Misbah
Misbah was a man who lived in the Poor District of Damascus during the Third Crusade. Elderly by the end of the 12th century, he was an acquaintance of a wealthy merchant named Tamir, an associate of the Templars, having conducted business with him. His connections attracted the attention of the Assassins, however, and in 1190, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad interrogated Misbah hoping to discover an alternate route into Tamir's heavily-guarded home. Upon being confronted by the Assassin on Lowend Street, Misbah was frightened despite Altaïr's claim that he was a friend of Tamir. When Misbah demanded to know the Assassin's name, Altaïr nonchalantly responded that his identity was irrelevant before subjecting Misbah to physical torture.
Fortunately for Misbah, this caught the attention of nearby Crusader guards. As the soldiers attempted to arrest Altaïr, Misbah seized the opportunity to flee on the rooftops. Even so, he failed to evade the agile Assassin, and in desperation, he climbed onto the roof of a decaying four-story building. This decrepit house could not support his weight, and as he attempted to traverse across a narrow construction beam, the top level crumbled beneath him. In the chaos, Misbah managed to cling onto a rope that dangled high off the ground below. As his fear of heights took hold of him, he frantically pleaded for Altaïr's aid. Amused, the Assassin assented on the condition that Misbah divulge information on bypassing the security around Tamir's house. Despite his predicament, Misbah initially asserted his ignorance, but relented after the irate Altaïr pressed him further. Though he reaffirmed that he had never visited Tamir's home, he was willing to disclose that a recent shipment of oil had been delivered to Tamir's residence. As these oil barrels were held on the terrace of the house, Misbah proposed that Altaïr could expel Tamir from the building by igniting the oil. Despite his gratitude for the advice, Altaïr reneged on the deal, leaving Misbah to dangle on the rope.
By the time Altaïr had reached the Rich District in search of Tamir's house, Misbah had reported Altaïr to the guards, forcing the Assassin to travel on the rooftops to elude their attention.
Trivia
- Misbah, مصباح, is an Arabic name meaning "lamp, lantern, light."
