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Announcement: Two of our admins are joining The Mentors Guild! News Share 19 Oct 2020 Written By: Edited By: Ashlea Blackett Colum Blackett Back To Database We're pleased to announce that two members of TOWCB admin team, Col and Ash are officially joining The Mentors Guild! This is a huge opportunity for our community that will hopefully open many doors, and we are extremely excited to join a network of Assassin's Creed leaders around the world. ​ We hope to help bridge the gap between community members and developers, and look forward to the future projects this community initiative will provide. ​ We would like to say a huge thank you to the Assassin's Creed Community Development team for inviting us to join the program. What is the Mentors Guild? The Mentors Guild is a collection of Assassin’s Creed Community leaders, ranging in skillsets and areas of expertise. Members include cosplayers, artists, content creators, opinion leaders, and fan site administrators. The Mentors Guild was initiated by Ubisoft, spearheaded by Assassin's Creed Community Development team, and its members are hand chosen by Ubisoft. The Mentors Guild’s main purposes are to connect disparate community members together, assist in grass-roots community initiatives, and act as a bridge of communication between the developers and the fans for both criticism and praise. Our Admins Colum Blackett ( Col_96 // Col ) is the community admin for The Ones Who Came Before, and is joining the Mentors Guild as a community builder. ​ Col has been a community ambassador in the UK for the last 4 years, and created TOWCB in 2014. It took a great deal of time to grow, but six years later TOWCB is a community that can be found across several different platforms and has an overall number of around 30,000 members. ​ "It's a great honour to be selected for the Mentors Guild community program. I've spent many years within the Assassin's Creed community, and I can't wait to get started. ​ I hope to bring a fresh wave of ideas to TMG that will help with its future. I have a ton of experience when it comes to community building, and hope to work together with fellow Mentors to create opportunities that will benefit the entire community." ​ Trivia: Col is also an Assassin's Creed merchandise collector, and has one of the biggest collections in the UK! See more Ashlea Buckley ( Ashlea_97 // Ash) is the Editor/ Charity Project Coordinator for The Ones Who Came Before, and is joining the Mentors Guild as a community builder. ​ Ash joined the Assassin's Creed community in 2016 during the promotional campaign for the movie, working from the shadows to keep our social media spoiler-free. ​ She later took on the bigger role of Editor, where she reviews and edits all content published by TOWCB. At University, Ash was the Charity Officer for the Fencing society, where she helped raise money for various charities. Upon leaving, this was something she wanted to continue, and took on the additional role of Charity Project Coordinator. ​ Ash has created several fundraising projects since joining TOWCB, most recently for The Italian Red Cross during the Coronavirus pandemic, supporting the efforts to combat the virus by providing resources and aid. To date, Ash has helped to raise over £1000 for various campaigns through Assassin's Creed community fundraisers. ​ "It is such an honour to be selected as part of the Mentors Guild. It was definitely unexpected as I have not been involved in the Assassin's Creed community for as long as the other people in the program, having only been on the scene for the last 4 years, but it is great to see that even when working mostly behind the scenes the work I do as a part of The Ones Who Came Before doesn't go unnoticed. I really appreciate being given this opportunity to further my contributions to the franchise" Trivia: Ash has also cosplayed at several UK events, and is the host of the Rally the Creed podcast! Going Forward A new wave of members are joining the ranks from across the globe, and it's exciting times ahead for all involved. ​ You can expect a ton of fan-led initiatives in the future, as we aim to help and inspire content creators to take the next step. ​ We'll also be sharing community projects over on TMG social media accounts, so keep an eye out for that! ​ Until then, you can find everything you need regarding AC here at the home of Assassin's Creed community content. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Ashlea is the Editor/ Charity Project Coordinator for The Ones Who Came Before on its wide variety of social media platforms. ​Her main responsibilities for TOWCB involve creating and editing articles, organisation of events and coordinating our charity fundraising, as well as hosting the Rally The Creed Podcast. Ashlea Blackett

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 17th to 23rd April Community Share 25 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: Assassin’s Creed Hidden One Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ 9b75 We start this week’s showcase with a captivating shot of Eivor appearing from the shadows. The lighting of this capture is truly breath-taking. The elegance of Eivor’s position allows the light to enhance the details on Ezio’s famous outfit. If you wanted a shot to epitomise the saying ‘we work in the dark to serve the light” then this is it. The Eyes Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ warriorqueenvp Eivor always wanted the Raven clan to be feared. Well with a stare as intense as this she can’t help but succeed. I admire the use of colour in this shot, with just three elements the capture stands out incredibly. The face tattoo works so well with the yellow eyes, it also creates conflict with it looking very Christian but on a Pagans face. An excellent portrait of our favourite Viking. The Dogs of War Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ lightfallimage Kassandra may be a fearsome warrior but facing a three headed dog is something else. This is one hell of shot, I love the depth of field, just enough to make the situation seem threatening. Kassandra’s stance is so good with the spear and sword at the ready. I have to say the capture and quote go hand in hand and make for a powerful package. Truly spectacular stuff from Jonnybubs. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week: Judge: Colum Blackett (Col_96 from TOWCB Admin Team) This shot is incredible. It captures one of the most memorable moments from Assassin's Creed Odyssey and makes it cinematic. For me, this shot is worthy of recognition for numerous reasons. Kassandra's stance is incredibly powerful, with the three headed threat lurking in the background. She just looks so calm in the presence of an intimidating foe. I particularly like the depth of field in this shot, as although the background is out of focus, the colours shine through, creating a striking contrast to the calm, collected Misthios. Great shot. An epic capture. Winter Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Cll3ar This week’s #Thorsday shot is pure brilliance. The details on show here are magnificent, showing the VP artist skills and also Ubisoft’s epic world building. I believe this is from the Northumbria arc of the game. It was such a great idea to split the season over the different Kingdoms of England, allowing us to take vastly differing shots. I don’t think you could wish for a more Norse feel for our unofficial Thorsday theme. Checkout the set below. Link to set Vigilante Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ JPGphotomode We end this week’s showcase with a spectacular shot of Kassandra with her hood up. You can’t help but admire the shadow work in this shot. Mixed with the awesome face paint, Kassandra looks like she belongs to the league of assassins from DC. I would have loved to see Kassandra in a traditional assassin role, but maybe one day through the Infinity hub. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Ubisoft release Assassin's Creed Mirage PC Features Trailer News Share 19 Sept 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) ​ Back To Database Ubisoft has released the 'PC Features' trailer for Assassin's Creed Mirage, for the first time showcasing the game outside of console release! Check out Baghdad and the surrounding areas, along with crystal clear details enhanced by an uncapped frame rate! Also released were the minimum requirements needed to run Mirage! Here is a chart comparing a few possible hardware configurations, and what performance specs to target with them. Finally, here are some captures from the trailer! That's all for now! Stay tuned for more updates on Assassin's Creed Mirage! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Previous Next Brandon McDonnell | Sirmcdonnell Video Content ​ Brandon // @sirmcdonnell1 is a Twitch Streamer who has followed the Assassin's Creed series since it's launch back in 2007. In Summer 2023, he opened himself up to new opportunities and made it his mission to become a content creator. TOWCB Team spotted his potential and recruited him to the Video Content Team. Throughout 2024, Brandon will be working alongside fellow streamers, TikToker's and editors to boost the profile of our community on social media platforms. Twitter | Twitch Work

From the Desk of Hytham the Acolyte - A Review of AC Valhalla: Journey to the North Review Share 26 Jul 2023 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Colum Blackett Back To Database Banner by Thea Marie Rivedal (Moonchildgecko) from TOWCB Art Team. Deluxe Edition photos by Aaron Young (Falconswift87) from TOWCB Writing Team. Article contains Amazon affiliate links that support TOWCB. One of the current discussions that has been prevalent in the past few years is the lengths of the RPG line of Assassin’s Creed titles vs those of the “classic” games. AC Valhalla being the latest entry in the series (as of this article) was well known to require hundreds of hours for players to dig in and experience the full story of Eivor and her Raven Clan coming to England with a pair of secretive warriors known as The Hidden Ones , to search for their shared enemy in The Order of the Ancients . Eivor traveled across the English countryside, the shores of Ireland, and the streets of Paris while also exploring the influences of Norse Mythology throughout this epic tale of starting over in a new land. However, unlike previous entries which documented the game, such as novelizations, strategy guides, or outside publications. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was expanded upon via multiple pieces of transmedia, but never provided an overview of the complete two-year content line. Even the art book that was released after the game only covered the main game and was more concept art of the landscapes and character types, but not every aspect was represented. Cover Art of Journey to the North In July of 2023, a new transmedia artbook/journal was released for what appears to be the end of the Valhalla story as we begin to transition into Assassin’s Creed Mirage. In The World of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North - Logs and Files of a Hidden One, fans of the series are provided a complete overview of the AC Valhalla story and updated art book told through the eyes of Hidden One, Hytham the Acolyte. This 208-page book is the ultimate text of the story of what occurred in the main game and the paid DLC expansions. The Deluxe Edition photos provided by Aaron Young Deluxe Edition Spine Deluxe Edition Art Prints Journey to the North (as it will be referred to for the rest of this review) is available in two versions as many of the previous art books have been: The standard hardback for $49.99 USD and the Deluxe Edition for $99.99 USD. The deluxe edition comes in a special brown leather style cover contained in a teal slipcover with a folio featuring two art prints. I had originally planned on purchasing this one, but decided to get the standard one for now as I just wanted to read the book and didn’t see a personal value in the double price deluxe option. However, after seeing the images from fellow The Ones Who Came Before writer, Aaron Young, I wish I had. Yet, it is nice to have the concept art cover that I have shared in the image above. The book opens on an overview of what is to follow from the in-world author Hytham. The book is divided into five sections, each one having a vast amount of content organized in such an easy to read format that I applaud the book’s author Rick Barba for. Rick is a well known video game author with over 130 publications to his name including books and guides for series including Assassin’s Creed, God of War, GTA, Red Dead Redemption, and Star Trek to name a few. Previously he wrote Assassin’s Creed: Through the Ages for Scholastic Books during the content window for AC Syndicate. If you collect video game books, you most likely have something of his work without even knowing it. Entry on Sigurd Styrbjornson The first section which covers the Viking Lifestyle gives a history of the Vikings compiled through Hytham’s research and time with the Raven Clan. Speaking with and learning from the people of Ravensthorpe as well as information provided by Jarlskona Eivor Varinsdottir via the plot of Valhalla, Hytham spent time understanding the history of the people that he now considers family, the Viking people. It is in the first pages of the book that I recognized that Hytham was constantly busy while Eivor was progressing through the story of the game. I always felt that Hytham seemed static like a set-piece outside of the mission lines he would provide players, but this book gives him a life that the game was lacking. Having a detailed, but short history of the Vikings and how the Raven Clan came to England is a strong start for the book. Hytham's notes on Odin and Frigg In the second chapter, the full mythos of the Norse gods are presented, both in the story of the Dawn of Ragnarok expansion and the history of creation in the Norse myth and the gods that are worshiped by those around Hytham. Each of the Aesir is described and most of them are presented with the game image from the character’s Codex entry in the game. This is expanded on with the stories of the myths from the creation of everything to Ragnarok itself. It is also here where we can learn Hytham’s thoughts on the Viking beliefs and on the gods, including Loki whom fans know to be the Isu that is hosted by Sage Basim Ibn Ishaq, Hytham’s Mentor. A few of the buildings in Ravensthorpe The Viking Settlement is explored in the third section of the book and this is broken down as a tour of the Ravensthorpe settlement, with each building and citizen of the home to Eivor and Hytham discussed. What I liked most about this section is that each shop is very detailed in what it does and what it offers the people that live there, but also as what it does for players of the game. Knowing that the tanner, Wallace in the Hunting Hut can provide you with trophy mounts for completing special hunts, or that Yanli at the Trading Post can sell you decorations for the settlement, and tattoos for Eivor makes this section not just a travel guide for the settlement, but a guide for players to know who to see about their in-game needs. Eivor sitting with Oswald of East Anglia The last section before the Epilogue is The Viking Age, which is the full story breakdown of the main game, Wrath of the Druids, and Siege of Paris. Hytham describes the region, the Major Factions & Sects, and the Key Events for each “sequence” of the game. It is because of this section that I highly suggest this book for anyone that wants to revisit the game or read through the story without the required playtime. While everything recorded is from Hytham documenting Eivor’s recollection as she turns in the Order Medals from her clearing England from the Order of the Ancients, and later from her informing Hytham of what happened in other countries, his detailed writings of the events of the game provide more than enough information to understand the story without the traveling distance, filler content, or unnecessary dialogue. This is the closest that we will get to a novelization of Valhalla. Eivor (Male) in Concept Art for Seige of Paris The book closes with the Epilogue which is a closing entry from Hytham as he thanks Eivor for her efforts in riding England of the Order of the Ancients, and that his biggest regret is that of his mentor Basim, whom he still cannot believe betrayed the Norse siblings Eivor and Sigurd. He then gives half of the page to speak on Basim’s past which is a heavy reference and transitional text to Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Learning about Basim’s swift rise from street thief to Mentor and how Hytham was tasked with his first mission in Constantinople to keep an eye on Basim and report back to the Brotherhood. Yet, while Hytham understands that Basim’s actions drove him out of the light of his teachings, he hoped that he found the peace he was looking for. Basim Ibn Ishaq from Assassin's Creed Mirage While there isn’t a large amount of direct references to AC Mirage outside of the book’s final page, the written thoughts of Hytham reacting to Basim’s betrayal, of Basim having a son, and on Loki (not knowing the link to his mentor), there is enough to excite players for the next entry in the series. The epilogue alone made me more excited for October 12, 2023 when we will be able to play the new game. Hytham in The Golden City by Jaleigh Johnson I’ve said it multiple times in the past when talking about the transmedia for AC Valhalla and some of the 9th Century content, that Hytham is the anchor for the Valhalla epic. Yes players control Eivor, but outside of the game, Hytham is present in six titles (including the game and this book) and has interacted with multiple storylines and characters. He’s been a guiding hand for all of the transmedia characters in the Valhalla story, Niamh in Sword of the White Horse, Geirmund of Geirmund’s Saga , and in The Last Chapter content update for Valhalla (which is not covered in this book) he takes in a new class of Hidden Ones from the members of Ravensthorpe. Many argue that Valhalla had no Assassins (much like Origins and Odyssey), but I argue that we do have an Assassin in Hytham as the underlying focus of the entire story for this game linking lead characters together like Agent Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I do wish there was more coverage of the free content updates like the Mastery Trials, The Forgotten Tombs, and The Last Chapter, but I can understand that not all of this content was available for this book at the time of release, or even when it was being written by Rick Barba. Some of the region overviews felt a bit short and not all characters were presented with an image and to agree with fellow TOWCB writer, Aaron, not all of the character shots from the game are the best composition or option for a profile photo. I would be curious to know if these were taken by the author, or provided from Ubisoft. I was happy to see game images with concept art, but do wish there was a higher quality at times. Concept Art of Bárid mac Ímair, King of Dublin My bottom line with The World of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Journey to the North - Logs and Files of a Hidden One is that it is a must have for fans of the game or the series in whole. I could even suggest it to fans of history as this is a fun historical fiction journal from a character in that time period. Nothing is incorrect historically, but may not be something that actually took place in the 9th Century Viking Expansion of England. The additional artworks for the DLC that we didn't have with the original Art of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is something that I would love to see from future games that offer DLC, and hopefully we can see something for older titles if they get remasters. With Mirage around the corner, I’m hoping additional transmedia is provided as it is my favorite aspect of the series by far. The book is available now in the US from publisher Dark Horse Books for the Standard Edition at $49.99 USD, or the Deluxe Edition for $99.99 USD. If you have interest in purchasing the book, consider using our affiliate link with Amazon to help support articles like these and The Ones Who Came Before. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Previous Next Renzo // CapturesByRenzo Writer ​ Renzo is a virtual photographer from Argentina who began sharing his work on social media in October 2022. Over time he has captured many games, with Assassin's Creed being the franchise he's shot the most! He has a love for Ubisoft games like Far Cry 5 and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and is looking forward to playing more in the future. Renzo is a positive influence in the VP community and is helping TOWCB team establish itself as the home of Assassin's Creed Virtual Photography Twitter | BluSky | Instagram Work

Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 6th to 17th May Community Share 28 May 2024 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the biweekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from the AC Partnership Program. Every two weeks we will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. This theme has been run by the TOWCB VP team. We have been monitoring the hashtag and the community hub to see all your wonderful shots. Keep an eye on the site as more shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to #ACFirstCivVP for a chance to be featured. Theme: Assassin’s Creed Wisdom Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ Majdulf47 The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ TuridTorkil Turid Majdulf has a talent for creating mesmerising shots. The strong red background in this one catches the eye while the moody composition of the raven on the skull makes you stay for a while. It’s amazing to see what one can do with two colours. Aaron “Odin smiles on us today”. Although Assassin’s Creed Valhalla doesn’t have the vibrant scenery of Origins and Odyssey it does have the best moody environments. These are hauntingly showcased in the cursed areas within the game. Majdulf has encapsulated the troubled lands of England with his excellent composition of a Raven atop a shrine. Using just the red and blacks elevates this capture to a new level and makes it stand out from the rest. I love the symbolism of Odin through the Raven and the Paganism that still lives within the Saxon kingdoms. Remains Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ well_jodye “We were three ships in a summer’s dawn”. The Viking longship is key to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Without these impressive vessels the Vikings would never have been able to bridge the gap between Scandinavia and the rest of the world. If you spend any time scouting the shores of Valhalla, you will find dilapidated ships taken back by the sea. This is a beautiful capture of just this with two ships long abandoned and consumed by nature. The sepia tones give this shot a vintage feel that fits with the narrative of neglect. I really like the use of fog to add that feel of the sea and the greens really attract the attention. I think the composition is excellent with your eyes drawn up the beach to the longship. The Sea Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ Jaco8ee “I believe my time here and this trial may help me find the answer”. One of the reasons I play Assassin’s Creed games is for the epic scenery. If you can’t travel the world then at least you can see jaw dropping locations in game. The Assassin’s Creed Odyssey coastlines are some of the most stunning I have seen. Here we have one of these locations with the water looking so realistic. I am impressed with how the shot has been split into two by the arching rock formation. The boats and mountains look fantastic in the distance and add huge depth to the photograph. How could anyone resist performing the leap of faith into that gorgeous location. The Lost Archive Game: Assassin’s Creed Revelations VP Artist: @ cyrielle_vp “Nothing is true, everything is permitted.” I adore covering Assassin’s Creed virtual photography, but it does sadden me how we often lack shots from the old games. I wish there could be a photo mode added to them all. I did not expect to be including a Lost Archive capture in this week’s showcase. The Animus sections of the Assassin’s Creed games are perfect for capturing but unfortunately haven’t featured prominently in the RPG entries. This photo is so unique and breaks the norm for Assassin’s Creed. I am getting serious Control vibes here. The beautiful columns from Subject 16’s memory make for a fantastic shot. Eagle Sight Game: Assassin’s Creed Mirage VP Artist: @ JChoukroun “Our prodigal Hidden One returns”. Assassin’s Creed Mirage certainly lends itself to minimal photography. The vast deserts with their lone trees or rock formations are a dream to capture, but so are Basim and Enkidu. I have really enjoyed capturing the two of them as they scale buildings or cross deserts. Here we have the two posing elegantly atop a sync point. I really like the minimal aspect of this capture but also the old movie making style. Basim is a character that often reflects on his actions, and this absolutely shows that side of him. Synchronization in Assassin’s Creed is all about taking a minute to breath before the famous leap of faith and that for me is what this photo shows us. And that sums it up for this Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out the photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next time keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Decoding the Creed: Assassin's Creed Mirage Arabic Poems Analysis Share 15 Jul 2023 Written By: Edited By: Noon (TheHiddenVirtuals) Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the second article in a new series dedicated to decoding the secrets hidden within the Assassin's Creed series. In this article, new recruit The Hidden Virtuals examines the mysterious text from recent Assassin's Creed Mirage gameplay footage, which can be seen in the background of the contracts board which Basim can interact with in the Hidden Ones Bureau. Here is our analysis of the three poetry pieces! Poem 1: Written by Ali bin Mohammed bin Abdul Rahim Al-Warznini Al-Alawi “Sahib Al-Zandj” ( Leader of the Zanj Rebellion) Died: 884 AD | Abbasid Caliphate لهف نفسى على قصور ببغداد … وما قد حوته من كل عاص The self weeps upon the palaces of Baghdad … and what they hold of sinners وخمور هناك تشرب جهرا … ورجال على المعاصي حراص Where Spirits are shamelessly chugged …and where men are thirsty to sin لست بابن الفواطم الغرّ إن لم … أجُلّ الخيل حول تلك العراص I am no Fatimi descendant …if my stallions did not surround those walls “al-Ghor” was referring to Ali ibn Abi Talib prophet Mohammed ’s cousin as an Epithet of Ali ibn Abi Talib which means “Leader of Believers” hence “ the leader of the Zanj Rebellion ” is claiming to be a descendant of his, something which scholars now argue to be false. Poem 2: Written by Abu Tammam Habib bin Aws bin Al-Harith Al-Ta'i Died: 846 AD | Abbasid Caliphate يُتَرجِمُ طَرفي عَن لِساني بِسِرِّهِ…فَيُظهِرُ مِن وَجدي الَّذي كُنتُ أَكتُمُ My eyes speak for secrets with that my tongue withholds…for they reveal from my sorrow what i kept untold أَلَيسَ عَجيباً أَنَّ بَيتاً يَضُمُّني…وَإِيّاكَ لا نَخلو وَلا نَتَكَلَّمُ How strange ! One place embracing us together you and i … yet apart (Known for his literature in the 9th-century, including a collection of early poems known as the Hamasah , considered one of the greatest anthologies of Arabic literature ever assembled, featuring over 880 entries) Poem 3: Source: Found in Abu Tammam Habib bin Aws bin Al-Harith Al-Ta'i's Poetry Collection Died: 963AD وإني لإشفاقي عليكَ وصَبْوتي ... إليكَ كأني في المنام أراكا And as i worry and yearn for you …i vision you in my sleep تُحدّثني نفسي إذا غِبتَ ساعةً، ... بأنّ لقاء الموتِ دون لِقاكا For in your absence my soul wonders…if death would meet me before i meet you This short poem was written by a servant of Ibn Asem, a Scholar who wrote literature covering history, poetry and religion. The poem was originally written on footwear belonging to the servant. The scribbles were then featured in Abu Tammam Habib bin Aws bin Al-Harith Al-Ta'i's Poetry Collection. It may well have been written in times previous to or during the events of Assassin Creed Mirage, also potentially pre-dating the Abbasid Caliphate, but the exact date of it's creation remains unknown. We hope that you found this article interesting. Look out for future articles in the Decoding the Creed series, as we begin to unravel mysteries hidden in plain sight. Related Articles Decoding the Creed: Assassin's Creed Mirage Calligraphy Drawings comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Noon (@HiddenOnesN) is a Virtual Photography enthusiast and writer who joined TOWCB social media team in Summer of 2023 as an Arabic Translator. In a series of Twitter threads decoding hidden messages within the Assassin's Creed Mirage Marketing campaign, Noon made a strong impression online as a codebreaker. By joining TOWCB, we boosted her findings with a larger audience, and are working together to improve our social media strategies and grow our community. In late 2023, Noon notably be led our 'Decoding the Creed' series, diving deep into the mysteries hidden within the franchise. She also worked alongside the Virtual Photography Team to grow our Twitter community, and encourage interactions. Noon (TheHiddenVirtuals)

Previous Next Hayden Bird (TombAssassin) Writing Team ​ Hayden is a passionate Freelance Writer based in South Carolina who joined TOWCB's Writing Team in 2020 during the Covid-19 Pandemic, writing articles on all things Assassin's Creed Valhalla. He left the group to focus on studies, joining our Alumni program, but triumphantly returned with fresh ideas in 2024 to pick up where he left off, only this time covering Assassin's Creed Shadows. Twitter │ Instagram Work

Previous Next Muhamad Verrell Social Media Previous Partner Verrell is an experienced social media manager who joined the program in Summer 2021. By joining the program, he will have the chance to expand his reach within the community, and help TOWCB Team reboot the program with fresh ideas and projects. Keep an eye on TOWCB Instagram account throughout 2022 and beyond. Twitter | Instagram Work

Gallery: Assassin's Creed Mirage Trailer Concept Art Other Share 4 Apr 2023 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database The first wave of concept art created for Assassin's Creed Mirage have been shared online by Roman Popov and Salvo Lo Iacono, two senior concept artists at Digic Pictures. The concepts were created as inspiration for the team, and were used as references when producing the Cinematic World Premiere Trailer, which released back in September of 2022. It's clear that these particular artworks acted as a storyboard, laying out the events which take place in the trailer. Check them out below, and be sure to follow Roman on Instagram should he happen to release more incredible pieces of Assassin's Creed artwork in the future. Street thief chase. Bird's-eye view. No entry. Basim Training with Roshan Alamut, the Mountain Fortress Hide in plain sight No escape. Initiation Nothing is True Sacrifice Sacred Ritual Guarded Street Thief Assassination Merchants Freerunning That's it for now. We hope that this little taster of Assassin's Creed Mirage has you excited for the game. Keep an eye on The Ones Who Came Before social media channels (listed below) for updates on the game and everything else Assassin's Creed. Safety and Peace Assassins. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

“Odin-sama is with us!”: A Product Review for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Eivor Nendoroid Figure Review Share 7 Jun 2022 Written By: Edited By: Michael Smith Ashlea Blackett Back To Database From the latest entry in the popular stealth action game series "Assassin’s Creed® Valhalla" comes a Nendoroid of Eivor! The fine details of Eivor's head tattoo and his weapons have been faithfully captured in Nendoroid form. Optional parts include Eivor's axes, shield and the Hidden Blade, allowing you to recreate stealth poses and action scenes alike! Eivor's companion Sýnin is included in the set as well so you can enjoy displaying them together! Good Smile Company is a Japanese figurine manufacturer for pop culture properties that was founded in 2001. Their most recognisable line of products is their Nendoroid Series of figures. This series takes characters from various properties (primarily anime) and creates a chibi (“small person”) version in a vinyl figurine that is articulated and provided with multiple parts to allow the user to pose their character in different positions for display. Pre-orders for the “Assassin’s Creed Valhalla - Eivor” Nendoroid started in the summer of 2021 and after a brief delay, was released in May 2022. The Eivor (technically Havi) Nendoroid comes packaged with an assembled figurine in the Raven Clan armor, two axes (Varin’s Axe and the Raider Axe), the Raven Clan Shield, two sets of arms, hands, and legs in either straight or bent poses, two hidden blades (retracted and extended) and a base with stand to pose your Nendoroid. In addition, a mini version of Eivor’s animal companion Sýnin is included with two sets of wings and a separate stand to pose the bird. The included instruction pamphlet comes in Japanese and English, and provides a breakdown of the included 38 pieces and instructions on how to attach the parts to pose the Nendoroid in multiple poses, as well as how to interchange the faceplate from the stern gaze to the battle cry face, giving the figure even more personality and options for display. The Nendoroid stands at approximately 100mm in height with the included stand. Posing the Nendoroid is a simple process of snapping ball-jointed pieces into the figure and rotating the multiple locations throughout the figure until you reach the pose of choice. The included base provides support as the figure cannot stand on its own (easily). The small pieces can be hard to handle in humid or warm environments as while I was playing with the figure in the Texas humidity, I started dropping the tiny pieces such as the hands and hidden blade, as my skin was becoming slick with sweat. However, the paint on the figure did not show any wear to my oily skin, which is a plus in my eyes. This figure also comes with an extra neck joint which to my dismay, I broke the original joint when trying to remove it as I believed it to be a different type of joint. This was broken as I was wiggling the piece out of its holder in the neck with a pair of pliers. The instructions inform that if you have issues removing a piece, to run it under warm water to relax the vinyl (something I did not read). I spent the morning recreating the instructions and taking photos. The Nendroid has such a personality that with camera angles and patience, I was able to take some fun action shots that reminded me of the Photo Mode within Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. This figurine looks great amongst my other Eivor statues and adds a lot to my collection in whole as having not only a licensed product from Ubisoft, but one that is in an animated style that the standard moulded pose of a statue allows me to change up how I want to display the figure. I also love seeing a poseable Sýnin as the support animals of the games do not get enough love in the merchandise. The Nendoroid Series #1661 - Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Eivor is available now from the Good Smile Company website for $54.99 USD. Prices and availability will vary by location. The Nendoroid line will also be releasing an Ezio Auditore figure later this year, which I hope to purchase once they are out of the currently closed pre-order phase. Add the Eivor Nendoroid to your collection today! ​ Amazon comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Mike Smith is a collector of all things Assassin's Creed and a major supporter of transmedia who joined TOWCB as a writer from 2021 - 2024 With nearly a full library of Assassin's Creed media, his work explored the universe in order of Genetic Memory. Notably, his Assassin's Creed Timeline became an essential tool for fans of the franchise looking to complete their collection and consume AC media in a particular order. Michael Smith

Previous Next Zephryss Social Media Team ​ Zephryss is a passionate social media manager based in India who joined TOWCB's Social Media Team in Summer 2024 to help the team prepare for coverage of Assassin's Creed Shadows news and updates. Recently, he completed his Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and is now preparing to take on a PhD. He love video games very much, and since childhood has enjoyed playing various types of games in different genres He also has 3 gaming channels (Zephryss, Assassin Zephryss & Spider Zephryss) where he uploads gameplay videos regularly. Twitter ┃ Zephryss Youtube ┃ Assassin Zephryss Youtube ┃ Spider Zephrys Youtube ┃ Twitch Work

Ubisoft Forward 2024 Breakdown: Assassin's Creed Shadows Gameplay Reveal Breakdown Share 10 Jun 2024 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Colum Blackett Back To Database Ubisoft released the first ever glimpse at Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay on the 9th June 2024 in a brand new 'First Look Gameplay Trailer' which was shown at the 2024 Xbox Games Showcase event, with the promise of more to follow at Ubisoft Forward the next day! Watch the teaser here: Ubisoft Forward has become a highly anticipated event since the collapse of E3, with players eagerly awaiting trailers, reveals and gameplay for their favourite franchises, and Assassin's Creed is no exception. As fans awaited the 19:30 BST launch time for the pre-show, screenshots, short clips and images of the game started to appear on Twitter, as just before Ubisoft's own event, Apple's WWDC event was going on. In a short section featuring Assassin's Creed's Vice President Executive Producer Marc-Alexis Côté, it was announced that the game would be available on both MAC and iPad! The main focus of the short teaser was the environment, which looks stunning in each and every scenario! Assassin's Creed was mentioned a couple of times in the build up to the show during the pre-show, with my favourite reference being a pigeon passing the camera along with the iconic eagle screech. We also see a few community photo mode shots on the walls of Ubisoft Montreal which were taken in Assassin's Creed games. The pre-show section dedicated to Assassin's Creed highlighted the fact that Mirage is available now on Apple devices. The Main Show As the biggest Ubisoft franchise of all, Assassin's Creed was naturally shown last at the event to end things on a high, with the tone set early on in the event by a series of excellent reveals, focusing on the passion of the developers, rather than pre-written jokes, audience participation and celebrity endorsement, as was often the case with E3. Coverage of #AssassinsCreedShadows‍ at Ubisoft Forward kicked off following a stunning musical performance! Twelve minutes of gameplay was shown during the main show, focussing oin Yasuke. Features we noticed in the gameplay, written by Yazen (MidnightMarauder) Full year seasonal weather (depending on the season, the terrain changes). Can pet stray Shiba Inu. Yasuke is respected which can be seen by NPC bowing to him. Armour types on enemies affect their health, armour can be broken. Can easily switch between weapons with Yasuke. Unique kill screen for big targets. Noae has eagle vision. Many tools to assassinate not just the hidden blade. Grappling hook can be used to reverse vertical obstacles. You can choose to grab rather than assassinate for a non-lethal takedown. Can assassinate through Japanese doors. Kuni knife replaces the regular throwing knife. Can swim underwater to remain hidden for assassinations, breathe using a stick. Yasuke and Naoe now have different abilities which can be recharged through assassinations or kill like AC Mirage. Post-Show Features we noticed in the developer interview / gameplay, written by Yazen (MidnightMarauder) Monkeys are a visual clues for loot and interesting places The look of the map and animals even changed through the seasons Environment is highly interactive which can lead to breakable things during combat The ability bar is called the meter adrenaline meter Unlike Valhalla posture and parrying is paramount playing as Yasuke Different enemies of different types of combat encounters some enemies are more patient than others You can switch between characters, however, during missions or infiltrations that is not possible You can use a spy network to scout ahead for where your target is Grappling hook is highly dependent on speed and positioning Can peek around corners enemies are highly affected by light and shadows Weapons have different assassination animations like the hidden blade and the long blade The grappling hook can be used to grab at enemies quickly that are far away Thunder and different weather condition can affect assassination ways can change based on the weather condition where a pond can be frozen during winter but can be swam in in other seasons Media Coverage After the show, the floodgates opened on Assassin's Creed Shadows as the embargo lifted and media coverage and reactions of an early access gameplay demo hit the web. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Best quotes in Assassin's Creed III (2012) ​ Share ​ Written By: Edited By: Reporter Name ​ Back To Database ''My enemy is a notion, not a nation.'' (Connor) VP by Jack ( _VirtualTourism ). Edit by Turið Torkilsdóttir comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author This is placeholder text. To connect this element to content from your collection, select the element and click Connect to Data. About the Author

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Launch Day: AC Partnership Program News Share 1 Dec 2019 Written By: Edited By: Colum Blackett (Col_96) Ashlea Blackett Back To Database We're proud to announce the launch of a new community initiative known as the AC Partnership Program. The aim of the program is to promote and share content created by community members, and we are now establishing a network of dedicated and passionate fans who are all individually working on AC related projects. ​ Each one of our partners brings something different to the table, and all of them will be adding their own unique projects to our new Community Hub , a database which will store the projects. We have been working behind the scenes for four months on the new website, and we have almost finished the huge task of adding all past projects to the database. It's now time to think about future projects, and the AC Partnership Program is one which will continue to thrive as regular content is released. We are always on the look out for new members, so if you believe the program is for you, simply message one of our admins and we will be in touch. We currently have nine members on the program, all of whom are now working hard on their next project. ​ Learn more about our members here. The initial idea for the program comes from a desire to help hardworking members of the community who are passionate about creating content. We believe that with the help of TOWCB admins, and our social media influence, the projects created by our members will be viewed by a larger audience, and will gain a regular following. ​ In return, we will have new and exciting content on our new website, and members will help us with projects such as fundraising and giveaways. ​ We can't wait to see what our talented members create next! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Col is one of the UK's leading Assassin's Creed Community members, and is best known for establishing both 'The Ones Who Came Before' fan community and 'Isu_Network' content creation program. As Team Leader for The Ones Who Came Before, Col was officially recognised by Ubisoft, becoming one the UK Assassin's Creed community ambassadors in 2016. He has attended many events after spending a decade in the AC Community, and has worked on countless projects, all of which you can find here on TOWCB website. He is also a former Ubisoft Star Player and member of The Mentors Guild, two recognisable community programs which opened doors and took his status within the AC Community to the next level. Colum Blackett (Col_96)

Assassin’s Creed Wishlist: How Ubisoft Can Improve Photo Mode for Mirage Wishlists Share 8 Feb 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Blackett Back To Database As the host of TOWCB weekly virtual photography showcase, I thought I would use this platform to talk about the photo mo de tool i n Assassin's Creed Valhalla. I would like to discuss the strengths but also highlight areas for improvement. Virtual Photography has really taken off in the last few years due to the implementation of in-game photo tools that can replicate a real camera. Gamers can now express themselves through this medium, by showcasing their in-game captures on various social media channels. I believe it has become so popular due to its accessibility. Like myself you don't need to have photography experience to take part, just a love for the game. There are many websites that will now provide support to gamers, to get them started on their virtual photography journey. Additionally, many twitter accounts promote people's virtual photography in the form of retweets, showcases and competitions. My skills have improved greatly thanks to the brilliant virtual photography community. Just by being exposed to others photography you get a sense of how to take a great shot. When I look back and compare against my first captures from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in 2020, the difference in quality is night and day. Virtual Photography isn't just a great tool for players, it is also a fantastic way for developers to achieve free advertisements of their game. How many times have you seen an incredible shot from someone online and thought, wow that game looks cool, maybe I will purchase it? The better the photo tools, the more striking images people can produce, increasing the online presence of a game. Assassin's Creed Valhalla's photo mode is the best in the series so far. From Origins onwards Ubisoft has added small changes to improve the way we take shots in game. The English and Norwegian landscapes have lended themselves well to VP, especially with the 4K HDR next gen consoles. The sliders can now be reset easily without having to start from scratch and the ability to create portrait shots is a real winner. This has resulted in Valhalla being praised within the community for the quality of shots that can be produced. One often overlooked feature from Assassin's Creed games i s the ability to share the location of the shot straight onto the map for others to see in their games. This is not only great for inspiration, but also for helping others find items in-game. Below I have asked five members of TOWCB VP Community what they would like to see added to future Assassin's Creed games. Assassin Poses - @ Falconswift87 For me personally Eivor will often cause frustration due to his hunched pose and awkward standing position. After playing Horizon Forbidden West, I could not understand why you would not add poses to photo mode. It creates so many different capture opportunities throughout the game. Given the many outfits that are available in AC games the possibilities could be endle ss. You just have to look on social media to see how iconic some of Aloy's poses have become. Time of Day - @ CreedScholars Scholars of the Creed said they would most like to see a time-of-day function added. There are many games that take advantage of this, but I would say Ghost of Tsushima was one of the best. The ability to fast forward time allows the player to amend lighting in so many ways. A shot taken in the middle of day can look vastly different once the stars come out. Valhalla already has multiple different environments, and they all react so differently depending on the time of day. Range of Free Camera - @ Virtualtourism I wasn't shocked at the answer I received from Jack, with range of the free camera being top of his list. As a VP artist who captures the most breath-taking scenery shots it must be frustrating to only be able to move within a defined box. It is great that Valhalla has the zoom in and out function, but it isn't great for wide angled shots. Most games that I have played do not utilise this, however someone found a way round it for Ghost of Tsushima and the scope of shots is now incredible. Character Models - @ dpruttz VP Dpruttz suggested that locking the character models would be a great addition to Assassin's Creed photo mode. This is something I struggle with at times as well, especially if you're a fan of close-up photography. It's not isolated to Assassin's Creed either, many games have this issue. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking you have found the perfect shot only to move the camera slightly and the character model disappears. I think Marvel's Spider-Man solved this issue as you can get incredibly close to the character. Light Source - @ PodToGo I would say light source would be in my top three requested features. Although if you're lucky with the sun Valhalla can produce some extremely satisfying shots. Marvel's Spider-Man & Gotham Knights takes this to another level. You can edit your shots normally but there is also a separate section that allows you to add custom lighting to your captures. You can add ambient light, rotate where the light comes from and even add a spotlight to the shot with varying intensity and colours. When it comes to photo modes Marvel's Spider-Man must be one of the best out there. Character Changes - @ FrameHoldPhotos Frame Hold agreed with a lot of what has been said above but there was one point I picked up on and that is the option to flip between Eivor and Havi in photo-mode. Although I don't think I have seen this in a game to date, there is the ability to change outfits in Marvel's Spider-man or face paints in Horizon Forbidden West. With the vast amount of armour and weapons in Valhalla the chance to flip between them in photo mode would be excellent. Even if it was just to you Armoury loadouts. 2022 Photo-Modes Two games particularly stood out to me in terms of photo modes in 2022. A Plague Tale Requiem blew me away with its ability to pause a cutscene and then have full movement and editing ability. This lent itself to some unbelievably great shots posted by players. I haven't seen this in any other game I have played. Unfortunately, the rest of the tools in the photo mode are generic, but I must give credit to the developers for pushing boundaries. The buzz for this game on social media has been fantastic and even four months after launch there are plenty of photos posted daily. The second game is God of War Ragnarök. Despite this being my game of the year, its photo mode feels very outdated. Originally the game was launched without it, which isn't uncommon as photo modes can cause spoilers. However, it did mean I and others I know waited a month to start the game. Even once the mode was added it felt very limited compared to the original and not even close to the photo modes of Assassin's Creed or its PlayStation peers. The buzz for God of War in terms of captures just doesn't feel the same as A Plague Tale. Both Gotham Knights and more recently The Last of Us have been running regular photo mode contest. Once again this shows how virtual photography can add so much to the overall experience of a game. In addition to this individuals and communities online create their own hashtags for weekly themes continuing the love of a game. #BeyondTheHorizon - Weekly from @Guerrilla with shot of the week being featured on their social media. #GKPhotoMode – Weekly usually with a more personal theme, once again the favourites are retweeted by the official page. #TLOUPhotoMode – Running alongside the TV series Naughty Dog are challenging gamers to recreate moments from the show. #PhotoModeMonday – Run by @ StefanieMcMaken this tag has a real buzz each week. #ACVPThursday #WolfKissedWednesday #TOWCBWeeklyCapture – All dedicated Assassin’s Creed tags that even without a supported title are thriving with entries each week. #MisthiosMonday still has a ton of shots each week despite it being focused on Odyssey. #HeroTuesday – Run by @VPRetweet team has endless possibilities, and is surely going to explode once Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 releases. There is even an e-magazine created by @ ThePhotoMode that releases bimonthly. Here you will find a fantastic selection of shots from a host of games and VP artist. I feel like Virtual Photography is a side to gaming that has steadily been growing and now is the perfect time to makes sure you have a decent photo mode attached to any new release. If the Mirage developers do happen to read this I hope they are able to add at least one of the suggestions above to their photo mode. I would implore them not to be too drastic with the changes though as what they have from Valhalla is one of the better modes out there. If I was to suggest one of the above it would likely be poses. As a long time photographer in Valhalla multiple poses/expressions would have brought many more exciting opportunities. After the announcement of Assassin's Creed Mirage, we are yet to officially find out if this game will have a photo mode. It would be very bizarre if it didn't as the marketing opportunities alone surely justify the inclusion. Still if it does indeed feature then I know our small Assassin's Creed Community will be buzzing with epic shots of Basim on the rooftops of Baghdad. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

Assassin's Creed Valhalla Starter Guide: Norway Guide Share 2 Feb 2021 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Ashlea Buckley Back To Database Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can seem like a daunting game at first. When you start in Norway the map is already a decent size. The amount of collectables and content to discover can feel slightly overwhelming, especially with most of the main game set in England. In this article I will try and set you up for your Viking adventure, with hints and tips for your beautiful starting location, Norway. I am going to keep away from the story aspects of the Norway arc, as it is best you discover this yourself. The only thing I will say is that the story can drag you in, and before you know it you will be sailing off to England without exploring everything Norway has to offer. Take time in-between quests to have a look around. Important to note, you will be able to return to Norway at any moment once you are in England. ​ When you begin the game you will immediately start levelling up, however this is only the beginning. Norway is a snowy playground that you can use to set yourself up for your adventures in England. XP and the Map You will notice many icons scattered around Norway on the map. They range from gold (wealth), blue (mysteries) and white (artefacts). These are often separate from the main story and are here to enrich the experience. Completing the main quest will always be your best way to level up as the XP reward is high. The little gold markers have less of an impact on completing an area but offer valuable XP and resources. If you are a completionist like me then these small loot boxes are worth it even if they don’t seem like it at the time. For anyone who played Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Mysteries may come as a welcome addition. I found Odyssey a tad repetitive, but Valhalla’s Mysteries help diversify the world and keep things fresh. They often come with a small bit of problem solving, but be sure to check your surrounding area for clues. Mysteries are great for XP too, but don’t feel compelled to complete them all as some are power dependant. Gear and Skill Points Unlike Odyssey, don’t expect to find loads of gear throughout the world. Norway does not have many gear items and you can find yourself in the same outfit for quite some time. Personally I enjoy this, as I find I use each piece way more than I would in Odyssey/Origins. Your best way to scout out these gear pieces is to find the synchronization points. This will open up the world, and although Valhalla is less click and go, waypoints will become clearer after syncing with the world. ​ Upgrading your gear can be done in multiple ways. The major upgrades will not be available until you reach England (Settlement Blacksmith), but runes and resources can be applied to your gear right from the start. I did this sparingly but if you follow the guidance above then you can use resources such as iron and leather to upgrade your gear as often as you like. Try not to get overloaded with skill points. The maximum power in Valhalla is 400, but this level will be increased during future DLC expansions. The points can be added to 3 different routes, however you do not have to specialise as by the end of the game you will most likely have filled all of the skill tree. Red is the way of the bear (Melee), yellow is the way of the raven (Stealth) and blue is the way of the wolf (Ranged). The game lets you view what is available under each section, so just find a skill you wish to acquire and work towards it. Combat Combat will take some getting used to but with perseverance you will prevail. I don’t tend to make the strongest builds or use that many different weapons, as I prefer to keep to the pure Viking simulator. If you take the time, you can make your character very powerful, even in the early stages of the game. When in Norway, I preferred the axe and the shield combination for close up fights and then switching to the bow for anything at a distance. There are not a lot of weapons to choose from in Norway, but there are enough to get you started. Once in England you will gain many more abilities which will tie in with your weapon choices. ​ Health and stamina play a larger role in Valhalla. You will not have the luxury of health regeneration and must forage for food to store in a rations bag which can then be used during combat. Your stamina bar will deplete when running/fighting, so it is important to slow things down from time to time. Traveling and Discovering When navigating Norway it is best to use your longship. This will help you to discover fast travel points for easy access later in the game. It is also a great way to view the beautiful scenery Norway has to offer. On land you will find yourself on horseback. I found it a tad slow due to the mountain ranges. Try if you can to keep to the main paths, as this is a lot quicker and will not deplete your stamina. Quite often you will find items in the world that are trapped behind locked or barricaded doors. Sometimes it can be frustrating to find a way in. Remember, locked doors will always have a key nearby and Sýnin your raven can help. Sýnin cannot tag everything in the environment like Senu or Ikaros could, but your bird will still be useful for finding things. If that fails you have Odin’s sight (Eagle Vision) which will give you a glimpse of the environment around you. Anything that is barricaded will just be a small puzzle to solve. Keep an eye out for gaps in windows, or weakness in walls/roofs for a way in. Hopefully these tips will help you get started on your Viking adventure. Valhalla is a wonderful game full of intrigue and mystery with a story that sucks you in slowly. Be patient and take your time, you will not regret it. comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Compartilhe sua opinião Seja o primeiro a escrever um comentário. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young

This Week in Assassin’s Creed Virtual Photography: 24th to 30th July Community Share 1 Aug 2023 Written By: Edited By: Aaron Young Colum Blackett Back To Database Welcome to the weekly virtual photography roundup hosted by Aaron Young from The AC Partnership Program. Every week I will be picking our top 5 favourite Assassin’s Creed shots and showcasing them on The Ones Who Came Before website, in order to promote virtual photography and talented content creators within the community. Aaron is a keen virtual photographer and loves to post his journeys through Assassin’s Creed on Twitter. Keep an eye on the site as more weekly shots are added, we are looking for captures across all Assassin’s Creed games. Tag your photos to the #TOWCBWeeklyCapture for a chance to be featured. This week’s theme: WIGVPAC Leap of Faith Game: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla VP Artist: @ alisjansendotir “This gift we call a Leap of Faith. It is one of our Brotherhood’s most sacred rites.” A staple of Assassin’s Creed right from the start. The leap of faith is an integral part of the brotherhood and forms part of the initiation process. Despite being a hugely dangerous thing to do it is loved by the fans and is essential to any Assassin’s Creed game. Eivor isn’t really an Assassin but still learns this flamboyant manoeuvre. This shot is actually both epic and daunting, as it seems as if Eivor is jumping into the abyss. It is also remarkable how beautifully lit up Eivor is despite all the darkness around her. In that sense this shot makes for the perfect Assassin’s Creed photo. The Hyena Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ _Virtualtourism “When the Order wants something, as in Siwa, it does not hesitate to crush all in its path” When travelling around Giza, Bayek reveals that the order member known as the Hyena is close by. He discovers that her name is Khaliset and confronts her in a tomb. Her story is tragic and I do not believe she was completely evil. Both characters had suffered a loss and reacted not too dissimilarly. I feel this capture represents Khaliset in a better light, although the sadness in her eyes says otherwise. I am loving the colour tones here with the sandy background and that incredible red from the scarf. The white face paint just explodes, giving her a warrior look. Aya of Alexandria Game: Assassin’s Creed Origins VP Artist: @ MissEvieFrye “The irony of freedom. We are free of each other, yet it brings me no happiness.” One of my favourite characters in the franchise. My hope is one day we may get a Basim style game for her. Once Aya joined the Hidden Ones she travelled to Rome where a new bureau was set up by her. In doing so she changed her name to Amunet. This would make for such a great game. Miss Frye always captures portraits in such a unique manner and it is a pleasure to see them on my timeline. This shot stood out for me due to the gorgeous tones and the heroic stance. I love the details on show and seeing Aya with her hood up is so cool, and those eyes look fantastic under that hood. Artwork Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ ISNAK3I “Humanity’s fate will be decided by the choices you make” It is often said how much Kassandra looks like Wonder Women, and I am getting that vibe again from this capture. Kassandra maybe a daughter of Sparta but she spends most of the game conflicted as to where she belongs. I loved this aspect of the game, and I liked how you could pick which side to represent. This capture is so different, and stands out amongst the crowd. I like that it has an artwork feel, almost as if it has been painted in her honour. I adore the positioning and the choice of outfit, they work so well with the blackout background. Taking Aim Game: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey VP Artist: @ giraph_1 “Beware, the snakes in the grass” Kassandra’s travels across the Greek world saw her come face to face with many a foe. The most secretive of those are the Cult of Kosmos. Hunting these order members down was a real highlight of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. This capture reminds me of the many times I put an arrow into these evil cultists. The warm colours of the shot are so inviting, and the fire on the arrow blends beautifully into the background. I like that Kassandra is covered by a shadow representing one of the assassin traits, but equally it works as a contrast to the light of the flame. The Ones Who Came Before Photo of the Week Judge: @ Defalt368 I selected this shot because I like the warm colours of the shot, and the way the bow breaks up the orange from the darker reddish orange. The darker colour is a nice contrast to the flame, allowing it to stand out. I also like how the shadow is cast across Kassandra. And that sums it up for this week’s Assassin’s Creed virtual photography recap list! Thank you for checking out this week’s photo collection. This would not be possible without the virtual photographers out there so a huge thanks to them. Until next week keep those shots coming in! comments debug Comments Write a comment Write a comment Share Your Thoughts Be the first to write a comment. About the Author Aaron is a passionate Assassin's Creed fan who joined our AC Partnership Program as an Online Article Writer back in 2021 after the release of Assassin's Creed Valhalla. After building momentum and interest on TOWCB website for Virtual Photography, Aaron established TOWCB Virtual Photography Team, of which he is now Team Leader. Throughout 2024, TOWCB VP Team will be sharing community captures in dedicated articles, and providing a positive environment on Twitter for gamers to share their shots. Aaron Young