The Black Hand of Anunkai
Anunkai, the god of death, is ever present in the world of men. He is dispassionate, without remorse or bias in his duties. He ensures the ongoing cycle of life by collecting the souls of mortals so that they may journey into what is beyond.
Mortals worship many gods, and Anunkai is no different. His followers find solace in the surety of death, aspiring to gain favor with Anunkai by serving his will in life. The most devoted of them are the Black Hands of Anunkai. Commonly referred to as the Assasin’s Guild, the Black Hands are sanctioned by the ruling family of Curavia to carry out the “Will of Anunkai”. With enough gold and a just cause, anyone can entreat the Hands to their cause. The council accepts the gold, and decides if the cause is judged to align with the will of their god, the Hands carry out the contract. Their actions are recorded into the royal ledgers so that the assassins cannot be prosecuted. Despite the rigorous oversight, there are whispers that the organization undertakes many contracts “off the books”.
Structure
The Black Hand of Anunkai knows no borders, and a conclave may be established in any location the organization deems necessary or worthy to receive one. Conclaves may be found in most major cities throughout the world, though they are most prevelant on the continent of Aikreon.
Tenets of Faith
The Seven Tenets of the Black Hands of Anunkai:
I. The will of Anunkai is paramount.
Anunkai is inevitable, his hands cannot be stopped. A hand of Anunkai will not act without the will, or against the will.II. The Hands of Death are his and his alone, they serve none but to serve him.
A hand may not serve two masters. A hand cannot love any but Anunkai, their heart is his alone. They take no idols to glorify the self or another.III. The Hands of Death give their names to him, they are known to the uninitiated by their given epitaph.
A hand needs no name, it is but an extension of the will. It is nothing but Anunkai’s presence in this world. A hand surrenders his mortal name to Anunkai as the end of that cycle, they take up a new name, the living embodiment of Anunkai’s promise.IV. The Hands of Death are masters of the craft.
The Hand is nothing if not the master of its work. The hand will excel in all that is required to perform its function.V. There is neither pleasure nor toil in the work of the Hand, there is only the task.
The work of the hand is solemn and humble. The hand carries out the will of Anunkai, not its own. The only joy a hand feels is the knowledge that Anunkai’s will is done. The happiness of the work of the hand, is the privilege to serve Anunkai. They record their service to him upon their bodies.VI. Whosever the hand strikes but lives on has Anunkai’s reprieve. None but Anunkai himself may reap that soul.
The Hands are but mortal servants, and the will of Anunkai beyond comprehension. Should the hand reap and yet the harvest is resown, Anunkai’s will have been laid bare. Such a reaping is for Anunkai himself, no hand may deny his reprieve.VII. The path of the Hands is unbreaking, their service ends by Anunkai himself.
A Hand is of the being of Anunkai, it serves until the cycle of mortal life has come to an end.
We are Anunkai's will in this world.
Type
Guild, Assassins
Alternative Names
Assasin's Guild, Death Cult
Demonym
Black Hands
Deities
Related Traditions
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