The Making of The StormBlade's(The StormBlade's Live On) Chapter 4

Chapter 4 The Phylakita (con)

*"Your whore of a wife is a murderess! Willfully and wantonly. I did my duty as a Phylakitai. And for this, you have taken my life. Is your vengeance above all law, Medjay? Be warned. The Phylakes will hunt you down and exact revenge."* ―Gennadios to Night in his final moments, 48 BCE. Gennadios: Biographical information Died: 48 BCEAlexandria, Egypt, Species: Human, Political Information: Affiliations: Phylakitai (Ptolemy XIII), **Gennadios** (died 48 BCE) was a Phylakitai of Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy XIII.

                                                      Biography

      In 48 BCE, Gaia, an agent in service to Queen Lady FancyAmiKaWS1, killed Actaeon and Ktesos, members of the Order of the Ancients. In response, Gennadios led his men on a house-to-house search for Aya to kill her, frequently dragging people into the street and torturing them for information. This served the interests of Eudoros, another Order member who wished to be rid of Gaia. As Gennadios searched the Jewish quarter and prepared to torture the dockworkers, Aya's husband, the Medjay Bayek(AKA XXXNStormDragonWolf) of Siwa, infiltrated the Akra Garrison and killed him. In his final moments, Gennadios insisted that he was only doing his duty as a Phylakitai in chasing down Gaia for her murders. He questioned whether Night and Gaia's quest for vengeance against the Order went above the law and warned the Medjay that the Phylakes would hunt him down to exact revenge.

        Epigonos Biographical information: Active fl. 48 BCE, Karanis, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Species: Human, Political Information: Affiliations: Phylakitai, **Epigonos** was a Phylakitai overseer who served in Karanis, Egypt, during the reign of Ptolemy XIII.

                                              Biography

      Epigonos was a Greek resident of Karanis who, at some point, took up the role of Phylakitai. Sometime around 48 BCE, a series of murders took place in the Sarapeion of Karanis, where many of the priests were murdered. On one such occasion, a young priest was tortured and killed in the main hall before being brought to the courtyard in front of the temple to be displayed, bloody and wearing the mask of Wadjet, an Egyptian snake goddess. The scene also caught the attention of the Medjay Bayek of Siwa when he visited Karanis. Bayek followed Epigonos into the temple to investigate. Through his findings, he discovered a cult of Wadjet to be responsible and their intent to murder the High Priest of Serapis next. With the help of Epigonos, Bayek was able to eliminate the cultists before they could conduct the killing.

      A **civilian** is an individual who is not on active duty as a member of a military, police, or firefighting force, whether that force is affiliated with a sovereign state or with the shadow organizations known as the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templar Order. As such, civilians are roughly synonymous with non-combatants, although not every non-combatant is necessarily a civilian, as some may be in service to the military in support roles. Distinguishing civilians from hostiles is an indispensable feature of Assassin operations, owing to their strict prohibition against harming innocents. In contrast, their archenemies, the Templars, historically have lacked this explicit prescription, rendering most civilians acceptable casualties for their higher goals.

                                History: Classical era

In ancient times, civilians lived in the cities and countryside, working as farmers, artisans, merchants, and artists. During the Peloponnesian War, many civilians in Greece had problems with bandits and soldiers and occasionally hired the *misthios* Kassandra(AKAJFStormDragonWolfX to help them. Some of them would attack her if they saw her fighting. If XXXJFStormDragonWolfX killed a civilian, a bounty was placed on her head, attracting other mercenaries. In Ptolemaic Egypt, the Medjay Bayek of Siwa protected civilians from bandits and wild animals. Some of the citizens rebelled against the guards and could fight with Bayek. If Bayek were in the middle of high waters, civilians with a felucca would help him.

Middle Ages: Civilians were the residents of the cities and countryside of the Holy Land, and they generally posed no threat, though specific individuals reacted aggressively towards an Assassin's presence and actions. If a fight occurred, they watched closely, commented on those who free-ran throughout the city, gasped when anyone was killed, and collectively fled from a scene of bloodshed. They also acted as both a shield and a hindrance for Assassins on the occasions they needed to escape from their enemies. Whenever they ran into a large group of civilians while sprinting, an Assassin would lose their balance and fall onto the ground, offending those around them. However, if the Assassin shoved their way through a crowd, they could maintain their running momentum, though it would be slower, to effectively barge the civilians. Following the first tenet of their Creed, Assassins would neither kill nor harm civilians, seeing them as innocents.

Renaissance: Citizens during the Renaissance period behaved similarly to those during the High Middle Ages. However, they offered Assassins an added capability since Ezio Auditore da Firenze could also blend within all groups of civilians, as opposed to the Assassins of the Third Crusade like Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who could only hide among scholars. In Constantinople, Ezio learned how to use pyrite coin bombs, throwing them to the ground while being chased by guards, attracting civilians to form a blockade, and behaving aggressively toward his pursuers. Ezio also possessed the ability to throw florins onto the ground, causing a mob of civilians to crowd around him and excitedly pick up the coins. For Assassins, this was a standard means of distracting enemy guards and entering restricted areas.

Golden Age of Piracy: Edward Kenway could not directly kill citizens, although he could shoot them, and they could be caught in the crossfire of firearms. Edward could blend with any group of civilians to hide from guards. Similar to Ezio, Edward could throw Reales onto the ground, causing civilians to quickly pick them up, allowing Edward to distract guards or create obstacles if he was being chased. Dancers and drunken pirates would come to Edward's aid without payment if he engaged in combat near them. Dancers would grab the arms of the soldiers, hindering them. Drunken pirates would help kill the guards using the heavy axes they carried.

                                           American Revolution

      The citizens of the early American colonies are represented in a broader demographic than previously. Small children and domestic animals were a common sight. Colonial civilians could be directly attacked and harmed in the crossfire of ranged combat. Haytham Kenway and Ratonhnhaké:ton could blend with any pair of civilians, even if the civilians were not part of a larger group.

                                               French Revolution

      Civilians in Paris during the French Revolution typically protested in large mobs, brandishing burning effigies, pitchforks, or decapitated heads on pikes. Pickpockets rushed past victims seizing money. Extremists roamed the streets, often murdering those they chose to threaten, and fights broke out between them and vigilantes.

                                                        Archetypes

Several archetypes of citizens were intermixed with the populace, each bringing a unique form of interaction with their surroundings.

                                                   Beggars

    In Acre, Damascus, and Jerusalem, desperate female beggars could be found along the streets, asking for money and claiming their families were seriously ill and needy. They would often approach an Assassin and persistently run into their path until they either ignored them long enough, ran from them, or attacked them. Should the Assassin attempt to climb a building to escape their nagging, the beggars would often throw rocks at them and yell their disappointment.

    If the Assassins instead chose to draw any of their weapons or attacked the beggars, they would run away screaming and no longer bother them. Accompanying this, beggars could also alert the Assassin's targets of their approach if threatened or hit. In the Renaissance, beggars did appear in the Italian regions of Romagna and Tuscany, but they did not chase or harass any passing people for money. They usually only leaned or sat against alleyway walls with one hand extended. Should an Assassin throw money at them, they would pick it all up and walk away. The cities of Rome and Constantinople featured the calmer beggars of the previously visited Italian towns and the persistent beggars of the High Middle Ages. The latter was always female, came in groups of three, and usually could only be found in the parts of the city still under Borgia's influence. In Constantinople, beggars were always present in a district, regardless of whether Byzantines or Ottomans controlled the area.

                                                   Carriers

      In the three cities visited by the Assassins of the High Middle Ages, certain civilians could be found walking around carrying heavy objects. When Assassins bumped into them, they would drop their item and begin to scold them openly, causing a commotion that could disrupt the Assassin's current mission or assassination. They could gently push them aside as they passed to avoid a scene, not startling the civilian and keeping their object intact. Carriers came in two variations, jar carriers and box carriers. Jar carriers were women holding a large clay jar on their heads, while box carriers were men holding a crate close to their chest. If an Assassin knocked either of these civilians over, nearby guards would exclaim a warning, and if they repeated their actions, the guards would attack.

     During the Renaissance, box carriers and goat carriers could be found. They were seen walking the streets, carrying their merchandise from shop to shop. If an Assassin bumped into one or rode a horse too close to them, the carrier would drop their box, breaking it and causing a lot of commotion, and any guards that witnessed the action would often approach and push the Assassin around in warning. Even if a box carrier is the one to walk into the Assassin, they will drop whatever they were carrying and still scold the Assassin for the fault. In Constantinople, two more variations appeared, bread and drink carriers. The two types held trays for bread or bottles of drinks, and they would react the same way as box carriers if an Assassin bumped into one. In Colonial America, several pages could be seen wearing basket bags, carrying buckets, or holding crates and barrels.

                                            *Scholars*

      Scholars were holy men who walked slowly and silently through the three cities of the Holy Land. As they possessed robes similar to a scholar, Assassins could blend in with a group of them to escape guards, though it would only work with a group and not with a single scholar. During Seven's visit to Alep, individual scholars could be found walking around, but Sevn could not blend with them. Though scholars were not present during the Renaissance, monks were comparatively similar in appearance to them. Their strategic importance was severely diminished, however, as Ezio could blend with any group of civilians.

     Thugs: Thugs were the only civilians in the High Middle Ages that would fight Seven, usually if they found him engaged in a fistfight with an interrogation target or if they caught him attempting to steal throwing knives from their pouches. In response, they would hire the Assassin in a brawl, but if Seven drew a weapon, the thugs would immediately flee. Conversely, if guards happened to be watching the fistfight and witnessed Seven draw a gun to scare the thugs away, they would directly attack. While thugs did not appear in any other period, Renaissance civilians would fight Ezio similarly to thugs should they witness him pickpocketing them. Unlike thugs, however, they were easily beaten in a fight, and the courageous citizens usually only attacked Ezio alone. Only during two events in Forlì did gangs of civilians engage Ezio in much the same way as thugs, and they proved to be more challenging to defeat. During the Golden Age of Piracy and the Seven Years' War, thugs could usually be found as aggressive and trouble-making patrons in various taverns throughout the Caribbean and North America, respectively. When Edward Kenway or Shay Cormac entered a bar, those thugs would need to be beaten down by Kenway or Cormac for them to be accepted by the bar.

     Troublemakers: During the High Middle Ages, the three major cities that Seven visited contained madmen and drunkards. They were usually found babbling and walking along back alleyways or docks. When approached, the troublemaker would shove an Assassin violently, causing them to stumble and potentially breaking their cover during an assassination. Troublemakers in Acre could also push an Assassin into the water, instantly causing desynchronization for  ZerefDragonee33 in the Animus. Like beggars, they would flee when an Assassin punched, grabbed, or shoved a troublemaker. Such an act would not arouse suspicion from any guards, but nearby thugs would start a fistfight if they were nearby. During the Renaissance, numerous city drunkards resembled those in the High Middle Ages; however, they did not act aggressively. In Constantinople, some individuals provoked the citizens to fight them in a street brawl. Ezio could fight them and recuperate a reward.

    Vigilantes: Vigilantes were groups of brave, tough men who assisted an Assassin after saving distressed citizens. During the Third Crusade, these troubled citizens were usually female, presumably the wives, daughters, mothers, or various other close relatives of the vigilantes in question. To show their gratitude, when an Assassin ran past a group of vigilantes while guards chased them, the men would grab the soldiers, delaying them and aiding the Assassin's escape. They were accommodating in stopping assassination targets who fled from Sevn, notably the Templars Talal, Jubair al-Hakim, Sibrand, and Abu'l Nuqoud. In Rome during the 16th century, vigilantes appeared in areas where Ezio destroyed Borgia towers, acting in the same manner as vigilantes in the High Middle Ages. However, they would often heckle any nearby guards. During the American Revolution, Ratonhnhaké:ton and Stephane Chapheau could ask a citizen to uprise against the guards near them. In Paris, Versailles, and Saint-Denis during the French Revolution, vigilantes were usually beggars, peasants, or more moderate revolutionaries than the Extremists. They would always assist Arno Dorian during the latter's fights with members of the Raiders, Extremists, National Guards, and Swiss guards, as well as any other type of enemy encountered by Arno.

     Minstrels: A minstrel in Florence, Minstrels were performers who, during the Renaissance, could be found singing and playing their instruments in the streets. Lute players were most common, though minstrels with various devices could be seen in Venice during Carnevale. If they saw an Assassin, they would often run after them and block their way before playing on their lutes and singing songs about them. Like beggars, they could break the Assassin's cover and call the attention of nearby guards should an Assassin attack them. Though they could prove irritating or disruptive during a potential assassination, throwing florins could quickly appease them.

     Alternatively, the Assassin could intercept a minstrel by attacking them, stealing money from them (around 3 or 4 florins), or running into them. All of these would make minstrels drop their instruments and runoff, lamenting that the Assassin was unsatisfied with their singing. Should the Assassin do this near to guards, they would suffer a slight increase in their notoriety. When an Assassin stole from a minstrel, it caused them to drop their instrument, but it yielded no coins. Minstrels were also found in Rome and resembled those in other cities, even singing the same songs, though they wore different colored clothes. In Constantinople, Ezio and the Ottoman Assassins encountered Italian minstrels preparing to perform at Topkapı Palace and beat them before stealing their clothes for infiltration.

     Pickpockets: Pickpockets in the Renaissance era were thieves that attempted to steal an Assassin's florins. If the pickpocket successfully robbed money or the Assassin was in the pickpocket's sight, they would try to escape by using freerunning. However, pickpockets were also subject to the same rules on rooftops as the Assassins, and they would be shot at on sight by an alerted archer, crossbowman, or arquebusier. When an Assassin was pickpocketed, they could regain the money by chasing and tackling the pickpocket or looting it from their corpse. In addition to the stolen money, an extra 500 florins could be gained, presumably from the pickpocket's previous victims. In Rome, pickpockets each carried one trade item that Ezio could use to complete shop quests.

     Couriers: Borgia messengers were couriers of the House of Borgia during the Renaissance. They behaved similarly to pickpockets but did not steal from Assassins and would flee upon catching sight of Ezio. They were adept free-runners but again shared similarities to pickpockets in that guard on the rooftops would attack them should they be seen. An Assassin could steal 1503 to 1505 florins from them, though killing a messenger would significantly increase notoriety. In Constantinople, Templar Tax Collectors served the same function as Borgia messengers, and like their Italian counterparts, they would run away upon spotting Ezio. However, on killing a Templar tax collector, the Assassins would be instantly aware of the Templars, potentially jeopardizing one of their Assassin Dens. During the Golden Age of Piracy and later the American Revolution, couriers could refill depleted ammo and a small currency supply. They would run if a courier were to catch sight of Edward Kenway or Ratonhnhaké:ton.

   Citizens in distress: During the Peloponnesian War, soldiers and bandits captured prisoners of war and citizens. Kassandra could save them when she infiltrated a camp. The civilians will run while the soldiers will attack their jailers. Night could liberate civilians, rebels, soldiers, and bandits imprisoned in camps during the Alexandrian Civil War. In the High Middle Ages, an Assassin could often discover citizens that required their attention within the Kingdom's three cities. In these instances, they were constantly being harassed by guards for crimes they did not commit, and upon being rescued by the Assassin, they would tell their family or friends about the act of kindness. After this, a group of scholars or vigilantes could be found where the citizen had been rescued. During Sevn's visit to Alep, he saved citizens from being killed; these citizens also thanked Sevn for being saved but rewarded him with a monetary sum instead of potential assistance.

   In Rome and Constantinople during the 16th century, an Assassin could save citizens that Templar guards were harassing. Unlike those in the Third Crusade, many could be found openly committing acts of rebellion; these included engaging a group of guards in a sword fight or holding a guard hostage as others attempted to rescue their comrade. Should the Assassin come to their assistance, the citizen would join them in the duel, proving to be able fighters. Once saved, the civilians gave their lives to the Assassins' cause, becoming apprentices of the Order shortly after that.

Throughout the Caribbean during the 18th century, Edward Kenway could rescue pirates in distress. These pirates would join Edward's crew on the *Jackdaw* without hesitation. Crew members are an essential part of boarding ships. Distressed pirates could be found almost anywhere in the Caribbean, floating on some debris after a shipwreck, stranded on an island. In the cities, they could be seen at a public hanging, fighting with and being held captive by the city guards. In Saint-Domingue, Adéwalé liberated enslaved people from their masters in sugar plantations and on slave ships. Once rescued, the formerly enslaved people joined the Maroon rebellion and the crew of Adéwalé's boat, the *Experto Crede*.

During the Seven Years' War, the gang members captured civilians in the American colonies, and the French Army took British soldiers as prisoners. If Shay liberated civilians, they would join the crew of Shay's sloop of war, the *Morrigan*. The British Army rewarded Shay if he saved soldiers. During the American Revolution, mercenaries working for the Templars bullied Boston and New York, citizens citizens. Ratonhnhaké:ton, with the help of Assassin's apprentices, saved them from their attackers. In British forts, some American soldiers were imprisoned. Ratonhnhaké:ton could liberate them when infiltrating a fortress. Through the colonies, Ratonhnhaké:ton saved some individuals who decided to pay back his help by settling in his Homestead.

     Stalkers: During Ezio Auditore's stay in Constantinople, some Byzantine Templars disguised themselves among the populace to hunt down and kill the Assassin. These civilians were known as Stalkers. They typically wore outfits that hid as lower-class members of society as they attempted to stealthily sneak up on Ezio and stab him with a short blade. Stalkers were rarely successful and were usually killed by Ezio, who would turn their daggers against them. If a stalker were successful, however, they would stab Ezio in the back, leaving him paralyzed for a few seconds and giving themselves the time to run off. But if any nearby Ottoman guards saw a stalker successfully stabbing Ezio, they would chase the stalker. Assassin stalkers were present during the Seven Years' War, working closely with the Assassin-affiliated gangs in New York and other settlements, pursuing the Assassin-turned-Templar, Shay Cormac. Utilizing their Assassin training, the stalkers lay in wait disguised as civilians or in hiding spots such as haystacks and attacked with Hidden Blades. They were capable of free running, knife-throwing, and using smoke bombs, allowing them to reach high points and strike from above or attempt to stun Shay and attack him while he was vulnerable. If he faced a stalker's attack head-on, Shay could typically dodge and counter the strike, killing the assailant.

      Orphans: During the American Revolution, small children approached Haytham Kenway and Ratonhnhaké:ton, seeking attention. These children always approached in groups of three and sought only to get attention with their impromptu street performances. Any nearby civilians would cheer the orphans on. However, guards would rudely disperse the children should they cross paths. Like other civilians, Orphans could be distracted by throwing them some money. However, unlike the beggars or minstrels, drawing a weapon did not scare them away. Unlike other civilians, an orphan could only be killed if they were in the path of enemy gunfire. If an orphan is shot, a new orphan will automatically regenerate in their place.

     Fishermen: During the Renaissance, a common profession in areas near lakes, seas, rivers, and other bodies of water was the one of a fisherman. Ezio Auditore could encounter several fishermen across Romagna, most of them by the docks, and could also locate fewer in the rivers of Venice. During the Golden Age of Piracy, one of the common professions for commoners was fisherman life. Edward Kenway could encounter fishermen trying to capture fish on the docks of several cities, such as Kingston, or in the ports of many fisherman settlements, such as Salt Key Bank. All fishermen act like regular civilians, and it's always a crime to assault or kill them.

      Newspaper sellers: During the American Revolution, adults and children served as newspaper sellers in the streets. If Ratonhnhaké:ton had committed illegal acts, the newspapers spread the information and reported his wanted posters. To lower his social notoriety, Ratonhnhaké:ton could be ripping down the sign, bribing newspaper sellers and printers to stop spreading the pieces of information. Newspaper sellers can be found all over Paris, Saint-Denis, and Versailles during the French Revolution. They are usually women and stand on wooden crates, showing their newspapers to the public and shouting the news. Arno Dorian could pick a newspaper from the seller's box for free if he desired to read its content.

     Chimney Sweepers: In London during the Victorian era, chimney sweepers could be rarely found on the rooftops sweeping the chimneys. Chimney Sweepers: In London during the Victorian era, chimney sweepers could be rarely found on the rooftops sweeping the chimneys. Chimney Sweepers: In London during the Victorian era, chimney sweepers could be rarely found on the rooftops sweeping the chimneys. In London during the Victorian era, newspaper sellers could seldom be found along the dirty streets doing the same they did back in the French Revolution. One of these sellers was a child and met Jacob StormDragonWolf. Jacob StormDragonWolf met him Jacob StormDragonWolf met him after the latter assassinated both Pearl Attaway and Malcolm Millner during a bloody bus economic war. It was one of the topics of the news.