Alamut fortressIron Fist has K'un-Lun. Doctor Strange has the Palace of the Ancient One. Hell, even Aqua Man has Atlantis. But secret cities of badassedness - that's just for comic books. Right?

Wrong. We tracked down a very real and nearly forgotten fortress of assassins in what is today northern Iran.

A thousand years ago, Hassan-i Sabbah and his followers infiltrated the fortress of Alamut, turning it into the hidden headquarters of the Federation of the Hashshashin ... the Assassins.

Beginning as an organization of Nizari Isma'ili Shi'a Muslims, they soon found that "assassin" was both easier and cooler to say, and a legend was born.

Multinational Assassins, Inc.
From Alamut, Hassan commanded his followers and spread his terror network from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. Assassin fortresses like Qadmous and Masyaf sprouted faster than White Castles in New Jersey. Hassan's operatives, known as Fedayeen, were trained in languages, commando tactics and disguise, but not in how to get cheap round-trip tickets -- because succeed or fail, they'd usually be killed by their target's bodyguards.

Inside Men
The Assassins pioneered the "sleeper agent" technique: Speaking the right language, wearing the right clothing, and knowing how to do the trade they claimed for their cover, operatives would infiltrate the entourages of their victims and wait for the moment to strike. Sometimes, instead of killing, they'd sneak into a target's bedroom and leave a dagger on the pillow -- like a horse's head, but a little less "Godfather."

A Question of Motivation
The Assassin mystique bred tall tales. Marco Polo claimed that the Assassins indoctrinated new agents by drugging them with hashish (hence the name Hashshashin) and showing them "Paradise": a room filled with flowing wine and naked virgins. They were told this was what was waiting for them if they succeeded, and then sent on their mission. Only problem with the story: By the time Marco claimed to have visited Alamut, it had already been reduced to rubble.

Don't Mess With the Genghis
The Assassins whacked the King of Jerusalem, probably on the say-so of Richard the Lionheart. They also tried (and failed) to rub out Richard's biggest enemy, Saladin. They finally went too far when they tried to kill the Great Khan of the Mongols. That brought the Khan's brother, Hulagu, to Alamut's doorstep in 1256. The Assassins surrendered -- and Hulagu promptly wiped them out, leaving a legacy that has inspired snipers and video game designers to this very day.