The protagonist of the original Assassin's Creed, released in 2007, is Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. He is a Syrian Assassin operating during the Third Crusade, chiefly in cities including Masyaf, Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus.
Altaïr begins the story as an exceptionally skilled but arrogant member of the Assassin Brotherhood. After a failed mission, his rank and equipment are reduced, and he must regain his status by investigating targets connected to the Templar Order. The game presents his missions through Desmond Miles's experiences in the Animus.
Altaïr is sometimes confused with Ezio Auditore, the Italian Assassin who leads Assassin's Creed II and its related games. Altaïr also appears in later entries, especially Assassin's Creed Revelations, where his life and legacy are explored further. His name means “the flying one” in Arabic, while Ibn-La'Ahad means “son of no one.”