Skirmish in the Campagna District

"Cesare persuaded King Louis to lend him an entire army to defeat me. I'm flattered."

- Bartolomeo d'Alviano, regarding the French.

The Skirmish in the Campagna District was a conflict between the forces of Bartolomeo d'Alviano and Octavian de Valois in 1503.

Following the death of Juan Borgia the Elder, the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze intended to assassinate the Baron of Valois, one of the Borgia's supporters, in order to weaken Cesare's influential control over Rome and to lower the morale of the guards positioned at the Castel Sant'Angelo. Ezio visited the military barracks to check on his old friend Bartolomeo d'Alviano, who was battling the French forces of Cesare Borgia, led by the Baron.

Hostility
Reaching the barracks, Ezio was greeted by a paranoid Bartolomeo, who quickly pointed his sword at Ezio the moment he arrived. When he recognized him, however, his paranoia subsided, and he segued into a more cheerful demeanor. He told Ezio that he had been expecting his wife, and Ezio admitted did not surprise him. Ezio then asked who this Baron de Valois was. Bartolomeo informed him that Cesare had persuaded King Louis to lend him an army to combat against Bartolomeo, a fact that flattered him.

Ezio inquired on how the battle against the Baron was going, and Bartolomeo assured him that the French were in retreat. As they conversed, however, a French arquebusier shot at the two from a distance, though missed. Despite this, Bartolomeo still insisted that the fight was going well, until a mercenary loudly announced that the French troops were moving in for a direct assault. Bartolomeo then admitted that he may need some help containing the situation.

Ezio, Bartolomeo and the mercenaries fought against the French forces, successfully driving back the first wave of soldiers; however, further reinforcements attacked the barracks and overwhelmed Bartolomeo's men. Ezio and the mercenaries then had all three of the gates leading directly into the barracks closed, to prevent any more from entering.

Although the barracks was safely defended, the Baron Octavian de Valois and his troops called for Bartolomeo's attention. With Bartolomeo listening from behind the gates of the barracks, Octavian asked for Bartolomeo's unconditional surrender. Bartolomeo angrily refused. Octavian then told him that he must learn to speak French, in order to mask the condottiero's barbaric sensibilities. Bartolomeo mockingly agreed, asking the Baron to teach him in French, while he instructed the Baron in fighting, since he appeared to do so little of it.

After exchanging insults, Octavian once again requested for Bartolomeo's surrender before sunrise. Bartolomeo, finding such a request amusing, warned the Baron that his "lady, Bianca" would whisper it into the Baron's ear. Octavian then revealed that his troops had managed to capture Bartolomeo's wife, Pantasilea, and promised to release her, should Bartolomeo come into his camp unarmed and alone. The Baron and his men then left the vicinity.

Enraged, Bartolomeo, with Ezio close behind him, rode on horseback to the Castra Praetoria for a rescue attempt. However, they soon discovered that the camp was impenetrable. After Bartolomeo angrily shouted insults through the gates of the camp, Ezio told him that it would be best to regroup and gather their force for a direct assault, just as they had done in L'Arsenale.

Bartolomeo told him that the camp was thicker with Frenchmen than the streets of Paris, and that the walls surrounding the camp were impossible to scale. Bartolomeo, devoid of any tactic due to his wife's absence, was ready to surrender unarmed, bearing gifts for the Baron, and hoping that he would spare Pantasilea. Hearing this, Ezio thought of a plan, ordering Bartolomeo to call off the attacks and go back to the barracks. After Bartolomeo ordered his men to fall back, Ezio returned to the barracks to reveal his idea.

Clothes make the Man


At the barracks, Ezio asked Bartolomeo if the mercenaries were capable of overpowering the French guard patrols if they managed to initiate a surprise assault inside the camp. Bartolomeo confirmed this without a doubt. Ezio then told Bartolomeo his plan, which was to liberate several suits of French armor for the mercenaries to use. Once in gear, Ezio and the mercenaries would bring Bartolomeo to the French camp, as if the condotteiro had surrendered to the them. Once inside the camp, Ezio would give the signal to attack.

Bartolomeo was overjoyed with Ezio's cleverly devised plan. He then told Ezio that he would order his men to gather the armor from the dead soldiers, and also added that they would proceed to the camp from the north, so as not to arouse suspicion. Before Ezio left, Bartolomeo warned the Assassin to keep the fight brief, in order to cause less damage to the armor, and allow them to have clean disguises.

After the meeting, Ezio scouted the district, killing the French soldiers stationed at nearby military camps and did so without being seen. After the twentieth soldier fell, the mercenaries took the armor from the corpses littered around the area. Gathering at the north, the mercenaries clad themselves in the French's armor, as they readied to proceed into the enemy camp.

Bartolomeo ordered his men to give him his own suit of armor, however, Ezio quickly dismissed this, reminding Bartolomeo that their plan required him to act as the prisoner. Agreeing, Bartolomeo joined his men with his hand tied. Ezio, after donning the armor of a French Captain, prepared to proceed through the district with Bartolomeo and his mercenaries, carefully following the path that a French patrol would take so as not to arouse any suspicion. As they marched on, Ezio noticed some of the Baron's soldiers from afar, who could potentially ruin their plan. Wasting no time, Ezio eliminated them before the mercenaries arrived, and did the same for any other soldiers along the path.

Subsequently, as they marched, Ezio and Bartolomeo discussed what the Baron thought of Cesare's promise to allow the French to rule Italy. Bartolomeo spoke of the Baron's pride in his bloodline, how it affected his capability in battle, and that no matter what he thought, Cesare intended to be king. He also told Ezio his opinion on the plan, thinking it brilliant, if not cowardly. He said that he believed in fair fighting, to which Ezio commented that the Baron and Cesare thought otherwise. Bartolomeo then quoted something Ezio's father had once written, "There will come a day in which men no longer cheat each other; and on that day we will see what mankind is truly capable of."

As they arrived at the entrance of the French camp, a guard posted on a watch tower asked Ezio, in French, what his business was there. Ezio replied in French, stating that Bartolomeo had surrendered to the Baron and wished for his wife to be freed. The guard, doubting Ezio's demeanor and accent, asked what part of France he was from. Ezio replied that he was from Montreal. After this, the guard granted access to Ezio and his men. When Bartolomeo asked where Ezio had learned to speak French, he replied that there had been a few French girls in Firenze during his time there.

Nobility among Brutes and Barons
"You think commanding an army grants you nobility? Nobility comes from fighting beside your soldiers, not kidnapping a woman so you can cheat your way out of battle! Why don't you grow a pair, and release my wife?!"

- Bartolomeo, to Octavian de Valois.

While walking inside the camp, Bartolomeo was insulted and taunted by the soldiers stationed there, which continued until Bartolomeo faced Octavian directly. The Baron, with Pantasilea beside him, greeted Bartolomeo with mock courtesy. Bartolomeo, enraged with the Baron's tactics, demanded that his wife be released. The Baron then tried to press on with his insults, telling Bartolomeo that his entitlements were too much for a man of his low caliber. Bartolomeo then claimed that his name was worth its currency, unlike the Baron's, which he stated was counterfeit.

The Baron was deeply offended, but Bartolomeo continued, saying that one gained nobility by battling beside one's men, and not through kidnapping women in order to cheat out of battle. He once again demanded his wife be released.

The Baron, his rifle in hand, pointed it to Pantasilea's head in response to the taunts. Seeing the danger, Ezio fired his hidden gun into the air, signaling the mercenaries to initiate the attack. Sensing danger, the Baron quickly fled with Pantasilea in tow, while several Papal guards defended his retreat. Then Ezio, Bartolomeo, the mercenaries and the French soldiers engaged in a fray.

After disposing of the guards, Bartolomeo demanded that Ezio follow Octavian, and save Pantasilea. Agreeing to do so, Ezio quickly left the vicinity, climbing the nearest rooftop and making his way through the camp from there. Though stopped by several French Guard Captains stationed at the gate to the Baron's personal barracks, Ezio battled the men and eventually routed them. Opening the gate, Ezio proceeded forward. As he set foot in the courtyard, Ezio was nearly shot by the Baron, who was effortlessly dragging Pantasilea with him. Inside the safety of the barracks, he angrily threatened to kill Pantasilea should he notice the slightest hint that Ezio was near.

Treading carefully, Ezio quietly made his way onto the walls of the barracks, avoiding the guards until he saw the Baron with his rifle still pointed to Pantasilea's head. Seeing an opportunity, Ezio leapt and killed the Baron before he could react. As he died, the Baron told Ezio that he had only wanted respect. Ezio then told him that it was something earned, not inherited or purchased. The Baron then realized his mistake as he closed his eyes, He asked for another chance to redeem himself but it was too late the deed was done, and Ezio spoke his words of respect over the body. After this, he left to check on Pantasilea.

Bartolomeo arrived soon after to attend to Pantasilea. The two hugged each other warmly, as Bartolomeo revealed that he had been lost without her. Pantasilea then told him that what he had planned was brilliant, but he corrected her that it was not his plan, but Ezio's. Ezio then countered this himself, telling Pantasilea that it had all been Bartolomeo's doing. A puzzled Bartolomeo was then hugged by Pantasilea, who told him that he was her prince.

After this, and thanking Ezio for his assistance, Pantasilea left the camp. Bartolomeo followed her, patting Ezio on the shoulder and signifying a job well done. Ezio simply watched Bartolomeo and Pantasilea leave before departing himself.

Aftermath
After Octavian's death, the French troops abandoned their stations in Rome and returned to France, weakening Cesare's balance of power and crippling his army even more. The mercenary guild continued to further the Assassins' cause, without any disturbances from the French army. This marked another step forward for the Assassins, and a step backward for the Templars.

Source

 * Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood