American Rite of the Templar Order

Ratonhnhaké:ton: "What is it the Templars truly seek?"

Haytham Kenway: "Order. Purpose. Direction. No more than that."

—Ratonhnhaké:ton and Haytham Kenway, discussing the Colonial Templars' goals, 1778.

The Colonial Rite was one of a number of autonomous factions, in operation during the mid 18th century, that composed the Templar Order. Haytham Kenway founded, and became the first Grand Master of the Colonial Rite in 1754, in order to find a suspected Precursor storehouse.

The Colonial Rite played a significant role in guiding the course of the American Revolutionary War, with an aim to usurp control of the newly forming nation; in this, however, they were ultimately stopped by the Colonial Assassins.

History

Founding

In the year 1754, Haytham arrived in Boston, and was greeted by Charles Lee, a hopeful wishing to join the Templar Order. With Charles' help, Haytham sought to gather four individuals that Reginald Birch - the Grand Master of the British Rite - had arranged for Haytham to recruit: William Johnson, Thomas Hickey, Benjamin Church, and John Pitcairn.

With the outbreak of the French and Indian War, the British Government had arranged for General Edward Braddock, another member of the Templar Order, to lead an expedition to the French-controlled Fort Duquesne. In order to enlist the aid of the Kanien'kehá:ka, whom it was believed knew the location of the Precursor site, Haytham willingly agreed to side with them in their ambush of Braddock's forces.

The combined assault by Haytham's Rite and the Kanien'kehá:ka, together with a timely assault by the French Army, led to the destruction of the Expedition, and the death of Edward Braddock at Haytham's hands. True to her word, Kaniehtí:io, the Kanien'kehá:ka whom Haytham had agreed their alliance, led the Grand Master to the Precursor site, though the latter was disappointed to find little more than a cave.

Destruction of the Assassins and rise to power

By 1763, the Colonial Rite was in full conflict with the Assassin Brotherhood in the region; that very year, the Templars launched a concentrated assault on the Assassins, all but wiping them out. They forced the only surviving member of the Order - Achilles Davenport - into exile, on the condition that he retire from his life as an Assassin.

After a few more years, the Templars had allied with the British Army to focus on more "practical pursuits". When the American Revolution broke out, the Templars attempted to take advantage of it. Unbeknownst to them however, the Colonial Assassins had returned to the scene with the recruitment of Ratonhnhaké:ton, the illegitimate child of Haytham Kenway and Kaniehtí:io.

Over the course of the Revolution, Ratonhnhaké:ton assassinated William Johnson, Nicholas Biddle, and Thomas Hickey, and during a brief familial alliance, watched as Haytham killed Benjamin Church, who had recently betrayed the Colonial Rite.

Collapse

Charles Lee: "Why do you persist...? You put us down. We rise again. You end one plot; we forge another. You try so hard... But it always ends the same. [...] Yet you fight. You resist. Why?"

Ratonhnhaké:ton: "Because no one else will!"

—Charles Lee and Ratonhnhaké:ton, 1782.

In 1781, Ratonhnhaké:ton, seeking out Charles Lee, confronted his father in the Templar stronghold at Fort George, New York. After a brutal fight, the Templar Grand Master was killed, and Charles Lee rose to the position in his stead.

At least three months later, in 1782, a funeral was held for Kenway and presided over by Charles Lee, but it was interrupted with the arrival of Ratonhnhaké:ton. Charles had the Assassin detained, before making preparations to travel to Boston. Eventually, the Assassin caught up with Lee once more, and after a rugged pursuit, tracked the man down and killed him in Conestoga Inn, Monmouth. Lee's death marked the collapse of the Colonial Rite and the end of Templar involvement in North America, at least for a time.

Members

• Haytham Kenway
• Charles Lee
• William Johnson
• Thomas Hickey
• Benjamin Church
• John Pitcairn
• Nicholas Biddle

• Matthew Davenport
• Eleanor Mallow
• Gerhard von Stantten
• Gillian McCarthy
• Federico Perez
• Victor Wolcott

Allies

• The "Coyote Man"

Reference

• Assassin's Creed III