All my answers are therefore largely ignorant of the later and current states of the game, both in regards to mechanics and lore canon. General rule for everything I say here: if it isn't said in the game, it's not canon. It's just my own opinion/interpretation.
I was hired in May 1999 as an intern on the first dedicated pre-ship content team, and left Turbine at the beginning of September 2002. I didn't follow the development of either AC title afterwards.