Akwali Sekhat, or Sisters of Sekhat, is the name given to the strange society of Southrun which is headed by a noble woman known as... Al Adhra, the Virgin. The Sisters live in a mountain redoubt completely isolated from the affairs of men. There they are devoted to the worship of their goddess Sekhat, and only leave its confines to practice their cruel murderous rites.
The society is wholly made up of women. Indeed, for a man to enter their fortress is to earn a death sentence. Their society grows from runaway women, absconded servants, abducted children and abandoned widows. Their leader is chosen from among their number by the casting of lots.
The Sisters worship the goddess Sekhat, who is believed to have been slain by her brothers Amir and Bhamut, during their divine feud. The worship of this deity requires the ritualized murder of men. To complete this rite, the Sisters have been known to waylay travelers, infiltrate noble houses, and abduct those who are unawares.
The Sisters also offer their services for hire. All of the nobility of Southrun is aware of the Akwali Sekhat and will often contract with them to remove enemies and rivals. It is believed that by giving them a steady supply of victims, other men will be safer from random attacks.
The Sisters rely heavily on poisons and strangulations to achieve their ends. Many victims have been found with silk sashes around their throats or with faces locked in pain at their passing.
