In Assassin's Creed Rogue, Shay Cormac is the former Assassin who becomes a Templar and serves as the playable protagonist.
Shay begins as an Assassin working under Achilles Davenport during the eighteenth century. After a disastrous mission involving an ancient artifact and a catastrophic earthquake, he loses faith in the Brotherhood's methods and leaves.
Shay then joins the Templar Order, turning the usual series perspective around. The game lets players hunt former Assassin allies while continuing to use familiar stealth, naval travel, and exploration systems. Its story also connects with characters and events from Assassin's Creed III and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.
Arno Dorian is the protagonist of Assassin's Creed Unity. Liam O'Brien is Shay's former Assassin colleague, and Achilles Davenport is Shay's mentor before the central break. These characters are closely connected to Shay but are not the playable Templar protagonist.