#for the fight scenes in eagle of alamut

[teecupangel]

Okay, so @fanworldbuildingfun, @wolfofwhat and @annarooma wanted me to start adding notes in my fics about the research I did and I thought “Oh fuck, I have to find the bible verses I used for that tentacle demon fic” and then I realized that might not be what you guys want. XD

Anyway, I’ll start posting more fic trivia here and some ‘research’ I did for Eagle of Alamut.

To start us off, you might have noticed I tend to add hibiscus tea in my fics at times, specifically associating it with Malik and the Al-Sayfs.

It is NOT because of hanakotoba (I know, weird, right? Me? Not adding flower language???) as you might have guessed.

It is actually a reference to an actual recipe in the official Assassin's Creed: The Culinary Codex.

The Bissap Potion

It was meant to show my headcanon that the Al-Sayf is an old Assassin family.

…………… and I like hibiscus tea XD

[teecupangel]

Fic Trivia and References for Eagle of Alamut

References/Inspirations of Alamut Castle as described in the fic.

Overall look and feel:

I talked about it in this post but, in a nutshell, it's a combination of the concept art of Alamut in the Prince of Persia movie with a few modifications + the Alamut promotional art from AC Mirage.

Thermae:

Wikipedia Article

Thermae Romae Novae's first episode (yyuuupppp, Alamut got a thermae because of an anime)

Courtyard that Leads to the Harem

It's based on Masyaf's Paradise but larger in scale to show how Al Mualim tried to make Masyaf his own Alamut.

Just to be clear:

The Capitoline Triad statues in the fic are based on these three pillar-like structures in Paradise. I didn't make up the part about Desmond remembering three pillars in Masyaf for the fic. Those 3 pillars are really in AC1.

Poisonous Plants

Datura - Datura Bombs from AC Revelations (the fact that Datura is not native in Alamut is also based on the well-known Datura plants as listed in this wiki)

Aconite - It's a Ghost of Tsushima reference XD Okay, but in all seriousness, Aconite is one of the more famous poisonous plants out there and the fact that it's also called wolfsbane and Desmond getting attacked by wolves near a bed of wolfsbanes was too much to pass on. The specific 'strand' in the fic is Aconitum carmichaelii.

Khalid's Explosive Arrows

The idea that Hidden Ones used explosive arrows originated from the idea that the Hidden Ones under Hytham would have seen Eivor use explosive arrows.

Khalid's research relies on the huojian. The possibility that it can be done by the 12th century relies on historical records of the Chinese having exploding arrows by 1040 and the existence of gunpowder by the 10th century.

Desmond's encounter with the wolves

The move Desmond used at the beginning of Chapter 7 is based on the QTE that Ratonhnhaké:ton gets against a wolf attack (but, since he doesn't have a hidden blade, he had to improvise):

source of clip

Dvora's twin blades and fighting style:

They're based on Aya's fighting style and the description of Dvora's blades themselves is based on the blades Aya used in her playable mission.

Other references (in no particular order):

Khalid's unnecessarily ornate bow he stole from his asshole brother is based on AC Valhalla's Antler Bow.

The mentor's top floor being an aviary for eagles only is a reference to how Alamut means 'eagle's nest'.

Bennu's name is a reference to the ancient Egyptian deity Bennu connected to the sun, creation, and rebirth. His name is meant to be a reference to Senu and the mythological background of his name is meant to be a reference to Enkidu.

Peredur's ongoing RPF story about Desmond has his name as 'Dastan'. That's the name of the Prince in the Prince of Persia movie.

(I'll talk about the fight scenes in chapters 21 and 22 in a later date. That one will have more gif clips XD)

[teecupangel]

I shall blame a particularly good story on this one, but - I shall toss another time travel!Deamond at you. Except this time it's nowhere Desmond was before, as he lands smack bang in Valhalla setting. Say, shortly before Sigurd returns. And let's assume that the campfire scenes are Basim's actual character. How does Desmond fare, and whom does he stick to?

I'm getting Skyrim intro vibes of Desmond just waking up with Eivor going:

Annnnyyywaaaayyy

So they got captured by Kjotve (Eivor tells him that they saw him already chained and unconscious when they got there) and the prologue happens but with Desmond helping Eivor beat them up (they still get away because Eivor's beaten up and Desmond... shit... it's too cold, a hoodie and jeans are not good for this)

After the battle, Eivor tells him he's a strange man but they believe that Desmond is a strong fighter and will be happy to welcome him to their clan (they'll even vouch for him to their jarl) and Desmond, having no other leads because his knowledge of history is only as far as what his bleed pushes into his brain and whatever conpiracy-ridden history rants Shaun gives him agrees to join them (for now, until he knows where/when the fuck he is)

So he's getting acquainted with Eivor's people (and changed to more suitable clothes because holy shit it's cold) and is in a very competitive match of Orlog (Connor's competitive side for board games on the forefront, being fueled by Altaïr and Ezio's general competitive personalities) when Sigurd returns with his 'guests'.

Desmond immediately goes "Assassins! FINALLY!" when he sees Basim and Hytham, but stays in the shadows because "good Assassins? Abbas-bad Assassins? Al Mualim-bad Assassins? Let's be sure first."

But he gets dragged into the celebrations and Eivor finds him in the shadows so they talk to him (maybe even suggest a drinking contest?) and that's where Sigurd finds them. The cutscene happens as it does with Desmond next to Eivor being awkward and thinking (Should I just slip away? Would it count as rude if I slip away?)

Sigurd gestures Basim and Hytham (Desmond really really has a hard time getting used to that name because Haytham Kenway) to come over and Eivor receives Sigurd's gift of the hidden blade and recognizes it as similar to Desmond's so they look at him as they say "How curious, Desmond-"

Desmond's like big doe eyeing Eivor and mentally telling Eivor nope don't tell them about my obviously more advanced hidden blade sssshhhhh

And Eivor's improvised it to "might be interested in seeing this? He is like Sýnin taken human form!"

And Desmond doesn't like being called a magpie (hey, it's not his fault his Eagle Vision just started pinging every chest as gold and he's like "might be important to my situation? oh, just actual gold... (disappointed face)") but it was better than being outed by unknown possible Assassins (the hoods were a dead giveaway) so he looks at Eivor's hidden blade and is like...

.........

Holy shit.

He recognizes it.

It's the same as the ones the Assassins in Alamut used. The hidden blades said to have been used by those before them that even Al Mualim thought were 'these are centuries old, nope, we'll make our own, thanks.' and Desmond realizes.

He's been thrown further than any time period he's familiar with.

Fuck.

As his brain's going 'ohgodshitwhatdoidoknowfuckfuckfuckaltaïryoubetterhavememoriesofreadingthistimeperiodbecauseohmygod', Eivor straps it the way they do and Desmond accidentally cut Basim off by telling Eivor they have strapped it the wrong way.

Oh shit. Basim and Hytham are now looking at him and he's like...

"I mean... look at how they wear it, right?" Desmond awkwardly points at Hytham's left arm 'cause Basim has his hands behind him and he hopes it freaking works.

Eivor, bless them, takes over and says that they're also missing a finger and the cutscene goes like Valhalla.

Things happen, Desmond gets recruited to join Eivor and their fight, he sees Hytham getting thrashed 'cause of that jump assassination (and his bleed of Altaïr telling him what Hytham did wrong, his improper posture, his... god, stop it, obviously the dude's new at this, give him some slack) and the entire time Basim is observing him. He could feel Basim's eyes on him.

And it's making him jittery because there's something about Basim.

Something about him that just screams at Desmond to pay attention, to not let his guard down...

To kill Basim.

And he doesn't know what it is and, from the way Basim interacts with everyone (even Desmond), he doesn't seem to be a bad dude.

So he stays away and observes Basim as well.

The same things happens as is Valhalla.

They reach England, they set up Ravensthorpe.

Basim goes with Sigurd.

And Desmond stays with Eivor because ain't no way he's gonna travel to unknown places with a dude he doesn't know that well (Sigurd) and someone that makes him want to kill him (Basim).

He stick with Eivor.

And more specifically...

With Hytham.

Because Hytham reminds him of Kadar.

Of Darim and Sef.

Of every recruit that Ezio has taken under his wing.

The plot of AC Valhalla happens but, this time, Desmond takes over the whole Hidden One subplot (with Eivor joining the story mandatory targets) and he becomes close to Hytham.

To Eivor.

To everyone in Ravensthorpe.

He's the strange man that's not Dane, Norse, or English.

And that makes him everyone's friend.

Eivor becomes the pseudo-jarl in Sigurd's absence, Randvi stays as their second-in-command and Desmond...

Desmond sorta becomes like a freelancer of sorts that helps out anyone who needs it (priority goes to Hytham though) and his suggestions and comments are taken seriously, even by Eivor and Randvi.

(Annnndd that's as far as I got)

Some 'unorganized' notes I thought of:

Desmond's body is reacting to Basim being completely assimilated with Loki (it's like a defense mechanism because of the trauma he sustained thanks to Juno... and technically Minerva)

This does mean he starts getting the same 'allergic reaction' the more Sigurd becomes unhinged with Tyr's memories

Hytham knows Desmond has a hidden blade but says nothing about it (he reports it to the council though and their leading 'idea' is Desmond is from a different branch, perhaps somewhere in Europe, or may actually be a child of an Assassin who trained him but didn't have the chance to induct him to the Brotherhood)

Vinland... oooohhh booyy. Vinland's entire subplot's gonna change because Desmond can understand them. There will be a scene where Desmond will look at the Grand Temple and wonder why he got sent to this time period. Is it this? Is it because of the Grand Temple? Desmond will also debate with himself if he should destroy the crystal ball. If keeping Juno from influencing Connor would be the right thing to do, even if it means that Connor won't be able to help the Revolution and maybe he'll even become a victim instead once shit hits the fan.

Those 'potions' Valka gives don't make Desmond see 'Valhalla', instead, it works as a pseudo-Animus that lets him relive his ancestors' memories (maybe even make him relive a certain pirate's memories too? hhhhmmm)

Personally, I think Desmond would side with Eivor until the end and will even help him take down Basim but he'll understand Basim's lust for revenge. It's not that different from Ezio's thirst for vengeance against the Templars and the Borgias or Connor's hunt for Charles Lee after all BUT Desmond draws the line in Basim trying to kill the reincarnation of Odin, especially when it's clear that Basim is driven to vengeance by Loki's memories while Eivor doesn't even have any of Odin's memories anyway.

(I like the ending of Desmond actually getting into the simulation and that this whole thing was for Layla to give the staff to Desmond so he can be 'reborn'... but I wanna keep Layla alive so no 'oh this will kill you in seconds if you let go of the staff' because, bad ubisoft, bad)