Assassin's Creed Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Florence

2011-04-27T19:42:40Z

82.95.68.218:

{{Era|ACL|AC2|Renaissance|realworld}}
{{WP-REAL}}
{{assassify}}
{{Location infobox
|image = Firenzelineage.png
|state = Florentine Republic
|rulers = [[House of Medici]]
|factions = *[[Assassins]]
**[[House of Auditore]]
*[[Templars]]
**[[House of Pazzi]]
|founded = [[Gaius Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]]
|date = 59 BCE
|landmark = *[[Santa Maria del Fiore]]
*[[Santa Maria Novella]]
*[[Ponte Vecchio]]
*[[Palazzo Auditore]]
|targets = *[[Uberto Alberti]]
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]]
*[[Girolamo Savonarola]]
}}
'''Florence''' (Italian: ''Firenze'') was a major city in northern [[Italy]] and home of the notable [[Auditore]] family during the late 15th Century. During this time, the city was ruled by the venerable [[Lorenzo de' Medici]] of the [[House of Medici]].

== History of Florence ==
Florence was founded during the Roman era, in the year 60 BC, although it would be some 1,400 years before it rose to become one of Italy's most important cities. The cradle of the [[Renaissance]], the Medici run city placed a focus on the art and science, as well as being the birthplace of the modern banking system;<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref> the city was also home to some of Italy's most notable figures, including [[Leonardo da Vinci]], Boticelli, [[Michelangelo]], [[Niccolò Machiavelli]] and the infamous [[House of Auditore|Auditore family]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> At some point after the year 1291, the Assassin [[Domenico Auditore|Domenico]] and his son came to live in Florence, adopting the name of Auditore and becoming a part of the city's nobility.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II: Auditore Family Crypt">''[[Auditore Family Crypt|Assassin's Creed II: Auditore Family Crypt]]''</ref>

The city flourished during the reign of [[Lorenzo de' Medici]], and during this reign, great artists, philosophers and others had contributed to the city's development. Various architectural marvels blessed the streets of Florence, such as the [[Santa Maria Novella]], the [[Piazza della Signoria]], [[Santa Maria del Fiore|Il Duomo]] and the [[Ponte Vecchio]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> The beauty of Florence was not immune to the troubles of the real world, however, and like other cities in the regions had enemies. One of the Medici's foremost defenses was the [[Assassins|Assassin]] [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze]], who often worked on the behalf of Lorenzo de' Medici up until 1476.

However, the presence of the assassin in Florence proved problematic for the [[Templars]], who sought control of the city; organizing the [[Auditore execution|execution]] of Giovanni alongside his sons [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]] and the [[House of Pazzi|Pazzi family]] begun plans to assume control of the city. In 1478, the Pazzi attacked Lorenzo and his brother [[Giuliano de' Medici]] just before Sunday mass, killing Giuliano and wounding Lorenzo in the neck; saved only by the timely arrival of the sole surviving male Auditore – [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]]; Lorenzo ordered the deaths of Pazzi conspirators, and was quickly given his wish in the form of [[Francesco de' Pazzi]]. The city remained in Medici hands.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

After some years, the sudden death of Lorenzo de' Medici saddened the city, as it had been said that the entire city was at his funeral, including [[Girolamo Savonarola]], a Dominican priest. Following Lorenzo's death in 1492, control of the city passed into Savonarola's hands, who had been using a [[Sixth Apple|Piece of Eden]] to gain control over the masses. Savonarola disagreed with the Renaissance, and preached a return to the medieval way of life and by 1494 had assumed complete control of the city.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Renaissance">''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''</ref> He remained in control until the year 1498 when the assassin Ezio Auditore returned to his home city and killed the nine lieutenants of Savonarola, before ensuring the death of Savonarola himself.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Bonfire of the Vanities">''[[Bonfire of the Vanities (DLC)|Bonfire of the Vanities]]''</ref>

During Savonarola's reign Florence became "hell on earth";<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /> Savonarola imposed a theocratic and dogmatic regime, instigating the infamous [[Bonfire of the Vanities]] in 1497. His followers collected and burned all objects that could lead to sin; non-religious books, mirrors, arts, jewels or fine clothing, to name a few. However, following Savonarola's death, the city passed back into the hands of the Medici.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Renaissance" />

==Database entry==
Founded by [[Gaius Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar]] in 59 B.C.E., Florentia, as it was called by the Romans, quickly became a center of commerce.

After the sacking of [[Rome]], in the 5th Century, the Ostrogoths took over. Under their rule, the city was constantly under attack from the Byzantines, who sent the population level below 1,000. The Lombards came to power in the 6th Century, ending the Byzantine assaults.

Florence grew to a population of 80,000 in the 14th Century, of which 25,000 were working in the wool industry. In 1378, a major revolt of the lower class led to the wool combers rising up and seizing the government of the city. Their progressive, radical democracy lasted for less than 2 months before the upper classes seized control once more, but the revolt so terrified the rich, that a century later it was still discussed in hushed tones, much as the 1960s hippy movement is today.

The Albizzi family became the de facto rulers after the revolt. Worried about the rise of the [[House of Medici|Medici family]], who were newly rich bankers rapidly gaining influence in Florence, Maso and Rinaldo Albizzi imprisoned [[Cosimo de' Medici]] and exiled him in 1433. But Cosimo gained influence behind the scenes, and rose to power in 1434, exiling the entire Albizzi family except for Luca, who had been loyal to Cosimo. Luca Albizzi joined the Signoria, the ruling body of Florence, as Gonfaloniere, succeeding Cosimo's old friend [[Ilario Auditore]] in 1442.

Under the [[House of Medici|Medici family]], which built impressive public buildings and supported such luminaries as [[Michelangelo]], [[Leonardo da Vinci|Leonardo]] and Botticelli, the [[Renaissance]] began with Florence securely at its center.

{{wide image|Firenze_by_mattiarib-d38jo7w.jpg|1800px|Firenze Panorama.
|alt=Panorama of Firenze}}

==Landmarks==
Aside from the ones listed below, players will also be able to see [[Basilica di Santa Croce]], [[Palazzo Vecchio]], [[Giotto's Campanile]] and [[Ponte Vecchio]].

===Santa Maria del Fiore===
{{Main|Santa Maria del Fiore}}

The construction of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (also referred to as the Duomo) began in 1296 in the Gothic style, following the design of Arnolfo di Cambio. It was completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The tower is climbable and has a View Point on the very top of it. Also, the interior is accessible as [[Iltani]]'s [[Assassin's Tombs|Assassin's Tomb]]. When this side-mission is entered, Ezio needs to climb through the interior of the church, until the lantern on top.

===Santa Maria Novella===
{{Main|Santa Maria Novella}}

Santa Maria Novella is a church in Florence, situated just across the main railway station that shares its name. Chronologically, it is the first great basilica in Florence, and is the city's principal Dominican church. The church, the adjoining cloister, and chapter house contain a store of art treasures and funerary monuments. Especially famous are frescoes by masters of Gothic and early Renaissance. They were financed through the generosity of the most important Florentine families, who ensured themselves of funerary chapels on consecrated ground. In ''Assassin's Creed II'', the basilica houses an Assassin's Tomb.

==Assassination Targets==
*[[Uberto Alberti]]; the Gonfaloniere (DNA Sequence 2: Vengeance)
*[[Francesco de' Pazzi]]; Patriarch of the Pazzi Family (DNA Sequence 4: Bloody Sunday)
*[[Girolamo Savonarola]]; monk in control of Florence (DNA Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities)

==Oltrarno District==
[[File:Florence Map1.jpg|thumb|left|350px|Florence Map]]

The [[Oltrarno District|southernmost area]] of Florence is unreachable to the player in the main game; wherein attempting to cross a bridge over the river will cause Ezio to desynchronize. Although you cannot reach the other side, map icons for posters will appear there when you are notorious. Several eagle viewpoints are also visible. The Oltrarno district was released as part of the [[Bonfire of the Vanities (DLC)|''Bonfire of the Vanities'' downloadable content]], along with the sprint jump ability, which allows Ezio to sprint and jump off of flag posts in southern Florence. The sprint jump is only usable here.

==Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood==
In ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]'', Florence appears in four of the [[Cristina Vespucci|Cristina]] [[Cristina Memories|missions]], which are suppressed memories of Ezio's past. The city also appears in the game as a multiplayer location, and as a location that Ezio can send his [[Apprentices]] to for contracts.

==Trivia==
*Oddly, missing from in front of the main entrance to the Santa Maria del Fiore is the Battistero di San Giovanni, which was built several hundred years before the events of the game.

==Gallery==

<center><gallery captionalign="left">
File:EzioFlorence.png|Ezio viewing the area from a [[View Point]] before doing a [[Leap of Faith]], with the [[Santa Maria Novella]] in the background
file:EzioFlorenceguard.jpg|Florence at day
File:Florence nighttime.png|Florence at night
klklk.png|Florence from a bird's eye view.
AC2_S_085_Florence_RunEzio.jpg|Typical Florentine street
florencja.jpg|Florence in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' multiplayer.
z_a9151d50.jpg|Map of Florence in ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' multiplayer.
</gallery></center>

==Appearances==
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Lineage]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Renaissance]]''
*''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]] ''{{fb}}

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}

[[es:Florencia]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Locations]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Multiplayer Locations]]
[[Category:Italy]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Locations]]
[[Category:Cities of Europe]]

Mario Auditore

2010-11-03T21:14:17Z

82.95.68.218:

{{Era|AC2|Assassins|Ren|Featured}}
{{Spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox

|name = Mario Auditore
|image = Zw-marioauditore.png
|birth = 1434 [[Monteriggioni]], [[Italy]]
|death = 1499 [[Monteriggioni]], [[Italy]]
|period = Italian Renaissance
|faction = [[Assassins]], [[Mercenaries]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|voice = [[Fred Tatasciore]]
}}
{{quote|Don't you recognize me? It's a-me, Mario!|Mario meeting Ezio.|Assassin's Creed II}}

'''Mario Auditore''' (1434 - 1499) was an [[Italy|Italian]] [[wikipedia:Condottiero|condottiero]] and the ruler of [[Monteriggioni]] since 1454. He was also a notable member of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

==Biography==
===Early life===
Mario was most likely born in Monteriggioni, [[Tuscany]], alongside his younger brother [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]]. Mario came from a bloodline of notable Assassins and thus also became one, starting his training at a young age.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

As a young man, Mario played an important role in the [[Battle of Anghiari]], where he alerted the condottiero Micheletto Attendolo to dust clouds over the road, signalling a surprise advance on the Florentines by the Milanese troops. The attack was stopped, and the Florentines won the battle. However, after this battle, most of his time was spent defending his home town of Monteriggioni and the Tuscan countryside from persistent [[Florence|Florentine]] troops determined to seize it.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Defense of Monteriggioni===
In 1454, Mario's younger brother Giovanni decided to move to [[Florence]] to pursue a career in banking. Mario remained at the Auditore family villa in Monteriggioni, and the two exchanged letters to keep in touch. In one of these letters, Mario defended his decision to stay in Monteriggioni by writing that he "preferred fighting like a man, to filling out balance sheets." It is insinuated that he rarely saw the family after that.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

Under Mario's rule, Monteriggioni temporarily had a time of prosperity. Mario opened several shops and guilds in the city and greatly increased the city's defenses, in order to withstand Florentine attacks. He discovered a Florentine informant living in Monteriggioni, [[Luciano Pezzati]], and faced his men with some of his own. He dueled Luciano, barely defeating him, and had him dragged to the [[Villa Auditore]]. From Luciano, he found out that Florence was sending the condottiero [[Federico da Montefeltro]] to lead an attack on Monteriggioni. Due to Mario's leadership, the city was succesfully defended and the attack was a failure.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy" />

Eventually, Luciano Pezatti confessed the truth behind the siege, that the Florentines attacked in search of a mysterious artifact in Monteriggioni. Mario, curious as to what this might be, gathered his architects and historians, eventually discovering that the city well was once drained and excavated. Together with a miner and some of his men, he set foot inside the well. While at first they did not find anything, Mario saw that the miner's flame was flickering while near the back wall, indicating the presence of wind. Together, they pushed against the wall and found a hidden corridor, filled with various deadly traps. Members of their group were caught up in the traps, and even Mario himself caught a swinging pendulum trap, blinding him in his left eye and causing the scar on his face.

At last, they found a wooden box within the well, from which a [[The Shroud|presence]] told Mario's men that their "pain was temporary" and to "Ignore it." Mario's men were certain the presence would heal their wounds, but Mario thought that as the box had been hidden for so long, there had to be a reason why it was there, and that opening it would be unwise. Mario's men rebelled, eager to uncover the presence, and he was forced to strike them down. Mario was curious as to what the box might contain, but he promised himself not to open it. He carried it to the Villa Auditore, while not giving in to the Shroud's attempts to heal him. He had his brother pick it up, making it "the Brotherhood's problem."<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy" />

===Training Ezio===
[[File:Ss_preview_AC2_S_051_UncleMario_Villa_jpg.jpg|thumb|300px|Mario and his mercenaries.]]
In 1476, Giovanni and two of his sons, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], were executed for being accused of treason, while secretly being executed by the [[Templars]], the arch-enemies of the Assassins. In order to get to safety, Giovanni's remaining son [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]] escorted his mother [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria]] and sister [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia]] out of Florence and towards Monteriggioni.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

When the three almost reached Monteriggioni, they were ambushed by [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his soldiers. Mario and his mercenaries saved the trio and he insisted that they accompanied him back to Monteriggioni. Mario told Ezio of his Assassin heritage and that he had to be trained so that he can properly fight and defeat the Templars and protect his mother and sister. He then showed Ezio the inside of his villa and the [[Sanctuary]] hidden at the back of a bookcase and explained the purpose of [[the Codex]]. He soon started Ezio's training to become an Assassin and was also shown to be extremely proud of his Assassin heritage after he stormed off when Ezio announced his decision to take Maria and Claudia to Spain, against Mario's wishes.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Feeling guilty, Ezio rethought his decision and followed Mario to [[San Gimignano]] to kill Vieri de' Pazzi. When Ezio killed Vieri and began to abuse the body, Mario stepped in and urged him to have respect for the dead. "You are not Vieri," he said to Ezio, "do not become him." Then, addressing Vieri's body, he delivered a short monologue before uttering the words "''requiescat in pace (rest in peace)''," a term that Ezio adopted for further assassinations.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Acquisition of the Apple of Eden===
In 1488, Mario and some of the other Assassins met with each other in [[Venice]] to acquire the "[[First Apple|Apple]]" from the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], knowing that it was to be delivered to him that day. When they arrived at Rodrigo's location, they found Ezio fighting Rodrigo and joined his side. After defeating Rodrigo's guards and almost killing Rodrigo, the latter ran for his life and left the Apple behind. The group, excluding Mario, all revealed themselves to be Assassins, which was unbeknownst to Ezio when he first met them.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

After securing the Piece of Eden, Mario studied it alongside [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], [[Leonardo da Vinci]] and Ezio. When the Apple was activated, Mario and Machiavelli were both affected and collapsed, holding their heads. Ezio and Leonardo, however, remained unaffected. Mario recognized its great power and told Ezio to protect it by taking it to the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]] in [[Forlì]], as that citadel was protected by their ally [[Caterina Sforza]]. Mario then invited Leonardo to the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

After seeing Ezio place his fiftieth feather in the chest in Maria's room, Mario entered and attempted to stop Ezio from continuing on what Mario considered to be a vain effort and left after informing him that he left a new weapon at the blacksmith for Ezio to use.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

In 1499, Mario, Ezio and the other Assassins who Ezio previously met gathered in the Villa Auditore to find out the prophecy in the Codex. They found out that the Codex pages showed a map of all the locations of 'Vaults' in the world. Ezio concluded that [[The Vault|the nearest vault]] was in the Vatican and that Rodrigo Borgia simply became pope so that he could have access to the Vault and [[the Staff|the Staff of Eden]], which was in fact the papal staff. Ezio left for Rome to assassinate Rodrigo and enter the Vault, killing several of his men along the [[Passetto di Borgo]]. Ezio eventually spared Rodrigo, but recovered the Staff of Eden from him and discovered the Vault.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Later life===
[[File:Mario_Auditore.JPG|thumb|300px|Mario Auditore, moments before being shot.]]
After Ezio discovered the Vault, he met with Mario and the two escaped from Rome back to Monteriggioni. Some time after they returned, Monteriggioni was besieged by the [[House of Borgia|Borgia]], under the command of [[Cesare Borgia]]. Mario quickly met Ezio, saying that he would keep the Apple safe with him and that Ezio had to stop the enemy's cannons. However, Mario became wounded and was captured by Cesare. Mario, who walked back to the city, collapsed at the city gate, followed by Cesare Borgia and his lieutenants. Cesare, holding the Apple in his hand, shot Mario dead as an 'invitation' from his family to Ezio's to go to Rome.

In a singleplayer gameplay-trailer it seems that Mario is still alive. After the events of the siege : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZwm5qtbaDo&feature=related<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

==Personality and characteristics==
Mario dressed in the flamboyant style of the Italian nobility of the Renaissance, sported long, dark hair that he slicked back neatly and had a scar over his left eye, which he was also blind in. This is an injury he sustained when he was exploring underneath the Villa Auditore, and found the Shroud. He was a boisterous man and made no apologies for his passion for fighting and alcohol. He cared deeply for his family and was extremely proud of his Assassin heritage. From his letter to Giovanni and their differences in fighting styles, it can be assumed that he was often playfully critical of his brother, much like his nephew Federico was with Ezio.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

The logo of the Assassins was embroidered/stitched onto the leather of Mario's left shoulder pad. The Auditore coat of arms was also stitched onto the cape he wore.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

Upon close inspection, one notes that Mario often put his hand on the shoulder of the person he was speaking to, presumably as a sign of closeness or affection.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

==Trivia==
[[File:Mario.jpg|Mario's concept art.|thumb|200px]]
*When he first introduced himself, he exclaimed to Ezio that "''It's a-me, Mario!''". This being a popular phrase of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario Mario's] from the [[wikipedia:Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Bros.]] game series.
*He was often referred to as ''ubriacone'' ("drunkard" in Italian) by the [[Pazzi]].
*Although Mario lived in the villa, you only get to see him during missions or when you place your 50th feather in Maria's box.
*In a gameplay video for ''Brotherhood'', it can be noted that Mario had greying hair, indicating he has aged significantly.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auditore, Mario}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Mario]]

Mario Auditore

2010-11-03T21:09:10Z

82.95.68.218:

{{Era|AC2|Assassins|Ren|Featured}}
{{Spoilerhd}}
{{Character Infobox

|name = Mario Auditore
|image = Zw-marioauditore.png
|birth = 1434 [[Monteriggioni]], [[Italy]]
|death = 1499 [[Monteriggioni]], [[Italy]]
|period = Italian Renaissance
|faction = [[Assassins]], [[Mercenaries]]
|appear = ''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]'' ''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''
|voice = [[Fred Tatasciore]]
}}
{{quote|Don't you recognize me? It's a-me, Mario!|Mario meeting Ezio.|Assassin's Creed II}}

'''Mario Auditore''' (1434 - 1499) was an [[Italy|Italian]] [[wikipedia:Condottiero|condottiero]] and the ruler of [[Monteriggioni]] since 1454. He was also a notable member of the [[Assassins|Assassin Order]].<ref name="Assassin's Creed II">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]''</ref>

==Biography==
===Early life===
Mario was most likely born in Monteriggioni, [[Tuscany]], alongside his younger brother [[Giovanni Auditore da Firenze|Giovanni]]. Mario came from a bloodline of notable Assassins and thus also became one, starting his training at a young age.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

As a young man, Mario played an important role in the [[Battle of Anghiari]], where he alerted the condottiero Micheletto Attendolo to dust clouds over the road, signalling a surprise advance on the Florentines by the Milanese troops. The attack was stopped, and the Florentines won the battle. However, after this battle, most of his time was spent defending his home town of Monteriggioni and the Tuscan countryside from persistent [[Florence|Florentine]] troops determined to seize it.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Defense of Monteriggioni===
In 1454, Mario's younger brother Giovanni decided to move to [[Florence]] to pursue a career in banking. Mario remained at the Auditore family villa in Monteriggioni, and the two exchanged letters to keep in touch. In one of these letters, Mario defended his decision to stay in Monteriggioni by writing that he "preferred fighting like a man, to filling out balance sheets." It is insinuated that he rarely saw the family after that.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy">''[[Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy]]''</ref>

Under Mario's rule, Monteriggioni temporarily had a time of prosperity. Mario opened several shops and guilds in the city and greatly increased the city's defenses, in order to withstand Florentine attacks. He discovered a Florentine informant living in Monteriggioni, [[Luciano Pezzati]], and faced his men with some of his own. He dueled Luciano, barely defeating him, and had him dragged to the [[Villa Auditore]]. From Luciano, he found out that Florence was sending the condottiero [[Federico da Montefeltro]] to lead an attack on Monteriggioni. Due to Mario's leadership, the city was succesfully defended and the attack was a failure.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy" />

Eventually, Luciano Pezatti confessed the truth behind the siege, that the Florentines attacked in search of a mysterious artifact in Monteriggioni. Mario, curious as to what this might be, gathered his architects and historians, eventually discovering that the city well was once drained and excavated. Together with a miner and some of his men, he set foot inside the well. While at first they did not find anything, Mario saw that the miner's flame was flickering while near the back wall, indicating the presence of wind. Together, they pushed against the wall and found a hidden corridor, filled with various deadly traps. Members of their group were caught up in the traps, and even Mario himself caught a swinging pendulum trap, blinding him in his left eye and causing the scar on his face.

At last, they found a wooden box within the well, from which a [[The Shroud|presence]] told Mario's men that their "pain was temporary" and to "Ignore it." Mario's men were certain the presence would heal their wounds, but Mario thought that as the box had been hidden for so long, there had to be a reason why it was there, and that opening it would be unwise. Mario's men rebelled, eager to uncover the presence, and he was forced to strike them down. Mario was curious as to what the box might contain, but he promised himself not to open it. He carried it to the Villa Auditore, while not giving in to the Shroud's attempts to heal him. He had his brother pick it up, making it "the Brotherhood's problem."<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy" />

===Training Ezio===
[[File:Ss_preview_AC2_S_051_UncleMario_Villa_jpg.jpg|thumb|300px|Mario and his mercenaries.]]
In 1476, Giovanni and two of his sons, [[Federico Auditore da Firenze|Federico]] and [[Petruccio Auditore da Firenze|Petruccio]], were executed for being accused of treason, while secretly being executed by the [[Templars]], the arch-enemies of the Assassins. In order to get to safety, Giovanni's remaining son [[Ezio Auditore da Firenze|Ezio]] escorted his mother [[Maria Auditore da Firenze|Maria]] and sister [[Claudia Auditore da Firenze|Claudia]] out of Florence and towards Monteriggioni.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

When the three almost reached Monteriggioni, they were ambushed by [[Vieri de' Pazzi]] and his soldiers. Mario and his mercenaries saved the trio and he insisted that they accompanied him back to Monteriggioni. Mario told Ezio of his Assassin heritage and that he had to be trained so that he can properly fight and defeat the Templars and protect his mother and sister. He then showed Ezio the inside of his villa and the [[Sanctuary]] hidden at the back of a bookcase and explained the purpose of [[the Codex]]. He soon started Ezio's training to become an Assassin and was also shown to be extremely proud of his Assassin heritage after he stormed off when Ezio announced his decision to take Maria and Claudia to Spain, against Mario's wishes.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

Feeling guilty, Ezio rethought his decision and followed Mario to [[San Gimignano]] to kill Vieri de' Pazzi. When Ezio killed Vieri and began to abuse the body, Mario stepped in and urged him to have respect for the dead. "You are not Vieri," he said to Ezio, "do not become him." Then, addressing Vieri's body, he delivered a short monologue before uttering the words "''requiescat in pace (rest in peace)''," a term that Ezio adopted for further assassinations.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Acquisition of the Apple of Eden===
In 1488, Mario and some of the other Assassins met with each other in [[Venice]] to acquire the "[[First Apple|Apple]]" from the [[Grand Master of the Templar Order]], [[Rodrigo Borgia]], knowing that it was to be delivered to him that day. When they arrived at Rodrigo's location, they found Ezio fighting Rodrigo and joined his side. After defeating Rodrigo's guards and almost killing Rodrigo, the latter ran for his life and left the Apple behind. The group, excluding Mario, all revealed themselves to be Assassins, which was unbeknownst to Ezio when he first met them.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

After securing the Piece of Eden, Mario studied it alongside [[Niccolò Machiavelli]], [[Leonardo da Vinci]] and Ezio. When the Apple was activated, Mario and Machiavelli were both affected and collapsed, holding their heads. Ezio and Leonardo, however, remained unaffected. Mario recognized its great power and told Ezio to protect it by taking it to the [[Rocca di Ravaldino]] in [[Forlì]], as that citadel was protected by their ally [[Caterina Sforza]]. Mario then invited Leonardo to the Villa Auditore in Monteriggioni.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

After seeing Ezio place his fiftieth feather in the chest in Maria's room, Mario entered and attempted to stop Ezio from continuing on what Mario considered to be a vain effort and left after informing him that he left a new weapon at the blacksmith for Ezio to use.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

In 1499, Mario, Ezio and the other Assassins who Ezio previously met gathered in the Villa Auditore to find out the prophecy in the Codex. They found out that the Codex pages showed a map of all the locations of 'Vaults' in the world. Ezio concluded that [[The Vault|the nearest vault]] was in the Vatican and that Rodrigo Borgia simply became pope so that he could have access to the Vault and [[the Staff|the Staff of Eden]], which was in fact the papal staff. Ezio left for Rome to assassinate Rodrigo and enter the Vault, killing several of his men along the [[Passetto di Borgo]]. Ezio eventually spared Rodrigo, but recovered the Staff of Eden from him and discovered the Vault.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

===Later life===
[[File:Mario_Auditore.JPG|thumb|300px|Mario Auditore, moments before being shot.]]
After Ezio discovered the Vault, he met with Mario and the two escaped from Rome back to Monteriggioni. Some time after they returned, Monteriggioni was besieged by the [[House of Borgia|Borgia]], under the command of [[Cesare Borgia]]. Mario quickly met Ezio, saying that he would keep the Apple safe with him and that Ezio had to stop the enemy's cannons. However, Mario became wounded and was captured by Cesare. Mario, who walked back to the city, collapsed at the city gate, followed by Cesare Borgia and his lieutenants. Cesare, holding the Apple in his hand, shot Mario dead(although he seems to be a life in a trailer)

as an 'invitation' from his family to Ezio's to go to Rome.<ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood">''[[Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood]]''</ref>

==Personality and characteristics==
Mario dressed in the flamboyant style of the Italian nobility of the Renaissance, sported long, dark hair that he slicked back neatly and had a scar over his left eye, which he was also blind in. This is an injury he sustained when he was exploring underneath the Villa Auditore, and found the Shroud. He was a boisterous man and made no apologies for his passion for fighting and alcohol. He cared deeply for his family and was extremely proud of his Assassin heritage. From his letter to Giovanni and their differences in fighting styles, it can be assumed that he was often playfully critical of his brother, much like his nephew Federico was with Ezio.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" />

The logo of the Assassins was embroidered/stitched onto the leather of Mario's left shoulder pad. The Auditore coat of arms was also stitched onto the cape he wore.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

Upon close inspection, one notes that Mario often put his hand on the shoulder of the person he was speaking to, presumably as a sign of closeness or affection.<ref name="Assassin's Creed II" /><ref name="Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood" />

==Trivia==
[[File:Mario.jpg|Mario's concept art.|thumb|200px]]
*When he first introduced himself, he exclaimed to Ezio that "''It's a-me, Mario!''". This being a popular phrase of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario Mario's] from the [[wikipedia:Super Mario Bros.|Super Mario Bros.]] game series.
*He was often referred to as ''ubriacone'' ("drunkard" in Italian) by the [[Pazzi]].
*Although Mario lived in the villa, you only get to see him during missions or when you place your 50th feather in Maria's box.
*In a gameplay video for ''Brotherhood'', it can be noted that Mario had greying hair, indicating he has aged significantly.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{ACII}}
{{ACBH}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auditore, Mario}}
[[Category:Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed II Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassin's Creed: Project Legacy Characters|Auditore, Mario]]
[[Category:Assassins|Auditore, Mario]]