Pitching an Assassin's Creed Game: Caledonia (Scotland Part 2)

In this article, I will be exploring Scottish mythology and how it could be woven into an Assassin’s Creed game set in Scotland. In part one, we pitched an Assassin’s Creed game set in Scotland under the leadership of William Wallace.

Mythology has been part of Assassin’s Creed since the very beginning, with the introduction of the Isu. Over the years however, its role has grown; almost becoming a central pillar of the franchise. From Origins to Shadows, mythology has shifted from being a subtle undertone to taking center stage. 

This evolution has divided the fanbase. It has become something of a “marmite” element, and you either love it or hate it.

Personally, I have enjoyed it. I think if done correctly, mythology can enrich the story and open up new creative avenues. That being said, I also appreciate the way Shadows handles mythology. Mythical creatures weren't portrayed as literal monsters, but rather as people disguising themselves as these legendary monsters. It grounded the myth in a way that fit perfectly within the Assassin’s Creed world.

Loch Ness Monster:

Few tales from Scotland are as enduring as that of the Loch Ness Monster. Known affectionately as “Nessie” the creature is said to haunt the deep murky waters of Loch Ness. Descriptions vary, but most paint the same picture in your mind. 

A vast, long necked shape gliding through the water, with what appears to be humps breaking the surface before vanishing back to the depths. 

The legend stretches back nearly 1500 years. Early chronicles tell of strange beasts in the lochs. With one account describing a monster near Inverness that pulled a man beneath the waves. By the late 13th century, the story of “Nessie” was already whispered across the highlands. 

Part warning, part curiosity and always tinged with fear. 

How it could work in Assassin’s Creed:

Because the game we pitched in a previous article is set during 1290-1307, the Loch Ness Monster could be woven into the story two different ways. Depending on how to play the myth, the best way. 

Firstly, we could make the monster a reality. “Nessie” could be tied directly to the Isu. Rather than a flesh and bone beast, it could be a by-product of the ancient technology buried beneath the loch. Something designed for war or perhaps a guardian left behind to protect Isu relics.

To the people of 13th century Scotland, it would appear as nothing less than a monster lurking in the deep, dark and murky waters. Encounters would be rare, but enough to feed the fear and spread the legend among the locals.

Secondly, the Loch Ness Monster could be nothing more than a story, cleverly twisted by the Templars. During the War of Independence, the loch and its surroundings could serve as key routes for moving troops or even collecting Isu relics.  

By spreading tales of a deadly creature in the water, the Templars ensure that locals and any one a danger to their operations; stay away. Anyone who disappears near the loch isn't the victim of a beast at all. But of Templar blades.

The Kelpies

The Kelpies are one of Scotland's darkest legends. Said to haunt rivers and lochs, these supernatural water horses often appear as strays by the shore. They are depicted as usually dark grey or black, with a mane that is dripping wet. To the unsuspecting eye, they look harmless and even inviting to some. 

But the moment someone climbs onto its back, the Kelpie drags them beneath the surface to a watery grave. Stories of the Kelpies were more than just folklore. They served as a warning against the dangers of the fast moving rivers and deep lochs; where accidents and drownings often happened. 

By the 13th century, these tales were already widespread across Scotland, shaping both fear and superstition in everyday life. 

How could it work in Assassin’s Creed

In the Assassin’s Creed universe, the Kelpie might just be a simple rare creature that few have ever seen. Half-horse & half-water spirit, it lives quietly in Scotland’s lochs and rivers, slipping between the mist. To most people, it is nothing more than a glimpse out of the corner of their eye. Something there but not, never caught and never explained. 

Not a monster, not a threat but a reminder that the natural world still holds some mystery beyond human reach. 

Secondly it could be that the Kelpies are no more than just a myth, stories born from fear of the water & the lives it claimed. Drownings, loose horses or strange shapes in the mist have all become proof of a spirit horse waiting to drag the unwary beneath the waves. Over time these tales have hardened into warnings, passed down through generations; as a way to keep people safe from dangerous rivers and lochs.

But it could be used, shaped and amplified in Assassin’s Creed by Templars. They might lean on the legend, encouraging it to spread. As their way of controlling where locals wonder, so they can conduct their business uninterrupted. A drowning man is quicker to blame Kelpies rather than the Templars. The fear of the myth would ensure they continue unopposed. This way the Kelpies become less a creature of flesh and blood and more of a tool.

One that keeps people in line and questions unanswered. 

Bruce and the Spider

One of the most enduring legends tied to Robert the Bruce, is the tale of Bruce and the Spider. After his defeat at the Battle of Methven in 1306, Bruce fled into hiding. Alone and on the edge of despair, he is said to have watched a spider attempt again and again to spin its web across a gap. Bruce watched as the spider never gave up and tried again and again without failure, until finally the spider spun its web bridging the gap. Bruce found strength and reassurance from watching the spider and he rose, returning to fight for Scotland’s freedom.

How it could work in Assassin’s Creed

In the story of Assassin’s Creed, the spider may not even be a spider after all. It could be a man. He could be known as the “Spider” , a hermit, hiding away from Templar eyes. He’s named for all the webs of spies at his disposal. 

Bruce stumbled upon him and the “Spider” became an unlikely mentor, teaching him the values of patience and persistence. Assassin records suggest this figure could even be an ally to the brotherhood, guiding Bruce at the moment when Scotland’s future hung in the balance. In this telling the spider is not a creature of chance. But a deliberate lesson, one that would carry Bruce to Bannockburn.

But the spider could also be a tale that some believe was never rooted in truth. Instead it was crafted by those loyal to Bruce as a story to inspire loyalty. A king who rose from defeat needed more than victories to help him win Scotland’s freedom. He needed a legend. 

Unicorn

The unicorn is Scotland’s most famous emblem, a creature of purity and unyielding spirit. The unicorn has been celebrated in poetry and heraldry. But unlike fleeting folklore, it has become a national symbol that has endured for many centuries.

How could it work in Assassin’s Creed

In Assassin’s Creed, it might be able to trace the unicorn’s roots into the Isu. Perhaps it was a horse bred or engineered as a guardian, its spiral horn forged from alloys lost to time. Over generations, human memory reshaped this animal of Isu design into a beast of legend.

Alternatively, the unicorn may be nothing more than a Templar construct. Understanding the power of imagery, they spread the unicorn as an emblem of divine right and untamable authority. To bind it to Scotland’s kingship was to bind its people to a symbol they controlled. What seemed to a nation as a mark of hope, may in fact be a tool of Templar influence.

Conclusion

Taken together; these legends show how myth and memory intertwined with history. Some may be echoes of the Isu, their forgotten creations lingering in stories. Others may be deliberate inventions, spread by Templars to inspire obedience or cloak their real intentions. And some may still simply be myths, purity and terror that give meaning to hardships.

For me, what makes these stories so compelling is not just whether they’re real or not, but the role they could play in the bringing of Assassin’s Creed Scotland to life. Legends that would make the landscape feel alive, by adding some texture to the world as well; layered with belief and meaning. I think weaving them into the game, whether they are myths, Templar tools of manipulation or something more. 

It would make the highlands feel more authentic and alive. Each tale, giving the player a reason to stop, to listen and to wonder. They’d remind us that Scotland isn't just a battlefield for power and relics. Where myths inspire hope or fear & where whispers by the fire can shape the course of history.

To me, that's the heart of what would make the setting unforgettable. Not just wars and the kings but the sense that every glen, loch and ruined castle carries a legend waiting to be discovered.