Lia de Russo

"I try to make conversation. She is uninterested. She hands me some blood-stained relic and smiles."

- Fiora Cavazza meeting with Lia.

Lia de Russo (1476 – 1503) was a smuggler of rare artifacts, who operated out of various bases in Rome, such as the Terme di Caracalla in the Campagna district. She was also a Templar agent, working for Cesare Borgia, who had recruited her to his cause.

In 2012, her genetic memories were used by the Templar company Abstergo Industries, for the training of their Animus recruits, under the title of the Smuggler.

Serving the Borgia
Between 1497 and 1503, Lia worked for Cesare Borgia, supplying him with various rare objects and contraband. These objects were usually picked up by Fiora Cavazza, who worked as an envoy for Cesare.

On one occasion, Fiora followed Lia into a shop that the smuggler had claimed as one of her storehouses. She noted that it "smelled of death," and that she would not be surprised to find the shop owner's body somewhere.

The items Lia gathered for Cesare varied from random objects to priceless treasures, though she always insisted on being paid -- and tipped -- properly for her services.

Death
"Stop chasing me! Figlio di troia! Who sent you?"

- Lia, as she is pursued by Ezio Auditore.

In 1503, Lia took a contract to kill a young shopkeeper named Monica, who had refused to close her store when the Borgia declared jurisdiction over the area it was located in. The Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze later came across Monica's grieving fiancé and, after hearing the details from him, decided to seek out Lia.

Ezio soon found Lia at the Baths of Caracalla, standing over the body of her latest kill. However, once she caught sight of him, she fled immediately, yelling at him as he pursued her. In time though, the Assassin caught up to her, and ended her life with his hidden blade.

Trivia

 * Lia's weapons and attire resembles that of the Assassins, as well as Il Lupo.
 * Unlike her multiplayer counterpart, Lia lacks both her cape and her reverse hidden blade in singleplayer.
 * Lia was the first female character killed by Ezio Auditore and one of three female characters ever killed by him in the series, the others being Lysistrata and Mirela Djuric.