User:Soranin/Sandbox4

Introduction

The Sword of Mars

Enter the Animus to follow the trail of a legendary sword from European folklore. In the Modern Day, Templars and Assassins are competing to find a lost Piece of Eden and its missing shard. Your Descendants will travel from the German-occupied streets of Paris during World War II to the mythical dawn of the Roman Kingdom, where the Artifact’s origins are buried. From there, they will have to piece together clues scattered throughout Britain from the Viking invasion to the foggy alleyways of the Industrial Revolution. Get ready to discover the story of the Sword of Mars, unravel its deepest secrets, and keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

Champions of Eden

Prepare to descend into horror as you confront some of the most iconic monsters of movies and literature. Mummies, vampires, and more await your Descendants in this high-stakes adventure. The discovery of three previously unknown Pieces of Eden threatens to plunge the modern world into eternal darkness. Armed with the weapons hidden in their own DNA and tasked with recovering the awakened Rings of Eden, the PCs must face horrific foes to protect humanity from impending doom.

Lost in Time

Dive into a conspiracy that goes deeper into the Templars’ agenda, embarking on the rescue of a potential ally of the Brotherhood, kidnapped and trapped within a Simulation. Using cutting-edge Abstergo technology, the Descendants will enter the Animus as Echoes to follow the treacherous mission of a Templar seeking to reach an Isu Vault in North Africa during World War I. Meanwhile, a potent Precursor lurks behind the scenes, waiting for the Descendants to make their moves through the Simulation’s rifts. ‘Lost in Time’ is a modular campaign adventure that will put your players’ nerves to the test at every turn.

The Sword of Mars

In Chapter 1, the Descendants journey to 1942, where one of their Ancestors has been tracking down a Piece of Eden (actually a Shard of Eden) in Nazi-occupied France. By following that lead, the PCs relive some of the oldest genetic memories ever uploaded into the Animus, allowing them to investigate events that took place in the last days of the reign of King Romulus, events that can explain the origins of an Isu Artifact, the Sword of Eden.

The adventure takes an unexpected twist in Chapter 2, when Ziggy, the Crew’s field tech, discovers a recent photo of the pommel of the Sword of Mars at the offices at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The Descendants must infiltrate this heavily guarded NASA facility to pilfer the sword’s pommel and whisk it back to London. Their escape is fraught with peril, but they are aided by a lone Assassin named Anthony. Back to London, the Descendants must once again enter the Animus, this time to visit the Viking Age, where they unravel the history of the sword’s breaking and glean vital clues about its whereabouts in the Modern Day.

In Chapter 3, a Simulation Sequence follows a group of Witnesses in the Victorian Age through the slums of London and beyond, revealing the current resting place of the sword. With Glastonbury Festival as a backdrop, the Assassins must race against time and their Templar adversaries to secure the sword. The storyline culminates in a climactic showdown against the vibrant tapestry of the festival’s music and lights.

Champions of Eden

A bloody trail of investigation leads the Descendants to a disturbing discovery: someone has taken possession of a powerful artifact attributed to Seth, the Egyptian god of violence and disorder — a powerful Isu of the First Civilization. Using the Piece of Eden, the villain has brought nightmares to life, similar to those created in the past by Seth himself: creatures of shadow that inspired some of humankind’s darkest and most frightening legends. Following the trail in the modern day, the characters have the chance to use Seth’s artifacts to thwart the villain’s plan, before he can bring the “Apophis Project” to completion.

In Chapter 1, the Descendants investigate strange killings at an Abstergo executive’s mansion in modern day London. The examination of the crime scene takes them to the genetic memories of an Ancestor operating in 19th-century Transylvania. After reliving a deadly confrontation with a monstrous vampire, whose power seems to come from a Ring of Seth – a peculiar, rare Isu artifact – the Descendants return to their investigation in the modern day.

In Chapter 2 the Descendants will have to relieve the Great New Orleans Fire of 1988 and follow more clues leading to the British Museum in London.

From there, entering Chapter 3, the PCs will be diving once again in the past, during the discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, in order to assemble the pieces of a mosaic and reveal an image of the eternal battle between Seth and Apophis, until the final confrontation with the figure who’s been pulling the threads all along.

Lost in Time

In Chapter 1, the adventure begins with the kidnapping of Regina Davies, a young actress whose DNA plays a key role in her captors’ plan. Regina is then trapped within a Simulation by a powerful, unknown enemy. The Descendants must infiltrate a cutting-edge facility and employ unique technology to enter the Animus as Echoes in order to save the girl.

In Chapter 2, through the memories of one of Regina’s Ancestors, the PCs relive a mission led by Jeremiah Davies, a Templar Agent aligned with the Brotherhood, amidst the tumult of World War I-ravaged North Africa. As they delve deeper into Davies’ mission, they become ensnared in a series of simulation glitches and erratic sequences, provoked by the Isu Juno herself.

In Chapter 3, as the Descendants tune back into the World War I simulation, they uncover the machinations of the Instruments of the First Will. Their plan: to access an ancient Isu Vault buried beneath the sands of Egypt and revive the Precursor Juno.

Unbeknownst to them, Juno has been waiting for almost a century for the Descendants to meet her in the past as part of a complex plan. The Precursor intends to manipulate their Simulation, trapping them to use information stored within their DNA to return to life, using Regina’s body as a vessel. The Descendants eventually free themselves from the Animus’ trap and confront a reborn Juno, possibly facing a hard moral decision.

Appendix

Pieces of Eden

Sword of Mars

Known Owners: Romulus, Arthur Pendragon, Eivor Varinsdottir, Niamh of Argyll

Current Status: Hidden by the Women of the Mist

The Sword of Mars was one of the Swords of Eden, created by the Isu scientist Hephaestus to use in the fight during the War of Unification.

Later, the Isu Mars bestowed this powerful Piece of Eden upon the twins Romulus and Remus. With this sword, Mars aimed to counter the baleful actions of the Isu Juno, laying the foundation for a realm where humans could be free.

When the sword arrived in the lands of Albion, it took the name Excalibur (or Caladfwlch in Welsh). Initially held at Avalon by a Celtic clan called the Women of the Mist, the sword served as a sacred relic and played a crucial role in determining the Lady of Avalon. By the 5th or 6th century, the sword became lodged in a stone and was later pulled out by Arthur Pendragon, who used it to lead Britain against the Anglo-Saxons. After Arthur’s betrayal and death, Excalibur, considered one of the thirteen Treasures of Britain, was hidden in an Isu vault beneath Myrddin’s Cave.

In the late-9th century, the Viking shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir claimed Excalibur, but different factions, including the Women of the Mist, the Order of the Ancients, and the Descendants of the Round Table, sought to obtain the sword. The sword had become more than a mere weapon; it symbolized control and authority over all of England under one king.

The Women of the Mist entrusted Niamh of Argyll to recover Excalibur and with the help of the Hidden Ones, represented by Hytham and Marcella she successfully safeguarded Excalibur and sought refuge at Valka’s. Tensions arose as the Descendants attempted to seize the sword, but Niamh, Valka, and Hytham thwarted their efforts.

Collaborating on a strategic plan, the trio deceived the Descendants with a replica sword, ensuring the safe return of the real Excalibur to Avalon. Niamh presented Excalibur to the Women of the Mist, confirming her destiny as the chosen Lady of Avalon. A few years later, however, the danger posed by the Descendants of the Round Table recurred, and Eivor and Niamh fought together to prevent the sword from falling into the wrong hands.

Rings of Seth

In his wisdom, Seth entrusted these artifacts to individuals driven by an unwavering need to defend what they hold dear. The rings became a means to find champions worthy of fighting evil without being corrupted by it, a covenant to safeguard the realms of light from the encroaching shadows. These artifacts grant their wearers superhuman feats and the ability to weave a dense network of illusions, transforming the owners’ appearance into inhuman and terrifying monsters. The wearer, possessing god-like abilities, is both a custodian of power and a conduit of the ancient Isu’s will.

RING OF BLOOD

Known Owners: Vlad III

Current Status: In Dr Zixuan Long’s possession

When you embrace the power of this Ring, you gain supernatural abilities and the illusory appearance of a vampire. While using the Ring, you can influence the minds of people around you. Additionally, once per Sequence, you can drink human blood to recover from Snags as if you were in a Hideout. Finally, whenever you make an Action check, you can consider up to 2 Social results as 1 additional match each.

RING OF SAND

Known Owners: Unknown

Current Status: Hidden inside a sarcophagus in the British Museum

When you embrace the power of this Ring, you gain supernatural abilities and the illusory appearance of an undead mummy. While using the Ring, you can cast visual illusions. Additionally, you can instill fear and horror in the minds of people around you. Finally, you move as swift as the sands of the desert and, whenever you make an Action check, you can consider up to 1 Stealth result as 1 additional match.

RING OF MOON

Known Owners: Unknown

Current Status: In Dr Zixuan Long’s possession

When you embrace the power of this Ring, you gain supernatural abilities and the illusory appearance of a werewolf. While using the Ring, you can benefit from an augmented perception that allows you to easily spot allies, enemies, objectives, sources of interest, and targets within a short range . Additionally, when you make a Reaction check, you can reroll up to 2 Abstergo results. Finally, you have 1 Free Raise on every Action check you make while fighting your enemies or freerunning.

Shard of Eden

Known Owners: Unknown

Current Status: Unknown

The Shards of Eden are mysterious remains of Isu technology, echoing the incredible power of the original Pieces of Eden they were once part of. These fragments are artifacts nonetheless, since they still retain a fraction of the power and qualities that once passed through them.

TIME FRAMES

Roman Kingdom

Historical Hooks

• The Assassination of Amulius Romulus infiltrated King Amulius’ residence to free his twin brother Remus from imprisonment and assassinate Amulius.
• The Conquest of Fidenae The Roman army embarked on the conquest of the neighboring city of Fidenae, a key step in the expansion of early Rome.
• The Trial of Romulus King Romulus was accused of tyranny and despotism as discontent simmered among Rome’s citizens.

Ancient Greece

Historical Hooks

• The Olympic Games of 428 BCE During the Olympic Games of 428 BCE in Elis, the Spartan contenders could not compete. A group of unknown athletes stepped in, bringing the Olympic wreath home for Sparta.
• The Peace of Nicias In 421 BCE the chaos of the Peloponnesian War reached a moment of relative calm when the two cities negotiated the Peace of Nicias.
• The Trial of Socrates Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and impiety against the city’s pantheon.
• Deadly Plague In 430 BC, Athens was struck by a devastating plague. The outbreak wreaked havoc in the densely populated city and ultimately played a crucial role in its eventual downfall.

Viking Age

Historical Hooks

• The Siege of Paris The siege of Paris in 885–886 marked a significant chapter in Viking raids along the Seine in the Kingdom of the West Franks. This pivotal event lasted over a year and was characterized by intense warfare, including siege tactics and attempts to breach the city’s defenses.
• The Battle of Chippenham The Battle of Chippenham occurred in the Kingdom of Wessex in the late 9th century. It was a pivotal conflict between the Anglo-Saxon forces led by King Alfred the Great and the Viking invaders.
• Viking Settlement in Iceland The settlement of Iceland by Norse settlers began around 874, led by figures such as Ingólfr Arnarson. This marked the beginning of organized Norse colonization of the island.

World War II

Historical Hooks

• Operation Sealion As part of Operation Sealion, a planned invasion of Britain, Nazi agents scoured Europe for artifacts associated with the Grail, hoping to harness its supposed supernatural abilities.
• The Quest for the Spear of Destiny The Spear was believed to be held in Vienna’s Hofburg Museum, and it was reportedly seized by Hitler’s forces when they annexed Austria in 1938.
• The Theft of the Amber Room The room was located in the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg, Russia, and during the German invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II, the Nazis looted the Amber Room and transported it to Königsberg.
• Reinhard Heydrich’s Death In 1942, Jan Kubiš and Jozef Gabčík headed a team on a mission to assassinate “the man with the iron heart”, a high-ranking German SS, that led to his death in a Prague’s hospital bed.

Ptolemaic Egypt

Historical Hooks

• Cleopatra and Caesar In 48 BCE, amidst the turmoil of a power struggle, an alliance between Cleopatra and Julius Caesar would be formed in Alexandria, built on mutual political need.
• The Battle of the Nile Caesar’s forces secured a decisive victory at the Battle of the Nile. Supported by the forces of Mithridates of Pergamum, Caesar’s legions triumphed over the larger army of Ptolemy XIII, who died on his capsized ship while fleeing.
• The Assassination of Julius Caesar During the civil war, most of Caesar’s opposition was eliminated, leading to him becoming a dictator and assuming sole control over Rome. Brutus and Cassius began recruiting senators and other allies to plot his assassination of him, which later came on the Ides of March in 44 BCE.
• The Battle of Actium In 31 BCE, Octavian declared war on Antony and Cleopatra. Their naval forces met at Actium, where the forces of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa defeated the navy of Cleopatra and Antony.

Golden Age Of Baghdad

Historical Hooks

• Escape Fuladh, Basim, and a few Hidden Ones’ allies infiltrated Damascus Gate Prison and freed Ali ibn Muhammad, leader of the Zanj Rebellion, before the guard quarters to recover a book containing information on the Ancient’s activities in Baghdad.
• Assassination of Caliph al-Muntasir The sudden illness and mysterious death of Caliph al-Muntasir in 862 - after just one year of reign - raised suspicions of foul play orchestrated by agents loyal to Ahmad ibn al-Khasib, the ambitious vizier, to clear the path for Ahmad al-Musta’ in’s ascension.
• The Banu Musa Brothers In Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, Muḥammad, Aḥmad, and al-Ḥasan ibn Musa ibn Shakir were Persian scholars. They contributed substantially to mathematics, astronomy, and engineering, mainly through influential works such as the “Book of Ingenious Devices.” This book detailed mechanical inventions and automata, integrating Greek, Persian, and Indian knowledge and setting the crucial groundwork for future scientific progress.

The Levant

Historical Hooks

• The Siege of Acre In 1189, as the Crusader forces from Europe were yet to arrive, the Kingdom of Jerusalem sought to seize the city of Acre with support from the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitaller. Sultan Saladin attempted to relieve Acre but became ensnared in a protracted stalemate against the besiegers.
• The Assassination of Robert de Sable Robert IV de Sablé, a powerful leader during the Third Crusade, was the eleventh Grand Master of the Knights Templar. When he was made Grand Master, he had been a Templar knight for less than a year, and died shortly after in 1193, on Holy Land soil.
• The Death of Genghis Khan After suffering a severe injury between 1226 and 1227, Genghis Khan became increasingly ill. Despite his sons and commanders urging him to end the conquest campaign and being outraged by the taunting of Xia’s leading commander, Genghis insisted on continuing. He died shortly after in August 1227.

Italian Renaissance

Historical Hooks

• The Assassination of Marco Barbarigo After the death of Doge Giovanni Mocenigo and his assassin Carlo Grimaldi, Marco Barbarigo was appointed Doge in 1485. After a short period of government the Doge passed away on 14 August 1486 in ambiguous circumstances.
• The Pazzi Conspiracy The “Congiura dei Pazzi” was an unsuccessful scheme orchestrated by members of the Pazzi family and their allies to overthrow the ruling Medici family in Florence. In 1478, an assassination attempt was made on Lorenzo de’ Medici and his brother Giuliano. While Lorenzo suffered injuries but survived, Giuliano tragically lost his life in the attack.
• The Rescue of Caterina Sforza Cesare Borgia captured Caterina Sforza and took her to Rome, where she was held captive in the Belvedere Palace. After an attempted escape, she was then imprisoned at Castel Sant’Angelo. To justify her imprisonment, Pope Alexander VI accused her of trying to kill him with letters impregnated with poison.

Ming Dynasty

Historical Hooks

• Nine Dragon Wall This magnificent and ornate wall is located within the Forbidden City complex. Legend has it that the wall - built at the Emperor’s express request - was imbued with magical properties and that the nine dragons depicted on the stone would come to life and protect the Forbidden City in times of danger.
• The Prince of Ning’s Rebellion In 1519, Zhu Chenhao sparked a rebellion, disputing the legitimacy of the Zhengde Emperor’s rule and marching towards Nanjing. Zhu’s forces were defeated after just a 42-day rebellion due to the strategic foresight of his enemies.
• Slavery Daily-use encyclopedias such as the Wanbao quanshu, which targeted the lower classes, contained practical information, including sample contracts, for selling relatives to outsiders. Although officially illegal, the trafficking of children, the sale of wives and daughters into domestic bondage, and the recruitment of women for the imperial household as wet nurses and entertainers were not uncommon.

Golden Age Of Piracy

Historical Hooks

• The Siege of Charles Town In 1718, the Spanish forces attempted to capture the British settlement in South Carolina but were repelled by the well-defended colonists after a prolonged siege.
• The Lost Treasure The Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, sank off the coast of Florida in1622. This ship was part of the Spanish treasure fleet and was loaded with gold, silver, jewels, and other valuable cargo destined for Spain. The Atocha’s treasure sparked centuries of treasure hunting and salvaging efforts.
• The Treaty of Cudjoe’s Town Signed in 1739, the treaty marked a crucial agreement between the Maroons, led by Cudjoe, and British authorities in Jamaica. Cudjoe’s leadership and strategic negotiation secured land and autonomy for the Maroons, setting a precedent for diplomatic engagement between colonial powers and marginalized communities.

American Revolutionary War

Historical Hooks

• The Boston Tea Party In 1773, tensions between American colonists and the British government’s imposition of taxes reached a boiling point when three ships arrived in Boston’s harbor carrying chests of tea. On the night of December 16, protesters boarded the ships and proceeded to dump over three hundred chests of tea into the harbor’s waters.
• The Battle of Bunker Hill On June 17, 1775, the American militia led by Colonel William Prescott defended Breed’s Hill near Boston against the British troops under General Thomas Gage. Despite running low on ammunition, the Americans repulsed two British assaults before being forced to retreat.
• Tignon Law In 1768, a group of free women of color refused to comply with the enforcement of the Tignon laws, which mandated that women of African descent wear headscarves as a symbol of their enslaved status. Their refusal led to heavy protests and demonstrations in New Orleans.

French Revolution

Historical Hooks

• The Storming of the Bastille During the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a pivotal event in the French Revolution, seven prisoners were released from the infamous prison, which symbolized royal authority and oppression.
• Jean-Paul Marat murder Jean-Paul Marat, a prominent figure in the French Revolution, was murdered on July 13, 1793, by Charlotte Corday, a Girondin sympathizer.
• The Fall of Robespierre On July 27, 1794, the National Convention accused Maximilien Robespierre and several of his supporters, including Louis Antoine de Saint-Just, of crimes against the state.

Industrial Revolution

Historical Hooks

• The Regent’s Canal Disaster In July 1874, a barge carrying a large quantity of gunpowder exploded on the Regent’s Canal in Maida Vale. The explosion caused extensive damage to nearby buildings and resulted in several fatalities and injuries.
• Napoleon of crime In 1876, Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, disappeared from the Thomas Agnew & Sons gallery in London. Suspicions arose regarding Adam Worth’s involvement, the “Napoleon of crime.”
• Elementary In 1887, Arthur Conan Doyle’s first detective novel, “A Study in Scarlet,” debuted in Beeton’s Christmas Annual by Ward Lock & Co. in London. This introduced readers to the London consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend and chronicler Dr. Watson.
• Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper, a serial killer and an enigmatic figure shrouded in mystery, terrorized the impoverished Whitechapel district of London, England, in 1888.

World War I

Historical Hooks

• The Curse of the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen, also known as the “Red Baron”, was one of the most renowned and feared fighter pilots of World War I, credited with shooting down over 80 enemy aircraft. Some believed that he was protected by a supernatural force.
• Angels of Mons British soldiers claimed to have been miraculously saved by angelic beings during the Battle of Mons in 1914. These angelic figures were said to have intervened, shielding the British troops from enemy fire and guiding them to safety.
• Grigori Rasputin Assassination Rasputin, who held considerable influence over Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Empress Alexandra, was assassinated on December 30, 1916.