Avalon, the upcoming blockchain MMO set in a fantasy version of King Arthur’s Camelot, has a story that is nevertheless deeply rooted in history. Specifically, the history of the Knights Templar, the warrior monks who shadow-ruled mediaeval Christendom and about whom fact, fiction, myth, and legend spring eternal. Avalon will take players on a richly textured journey through history and shine light on the deepest secrets of this most famous of religious orders.

The Origins of the Knights Templar

Once the blood of the First Crusade had dried in the desert sun, the Christians, as much to their surprise as anyone else’s, were in possession of Jerusalem. This is despite The First Crusade being barely more than a rabble of devout, desperate peasants led by zealous, bloodthirsty knights who had failed in their domestic political ambition. Nevertheless, its military success was such that suddenly Christendom’s kingdom on Earth extended to the Holy Land.

The Knights Templar were formed in the aftermath of this stunning, unexpected success to guard pilgrims and travelers journeying to the Holy Land. Utterly devout, monastical, and — in the ensuing decades — extremely wealthy, the Knights Templar flourished over the centuries to become a powerful, secretive, pan-Christendom cartel of wealthy warrior monks. A group so powerful they would end up forming their own nation state, and whose influence was felt in corridors of kings and as far as the fields of France.

Shrouded in Myth and Legend

Over the centuries, thousands of whispered legends have built up around the Knights Templar and the true nature of their activities, including their famous alleged role in protecting the bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, a story already writ large in the public consciousness by Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.

Yet even this grand tale scratches merely the surface of the Knights Templar’s mythic exploits, both real and imagined. Avalon: Game will explore every nook and cranny of the Knights Templar’s incredible real history, and bring their fascinating stories to life in an immersive blockchain MMO, where players will discover the true history of the Knights and, who knows, maybe even join the order themselves.

Real History, Real Expertise, Real Locations

To do this, they have enlisted the help of world famous historian of the Knights Templar, Freddy Silva. A leading researcher of alternate history, ancient knowledge, and secret societies, Freddy has appeared in documentaries on the Discovery channel, BBC, Amazon Prime, and more. The team has tapped into Freddy’s extraordinary knowledge to create a richer, deeper, more high-definition rendering of Knights Templar lore than has ever been done before — and the player is at the heart of the adventure.

The story starts in Scotland — the player’s starting hub — where the Templar have arrived to claim the city gifted to them by Arthur, King of Camelot. The Templar Grand Inquisitor, whose religious preachings have swayed the King and led to the expulsion of the pagan Druids, leads the order as they set up camp in the fantasy land of Avalon.

Despite the fantasy elements of their arrival in Avalon, the quests that emanate from it have a far firmer foundation in real world history. All names are real historical names, all characters you meet are based on historical figures, and all symbology and architecture is true to the period. The Knights Templar storyline in Avalon the Game will take players all over Europe to famous Templar locations, including Portugal, the mysterious islands around Scotland and, of course, Jerusalem itself.

The design of Avalon draws inspiration from our passion for the history of Templar Knights and our desire to share this passion through an unbelievably entertaining game that brings players together from all over the world. In part II, we will discuss the role of one of our most prominent team members who continually ensures the accuracy of the historical information presented through Avalon The Game.