Sequence 05

When you reach the entrance to Homestead you will encounter a group on horseback that very nearly run you down, and then you zone, and you are now on a new map. Check the map and you will see four Trinket Collection locations – go ahead and clear those now, and then head for the mission marker.

Mission: A Boorish Man

When you arrive at the house that the mission marker is on and go in, you flag the mission A Boorish Man, which triggers a CS of you knocking on the door and introducing yourself. The old man inside rudely dismisses you, but you persist – and the game prompts you to take shelter in the stables for the night. This triggers another CS in which you do just that, and in the morning before you head back to the house to try again, why don't you read the new entries in the Animus Database?

Achilles Davenport is the man, and it seems that in his day he was more than just a Master Assassin! Well, he has to talk to us by Jimmie!

So we try knocking again, and when that does not work we try the back door – Davenport tells us where to head-in, and then we try the balcony door and he confronts us again after we accuse him of cowering in fear! Well that did not go so well... So it is back to the stables, but this time we see some thieves! Actually it is almost an army of them, and the optional objective here is to not drop below 50% health, so you have your work cut out for you!

The Boorish Man and Trial by Combat

Here is the thing – if you want to get through this battle without losing 50% of your health you need to learn how to Counter. When the red triangle appears over their head, COUNTER! Then you can easily execute them, and not take damage in the process. If you do this right when you are down to the last bloke you get stunned and he starts to interrogate you then Davenport saves you. After that you are invited to visit him in the Manor House, so head over there and go inside for another CS in which you finally have the chat that you needed to have...

Connor shows him the symbol, and then Davenport says something surprising – and then he decides to tell you his story, which is cool actually, but a bit short on details. But that is OK because we know most of the story anyway – Connor is all fired up by the story, and then you get to follow him down into his secret Assassin Lair where he agrees to train you! Excellent!

What you see next is Davenport's logic board that shows the structure of the Templar, and he explains to you why the situation is what it is. Well now we know that Connor knows who is father was... Fascinating. That completes the mission and with any luck you scored 100% Synchronization! Connor narrates the activities of the months that have passed while he trained, learned, and became an Assassin and, as you might expect, recognizes that his training has only just begun. You see a true Assassin knows what he does not know. So endeth the lesson! Splinter! Heh.

If you check the map you will see that the next mission is outside, so go upstairs and exit the house now, and head over to the marker where you will find Davenport waiting at his hitched carriage.

Mission: Achilles' Errand

When you start the mission you get a CS which should nicely orient you – Davenport has decided to take your advice and fix up the house, so hey, good on ya! Of course that means you have to head to town first – and this is your first visit to Boston, so of course you will get into trouble... The optional objective is for you to escape within the given time... That will become clearer in a bit.

As you follow Davenport through the street you are accosted by a group of women – these are representatives of the Thieves Club, and even though you did not actually speak with them, you flagged it nonetheless, and you received the first set of objectives, which are:

• x10 Loot a dead body
• x25 Perform an Air Assassination
• x1 Catch a Courier
• Pickpocket $200
• x25 Kill an enemy from a hiding place

A lot of this will come naturally as you play so there is no need to focus upon these activities unless you actually want to... For now we should stick to the main story though. Note the advice that you were given about speaking to merchants allowing them to trade with Homestead...

Davenport gives you the list and sends you off to get the supplies, at which point you need to head to the marker and enter the store. Before you leave the store, talk to the Merchant again and you can resupply your consumables as well as purchase a new item – Maps! There are Chest Maps available for all the areas, as well as Feather Maps, Page Maps, and Trinket Maps. What I suggest that you do is focus completely upon the Chest Maps, since those will not only result in new recipes, but will also pay you coin, which you can then use to purchase the other maps. That really works out well for you since it means you have less hunting to do over-all than if you did it the other way. I suggest then that you begin with buying the map for the Frontier Chests, and if you can afford it, the ones for Boston too.

If you have the money – or you can sell a few pelts from your stores but do not sell all of them as you may want to craft with some later – go ahead and purchase the Trinket Map as well.

Once you have all of the Maps you are going to buy, return to Davenport and you find that a riot has formed, and as you and Davenport make your way through town you get a CS of an officer trying – and failing – to disperse the crowd. You see your father in the crowd – and Davenport points out a rather suspicious fellow and asks you to tail them. Carefully follow the marked man and you will work your way through the streets, but you must not get so close that you are detected!

You follow him up on to a rooftop and then you must assassinate him before he shoots into the crowd – but that does not quite work out as planned even though you do make the kill! Now you must run, as your father has pointed you out to the man – you need to escape detection and hide BEFORE the timer runs out to complete this optional objective!

The easiest way to do this is to follow the route in the video below – that will allow you to almost instantly escape detection and hide!

The fastest method of evading detection and hiding

When you come out of hiding you will be told by a messenger that Mister Adams wants a meeting, and when you get to the marker that flags the next mission...

Mission: Boston's Most Wanted

Adams recognizes you and introduces himself – Davenport asked him to help you get out of the city as you have been fingered as the person who started the riot. Adams shows you the posters that have been put up and tells you that you need to take them down, and then return to him to talk... The optional objective for this mission is to not allow your notoriety to get to Level 3 - and that means avoiding conflict and battle mates.

You only have to remove two of the posters, and if you run into trouble, just run! Use the water as your escape route since it is really easy to lose notoriety that way. Once you have taken down your two posters make your way to the Marker for Adams discretely without garnering any notoriety, and talk to him to see an amusing CS in which he bribes a Town Crier to take the heat off of you! Now you need to accompany him to the Printers he says.

Checking the Animus Database reveals new entries for Samuel Adams, Jagers, The Boston Massacre, Patriots, Loyalists, Pocket Boroughs, the Stamp Act, and an update for Charles Lee. These are all worth reading, so give them a go and then start walking towards the marker in order to hear Adams lament that the Brits have posted checkpoints. Make your way to the marker as best you can and Adams takes you down into the Masonic Tunnels under Boston – and that ends this mission. You should have easily managed 100% Synchronization.

Mission: Lying Low

Now you need to escort Adams through the tunnels, so take your lantern and lead the way mates!

Basically you are leading and exploring all at the same time, and all the while you are using your lantern to light the torches on the walls, and you work your way through to the other end, where you end up needing to pick a lock for Adams. Once you do that it ends this mission.

You are now standing outside of the entrance to the tunnels but Adams is at the printing shop, and you have to get there without being killed! That is something of a problem because there are soldiers outside of the shop. The easy way to deal with that is let them detect you, then lead them back behind the building and out of sight so you can kick their asses. With the four of them incapped you can waltz around front and go in for the CS with Adams and the printer.

After that you need to follow Adams as he explains that he has shown you the three ways to deal with notoriety – remove posters, bribe town criers, us the printer. That completes the mission with full Synchronization, leaving you just the task of speaking to the Harbor Master in order to book passage out of the city and return to the Homestead. Do that now.

When you arrive look at the map again and you will see that there is now a Harbor Master here in the Homestead. What good fortune! You will also note that other than the main mission at the Manor there are no additional icons for us to deal with just now. Head to the Manor where you will find Davenport waiting for you.

Mission: The Lost Son's Return

After a brief CS you learn that your father has fled – you want to go after him, but Davenport tells you it can wait, that you still need to repair the Manor House – plus if you are going to have any chance you still need to get your Assassin Kit and learn to use it! He then gives it to you. Just when things are getting interesting someone comes banging on the window screaming for help!

You now have your hidden blade – and as you run outside that completes this mission...

Mission: River Rescue

Without giving you any details – the man is in full panic after all – you must chase after him to learn what the emergency is. Note that the optional objective here is to rescue Terry without stepping into the water... D'Oh! I just told you something you did not know.

Of course here is where I got attacked by a pack of wolves... You are not meant to run along the shore here, you instead take the logs and rocks path in the river until you have a brief run on the shore (but be sure NOT to touch the water!). This is a bit tricky and if you have trouble at the end, watch the video below as you will see what I mean. Basically you need to run the entire route along the river from rock to log without touching the water, and when you get to the very end when you have no choice but to dive in to rescue him, you MUST dive DIRECTLY towards the log he is on – even though you go in the water it does not count against you as long as you dove directly at the log.

Rescuing Terry without missing the optional objective

Once you rescue the man the mission ends and you have another CS with Davenport and then you are shown where to recruit settlers for the Homestead.

Mission: Training Begins

At the cabin where the Marker is located is where you begin your training – you knock at the door and inside is a drunken lout who Davenport introduces you to... Then he shows you that shipwreck, and you have now officially been introduced to your ship, the Aquila... Or rather your shipwreck that is! Saying it requires repairs is something of a major understatement... But first you need to get him some lumber, right?

That bloke is Robert Faulkner – read the Database Entry to learn about him as it is an interesting story indeed... Then go find Davenport back at the Manor House and you get a CS in which he reveals a ledger to you, which is used to manage the Homestead. This is actually an important tool since it is the primary method for upgrading the Homestead... You get a mini-tutorial on how to do business between the Homestead and the Merchants, and then the mission ends with full Synchronization.

You get a CS in which Connor narrates again to explain the passage of time, and then as you run forward you get to see the restored Aquila! BEFORE you head for that though, open your map and look at the different markers that are here first... There is one for a Homestead Mission, and one for an Interactive Conversation, and as we want to be in the habit of always doing the optional items before we continue the main mission just in case they will disappear, let's head over for the conversation and then the Homestead Mission, shall we?

The conversation is with some of the settlers who have become part of the Homestead population, and speaking with them unlocks a new Trophy in the Manor House. Well done that!

Adding the first Artisan Crafter to the Homestead

Homestead Mission: The Whittler's Weapons

There is smoke on the ridge line and someone is in trouble! When you reach the scene a man has been hung over the side of the cliff by his feet by some highwaymen – and you first need to eliminate them, then rescue the victim – now here is a prime candidate to be recruited for the Homestead! As the CS plays out you seem to have attracted his interest. Well done! His name is Lance, and he joins the Homestead, adding a Woodworking Building to it, and now you can have Crates, Barrels and other items crafted!

In addition to getting that new craftsman added to the Homestead you add a new section to the DNA and you unlock the Achievement “House Party” (10G) Recruit any of the Artisans and see them settled on the Homestead.

That is all of the missions and activities that we can presently do here, so head to the main mission marker at the ship now.

Mission: The Hard Way

The Aquila must be equipped with cannon at Martha's Vineyard, and you must find officers and cewq as well, so when you start this mission that is mostly the point of it... Well, that and the optional objectives which include: Don't take any damage; Use swivel guns to destroy ships (x2); Successfully brace when attacked (x3). No worries mates, you can do it!

The mission starts with a CS in which your First Mate Faulkner gives you the grand tour and teaches a bit of maritime tradition – and then the Aquila is under way and you are on deck with a pointer at the helm, where you are to take the wheel and sail her to the Vineyard!

Mates, I live in this part of the world – the approach that we took was through Buzzard's Bay, which means that the Homestead would have to have been there, but that makes no sense, as on the map it is clearly north of Boston, whereas Buzzards Bay is SOUTH of Boston... But why scratch at gnats of so little size? Why? I'll tell you why! The bloody Cape Cod Canal did not really exist as such, and to sail in the way we did we'd have to remove Cape Cod from the land! Oh alright bugger it...

At the helm you learn the basics of sailing and how the Aquila handles under half-sail, and full-sail, and as you navigate the rocks and shoals ahead you notice that other large vessel ahead of you? Well, her pilot knows the route through the sandbars here so just do what she does (watch the video below) and you will not harm the Aquila.

Once you are at the Vineyard you get a CS in which Connor very nearly starts a barroom brawl with a Templar, but the mistress of the house is not having any of that, no sir! She tosses your lot out, that's what she does – and it serves you right, starting a barney without at least having some rum first! So, out you go, the guns are fitted, you have crew and officers, it really is about time you got underway, right?

Your first battle at sea and your first Naval Victory!

Sail between the reefs and wrecks and you get a mini-tutorial on gun handling and then you need to set sail on a new course, but a short while later you are attacked by a group of small armed sloops! You must sail and use your guns at the same time – in this case the Swivel Cannon since your main guns would be wasted on so small a target. You also need to be aware that if you continue to sail straight (without maneuvering) you will sail out of the memory and fail. So be sure to turn hard and then blow those sloops out of the water! Isn't this fun?!

After you destroy the trio of small sloops an enemy Frigate appears – this one you want to use the big guns on – and you need to remember to brace when attacked, so steer for your best shot, lower speed to half-sails, and kill that bugger! If you are having trouble with bracing that just means ducking when attacked by hitting the X Button...

Once you have managed to Brace three times you can then get serious about sinking the bugger – and score yourself full Synchronization in the bargain! Well done mates! Good on ya!

After the battle ends you get a CS of the Aquila being unloaded back at the Homestead, and then you get another CS in which Davenport welcomes you into the Brotherhood of Assassins! Excellent! You have completed your training, you have your ship, and now you have completed the Sequence! In addition to that, you unlock the Achievement “The Day the Templars Cried” (20G) Completed Sequence 5.

In the Real World

You are pulled out of the Animus by Sean, who tells you that he has located a power source in Manhattan, and you guys need to go and get it. A CS plays out of you and the crew in the van, and on the radio you hear about solar flares that are causing problems all over the world – you get your communication kit, and then Dad briefs you on the mission ahead – and you get handed your parachute?! Ah, base-jumping, that should be fun!

Basically you need to follow the very obvious path through the first two floors after you leave the lift, and then slide outside and continue the climb up the crane and along the ibeams, up the side of the building and back inside, up a few more levels and then back outside and more ibeams! Loverly!

Once you reach the top of the lit-up crane and make the parachute jump you get a CS of taking the power supply – and then a Templar appears, pointing a pistol at you! That doesn't work out so well for the Templar as it happens, and you get a CS of meeting back up with the crew in which you discuss what just happened. All is well that ends well however, as you succeeded in your mission!

It is called base-jumping and people think it is fun!

Completing the snatch-and-grab mission unlocks the Achievement “Criss Cross” (20G) Complete Present - Skyscraper. So well done on that and good on ya!

Back at the Temple

Before you do anything else, have a chat with your Dad and the others, then check your email before going back into the Animus.

Your Dad gives what is for him a sincere apology and asks you for a truce – and if you chat with him again you learn about your mother... A third conversation raises your question of whether or not the Assassin's had ever tried to make peace with the Templar – you then bring up the whole plant thing like Lucy or Cross, and your Dad poo-poo's that idea. He is convinced that the only way that this can shake out is if the Assassins win this battle with the Templar and utterly defeat them. And there is that whole save the world thing... A fourth conversation has you ask if he looked for you after you ran away, and he says that he had. Your fifth conversation deals with Lucy, Cross, and the repetition of history...

Head over and chat with Sean, and he asks you a favor – when you have completed the current struggle he says he would like to try turning the Animus back to the first society 70K plus years – and you tell him you are game if he is! Your second conversation is about history and the Revolution, a conversation that highlights the gulf between your and Sean's view of the events and the founding of the United States. Next you chat about the Temple and Sean wonders how many others there are – Desmond says that there are dozens. The next conversation is brief, with Sean saying he found a new lead on another power source, and that wraps up your conversations with him...

Lastly you head over to talk to Rebecca and she tells you she feels like you are being watched. You tell her that you ARE being watched, and then you explain it and Rebecca starts asking what your thoughts are about that. Next she starts talking about Cross and how she felt like he got a shitty deal – then tells you about Hannah and her sacrifice. That wraps up the conversations you can have with Rebecca, so all that is left is checking your email.

Mostly the email you have received since we last checked is background on what has been going on relationship wise with the crew, and some requests from your father... Then there is the updates for the Database, but it really gets interesting when you start getting emails that look like they come from Juno – one of the First Civilization people if you do not recall – and Sean is convinced that you should resist engaging her in email conversations at least for the time being.

That nicely wraps up the game through Sequence 5 and our real-world activities, so now it is time to head back in the Animus, but we are not going to be going to the next Sequence just yet, we have something else to do first...