Masyaf is the Assassin Brotherhood's mentor fortress in the first Assassin's Creed.
In the game's Third Crusade setting, Masyaf is the headquarters of the Levantine Assassins and the home of their mentor, Al Mualim. Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad returns there between missions and receives assignments connected with the order's campaign against important Templar targets.
The settlement is presented as a fortified mountain stronghold in the historical region of Syria. From Masyaf, Altaïr travels to cities including Damascus, Acre, and Jerusalem. The fortress therefore serves as both a narrative base and a recurring geographical anchor.
Players may associate the Assassins with Alamut, a real historical fortress strongly connected with the Nizari Ismailis, but the first game's main headquarters is Masyaf. Monteriggioni belongs chiefly to Ezio's Italian story, and Dunqula is a location associated with later series lore rather than Altaïr's base.