>>10233484They were universally hated the same way as ISIS, they were breaking the accepted rules of warfare of the day, but before they Mongols they were untouchable.
They were Shiites but they were Seveners (most Shiites are Twelvers). The local population supporting them were also of this Sevener branch. There's still Seveners around today but very few of them.
There's no Seveners left in that area I don't think but there's a community of doomsdayers near that area which hate modern technology and are very extreme. They keep their women pretty much locked up at home. They used to attack people visiting them because they hated things like electricity and anything modern. They're waiting for the return of the Mahdi (your version of Second Coming).
The Assassin's best stronghold was Alamut Castle, which I think is totally in ruins now (nothing last long in Iran because frequent earthquakes). There was only one path to get to that castle and invaders had to go in single file so they'd get shot down easily. That castle held out for 2 years against the Mongols but eventually had to capitulate, the Mongols killed everyone and extinguished them and their supporters totally. With the support of most of Persia because by this point they were detested so much. Nobody was safe, they were sending out their fanatics to assassinate lords and clerics everywhere and their fanatics were religiously motivated to do it the same way as ISIS is
