Colonial Rite AC III

Founding

Haytham's operations "Upon this paper are the names of five men sympathetic to our cause. Each is also uniquely suited to aid you in your endeavor. With them at your side, you will want nothing." ―Birch giving Haytham his mission, 1754. On 8 July 1754,[9] Haytham arrived in Boston and was greeted by Charles Lee, a hopeful young man wishing to join the Templar Order. With Lee's help, Haytham sought to gather four Templars that Reginald Birch had arranged to aid Haytham with his expedition: William Johnson, Thomas Hickey, John Pitcairn and the surgeon Benjamin Church. Traveling to the Green Dragon Tavern, where Lee had booked them rooms, Haytham met with Johnson first, who informed him that his research on the native tribes had been stolen by mercenaries, likely hired by the Assassins. With Lee and Hickey, Haytham recovered the research, allowing Johnson to analyze the symbols on the Grand Temple Key and conclude they were connected to the Kanien'kehá:ka. Afterwards, Haytham and Lee searched for Church in order to recruit him, but discovered he had been abducted by Silas Thatcher, a cruel British officer who demanded protection money. Fortunately, the two managed to rescue Church from being tortured by Silas' assistant, Cutter, and took him back to the Green Dragon. Later, Haytham and Lee went after the final recruit, Pitcairn, who was serving under the British general and former Templar Edward Braddock. However, because of his past grievances with Haytham, as well as the fact that he had been forced by his superiors to let Lee assist Haytham, Braddock refused to release Pitcairn from his command. In response, the Templars assaulted Braddock during a patrol to force him to comply. With all his Templar recruits gathered, Haytham devised a plan to infiltrate Southgate Fort and put an end to Silas' slave operation, believing that this would earn them the favor of the Kanien'kehá:ka, which could prove essential in their search for the Grand Temple. After intercepting one of Silas' convoys transporting Kanien'kehá:ka slaves, the Templars killed the guards and took their uniforms. While Haytham rode on the carriage alongside a native woman named Kaniehtí:io, his fellow Templars followed the convoy from afar, taking out any suspicious soldiers along the way. Upon arriving at Southgate, Kaniehtí:io immediately ran away to liberate the natives. Despite this inconvenience, the Templars executed their plan successfully, freeing many prisoners who helped them fight Silas' men. During the battle, Haytham defeated Silas, who was then promptly killed by Church as revenge for his prior abduction. As the British troops surrendered, the natives were free to leave the fort, and Kaniehtí:io smiled to Haytham as a sign of gratitude. During this time, the Parisian Templar Charles Gabriel Sivert served as the colonial governor of Saint Pierre and Miquelon and Brigadier general in the French military, while also running an artifact smuggling operation on the side. Through this, Sivert funded Haytham's operations in the colonies, and was at one point involved in a disastrous attempt to recover an unknown object.

Official establishment "We need to redouble our efforts and expand our order, and establish a permanent base here. Although the site eludes us, I am confident we will find it." ―Haytham declaring the establishment of the Colonial Rite, 1755. In November of 1754, Haytham and Lee searched for Kaniehtí:io in the Frontier, as the former believed she could lead them to the Grand Temple. When they found her, the woman tried to ran away but Haytham managed to catch her. The Templar explained to her why he needed her help but Kaniehtí:io refused before Haytham tried to prove that he could be trusted. Haytham promised to help the natives stop the British expeditions into their territory. During their investigation, they discovered that with the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, the British Government had arranged for Edward Braddock to lead an expedition to the French-controlled Fort Duquesne. In July 1755, the combined assault of Haytham's Templars and the Kanien'kehá:ka tribes, together with a timely assault by the French Army, led to the destruction of the expedition,[8] where Gist fought at George Washington's side.[2] After being confronted by Haytham, Braddock attempted to run away, but was eventually cornered and mortally wounded by his former Templar brother. True to her word, Kaniehtí:io then led Haytham to the Grand Temple, though the latter was disappointed to find little more than a painted cave. Later, Haytham returned to the Green Dragon Tavern and informed his Templar brothers of his findings. He then officially established the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order and inducted Charles Lee into the their ranks. The Colonial Templars would continue to search for the Grand Temple, and also aided in the unification of the Thirteen Colonies by aiding the British Crown against the French.[8] Around this time, Barry and Cassidy Finnegan's son passed away and his Templar robes remained with his parents in New York. In early 1756, George Monro's men found Shay Cormac, who was left for dead after having betrayed the Assassins and stolen the Voynich manuscript from them. Monro recovered the manuscript from Shay's body and was tasked by Haytham to discover its secrets. Despite being aware of Shay's former allegiance, Monro decided to rescue him and left him in the care of the Finnegans in New York, to recover from his wounds.

The Characters:

Haytham E. Kenway - A member of the British Rite of the Templar Order, and the founder and first Grand Master of the Colonial Rite, reigning from 1754 until his death. He was also the father of the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton Son of the pirate and Master Assassin Edward Kenway, Haytham was converted to the Templar cause at a young age by Reginald Birch, following his father's death in 1735. When not focusing on his Templar duties, much of Haytham's early life was spent trying to track down his father's killers, as well as locate his sister Jennifer, who had been abducted on the night of their father's murder.

Charles Henry Lee - A British soldier and veteran of the Seven Years' War, as well as a member of the Templar Order. After his induction into the Order, Lee took a position as Haytham Kenway's second-in-command, and it was in this role that he later joined the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War as a General. Throughout the Revolution, Lee competed against his political rival and superior, Commander George Washington, with the ultimate aim of taking control of the Patriot leadership and handing the newly formed nation over to his Templar brothers.

Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet - An Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire, businessman, and a member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order. During the Seven Years' War, Johnson commanded Iroquois and colonial militia forces. Johnson also assisted in keeping Native Americans committed to the interests of the British. As a member of the Templars, Johnson was in charge of managing the land and property acquired by the Colonial Rite. During a meeting with several clan leaders, Johnson was assassinated by the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton.

Thomas Hickey - A member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order. He served as a soldier in the British Army during the French and Indian War, and later joined the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. While a member of the Templar Order, Hickey did not believe in its cause and joined solely for profit. After partaking in a failed search for a Precursor site during the French and Indian War, Hickey left the British Army, but continued to serve the Templars as a spy and counterfeiter. In 1776, he joined the Continental Army and became a member of George Washington's personal bodyguard.

Benjamin Church, Jr. - A doctor and a member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order, who served as Surgeon General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Serving under Grand Master Haytham Kenway, Church aided the Templars in establishing a permanent presence in the Thirteen Colonies and personally eliminated the slaver Silas Thatcher. Church also took part in the campaign to take down fellow Templar Edward Braddock, and continued serving the Order in the following years.

John Pitcairn - A British marine officer stationed in Boston, Massachusetts, for a time before the American Revolutionary War, and a member of the Colonial Rite of the Templar Order. He is notable for commanding British troops during the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill at the onset of the war, and was killed by the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton during the latter.

New in Boston, you're starting your new life in the city, but first... You need to look for a temporary place to stay, you find this cozy-looking place, it is the Green Dragon Tavern, quite the nice place, but as you reach upstairs to check for a room, you see these... Gentlemen, sitting on a table, you can't help but stare at them, curious about who they are and why do they look... Different, but one of them looks back at you, and then the others... Well, it's your turn to say something...