Battle of Forlì
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The Battle of Forlì was a military conflict in 1488, fought between the Templar forces of Rodrigo Borgia, commanded by the Orsi brothers, and the troops of Caterina Sforza, Countess of Forlì, who were supported by the Assassins.
Shelter in the Wetlands[edit | edit source]
Planning the protection[edit | edit source]
After preventing the Templar Grand Master Rodrigo Borgia from obtaining the Apple of Eden in Venice, and with Ezio Auditore having just been inducted into the Assassin Order, Ezio,[1] he, his uncle Mario, and Niccolò Machiavelli met with the inventor Leonardo da Vinci in the hopes that he might be able to shed some light upon the nature of the artifact.[2]
Leonardo, fascinated by the Apple, explained he knew little more of it than the Assassins themselves. He derived that it was fabricated with materials that shouldn't exist, and yet was an ancient artifact. Mario then claimed that the Codex referred to it as a "Piece of Eden". Ezio interrupted, stating that Rodrigo referred to it as "the Apple".[2]
Leonardo speculated that this might be referring to Adam and Eve's apple of forbidden knowledge. He then asked Ezio if he was suggesting they were connected. Neither confirming nor denying this, Ezio touched the Apple.[2]
The artifact immediately reacted with his DNA and caused the entire room to be filled with a blinding light and images of the future. Causing confusion and pain to everyone except for Leonardo, Ezio stopped it once more with the touch of his hand.[2]
After inadvertently witnessing the Apple's power, Leonardo proclaimed that if the artifact fell into the wrong hands, the results could prove evidently disastrous. Mario, meanwhile, knew it had to be protected.[2]
He thought it best to hide the Piece of Eden within the city of Forlì, where a powerful ally of the Assassins reigned; Caterina Sforza, an old acquaintance of Ezio. Informing Ezio of this plan, he explained the city was walled and protected by cannons. Ezio expressed his joy with this plan and prepared to depart for Forlì.[2]
Escort to the conflict[edit | edit source]
Accompanied by Machiavelli, Ezio met up with Caterina, who was surprised to hear of Ezio's allegiance to the Assassins, even claiming she knew there was something special about him when they first met. Escorted by the city guards, Caterina, Machiavelli, and Ezio made their way to the city. As they did, Caterina claimed that the Apple would be safe in Forlì.[2]
While walking, Ezio complimented Caterina on ruling her own city, remarking it was very impressive. Caterina agreed, but reminded him that the city had once been ruled by her husband, until his recent passing. Ezio offered his condolences, only for Caterina to tell him there was no need, as she had him killed.[2]
Surprised by this, Machiavelli explained that Girolamo was affiliated with the Templars and was making a map to lead the Order to the remaining Codex pages. Caterina then expressed her loathing of her ex-husband, pointing out his various flaws. As they made their way towards the city however, they found the townspeople fleeing from an unknown hostile force.[2]
When Caterina asked one of the fleeing civilians who was attacking, she was given the names Checco and Ludovico Orsi, the very same men she had hired to kill her husband. They had invaded and taken control of much of the city.[2]
Fearing the worst for her children, the party made their way to the city with haste but was blocked from entry, for the city gates were locked. Ezio asked if there was another way into the city, and Caterina replied that there was a secret entrance.[2]
She instructed Ezio to swim under the city drain and open the gates once he got inside. As Ezio made his way into the city, Caterina threw insults at the Orsi brothers, shouting and screaming at them with vulgar taunts.[2]
After making his way through the city, avoiding open conflict, Ezio managed to scale the walls and dispatch any Borgia invaders that challenged him. Eventually, he opened the gates for Caterina and her bodyguards, allowing them to retake the city.[2]
Defending the Citadel[edit | edit source]
Open battle[edit | edit source]
After Ezio opened the gates, Machiavelli and Caterina, accompanied by the latter's sodliers, made their way to the citadel. Ezio then performed a Leap of Faith to join the skirmish. They fought off the attacking Templars, who ambushed the group several times, but Ezio and Machiavelli managed to keep Caterina safe. As they reached the inner citadel, Caterina went on to check on her children.[3]
She noticed that two of her children, Ottaviano and Bianca, were missing. A servant informed her that the two were playing outside during the attack, and feared the worst. Before Caterina could speak, a guard posted on the city walls bellowed that the Orsi were bringing reinforcements from the mountains.[4]
Defensive[edit | edit source]
Caterina told Ezio to stop the enemy from breaching the citadel. Preparing for combat, Ezio, Caterina and Machiavelli fought off the invaders as they made their way into the citadel. After fending off most of the attackers, Caterina heard some very familiar voices.[4]
Looking outside the citadel, Caterina saw it was the Orsi brothers, accompanied by their infantry of Borgia soldiers. Checco then claimed that he had something she may want back, informing her that the missing children were with them. The two were also surprised to see Ezio, and introduced themselves to the Assassin.[5]
Caterina insulted them and demanded her children be released, to which the Orsi brothers claimed that they would be freed once Caterina handed over her husband's map. During this exchange, an unknown monk watched from the back of the Orsi's armed band.[5]
Caterina refused to surrender the map, and even went as far as to say that the Orsi could have her children, stating that she had "the instrument to make more". Knowing that Caterina would inevitably change her mind, the Orsi brothers told her that she had one hour before they killed them. After this, the brothers and their men retreated to the countryside.[5]
Caterina cried out of concern for her children. Ezio told her that he couldn't let her make that sacrifice, and Caterina replied that there would be no sacrifices, asking the Assassin to rescue her children. Ezio agreed and gave Caterina the Apple of Eden, stating that it needed to remain safe in the citadel. He then departed to save Ottaviano and Bianca.[5]
Dealing with the Orsi[edit | edit source]
With two of Caterina's children in Orsi hands, Ezio was tasked with their liberation. The Assassin overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano.[5]
As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way to the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched Ludovico and rescued Ottaviano, though not before learning that the children's capture had been a distraction to allow the Orsi's forces to steal the Apple.[5]
Hurrying back to the citadel, Ezio learned that Ludovico's jeering had been true and that Checco had acquired the Apple; Ezio swiftly tracked down and killed him.[6]
Retrieving the Apple, Ezio failed to notice that Checco had stabbed him in the abdomen. Injured, Ezio collapsed to the floor, the Apple rolling from his hand.[6]
Before losing consciousness, Ezio saw a monk with a missing finger pick up the Apple and walk away, despite Ezio's warnings against doing so. With both Orsi brothers dead, the battle was over, and Forlì remained under the control of Caterina Sforza.[6]
Hunt for the monk[edit | edit source]
Woken in a daze[edit | edit source]
In the battle's aftermath, Forlì guards scouting the area found Ezio, barely alive. They brought him back to the city, where Caterina personally nursed him back to health.[6]
When Ezio regained consciousness, he told Caterina what had happened, and she suggested that he head for an abbey in the wetlands, where he might find some clues to the monk's identity. She also gave Ezio her husband's map, since he would need to find the remaining Codex pages and determine the location of "the Vault". Ezio thanked Caterina, stating he would miss her, and left the city.[6]
Search for the monk[edit | edit source]
Ezio headed to the abbey, where he found an Irish priest, Brother O'Callahan, being roughed up by Borgia thugs. After helping the priest defeat his attackers, Ezio questioned him about the identity of the monk with the missing finger. O'Callahan replied that he didn't know, but suggested that Ezio might gain more information at the abbey within Forlì.[7]
Returning to the city, Ezio went to the abbey and was about to make inquiries when one of the priests present recognized him as Stefano da Bagnone's killer. The man fled, but Ezio caught up and tackled him. He then managed to convince the monk that Stefano's death had been justified, since Ezio only slew those who deserved death, and asked for the identity of the monk.[7]
The priest identified the monk as Brother Savonarola, but insisted that he had retired to a hermitage. Ezio replied that Savonarola had left and asked where he might have gone; the priest suggested he might have returned to the place where he had studied: Santo Spirito, in Florence.[7]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
In Assassin's Creed: Identity's downloadable expansion Forlì – A Crimson Sunset, an alternate version of the battle is depicted, involving Lo Sparviero and the Crows. Since this version of the conflict is set after the Siege of Monteriggioni and is drastically different from the one seen in Assassin's Creed II, it is considered non-canon.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Ezio and Niccolò fighting in front of the Rocca di Ravaldino -
Ezio killing Ludovico's archer -
Ezio on horseback, striking down Checco -
Concept art of the battle in Assassin's Creed: Identity
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì (first appearance)
- Assassin's Creed: Renaissance
- Assassin's Creed II: Discovery (indirect mention only)
- Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned in Database entry only)
Non-canonical appearances[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Play Along
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì – A Warm Welcome
- ↑ Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì – Bodyguard
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì – Holding the Fort
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì – Godfather
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì – Checcomate
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Assassin's Creed II – Battle of Forlì – Far From the Tree
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