Checco Orsi

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

- Checco taunting Caterina Sforza after kidnapping her children, 1488.

Checco Orsi (1458 - 1488) was a member of the Orsi family of Forlì, and brother to Ludovico. Bored with their life in the countryside, the two started a loan-sharking business, and murdered any who failed to pay their debts.

Working for Caterina
The brothers were hired by Caterina Sforza to kill her own husband, Girolamo Riario, after she found out that he was a Templar. Riario, who was already in debt to the Orsi brothers, was killed by them during a meal.

Battle of Forlì and Death
Later on, Rodrigo Borgia hired them to kill Caterina and obtain the map Riario had made of the Codex pages. The Orsi agreed, and laid siege to the city of Forlì. In the process, they captured two of Caterina's children, Bianca and Ottaviano, and found out that Ezio Auditore da Firenze, who was in possession of the Apple of Eden, was involved as well.

Using the two as a distraction for Ezio, Checco attacked the Rocca di Ravaldino (the ward in which Caterina was holding the Apple) after the Assassin had left to rescue the children. Caterina and Niccolò Machiavelli's resistance was not enough to protect the Piece of Eden, and Checco claimed it for himself.

Ezio chased after Checco as he fled to deliver the Apple to Rodrigo Borgia, and managed to intercept and assassinate him. However, with his dying breath, Checco stabbed Ezio in the right side of the stomach.

Final words
Checco: ''So... you have your prize again.''

(Ezio retrieves the Piece of Eden.)

Ezio: ''Was it worth it? So much bloodshed?''

Checco: A prize of such value, it will not remain yours for long.

Ezio: We shall see.

(Ezio stabs Checco through the throat with the Hidden Blade, killing him.)

Ezio: Che miserie nascono dall'avidità. (What wretched things are born of greed.) Requiescat in pace. (Rest in peace.)

Trivia

 * Checco is one of the only two assassination targets in the Assassin's Creed series to be stabbed with the Hidden Blade while in the Animus scene; the other target being Majd Addin in Assassin's Creed.
 * The mission in which you assassinate Checco Orsi is named "Checcomate," a reference to the popular board game Chess. "Checkmate" is a phrase you may say when you are at the point of killing or taking the other player's King, and thus winning the game.
 * When pursuing Checco, he will always run faster than Ezio, thus must be chased down on horseback.
 * Checco Orsi shares Francesco de' Pazzi and Cesare Borgia's voice actor, Andreas Apergis.