Khalid

"You wish to know more about me? It's been so long, I barely remember my own story. I have wandered the deserts of this land and many others for many thousands of years. Am I immortal? Truly I do not know. I haven't had the courage to test the hypothesis. Of course the fact I still stand - albeit with some difficulties - points to "yes." Some have written of me, and some of what is written might even be correct. I wouldn't know. I haven't checked. All you need to know is that I'm still here because there's still evil here, and until evil has been vanquished, I do not intend to give up neither life nor breath. I am, as you may have surmised, a stubborn old bastard."

- Khalid

Khalid is a character in the M.M.O., The Secret World. Khalid is prophetic hermit living just outside al-Merayah, Egypt. Khalid functions as one of many contacts in the game and briefly as a guide to point the Players in the right direction to defeat the evil Atenists. Upon making contact with Khalid though, the old sage takes on a new depth and establishes significant background into the state of the secret world. He is an old artifact of an on-going war which has apparently been fought many times before.

Black Sun, Red Sand
Khalid is encountered during the Black Sun, Red Sand arc - the story-line for Egypt. He is first encountered after the Player meets Nassir. Nassir, a freedom fighter giving tactical support against the deranged Cult of the Aten, will tell the Player that the cult has been on the rise, that they enslave men and woman to an ancient evil will and turn them into the living dead, capable of unspeakable evil. Leaving the area will show Nassir's warning coming to pass as a barrage of the cultists come charging towards Nassir's outpost, swords and guns drawn in fanatic thirsts for blood. The barrage is halted by Khalid when he conjures a sand storm and strikes down the remaining Atenists. Khalid then prays for the souls of those he has just helped to stop, insisting the can not control their actions and asking they find peace in the afterlife. Khalid points the player to the north. He will tell the Player that the cult found something in the mountains, an ancient resting place that has been disturbed. Khalid tells the Player that to go into the mountains will show them what it is the Cult of the Aten is gathering for and why their numbers have exploded.

Once the Player goes to the north they a gateway built into what should be solid mountains but actually goes into a valley not on any maps. The valley is called The City of The Sun God and in it, the Player will find a man named Phamose and his children. Phamose's children haunt the statues of the ancient Egyptian gods, and embody them each as avatars who represent their patron's as best they can. Phamose is perpetually reincarnated and returns to the valley to see his children during each life. Phamose says that Khalid and he were the only ones who knew of the valley, but that the Cult of Aten followed him on his way in to visit his children and he has inadvertently brought the worshipers of an ancient evil to that evil's resting place. Phamose says he trusts Khalid's judgment and if he sent someone, he knows that it was for a good reason and on Khalid's word has accepted the Player as a trust-worthy ally.

Four-And-Sixty
Khalid was a member of the Four-And-Sixty, a pre-cabal that existed before the three factions of the game, commonly called The Big Three, the Templars, Illuminati and The Dragon. The Four-And-Sixty were composed of many figures now thought of as Biblical, including King Solomon. Khalid's ties with the Four-And-Sixty were severed long ago, because they said he cared too much for mortals, something they saw as an unacceptable weakness. Khalid continues to maintain the values of his cabal, though no longer a part of it, and the cabal it-self no longer existing. Khalid has made an effort to get better not caring too much, and rather than tell people what to do, or how to fight evil, he speaks to them in riddles, though as his brother points out, he is sometimes less-than subtle with his clues. The Four-And-Sixty split apart and became the three factions, though some may have existed before it and just re-formed after. The Templars view their ties to the Four-And-Sixty, as ties to a time of Biblical purpose. The Illuminati view ties to the Four-And-Sixty as parts of history that they, themselves have lost and thus must be preserved for posterity, The Dragon view the Four-And-Sixty as a great riddle that must be solved eventually, and so all take Khalid's words as ones worthy of being followed.