An assassin in a skull mask. With the creation of the cult of assassins, the name "Old Man of the Mountain" became a hereditary title. He is said to have bee... [Read more]
Japanese: Jouji Nakata | Ryosuke Kanemoto
English: Crispin Freeman
An assassin in a skull mask. With the creation of the cult of assassins, the name "Old Man of the Mountain" became a hereditary title. He is said to have been the first Hassan-i Sabbah. But the other 18 Hassans and the other members of the cult don't know his true identity, nor is there any evidence that he actually existed.
When a Hassan-i Sabbah deviates from the path, this legendary assassin arrives to take their head. He is the Hassan who kills Hassans.
It's said that no member of the cult of assassins has ever laid eyes on him, but this is because to see him is to die. The first "Old Man of the Mountain," he chose the life of an observer, bringing judgment to ensure that the clan never fell to corruption. The cult acted in accordance with the teachings of God, but its deeds were undeniably evil. That was why he could not allow the cult to rot. For those who defend the teachings of God to drown themselves in human desires would be an unforgivable blasphemy.
Read more
The rot of the cult: in other words, the decline of the "Old Man of the Mountain." Be it a failure of the mind or of skill, the title "Old Man of the Mountain" cannot be held by one who has become weak. Weakness is death. Beheading is both the pardon for that sin, and the hope entrusted to the next Old Man.
To make righteous his dreadful role of assassinating assassins, he chose not a hidden weapon, but a massive sword. When someone sees his skull, their life is at an end. After he has slain the fool who violated the cult's teachings, all who have seen the skull swordsman vanish from the earth. The skull swordsman is a living legend, and the abyss of assassins, whom none has ever witnessed
His demonic appearance and savage way of fighting leads one to expect a cruel persona, but in reality he is taciturn and virtuous, strictly adhering to the teachings of his Lord. He follows both the laws of man and God, and he believes that the cessation of biological activity is a separate thing from the end of life. Fate means the end of one's life. It is the salvation of one's soul.
He will be an ally to anyone who is righteous as long as they don't stray from their path. However, as he knows neither restraint nor mercy, he gives off an aura of abject terror during battle, like a grim reaper. He may say little, but his intent always comes across loud and clear. When he gets angry, his (skull) eyes shine. When he's sad, his eyes shine. His eyes shine even when he's happy. His eyes shine no matter what.
While he may not interact with other Heroic Spirits, and he does not assert himself, he is seen to be a very strict role model for the other Hassans.
