Assassin’s Creed Mirage: What is Alamut and Why is it Important?

In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, players will visit Alamut Castle with Basim as he trains to become a Hidden One. This group will one day become the Assassins that give the Assassin’s Creed franchise its name. A state declared separate from the rest of the world.

However, the importance of Alamut may be lost on those just getting into the series with this game. Even those who have been playing for years may not understand the significance of this location. That is understandable, given how many of the games don’t even reference it.

Related: Assassin’s Creed Mirage: City & Setting Explained

What is Alamut in Assassin’s Creed Mirage

In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and every other game in the franchise, Alamut is the home of the Assassins, also known as The Hidden Ones. During the events of AC Mirage, it’s still under construction, but The Hidden Ones are still training there.

This location is where initiates become novices and masters. It’s not the birthplace of The Hidden Ones, but it is where they’ll station themselves for the next few centuries. Eventually, it will be destroyed, but for a short while, this location will hold a group working to bring light to the darkness and secrets of an ancient order that many won’t ever understand.

Why is Alamut Important in Assassin’s Creed Mirage and the Wider Series

Alamut Castle is a real location in the Talysh Mountains. However, in the Assassin’s Creed franchise, it’s the home of The Hidden Ones or Assassins for hundreds of years. In Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the group has set itself up in the castle while it’s under construction. This is where players will explore as Basim, witnessing how the base comes together.

This location is the parent castle of many others, such as Masayaf, which first appeared in the original Assassin’s Creed. It’s where players returned between every assassination mission as Altair. It’s also where they later visit as Ezio and an older Altair in Assassin’s Creed Revelations. Masayaf is a location that was central to the overarching story for a long time but fell by the wayside in stories like Assassin’s Creed Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla because they’re based so far from it.

In the lore of the games, Alamut Castle is where the Levantine Brotherhood of Assassins based themselves when they established themselves as a state outside of any other. The castles that it governed sought to right the wrongs of those trying to control the world. However, as the story of the first game shows, that didn’t always go to plan.

The major significance of Alamut Castle in Assassin’s Creed Mirage is that it’s the first stronghold this group held in the world. It’s their triumph at a point when they were considered to be at their strongest. From here, the Assassins only went downhill, so players are excited to see it and explore it in the game.

In Assassin’s Creed Revelations, there’s a secret hidden chamber in Masayaf, so it stands to reason there could be some in Alamut Castle. These secrets are usually well hidden but packed with lore. Telling stories about past Assassins that players have never heard before.

Seeing such an important place as it’s being built is a fantastic moment in time for Assassin’s Creed fans. It’s the start of the franchise, as many people knew it from the first game, and Assassin’s Creed Mirage blends the worlds of the classic games with the newer RPG-focused ones with this iconic settlement.