In the original Assassin's Creed, Altaïr must eliminate nine assassination targets.
The game's central campaign is structured around nine named targets spread across the major cities of the Holy Land. Before each assassination, Altaïr gathers information through investigations such as eavesdropping, pickpocketing, and interrogations. The resulting missions gradually reveal how the targets fit into the wider political conflict.
The targets are connected to the Templar organization and operate in locations including Jerusalem, Damascus, and Acre. The number is easy to misremember because the game also contains important figures who are not part of the nine-target sequence, including Al Mualim and Robert de Sablé.
After each mission, Altaïr returns to Masyaf and reports to Al Mualim. The structure emphasizes preparation and investigation rather than immediately sending the player into a target encounter. The original game's 1191 setting and its nine-target progression established a distinctive formula that later entries expanded in different ways.