Altair Ibn-La'Ahad

Altair Ibn-La'Ahad is one of the main characters from the Assassins Creed games.

Altair was a member of the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassinswho served as their Mentor from 1191 until his death in 1257. During his tenure as Mentor, through the knowledge of an Apple of Eden, Altaïr made several discoveries and inventions that greatly helped the Order's progression. His leadership saw to the spread of the Assassins' influence throughout the Old World.

Raised to be an Assassin from birth, Altaïr became a Master Assassin at age 24, an accomplishment unheard of for one so young. He failed to recover an Apple of Eden from Robert de Sablé in July 1191 and subsequently allowed the Templars to attack the town of Masyaf, headquarters of the Assassins. For this, he was demoted to the rank of novice and sent on a quest for redemption.

Tasked with the deaths of nine individuals who, unbeknownst to him, made up the ranks of the Templar Order in the Holy Land, Altaïr began a quest to change his ways and liberate the Kingdom from their corruption. During his quest however, Altaïr learned of a plot far more sinister than he originally believed. In completing his mission, he also cleansed the Order of its treacherous leader Al Mualim. Altaïr thereafter became Mentor, taking the Assassins in a new, more secretive direction.

With the Apple in hand, Altaïr changed the way members of his Order lived their lives, writing the details in his fabled Codex for later generations of the Order to read. Altaïr's vision of the Assassin Order was for them to be spread across the world, living among the people, and he began establishing many Assassins Guilds during his tenure as Mentor. Throughout his travels, Altaïr strengthened his Order, stopping various Templar plots over the years as well as halting the inexorable march of Genghis Khan. Altaïr is an ancestor to Desmond Miles, through the maternal line.

Appearance
As a Master Assassin, Altaïr wore long white robes with a red sash, leather armor, and sheaths to store his weaponry and pouches. His arsenal was comprised of a longsword, a short blade, throwing knives, and the illusory iconic Hidden Blade. At 92, Altaïr wore long white robes with patterns imprinted on them and an emerald cape.

Personality
Altaïr was raised at the Assassin fortress at Masyaf and quickly rose through the ranks of the Order to become one of the most respected and feared Assassins in the Brotherhood, second only to its leader, Al Mualim. A cold and objective man, Altaïr fully devoted himself to whatever course he chose to pursue. He had a proud nature, and was often impetuous, demanding, arrogant, and impatient. However, after his failure at Solomon's Temple and commencing on a mission to redeem himself, Altaïr began pondering the motivations of his targets after listening to their final words.

As his mission progressed and he began to observe the connections between his victims, Altaïr's mindset gradually changed, and he started drawing more heavily on the teachings of the Order. By the time he confronted Al Mualim, he had become a calmer, wiser, and more focused man, although he still occasionally let anger get the best of him.

Intelligent and dedicated, Altaïr was passionate about the pursuit of knowledge. He understood that future eras would have no place for the traditions of Masyaf and changed their practices accordingly. His wisdom and leadership would prove instrumental in ensuring the continuation of the Assassin Order.

Abilities
Altaïr was a Master Assassin, capable of extraordinary acrobatic feats and versed in the application of deadly arts. Trained extensively, he was able to overcome any obstacle, human or terrain, climb the tallest towers and leap from the highest ledges without a hint of fear. Like other Assassins, he was also trained in stealth assassination techniques, hand-to-hand and weapons combat, and blade throwing. His noncombat skills included climbing, urban acrobatics, eavesdropping, interrogation, and pickpocketing. He also had extensive knowledge of Holy Land politics and religion, which helped him better understand his opponents. According to Niccolò Polo, at the age of 92 Altaïr retained the same strength, stamina, and skill he had in his youth, possibly due to renewed training when he reclaimed the title of Mentor.

Altaïr also possessed Eagle Vision, a "sixth sense" or intuition that allowed him to see a person's true intentions. Due to this gift, Altaïr had heightened intuitive abilities and senses, along with his sharpened fighting skills. Altaïr's skills made him one of the most deadly and adept Assassins in the Order's history, and they were legendary even after his death.

Altaïr was also a skilled artist, and his Codex was heavily illustrated. In it he drew blueprints for Hidden Blade modifications, manuals for assassination techniques, maps, and even a detailed sketch of his wife, Maria, bordered with hand-drawn flowers.

Despite his age, Altaïr still continued to wield two Hidden Blades, though he carried no other weapon.

Trivia

 * Altaïr was seen wielding a crossbow in the E3 trailer for the original Assassin's Creed, though the weapon did not appear until Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Altaïr used the weapon in the same manner Ezio did, by holding it one-handed and firing single bolts in a short span of time.
 * He is also shown carrying a crossbow on his back on the back cover of Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade.
 * In promotional artwork, Altaïr wore a glove only on his left hand. In the game, he wore gloves on both hands.
 * Lucy Stillman once mentioned an error with the Animus 1.28 software which caused ancestors to drown, explaining Altaïr's inability to swim.