The Templar Order (Italian Branch)

The Templar Order is an important political, semi-religious, organization that primarily operates from Great Britain, but is also active in France, Spain, Great Britain, the West Indies, India, and West Africa. There are small chapters in the Germanic Kingdoms, the Middle East, and Russia as well. The Templar Order is currently led by Grandmaster,**Ishamel Decksteel**.

### Middle Ages

#### Founding

In 1118, Bernard de Clairvaux decided the Templars needed the Church as an ally. He sent nine men to Solomon's Temple: upon their return nine years later, Grand Master Hugues de Payens and Bernard created the Latin Rule, and reorganized the Templars into a public Order of knights, whose apparent sole purpose was to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land. In the 1129 Council of Troyes, the Order was officially recognized by the church, and in 1139, Pope Innocent II granted them diplomatic immunity in all provinces and territories and exemption from taxes. This allowed the faction to grow in numbers, strength and wealth quickly, and as they became a larger force, their responsibilities increased accordingly: the Order's many members were prominent figures in the Second Crusade.

#### The Chalice

In 1190, the Templars had come into possession of a powerful artifact simply known as the Chalice. Hiding it away in the Temple of the Sand, and needing three keys to unlock it. The Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad managed to obtain the keys and break into the Temple in search of the Chalice. Taking the Chalice back to Tyre, the Templars prepared to set sail with it, however they were again confronted by the Assassin, who managed to kill Lord Basilisk. The Templars, however, succeeded in taking the Chalice.

#### Third Crusade

By 1191, the Templars had come under the leadership of Robert de Sable. The Templars joined in the Third Crusade that was waging in the Holy Land, and De Sable started secretly recruiting men on both sides of the war. Among these were Garnier de Naplouse, William of Montferrat and Sibrand on the Crusader side, and Tamir, Talal, Abu'l Nuqoud, Majd Addin and Jubair al Hakim on the Saracen side. Unknown to the Assassins however, was that Al Mualim, the Mentor himself had joined with the Templar cause, though only as a means to obtain the Apple for himself. These ten men found an Apple of Eden together in Solomon's Temple, and made a few discoveries with it.

When Robert de Sable and a few of his men went to retrieve it from the temple, though, their progress was delayed by a small group of Assassins consisting of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and the brothers Malik and Kadar Al-Sayf, who were sent by Al Mualim to retrieve the treasure. Despite Altaïr being routed, Kadar's death, and Malik losing his arm, the artifact was brought into Assassin possession. This event prompted Robert to lead his men to an attack on the Assassins' fortress of Masyaf, but as soon as they arrived at the fortress gates, they were routed by a wave of falling tree logs.

Al Mualim sent Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad on a quest to take down nine Templars . One by one, the Templars spread throughout the cities of Damascus, Acre and Jerusalem, fell to Altaïr's blade, until he was assigned to take down Robert de Sable. De Sable had foreseen when his time would come, and assigned Maria Thorpe to impersonate him at Majd Addin's funeral, while Robert himself would ride for Arsuf in an attempt to have the Crusaders and Saracens unite in the face of the “Assassins threat”. The Assassin fell for the trap, but quickly found out about Robert's true location. Robert and Altaïr engaged in a battle at Arsuf before Robert was successful in his plan, and Robert was defeated. Before dying, he revealed to Altaïr that the last Templar was his own master, and the Assassin rode off to his final target. After Altaïr killed Al Mualim, the Apple was ultimately lost to the Assassins.

#### Relocation to Cyprus

Control of the Order fell to De Sable's successor, Armand Bouchart. Not too soon afterwards, Bouchart bought the island of Cyprus from King Richard I, which was formerly ruled by the secret Templar Isaac Comnenus. Planning to retrieve all the artifacts that were hidden in Templar Archive underneath Limassol, the Templars set sail from Acre to Cyprus in the fall of 1191.

The Templars quickly expanded their reach, starting with building strongholds in Limassol but rapidly taking control of Kyrenia as well. As the Templars used brute force to stay in control, the people formed a Resistance force that aimed to route the Templars from Cyprus. Additionally, the Templars were followed by Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad, who had taken Maria Thorpe as a captive. Due to Altaïr's efforts, all of Bouchart's generals in Limassol and Kyrenia were assassinated, and the Templars began to lose grip of Cyprus.

Despite the loss of many men, the Templars were successful in their objective, because while Altaïr was busy with removing Templar control in Kyrenia, the Templars had shipped out all of the artifacts in the Templar Archive underneath Limassol. After all the artifacts were shipped out, Bouchart found himself confronted by Altaïr in the Archive. The two faced off in a duel, but Bouchart too fell to Altaïr's blade.

#### Returning Underground

By 1307, the French King Philip le Bel was manipulated by the French Assassins into accusing the Templars of heresy, forcing Pope Clement V to disband them. The Grand Master Jacques de Molay allowed himself to be burned at the stake to fool his enemies into believing the Templars were destroyed. However, Jacques passed his knowledge of the Ancients to nine of his subordinates, allowing the Order to thrive underground.

In 1321, the Templars killed the Italian Assassin Dante Alighieri, making their existence known to the Assassins. Three years later, they also killed the Assassins Marco Polo and the father of Domenico Auditore.

#### Hundred Years' War

In 1337, the House of Plantagenet of England attacked the kingdom of France, ruled by the House of Valois. Around 1428, a French girl named Jeanne d'Arc, who had somehow obtained one of the Swords of Eden, joined the French front and lead the French to many victories. However, this caught the attention of the Templars, who had set their sights on the Piece of Eden she had in her possession. In 1430, Jeanne was captured and interrogated by the English, which caused her to lose the Sword to the Templars. In 1431, the Templars executed her by burning.

### Age of Reason

Templars looked at the Renaissance as a dark time for the Order: while other men progressed humanity's knowledge, the 15th century Templars led by the debauched Borgia did not care for such ideals, using the Order as a platform to gain power and influence. By the 17th century, the Templars began adjusting their philosophy. Instead of making personal bids for powers, the Templars sought to influence rather than control the leaders and intellectuals of the new age.

#### Assassin's Creed Canon Timeline

In the following centuries, the Templars expanded their enterprise to the New World, establishing their first notable Rite in the West Indies, led by Laureano de Torres y Ayala and operating largely out of Havana, Cuba. It was the mission of this branch to locate and secure the First Civilization site known as the Observatory, a complex that would further the Templar goal of influencing world governments through the application of precursor technology to spy, blackmail, and coerce politicians and other men in positions of power.

Although the Templars searched for nearly fifty years, it was only in 1715 that they received their first solid lead, locating a Sage named Bartholomew Roberts and bringing him to Havana. With the Sage's knowledge, the Templars planned to finally find the Observatory; however, the Sage's subsequent escape, coupled with the discovery that one of their newest recruits, Duncan Walpole, had been impersonated by the pirate Edward Kenway, set the Order back once again.

In the next years, Templar Woodes Rogers, governor of the Bahamas, attempted to dislocate pirates around the region, convincing Benjamin Hornigold and two of his subordinates, Josiah Burgess and John Cockram, to join the Order as pirate hunters. However, Kenway, searching for the Observatory for his own gain, eventually killed all three of the hunters. Roberts resurfaced, became a pirate, and soon took Kenway to the Observatory.

In 1720, Kenway finally allied himself with the Assassins, and was tasked with eliminating three targets, two of which, Rogers and Torres, were Templars. Although he attacked Rogers in Kingston, the Templar was able to survive. Disgraced and in heavy debt, the man returned to England, but was expelled from the order for his continued trading in slaves and hot temper.

Torres, having finally located the Observatory on his own, rushed to the complex to secure it. However, he was soon followed by Kenway, who managed to make his way through the chamber and assassinate the Grand Master.

#### Non-Canon Caribbean Age (POTCO)

When the British Empire decided to begin spreading into the New World, the Templar Order prepared to build its strength there, specifically, the West Indies. The East India Trading Company had already grown influence there under Lord Pablo Swordmaster, the first EITC Lord Marshal, and Lord Davy Menace, who effectively founded the Black Guard. Taking control of the East India Trading Company in 1687, members of the Order inflintrated its ranks, and eventually Grandmaster Benjamin Macmorgan was made Lord Davy Menace's official successor, the new Lord Marshal of the EITC. Obtaining the Apple of Eden #1, Macmorgan went on to found the Co. Empire and became the most powerful man in the Caribbean. Macmorgan ruled for 12 years before his empire was collapsed by an up and coming Prince of Spain, Sir Carlos Clemente. Macmorgan fled to England, but had lost his Apple to Clemente during the war. The Spanish Prince, convinced of his invincibility, returned to Spain with the Apple to take his father's throne.

It was at this point that the Order lost control. Leonardo Goldtimbers, son of future Grandmaster Giovanni Goldtimbers, forcefully took over the Company and exiled the Order from it. He established a Reign of Terror, using the Companies assets to steal and destroy several Pirate Guilds. Eventually, Leonardo went against England, and his father, Lord Giovanni Goldtimbers was sent to kill his son. Giovanni assassinated Leonardo as he left an EITC meeting. Hailed as the savior of the EITC, Giovanni handed over power to Lord Cutler Beckett and Lord Samuel Harrington, a Master Templar. Harrington convinced Beckett the need to destroy Piracy, and formed a master plan for the destruction of the Brethren Court which was used by Beckett. The Lord Governor put the plan into action and left Harrington in control of the Caribbean. Using the EITC assets, Harrington brought in a Templar Operative, Captain Ellison Shaw to search for the fabled Precursor Silver. Originally believing the Silver to be located in Tortuga, Harrington ordered Shaw to blow up Tortuga, and set up Thieves' Den - although it was later realized that Tortuga was not the site of the Precursor Silver. Harrington then ordered the construction of Kingshead, under Remington the Vicious, an impenetrable fortress for the EITC to headquarter itself in, in place of Fort Charles. Harrington then ordered Shaw to blow up Padres del Fuego, so that the Royal Navy could establish Beckett's Quarry. Prisoners, captured pirates, and others forced into slavery toiled away seraching for both the Precursor Silver, and the famed Pirate book containing the secrets to mastering the seas. The operation was overseen by Neban the Silent.

Beckett learned that Jolly Roger had invaded Raven's Cove, and wished to confront him to capture the cursed weapons of El Patron, which were the most powerful weapons known in the Caribbean. Lord Samuel Harrington and Captain Ellison Shaw were sent to Raven's Cove, where a massive Naval and Land battle occurred. Harrington sent Shaw and his Black Guard into the mines to find El Patron's Weapons, although they were confronted by Jolly Roger himself. Shaw managed to capture half of the weapons, and fled to Harrington's headquarters on the HMS Olivia. The EITC hastily made its way from the now destroyed cove, its mission a success. However, while Harrington was returning to Port Royal, pirates initiated a bomb on the island, in revenge for the destruction of Tortuga, destroying part of it, and using the EITC seal on the crates, enraging the villagers. For failing to prevent the attack, Beckett relieved Harrington of his post in the Caribbean, and sent him to Europe.

### British Raj

Thanks to the Templar control of the EITC, they gained complete control of India, almost completely wiping out the Assassins, and securing even more money and power for their order. Sir Richard Venables, a noted Master Templar controlled India for years as Governor-General. After his supposed death, Templar Operative, Matheiu O'malley was sent to India to restablish the Order's hold on India.

## Current Members

1. Ishamel Decksteel, *Grandmaster of the Order (Oversees Italian Branch)*
2. Peter Plankwrecker, *Master Templar*

* Joseph Bowdain, *Templar Operative*
* Simon Pratton, *Templar Mecernary*
* Elizabeth Bowdain, *Templar Novice*

### Ranking System

1. Grand Master ~ Supreme Head of the Templar Order.
2. Master Templar ~ Leaders of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order.
3. Templar Knight ~ Members of the Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order.
4. Templar Operative ~ Templars sent on important missions, usually assassinations.
5. Templar Mercenary ~ The basic rank of a member of the Templar Order.
6. Templar Novice ~ Lowest rank in the Templar Order; given to recruits upon joining.