In the original Assassin's Creed game, Altaïr's first major investigation is set in Damascus.
Altaïr travels to Damascus after the opening events in Solomon's Temple and receives assignments connected with the city's Templar-aligned target. The game presents Damascus as one of three principal cities in the Holy Land, alongside Jerusalem and Acre.
Damascus is a real Syrian city with a long history, but the game portrays a fictionalized version of it during the Third Crusade in 1191. Players move through districts, gather information, and investigate targets as part of the Assassin Brotherhood's campaign.
A common mix-up is Masyaf, which serves as the Assassins' headquarters and Altaïr's starting base. Masyaf is not one of the three principal urban investigation locations in the original game.