Zulafar
Zulafar
The Zulafar, also known as the Keeper of the Shadow Lotus, is a monastic order of assassins and shadowy warriors. They operate from their secret monastary fortress, hidden somewhere in vast mountain ranges surrounding the dread Cinvar Highlands. The highly skilled Zulafar assassins is sometimes contracted by nobility and rich merchant i both the North and the South. The price in gold for their grim services is often high, but sometimes even steeper; sometimes they demand a child of their employer in return. These children are rasied as new recruits in the order. Sometimes the Zulafar carries out their dark deeds for their own incrutable purposes, often targeting wizards or warlocks. They also serve as roaming police among the Mehedi mountain tribes and guards the high mountain passes. There are rumors that they keep watch over ancient ruins and dark secrets the Pale Lords of Cinvar left behind.The Masters
Leadership of of the Zulafar i divided between five master whom all defers to one grand master. The Hand: The undisputed leader of the Zulafar is called the Hand. The current Hand is the enigmatic mistress Mhara Master of the Clenched Fist: This master oversees the orders martial affairs, such as combat training. The current Clenched Fist is Mistress Zaniah Brighblade Master of the Open Palm:This master could be describeb, somewaht wrongfully, as the diplomat of the Zulafar. Teaching how to read people, social interactions and manipulation. The current master of the Open Palm is a former nobleman from the Chivalric land known only as Ducard Master of Reaching Grasp: This master trains the acolytes to physical perfection, be it scaling walls and mountains, surviving harsch enviroment or running obstacle courses amongst the ancient ruins of the high places. The current master of the Reaching Grasp is master Alsuhail Master of the Signing Fingers: The master of the orders mystical skill and lorekeeper. The current master of the Signing Fingers is master Deneb Algedi Master of the Fluttering Touch: The orders expert in stealth and infiltration. The current master of the Fluttering Touch is mistress @Lesath The Oracle: Residing in the ancient halls deep under Thral Sharbat is another important figure of the Zulafar. Though not actually a master, the oracles word guides the Zulafar, and often the more inexpilcable missions are carried out on the word of the Oracle. The Oracle is said to be truly ancient, living over many mortal life time. Ordinary, only the masters are permitted access to the Orcale but on rare ocasions jjunior monks or even acolytes are brought before it to hears it's word. The oracle is of gigantic stature and it's visage is hidden in a deeep cowl.Trials of the Zulafar
The acolytes of the Zulafar is subjected to rigorous training in martial arts, self disciplin, stealth and the mysterious skills unique to the assassin monks. During their training period each acolyte must complete three trials in order to bli full inducted into the ancioent order Trial of Solitude: The acolyte has to spend three month meditating in silence, alone amongst the ruins of one of the snowy mountain tops. It is a thes of will, survival and also sanity. It is said that the howling winds drive some of the acolytes insane Trial of Blood: The acolyte has to unarmed defeat and kill a captured and armed criminal (usually a mehedi lawbreaker or a trepasser of the Cinvar border) Trial of Shadow: This trial serves as graduation for becoming full members of the Zulafar. The acolytes ar brought over the border to Cinvar, to remnant of an ancient temple. During the way the acolytes has to keep safe from numerous abominations that haunt the highlands. At the temple, ritual is performed that induce horrible illusions, summons ancient undead shadow that the acolytes have to defeat in order complete the trial.Zulafar and the Outside World
The seat of the Zulafar is the truly ancient monastery Thal Sharbat, high in the titanous mountains north of the Cinvar highland. They have several remote outposts circling the ancient dread plateau. Most contact with the outside world takes place through the Mehedi village Aljun Zil, a day’s hard days travel down from Thal Sharbat. From Aljun Zil the mountain paths continue on to Maelbonnian duchy Ordulac. In the Chivalric lands and in the Gelgic alliance, quite a few stories circulate about the legendary order of assassins. Most assume that the Zulafar (though few have actually heard the name itself) is a fanatic order of mehedi warriors, assassins for hire for the very rich. Those wishing to hire the services of the Zulafar have to travel to Aljun Zil and meet the members of the order that reside there. There are also operatives of the Zulafar, called Guraib living undercover in the societies of the surrounding lands. These Guraib pretend to be tradesmen or merchants, keeping contacts within the local criminal underworld. Petitioners for the bloody services of the Zulafar can get them through guraib (or one of their proxies). Example of guraib: Master Orloge: A well respected farendian clockmaker in Calantor Kalam: Living as a simple carpet merchant in Carfour
Type
Religious, Monastic Order
Notable Members
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