Serey Sayavong (Kasikor Srae)

Kasikor Srae (789–unknown), commonly known by his adoptive name Serey Soval Rithipol Rotha Varman Sayavong or just Serey Sayavong, is a Master and Mentor of the Hidden One in Angkor during the reign of Jayavarman II. Born as Kasikor Srae in the humid, fertile heart of the Chenla Kingdom, Kasikor’s early life was defined by the rhythm of the monsoon and the soil. By starting as "Farmer of the Rice Field," his journey mirrors the growth of the empire itself—from the mud of the fields to the heights of the stone temples. In 799, the Shailendra "Thalassocracy" (maritime empire) intensified its raids by the Order of the Ancients who purged the Hidden Ones including Kasikor to secure Pre-Isu artifacts hidden beneath the Tonlé Sap lake. Kasikor’s village was razed not just for taxes, but because his father (a secret contact for the Hidden Ones) refused to reveal the location of a "Star-Stone" (a Piece of Eden). After being orphaned and rescued by a wandering Khmer scout—a Hidden One—he was stripped of his peasant identity. His new, lengthy name was both a disguise and a prophecy. Adopting the name Serey Sayavong suggests a shift from a "man of the soil" (Srae) to a figure of "freedom and lineage" (Serey), marking his evolution from a soldier to a mentor. Serey Sayavong’s transition from a rebel to a Hidden One mirrors the journey of many protagonists (like Bayek, Basim or Eivor). His "dream of liberation" aligns with the Creed’s core tenet of Free Will. In 802 AD, the group would still be known as The Hidden Ones. They didn't officially transition to the "Assassins" until the reform at Alamut in 1090 AD. Sayavong charged Jayavarman II with guarding a Piece of Eden. Given the region's history, this could be a Staff of Eden or a Shards of Eden, used to project power and ensure the stability of the new empire. Serey Sayavong would likely be one of the first Hidden Ones to establish a Bureau in Southeast Asia. Given the architectural precision of Khmer temples, the artifact could be a Shroud of Eden (used for healing the kings) or a Crystal Ball used for surveying the vast irrigation networks of Angkor. Since the temple was dedicated to Vishnu, the Order of the Ancients might have tried to "re-brand" the Hidden One's protection of the site as a divine mandate to justify their own eventual control. Sayavong's legacy continues the early Rattanakosin period by the Siamese Assassin Suban; likely defending the new Thai capital from Templar-backed incursions in 1786, which likely protected the Siamese Brotherhood during the transition of power to Bangkok. Tuân Nam Điểu (The "Southern Bird") operated as a Master Assassin within the Vietnamese Brotherhood in Saigon. While the world saw a geopolitical conflict, Tuân saw the Bloodstone Unit—a specialized Templar task force—using the war as a cover to locate a Precursor site hidden beneath the Mekong Delta. Tuân’s goal wasn't just political; it was about removing the Templar "Puppet Masters" who were using the conflict to experiment on the local population as it represents the final strike against the Bloodstone Unit—a specialized Templar division embedded within military intelligence to locate Pieces of Eden in Southeast Asia.