Secrets — Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood eGuide

If you happened to miss anything on your travels, here's a recap of the features and rewards that can be unlocked by completing optional memories and challenges.

Unlockables Overview

Category	Name	Unlock Condition	Reward Location / Notes	--
Cristina memories	A Second Chance	Achieve 15% Total Synch.	You can access these repressed memories of Ezio's life by going to the broken heart icon () that appears on the map.	--
	Last Rites	Achieve 30% Total Synch.
	Best Man	Achieve 45% Total Synch.
	Persona Non Grata	Achieve 60% Total Synch.
	Love's Labour's Lost	Achieve 75% Total Synch.
Capes	Auditore Cape	Complete the Rebuilding Rome metagame to 100%.	Capes are accessed through the Inventory Outfits menu.	--
	Borgia Cape	Collect 100 Borgia Flags.
	Medici Cape	Reach Level 30 on the "Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy" Facebook game.
	Venetian Cape
Outfits	Raiden Skin	Receive at least a Bronze Medal in all Virtual Training challenges.	Outfits are accessed through the Inventory menu.	--
	Florentine Noble Attire	Purchase for 2 tokens through Ubisoft's Uplay service.
	Altaïr's Robes
	Armor of Altaïr
Borgia Flag & Treasure Maps	Centro Flags Map	Finish the game or collect 25 Borgia Flags.	Once unlocked, purchase these maps from an Art Merchant.	--
	Antico Flags Map
	Campagna Flags Map
	Vaticano Flags Map
	Feathers Map
Shop Quest rewards	Seusenhofer Pauldrons and Chest Guard	Complete the Exotica Shop Quest (Blacksmith).	These rewards are all equipped automatically.	--
	Spada Lunga	Complete the Blood Money Shop Quest (Blacksmith).
	Captain's Sword	Complete the Faith Shop Quest (Blacksmith).
	Vaticano Treasures Map	Complete the Trendsetting Shop Quest (Art Merchant).
	Large Quiver	Complete the Pulling Threads Shop Quest (Tailor).
	Fast Poison	Complete the Venomous Shop Quest (Doctor).
Rebuilding Rome metagame rewards	Cavalieri Mace & Butcher Knife	Open 5 Blacksmiths.	Items become available for purchase when unlocked.	--
	Spadone	Open 10 Blacksmiths.
	Knife Belt Upgrade	Open 4 Tailor Shops.
	Large Medicine Pouch	Open 4 Tailor Shops.
	Knife Belt Upgrade	Open 8 Tailor Shops.
	Large Poison Vial	Open 8 Tailor Shops.
Guild rewards	Courtesans Guild Crest	Advance each Guild to Level 2.	Unlocked at Ezio's Hideout.	--
	Thieves Guild Crest
	Mercenaries Guild Crest
	Maria's Dagger	Advance each Guild to Level 3.
	La Volpe's Bite
	Bartolomeo's Axe
	Assassins Guild Crest	Complete all Assassins Guild Challenges.
	Sword of Altaïr	Complete all Assassins Guild Challenges.
Rare Paintings	Self Portrait	Complete Sequence 08 or collect 15 Borgia Flags.	Paintings become available for purchase from Centro, Antico and Campagna Art Merchants respectively.	--
	Young Man with an Apple
	Christ Blessing
Portraits	Portrait of Cesare Borgia	Defeat the target to acquire their portrait.	These appear on a wall of Ezio's Hideout.	-
	Portrait of Rodrigo Borgia
	Portrait of Lucrezia Borgia
	Portrait of the Baron de Valois
	Portrait of Juan Borgia
	Portrait of Micheletto
War Machine Models	Tank Model	Complete the Hell on Wheels War Machine mission.	Appear as trophy models in Ezio's Hideout.	--
	Bomber Model	Complete the Flying Machine 2.0 War Machine mission.
	Machine Gun Model	Complete the Outgunned War Machine mission.
	Naval Cannon Model	Complete the Loose Cannon War Machine mission.
Leonardo Inventions	Parachute	Complete all 4 War Machine missions.	Leonardo offers you this reward.	--
Ultimate Equipment	Dagger and Armor of Brutus	Collect all six Keys of Romulus from Followers Lairs.	These treasures are hidden in a vault below Prospero da Siena's Borgia Tower.	--
Cheats (once unlocked, can be activated from the Options menu while replaying memories)	Ride the Unicorn	Complete Sequence 01 with 100% Total Synch.	All horses are turned into unicorns; all weapons sport a lightning effect.	-
	Buns of Steel	Complete Sequence 02 with 100% Total Synch.	Makes yourself immune to injury.
	Killing Spree	Complete Sequence 03 with 100% Total Synch.	Assassinations cannot be blocked.
	Sisterhood	Complete Sequence 04 with 100% Total Synch.	Makes all Assassins Guild recruits female.
	Ultimate Guild	Complete Sequence 05 with 100% Total Synch.	Raises all Assassins Guild recruits to the rank of Assassino.
	Unlimited Assassin Signals	Complete Sequence 06 with 100% Total Synch.	No cooldown timer when calling Assassins.
	Desmond Everywhere	Complete Sequence 08 with 100% Total Synch.	Desmond skin is unlocked.
Subject 16's Secret	The Truth	Find all 10 Rifts and solve all Cluster puzzles.	A secret area of the Animus.	--
Uplay rewards	PS3/Xbox 360 Theme	Purchase for 1 token through Ubisoft's Uplay service.	Platform-specific reward.	-
	The Hellequin	Purchase for 1 token through Ubisoft's Uplay service.	New playable character in Multiplayer mode.
	Pistol Upgrade	Purchase for 3 tokens through Ubisoft's Uplay service.	Equipped automatically.
Artifacts	Mario's Sword	Leave the Animus and pick them up in present day Monteriggioni.	Appear as trophies on shelves in the Sanctuary.	--
	Medici Cape
	Claudia's Record Book
	Maria's Feather Chest
	Ezio's Belt

The Truth:

Rift Puzzle Solutions

Discovering all ten Rift locations is when this challenge merely begins. To reveal Subject 16's secret, you must then solve his puzzles directly or by returning to them through the Database The Truth menu. Each of the seven puzzle types has its own interface, with relevant button commands displayed onscreen.

Theme puzzles: these challenge you to discover a theme that connects five pictures out of ten. The order in which you select them doesn't matter.

Ring puzzles: a picture is divided into four rings with a fixed point at the center. You must rotate these rings to display the complete image. Our solutions refer to the innermost ring as Ring 1 and the outermost as Ring 4. Push the Movement Stick up and down to select the ring; push right to rotate clockwise and left to rotate anti-clockwise, with each small acute turn marked by an audible combination lock "click". As a rule, if any ring spins a dependent ring, it must be placed correctly beforehand and the dependent ring moved later.

Observation puzzles: scan a selection of images with a magnifying tool to find hidden details and access a Cipher puzzle. Upon zooming in to any image, your scanning reticle highlights a square area in red. When this cursor flashes, you have uncovered information and a possible link to a Cipher puzzle. But there are many dead ends, and you will be warned if you have incorrect coordinates. That means going back to the Observation puzzle and trying again to find the correct answer. It's important to note that the coordinates appear as tiny symbols above the scanning cursor itself, and these relate directly to the symbols of the subsequent Code Wheel.

Cipher puzzles: rotate a Code Wheel using a numerical key to discover the correct symbols of a Passcode.

Chessboard puzzles: playing as white, move your chess pieces in response to a cryptic riddle.

Amplitude puzzles: the concept here is to remove an interference signal from an audio recording. The blue line is your goal wave, and the idea is to match it perfectly by selecting and combining two or more of the filter waves to the left. The waves reinforce or cancel each other over four segments, so if a positive wave is too high above the goal wave in one segment then look for a wave with a negative amplitude (below the line) in that segment to reduce it.

Quarantine puzzles: uncover and neutralize a series of tracking devices in swift succession. The pulse of your detector increases with proximity to the target, slowing as it gets further away. When you have more than one target to find, note the red bar that fills around your cursor. After neutralizing a target, this shows your time limit in which to reach the next – or the operation fails. So the best tactic is to find them all first, at leisure, remember their locations, then race efficiently around the screen.

For most puzzles, you have the option of consulting in-game advice from Shaun Hastings if you fail to reach a solution in three minutes. Our hints assume you have consulted these first, and we explain some of Shaun's more obscure suggestions so that you may still attempt the solution yourself.

Note that it doesn't matter which Rifts you find first: you will always have to solve the puzzles in the same order. Each Rift unlocks a new data Cluster of puzzles to attempt.

Cluster 1

Theme Puzzle

Riddle

MASTERS ALL, THEY DID NOT WORK, BUT RULED FROM ON HIGH.

Hint

The Templar lifestyle is one of power and privilege, not servitude. Pick out the ruling classes enjoying the luxury of their exalted position.

Solution

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

MOVING AWAY FROM THE SOVEREIGN AND HIS CROSSED BROW, THE PEOPLE TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD.

Hint

The sovereign is a ruler; the crossed brow further identifies the king by the shape of his playing piece (E1). The people are the pawns. In an opening chess move, the pawns can take two steps forward. Put this together and you have the pawn in front of the king moving two squares forward.

Solution

Select white pawn on E2 and move to square E4.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 2

Ring Puzzle 1
Visual Hint
Match the iron chain links of the crane running vertically to the top to get the picture in the correct orientation.
Solution
Ring 2 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 2 clicks right. Ring 3 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 3 clicks left. Ring 1 – rotate 4 clicks left. Ring 4 – rotate 4 clicks left.

Ring Puzzle 2
Visual Hint
There is a skyline to rotate to the top of the screen and chimneys to align vertically.
Solution
Ring 4 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 2 clicks left. Ring 1 (also spins Ring 3) – rotate 5 clicks right. Ring 3 – rotate 4 clicks left. Ring 2 – rotate 5 clicks right.

Ring Puzzle 3
Visual Hint
Working inwards, the outer edge of the image should show a production line of female workers.
Solution
Ring 4 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 1 click right. Ring 3 (also spins Ring 2) – rotate 5 clicks right. Ring 2 – rotate 4 clicks right. Ring 1 – rotate 3 clicks right.

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

THE WORKFORCE INCREASES. BROTHER RIGHT BESIDE BROTHER.

Hint

The brother is another pawn. So you need to move a pawn to stand beside the one already played at E4. "Right" rules out pawn D2 to the left.

Solution

Pawn F2 to F4.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 3

Observation Puzzle

Riddle

WASHINGTON SITS ABOVE THE GREEN, IN 1944, KEEPING A COOL HEAD. BELOW THE RIGHT 1, IS THE STANDARD BEARING 48. BEHIND, THERE IS A COMPANY WHOSE POWER IS GROWING.

Hint

The right-hand image of the Mount Washington Golf Course ("the green") is your search area. "The right 1" means the numbers on the dollar bill; a standard is another word for a flag.

Solution

Scan the left turret of the Mount Washington Resort for an Abstergo flag.

Cipher Puzzle

Solving Cipher Puzzles

The top line of numbers is your numerical key. For the first digit, the key shows a gray box containing number 9 and a numerical zero symbol above it. Align the Code Wheel by rotating it until that numerical symbol sits next to the inner 9. Now the Code Wheel matches the first digit of the key. In the Passcode box below, the first digit in the series corresponding to the 9 is a 2. So look at the Code Wheel and read off the symbol that is associated with number 2. Push up or down on the Movement Stick to scroll to that symbol. That's the first symbol of the Passcode entered. Push right to move to the next.

Hint

If you draw a line through the Code Wheel in the right place, the symbols are mirror images of their opposite. Taking care to enter the correct symbols for the rest of the Passcode, this mirror will help you fill in the missing symbols by looking at their mirror images.

Solution

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

AS A CONCESSION, A SMALL PIECE IS SACRIFICED FOR THE GREATER GOOD TO COME.

Hint

One of your pawns can take the opponent's pawn, even though this places it undefended at the mercy of the black knight's next move. That's the sacrifice.

Solution

White Pawn F4 takes Black Pawn at E5.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 4

Theme Puzzle

Riddle

THESE INTELLIGENT WORKERS HAVE NO SELF-CONTROL.

Hint

Smart machines aren't enough – you need those dependent on a human controller.

Solution

The correct images are those that do not imply human workers being controlled, including the traffic light giving orders to drivers and pedestrians.

Ring Puzzle
Visual Hint
The static centerpiece shows the correct alignment of gridlines and components.
Solution
Ring 3 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 4 clicks right. Ring 1 (also spins Ring 4) – rotate 1 click right. Ring 4 (also spins Ring 2) – rotate 1 click right. Ring 2 – rotate 4 clicks left.

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

ALAN TURING SET OUT TO SOLVE THE PLIGHT OF THE WORKERS: M = (Q, Γ , B, Σ , Δ , Q0, F) WHERE Γ =

{2, 3} Σ = {G}.

Hint

The white king (E1) is in check, so a normal chess play would be to defend him against the black queen (H4). The only legal move available rests with a "worker", both blocking and threatening the queen.

Solution

Pawn G2 to G3.

Amplitude Puzzle

Solution

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 5

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

DEMOCRATIC NATIONS WERE BUILT, EACH LED BY A POWERFUL VIZIER (KNOWN TODAY BY A DIFFERENT NAME), WHO MADE A MOVE TO BLOCK THE TEMPLAR ADVANCE.

Hint

You need to use your queen to block the advance. The correct move threatens the "Templar" black queen from a protected position.

Solution

Queen D1 to E2.

Observation Puzzle

Riddle

FROM A BOLT OF ELECTRICITY, GOVERNMENTS FELL.

Hint

Despite all the data here about the Chilean and Iranian coups, you're actually looking for an electrical bolt.

Solution

Scan the top of the top-left picture.

Cipher Puzzle

Hint

Of the ten symbols on this Code Wheel, five are identical to their opposing symbol except for extra strokes or oblique lines added. So when you align the wheel for number 5 and find the symbol for 3 is missing, look on the opposite side of the wheel for a symbol and add the extra stroke. For number 7, you need to remove some oblique lines to find the symbol.

Solution

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 6

Observation Puzzle

Riddle

IMPORTANT MEN BEFRIENDED RUSSIA AS THE IRON CURTAIN WAS BLOWN APART. BUT THE MOST INFLUENTIAL COMRADE STAYED OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT.

Hint

A wealth of messages give conspiratorial facts but incorrect coordinates. "Blown apart" should instead direct you to a prominent cannon.

Solution

Boris Yeltsin was in the spotlight when he stood on a tank to defy a military coup. But it is the cameraman filming him who has a Templar cross on his back when highlighted.

Cipher Puzzle

Hint

Since the Code Wheel sequence of "0 9 13 __ 22 27 __ 34 42 42" is constantly increasing, the missing numbers are easy to place in order.

Solution

You can get the missing numbers from the numerical key on the Cipher Puzzle screen (or from the Observation Puzzle reticle).

Amplitude Puzzle

Solution

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

ALTHOUGH HIS PIECE REPRESENTS A SAVIOR, HIS SELF-SERVING ACTIONS REVEAL HIM AS A COUNTERFEIT.

Hint

A synonym for a savior is a white knight, a term for a champion or rescuer, And since the F of "counterfeit" is highlighted in red, it indicates the piece to play.

Solution

White knight G1 to F3.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 7

Theme Puzzle

Riddle

FIRE, WATER AND EARTH ARE CONTRACTED, WITH THE COMPLACENCY OF THE PEOPLE, AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE.

Hint

Many photos show people cleaning up after the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Human error has been blamed for the disaster.

Solution

The correct images have workers engaged with tackling the elements. Distracting pictures show fire ships and satellite images.

Observation Puzzle

Riddle

MAKING USE OF THAT CREATED BY 3, THE CENTER BEHIND THE SCENES WAITED FOR CITIZENS UNITED TO WED THE U.S. TO THE TEMPLARS' WILL.

Hint

The main image is of the Judges of the US Supreme Court, 2009. Subject 16's wedding reference relates to the popular token that people wear to signify their marital status.

Solution

In the main image, zoom in on the hand of Justice Roberts.

Cipher Puzzle

Hint

All Code Wheel symbols come from the aircraft carrier images you've just seen. Return to find NK on a jet's tail, a 3 on a helmet, the truncated 70 on the cockpit, a C on the photo above Paul Wolfowitz... Whenever you move the zoomed reticle over a relevant area, it will flash those symbols as coordinates for the Code Wheel.

Solution

The missing symbols are a Z on the tarmac and a truncated M.

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

B8-C6 6C-8B. OUR MOVES ARE ECHOES, THEY ARE NOT OUR OWN.

Hint

The clue spells out the move that the black knight has taken from its starting point. You can echo this move with your own white knight at the bottom of the board so that it mirrors the black knight above it.

Solution

White Knight B1 to C3.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 8

Ring Puzzle
Visual Hint
Align the old US TV test card with the chief's head at the top.
Hint
Interdependency makes this one much harder, so a useful hint is not to move Ring 3. You can do it all with 1, 2 and 4.
Solution
Ring 1 (also spins Ring 2) – rotate 4 clicks right. Ring 2 (also spins Ring 4) – rotate 1 click right. Ring 4 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 3 clicks left.

Amplitude Puzzle

Solution

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

WATCH! MOVE FAST! SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND. 0-60, DON'T THINK.

Hint

TVs and sports cars are the distractions you shouldn't think about. There's only one piece that can legitimately move from Row 1 to Row 2, as the other would place white in checkmate.

Solution

King E1 to F2.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 9

Theme Puzzle

Riddle

THEY LISTEN TO US WITH THESE VEHICLES THAT ARE FASTER THAN RACE CARS.

Hint

Look for a vehicle of communication rather than transport.

Solution

The correct images all have telephone wires.

Amplitude Puzzle

Solution

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

THE DARK HORSEMAN APPROACHES! MESSENGER AND FOOL, SHE CAN HEAR YOU ALONG THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW. BUT ONCE ON THE ADJACENT SLOPE, OBSERVE THE WHITES OF HER EYES.

Hint

Shaun's cryptic advice is to move to an adjacent white square. Ignore the black knight reference; the threat is from the black queen on your side of the board. The right move here is to both block the queen and attack her.

Solution

Bishop F1 to G2.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

Cluster 10

Ring Puzzle
Visual Hint
Don't be surprised if you recognize those electromagnetic rings from Subject 16's blood scrawls in Desmond's lab cell.
Hint
Again, leave Ring 3 in place.
Solution
Ring 4 (also spins Ring 2) – rotate 5 clicks right. Ring 1 (also spins Ring 3) – rotate 2 clicks right. Ring 2 (also spins Ring 1) – rotate 2 clicks right.

Theme Puzzle

Riddle

A PRODUCT THAT WE MAKE WITHOUT HANDS OR MACHINES.

Hint

Shaun's advice is completely misleading on this one; he's been fooled himself by the picture of Albert Einstein. There's a far more obvious theme in the pictures themselves, especially if you're family-minded.

Solution

The correct images all show children, not ideas.

Observation Puzzle

Riddle

WITH EACH PASSING DAY, THE PEOPLE GET STRONGER. FREEDOM ASCENDS, HERALDING A REVOLUTION.

Hint

There are plenty of distracting Assassin symbols, one to locate in each photo, and they will help you with the Cipher puzzle. But with Shaun's advice in mind, only some of the images have a sky to search.

Solution

For the correct coordinates, scan the upper image to reveal an eagle in flight.

Cipher Puzzle

Hint

This looks like a Fibonacci series but it's more complicated, as per Shaun's advice. If you multiply the two previous tens columns and add the two previous ones columns then you get the missing numbers.

Solution

So from 24, 45 you get (2x4x10) + (4+5) = 89; from 45, 89 you get (4x8x10) + (5+9) = 334.

Amplitude Puzzle

Solution

Chess Puzzle

Riddle

+ 64 SQUARES, ALL RANKS AND FILES, EVERY MOVE ANTICIPATED. EVERY RESPONSE ENGINEERED. ABSTERGO CREATED IT. IT'S THE COMPANY'S GAME, THERE IS NO WAY OUT. + H. ACT II, SC.2 192. ABRAN LOS OJOS. TUAM LIBERA MENTEM. THE KING. F2. YOUR MOVE.

Hint

"Words, words, words!" Hamlet Act II, Scene 2 is when Lord Polonius makes famous reference to there being a method in the madness. Open your eyes. Free your mind!

Solution

The method in the madness is to refuse to play by Abstergo's rules. Remove your king from the board and plant it anywhere, even on the left-hand text, stamping the Assassin logo on the screen.

Quarantine Puzzle

Solution

There is one long spiral to keep clicking through, so just take it slowly and be sure to catch every one.

The Truth: Reward

Besides granting an Achievement or Trophy, solving all Cluster puzzles grants access to Subject 16's secret area of the Animus. A cookie-crumb trail of mission markers leads you through the darkness, building and rebuilding a simple (but disorienting) world around you with each step. Glowing stairs, beams and walls of handholds eventually lead you to sets of three climbing elements – beams, bars and stairs – and you may pick only one in each instance. When you've collected four pieces, your choices will determine the type of path you then take to reach your rendezvous.

Rumors of Subject 16's death may have been slightly exaggerated, but those regarding his sanity don't seem too wide of the mark. Having somehow transferred an imprint of his consciousness to the Animus, Subject 16 babbles nervously of what is about to befall those around you and urges you to find Eve in Eden. Which leads us nicely into our story analysis overleaf...