In the post-9/11 world, historian Mr. Paine writes a book about the Knights Templar. A wealthy recluse mysteriously summons him in order to read the autobiography of one of the founders of that Order, Sir Guy of Lagery. Eager to learn more, Paine opens the manuscript and delves into Sir Guy's incredible story. He learns of Sir Guy's challenges, as Crusades succeed and fail, and wars threaten to swallow the Holy Land in blood. Spanning time, the knight joins with several other Crusdaders to found the Templars. They spread throughout the world, creating financial institutions and letters of credit to become the wealthiest group in history. Sir Guy witnesses the Order's growth and the eventual loss of Jerusalem. But as Mr. Paine is about to find out, Sir Guy's future and his own may be inextricably linked .