In the original Assassin's Creed, the Assassin protagonist who serves Al Mualim is Altaïr. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad is the central playable character in the game's historical storyline, which is set during the Third Crusade in 1191.
Altaïr begins as a highly ranked Assassin, but a failed mission causes him to lose his status and forces him to rebuild his reputation. His mentor, Al Mualim, assigns him targets in cities including Masyaf, Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus. These missions gradually reveal a wider conflict involving the Templars and the Apple of Eden.
Altaïr is sometimes confused with Ezio Auditore, the protagonist of the next major trilogy of games. He also appears in later series lore, especially Assassin's Creed: Revelations, where his life and writings influence Ezio and the Assassin Brotherhood. The spelling Altaïr includes a diacritic in many official renderings.