Harem

The harem is a domestic place that historically was reserved for a caliph's many wives, but also would include his children, sometimes his concubines, as well as any slaves and eunuch servants who made up the household.^[1]

History[edit | edit source]

In the 860s, the Alamut Hidden One Basim Ibn Ishaq traveled to the harem in Baghdad's central Round City district, located in the south of the Residential District. There, he looked to find Qabiha, the concubine of the late Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil and a suspect in his investigation to uncover the identity of the Order of the Ancients' leader.^[2]

Infiltrating the harem by posing as a eunuch, Basim tried to break into Qabiha's office to search for clues but was caught by her stewardess Makira. Convincing her that they could help each other, Basim agreed to assist Makira with several favors in exchange for the key to the office. After examining the room and finding evidence of Qabiha's affiliation with the Order, Basim saw the servant Farah die from poisoning and her co-worker Nasrin be accused of her murder.^[2]

Realizing this was Makira's doing, Basim angrily confronted her, and the stewardess admitted to using him to eliminate those who had spoken ill of Qabiha in order to preserve her mistress' reputation. After Makira revealed that Qabiha was hiding at the Caliphal Palace for her own protection, inadvertently providing Basim with his target's location, the Hidden One left the harem.^[2]