Garnier de Naplouse

"It's not what I believe...it's what I know"

―Garnier's dying breath

Garnier de Naplouse is the second Templar assigned by Al Mualim for Altaïr to assassinate. He is a doctor and Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller in the city of Acre and a secret member of the Knights Templars.

Description

Garnier de Naplouse was exiled from France for the cruel and inhumane treatment of his patients. He viewed them less as people, or more as test subjects. He later re-established mad business in the city of Acre where he treats his patients cruelly by conducting experiments on them, torturing them, and not allowing them leave (even going so far as having his men break their legs). In order to not draw attention to his acts he forcefully takes his patients from the surrounding cities of Jerusalem and Damascus with help of Talal, a fellow member of the Templars. He has been protected in Acre due to the amount of money his family had donated towards the war effort.

Though claiming to be a man of knowledge, Garnier lacks ethics. He never sees the price of knowledge as too high, even if it must be paid with another man's blood.

Death

Garnier was assassinated within his Hospitalier Fortress by Altaïr while attending to his victims. Altair first sees him attending to a patient who was trying to escape. Garnier has his men break the man's legs so it wouldn't happen again. During his monologue after his assassination, he speaks of how he was actually helping people. He claims that the people he took were among the poorest and most ill of the other cities, and that many have recovered and thanked him for his help. He says his methods were necessary to free people from the "prisons of their own minds".

Final Words

Altaïr: Let go your burden.

Garnier: Ah, I'll rest now, yes. The endless dream calls to me, but before I close my eyes, I must know: what will become of my children?

Altaïr: You mean the people made to suffer your cruel experiments!? They'll be free to return to their homes!

Garnier: Homes!? What homes!? The sewers? The brothels? The prisons that we would hide them from?

Altaïr: You took these people against their will!

Garnier: Yes, what little will there was for them to have. Are you really so naive? Do you appease a crying child, simply because he wails? "But I want to play with fire, father". What would you say? "As you wish?". Ah, but then you'd answer for his burns.

Altaïr: These are not children, but men and women, full grown.

Garnier: In body, perhaps, but not in mind, which is the very damage I sought to repair. I admit, without the Piece of Eden-which you stole from us- my progress was slowed. But there are herbs, mixtures and extracts. My guards are proof of this: they were madmen before I found and freed them from the prisons of their own minds...and with my death, madmen they will be again.

Altaïr: You truly believe you were helping them?

Garnier: It's not what I believe...it's what I know.

Trivia

• Garnier de Naplouse (also known as Garnier de Nablus) was a real-life leader of the Knights Hospitalier, who ruled from 1190 to 1192. In contrast to the in-game depiction, the real-life Garnier was a courageous and brave individual who led the Hospitallers and the Crusaders to many victories: not a sadistic and cruel individual as portrayed in the game.
• It is much easier to air assassinate Garnier de Naplouse than to assassinate him from the ground, because his "patients" will push you around which will blow your cover very easily.