Parisian Rite of the Templar Order

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"For centuries we have focused on the trappings of power: the titles of nobility, the offices of Church and State. Caught in the very lie we crafted to shepherd the masses... In the wake of revolution, the Order will adapt. They will retreat to the shadows and we will, at last, be the secret masters that we were meant to be."

―Germain to Élise de la Serre, regarding the Templars' agenda, 1794.

The Parisian Rite of the Templar Order, sometimes known simply as the Paris Rite, was one of the autonomous factions comprising the Templar Order. The Rite operated throughout Paris and Versailles, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

The Rite was centered in Paris and notably managed to maintain a truce with the French branch of the Assassin Order, negotiated between the Grand Master François de la Serre and the Assassin Mentor Mirabeau, despite the opposition to the idea among the members of both factions.

History

Division

High ranking Templar and Sage, François-Thomas Germain, became influenced by the ideals of Grand Master Jacques de Molay. He then proposed his ideals to de la Serre, who deemed his ideals radical and cast Germain out of the order.

Germain deemed the Order corrupt, its influence in politics making the Order forget its true purpose. Faking his death, Germain secretly planned with the Templars loyal to him, as well as recruiting those disillusioned by the corruption of the French monarchy.

Following a coup d'état within the Rite's ranks orchestrated by Germain, he was named as the new Grand Master and set in motion a series of events which culminated in the French Revolution, with his main aims being revenge for the death of de Molay, and stripping French aristocracy and upper class of power, while granting it to the lower class citizens, making the populace easier to manipulate by the Templars.

Despite Germain's recognition as Grand Master, he was still opposed by the conservative faction led by Lafrenière and de la Serre's daughter, Élise. Germain was then imprisoned by Lafrenière's men in his residence for several months. However, he was rescued by the Assassin Arno Dorian, who sought to avenge the death of his adoptive father, François de la Serre.

With subtle manipulation, Germain led Arno to believe that Lafrenière was behind de las Serre's murder. The Assassin then killed Lafrenière before he could amass his forces against Germain's followers. In disarray, he remaining members of the conservative faction were wiped out, with Élise as the sole survivor.

Members

Reformist Faction

• Arpinon
• Marquis de Pimôdan
• Duchesneau
• François-Thomas Germain
• Flavigny
• Jean Gilbert
• Magdelaine Lévesque
• Marie Lévesque
• Marcourt
• Denis Molinier

• Payen
• Louis-Michel le Peletier, Marquis de Saint-Fargeau
• Maximilien de Robespierre
• Roi des Thunes
• Frédéric Rouille
• Charles Gabriel Sivert
• Aloys la Touche

Conservative Faction

• Élise de la Serre
• François de la Serre
• Julie de la Serre
• Chrétien Lafrenière
• Marquis de Pimôdan
• Le Fanu
• Jean Burnel
• Jean-Jacques Calvert
• Calvert's father
• Marquis de Simonon
• Marquis de Kilmister

Allies

• Jean-Jacques Blaise d'Abbadie
• Jacques Roux

Reference

• Assassin's Creed: Unity