It’s well known that after the Crusades in 1314, the once mighty Knights Templar fell out of favor and onto hard times. In fact, all were believed to be executed. Those who at least temporarily escaped were forced to abandon their mercenary/warrior lifestyle, go into hiding, and pursue other lines of work.
The large bundles of treasure amassed by the Knights enabled a natural transition into banking for many of the former knights. However, many had little to no financial aptitude at all and so furthered other interests. One group cultivated a vineyard and wine bottling business. Unfortunately, their prize wine Gethsemane Rosé attracted unwanted attention by the authorities. The bottling company was closed, the vineyards were burned, and the proprietors slain.
Another group founded an improvisational comedy theater in a remote area of Jerusalem/Damascus. Sadly, the theater closed after three years because it was so far off the beaten track that audiences couldn’t find it or dared not make the treacherous journey. Most audiences who did find and attend their shows, were turned off by the troupe’s practice of chopping off limbs instead of ringing a bell during games such as “Should’ve Said” and “Sounds Like A Song”.
Ultimately, only one small band of former knights was successful and thrived due to their use of stealth and love of baking. They set up a cookie factory under an assumed name in a hollow tree. The Knights Keeblar tested their baked goods first in the dead of night, bursting into villagers’ homes and forcing the terrified villagers to taste Toll House cookies at swordpoint (or on pain of death).
