Return to Monteriggioni

Where are the paintings? This article is in need of more images and/or better quality pictures from Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR in order to achieve a higher status. You can help the Assassin's Creed Wiki by uploading better images on this page.

Return to Monteriggioni was a virtual representation of one of Ezio Auditore's genetic memories stored in the Abstergo Cloud and relived by an Assassin hacker in 2023 through the Animus.

Description

Ezio travelled to his ancestral home to reunite with his sister.

Memory Animus Feedback System

• Meet with Claudia
  • Walk along the Via Principale
  • Activate Animus Scout
  • Synchronize the Animus
  • Calibrate the Animus
    • Enter the gate to start the challenge
    • Enter the gates 7x
  • Enter the villa
  • Find a way into the villa
  • Enter the villa
  • Find Claudia
  • Take the attic key
• Discover the surprise in the attic
  • Reach the attic
  • Repair the music box
  • Take the memento
  • Return to Claudia
  • Cross the collapsed corridor
• Rid the villa of the bandits
  • Eliminate the bandits
  • Return to Claudia
  • Reach the Sanctuary
  • Defeat your attackers
    • Parry enemy attacks
    • Parry and strike
    • Perform a combat dash
    • Perform a lunge attack
• Follow Seraphina
  • Open the sanctuary gate
  • Enter the tunnels
  • Activate the beacon

Dialogue

Ezio approached the main gate of the town of Monteriggioni.

• Ezio: Ah, Monteriggioni... It has been far too long.

The citizens working near the rafters of one of the city's walls noticed his arrival.

• Civilian 1: What? Can it truly be? Master Ezio?
• Civilian 2: Master Ezio?
• Civilian 1: Master Ezio!

Ezio made his way to the gate where a page opened it for him.

• Civilian 3: Welcome home, Master Ezio!

He passed through the gate and met a finely-dressed woman who awaited him.

• Seraphina: Master Ezio. I am Seraphina. Your sister sent me to meet you.

She took a bow before the Assassin.

• Ezio: Oh, my wounded pride. My only sister is so busy she must send a servant to greet me?
• Seraphina: Master Ezio, Mistress Claudia did wish to escort you, but–
• Ezio: Do not worry, Seraphina. I spoke in jest. It is a pleasure to meet you.
• Seraphina: The pleasure is all mine. Your reputation precedes you.
• Ezio: Ha! You are too kind, Seraphina.

Seraphina pointed to the town's main road.

• Seraphina: Shall I escort you to Villa Auditore?
• Ezio: No, I know the way. I may wish to see the city a bit before I head home.
• Seraphina: As you wish. Mistress Claudia is eager for your arrival.

A town crier noticed Ezio's presence.

• Herald: Look! Everyone! It's Master Ezio!
• Ezio: And it seems she is not the only one.
• Seraphina: I will let her know you are on your way.

She bowed again before leaving.

• Herald: Hey hey hey! It's master Ezio! He's back, everyone! He's back!
• Ezio: The town has changed, but my feet know where to go. Down the via principale (main street) to the villa.

Ezio approached the street and listened to a conversation between two men.

• Civilian 4: You would think with all these workers, Monteriggioni would be in better shape.
• Civilian 5: I trust Claudia has hired them for a reason. Hopefully, it's to rebuild the city. We shall see.

As he approached the villa, a merchant greeted Ezio.

• Civilian 6: Do my eyes deceive me? It's Ezio!

Ezio neared the small fountain engraved with the Assassin insignia close to the Villa and read a letter lying on its marble edge.

• Ezio: "Dearest Giulia. Things go well in Venice. Marco and I have a lease on a workshop in Murano. We cannot compete with the big merchants, but in time our efforts will bear fruit, I am sure of it. Until then, I have your love to keep me going."

Ezio then climbed to the Villa's roof and synchronized with the viewpoint at its very top, performing a Leap of Faith into a haystack below thereafter. He then ran to reach the rooftops of the various buildings in the city, eavesdropping on a conversation below him.

• Civilian 7: Workers? Bah! Pigro barbones! (Lazy asses!)
• Civilian 8: They are here to help, no?
• Civilian 7: All they seem to do is lay about.

Ezio proceeded to freerun his way across the rooftops and to the top of Monteriggioni's church, before leaping into another haystack. Close to it, two civilians were speaking to each other.

• Civilian 9: It's been a while since I've seen you.
• Civilian 10: I've been traveling.
• Civilian 9: I see. When did you get back into town?
• Civilian 10: Just the other day.
• Civilian 9: Going to stay here for a while?
• Civilian 10: No, I'm leaving again in two days. Farewell!

As he walked away from the church, Ezio listened in on a comment by one of the workers.

• Civilian 11: ...our friends at the Villa have found some "promising" work.

Ezio then approached the city walls, eavesdropping on another conversation.

• Civilian 12: Late last night, I saw some more workers coming into town.
• Civilian 13: So? The speed they're going, they need as many hands as they can get.
• Civilian 12: These workers had swords. Why would they need weapons?
• Civilian 13: Maybe there were bandits on the road here?
• Civilian 12: Perhaps... all I know is, I don't like it.

Ezio climbed the walls and reached the ramparts, passing through the watchtowers that he had helped defend against Cesare Borgia's forces years prior. He approached two workers who rested near some rafters.

• Civilian 14: I remember this city's glory days.
• Civilian 15: Do you think they have passed us by?
• Civilian 14: Look around. We are in degraded times.
• Civilian 15: Perhaps you are right. But there is still hope.
• Civilian 14: Hope for what?
• Civilian 15: Hope that this city will rise again.

He then read a letter on top of a barrel next to the workers.

• Ezio: A letter from Lucchese the carpenter, complaining about how lazy the new workers are. The fault of the younger generation, as it always is.

Ezio descended into the city once again and approached the Villa Auditore. He noticed that its main entrancve was under extensive repairments.

• Ezio: The front door is blocked. I'll have to find another way in.

He entered the villa's back guardens, listening to a conversation between two workers.

• Civilian 16: Are you having a good day?
• Civilian 17: I'm working. It's a day like any other.
• Civilian 16: Surely some days are better than others.
• Civilian 17: You couldn't tell by me.
• Civilian 16: Try to look for the good things in life.
• Civilian 17: If I find any, I will let you know.

Ezio approached the small square on the back of the mansion and eavesdropped on a group of workers.

• Civilian 18: At this point, honest work would be better than this laying about.
• Civilian 19: If the rumours are true, there will be plenty of money soon enough.

The Assassin neared the back entrance to the villa.

• Ezio: The servant's entrance. I always preferred this way.

Ezio entered his home at long last, finding the villa's interior full of construction rafters and workers.

• Civilian 20: It seems there are still areas of the villa that are off limits to us.
• Civilian 21: For now, perhaps, but the damage to the villa is extensive. Every part of it will need our attention eventually.
• Civilian 20: And if one of those parts were to, say, collapse unexpectedly?
• Civilian 21: Then Mistress Claudia would have to send us to where our skills are needed, wouldn't she?

Ezio read a letter close to a worker that was counting the tool boxes scattered about.

• Ezio: Orders for the workers to reinforce the cavity in the wall of the weapons room in case of collapse. I hope this work has already been done. After two hundred years, I would hate for the Villa to fall down with me in it.

Ezio noticed how some workers were laying about without carrying out their duties.

• Ezio: Are these workers doing anything?

Ezio entered the workshop, finding his sister spaeking to one of the workers from behind her desk while Seraphina browsed the bookshelves.

• Civilian 22: –but Mistress, if you could only allow us into the attic, we could–
• Claudia: No, I have grown tired of repeating myself. You will work where I tell you to work.
• Civilian 22: Yes, Mistress.

As the worker left, Ezio approached Claudia's desk.

• Ezio: I see you still have a way with handsome young men, Claudia.
• Claudia: Brother! Much like you, Ezio, that man was neither young nor handsome.
• Ezio: Oh, you wound me.
• Claudia: Oh, please, your pride is more resilient than armor. What took you so long to find the Villa?
• Ezio: I got lost in the past while wondering the city.
• Claudia: It is easy to do.

Claudia left her desk and dismissed Seraphina.

• Claudia: I am glad you are here now, in the present. As is Monteriggioni.
• Ezio: Monteriggioni has never recovered from the siege, has she?

Claudia leaned on the wooden replica of Monteriggioni.

• Claudia: No. I hired some workers to do repairs on the Villa weeks ago. Since then, they've been coming to the city like ants on the scent of sugar. It seems that they just lounge about town waiting for work that I can not pay them for. Do me a kindness, dear brother.

She pointed to a loose wooden model of a watchtower near her.

• Claudia: Take that model of the watch tower and place it on the map.
• Ezio: My pleasure, dear sister.

Ezio took the model and fitted it on the southern-easthern most point in the city walls of the map.

• Claudia: I know you love a good puzzle, brother.

Claudia slowly returned to her desk.

• Claudia: Up in the attic there is a music box. If you can figure out the way to get it to play you will get a wonderful surprise.

She opened one of the desk's drawers and took an ornamented key, which she layed on the table.

• Claudia: Here is the key to your old room. Happy hunting, brother.

Ezio took the key and stored it. He left the workshop and entered the villa's painting gallery, where several workers were assembled near the remaining paintings.

• Civilian 23: I'm tired of waiting.
• Civilian 24: But our orders are to wait.
• Civilian 23: And which speaks louder, orders or empty pockets?
• Civilian 24: They won't be empty for long. Just be patient.

Ezio then entered the walkway that passed over what was once his uncle Mario's study, now covered by wooden planks.

• Seraphina: Calm yourself. We knew this was a possibility.
• Civilian 25: He wasn't supposed to be here for a few more days.

Between the gaps, Ezio looked into the study and saw Seraphina whispering to a worker.

• Ezio: Seraphina, and one of the workers. What do they have to talk about?
• Seraphina: Shh. Mistress Claudia will accept no more excuses. I suggest you get back to work.

As the pair left the study, Ezio walked through the corridor until he entered his mother's old room, which had been tidied up to receive Ezio as a guest room. He looked upon Maria's feather box.

• Ezio: My mother's box of feathers. The lid is closed. The collection complete. But you are forever in my heart, Petruccio.

Ezio approached the done bed and picked up an unfinished letter from the bedside table.

• Ezio: An unfinished letter. But I know Claudia's hand. "Ezio. I hope you find everything here, if not quite as you would wish it, at least to your satisfaction. Like us, Monteriggioni now has its scars, but these we can try to heal. I am glad you are home."

Ezio then approached the door to the attic and unlocked it with the key, traversing the near ruining corridor behind it and reaching a ladder. He climbed it to reach for the trapdoor which lead to his old room. A medium-sized box adorned with a stylized Assassin insignia, from which several organ tubes protruded.

• Ezio: Ah. The music box Claudia spoke of. If I am not mistaken, I recognize Leonardo's handiwork. I expect there will be more to this than it seems.

Ezio inspected the music box and noticed that it possessed three structures in which a metal bird was supposed to be slotted in each. However, two of the birds were missing.

• Ezio: Something I can use must be nearby.

He searched the room and found one of the birds hidden in a closet, placing it in its respective pilar.

• Ezio: Something's not yet right.

Ezio found the other bird stored in a chest filled with coin and slotted it in the music box. He then cranked the handle at the side of it to make it function. The box responded by emitting a familiar tune and opening itself. Inside, there was a letter and a small painting.

• Ezio: A letter from Leonardo. "Ezio, I hope this brings you some joy. Alas, painting is but a poor substitute for friendship. God willing, I will see you again soon." Maybe so, old friend.

Ezio picked up the painting, which depicted him, Maria and Claudia.

• Ezio: It is as if he plucked her from heaven, and gave her new life. Grazie (Thank you), Leonardo. I shall treasure this until my last day.

Finished his task, Ezio opened the trapdoor and dropped to the corridor leading back to the villa. As he started to walk through it, the ceiling started to crumble.

• Civilian 25: Hurry! Bring it down!
• Ezio: Dio Mio... (My God...) What's happening?

The tunnel's foundations gave in and it collapsed with Ezio inside.

• Ezio: Ugh! (cough)

Ezio blacked out. In the distance, he heard Seraphina speaking.

• Seraphina: I have not found what I seek! You sprang the trap too soon!
• Civilian 25: Then I suggest you hurry. We have no way of knowing if he survived the collapse or not.
• Seraphina: Very well. I had hoped to be the one to end his miserable life, but fate had other desires. Addio (Farewell) Master Ezio.
• Ezio: (cough)

Ezio woke up amidst the rubble in the tunnel, which barely stood.

• Ezio: (groaning) So, these "workers" have shown their true faces. Unfortunately for them, I still live.

He rushed through the corridor and used his sword to open passage between wooden beams. As he reached the door, the attic crumbled behind him. Ezio opened the door and found a dead mercenary lying near the entrance to Maria's room.

• Ezio: It seems my enemies have met some resistance.

He entered the room in time to witness an enemy being kicked away into the feather box drawer and perish.

• Ezio: Claudia?

Ezio turned around the corner to see Claudia, who donned an armor, flawlessly kill two other soldiers with a dagger.

• Claudia: Enough napping, brother. We have vermin to exterminate.
• Ezio: Your present was a gift of fate, then.
• Claudia: Indeed. I will clear the bastards from this wing. To keep them from sneaking up behind you. Meet me in the workshop.
• Ezio: I shall rid the Villa of the rest of these rattos (rats).

Ezio sneaked into the main hall through the passageway, were two mercenaries lurked.

• Mercenary 1: You look like you're getting a little pudgy around the middle.
• Mercenary 2: I am not!
• Mercenary 1: Sure you are. Who's been a greedy little pig?
• Mercenary 2: You take that back!
• Mercenary 1: Or what? You'll bump me with your belly?
• Mercenary 2: I'm warning you, don't say things like that or I'll do for you.

One of them wandered into the weapons room. Ezio quickly air assassinated the one that stayed and stealthly dealt with the other one. He then went up to the painting gallery and dispatched the bandits who patrolled it. The wing clean, Ezio left the gallery and heard Claudia's calling.

• Claudia: Ezio! In here!

He met Claudia, who had killed the bandits in the workshop, and the two walked up to Mario's study.

• Claudia: Here brother! Seraphina and the leader of the bandits escaped into the Sanctuary. I will get rid of the rest that may be lurking on the grounds. Stop the thieves from defiling our home any longer.
• Ezio: With pleasure, Claudia. Buona caccia! (Happy hunting!)

Ezio then pulled a lever in the bookshelf of the study, opening the secret passage to the Sanctuary. He walked through it until he reached the cellar, arriving in time to see the leader of the mercenaries and Seraphina escape through the passage behind Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's statue.

• Civilian 25: Time for us to go.
• Seraphina: By all means, before Ezio arrives.

The mercenaries that stayed behind closed the grate in front of the statue and confronted Ezio.

• Mercenary 3: No escape for you now, eh, old man?
• Ezio: Oh, you fools, now you shall see what this "old man" can still do.
• Mercenary 3: Once we get rid of you, Monteriggioni will be ours for the taking.

Ezio bested and finished the bandits in combat.

• Ezio: Seraphina and the leader of these bandits have escaped into the secret passage behind the statue of Altaïr! I must follow quickly if I wish to stop them from escaping.

Ezio climbed the statue of Leonius and claimed a key that was placed on its hand.

• Ezio: Grazie (Thank you) Leonius.

The Assassin then used the key to unlock a nearby chest before starting to crank the two seals of the gate that had been turned into switches since the last time he had unlocked it.

• Ezio: The Sanctuary gate looks different. I'm gone but for a moment and my sister starts changing things...

After turning Qulan Gal's and Amunet's seals, the grate was lowered and the passage behind it opened. Ezio looked up to Altaïr's statue.

• Ezio: Perhaps we shall meet in the next life, though in yours or mine, I cannot say.

Ezio then approached the secret entrance behind it.

• Ezio: The thieves have entered the tunnels through the crypts. I must hurry. They cannot be far ahead.

Ezio went deeper into the passage, with the gate closing behind him.

Outcome

A plot against Monteriggioni was revealed, with Ezio and Claudia surviving an attack by its perpetrators.

References

• Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR

Assassin's Creed: Nexus VR memories
Ezio Auditore da Firenze
The Auditore Blade - Return to Monteriggioni - Monteriggioni Tunnels - Rizzo's Humiliations - The Final Humiliation - Cult of Hermes Reborn
Kassandra
Hunting the Bow - The Thirty Tyrants - The Informant - Battle of Munychia
Ratonhnhaké:ton
Daring Rescue - Siege of Boston - The Spymaster - Barton's Raid - A Greater Cause