Alma'haylin Al'Ukhan

The Alma'haylin Al'Ukhan, known as the Doomed Brotherhood, is a fraternal military and religious order of assassin-priests who follow the tenents of the Al'Uthami. Considered radicals and noted for their lack of scruples and legalistic doctrine, they believe that they were betrayed by both the Al'fatim and Al'shahr in succession, thus leading their members to the One Truth. The members of the Alma'haylin Al'Ukhan were once part of the Al'Ukhan w Alzal'a (brotherhood of shadow) and were followers of the Al'shahri sect. However, as the Al'Ukhan w Alzal'a became increasingly autonomous, parts of the brotherhood became attached to increasingly distinct rituals after they fully decoupled from the regular Al'shahri priesthood in 1486. By the early 1600s, nearly half of the brotherhood was following heretical teachings, but the organization remained dedicated to their war against the Fatimi and refused calls for reform. Several of these factions began coordinating with the Al'Uthami, fulling accepting their theology. These disgruntled, heretical brothers would finally attempt a coup of the brotherhood in 1621, which was initially successful. However, the members who were still loyal to the Al'Shahri secured assistance from the Sultanate of tbd, leading an attack on many of the Brotherhood's fortifications. The result was a bloody war in which the brotherhood was torn asunder, with most of the minor factions and those who tried to stay neutral destroyed by both sides. Due to the assistance of the armies of the sultanate, the Al'Uthami faction was nearly defeated, with almost the entirety of their number wiped out by 1634. The survivors fled to their few remaining castles, most of which were sequestered deep within mountains in Fatimi lands and thus inaccessible to the armies of the sultanate.

There, the surviving members of the Al'Uthami faction licked their wounds and after a time emerged as a force in defense of the Al'Uthami within both Al'Fatimi and Al'Shahri held lands, becoming even more secretive in the process. Unlike the Al'Ukhan w Alzal'a, these brothers would not claim their kills, simply assassinating and escaping if possible. They gave no warnings nor did they attempt to bargain, and they gave no quarter nor asked for it. They made no distinction between powerful rulers and ordinary citizens, attempting to slay anyone who opposed the Al'Uthami faith. Their methods were effective so long as no large armies were brought to bear against the Al'Uthami population centers, and very few of their castles would fall between 1634 and 1860. This changed when the orcsish invasions swept across the land.

Due to the beliefs of the Uthami being extremely racist towards non-humans, they refused to bend the knee to the orcish invaders, seeing them as demons. This, naturally infuriated the orcish conquerors, who began a purge of the Al'Uthami, causing the people to flee to the south, where orcish conquests had not penetrated. When the brotherhood tried to resist, they were crushed by orcish armies, their remaining castles destroyed and their members slain en masse. All, that is, except one castle. Sitting in the province of tbd, this castle recieved the survivors from the north with open arms, including the brotherhood's master. He decreed that God had shown him a prophecy during divination, one that would define the future of the order. He told its members that at the end of the world the brotherhood would be attacked and mercilessly slaughtered, just as before, but that this time their final castle would fall and all members would perish. Their final defeat would mean the beginning of the rule of devils on the realm, which would last a thousand years before God destroyed the remaining sinners of the planet, all faithful having long-since been slain. Since that day, the brotherhood has taken on the mission of educating as many sinners as they can before the end of the world comes, and preparing their lands so they can last as long as possible, since they believe many will clamor to repent in these last days. This also marks the first time they became known as the Alma'haylin Al'Ukhan, for they believe all, including them, are doomed.

The brotherhood has ruled the province of Sultil since 1873, having murdered and intimidated its Fatimi-loyalist leadership until they gained control. They have built a number of new fortifications in the land to reinforce their main castle, as well as commanding the loyalty of a few towns within the neighboring province of N'alwa, ruled by less radical Al'Uthami. Their rule has been hard on the "unfaithful" of Sultil, as they treat all heretics and heathens the same, and are extremely legalistic in their interpretation of the Al'Uthami sect. In particular, their kill-and-kidnap tactics have been hard to bear for the people. This tactic, used by the brotherhood ever since their first near-destruction to replenish their numbers involves the murder of their opponents and kidnapping of their close members. Claiming the families of those they have slain is considered by the brotherhood to be rightful retribution. Once the family is isolated they will attempt to indoctrinate them into the faith, using torture if necessary. Males who refuse to accept the faith are killed, but if they repent they become servants of the faith, not full members of the brotherhood (they are not trusted fully for as long as they live, though their children may become full members). Occasionally, if a child is young enough, they will be granted full membership if sufficiently devout. Unfortunately for the women, whether or not they convert is somewhat irrelevant, because if they do convert this includes accepting their new lot in life, usually for use in "expanding the ranks of the brotherhood", while if they refuse they are forced into this. Such tactics are often criticized by more moderate Al'Uthami, who resent the bad name the brotherhood has given the faithful. However, not all under the thumb of the brotherhood are slaves, as they also includes some women who willingly choose this life due to being extremely indoctrinated by their families. Such women are sometimes raised to be honorary sisters, used in certain missions, but this is rare since the organization is strictly fraternal. The brotherhood supports such cruel tactics because they are barred from marriage under their oath, and thus can't have legal wives or recognize their children. Seemingly, the thought of finding devout women to share their life with has never crossed their mind, and they continue to use such draconian methods to ensure the next generation of brothers. Since most of the members are either born in this way, they may also be known as the Al'Ukhan w Nahli, or order of bastards, by their foes.