Master of Malfeasance
New Member
Yes, it's a cheesy name, and every genre has its own witch hunter/secret police/arctic SCUBA ninja assassins from vietnam, but I see a great deal of real potential here.
A house laid low and pressed into service, intensely trained and mind-broken Jason Bourne-type assassins and spies, any one of whom might pop up at any moment. Â The perfect Realm terrorists? Â Political assassins for hire? Â A deadly cabal of heretics?
Quick history lesson-
the word "assassin" comes to us from the Persian/Arabic word "Hashashin," or smokers of hashish. Â It all started after the expansion of Islam. Â A group of heretic muslims who believed that the final Imam was Ismael left civilized lands under heavy duty persecution and took residence in an abandoned fortress in the mountains called the Alamut (no translation for that one). Â Once there, they still faced persecution, so their leader, Hassn AlSabah sent his minions forth to kidnap young men who would one day grow into positions of prominence. Â They were drugged and brough to the Alamut where they would be doped out of their minds on hashish and brought to Hassn AlSabah's pleasure garden. Â
Our friend Hassn would tell them that they were in heaven and that he alone knew the way back and that the kidnappees could spend eternity there if they died in his service.
So, in secret, they were spirited back to their homes, fake rescues staged, etc. and these adolescents grew and prospered until a servant of Hassn showed up at the palace (most likely the capitol of Persia) demanding tribute. Â When the king refused, he was murdered that night by one of his advisors who made no attempt to escape.
Thus was the dual genesis of terrorism and the concept of the assassin who could be anyone anywhere.
How does this sound? Â Hassn AlSabah's name translates roughly to "handsome morning." Â The Ismaelis or "sevenists" might be the remnants of house Iselsi. Â Perhaps an Islesi general's mind finally snapped under the strain of hostage family members and this person begins kidnapping Realm children from finishing school, or what if this person will live long enough to take the long view all by himself? Â A sidereal who could predict which children would rise to prominence would be extra evil. Â Maybe the same one that the Immaculate Order/Scarlet Empress left in charge of the ASE.
Now that the Scarlet Empress is gone, plans set in place long ago are coming together, children disappear, hidden manses are re-opened for the training of these children, First Age loyalty-inducing drugs produced and wheels are put in motion to stage a bloodless coup. Â Replace the current regime with yours. Â Do it a few times to keep people guessing.
Guild plot?
A heretical sect of the cult of the illuminated?
Followers of a sixth dragon? (the ebon dragon?)
A house laid low and pressed into service, intensely trained and mind-broken Jason Bourne-type assassins and spies, any one of whom might pop up at any moment. Â The perfect Realm terrorists? Â Political assassins for hire? Â A deadly cabal of heretics?
Quick history lesson-
the word "assassin" comes to us from the Persian/Arabic word "Hashashin," or smokers of hashish. Â It all started after the expansion of Islam. Â A group of heretic muslims who believed that the final Imam was Ismael left civilized lands under heavy duty persecution and took residence in an abandoned fortress in the mountains called the Alamut (no translation for that one). Â Once there, they still faced persecution, so their leader, Hassn AlSabah sent his minions forth to kidnap young men who would one day grow into positions of prominence. Â They were drugged and brough to the Alamut where they would be doped out of their minds on hashish and brought to Hassn AlSabah's pleasure garden. Â
Our friend Hassn would tell them that they were in heaven and that he alone knew the way back and that the kidnappees could spend eternity there if they died in his service.
So, in secret, they were spirited back to their homes, fake rescues staged, etc. and these adolescents grew and prospered until a servant of Hassn showed up at the palace (most likely the capitol of Persia) demanding tribute. Â When the king refused, he was murdered that night by one of his advisors who made no attempt to escape.
Thus was the dual genesis of terrorism and the concept of the assassin who could be anyone anywhere.
How does this sound? Â Hassn AlSabah's name translates roughly to "handsome morning." Â The Ismaelis or "sevenists" might be the remnants of house Iselsi. Â Perhaps an Islesi general's mind finally snapped under the strain of hostage family members and this person begins kidnapping Realm children from finishing school, or what if this person will live long enough to take the long view all by himself? Â A sidereal who could predict which children would rise to prominence would be extra evil. Â Maybe the same one that the Immaculate Order/Scarlet Empress left in charge of the ASE.
Now that the Scarlet Empress is gone, plans set in place long ago are coming together, children disappear, hidden manses are re-opened for the training of these children, First Age loyalty-inducing drugs produced and wheels are put in motion to stage a bloodless coup. Â Replace the current regime with yours. Â Do it a few times to keep people guessing.
Guild plot?
A heretical sect of the cult of the illuminated?
Followers of a sixth dragon? (the ebon dragon?)