Francesco Vecellio

"Someday I will take the time to create, to paint, but not now. For now, I am a soldier on the front lines."

―Francesco Vecellio, 1503.

Francesco Vecellio (c. 1475 - 1560) was an Italian painter, and a member of the Assassin Order.

He was apprenticed first to Perotto Calderon, and later to Ezio Auditore, and was chosen to lead his own core team of Assassins upon his graduation.

Biography

Early life

A young Francesco, entrusted to Perotto for training.

"In a way, I already have a child. His name is Francesco, one of the newest members of our Brotherhood. Though he is not yet a man, he is a promising understudy."

―Perotto, regarding Francesco.

Francesco Vecellio was born into the Assassin Order, in the year 1475. At a very young age, he began his training as the understudy of Perotto Calderon, who often thought of him as his own child, and described him as an "exceptional addition to our Order." Though he trained him well, Perotto also thought that it was "important to let a child be a child," and often brought him to a nearby village to play with children his own age.

During the early stages of his training, Francesco was described by Perotto as tall and scrawny, a stubborn perfectionist who quickly grew frustrated over his own shortcomings. He would often attack in anger, losing control over his emotions. However, despite this, Perotto also praised him as wise beyond his years.

Francesco retrieving a report from Perotto.

When Perotto entered the service of the Borgia as a courier in 1498, Francesco was tasked with delivering his reports back to the Order. Francesco continued to train with Perotto at this time, sparring and learning battle tactics. Though Perotto already thought him a match for many of the older Brothers, he noticed that he also had a "needless sense of honor and fair play," which he feared would teach him a hard lesson one day.

However, after Perotto fell for the Templar Lucrezia Borgia, Francesco's untimely arrivals to retrieve Perotto's reports caused them some concern. Francesco never admitted that he noticed their relationship, but at one point, he began acting withdrawn, claiming he was ill, though Perotto did not believe him. Here, Lucrezia suggested that Perotto poison his understudy in order to maintain their secret, but Perotto loved Francesco like a son and refused to harm him.

Perotto's betrayal

Francesco attempting to bargain for Perotto's life.

"I have exhausted nearly every resource to lessen Perotto’s punishment for his crimes, but I fear there is little left I can do. We will hunt him tonight. Damn his foolishness... all this for a Borgia harlot?"

―Francesco, soon after discovering Perotto's betrayal.

Later that year, Francesco was involved in the hunt for his master, after Perotto went berserk, and broke all three tenets of their Creed in a desperate attempt to save his child. Francesco was deeply hurt by his master's betrayal, but mostly only blamed the "Borgia bitch" for seducing him.

Francesco made many attempts to persuade his Brothers to show Perotto mercy, however, due to his young age and the severity of Perotto's crimes, his objections were outweighed. Eventually, the rest of the Assassins concluded that they were duty-bound to kill Perotto.

Following a trail of bodies, Borgia guards and their own Brothers alike, the team tracked Perotto to Agnadello, and realized that he was attempting to use the Shroud to save his son's life. Along the path, they ran into a bloodied detachment of soldiers - "sloppy work" left behind by Perotto - and were forced to engage them in battle.

Francesco and the team sent after Perotto.

Francesco joined the fight, however, he had never killed before. He assisted where he could, staying at the edges of the battle and mostly injuring men to be finished off by the others; though his older Brothers were careful to protect him where they could. At one point, Francesco nearly received a lethal slash to the face, but was pushed to the ground before it could connect.

Finally, the Assassins reached the home of Rinaldo Vitturi, in which they knew the Shroud had been stored. Perotto was nowhere in sight, but the locals informed them that he had set up camp outside the city.

The Assassins surrounded Perotto's camp, but despite their numbers, Perotto's skill with a bow was unmatched, and he managed to kill several of them. Despite still wondering if his master could be reasoned with, Francesco fired upon Perotto nonetheless. Though his arrow grazed him, Perotto only looked at Francesco sadly and did not return fire. Eventually, Perotto was overwhelmed and killed.

Apprenticeship in Rome

Francesco training with Ezio in Rome.

"We struggle to oppose Cesare Borgia, who, with his wretched family, controls the Church as well as the city."

―Francesco, regarding the Liberation of Rome.

After his mentor's death, Francesco was apprenticed to the Master Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze in 1501, and was taught various skills such as free-running and pickpocketing.

After his training, he was placed in charge of a team of Assassins, whose purpose was to disrupt Cesare Borgia's influence over Italy. Notable members of his team were the African Cipriano Enu, who specialized in archery, and the stealthy Tessa Varzi, who was skilled with poisons. While many of the team's missions took place in Rome, they also visited Romagna, Camerino and Venice, among others.

The team faced the likes of the French Templar, Charles de la Motte, and also teamed up with the Borgia-traitor Fiora Cavazza to kill Templar agents Rocco Tiepolo, Cahin, Caha and Baltasar de Silva.

Sometime in 1503, Francesco also recruited Perotto's son, Giovanni Borgia, into the Assassin Order.

Hunt in Lonigo

Francesco and Niccolò.

"My target is old, unsuspecting. Age will take his life soon, but I will not allow it."

―Francesco, regarding Niccolò di Pitigliano.

Francesco received an important solo mission in 1510, which involved killing Niccolò di Pitigliano, and freeing the population of Lonigo from the latter's rule.

After learning what he needed to know about his target and slowly destroying his influence over Lonigo, Francesco assassinated Niccolò. Initially, Niccolò survived the attack with the help of a mysterious artifact, but when it backfired and brought his brutal end, it was Francesco who took possession of the artifact.

Painting career

File:Francesco Vecellio Painting.jpg

Francesco's "Saint Antonio Searches with Great Interest for the Heart in the Coffin."

"Francesco Vecellio. The blossoming painter. I never would have suspected."

―Fiora Cavazza, upon discovering Francesco's identity as an Assassin.

Alongside his Assassin life, Francesco pursued a painting career during the 1520s to 1530s in Cadore, but he would never become as successful as his younger brother Tiziano Vecellio.

In 1524, he signed an altarpiece for San Vito in Cadore. During the 1540s, he painted a polyptych in Candide, as well as the organ shutters of San Salvatore in Venice. He also painted an Annunciation for San Nicola di Bari, which is now in the Accademia.

Trivia

• Francesco's first hidden blade was attached to his right arm.
• Francesco was the only known Assassin to wield a Hidden Bolt; a weapon he asked Leonardo da Vinci to craft, as Ezio did not initially allow him to use the Hidden Gun.