Venetian conspiracy
After learning from a letter taken from one of the Pazzi Conspirators, Ezio Auditore da Firenze learns that the Templar's presence was not limited to Florence only, for the letter made mention of the city of Venice. This, paired with the fact a man from Venice was present during the meeting at the countryside of Tuscany, proves that the Templars intend ill upon the city. With the intention of stopping the Templar's plans, Ezio makes his way to the floating city.
Side-Trip to Forli
Trouble at the Mountains
- Leonardo: "Venezia! Such a beautiful city! So many sources of inspiration! Ponte di Rialto, Piazza San Marco, L'Arsenale..."
- Ezio: "Shh!"
- Leonardo: "What's wrong?"
- Ezio: "We're not alone"
- —Ezio, detecting the presence of Borgia's men
Ezio made his way to the Apennine Mountains, where he managed to catch up with Leonardo da Vinci, who was having trouble with his carriage. Ezio helps him by lifting the carriage as Leonardo fixes the wheel. As he did, Ezio sees from the back of the carriage, a bat-like contraption made of wood. When he asked Leonardo, he revealed that it is an invention that can make man fly. Laughing about the subject, Ezio climbs aboard the carriage along with Leonardo, and then made their way to Venice.
While Leonardo was fantasizing the beautiful sites of Venice, Ezio hears a faint noise. Just then, the silence was broken by soldiers on horseback attacking the carriage, presumed to be Borgia's men who was searching for Ezio. Leonardo hides in the carriage as Ezio tried to fend off the attackers by trying to maneuver the carriage into shaking them off.
As he continued to make his way out of the countryside, soldiers light the small, wooden bridge along the way, but it wasn't enough to hinder Ezio's progress, as he managed to make it through the burning bridge unscathed. Continuing onward, as the soldiers tried to further damage the vessel, Ezio asks Leonardo to go on without him, and tells him that he will catch up.
Taking command over the vessel, Leonardo leaves the mountains, as Ezio fended off the attackers. After a tedious fight, Ezio successfully dispatches all of them. After this, Ezio made his way out of the countryside, and soon found himself in Forli.
Damsel in Distress
- Leonardo: "Be careful, Ezio. Do you know who that was?"
- Ezio: "My next conquest?"
- Leonardo: "I don't think so, Ezio! That's Caterina Sforza, daughter of the Duca di Milano…"
- —Leonardo, informing Ezio on whom he just met
Making his way through the city and out at the countryside, Ezio managed to reach the harbor where Leonardo was waiting for him. Expecting a simple passage to the boat, he was stopped on his tracks by the ferry man, saying that he needs a pass to enter the boat since Leonardo couldn't provide one. Just then, Ezio hears a call for help by a woman who was stranded at a small land form. He gets a hold of a gondola and rowed it to the woman's direction. Taking her back to the harbor, she revealed her name to be Caterina Sforza. Caterina, returning the favor to Ezio, talked to the ferryman to grant Ezio safe passage on to the boat.
Leonardo informed Ezio on who she was after he boarded the boat. He reveals that Caterina Sforza was the husband of Girolamo Riario, the count of Forli, and also the Duke of Milan, Galeazzo Maria Sforza. Leonardo continues, and says that it is best that Ezio should refrain from doing anything that he might regret. Ezio only replied a faint chuckle, and remarked that she is his type of lady. After this, the boat continued en route to Venice.
Venice
Settling in
Ezio arrives at Venice with Leonardo, who was organizing his things along the Ponte di Rialto. As they conversed, the two was greeted by Alvise, who was instructed by Leonardo's employer to give him a short tour of Venice. Ezio and Leonardo walked the streets of Venice, with Alvise as their guide, he who pointed out the city's most famous landmarks, such as the Rialto Bridge, an old church, the Venetian Markets, and the Palazzo dela Seta. Along the tour, they see guards abusing merchants about their right to sell at their stands, and if neglected, they quickly use force to make them leave.
Alvise explained to Leonardo and Ezio, while looking at the large Palazzo, that the man who resided at the Palazzo's premises, the wealthy Emilio Barbarigo, wanted to unite all of the Venetian Merchants under his banner. He continues, and mentions that there are some who refuse to cooperate, and often resulted in unwanted violence. Alvise thinks of it as nonsense, as Ezio look on at the Palazzo, seeing the guards abuse their authority even further.
The tour continues, and as they walked further into the city, Ezio catches sight of a woman dressed in rags, rudely knocking him over as he conversed with Leonardo. After this, the tour concluded with Alvise introducing Leonardo to his new workshop, and boasted that they spared no expense in making it as presentable as possible, remarking that it is as if Leonardo never left Florence. Leonardo, giving Alvise a simple thanks, asks Ezio if he is to stay. Ezio replies that he plans to gain an audience with Emilio, the man who lived at the Palazzo.
Leonardo remarks that his door is always open for Ezio if he is in need of help, or assistance in deciphering a Codex page. Ezio and Leonardo then hugged each other brotherly, bidding each other farewell. After this, Leonardo prepares to organize his belongings, as Ezio leaves for the Palazzo.
The Venetian Thieves
Ezio, looking through the small passage to the Palazzo from afar, plans his move to enter the heavily guarded fortress, but sees no other way, other than a window with a gap Ezio can't jump. As he looked for another way, men in rags suddenly ran towards the guards, breaching the Palazzo, thus causing the guards to give chase. As the guards leave, however, the same woman Ezio bumped into earlier during the tour, suddenly appears, and tries to climb the Fortress' walls. The woman amazingly jumped the large gap, but it proved to be a vain effort, as Archers guarding the rooftops opposite the building managed to land an arrow on the woman's thigh, injuring her, and causing her to fall.