7 Most Insane Historical Attempts To Create A Super Soldier

Out of all the video games you’d never think were based on real-life, Assassin’s Creed is right up there with Pac-Man and Super Mario. Even ignoring the whole sci-fi plot, just the whole idea of an ancient cult of stealth murderers sounds absolutely ridiculous. Yeah, well, here’s the thing about history: it’s totally bonkers. Lobsters were once considered trash food unfit even for prisoners, Stalin was a wedding singer, and the Assassins (also known as the Hashishin) were very much real.

They were an Islamic sect that formed in the 11th century. It flourished under the leadership of Hassan-i Sabbah who commanded an army of faithful Assassins ready to die for him at a moment’s notice. How did he achieve that level of obedience? According to Marco Polo: very sneakily.

A story recounted by Polo claims that Sabbah would drug his acolytes with hashish, have them wake up in a lush garden full of beautiful women and delicious food, and then convince them they were actually in Paradise. After another hit from a pot-soaked rag, the Assassin would wake up in the real world where Sabbah told him that if he wants to see heaven again, he’ll have to go stab a caliph in the neck.

With this kind of incentive, the sect thrived for over three centuries, ruling parts of Persia and Syria from their mountain strongholds and fighting off Christian Crusaders. And probably being controlled by a guy from the future. By this point, it honestly wouldn’t be anywhere near the weirdest part of their whole story.