Isu (Fair Snow-White; Earth-01)

"Ezio: You are... gods. Minerva: No. Not gods. We simply came... before."

- Ezio Auditore da Firenze and Minerva, on the nature of the Isu circa 1499.

The Isu, known to humanity as the First Civilization, Those Who Came Before, or the Precursor Race, and classified as Homo sapiens divinus by Abstergo Industries, are an ancient, advanced species of humanoids that predated the human race and have evolved on Earth and perhaps the first intelligent species native to Earth. Exactly who they were, where they came from and when they disappeared is largely unknown.

Ancient Origins
Isu history is a long and detailed one, most of which is shrouded in mystery. However, bits and pieces were uncovered, some of which was revealed by Isu members themselves like Juno and Minerva, giving us an insight into what the world looks and feels like, and there’s no recorded beginning to Isu Era. The Isu are natives to Earth and a product of millennia of evolution. However, the exact origin of the Isu is unknown, nor how long they’ve existed. According to The Phoenix Project video by Abstergo, a timeline is shown dating back to as far as 150,000 & 160,000 BCE, and beyond as a hypothetical date for the creation or the discovery of the technology behind the Pieces of Eden.

The War Of Unification
A war that involved Isu civilizations that took place sometime prior to the year 1923 IE (circa 75,383 BCE). This war lead to the creation of the Swords of Eden by Hephaestus, leading to numerous casualties. The exact motives and reasons for this war are unknown.

Creation Of The Shroud
The War of Unification, resulted in many casualties and injuries to Isu warriors/soldiers, which influenced Consus -Hephaestus’ apprentice- to create The Shrouds of Eden to heal and presumably resurrect fallen warriors/soldiers.

Creation Of Mankind
According to Consus, an Isu scientist who’s responsible for the creation of the first Shroud of Eden for the purposes of healing, the creation of making took place after 1923 IE and before, 2296 IE (circa. 75,383 – 75,010 BCE), the latter being the date humanity started the rebellion against the Isu, lead by Eve.

The Birth Of Juno
Juno, an Isu member and a scientist, who grew to become one of the most pivotal members of her civilization, was born into the Illuminate Caste, in 2195 IE, in Feyan City.

The Human-Isu War
After Adam and Eve, two Isu member who were the product of inbreeding between Isu and humans, leading them to be invulnerable to the effects of the Pieces of Eden, managed to escape from their masters with an Apple of Eden, started a series of events that lead to a full scale war between Humanity and Isu, which lasted for 10 years.

One of the known casualties of this war was Juno’s father, who was murdered by human rebels with a club, leading to Juno’s eternal hatred for humanity.

Toba Catastrophe
While both the Isu and humans were consumed with the 10 years war, a cataclysmic event involving a Solar Flare was approaching. The Isu, despite their technology and prowess, did not have time to prepare for this event, which took place in 2306 IE leading to the deaths of thousands of people from both sides, eventually leading the extinction of the Isu in the following centuries.

21st Century
The Templars, under the guise of Abstergo Industries, have begun a secretive project which aims to genetically engineer the Isu back into existence. They have been collecting samples of all kinds of Isu DNA from various individuals as well as Sages, the reincarnations of an Isu named Aita.

The Pheonix Project also seeks to study the Pieces of Eden, so as to replicate their designs, powers and workings as well as create better ones.

Psychological Characteristics
The Isu are a highly technologically advanced and powerful race who, through Minerva's Calculations, possessed limited precognitive abilities that allowed a select few Isu to predict, and attempt to influence, possible futures.

Following the Great Catastrophe, a concerted effort was made by a number of Isu to pass on, or awaken, this sixth sense to humanity, their "final, faltering hope". Ultimately, however, they failed; though humanity could "see the blue shimmer [and] "hear the words", they did not fully possess the 'knowledge' of their creators. This consequently convinced some Isu, like Juno, that humanity should have simply been left as they were.

Biology and Physiology
The Isu are humanoid creatures. From the first glance, they seem indistinguishable from modern humans, except for their distinctive choice of fashion, battle garments and style. However, an examination into their biology and anatomy, and more specifically, their genome, proves there does exist a great deal of differences, starting from the fact that their DNA, is a triple helix model, unlike most species on Earth, including humans, who share a double helical model, instead. The Isu are also physically more imposing than humans, with some individuals standing a full 20 inches taller than humanity.

Isu individuals posses six senses instead of five, which humans posses. The sixth behind “Knowledge”. They’re also a bit taller than humans, and their brain size is thirty-percent larger, which might explain the presence of their sixth sense.

Durga, an Isu member who encountered Arbaaz Mir, possessed a pair of extra limbs. Whether these were genetically engineered, surgically attached or a type of mutation or if she’s a member of an Isu subspecies, is unknown.

Bloodline
"Why do we have these gifts, these abilities? Because it's in our blood! [...] The seeds were planted as two worlds became one. Behold the Assassins, the children of two worlds!"

- Clay Kaczmarek, 2012.

Through the hybrids, however, certain human bloodlines adopted some of the increased skills and abilities of their creators. The individuals known as Tainted Ones, for instance, possessed increased strength and dexterity, and a resistance to the some of the affects of the Pieces of Eden.

William Miles later stated that one person in ten million would have a high concentration of Isu DNA. Clay Kaczmarek at one point theorized that the true reason behind the abilities of some Assassins was genetic, suggesting a lineage including both human and Isu blood. Clay's own genetic memories indicated him to be a direct descendant of both Adam and Eve, suggesting that his bloodline, if not many more, would all have access to these abilities. According to Abstergo, the average part of Isu DNA in regular humans is comprised between 0.0002% and 0.0005%, but in some individuals it can be higher, like for Desmond Miles–who had a count of 0.952%–or the Sages, who had a count of between 5% and 6%.

Indeed, a number of Desmond Mile's ancestors including Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, Ezio Auditore, Edward Kenway and his son, Haytham, and his grandson Ratonhnhaké:ton, all possessed Eagle Vision, while Ezio and Altaïr both exhibited proven resistance to the effects of the Pieces of Eden. Outside of Desmond's lineage, completely unrelated individuals like Giovanni Borgia, Aveline de Grandpré, Adéwalé, Shao Jun, Arno Dorian, Arbaaz Mir, and Jacob and Evie Frye, also possessed a natural affinity for Eagle Vision. In others, like Gavin Banks, it could be learned through great practice.

Additionally, Ezio's bloodline allowed him to properly use a Staff and Apple of Eden, combined, to open the Vatican Vault, while Rodrigo Borgia could not. Altaïr had previously used his Apple to enlighten the people of Cyprus to Armand Bouchart's lies, and Desmond Miles was able to make great use of the Pieces of Eden in order to enact his plan to rescue his father.

Powers and Abilities
"A hundred years I might speak and still you would not know us. You with five senses. Us with six. The one we kept from you. To be safe. Now, you can never know. Only try. Grasp. You can SEE. SMELL. TASTE. TOUCH. HEAR. Knowledge has been blocked away. After, when the world became undone, we tried to pass it through the blood. Tried to join you with us. You see the blue shimmer. You hear the words. But you do not know."

- Juno describing the Isu’s abilities.

Isu are born with the potential for various superhuman abilities. Although an Isu may be born with less potential for one ability than another, he or she can overcome that difference through training, Isu develop their superhuman abilities through training and discipline over their long lives. Each Isu is guided by personal desires in deciding how far to develop a specific ability. Circe, for example, is acknowledged to have developed her talent for matter rearrangement far more than any other known Isu has.
 * Superhuman Longevity and Accelerated Healing: The life force of all the Isu of Earth is augmented by cosmic energy. Moreover, each of the Isu maintains a virtually unbreakable mental control over the processes and structure of his or her body, even when he or she is asleep or unconscious. As a result, the Isu have lifespans that last thousands of years, are immune to disease and aging, are virtually indestructible, and, if somehow injured, can regenerate injured or missing organic tissue. There are only two known means by which Earth Isu can die. One is through an injury that disperses a significant portion of the Isu's body molecules; the other involves overwhelming and breaking the Isu's mental hold over his or her own body. Once this hold is broken, then the Isu can be injured or killed through conventional means. An Isu's control over his or her body allows him or her to appear at whatever age he or she wishes. Hence, although many known Isus have lived for at least several thousand years, they appear to be in their twenties.
 * Superhuman Strength: All Isu have superhuman strength, and an average Isu can lift (press) about 15 tons without using his or her mental powers to negate the force of gravity on whatever he or she is lifting.
 * Superhuman Endurance: Cosmic energy bolsters the metabolism of Isu so they do not tire from physical exertion. Through mental concentration they can resist temperature extremes.
 * Telekinesis: Isu can levitate themselves by mentally manipulating gravitons (subatomic particles carrying the force of gravitational attraction between atoms) around them. An Isu can also levitate other persons or objects while simultaneously levitating himself or herself. Isu can "fly" at great speed through levitation, and the average Isu can thus travel at 600 miles per hour.
 * Limited Telepathy: Isu can mentally create illusions so as to disguise themselves.
 * Matter Transmutation: The Isu can also psionically manipulate atoms and molecules so as to transform an object's shape. However, this ability is highly limited in most Isu.
 * Limited Cosmic Energy Manipulation: Isu can project cosmic energy in the form of beams from their eyes or beams or flashes from their hands. This cosmic energy, stored n specialized enclaves of cells in their bodies, can be used as force, heat, light, and possibly other forms of electromagnetic energy. An average Isu can project a maximum concussive force of at least 200 pounds per square inch and heat reaching a maximum temperature of 2000° Fahrenheit, The maximum effective range for an average Isu's energy beams seems to be about 176 feet, The expenditure of cosmic energy in this way continually for several hours will temporally deplete an Isu's physical strength, but not his or her resistance to injury, although it will temporarily increase his or her sensitivity to pain. However, the Isu will rapidly return to normal after such lengthy energy expenditure is over.O
 * Teleportation: Several Isu are also known to be able to teleport themselves psionically.
 * Magical Potential: As with all other sapient life forms, the Isu have the potential to use magic, although few have exercised this capability, if at all. Hekate, however, was amongst the most powerful magic users in the universe, and was once the ruler of Ledgerdomain.

Weaknesses

 * Devotion: Some Isu, such as those belonging to the Hindu and Buddhist pantheon, have been shown to rely on devotion to maintain their power and perhaps even their immortality. The exact means of this seem to vary, but the "Japanese Seven Gods of Fortune" gained strength through the power of Mantra, a cosmic energy collected with the souls of their human worshipers and distilled through Mithra.


 * Magic: The Isu appear to be susceptible to the effects of magic. This is inclusive of mystical artifacts and objects. A mana user can also siphon the mana from an Isu for various effects.
 * Severe Physical Damage: While remarkably durable, sufficient physical damage to an Isu can at least incapacitate them. At one time, Juno calculated that the official limit to the Isu's durability was such that they could only be permanently destroyed by dispersing their bodies' molecules over a wide area.

Trivia

 * Due to their long and storied history, and the legacy that their existence left, the Isu, as a species, were known by various names to humanity. Classified Homo sapiens divinus by Abstergo Industries, they were also interchangeably referred to as Those Who Came Before, the First Civilization, or the Precursors. Beyond this, certain groups of Isu, such as the Capitoline Triad, were believed by most human religions to be a part of a pantheon of gods.
 * The Isu have a Triple-Helix DNA, giving them a very vast biological advantage over human beings. People with high percentages of the Triple Helix DNA were able to contact and develop a telepathic link with Consus, an Isuan entity. Those with Isuan DNA were also granted better control and usage of the Pieces of Eden. They can also resist the telepathic abilities of the Apples of Eden.