The Nizari Isma'ili State

The Isma'ili state is unlike others in the Mythic Middle East, in that it does not exist on maps, or in terms of military might, but rather lies in the hearts of men. It is a small state and widely scattered, nevertheless it is united under a strong devotion to its beliefs and goals, and has successfully resisted all threats aimed against it since its foundation over a hundred years ago. The Nizaris exercise political dominance in Persia, not through their meager territorial successes but through the point of a knife and through magical murder. Rather than meeting their enemies in battle they use subterfuge and deception to eliminate the leaders.

In the middle of the 11th century, three apprentice sahirs at the same House of Wisdom in Nishapur — Abu 'Ali al-Tusi, Hasan-i Sabbah, and 'Umar Khayyam became the closest of friends. They swore a pact of brotherhood that if any one of them achieved fame and greatness, he

would share it with his friends. Abu 'Ali al-Tusi was the rising star of the trio, and became vizier to the Seljuk Sultanate (where he gained the laqab of Nizam al-Mulk), and also grand vizier of the Suhhar Sulayman. As agreed, he offered positions to his friends; 'Umar refused, asking instead for the means to continue his studies. Hasan accepted, but only to get close to the vizier. He had secretly become a member of the Isma'ili sect of Islam, and at their instigation, murdered his childhood friend. The Suhhar Sulayman was outraged, but true to the dying wishes of their grand vizier they held fire on their vengeance. Reconciliation between Hasan and the Suhhar Sulayman soon became impossible, and a schism within the Isma'ilis caused Prince Nizar — Hasan's superior — to flee to the mountain fortress of Alamut in Persia.

Hasan-i Sabbah continued to train his devoted followers in the arts of Solomonic magic, and, it is rumored, to command sentient spirits. The Nizari Isma'ilis became feared for their single-minded devotion, using magic to walk in secret, ensorcel minds, kill through poison, and travel vast distances in the blink of an eye. These tactics proved to be shockingly effective, and the Seljuk governor of Persia — despite help from the Suhhar Sulayman — proved incapable of mounting an effective response. The Nizaris were successful in taking key towns, but their strategy merely caused the populace to fear Isma'ilism, rather than embrace it. The Nizaris and the Suhhar Sulayman settled into a pattern of attempting to wipe each other out, but losses on both sides have been roughly equal. The Isma'ili sect have also established a branch in Syria, also based in mountain castles. The most famous member of this branch was Rashid al-Din Sinan (who died in 1193), who became well-known to the crusaders as "the Old Man of the Mountains."

The sect is divided into seven ranks. The lowest ranks are those of the fida'i (devoted one) and lasiq (adherent), neither of which are properly initiated into the cult. These ranks perform the assassinations

In Syria, the Nizari Isma'ilis have been slandered with the name of "hashishiyyin" (smokers of hashish); this sobriquet was adopted by the Crusaders as "assassin," and is the origin of the modern term. The rigidly ascetic Nizaris do not use drugs of any kind, and in any case they would likely interfere with the concentration and planning required for executing their public murders. The name stems instead from the contempt felt for the wild beliefs and extravagant behavior displayed by the Isma'ilis, and in any case is not used to describe the main Persian sect.

In Persia, the Isma'ilis are principally known as the Batiniyya (men of the batin), suggesting that they place too much emphasis on the inner meaning of the Qur'an; or the Malahida (heretics), referring to their rejection of shari'a law.

that give the sect its notoriety and political pressure. The first initiated rank is the mustajib (respondent), who know some of the mysteries of the cult, but have none of the authority of the next three grades, da'i ("missionary"), hujja ("proof") and dai'd-duat ("chief missionary"). The seventh and final rank is that of the imam-qa'im, the mystical teacher and spiritual leader of the sect.

The Nizaris are organized into jaziras ("islands"), each representing a geographical territory, and under the control of a hujja. The da'is within each jazira are responsible for preaching the doctrines of the sect and spreading the Isma'ili faith. Each hujja reports directly to the dai'd-duat, who is the head of the sect and grand master of Alamut. Members of the sect commonly refer to each other as rafiq, "comrade."

The Da'wa

The da'wa (mission) is the philosophy and organization of the Nizaris. A core doctrine is that of taqiyya, the concealment of one's beliefs in the face of danger. Islam stresses the importance of truth and honesty, and yet taqiyya allows the Isma'ilis to deny their adherence to its precepts and live in secret among others. It permits them to use subterfuges and disguises without betraying their faith in God.

Nizaris believe in the inner meaning, or batin, of the Qur'an, holding that it contains the very secrets of the universe if the layers of symbolism and numerical correspondence can be understood. They live an ascetic life according to the 51 epistles of Isma'ilism, called the Rasa'il. They believe that shari'a law no longer applies to those who embrace the batin*,* and consequently, they reject the five Pillars of Islam (and hence receive no benefit from them; see Realms of Power: The Divine, page 106), dietary restrictions, the authority of the caliph, and so forth.

According to the da'wa, ever since the creation of the world, human history has been characterized by alternating cycles, each begun by a "speaking" imam or prophet (the imam-qa'im), followed by a succession of "silent" imams. They hold that the imam represents God's will in the world at all times, that he is constantly under divine guidance since the batin flows through him, and that his commands demand absolute obedience. Nizar was a member of the true line of silent imams, followed by Hasan-i Sabbah and the other dai'd-duats of Alamut.

The imam-qai'm is an immortal being of unlimited wisdom, who has been, in the past, Elijah, Enoch, Khidr, and 'Ali (the first Shi'i imam). It is believed that the current cycle is the qiyama ("resurrection"), and that the souls of those who follow the da'wa are already in heaven, whereas the souls of all other Muslims — plus those of a non-Muslim faith — have already been judged and suffer in hell.

The current dai'd-duat of the Nizari Isma'ilis is Jalal al-Din Hasan, who succeeded in 1210. During his rule, Jalal al-Din has done the unthinkable — publicly con-

New Virtue: Fida'i

Social Status, Minor

The character is an assassin of the Nizari Isma'ilis. A fida'i is a devout member of the sect who is prepared to die on its orders, and as such he should consider taking either the Oath of Fealty or Dutybound Flaw. When not on a mission, a fida'i wears white, with a red girdle, cap, or boots. He has been trained in precise placement of daggers and blades, as well as disguise. Fida'i may take Martial Abilities at character creation. He can expect to become a lasiq if he proves his loyalty to the sect.

New Virtue: Lasiq

Social Status, Major

The character is an experienced assassin of the Nizari Isma'ilis, having successfully completed seven murders at the orders of his grand master, and commands a small band of up to six fida'is. Lasiq may take Martial Abilities at character creation.

New Virtue: Mustajib

Social Status, Free

This Virtue is the Nizari equivalent of the Sahir Virtue. The character has been initiated into the magical traditions of the Nizaris, and must take Solomonic Sihr as his Summoning Power. If a mustajib has The Gift, he has been Opened to all of the Solomonic Arts; if he is unGifted, then the Solomonic Arts must be bought as Virtues or else be Initiated after character creation. Un-Gifted characters should also take the Necessary Condition and Prohibition Flaws to represent Initiation by the Nizaris. Mustajib may take Academic and Arcane Abilities at character creation. Most mustajibs started their careers as fida'is, and typically have this Virtue (or the Lasiq Virtue) to represent their social status among non-magical folk. However, if he joined the sect later in life he may choose different Social Status Virtue.

New Virtue: Trained Assassin

General, Minor

This Virtue is only available to characters with one of the three Social Status Virtues of the Nizaris. He has completed several missions on behalf of his masters, giving him 50 additional experience points that may be spent on any Martial Abilities as well as Athletics, Guile, or Stealth.

Two example Initiation Scripts are given here. Nizaris are almost always Initiated into Solomonic Storytelling in preference to other Solomonic Arts.

Initiation of Solomonic Sihr and the Rank of Mustajib

Ease Factor: 21 Script Bonus: +18

Details: This rite takes place at Alamut during Ramadan (+3). The Initiate is taken to the garden and magically transported to the Magic Realm by his mystagogue (using Solomonic Travel). He finds himself in an insula (see Realms of Power: Magic, page 19) of intense paradise, populated with beautiful maidens to cater to his every need. He must quest to find himself a companion spirit through which he will work his magic (+3), and in the process of this quest his magic is bound very closely to a weapon that represents that spirit, imposing the Necessary Condition (brandishing a weapon) onto all of the character's magic (+9).

When he returns to the mundane world with the vision of paradise still filling his head, he is told that the master of Alamut can return him to paradise at any time, and he is promised a place in paradise permanently if he dies in his service. In return he swears a magically-enforced oath to never betray the secrets of the sect, lest he be damned to eternal fire (the Prohibition Flaw, +3).

The ritual that Opens the Arts of a Gifted Nizari has similar elements to this Initiation, although it does not impose any Flaws.

Initiation of Solomonic Storytelling

Ease Factor: 21 Script Bonus: +15

Details: The initiate is asked to surrender all contact with the outside world and devote himself to the sect. He must donate all his possessions and land to the Nizaris, and cut off all ties with family and friends. Even his name is changed to a cultic name (+2).

The initiatory rite takes place at Alamut when Sirius rises (+3); the initiate is taken once more to the paradise insula within the Magic Realm. He must quest on at least three different insulae (thus navigating the Void that separates them), and obtain three objects that resonate with three different emotions (+6).

Upon returning to the mundane world, he must spend a season composing an encoded poem which tells of his journey while appearing to be about an entirely different subject, demonstrating his mastery of the batin (+1).

After this second visit to paradise, the mustajib discovers that any use of his magic briefly transports him mentally back there (simulated by the Disorientating Magic Flaw, +3).

verted the sect to Sunni Islam. The Nizaris recognize this as an exercise in taqiyya and have obeyed without question. Jalal al-Din expects to garner support from the enemies of the Khwarazm-shah, namely the Caliph of Baghdad in the west and Genghis Khan in the east. He has already made alliances with the rulers of Arran and Azerbaijan, and married the four daughters of the emir of Gilan. Since he has ushered in a new era

Relations with the Suhhar Sulayman are hostile; the Suhhar still holds the Nizaris as traitors and refuses to treat with them. Many sahirs attempt to slay or drive off known Nizaris, most often using the fear and hatred of the populace against them. The Nizaris, on the other hand, have no specific enmity towards the Suhhar Sulayman, but treat them like any other powerful individual — if they stand in the way of the imam's coming, then they die.

of outward law, many of Isma'ilis believe

Jalal al-Din to be the imam-qa'im.

In addition to Daylam, Quhistan, and Qumis (mentioned earlier), the Nizaris have significant hidden communities in the south of the Zagros Mountains in Fars (including the fortress of Shardiz), and scattered cells in most of the important cities in the Mythic Middle East. The Syrian Assassins have their base at Masyaf in the Holy Land, with a further stronghold near Aleppo.

Alamut

Alamut was built by one of the kings of Daylam; he was out hunting one day and his eagle alighted on a rock. He immediately saw the strategic potential of the site, and built a castle there that he called aluh-amut, which in the Daylami language means "the eagle's lesson." Since then, Alamut has become more than just a castle; it is a fortified village in Rudbar, the valley of the Shahrud.

Alamut is physically an immense, towering rock, with unapproachable slopes on all sides, and yet a flat top on which extensive buildings have been constructed. It has vast storerooms hollowed out from the very bedrock, and possesses its own spring. A notable feature amid the dust and rock is a luxurious garden; this is the source of the fortress's Magic aura of 3, and it contains a link to the Magic Realm important in the initiatory rituals of the Nizaris (see later).

The rank of fida'i is suitable for grog and companion characters, who should take the Dutybound Flaw (or, for companion characters, the Oath of Fealty Flaw) to represent the vows of obedience taken to the grand master of the sect. If a fida'i proves himself to be capable, he can expect to be elevated to the rank of lasiq, and command a squad of men. Only a fraction of the Nizaris become Initiated into the magical traditions of the sect, and become mustajibs. The rank of da'i (which is not represented by a Social Status Virtue) is awarded to mustajibs who have Initiated at least two Solomonic Arts other than Solomonic Sihr; all Gifted mustajibs are automatically da'is. A da'i is expected to lead a community of Isma'ilis and to convert others to the cause. The ranks of hujja and dai'd-duat are both available to player characters through roleplaying.

Apart from those things noted in the inserts nearby, mustajibs (and da'is) should be created using the rules for sahirs (see Chapter 3: Order of Suleiman).