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“ | We simply came… before. | „ |
~ Minerva, a representative of the Isu (aka the First Civilization and Those Who Came Before). |
The Isu, also known as The First Civilization and Those Who Came Before, classified as Homo Saipens Divinus or the Precursors, were an ancient and advanced species of humanoid beings on Earth who created the Pieces of Eden, as well as the human race itself in the Assassin's Creed video game series. Exactly who they were, where they came from and when they disappeared is largely unknown.
In Assassin's Creed III, one of their members, Juno is the primary antagonist to Desmond Miles. She was imprisoned in the Grand Temple by Minerva and Jupiter for her crimes against her own kind and humanity.
History
Ancient Origins
The First Civilization are a humanoid species which are native to Earth and are probably the products of thousands of years of evolution, though their exact origins and culture is unclear.
Creating Humanity
With early humans unable to comprehend the First Civilization for what they truly were, they were looked upon as gods.
After a catastrophe that destroyed a majority of both populations, those who came before and humans worked together to rebuild. Those who came before knew there would be another great catastrophe and so worked to preserve the human race. Although they started as an adversarial race they eventually saw the goodness of humans.
Modern Times - The Phoenix Project
The Templars, under the guise of Abstergo Industries, have begun a secretive project which aims to genetically engineer the Isu back into existence. They have been collecting samples of all kinds of Isu DNA from various individuals as well as Sages, the reincarnations of an Isu named Aita.
The Pheonix Project also seeks to study the Pieces of Eden, so as to replicate their designs, powers and workings as well as create better ones.
Abilities and Skills
“ | A hundred years I might speak and still you would not know us. You with five senses. Us with six. The one we kept from you. To be safe. Now, you can never know. Only try. Grasp. You can SEE. SMELL. TASTE. TOUCH. HEAR. Knowledge has been blocked away. After, when the world became undone, we tried to pass it through the blood. Tried to join you with us. You see the blue shimmer. You hear the words. But you do not know.
|
„ |
~ Juno describing the Isu’s abilities. |
- Precognitive Sense: The Isu had a precognitive sixth sense, which has been displayed several times. Minerva once used it to talk to Desmond in the future, from the Apple of Eden in Ezio's hands. This trait has also been inherited by some Isu / Human hybrids in today's world.
- Triple-Helix DNA: They have a Triple-Helix DNA, giving them a very vast biological advantage over human beings. People with high percentages of the Triple Helix DNA were able to contact and develop a telepathic link with Consus, an Isuan entity. Those with Isuan DNA were also granted better control and usage of the Pieces of Eden. They can also resist the telepathic abilities of the Apples of Eden.
- Superhuman Intelligence: Their level of intelligence was so advanced that they were able to create many of their advanced technological equipment, which has since surpassed their time and into the human's world.
- Superhuman Longevity: Though not immortal, these beings had an extremely long lifespan. It has been stated that Minerva and Jupiter walked the earth for centuries if not more, much longer after humanity managed to reconstitute some of it's civilization after the Toba Catastrophe.
- Telepathic Immunity: The Isu's lack the neurotransmitters bred within human DNA which interfaced with the Pieces of Eden so as to psionically control them, thus the Isu's are immune to the telepathic properties of the Pieces of Eden, but are still vulnerable to the Pieces of Eden's other physical effects.
- Eden-Based Technopathy: Just as Juno has shown, the Isu can psionically command technology and structure built by them with merely a thought. They can even do so with the Pieces of Eden.
Special Cases
During the events of the Judgment of Atlantis, more specialized cases of the Isu's powers were displayed.
- Reincarnations: The Isu, especially from the AEsir triad can reincarnate as human beings repeatedly due to the Yggdrasil supercomputer.
- Consciousness Replication: Aletheia and Juno had both managed to create a replica of their consciousness, which they uses to manifest as a holographic spirit from existing Pieces of Eden.
- Spatial Manipulation: The Rulers of Elysium (Persephone), Underworld (Hades) and Atlantis (Poseidon) had received a number of bio-augmentations which allow them the power of spatial manipulation. Persephone and Poseidon had both uses this to physically restrain their targets whereas Hades and Hermes Trismegistus had both shown the power to levitate and move at superhuman speeds. Poseidon even used this power to open a Portal into the Underworld so as to transport the mishtios and himself out of the Underworld.
- Psychological Programming: Persephone used her powers to re-program Hekate's neural impulses, therefore rendering Hekate incapable telling any lies at all.
- Energy Manipulation: The Isu had shown the power of energy manipulation. Hades used it to conjure up offensive abilities during combat, Poseidon conjured balls of energy to be used against Juno and Aita, and Hermes Trismegistus could project a beam of energy into their hands.
The Pieces of Eden
The Pieces of Eden are near-arcane technological devices and relics created by the First Civilization.
- Ageis was a suit worn by Minerva which reduced physical damage to an incredible level, giving her the title, the Goddess of War.
- Ankh was designed to reanimate the deceased into living dead being who have complete human attributes.
- The Apples allows psychic abilities and the power to conjure up solid holograms and apparitions as well as the power to turn invisible and conduct energy blasts. The Apple also acts like a computer system storing all of their advanced knowledge. However hybrids were immune to the mental control, but not the telekinetic control. It can even be used as an unlimited energy source, as seen when it powered the Head of Saint Denis.
- The Calculations allow the Isu to make accurate predictions and even decide which course to take or whom to manipulate to achieve a desired result or future.
- The Crystal Balls allowed the wielder access to the Nexus.
- The Crystal Skulls acted like communication and syncing devices.
- The Eye as originally designed to manipulate the strings of the earth's existence, allowing them some form of reality warping. The Eye was used to temporarily move the earth out of orbit, so that the solar flares would not damage the earth.
- The Foresight Amulet is described as to bestowing enhanced strength and foresight.
- The Fountain of Youth, which allegedly bestows eternal life to whoever drinks its waters.
- The Fragment of Eden, which was found by the pirate Alonzo Barilla. He used its power to enhance the speed and firepower of his ship.
- The Heart, a glowing scarlet spherical relic which can not only repair all damages done to a Sword of Eden, but with the right owner, can unlock the Sword of Eden's absolute advanced abilities.
- The Isu Armor, which was found by Bayek and gave him incredible physical abilities.
- The Koh-I-Noor could bind the other pieces fate as well as harbors the consciousness of Durga, an Isuan entity. It can even project a powerful blue energy which disintegrates any living beings in the vicinity.
- The Memory Seals which could contain recorded memories and acted as Keys to Altair's Masyaf Library. It is rumored that these Memory Seals acted as a basis for Abstergo's Animus Technologies.
- The Observatory allows them to see and hear through a living being's senses, though they required a blood sample to do so. This allows them to spy on anyone without fear of detection.
- The Precursor Boxes were like extremely advanced digital libraries containing vast amounts of information, knowledge and methods of advancements. It can even imbue people with memories and skills of other people it has recorded within itself.
- The Pyramid is a Piece of Eden which the Cult of Kosmos used to force the future and read people's memories.
- The Rings allow for them to generate a protective force field around their body, making them immune to projectile attacks.
- The Scepter of Aset, which was used by the Isu entity named Isis and can grant charisma and leadership abilities to whomever wields it.
- The Scythe of Saturn, which was wielded by Saturn, Juno's father. It possessed some form of energy manipulating powers.
- The Seismic Pieces acted as a central pieces of the Seismic Temples which kept the earth's crust stable. Disrupting the Temple caused the entire area to collapse with a powerful earthquake.
- The Shards of Eden are leftover pieces of Isu technology. Some Shards have magnetic properties. This was seen when these shards were used to create the Mayan Suit which was taken by Edward Kenway. The suit makes him completely bullet proof via a magnetic shield. A Shard of Eden was used by Grigori Rasputin to survive and recover from fatal injuries as well s influence the thoughts of anyone.
- The Shrouds of Eden allows instant healing from deformities, genetic defects and fatal injuries, even the revival of the recently deceased. It even boosts its host's physical capabilities.
- The Spear of Leonidas is a powerful Piece of Eden, which enhances the wielder's physical strength as well as grants them other supernatural powers by harnessing their adrenaline.
- The Staff of Hermes is an extremely powerful Piece of Eden which grant grants its user with immortality and sustain them, thereby eliminating the need for food and sustenance. Pythagoras used it to remain immortal until he handed it over to his child. The Staff can even transform into whatever the suer desires, such as a lantern. It is even the key to sealing off Atlantis. In combat, Pythagoras showed the power to use the Staff to teleport and manipulate mystical power and enhance his physical attributes to that out a young man, despite his elderly vitality.
- The Staves allow similar psychic abilities like the Apple of Eden. They can also open the doors of various First Civilization Cites and Temples. When combined with the Apple of Ede, the combination greatly enhances the powers and abilities of the Apples of Eden.
- The Swords of Eden are some of the most powerful pieces of eden every created, They can fire energy blasts, sonar-like echolocation, translocation and lightning strikes. It was also deadly sharp and shoots out electrical pulses. The Heart can unlock its true abilities and even repair it should it be damaged.
- There have also been mentions of a Time-Manipulation Device, which Abstergo a.k.a the Templars have decided to lock away due to uncertain paradoxes and unpredictability of events.
- The Trident, which allows its wielders to send out pulses to a person's emotional cortex. Each of it's three blades send out a different pulse—Fear, Devotion and Faith. It's three blades can be split apart as well.
- Yggdrasil, a powerful supercomputer developed by the AEsir Isu triad
Known Isu Entities
Roman Pantheon
- Aita was an Isu entity and a top-level Isu scientist and the late husband of Juno. He created the Observatory in the island of Jamaica. He volunteered to participate in an experiment to transfer his essence into an artificial body, which failed and left him catatonic. Juno euthanized him and preserved his genetic materials into the Human DNA eventually resulting continuous rebirths of Aita a.k.a the Sages such as the pirate Black Bart or the IT Manager John Standish.
- Aita alongside Juno were both leaders of the Illuminat, an Isu misanthropic terrorist organization who headed the Olympos Project (an initiative to create hybrid beasts via human experimentation).
- Consus also called Prometheus or the Erudite God was a famed Isu entity and the creator of the Shrouds of Eden. Over the millennia, Consus now somehow a spiritual being, was able to contact individuals with high percentages of Isu DNA, namely Joan of Acre, Giovanni Borgia and Dorothy Osborne and act as a guide for them.
- Juno was an Isu entity and a scientist who as a member of the Capitoline Triad alongside Jupiter and Minerva. She is the primary deity worshipped by the modern day pagan religion called the Instruments of First Will. She was responsible for her husband Aita’s apparent immortality. Her essence had resided inside the world’s digital network.
- During Resurrection Day, an incarnation of Aita realized that Juno sees him as a pawn and turned on her shortly after her physical resurrection, leading to her death.
- Jupiter a.k.a Tinia was an Isu entity and the King of the Gods in Roman and Greek mythologies. He revealed to Desmond and Ezio what happens during the Toba catastrophe. He was also a member of the Capitoline Triad.
- Minerva a.k.a Merva was an Isu entity who was the Roman goddess of wisdom, battle strategy, arts, commerce and crafts. She was also the member of the Capitoline Triad and worked alongside Jupiter and Juno. A holographic copy if her consciousness acts in her stead after her actual death.
- Saturn was an Isu entity and the Roman God of time, wealth, capitol, agriculture and liberation. He is also the biological father of Juno. His assassination at the hands of humanity might be what caused Juno to despise humanity.
Greek Pantheon
- Aphrodite, also identified as Venus, was an Isu entity. He has gone in Greek and Roman mythology as the goddess of beauty, love and femininity. She was the obsessive love of Adonis and she competed with Persephone for his affections.
- Charon is an Isu entity who is responsible for relocating deceased souls in the afterlife. He views humans as inferior but is humble enough to acknowledge the mishtios as a trustworthy friend. Unlike most Isu Charon is highly pessimistic, but always seeks out rational decisions, despite the chaos in the Underworld.
- Demeter was an Isu Entity who resided in Olympus. She has only been mentioned by Persephone and Hekate.
- Eris was an Isu entity who was the Greek Goddess of Strife and discord. Eris dropped an pple of Eden onto the Trojan Prince Paris to judge which of the three — Minerva, Juno or Aphrodite — was the most beautiful. Paris choose Aphrodite as the most beautiful and promised her Helen of Sparta.
- Hades was an Isu Entity who resided as the absolute monarch of the Underworld, a spiritual realm where the spirits of deceased humans reside. Unlike his wife who was orderly and meticulous, he was chaotic and narcissistic, since he reveled in and enjoyed the chaos in his realm.
- Hekate was an Isu entity who resided with Persephone in Elysium as her closest friend.
- Hephaistos was an Isu entity who was the Greek and Roman god of fire, smiting and forgery. He was the creator of many Isu weapons, namely the Swords of Eden.
- Hermes Trismegistus was an Isu entity was an Isu scientist dubbed the "Key Maker" and was the Greek and Egyptian god of alchemy and magic. His beliefs and theories had unintentionally orchestrated and influenced the foundations of a monotheistic esoteric religious group called the Hermetics. He was also a close friend of the Greek Scientist Pythagoras and considered the misthios a trustworthy friend due to their genetic lineage to Pythagoras himself.
- Persephone is an Isu entity who is the wide of Hades and the ruler of Elysium. She hates Hades for rendering his prisoner in the Underworld and rebuffs any attempts from him to bond with her. She is helped by her closest friends, Hekate (who secretly plots against her) and Hermes (who is infatuated by her).
- Poseidon is an Isu entity who was revered as the Greek Deity of the Seas and Sea Creatures. He was the ruler of Atlantis and sought balance between the Isu and Humans so as to create a high technology and mutually just society.
- Zeus was an Isu entity and the Golden Child in Greek Mythology. He held absolute authority on Mount Olympus, which in turn gave him great political power over the Sister Realms (Elysium, Underworld and Atlantis). He has been mentioned by many Isu in Atlantis and is considered to viewed with some level of disdain by his brothers, Poseidon and Hades.
Norse Pantheon
- Odin, also identified as the All-Father, is the leader of the AEsir Isu triad. He is the leader of the AEsir Isu triad, who held dominion over the Northern European regions during the Isu Era. His psyche currently resides in the Yggdrasil supercomputer, alongside many other unidentified Isu. Odin's quest for power via knowledge was considered unrivalled.
- Baldur also revered in Norse paganism as the God of light and joy, was a member of the AEsir triad and the son of the Isu Odin. He was murdered by Loki prior to the Great Catastrophe and the creation of Yggdrasil. Therefore, he never had a chance to upload his psyche into the Yggdrasil.
- Thor is a member of the AEsir triad and the son of the Isu Odin. He is revered in Norse paganism as the God of Thunder. His psyche currently resides in the Yggdrasil supercomputer, alongside many other unidentified Isu.
- Freyja was an Isu of the Vanir triad who was the wide of the Isu Odin. Her psyche currently resides in the Yggdrasil supercomputer, alongside many other unidentified Isu.
- Tyr was an Isu who was known as the God of War. His psyche currently resides in the Yggdrasil supercomputer, alongside many other unidentified Isu.
- Loki, also revered in Norse paganism as the God of Mischief was a prominent member of the AEsir triad, despite his disagreements and tensions with the AEsir leader, Odin. His psyche currently resides in the Yggdrasil supercomputer, alongside many other unidentified Isu.
- Heimdall, also revered in Norse paganism as the God of foresight, was a member of the AEsir triad. His psyche currently resides in the Yggdrasil supercomputer, alongside many other unidentified Isu.
Gnostic Religion
- Samael, also known as the Sacred Voice, was an Isu who spearheaded the project to create humans and even went on a recruitment drive to recruit prominent Isu scientists, philosophers, occultists and polymaths to be part of the project. He was revered by the Order of the Ancients as one of their three deities.
- Saklas, also known as the Mother of Wisdom, was the Isu who produced the blueprints for the project to create humans. She was revered by the Order of the Ancients as one of their three deities.
- Yaldabaoth, also known as the Father of Understanding, was the Isu who managed production of human beings. He is revered by the Order of the Ancients as one of their three primary deities and by the Templars as their one and only deity.
Other Pantheons
- Aletheia is an Isu entity who rebelled against the stubborn and authoritative Isu and decided to start enabling the humans to further and advance themselves rather than just being manipulated and restricted by the Isu themselves. She begged Layla, Kassandra and Pythagoras to stop being manipulated and start creating more for themselves through the Isu's help.
- Durga was an Isu entity whose consciousness was preserved within the Koh-i-Noor. She can also possess the bodies of women who hold the artifact.
- Horus was an Isu entity and the son of Osiris and Isis.
- Isis was an Isu entity and the Egyptian goddess who was in possess of the Ankh and the Scepter of Asset.
- Osiris was an Isu entity and the Egyptian God of the afterlife, the underworld and death. He was also the lover of the Isu entity, Isis.
- Seth was an Isu entity and the Egyptian God of chaos and desert storms. He is also the father of the Isu entity Anubis, the Egyptian God of Mummification and the Afterlife.
- The Messenger was an unknown Isu entity who survived the Great Catastrophe. He recorded messages meant for Layla Hassan around the Isu Temples of Egypt.
Known Isu-Human Hybrids
- Adam and Eve, were two known Isu hybrids who lack the neurotransmitters needed for the Piece of Eden to control their thoughts. They led the revolution against the oppression of the Isu.
Known Isu Locations
- Atlantis is an Isu city but deep beneath sea level. It was the residence of Pythagoras who was trying to study the equations of reality. Pythagoras described the city as a place where he was able to describe it as a city where he studied the Isu's history, physiology, languages, cultures, religion, scientific prowess and technologies. It was ruled by Poseidon as well as inhabited by many humans and Isu who lived and worked together in harmony. It is also the place where the Olympos Project (a secretive illegal Isu initiative to experiment on humans in order to create hybrid bio-weapons) was orchestrated by Isu supremacists, Juno and Aita.
- Eden, or the "Garden of Eden" was an important ancient city built by the Isu. The place held many of their creations, humans were their workforce as well as many Pieces of Eden. Adam and Eve, two Isu-human hybrids, who stole an Apple of Eden were seen fleeing from an unknown force at Eden.
- Elysium is an Isu realm which serves as an afterlife for the spirits of deceased righteous and honorable humans. It is governed and maintained by the Isu Persephone along with Hekate and Hermes Trismegistus.
- Feyan, was an Isu city where Juno was born in the year 2095 of the Isu era. It is unknown what happened tot he city after the great catastrophe.
- The Grey, which has been referred by Juno multiple times, is a state of existence in an unknown paradise like afterlife realm. Juno states that those who serve her will be allowed to live there in bliss for an eternity.
- Olympus, is described as an unknown realm of existence where the Isu Zeus resided as the absolute monarch. Not much is known of Olympus, except that it is also the home of other Isu residents such as Ares, Demeter, Dionysos, Apollo, Athena, Artemis and Aphrodite. It has been referenced many times by the human Adonis as his final destination due to his desire to be reunited with Aphrodite and escape Persephone's possessive grasps.
- Temples, also known as Vaults, are ancient underground locations constructed by the Isu to research and innovate ways to prevent a global catastrophe. After the Catastrophe, they were used to house and seal away left over precursor technologies.
- Seismic Temples are constructed temples, which were not used for scientific researching, but were used to possibly stabilize the earth's crust. They would always have a Seismic Piece of Eden suspended on a pedestal. Disturbing the Seismic Piece of Eden causes the temple to release extremely potent earthquakes.
- Underworld, also known as Hades, was an infernal realm which served as an afterlife for the spirits of damned and unrighteous humans, mythological beasts and some dishonorable legendary warriors of Greek myths. It was governed by the Isu Hades who ruled with absolute sovereignty over the whole realm. The underworld was also sub-managed by the Isu Charon and the former Cultist Elpenor.
- Yggdrasil, also known as the Tree of Life, is a powerful Isu Supercomputer which spans deep into the Earth. The supercomputer has the power
- To contain and preserve any user's psyche within itself, via its upload system or its branches.
- Run realistic simulations as well as run the calculations effectively.
- Reincarnate the psyches stored within it as random humans across the globe.
Trivia
- Those Who Came Before are directly based on the gods of Greco-Roman mythologies as Minerva, Juno and Jupiter (who are the equivalents of Athena, Hera and Zeus of the Greek mythology respectively) are the three major gods form the Capitoline Triad of the Roman pantheon. Although it can be assumed that there is more of them which originate either from Greco-Roman or other mythologies.
- Those Who Came Before also have members who are based from Egyptian pagan religions, such as Osiris, Seth, Iris and Horus.
- Those Who Came Before are also based on the Biblical race of humanoid beings called the Nephilims (Nephilim in plural), who were the hybrid offspring of an angelic father and a human mother.
- Those Who Came Before are also based on the Anunnaki of Mesopotamian mythology, particularly the parts incorporating the "Ancient Astronauts" version.
Villains | ||
Isu Proto-Templar Organizations Cult of Kosmos (Peloponnesian War) Order of the Ancients
Knight Templars Mongolian Templars Egyptian Templars Italian Templars Spanish Templars Byzantine Templars Chinese Templars Japanese Templars Caribbean Templars
Portuguese Templars Louisiana Templars Colonial Templars/American Templars British Templars Parisian Templars Austrian Templars Russian Templars German Templars 21st Century Templars (Abstergo Industries, mainly)
Assassin Brotherhood & Their Allies Bellatores Dei Girolamo Savonarola's forces The Tyranny of King Washington Jack the Ripper Mythological Creatures |