Dastan, a street urchin in Persia, is adopted by King Sharaman after showing courage in the marketplace. Fifteen years later, Sharaman's brother Nizam receives proof that the holy city of Alamut is supplying weapons to Persian enemies, and the princes — Dastan, along with the king's biological sons Tus and Garsiv — are sent to siege and take over Alamut. Dastan and his friends breach into the city on their own, and open a gate letting the Persians in. During the attack, Dastan fights a guard for Alamut's royal family and takes from him a special dagger. Alamut falls to the Persians, but Princess Tamina denies the town having any weapon forges. Tus asks her to marry him to unite the two nations, and she only accept after seeing the dagger in Dastan's possession. During the celebration, Dastan is fooled into presenting a poisoned gown seemingly given to him by Tus to King Sharaman, which fatally burns the king. Garsiv accuses Dastan of being the murderer, and the prince is forced to escape, carrying Tamina along. Tus is appointed king and orders a manhunt on Dastan.