Quest for the Chalice

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After receiving his orders from Al Mualim on the fortress of Alep, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad was tasked to search for a powerful artifact that was in the possession of the Templars called the Chalice. After preparing his equipment, he began his quest, and started at the city of Damascus.

Damascus

The Rafiq's challenge

Altaïr: "Old man, I have a message for you: A cat's dream is filled with mice."

Man: "Not here, you fool! Ladies, you must excuse me!"

—Altaïr, upon meeting his contact in Damascus

Arriving at the city of Damascus, Altaïr located one of the assassin's rafiqs, who was selling clothes and rugs to the citizens of Damascus. Altaïr confronted him, and uttered out an irrelevant statement, which acted as the assassin's password. The man reprimanded Altaïr for his wrong timing, before leaving his small stand and returning to the bureau.

Inside the bureau, the rafiq began his tirade, stating that Altaïr acted ridiculously and stupidly upon their first meeting, and also reprimanded him for not showing any respect to those like him, which led him to doubt the assassin's abilities. He then gave Altaïr a task, a challenge for the assassin in order to gain the information he sought for. He has been tasked to assassinate one of their enemies by the large gate within the city. He further instructed him to meet him at the end of the street once he is done, and report his success.

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Altaïr and the Rafiq, inside the bureau

After receiving his new orders, Altaïr made his way out of the bureau and into the city to begin his search for the man pointed out by the rafiq. After scouring the city thoroughly, Altaïr located the man he was tasked to kill, and assassinated him with his hidden blade. Leaving the area before the guards could catch up to him, Altaïr fled to the rooftops, where he met up with the rafiq. Impressed, the rafiq instructed him to meet up inside the bureau, to discuss Altaïr's initial mission.

Greed's end

Tamir: "My beautiful carpets! The Venetian Silverware! All gone!"

Altaïr: "Surely, you can buy them back...."

Tamir: "What....Who's there!?"

—Tamir and Altaïr's initial meeting

Within the bureau, Altaïr told the rafiq of his initial task to find the artifact known as the Chalice. The rafiq figured as much, for Altaïr was not the first man sent by Al Mualim to find the artifact. Rafiq told him of a merchant named Tamir who lived in Damascus, and also had connections with the Templars. He told him the location of his house, which lied somewhere in the district, but also warned him of the danger in invading his home, for it was heavily guarded. Altaïr suspected that there was a man who held information regarding a way in, to which the rafiq replied with glee that there was a man who knew of such way.

The rafiq told Altaïr of a man named Misbah, a merchant who had good ties with Tamir. He told him to locate Misbah and question him of a way in. Altaïr complies to this, and quickly leaves the bureau to scour the city for Misbah. After a thorough search, Altaïr manages to locate Misbah, who was taking a quick stroll around the city. Making his way from the rooftops to the ground, Altaïr confronts Misbah, who demanded for a way inside. Denying any knowledge, Altaïr interrogates him, forcing him to reveal what he knows.

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Misbah, desperately trying to hang on to a rope.

As he did however, the city guards were alerted of the assassin's presence, and proceeded to apprehend him. Altaïr drew his sword in order to fight back against the guards. With the assassin fending off the guards, Misbah quickly fled the scenario and hid himself atop the rooftops. Dispatching the guards, Altaïr made his way to the rooftops, where he looked for Misbah. Arriving at the edge of a tall building, Altaïr located Misbah, who hid right above him. As he tried to cross a narrow beam, the structure fell apart, causing the roof and the beam to break and fall, leaving Misbah hanging from a rope. Altaïr saw an opportunity, and offered Misbah his assistance in exchange for information regarding a way in Tamir's house.

Misbah continued to deny any information regarding a way in. With his grip slipping further and further, Misbah was forced to reveal what he knows. He denied of a definite way in, but told him of the merchant's stock of oil, kept in barrels at the small terrace located at the top of his home. Misbah told him to light the barrels and lure Tamir out of his home. After revealing what he knew, he begged Altaïr for assistance, but the assassin refused to comply, leaving Misbah to his fate.

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Tamir's death

After learning of a way to get close to Tamir, Altaïr made his way to the merchant's home through the rooftops. Arriving at the small terrace atop the merchant's home, Altaïr located a small box of fire torches, much to his convenience. Using these torches, the assassin lit the merchant's house on fire, effectively luring Tamir out of his house. Leaving the burning building, Tamir angrily demanded the guards to put out the fire before it swallows his home. As he grieved over his belongings, Altaïr made his appearance, and stood before Tamir. Threatened by the assassin, Tamir is forced to reveal what he knows.

He told Altaïr of an ancient temple at the midst of the desert, where the Chalice is located. He continues, and told Altaïr that, in order to gain access into the temple, he needed three keys, one of which belonged to a dancer Tamir knew of, a woman named Fajera who thought herself a butterfly. After revealing what he knew, Tamir demanded Altaïr that he let him go, but the assassin complied by putting his blade through the merchant's throat. The guards arrived at the scenario, greeted by the sight of Tamir's dead body. Altaïr, after dispatching the guards, returned to the Rafiq and told him of what he had learned.

Circus act

Returning to the bureau, Altaïr consulted with the rafiq, and asked him if he knew of a dancer named Fajera. The Rafiq let out a brief chuckle, and said that Tamir had a good sense of humor. The Rafiq told Altaïr that Fajera was a circus dancer, who was part of the circus near the district. With the rafiq pointing the way to the circus, Altaïr leaves the bureau in order to confront the woman.

Arriving at the circus tent, Altaïr confronts Fajera, who claimed that his cards foresaw the coming of the assassin. Altaïr demanded an answer from her, asking if she held with her the key to the temple, but refused to comply. She then called the attention of one of her circus friends, a brute named Badr. Altaïr told the towering man to step aside, but the brute refused to cooperate, and abruptly begins a fight, as Fajera leave the tent. Despite Altaïr's size disadvantage, he was able to outsmart the brute, and managed to defeat him, as the tent started to fall and crumble.

Altaïr left the tent before in collapsed, leaving the body of Badr under the rubble. Preparing himself, Altaïr proceeded to chase down Fajera, who was fleeing the district. Altaïr trudged a difficult path, with civilians throwing rocks at him and guards after him, Altaïr passed through the city while everyone around him was against him. After a long chase, Fajera crossed a crumbling bridge and managed to make it through, leaving Altaïr behind, as she continued to taunt the assassin, and as the gates closed behind her. Using the tool given to him by the rafiq, Altaïr made his way through the other side of the bridge, and scaled up to the buildings in order to pass through the gate.

Locating Fajera by a well, Altaïr confronted the dancer, demanding the key to the temple. Fajera, impressed by the assassin's actions, gladly gave the key to the assassin. Altaïr was confused by the dancer's actions. Fajera explained that she was actually testing Altaïr. She continued, explaining that through her cards, she foresaw the coming of the assassin, and thought that she best prepare herself in aiding the assassin. She then asked Altaïr to dispose of a man named Alaat, who was within a bathhouse not too far from where they were.

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Altaïr finishes Alaat off, inside the bathhouse

Altaïr asked how was he to find a way inside a bathhouse, to which Fajera pointed out that there is a way through some old sewer tunnels that lied beneath Damascus. Fajera pointed Altaïr the way to the entrance of the sewer. Bidding Altaïr good luck, Fajera leaves Altaïr to his task, as the assassin made his way to the sewer. After trudging through the complicated structure of the sewers, Altaïr found the entrance to the bathhouse. There, he found Alaat, resting within the warm waters. Surprised by the assassin's sudden appearance, Alaat called out a desperate cry for help, but this was to be his last words, as the assassin plunged his blade into the man, killing him.

As the guards arrived, Altaïr drew his sword, and repelled their attacks. As the assassin fled the scenario, he meets up with Fajera, whom he reported to. As a way of saying thank you, Fajera told Altaïr of the one of the key holder's location, which was at a hospital within the city of Tyre. After this, Altaïr leaves for the city of Tyre, as Fajera bid him good luck.

Tyre

Check-Up

Altaïr arrived at the city of Tyre, as he recollect on his past endeavors on the city. The only difference he noticed was the increase of guards, which led him to make his way through the city on the rooftops. He first decided to meet up with the assassin's rafiq of Tyre, Hamid. After a long way through the city, and a brief civilian conflict, Altaïr manages to locate Hamid, who was spying on the hospital from afar.