Fiora Cavazza

Fiora Cavazza was a courtesan working in the Rosa in Fiore and later a member of the Templar Order.

Life in the Rosa in Fiore

"I am a fine wine served in a low class tavern."

―Fiora, regarding the Rosa in Fiore.

In 1497 A.D., Fiora Cavazza was a courtesan who lived and worked in the Rosa in Fiore brothel in Rome, under the leadership of Madonna Solari. Fiora was not satisfied with her life under Madonna Solari, and was eager to build powerful connections with her clients, so that she would no longer have to work in the Rosa in Fiore. She often ventured outside to gather information and allies, and earned the jealousy of the other girls by her success in doing so.

During her stay in the Rosa in Fiore, she and another courtesan, Lucia, were dispatched to escort Madonna Solari's brother, Santino. Along the trip that they escorted him on, Santino treated Fiora and Lucia violently, and by the end of the night, Fiora had suspected that whatever it was that Santino was dabbling in, his trade was crumbling.

Not long after this event, the Rosa in Fiore was visited by a charming but mysterious client: Cesare Borgia. Fiora was attracted to Cesare's charm, and they spent some time conversing together. At first, Fiora thought he was there to enjoy her services, but Cesare explained that that is not the case; in return for their lives being spared, Madonna Solari and Santino had allowed Cesare to choose one of the girls for him to take, and he had chosen Fiora.

In the employ of Cesare Borgia

"I have served the Borgia for six years now. Done horrible things. Seen the fantastic. I regret none of it."

―Fiora, on working for the Borgia.

From 1497 to 1503, Fiora served Cesare loyally, merely posing as a courtesan while living under his patronage and making various contacts, many of them Templars. Among the Templar agents Fiora encountered was Brother Ristoro, a corrupt member of the clergy and frequent visitor to the Rosa in Fiore who supplied Cesare with religious items and letters for him to dispense at his will. Another supplier to Cesare was a smuggler named Lia de Russo. Fiora would meet with her, and Lia would hand her various trinkets and antiquities. Fiora also met Auguste Oberlin, Cesare's own blacksmith, and Gaspar de la Croix, Cesare's engineer, who Fiora describes as "a haunted man."

Final Assignments

"A war has made its way to Roma, fought in the streets, the senate and the churches. Cesare has tasked me to coordinate his shadow army."

―Fiora, regarding the war in Rome.

Later, Fiora was trusted with the task of managing Cesare's underground army, a group of people she described as his "personal collection of misfits."

The first, Rocco Tiepolo, was a condottiero, from whom Fiora was tasked to gather the finest mercenaries.

Fiora was later also sent to bribe Donato Mancini, who was said to be Cesare's finest horseman, to let Cesare win a racing match that was to take place that day. Donato was unmoved by the bribe and threats that Fiora relayed, and managed to win the race despite Cesare's agent sent to deter him.

Fiora also met with the Cento Occhi, a group of thieves led by a young man named Lanz, who Cesare suspected had raided one of the Borgia carriages. Fiora managed to convince Lanz to return the stolen money, and have his gang work for Cesare.

Cesare also assigned Fiora to meet and work with Baltasar de Silva, one of his agents posing as a mere barber, to study Cesare's enemies, a league of Assassins. Together, they watched as one of Cesare's senators was assassinated, and although Fiora felt defeat when the Assassin escaped, Baltasar was more optimistic with his finds.

Fiora's next assignment was to work with Cahin and Caha, a brother-sister pair of harlequins. Together, the three of them killed a group of guests at what was disguised as a performance by Cahin and Caha.

Fiora also met with Il Carnefice, a twisted executioner with a love of his carnage, and Silvestro Sabbatini, Cesare's failed agent to whom she must deliver a second chance.

Malfatto

"He is a predator of women. A monster."

―Fiora, on Malfatto.

Cesare's last contact assignment was Malfatto, a doctor with a love for slaughtering the courtesans of Roma. Fiora was frightened with the prospect of meeting up with him, especially since she had seen one of his victims lying in a pool of blood, but Cesare insisted that she present a certain envelope to him. When she finally met Malfatto, Fiora was nearly attacked by him, but she managed to fend him off by shouting Cesare Borgia's name and handing over the letter she was to give him.

Later that night, Fiora returned to the house that Cesare had bought for her, but was unable to sleep. In the middle of the night, she felt a pricking sensation at her neck, and was shocked to find not an insect, but Malfatto injecting her with his syringe. The contents of the syringe began to take effect on Fiora, but she managed to wound Malfatto with her metal fan before losing consciousness. When she woke up, Malfatto had gone, but Fiora's loyalty to Cesare had diminished; she was determined to betray him to the Assassins. Fiora crafted a list, containing the names of Cesare's finest agents that she had worked with, and sent them to the Assassins. To her surprise, the Assassin who came to pick her up was the blossoming painter, Francesco Vecellio.

Working with the Assassins

"I am done with Cesare. Done with the mad people who surround him."

―Fiora, regarding leaving the Borgia's employment.

Fiora followed the Assassins as they targeted the names on the list she had given them. The first of the betrayed agents to be assassinated was Rocco Tiepolo, and his mercenaries. The fight against them proved a brutal massacre, but the Assassins overcame them surprisingly easily. Fiora and the Assassins targeted the siblings Cahin and Caha next, whom they found performing in the streets. Cahin was swiftly assassinated, and while Caha at first tried to fight back, she realized that she was fighting a losing battle and finally accepted death, cradling her dead brother and stroking his unmasked cheek.

Afterwards, Fiora led the Assassins to Baltasar de Silva's hideout, where they planned to ambush him, but Baltasar proved a crafty opponent and managed to escape them. When Fiora checked the remains of the burnt building, she found a letter from Baltasar for her. In the letter, he told her that he wanted them to meet, to discuss things. Fiora complied and visited the place Baltasar directed her to, but realised too late that it was a trap when marksmen appeared from the crates and aimed for her. Fiora bowed her head, but the gunshots never came. When she looked up, Baltasar and the marksmen were dead, shot by arrows; the Assassins had saved her.

Fiora's final target was Il Lupo, a Templar agent that she and Baltasar had once trained to imitate the Assassins as perfectly as possible, mimicking their clothes, techniques, and weapons. Fiora feared that Il Lupo would be the one link to reveal what harm she had done to the Assassins, and thus she confronted him alone. The two fought a formidable battle, but in the end, Fiora was able to kill him with poison.

Her fate after allying with the Assassins, however, remains vague.