the staff. The Misthios warns Layla that the Assassins and Templars must always be at war to maintain balance between order and chaos, for should one prevail over the other, or the world is doomed. Layla is apparently the one who was prophesied to bring balance between the two, and as the Misthios gives her the Staff of Hermes, (Kassandra or Alexios) passes away.

When Assassin's Creed Valhalla modern day begins, it's been two years since the events of Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Layla, with the Staff of Hermes, appears to be growing more irritable under its influence, suggesting it's taking over control. Due to the Earth's magnetic field strengthening and causing all sorts of climate issues. Layla, along with Rebecca and Shaun, go to New England (North-eastern region of the United States) to get Eivor's DNA for her to relive his/hers memories, hoping there's a clue to stop whatever's going on with the magnetic field. Realising that the Earth's problems stem from when Desmond activated the Isu towers and stopped a solar flare in 2012, Layla goes to an Isu Temple in Norway to reduce the field's strength to normal levels. It's here that she encounters Basim, still trapped in the Isu computer hundreds of years later. Layla learns that he's the one who sent the Assassins the initial coordinates to New England. After Layla enters the computer to stabilise the magnetic field, Basim frees himself, trapping Layla inside. He then takes the Staff of Hermes, containing the consciousness of Aletheia, who we learned was his lover in his past life as Loki. Escaping the temple, he meets up with Shaun and Rebecca and demands a meeting with William Miles, Master Assassin, Mentor, farther of Desmond Miles. Though Shaun and Rebecca are concerned for Layla, they listen to a message of hers telling them that she's okay, and that she does not want to be rescued.

While in the computer, Layla meets a mysterious figure called The Reader. This Reader appears to "run calculations within the Gray," knowing all possible events that will come to pass in the future. Along with The Reader, Layla stays in the Gray to prevent future mass extinction events. As well The Reader has the same voice of Desmond and in future games it could be officially revealed that Desmond is him and has been alive since 2012.

Assassin's Creed Main Characters

Assassins / Hidden Ones

Modern day Assassins

Templars / Order of the Ancients

Isu

Other

More in depth History of the Franchise

Assassin's Creed

The first Assassin's Creed game (Assassin's Creed) begins with a man named Desmond Miles, a New York bartender that was raised by a family heritage of Assassins. Desmond is then abducted by Abstergo Industries (Secretly the modern day Templars), to become their 17th subject and forced to relive his ancestors' memories through a machine called the Animus, to help Abstergo find the location of a Piece of Eden (a powerful artefact used by the First Civilisation, The Isu, which they used these artefacts to control the humans). And with these artefacts they also created the human race and subjugated them, turning them into slaves as the Isu lived lavish lives in their advanced society. However soon after the humans escaped and sheltered themselves from what was to come, a solar flare that ends up destroying all of the Isu and most of the humans but in the end they managed to rebuild. Abstergo forced Desmond to relive the memories of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, an Assassin living during the Third Crusade in the Holy Land in 1191, that ended up him becoming in contact with a Piece of Eden. We first see Altaïr being tasked by Assassin Brotherhood Mentor, Al Mualim to retrieve a powerful artifact known as a Piece of Eden, specifically the Apple of Eden. His arrogance during this mission, breaking all three important tenets the Assassin's follow ("Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent." "Hide in plain sight." "Never compromise the Brotherhood.") Costing the life of a fellow Assassin and permanently disables another, although he did manage to retrieve the Apple of Eden. Al Mualim then demotes him within the Brotherhood and gives him nine Templar targets to take out, whilst Al Mualim studies the Apple. Upon killing the ninth, Templar Grand Master Robert de Sable, he returns to the Assassin stronghold of Masyaf Castle only to discover that Al Mualim betrayed the Brotherhood and stole the Apple of Eden for himself. After a fight ensues, which sees Al Mualim fall to Altaïr's blade, a glowing map is projected from the Apple that shows the locations for more Pieces of Eden across the world. After that, just before the game ends, Desmond awakes and has past-down Altaïr's abilities and acrobatic skills through the Bleeding Affect, a side-effect of using the Animus to see a hybrids memories for too long, (it turns out that both Desmond and Altaïr are descendants from the Isu and are a hybrid between humans and Isu). These abilities conclude; Eagle vision - It allows them to filter out what is not important to help lock on to a specific target (highlighting objectives in game), and were born without the artificial neurotransmitters that forced humanity's subservience to their Piece of Eden-wielding Isu owner.

Assassin's Creed 2

The second Assassin's Creed game (Assassin's Creed 2) continues right after the first game, as Desmond who is feeling the effects of the Animus and has triggered a security breech at Abstergo Industries because of it and is about to be killed by the employees. He ends up being rescued by Lucy Stillman, an Abstergo employee who secretly works for the modern day Assassin Brotherhood. Once escaped they meet up with two other members, Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane that recruit Desmond to the Assassin Brotherhood and help him to overcome the Bleeding Affect and to control it like his ancestors. Desmond and the other Assassins then talk about the truth of Abstergo and what their intentions are, (just like their predecessor, the Templars, they also seek order, as the Assassin's want freedom for all, Abstergo/ Templars see freedom as a gateway to chaos unless order is put in place to balance it out). Rebecca then tells Desmond that Abstergo is looking for another Apple and one of his ancestors has been in contact with that same Apple, (similar to Altaïr). So once again Desmond goes into the Animus but this time its a more newer model that's much safer. The memories of the ancestor Desmond relives is Ezio Auditore da Firenze, during the Italian Renaissance in Florence in 1459 with the birth of Ezio Auditore. Flash forward years later, and Ezio is a young man who sees his father and brothers killed after being framed for treason (which Rodrigo Borgia and Uberto Alberti set up). On his journey to avenge their deaths, he discovers that his father was a member of the Assassin Brotherhood, and then inspired by his father's work, he takes up the mantle as an Assassin, (but not properly becoming a member just yet). Soon after the death of his family, Ezio meets with a loyal family friend, Leonardo da Vinci and asks him for help by fixing some of his fathers old weapons. One of those weapons is a Hidden blade (a retractable blade stored on the underside of a bracer or gauntlet, used by the Assassins and considered sacred to them, used for both stealth assassinations and regular combat). With his fixed gear, Ezio goes to assassinate the former family friend Uberto Alberti, the first in a long list of Ezio's kills. Alberti was close friends with Ezio's father, who ultimately ordered the arrests and executions of him and two of his sons. Which he had only done so after being promised financial wealth from Rodrigo Borgia. After the kill Ezio has become a huge target in Florence and has no choice but to take his mother and sister (that managed to slip away from being arrested unlike the rest of Ezio's family) and take them to his uncle Mario Auditore, brother to Ezio's farther and the owner of a small town, Monteriggioni. Once there Ezio explains to Mario about what happened in Florence and Mario offers him and his mother and sister a room each in his villa. Then once they all settled in Mario tells Ezio of his family heritage and the conflict between both the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templars. As well as his father's work to uncover the secret library of legendary Master Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad before the Templars do, (which was later revealed in another game to be hidden beneath Masyaf Castle and contained hundreds of books and wisdom gained from the Apple of Eden in the first game). After that Mario offers to be a Mentor to him (a rank in the Brotherhood given to a teacher) and train Ezio along side helping him take down the Templar order in return for protection of his family, which he happily agrees. A few years pass and Ezio has matured from being a spoiled rich kid of a privileged family to a Assassin recruit. Traveling from Monteriggioni to Florence to Venice, stopping at a few towns in between, taking out Templar leaders, Ezio unravels the conspiracy taking root that sees Templar Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia becoming Pope Alexander VI. After finding this out Ezio goes to Mario and explains the news, Mario knowing full well that Rodrigo has the advantage and has always been two steps ahead, he finally accepts Ezio into the Brotherhood as an official Assassin but only if he abbeys him and swears to never break the tenets. Ezio agrees and has his annunciation into the Creed which ends with a tradition of scaring the left ring finger (to show respect for the Creed). Ezio now being a member of the Brotherhood, he was tasked by Mario to retrieve a Apple of Eden (a different one to what Altaïr obtained), before Rodrigo gets it. During this time Rodrigo got what he wanted and was elected as Pope Alexander VI, in 1492, and managed to obtain another Piece of Eden called the Staves of Eden, (designed to control human minds and bodies, but not Hybrids or Isu, the Staves often held a cradle in their headpiece capable of fitting an Apple of Eden, which would then enhance the Staves' mind control. This combination of two Pieces of Eden could also be used to open the doors to certain Isu Vaults such as the Vatican Vault). Once Ezio got the Apple he went back to Monteriggioni, as there was an armour set there made by Altaïr himself, (a few decades after the first game, designed from the knowledge he gained from his Apple, at this time when Altaïr crafted it he was an old man and knew he would never wear it but the Apple showed him that someone in the future would need it to help sustain the Brotherhood long after he's dead.) So Ezio put on the armour and met with Mario just before they both set off to Vatican City just outside of Rome. Once there Mario allows Ezio to go alone and assassinate Rodrigo by himself as he believes he's ready. After overpowering Rodrigo in the Vatican, with the use of the Apple and protection of the armour, Ezio chose to spare Rodrigo as he believed killing him won't bring back his family, knowing full well he'd be breaking the 3rd tenet ("Never compromise the Brotherhood") by not finishing the mission. With Rodrigo spared, and the Apple and Staves of Eden both fitting together, the door opened to a vault where a projection of a member of the First Civilisation reviles itself (Minerva), she tells Ezio that a great catastrophe will destroy the Earth in 2012. Despite Ezio remarking in confusion that they were the only two there, Minerva told him that she was only speaking through him, and addressed Desmond directly. Minerva spoke at length of humans being the creations of her people, as well as the details of the war between the two, and the first disaster. Desmond then awoke to realise that Abstergo have found where they are hiding and are there to take him back. With the skills he has past-down from Altaïr and Ezio and with the help of Lucy, he managed to defeat the Abstergo employees but it wasn't a happy ending, as from what he discovered Minerva saying to him through Ezio, that the world is to suffer a cataclysmic event in 2012, similar to the one that destroyed the First Civilisation and he would have to come to term with how he will stop this event from happening.

The story does continue after the later Assassin's Creed 3, but without the inclusion of Desmond Miles or any modern day protagonist up until Ubisoft's revamp to the franchise, including; Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla. The games without a modern day protagonist are Assassin's Creed; 4 Black flag, Rogue, Unity, Syndicate.

Unfortunately I didn't have time to explain the story for later games as I've been doing other projects along side this one. If you wish to find out more about the Assassin's Creed franchise click this link: https://assassinscreed.fandom.com/wiki/Assassin%27s_Creed_Wiki