If one man was responsible for changing the face of the modern Assassins forever, it was this guy: Altaïr Ibn La'Ahad. Born in the Holy Land in 1165 to parents he hardly knew, into an Order he did not choose, Altaïr nevertheless proved himself a devoted pupil and capable fighter before he was out of his teens.
In 1189, just as the Third Crusade was gathering steam, Altaïr stunned even his attentive Mentor, Al Mualim, by almost singlehandedly routing a wave of Crusader soldiers from the steps of Masyaf castle. From that day forward, Altaïr's name was known to all Assassins. Over the next two years his reputation as a stubborn but deadly fighter eclipsed every minor detail of his mysterious life.
Loved by few but admired by all, his impeccable talents were the source of both his incredible successes and his overbearing arrogance. But this was only half the story. Since youth, Altaïr had shown signs of possessing a rare sixth sense that allowed him unprecedented access to the emotions and intentions of his opponents and allies. Dubbed "Eagle Vision" by his fellow Assassins, Altaïr honed and perfected his sense in secret, always wondering if this curious ability that set him apart of the rest - would prove a liability.
Thanks to the memories stored in Altaïr's five Masyaf Keys, we can now get a good glimpse of the man himself, instead of settling for vague glimpses through the Templars' (frankly primitive) Animus 1.28 avatar projection system.