Villa Auditore
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The Auditore Family Villa was a stronghold in the city of Monteriggioni to provide aid and refuge for Ezio and his family after the Auditore execution in Florence. Perched atop a beautiful Tuscan valley, the villa and Monteriggioni had become run down and in badly need of repair.
History
Constructed in 1290, the Villa Auditore was an important medieval predecessor to early Renaissance architecture. The Villa’s wonderful symmetry and ordered geometry were a revelation for its time.
Not only concerned with aesthetics, Domenico Auditore (Ezio Auditore’s great-great-grandfather) designed his home to double as a fortress and training ground, looking out both over the city that it protects and the Tuscan plains.
After a Florentine attack in 1320 left the façade damaged, the present façade was erected and a painting gallery was added to the interior.
Domenico was more than just an architect and a warrior: he was also a skilled engineer. Hidden compartments and rooms with mechanisms blocked entry are several unique features of the building that make it a technological marvel as well as an architectural one.
Gameplay
In the early stages of the game, Ezio was able to renovate both the town of Monteriggioni and the Auditore Villa.
Methods to increase the town and villa's values are listed below:
- Renovate the shops and other buildings through the architect
- Buying armor and weapons
- Purchasing paintings
- Collecting Codex pages
- Obtaining the six assassin's seals
- Collecting feathers
- Unlocking the two models
- Obtaining Altaïr's armor
- Obtaining the portraits of all the conspirators (including conspirators from the Battle of Forli and the Bonfire of the Vanities)
When the Villa reachs 100%, it yielded an income of 15,200 florins every 20 minutes, with a chest capacity of 60,800 florins . As Ezio invests in Monteriggioni, the Villa's outside appearance improves over time. Boards across windows are taken down, overgrown plants recede, and flags bearing the assassin symbol appear around the roof. While the city's appearance will improve, Monteriggioni's citizens always seem to be poorer (in clothing) than their counterparts from the cities. Also, with each guild renovated, there will be Courtesans, Mercenaries, and Thieves wandering around.
Other notes
It is worth to note that the wall towers associated with each guild are climb-able only after they're renovated; and while the city's colors change from the Auditore's to the Assassin Order's from the renovation progress, they remained their own guild's colors.
Claudia and Maria Auditore remain at the villa for the rest of the game. Claudia keeps records of Monteriggioni's income and the statistics of Ezio's completion of collections, while Maria prays in the room that contained the chest where Ezio places the eagle feathers he collects.
Mario has an office that contains a wall-space where deciphered Codex Pages can be placed and pieced together. There is also a Sanctuary built by Domenico that houses 7 statues of great assassins in history as well as Altaïr's Armor.
There are no actual guards, or any type of conventional threat. Although the Training Ground Mercenaries seem to be treated like oversize guards. People shout criticism at them during Ezio's training; and after matches, they push you in a very guard-like manner.
Monteriggioni's populace starts out at 33, and expands to 3546. Also, there are no people residing in the countryside.
Auditore Family Crypt
Beneath the Family's mansion was the Auditore Family Crypt, a place similar to the six Assassin Tombs Ezio finds throughout Italy. While there is no major reward, he discovered information about Domenico, his history as an Auditore and an Assassin, and the buildings of Monteriggioni.
There are 2,000 florins to be had at the end of the level - 500 florins more than any other Assassin Tomb - although the real reward and meaning of the place is the information about the origins of the Auditore family.
The Crypt is unlocked through Uplay and costs 40 points, and the first Assassin Tomb must have been accessed via the main storyline.