The Knights Templar

Not unto us, O Lord,

But unto thy own name

Also known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, the Knights Templar are perhaps the most storied order after the Illuminati. Founded in 1119, the Knights were closely tied to the success of the Christian crusades in the Holy Land. Indeed, it is believed that the Knights Templar came across many holy relics in the Middle East, and smuggled them back to Europe. These relics are rumoured to include the Holy Grail, the Spear of Destiny, and the Splinters of the True Cross. These relics were hidden and protected within great fortresses and monasteries across Europe. It is also believed that the Templars came across a copy of the Necronomicon, and it was from that dark tome that the masters of the order learnt necromancy and other forbidden magics. This was one of several reasons for which the order was forcefully disbanded by the Catholic Church in 1312, but as with any good secret society, many of its members went underground, hiding in secret redoubts throughout Europe and the Near East. Since then, the Knights Templar have continued their holy mission in secret, using the powers of darkness and light against those who would threaten Christendom or the future of mankind, from demonic cults to outsider incursions to those who would break the Veil and bring uncontrolled magic back to the world. The Knights Templar were also one of the forefathers of the modern banking system, and over the centuries, their wealth has only increased, to the point where the Templars have financial interests and shell companies across Western Europe, Latin America, and Oceania.