Rafiq
A Rafiq (or alternatively, Rafik) was a graduated scholar of the Assassin Order, who could be found in the second tier of the caste system (with the Assassins in the highest caste).
Rafiq provided locations of information about assassination targets, and determined whether or not the assassination could be conducted. They were usually located in an Assassins' Bureau, though other Dai and Rafiq could be found in Masyaf.
They commonly wore white robes with a black djellaba, which was adorned with white decorative markings.
Responsibilities
The primary duties of a Rafiq were as teachers and field contacts to the Assassin visitors of their city, providing them with suggestions on where and how to gather information. Rafiq also likely coordinated and gathered the information learned by the Assassin Informants of the city, who also acted as contacts in specific city districts.
Upon receiving a contract from Al Mualim, lower-ranked Assassins (such as Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad after his demotion) were required to report their findings about their target to the Rafiq, before being allowed to proceed with the assassination.
After deeming that the Assassin knew where, when, and how to strike his target, the Rafiq would present them with a feather marker to be stained with the target's blood. This would later be shown to the Rafiq as evidence of a success.
Aside from Bureau responsibilities, each Rafiq held a particular skill or talent that he could teach, in addition to philosophy, religious doctrine, or adherence to the Creed. For instance, the Bureau leader of Jerusalem, Malik Al-Sayf, was a cartographer, the Rafiq of Damascus was a potter, the one of Acre, Jabal, was a scribe.
Dai
The Dai were a close rank above Rafiq, and were the direct representatives of the Imam, the exalted spiritual leader of the people. Though superior to Rafiq, they possessed similar responsibilities and roles.
Upon preparing for the assassination of Majd Addin, Altaïr spoke to Malik, the Bureau leader of Jerusalem, with the address "Dai". This suggests that Malik was elevated to the rank of Dai after he successfully completed the mission to retrieve the Templar treasure from Solomon's Temple, surpassing Altaïr's previously higher rank as Master Assassin and field instructor.
Some time before the retaking of Masyaf, while devising a plan on how to approach Al Mualim, Malik in turn refers to Altaïr as Dai, indicating that he too had eventually obtained the rank.
Trivia
- Both Jabal, and the leader of Damascus are often merely addressed as "Rafiq", rather than by their name.
- Scholars, who were teachers of a higher rank than Rafiq, were based at the library in Masyaf, and wore attire similar to the Rafiq; though their djellaba were white with red decorative markings.
- In Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, Altaïr encounters a Rafiq during his visit to Damascus. He is a nasty old man who first challenges Altaïr in order to determine if he is trained well enough. In his adventures, Altaïr also meets other Rafiqs (like Hamid) as well.
- Rafiq do not appear in Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, but key Resistance members such as Alexander and Markos act similarly to them, and are situated in Resistance Safe Houses similar to Assassins' Bureaus.
Gallery
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A Rafiq of Damascus.
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A Rafiq of Jerusalem.
Reference
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