Garnier de Naplouse

"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."

- Garnier de Naplouse.

Garnier de Naplouse (c. 1147 - 1191) was a doctor, and the Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalier in Acre. He was also a secret member of the Knights Templar, and one of the targets assigned to the Assassin Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad as part of the mission given to him by his master Al Mualim.

Grand Master of the Hospitaliers
Garnier was the tenth Grand Master of the Knights Hospitalier, a monastic order founded after the First Crusade, who established its first infirmary near the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. At first, the order cared for pilgrims, but soon made sure armed guards prevented the pilgrims from being harmed. This escorting force was built up dramatically, and became a dominant Christian group along with the Knights Templar. Garnier began his service with the order in 1177, as a commander of the hospital in Jerusalem, and was promoted a decade later.

Garnier was exiled from France for the cruel and inhumane treatment of his patients, who he saw less as people, and more as experiments on whom to try the latest cures. The price of knowledge was never too high for him, even if it had to be paid with another man's blood. Since Garnier's family had contributed a significant amount of money to King Richard's war efforts, he was harbored and protected in Acre.

In Acre, Garnier managed to buy himself loyal assistants, who allowed him to continue his cruel work. He fluctuated between being very articulate and composed, and being a deranged madman; although he did firmly believe that he was helping those he tended to in the Hospitalier Fortress in Acre. At some point, Garnier joined the Templar Order and learned their ways and secrets just like his fellow members. What he learned included the Templar's views and even information on the mysterious artifact, the Piece of Eden.

Hospitalier Fortress and death


Following the siege of Acre, Garnier was granted jurisdiction of the Poor District in Acre. There, he set up his base of operation at the Hospitalier hospital, and continued his brutal experiments. News of his horrible work spread throughout the city, causing civilians to fear and avoid the hospital.

When Altaïr infiltrated the Hospitalier Fortress with the intention of assassinating Garnier, a terrified patient attempted to escape, only to be captured by Garnier's guards. When Garnier revealed himself, he attempted to calm the patient with kind words. However, the patient had a outburst, claiming that Garnier's true intentions were evil. After the doctor admonished him, he commanded the guards to break the patient's legs, knowing this would prevent another escape attempt.

When Garnier dismissed the horrified crowd and returned to his work, the Assassin stealthily made his way inside the hospital, and located the doctor. Altaïr then took the doctor's life with his blade. With his final words, Garnier claimed that he was actually helping his patients. Although Altaïr tried to rebuke all of his claims, Garnier persisted in his beliefs.

Garnier claimed that the people he took were among the poorest and most ill of the surrounding cities, and that many had recovered and were grateful for his generous help. He said his methods were necessary to free people from the "prisons of their own minds." Altaïr asked if he truly believed that he was helping them, and Garnier simply replied that "It's not what I believe, it's what I know." Before he could say anymore however, Garnier died, and Altaïr was left to escape the area, and report his success to the bureau.

Personality and characteristics
Garnier genuinely believed that he was helping the people that he held in his hospital, committing cruel and injustice acts to his patients, turning them into his slaves, and making them his guards. Even though he claimed to be a man of science, he completely lacked a sense of ethics and morality. He did not seem to fear death and even while he was communicating with Altaïr, he attempted to justify his actions, explaining why he dragged them from their supposed "homes" such as brothels or sewers.

He often wore a black robes with an apron which was stained from the blood of the patients who had been involved in his experiments. He had a small leather belt around his waist which held up a small pouch with unknown contents and he usually carried his sword around with him for protection. He was of average height and weight. Signs of growing older, such as wrinkles and balding, were visible as well.

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 now to return to their homes!
 * Garnier: Homes!? What homes!? The sewers? The brothels? The prisons that we dragged 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

 * In contrast to the in-game depiction of a sadistic and cruel man, the real-life Garnier was a courageous and brave individual who led the Hospitaliers and the Crusaders to many victories.
 * Historically, Garnier de Naplouse fought in the Battle of Arsuf, while in Assassin's Creed, he died before the battle took place.