Systems · Societal/ Cultural · General
Order of Assassins Ranking
The hierarchy of the Hashashin, also known as the Order of Assassins or Silver Band.
The main body of Hasan's overt teachings were derived from the Nizari splinter of the Ismaili branch of the Shiite split of Islam. Cells of Assassins form Halka (circles) or lodges, requiring a minimum of nine initiates. Initiates were taught not only physical disciplines and killing, but mental disciplines designed to focus the mind, similar to yoga and meditation.
The Ismaili cult consisted of a small, specially trained and trusted inner circle, insulated from and supplied by a large, outer circle of general members. Hasan's cult offered nine levels or degrees of knowledge, starting with the overt and moving toward knowledge of only the word of the grand master himself. Hasan himself became known as the Old Man of the Mountain.
1 Salik (Seeker)
2 Arif (Enlightened)
3 Laziks (Uninitiated, first level of ops sections)
4 Rafig ("Friends", second level of ops sections)
5 Fidais (devoted ones, third level of ops sections) - By the fifth degree, worshipers had rejected any literal interpretation of the Koran and relied only on the Grand Master's interpretations.
6 Dais (missionaries, highest level of 4 major ops sections) - Level six initiates abandon all overt forms of Muslim observance (prayer, fasting, etc) and enter the rankings of dai.
7 Emir (Commander), Murid (Disciple) and Khwaja (Master)
8 Imam (Lodge Master)
9 Malik (Chief of Chiefs) - Ninth degree initiates were inducted into the inner circle, known as the Red Circle or the Red Mosque.
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An intersting set. It would be nice to learn more about our historical assassins. That additional information would make this ranking more useful to us. However, this is what it is.
Now how will you use it in a game? That is the kicker for me. It is mostly for color or some measure of skill/ level.
Thus something really interesting is dragged down by lack of utility in most cases.
If I were to decend into gamespeak, this is a good source of inspiration at least for prestige classes and the like.
Otherwise, I think it is useful for a few things - a persian campaign of course, and as inspiration for related campaigns.
Plays heavy on the assassin background, but aside from the into, cuts out the fact that the Assassins were a religious faction, and were a state unto themselves for a while.