This article contains content from pre-release sources that may or may not be reflective of canon upon release. This article therefore likely contains spoilers.
This article is about the memory. You may be looking for the festival itself.
Glastonbury Festival was an Assassin mission that took place in 2016.[1]
The journey from London to Glastonbury by car takes at least three and a half hours, but that's without factoring in any festival-related traffic delays. Upon the PCs' arrival at the site—invariably late into the evening—they are confronted with seemingly never-ending queues. Now, their mission is to navigate through the festival, reach the pyramid stage, find Anthony, and prevent the sword from falling into the hands of the Templars.
You feel an electrifying energy in the air as you stand amidst the vibrant chaos that is Glastonbury Festival. Queues of festival goers snake every which way through the mud. The state of the site is a testament to the wild revelry: discarded food containers, glitter, and confetti scatter the grounds, detritus from the nonstop party atmosphere. Noise envelops you from all directions, with myriad sights and sounds competing for attention at every turn, music reverberating through the fields. Stages of all sizes dot the landscape, each illuminated with dazzling lights. Music pours forth, and vibrant beams of light pierce the night sky, creating an electric, sensory show.
After a tricky path through the sea of waiting crowds, the PCs begin their final quest for the sword. Their clue is the pyramid mentioned in Arthur's foresight, which clearly refers to the instantly recognizable Glastonbury Pyramid Stage (see The Round Table Simulation Sequence on page 71). The stage offers a good viewpoint, however, finding Anthony amidst the huge crowd of revelers is a tough challenge.
Challenges
Abstergo Agents: A few Abstergo agents systematically sweep the festival grounds, hunting for Anthony and the Assassins. They are on high alert and well-armed, yet the chaotic spirit of Glastonbury acts as a formidable ally, hiding those who would prefer to remain unseen. Therefore, any Stealth check made has 1 Free Raise.
Viewpoint: Finding somewhere above the chaos of the festival is crucial for spotting Anthony and any Abstergo agents. Any elevated point, like the Pyramid Stage itself, should do.
Weaknesses
Communication Device (minor): If the PCs obtain or hack a communication device, they can try to lure the patrols elsewhere, automatically overcoming the Abstergo Agents Challenge.
From the top of the Pyramid Stage, you perch above the festival grounds. Down below, amidst the crowds, you spot several Abstergo patrols. They move with purpose, systematically pushing their way through the revelers. They don't care much for secrecy... they wear sleek, modern uniforms subtly adorned with the Abstergo logo. But then, your attention is drawn to an odd sight. Less than a mile away in the chaos of the festival, a circle of light abruptly illuminates the sky. After a few moments, the darkness swiftly reclaims the lights. You have the strong feeling that this phenomenon is not part of the spectacle offered by the festival.
Searching for the strange phenomenon, the PCs reach the 'stone ring' described by Arthur's prophetic words. A crowd has gathered there. By asking questions to the onlookers, they can learn that the sword's pommel resonated with the stones, showing Anthony the way forward.
Navigating through the festival in search of the location where the lights appeared, you dodge numerous patrols of Abstergo agents. Suddenly, you realize you've arrived at the right place when a group of ancient stones arranged in a circle opens up before you. A silent crowd surrounds the stones; many are discussing the lights seen a few minutes ago, while others are busy aiming their smartphones, waiting for them to appear again.
Challenges
Abstergo Agents: A few Abstergo agents arrive on the scene, attracted by the lights. They are asking around to understand what happened and where Anthony has gone.
Asking around: By inquiring among the onlookers, the PCs can gather valuable insights. Among the crowd, discussions abound about a man wielding something bright, possibly a torch. Some speak of strange images that manifested at the center of the stones. After conversing with several individuals, the PCs come across a guy who claims to have witnessed the event firsthand and even captured the entire occurrence on video: "A man was standing in the center of the stone circle when something in his hands lit up, and along with that, all the stones were covered in strange glowing symbols. Look, I got in on video." The man takes out his A-phone and shows you a video of the scene just described. The video continues, however, revealing a hologram materializing at the center of the stone circle. The hologram is clearly a map, showing a path leading to a temple submerged under the Avalon Marshes near Glastonbury.
Weaknesses
A Lone Wolf (major): Amidst the bustling festival, a solitary Abstergo agent stands apart from the revelry close to the stone circle. This agent is trying to find Anthony and relaying his location to their colleagues. He has sophisticated devices equipped with advanced tracking and surveillance capabilities, enabling him to meticulously scan the festival crowds. If the PCs can get their hands on such a device, they can easily find Anthony, obtaining everything needed to achieve this Key Objective.
With the path ahead unveiled, you waste no time traversing the miles that separate you from the Avalon Marshes. The urgency mounts as you race against time to reach the destination before Anthony seizes possession of the sword. In the distant darkness, an inexplicable light appears in the very heart of the marsh. The music from the festival, far behind you, threatens to drown out the faint sounds of bubbling water. Before your eyes, the entrance to an IsuVault emerges from a seemingly ordinary patch of marsh. Water continues to cascade from the vault's entrance, suggesting that it has been recently opened.
Anthony is entering the Vault with the pommel in his hand. With that Shard of Eden in his possession, he is close to claiming Excalibur from the mythical waters of Avalon.
From your vantage point at the top of a staircase slick with water you observe the depths of the Vault. There, at the bottom of the stairs, your eyes lock with Anthony's. In that brief moment, you catch a flicker of astonishment in his eyes, before he swiftly pivots and sprints. Chasing him, you find yourself within a colossal, dimly lit chamber. Atop a raised dais lies Excalibur—the Sword of Mars—the legendary blade of myth. Around it, streams of water flow from an unseen source within the chamber, creating a moat-like effect. The air is charged with ancient power, and a faint, ghostly mist hovers around the sword, giving it an almost ethereal presence.
Challenges
Chase!: The PCs must try to reach Anthony before he can get his hands on Excalibur. Due to his training and favorable position, it is necessary to make at least 2 Approach checks with 1 Raise to reach him. If the PCs fail to do so, he will reach Excalibur first, immediately triggering the In the Wrong Hands Setback.
To Kingdom Come: The moment of the ultimate showdown has dawned.
Weaknesses
Appeal to the Creed (minor): If the PCs call upon the Assassin's Creed, they can cause Anthony to have a moment of hesitation. If they do so, the next Approach check made has 1 free Raise.
If at any point during the Sequence one of the Descendants enters in possession of the Shard of Eden or the Sword of Mars, the Reader should immediately give them the corresponding cards from the Animi Network Card Deck (or via the Assassin’s Creed RPG App). From that moment on, the PC can select that Piece of Eden card and activate it at will.
Retrieving the Sword of Mars marks the climax of this Storyline, but there are a multitude of possibilities for a Reader wishing to weave it into an ongoing campaign:
Wield the Sword for the Brotherhood: The Assassins may use the Sword of Mars as a powerful tool to bolster their efforts against the Templar Order. This could lead to exciting combat scenarios as they take the battle to the Templars.
Deliver the Sword to the Grandmaster: Alternatively, the Assassins may entrust the Sword to their Grandmaster for safekeeping or strategic planning. This could set the stage for further intrigue and political maneuvering within the Assassins' ranks.
Guardians of the Sword: The Descendants might be assigned the crucial task of finding the most secure hiding place for the Sword, becoming its guardians rather than its wielders. This could lead to a quest to discover a hidden sanctuary or a secure vault to protect the powerful artifact.
