| abstract | - Shortly after the death of Al Mualim, Altaïr began writing the Codex. Throughout most of his life Altaïr wrote about important aspects of his life in his journal, including the ongoing war between the Assassins and Templars, his philosophy on life itself, his personal opinions regarding God and religions in general, and more importantly information obtained from the Apple of Eden. Altaïr was able to improve the Assassin Order's methods of assassination, including the use of poison, as well as invent several weapons, one of them being the Hidden Gun. Eventually, near age 92, Altaïr completed the Codex. During the Mongol siege of Masyaf in 1257, Altaïr bequeathed the Codex and five seals to Niccolò Polo for safe keeping. Two days later however, a Mongol raiding party intercepted Niccolò and his brother as they were fleeing, and took possession of the Codex. Years later, the Codex was passed back into the possession of the Polo's when Niccolò's son, Marco, retrieved it from the court of Genghis Khan. Marco in turn handed it to the Assassin Dante Alighieri, who passed it into the safe-keeping of his apprentice, Domenico Auditore. The Codex was eventually and deliberately broken apart and scattered whilst aboard a ship in Otranto harbor, so as to prevent its capture by drunken pirates hired by the Templars.
|
