Battle of Forlì

The Battle of Forlì was a major military conflict between the Templar forces of Rodrigo Borgia, commanded by the Orsi brothers, and those loyal to Caterina Sforza, Countess of Forlì, in the year 1488.

Shelter in the Wetlands
After procuring the Apple of Eden from Templar hands in the city Venice, and the induction of Ezio into the Assassin's Order, Ezio, Mario Auditore and Niccolò Machiavelli met with the inventor Leonardo da Vinci in hopes that he might be able to shed some light upon the nature of the artifact. Leonardo knew little more than the assassins' themselves. After inadvertently witnessing the Apple's power, and realizing that in the wrong hands, the Apple's power could prove disastrous, Leonardo thought it best to hide the apple within the city of Forlì, where a powerful ally of the assassin's reigned; Caterina Sforza, an old acquaintance of Ezio.

Accompanied by Machiavelli, Ezio met up with Caterina, who was surprised to hear Ezio's allegiances. Escorted by the city guards, Caterina, Machiavelli and Ezio make their way to the city. As they did, Caterina talked about her rise to power, reminiscing about the death of her husband by the hands of the Orsi brothers. Ezio offered his condolences, but Caterina informed him that her husband's death was her doing, stating that she hired the Orsi herself, much to Ezio's surprise.

As they made their way towards the city however, they found the people fleeing from the advancing forces of an unknown force. When Caterina asked one of the fleeing civilians who was attacking, she was given the name of Checco and Ludovico Orsi, the ones she hired to kill her husband, has now invaded and taken control of much of the city. Fearing the worst, Caterina made her way to the city, but was blocked from entry, for the city gates was locked. Ezio asked if there was another way into the city, to which Caterina confirms.

She told Ezio to swim under the city drain, and open the gates once he is inside. As he made his way into the city, Caterina was throwing insults to the Orsi brothers, shouting and screaming at the top of her lungs. After making his way through the city, avoiding the open conflict, Ezio managed to open the gates for Caterina and her militia.

Defending the citadel
"Caterina! Caterina Sforza! I know you're in there! I have something you may want back... Are you missing any children?"

- Checco Orsi, addressing Caterina

Ezio, together with Machiavelli and Caterina, made their way to the citadel, and fought off the Templar invasion, managing to retain both the Apple and the Codex map. As her militia rested, Caterina went on to check on her children. Making her way home, she saw two of her children, Ottaviano & Bianca, missing. The servant informed her that the two were playing outside during the attack, and feared the worst. Before Caterina can speak, the guards that were posted on the city walls informed them of the Orsi's reinforcement.

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. Looking outside the citadel, Caterina spotted the Orsi Brothers, who made their statement. Checco informed her that her children was with them. The two was also surprised to see Ezio, and introduced themselves to the assassin. Caterina demanded her children to be free, to which the Orsi acknowledged, stating that they will be free once Caterina hands over her husband's map.

Caterina refused to give the map, and even went as far as to say that the Orsi can have her children, stating that she has "the instrument to make more". Figuring that Caterina would change her mind, Orsi gave her some more time to think about the deal. After this, the brothers and their men leave the area.

Caterina cried out of concern for her children. Ezio told Caterina that he can't let her make the sacrifice. Caterina told him that their will be no sacrifices. Ezio was then tasked by her to rescue her children. Before leaving, Ezio gives Caterina the Apple of Eden. After this, Ezio leaves to rescue Caterina's children.

Dealing with the Orsi
"The Maestro gains his prize, because of me..."

- Ludovico Orsi's last words after Ezio slays him

With two of Sforza's children still in Orsi hands, Ezio was tasked with the liberation. The assassin overpowered the guard detail assigned to imprison Bianca, who directed Ezio to her brother Ottaviano. As Bianca fled back to the city, Ezio made his way the the lighthouse upon which Ottaviano was being held by Ludovico himself. Climbing the tower, Ezio dispatched the Orsi brother, and liberated Ottaviano, though not before learning that the distraction of the captured siblings had allowed the brothers to steal the Apple. 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 the remaining Orsi brother.

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. 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. The battle was over, and the city remained within the hands of Caterina Sforza.

The hunt for the monk
In the battle's aftermath, Forlì guards scouring the area found Ezio, barely alive. They brought him back to the city, where Caterina personally nursed him back to health. When Ezio regained consciousness, he told her 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, and also gave Ezio the map, since he would need to find it to find the remaining Codex pages in order to find the Vault. With that, Ezio thanked Caterina for her help, and departed.

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 inquired as to 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.

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 nine years previous. The man fled, but Ezio caught up and tackled him. Ezio managed to convince the monk that Stefano's death had been justified, since Ezio only slew those who deserved death, then asked for the identity of the monk. 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 studied; Santo Spirito, in Firenze. Armed with this knowledge, Ezio departed Forli.

Trivia

 * Most of Caterina's insults consist of swearing, this is where she earned her reputation for being foul mouthed.