Knights Templar

"Deus Vult!"
The Templars began as a medieval religious-military order dedicated to safeguarding the people of the holy land during the era of the crusades. Originally known as the Poor Soldiers of Christ, they became successful in defending pilgrims and locals against highwayman in the war-torn lands of Old Palestine. 
When their success won for them the lot atop the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Knights Templar delved into the secrets of the lost architecture of God's Holy Temple - and were forever after known as the Templars.
Of all the Chapters active on Earth, few are as secretive, as enigmatic, and as silently influential as the Templar Chapter is.
Status: Schism/Active. 
== Facts: ==
-The only thing anyone can say with certainty about the Knights Templar is that they are a Chapter shrouded in mystery. Over the centuries, the success and miracles of the Templars have spawned legends and myths, wrapping the Chapter in a cloud of vagueness which insulates it from scrutiny. 
-Chivalry among modern Templars is a wide-ranging thing. Some Templars still follow some form of it, others have forsaken it.
-Templars were not allowed to consume the meat of their horses, a practice other knights would use when in times of strife and starvation. Because of that, modern Templars will often exclaim "horsemeat" when angry or incensed.
-The real truth behind the birth of the Knights Templar is complicated and mysterious, and may remain that way until the end of time.
-Many Sects of Templars do not favor the Orders of Kings or Priests. Both Orders were instrumental in the near total annihilation of their Chapter following the Great Betrayal. While these Orders still have members in some branches of the Templar family tree, there are large sections of the Chapter which are outright hostile to them. They will still come to the aid of a Priest or King Templar, but they won't accomodate them any further. 
-The island of Cyprus was for a time the second HQ of the Templars before the Great Betrayal. The island still boasts a strong Templar presence and the island's status as semi-independent nation makes it quite useful as a launching point for covert operations. The Templars share the island with their sister-Chapter, the Knights Hospitaller.
-The Templars have members of many political leanings, but if you were to poll the entire Chapter you would certainly see a strong slant towards the Conservative end of the political spectrum.
== Commanderies & Preceptories: ==
A Commandery is a base of operations, it is manned at all times by at least one Squad of Templar Knights under the command of either a Templar Master or Templar Knight Commander. Commanderies serve as operational headquarters for a specific region, they are often equipped with communications, food, equipment, as well as housing for any Templars present and guests (or prisoners).
Preceptories are smaller than Commanderies and serve as administrative hubs. Preceptories will often house administrators (i.e., Templar Masters and Templar Sergeants) and their staff who serve the Templars exclusively or who operate with the blessing of the Chapters's leadership.
Also, specialized Preceptories will serve as archives, keeping the vast amounts of information and Relics uncovered by Templar agents as they operate across the world.
== Convoluted: ==
The Knights Templar have developed multiple sub-divisions, as well as whole new factions and more than one schismatic group. Some groups formed as task forces, seeking to tackle a special and unique threat. Others formed in the wake of tragedy and dedicated themselves to acting as watchdogs, ever on the lookout for the signs of history repeating itself. Still, some groups felt the main body of Templars had become lax somehow and broke away in an act of reformation.
Today, while there is still a recognizable main body to the Knights Templar, there are also a smattering of Templar Sects, each with its own unique take on things. Most of these groups remain friendly, if not aloof, sometimes working together or even sharing Commanderies or Preceptories. 
The Templars legacy for mystery is apparently true, so true in fact that even the Templars themselves are unaware of the many secrets and hidden treasures of their own brotherhood. Some Sects remain secretive even among fellow Templars, forming a kind of Chapter-within-a-Chapter. Other Sects are pure fabrication, created by some Templars to suit their own purposes. The Templar family tree is a large and diverse federation, so diverse that even knowing and understanding the layout of the Chapter is itself a whole Lore.
== Founding Nine: ==
There are several different accounts of the origins of the Templars, each telling a different chronology. In most stories, Hugh de Paynes travels alone or with a small group of knights who end up becoming the first Templars. In other stories, Hugh travels alone and picks up the knights when he arrives in Jerusalem. Still in other stories, Hugh and the early knights arrive as members of a larger contingent who spent their first, formative years in the holy land acting as bodyguards for pilgrims and ambushing highwaymen.
Whatever the truth of these stories, mainstream Templar history believes that there existed nine early knights, Hugh included, who were the founding members of the Knight Templar. These Founding Nine were led by Hugh, and his best friend Godfrey de Saint-Omer. The names of the other seven knights change with conflicting stories, but generally, it is believed they were Adepts themselves.
Nine is an important number to the Templars, it represents both the founding of the brotherhood as well as the annexation of evil in the world (9 is a 6 turned upside down, and since 666 is the Devil, 6 is therefore symbolic of evil, making 9 symbolic of the defeat of evil). Templars of a more arcane nature will make use of the number 9 frequently in their Rituals. 
== Friday The 13th: ==
It happened on Friday the 13th, Jacques de Molay, last 'known' Grand Master of the Knights Templar, was burned on a pyre by Phillip the Fair, then king of France. Phillip, afraid that his charges against the Knights Templar would fall through, had the head of the order branded a heretic and immolated alive.
However, Jacques supposedly used the pyre more as a podium than a gallow. Jacques may have cursed both the French king as well as the Pope, swearing they would both meet him in the afterlife within a year (subsequently, both king and pope died tragically within about a year). The story is colorful albeit a bit unbelievable, accounts of de Molay during his last days suggest that repeated abuses and torture had withered his aged mind to the point of delusion. Some question whether Jacques would have even been heard over the flames and crowd of the people?
Whatever the truth of the story, Friday the 13th quickly became associated with bad luck and equally bad omens. For the Templars of modern times, Friday the 13th is almost like a quasi-holiday, a day of spiritual reflection and solemn peace. The 'victorious dead,' all those who died in the cause of the brotherhood, are remembered.
=== A Templar Curse?: ===
Did Jacques de Molay curse the Pope and King of France, or was their deaths within a year entirely natural? Is there such a thing as the Templar Curse, and if so on whom exactly does it fall? Anyone who kills a Templar Grand Master? Anyone who earns the ill of the Grand Master? Or is it just a fable?
== Great Betrayal: ==
"Hated out of jealousy, feared out of ignorance, betrayed by both Church and State, and hunted by those we once called brother. We are the descendants of those who dared to pursue truth no matter the cost." 
The Templars fought and bled on the battlefield to defend Europe from foreign invaders. For decades, they kept up a constant fight against determined enemies to protect the innocent. They built a Kingdom of Jerusalem despite being surrounded on almost all sides by enemies. They built a banking empire, a series of hostels and hospitals, and finally they brought order and prestige to serving in the ranks of the Church...
...and in the end, it all collapsed.
But it did not collapse from an outside threat, the Templars found themselves assailed from a foe they never anticipated: their own allies. The Knights Templar, the same knights who spearheaded so many assaults to build the Kingdom of Jerusalem, were branded heretics by the Church at the behest of the French monarchy.
The Templars were hunted down by the French king and the agents of the Pope, tortured, condemned and executed by both state and church. The Great Betrayal, as the Templars call it, resulted in a significant blow to the Chapter, and one which left them separated from Christendom itself.
==== The Rebirth: ====
"After the dissolution of our Order, we earned a second chance to live forever; this time as legend. A legend so bright and yet so veiled that it will always kindle people's curiosity. Centuries later, I bet they will ask themselves: Were we really devil-worshipping heretics or wrongfully accused saints? Did we survive, settle in Scotland and continue to operate underground against kings and church, fostering secret societies? Did we give rise to a new Promised Land across the ocean or turn into pirates? Where did our treasures disappear to? And did we really possess the Grail?"
-William St. Clair, Rosslyn, 1456.
== Legacy of Secrecy: ==
For better or worse the Templars have always been cloaked in secrecy. Their rituals of induction, often consisting of nine witnessing knights and a senior knight who properly inducts any new members, are always conducted in secret, often at night and in candlelight. Important meetings are held in the utmost secrecy, and always under armed guard.     
Templar communications are encoded, Templar holdings are kept via shell companies and dummy trusts. Templar hideouts and safe houses and bases of operations are kept under lock and key and their locations are always being monitored by someone. One newer member to the Knights Templar purportedly quipped that Templars use encoded messages and passwords just to order pizza for dinner?     
== Liberty & Democracy: ==
Beginning in Scotland, with the help of the Freemasons who shared their resources and helped the surviving Templars recover from the Great Betrayal, the Templars regrouped and relaunched their organization. And now they did so with a new higher calling - the defense of not just pilgrims and the holy, but of all peoples, of all citizens of the world who should be free.
Beginning with the Scottish War for Independence, the Knights Templar now fought behind the scenes, acting as a secret society, waging war on those they deemed forces of oppression and tyranny. The Templars began recruiting from Adepts and Initiated alike, anyone who would work against the Darkness. They are especially fond of Nazirites and many new members to the Templars will often take a Nazirite Vow for life in their service to the Chapter.
== Tribes Within The Templars: ==
The Knights Templar were originally a band of warrior monks bound by oath and duty to protect pilgrims and the helpless against those who would abuse them. The Templars were founded as a Roman Catholic religious order, although there is at least some evidence that some Templars began to deviate from Catholic orthodoxy even before the events of the Great Betrayal. 
The Templars associated with Magick, Gnosticism, and even a few accounts of Infernalism and Necromancy, have led to the formation of several different religious groups operating within the Templar Chapter today. Below is a basic list of the major Tribes found within the ranks of the Temple.
-Roman Catholic = Known as Loyalist Templars, these Templars have remained loyal to the Catholic Church and the Pope in Rome. Some of them believe the Chinon Parchment proves that Clement tried to secretly save the Templar Order, or maybe they were spared the persecutions like the Blue Templars. These Templars make up a sizable chunk of the Chapter today and, naturally, have close ties to the Ghosts of Catholicism. These Templars are unlikely to have anything to do with the Occult or sorcery in any form, although miracles and prophecies do follow them thanks to their devotion to the Saints. 
-Christianity (General) = These Templars, known as Schismatic Templars, are still professed Christians but they hail from other churches besides that of the one in Rome. They make up the largest chunk of active Templars in the world today, especially because of groups like the Templar Churches and the Masonic Templars. 
-Gnostics = There is some scant evidence that some groups of Templars were delving into various forms of Christian Gnosticism, such as Mandeaism or Johannite Christianity. This was undoubtedly due to their exposed to foreign theologies in the Holy Land. These Templars make up a minority within the Chapter, but they are a persistent and dedicated minority with several Sects and Templar organizations all their own. 
-Occult = This is a general category for Templars who follow any kind of Occult-based religion or who can't be pigeonholed into one of the more recognizable Tribes. These Templars are probably the second most popular Tribe within the Chapter, eclipsing even the Loyalists by far. There is a wide berth between these Templars and those still loyal to Christianity (given Christianity's general ban on Magick) but the two at least work together towards common goals for the Chapter. 
-Jewish/Islamic = A few groups among the Templars have experimented with Templar Sects composed of members from other Abrahamic Tribes. Many modern Templars believe that the Mamluks had their origin as an attempt at an all-Islamic branch of the Templar Knighthood. 
-Masonic = Technically, Masonic Knights are grouped in with the Loyalist/Schismatic Templars who adhere to Christianity. However, some Masons are only vaguely Christian, and yet they are still very into the idea of being Templars. This has created a few groups, like the Knights Kadosh, who are both Masonic and Templar regardless of not having a strict adherence to Christian orthodoxy. 
-Satanic = Officially speaking, no group of Templars who actively practice Infernalism are permitted membership in any of the Sects. Some of the Occult or Masonic Templars may research Infernalism, if only to better learn how to thwart it, but no Templar can actively use and spread the power of Infernalism. A few groups have popped up from time to time, claiming to be 'Dark Templars' or 'Luciferian Templars,' but these are often seen as imposters and not accepted by any of the other Templar groups. 
One notable exception to this is the Rochelle Cabbal, a lone group of Fallen who practice the ways of the Templar knighthood but in a debased, introverted way. They claim to be descended from two nameless, former Templars who sold out their Chapter to Phillip the Fair and initiated the Great Betrayal. They make it their mission to harass, attack and sabotage Templar activities whenever and wherever they can find them. 
== Sworn to Secrecy?: ==
Templars are not sworn to secrecy per se, at least not in the majority of Templar organizations, however it is understood that going around and telling people you are a Templar is a great way to end up in the sights of some Bad Guys sooner or later. The Templars have spent a thousand years battling the Darkness and during that time, they have racked up a considerable number of enemies, not all of whom even exist on the material plane.
Templars are cautioned to be wise in who they select to tell their secret too. Many Templars have friends and relatives who never come to know of their involvement in the clandestine work of the Temple, or only learn the truth after the Templar's tragic death.
== Templar Fleet: ==
The Templar Knights had formed for themselves a vast banking empire during the height of their 'official' history. It should come as no surprise that they furnished their forces with an accompanying naval capacity. After the Great Betrayal, some surviving Templars took up piracy in order to escape their pursuers and make a living for themselves.
Whether simple explorers or active Corsairs, the Templar Chapter has an extensive history of activity out on the open water.
*Note: The Title of Templar Navigator was a valued position within the early Chapter, even up into modern times. While today it is more of an honorary Title, it is still sought after, especially by Templars who are known for their globetrotting. Being a Templar Navigator will give one access to naval assets and personnel in the employ of the Chapter.
=== Templar Pirate Myths: ===
-Goa, on the West side of India, was home to a surviving branch of the Templars well into the sixteenth century. To this day, Templar built churches still stand in the heartland of the Far East. One church in particular is home to a powerful and famous Holy Relic, the 'Flaming Cross of Goa.' A gilded, 300 pound cross that burns constantly with fire without ever having need of any kind of fuel.
-Infamous Oak Island, home to a stubborn treasure hole that refuses to give up its secrets, is said to have been built by Templar naval explorers. Possibly even Templar Corsairs who used Templar ingenuity to construct complex treasure pits to hide their money within.
-The infamous 'Westford Knight' is an inscription purportedly written by a Scottish naval explorer and nobleman (and Knight Templar) who explored inland North America circa 1398. The most likely identity of the Westford Knight is Henry Sinclair or a member of his exploratory party.
-The Newport Tower is a pre-colonial tower structure in Rhode Island, USA, is said to have a strong resemblance to Templar-built Round Churches across Europe. Radiocarbon dating puts the tower's building sometime around 1680.
-Nova Scotia was (supposedly) founded by an early band of Templars of the Scottish Rite of the Chapter, who came to the New World seeking to found a more perfect society. Or at least a colony for Scotland and her people.
== Templar Initiation: ==
How the early Templars initiated their new members into the brotherhood is the subject of speculation and inquiry. The practical truth is that no one is really sure - most descriptions or references to the Templars taking in new members usually stress that such rituals were conducted in private. Even the most trusted of outsiders were not allowed entry.
Despite the secrecy, some accounts of Templar initiation have made it into the historical record.
Templar Rites of Initiation
== Templar Origins: ==
There are a number of different versions of how exactly the Templars got started. Most of them are different only in minor details, while others are wholly different to the point of being two different stories. Much of Templar Lore is simply trying to catalog and make sense of all these different chronologies.
-Adepts By Chance Theory = In this version of the story, Hugh De Payens was not an Adept, and neither was any of the Founding Nine (probably not, anyway). Hugh and the early proto-Templars journeyed to the Holy Land where they became holy knights and stumbled upon some Adepts. In most versions of the story, Hugh orders excavations under the old Temple Mount, where he discovers Solomon's Mines which have been used as a Creator Chantry for centuries.
-Secretly Adepts Theory = Hugh De Payens was an Adept and probably some of the Founding Nine were as well. Hugh may have gone to the Holy Land simply as a pilgrimage, or he may have had the intention of starting up a Chapter of his own. Most theories regarding the Templar's origins are variations of this one.
-Troye's Cabal Theory = Hugh was vassal to a lord who wanted to create a knightly order operating in the Holy Land both for the prestige it would bring him as well the revenue. St. Bernard, who happened to be the nephew of the Hugh, was tapped to promote the early Templars, championing their cause within the Church and among the people. Surely it can't be a coincidence that Troyes was also home to the church council that legitimized the Templars in the first place?
-300 Theory = No, not the 300 Spartans, some historical records indicate that Hugh had at least 300 knights soon after journeying to the Holy Land. Were the Templars a well-established Chapter even before Hugh showed up on the scene?
-Hugh Was A Destroyer = Hugh was a member of the Order of Destroyers who came to the Holy Land to fight the Saracens. Other members of the Chapter took off on their own personal aims and thus the various branches of the Templar Chapter formed, but Hugh always remaind loyal to his chosen cause and from this decision comes the modern day Templar Enforcers.
-Hugh Was A Creator = Hugh was probably a Crusader Adept, as were the other Founding Nine, however after journeying to Jerusalem they discovered the ancient Creator-made tunnels of Solomon's Temple while excavating under the Temple Mount. There they received Solomon's Wisdom from the native Creators who guarded the ancient tunnels and were transformed into Creators. Combining their creative power with their knightly order, the Poor Knights now became the Knights of the Temple and launched both crusades as well as major banking, castles, business and an infrastructure that made them the envy of the world.
-Hugh Was A Theist = In this version, Hugh de Payens was a member of the Order of Infinity who worshiped God as The Father Of Understanding. Hugh and the Founding Nine may or may not have branched off from an earlier Chapter.
-Templar Evolution = This theory is a variation of Hugh Was A Theist: in this chronology, Hugh was probably a Crusader or Destroyer (a standard Military Orders Adept). However, after arriving in the Mid-East and encountering all these different cultures and Tribes and theologies, some or all of the Templars began to explore God outside the confines of their Roman Catholic upbringing. They began to open up to all of God and in doing so became Theists.
In this scenario, the Church and State (Priests and Kings, the leading Ruling Orders of Europe) turned against the Templars when it became clear the the knights were operating outside the Church's dogmatic jurisdiction and they felt threatened by that.
-Just Business = The rise of the Templars was pre-planned, either by Hugh, the Founding Nine, or parties unknown. The Templars showed up in the Holy Land bearing letters of introduction which got the King of Jerusalem to grant them personal living quarters in the wing of the palace where Solomon's Temple was said to have been (which was a pretty sweet deal for a couple of newly arrived knights).
The Templars immediately started building an infrastructure; protecting pilgrims to build up celebrity status, inventing an early banking system so pilgrims could do business in the Holy Land without fear of losing money, and providing other services all towards the goal of turning a profit. This theory makes sense because it's all historically accurate - the Templars were much more successful than other knightly orders at doing business and building up their own assets.
-Secret Treasure Theory = The Templars came to Jerusalem with the express purpose of excavating underneath the Temple Mount. There, they discovered something which brought them fame, fortune, the blessings of the Church, and success in warfare. Was it a powerful Holy Relic, some kind of Forbidden Knowledge, or something else entirely?
-Secretly Heretics = The Roman Catholic Church dominated medieval Europe, but it wasn't the only Tribe operating across the land despite what they teach in history class. Cathars, Mumblers, Waldensians and other heretics abounded. The Templars were themselves secret heretics who came to Jerusalem seeking something they could use to threaten the Church with. The Templars were known for taking in men excommunicated by the Bishops, and they were believed to have absorbed many of the survivors of the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathar heretics.
If the Templars were orchestrating a bid to topple the Church, it would explain why the Templars did not involve themselves in the purging of heretics. It would also explain why the Church heirarchy so readily turned against them.
-Pawns of the Priests = In this simple theory, St. Bernard of Clairvaux is the man responsible for the formation of the Templars. Hugh was just a simple knight who journeyed to the Holy Land to do what he felt God had called him to do - fight the invading Saracen forces. However, Bernard, a member of the Order of Priests who wanted to create a military wing to the Catholic Church, preached on the merits of possessing a 'Christian militia' and eventually won nobles and bishops over to his idea.
In this scenario, the Templars were formed so that the Church had a body of soldiers it could call its own. The fact that the Pope granted the Templars papal honors, including the ability to cross borders at will and not have to pay royal taxes, would certainly fit in with this theory.
Of course, one glaring problem with this theory is that the Templars clearly came to criticize the Church at times? And the Church leadership sold them out to the French king rather hastily? Did the Church lose control of their pet Templars and sought to eradicate them for it? Or did Phillip le Bell have that tight a hold on the Papacy? (Remember that the French imprisonment of the popes had begun shortly before the accusations of the Templars were presented).
-Seekers of Knowledge = Europe at the time of the crusades had been under the crushing weight of the Dark Ages for some time. While the western Christians had managed to build up their society following the barbarian hordes and plagues, Europe still had a ways to go. Education and culture were still trying to climb back up to the same level it had been under the Romans.
But the far East was an oasis of knowledge and prosperity, and one with many new cultures and mysteries. Hugh created the Templars for the express purpose of revitalizing Europe by importing literature, philosophy, law, commerce and technology from the East.
Unfortunately the hard-line traditionalists, usually this means the Church, felt threatened by these practices and orchestrated their downfall.
== Templar Sects: ==
"You ask me what it is the Templars are really up to? I ask you, exactly which Templars do you mean?"
Sects among the Templars may be breakaway groups or specialized task forces operating within the ranks of the brotherhood, or they could simply be ritualistic or intellectual traditions that formed in certain locations over time. Being a Templar usually means being a part of, or associated with, at least one sect, although nobody owns the rights to the franchise of the brotherhood, so nobody can definitely state whether someone is or is not a Templar. The following is a brief list of the most common Templar sects:
-Abbey of Clairvaux = The Abbey was founded by Bernard of Clairvaux, a Destroyer/Priest/Monastic Adept of renown and piety who was said to be a founding member of the Knights Templar in his own way. The Abbey is still a major nexus for Templar activity in Europe and the mysterious monks who inhabit it are keen on knowledge of supernatural activity. However, rumors circulate of deep dungeons running under the abbey and of people disappearing, but then such rumors are to be expected when the Templars are involved.
-Abraxas = The Knights of Abraxas, or simply 'Abraxas,' are a group of Templars who have embraced Gnostic teachings. They pursue lost or forgotten spiritual lore and are strong proponents of modern expressions of Gnosticism. Obviously this means they recruit from the Order of Gnostics.
-Agnes Dei = The Agnes Dei are hardcore Christian Templars who monitor Christian persecution across the world and actively get involved any way they can.
-Blood & Chalice = These Templars were said to claim descent from the original Knights who discovered the Holy Grail (if that ever really happened). It is said they once possessed the cup of Christ but it was taken from them, now they are obsessed with getting it back.
-Blue Templars = The Blue Templars came to venerate the Virgin Mary and in time broke away from the mainline Chapter before the events of the Great Betrayal. For more info see Blue Templars.
-Bornholm Island = Supposedly the sight of an ancient observatory built by medieval Templars, centuries before any modern astronomical observatories were constructed. These Templars supposedly sought the Star of Bethlehem and mastered Persian astrology in emulation of the Magi from the Bible.
-Cathars = The Cathars were a pre-Protestant religious reaction to medieval Christianity found largely in Southern France. Heretical in that they were duelists (believed in two gods instead of one) the Cathars believed in a Creator God of light and a Destroyer God of darkness and death. When the Church called the Albigensian Crusade against them, it appears the Templars took a neutral stance towards them. Some later folk stories posit the Templars with saving the surviving Cathars by absorbing them into their own Chapter.
-Colony of Saguenay = A band of Templars arrived in the New World following the Great Betrayal and brought with them countless Holy Relics, manuscripts and gold straight from the Holy Lands. The colony was founded near the shores of the Atlantic in St. Lawrence Cove and after several initial skirmishes with the natives, the Templars began rebuilding their Templar culture in a strange new world. The colony may or may not have died or faded away, stories speak of "white" native tribes during the time of colonization, right up until the American Revolution?
There are persistent rumors that this sect of Templars, may in fact, be the true founders of the Sons of Liberty Chapter. At the very least, they played a central role in it. If this is true then it begs the question just how involved the Templars still are in the SoL?
-Excommunicants = The Templars had a history of taking in people banned by the Church, swelling their ranks with men happy to be free and in service to God.
-Father Of Understanding = This isn't actually a sect but a Holy Name infused within the Chapter. The Order of Infinity claims this is the Name under which Hugh de Payne and the Founding Nine knew God and so the Name is the metaphysical bedrock upon which the Knights Templar are built. For more info see Father Of Understanding.
-Guardians of Knowledge = These Templars serve to protect the mass of esoteric knowledge the brotherhood has accumulated over the centuries. They also have a pesky habit of worming their way into other organizations in search of their secret knowledge as well. Adepts from the Scholastic Orders make up most of their ranks.
-Loyalist Templars = These Templars are still loyal to the Papacy and will actively work to bring the Templars back into the fold again. If there are any Priest Templars, this is where you can find them. For more info see Loyalist Templars.
-Knights of Christ = This sect of Templars, based in Portugal, operates several European military academies. They still follow the more monastic-like spirituality of the original Templars, but the modern KoC seems more interested in preserving local culture and religion more than anything.
-Knights of the Grail = These Templars are said to have drunk from the Holy Grail itself and been changed for it into supernatural warriors. The KotG have significantly longer life-spans than what they should, they heal even grievous damage easily and their bodies usually glow with a pale light. Historically, the Knights never took off their armor in an attempt to hide these side effects.
The KotG are removed from their fellow Templars and do not frequently show themselves within the Chapter's circles. Many Templars think of them more as myth than real.
-Knights of the Temple = This is a Creator Sect within the Chapter, formed from the Templar's legacy with Solomon's Temple and their history of art, architecture and industrious nature. The Templars built towns and cities and castles, so it appears the KotT played a significant but largely overlooked role in the Chapter's history. They have a lot of overlap with the Masonic Knights in more modern times.
-Masonic Knights = A major sect in the Templars, places like Roslyn Chapel and the Bornhom Island Observatory are supposed to be the constructions of the Masonic Knights. Masonic Knights are both members of the Knights Templar and the Fraternal Order of Builders.
-Merovingians = This sect of Templars are said to serve the Merovingian bloodline down through the ages, a bloodline which can also be found in the Hapsburg Dynasty and all the resulting descendants from that family today. Apparently, members of this bloodline are, technically, the next in line for the throne of the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem, which was destroyed almost a thousand years ago by Salahadin. The modern Merovingian family is greatly embedded in the central bank of both Europe and the United States and are served by the True Templars who hope to one day rebuild that lost Kingdom anew.
-New Order of the Ages = This mysterious sect of Templars is said to follow the ancient rituals of Solomon's Temple. They believe in the ancient ideal of the Priest-King that King Solomon embodied and the modern order is supposed to be pushing for the day when a new King Solomon rises up to bring peace and order to the world. Some reports claim they are a task force within the True Templars, while others say they are a separate entity with a different agenda?
-Ordo Seculorum = The Ordo seeks political and financial power, all the better for the Templars to combat their enemies. Unfortunately, their methods may leave others afraid of them, since the Ordo has acquired quite a bit of power and influence in the modern world. Many Seneschal Templars serve this Sect as financiers and economic agents.
-Pendant Shield = Also known as the Shield Cross, these Templars specialize in defensive measures against occult activities, counter-surveillance and the supernatural. Needless to say, knights of the Shield Order predominant among them.
-Plantard Plot = This extremely heretical sect of Templars practice the dark art of summoning demons. They do not wish the demons to serve them, however, instead, they just bind and torture them for information?
-Roslyn Chapel = Roslyn Chapel served as a secret meeting place and archive for centuries, right up until modern times. The Chapel's notoriety has rendered it useless for keeping secrets, but it's still a treasure trove of Templar history and Holy Relics. It also stands as a lasting symbol of the on-going alliance between the Templars and the Lords of the Congregation. 
-Schismatic Templars = Isn't a specific sect but a label for any Templar who works to bring down the Papacy (and probably has a grudge against the Order of Priests to boot). Sadly, some of them have descended into their own rank hells of hatred and self-pity, causing a few to become Fallen. For more info see Schismatic Templars.
-Separatist Templars = Unlike the Schismatics, these Templars feel apathy towards the Papacy, not hate. They do not wish to return to the fold of Western Christendom, but neither do they seek to do the Roman Church any harm.
-Society of St. John's Head = These were the 'Baphomet' guys, the Templars accused of worshipping an idol in the shape of a head. The reality is that the head was actually a sculpture tribute to John the Baptist, who was martyred by beheading. Baphomet is a bastardization of "Bufimet" which translates best as "Source Of Understanding," which is itself a variation of the Chapter's founding Name. These Templars saw the Baptist, who they believe was a devoted follower of that Name, as an ideal to be meditated upon and followed.
-Temple Arcanum = This sect of Templars are descended from those Templars taken to Egypt during the Crusades by the Saracens as captives. They are attempting to rediscover and rebuild the lost Library of Alexandria, slowly recovering the timeless manuscripts which were scattered across the world ages ago.
-True Templars = The True Templars recruit exclusively from the Order of Crusaders and they firmly believe that Hugh and his early companions were all Crusader Adepts. The True Templars are one of the most active and aggressive sects within the Templar Chapter and they have a history of tackling demonic incursions into the material world. And sticking it to the Order of Priests whenever possible.
== Templar Treasure?: ==
Stories of Templars escaping the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem with boatloads of gold and silver, possibly artifacts recovered from Solomon's Temple, are undocumented among modern Templars. Given the state of the modern Templar brotherhood, that may not mean much.
Most stories cite Templars recovering back to Europe with everything from precious jewels and gold, to the Holy Grail, the Shroud of Turin, the True Cross and any number of other famous Holy Relics.
== Relationship With The Orders: ==
The Assassins = Despite the common conception that the two were dire enemies, there is very little historical data to suggest the early Templars and Hashishin of Masyaf ever fought each other. In fact, there is some data that suggests the two may have acted as allies on occassion, albeit guarded ones. 
The Fallen = The Templars and the Order of the Fallen are not on good terms. The Templars have always had to deal with image issues, especially in light of the rumors of various secret practices which range from the heretical to the outright infernal. If Templars do cross paths with a Fallen Adept, they will likely keep away from (but keep an eye on) the Fallen in question.
The Inquisition = The Inquisition was chief among those who led the assault on the first Templar brotherhood back in the fourteenth century, and they have continued to keep tabs on the Templars since their rebirth. Inquisitors see the secrecy and dodginess of the Templars as evidence of some kind of foul play, as such they are always trying to delve into Templar business, something which the Knights are keen to react too. You're not likely to find any Inquisitors within the ranks of the Temple.
The Kings = The Templars served the Pope and the kings of Medieval Europe for nigh two centuries, the modern Order of Kings still has strong relations with them. Kings do have a tendency to think of Templars as an asset to be bought and used with favors, something which the high-minded Templars find distasteful. Still, the Kings do recognize the innocence of the Templars - during the Great Betrayal, most of Europe's nobility rejected the rumors of heresy that the French and the Papacy threw against the early Templars. Centuries later, the relationship between the two is largely unchanged, when high ranking Kings request aid, the Templars will usually send agents to act on their behalf.
The Magdalenes = The Templars began as an all male-only organization, and for centuries they continued that practice. It wasn't that Templars felt women were inferior, only that there were other organizations more suited to them. Indeed, some of the earliest sects among the Templars were actually pan-organizations shared between the Templars and Magdalenes (Rose Knights, The Iron Rose, The Scarlet Shield, etc.) all-women units often used as backup and reinforcements. In modern times women are now members of the 'brotherhood' and female Templars are quite common. All female Templars carry the Title of Dame. 
The Priests = The Order of Priests is not welcomed among the ranks of the Templars. The Priests are the force behind the Church, and the Templars feel nothing but betrayal in regards to that social institution. While some Priests may be associated and some sects have buried the axe, the mainstream members of the Chapter want nothing to do with the Priestly Order.
The Reformers = The Order of Reformers and the Templars are close allies. It's no coincidence that the Templars go through their rebirth and a century later is the beginning of the Protestant Reformation (not to mention the beginning of European democracy in the form of the Magna Carta). Both Templars and Reformers champion greater freedom and renewal. If a Reformer, even a low-ranking one, needs help, he is sure to find assistance with the nearest Templars.
The Resurrectionists = The Resurrects are distrusted by most other Orders because of their association with Death. However, Templars, who adhere to a warrior tradition stretching back centuries, and are no strangers to breaking taboo and going against public opinion, embrace Resurrectionists as fully as they would members of most other Orders.
The Serpents = ???.... Depending on who you ask, the Templars are said to be the dire foes of the Serpents, in league with the Serpents, or even willing servants of the Serpents! Within the Templars, some whisper that certain sects have broken away to work for the Serpents (or to hunt them down). As a general rule, the Templars leave the problem of the Serpents to the Inquisition, which seems perfectly happy to waste much more man-power and resources on chasing the Serpent's tails than the Templars ever could.
== References: ==
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Knights_Templar
-https://www.pinterest.com/benjaminstyles7/templars/
-http://templarhistory.com/
-http://thefirsttemplar-game.com/us/index.php
-http://www.amazon.com/Real-History-Behind-Templars/dp/0425215334/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1435598163&sr=8-1&keywords=real+history+behind+the+templars%2C+sharan+newman.
-http://www.amazon.com/Knights-Templar-Secret-History-Dark-ebook/dp/B00F1W07BO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1435598225&sr=8-3&keywords=osprey+publishing+templars
Category:God
Category:Templar
Category:Chapter
Category:War