In the original Assassin's Creed game, Altaïr's first major target location is Damascus.
The game begins in 1191, during the Third Crusade, and places Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad among three principal cities: Masyaf, Jerusalem, and Damascus. Damascus is the setting for the first assassination target, Tamir, a wealthy arms merchant whose dealings contribute to conflict in the region. The city also introduces the game's district-based exploration structure, with viewpoints, informants, investigations, and a guarded assassination zone.
Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and the game uses a stylized version of its medieval layout rather than reproducing every historical street. Players sometimes confuse Damascus with Masyaf, which is the Assassins' mountain stronghold and Altaïr's home base. Jerusalem and Acre are also major locations in the same game, but neither is the answer to this first-target question. The location therefore identifies the opening assassination mission rather than the game's overall headquarters.