Monteriggioni

Monteriggioni is a city in and commune of Tuscany, Italy featured in Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Built in the 13th Century by the overlords of Siena, Monteriggioni was actively involved in the defense of Tuscany against Florentine attempts to gain more territory. At the front of this conflict was the Auditore family, who became the city's rulers and protectors. They constructed Monteriggioni's famous walls and the Villa Auditore.

History
In 1290, the Assassin Domenico Auditore constructed the Villa Auditore using funds he had gained from Marco Polo. Domenico and his son used Monteriggioni as a base of operations in their silent war against the Templars. In 1296, Domenico built the Auditore Family Crypt in the city. He hid the Armor of Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad in the Sanctuary under the villa, which could only be unlocked by Assassin seals that were scattered around Italy, hidden in sarcophagi of famous historical Assassins. At some point, the Shroud was hidden in a lair of elaborate traps beneath the city by a member of the Auditore.

In 1454, Mario Auditore was made sole ruler of Monteriggioni when his brother Giovanni moved to Florence. The city came under frequent attack by Florence during this time, leading Mario to strengthen the city's economy and defenses in order to better withstand Florentine pressure.

Soon after, Mario discovered that a man named Luciano Pezzati was causing strife within the city by turning families against each other. After he was captured and interrogated, Pezatti revealed that Florence was planning a large attack on Monteriggioni. Rallying his forces, Mario successfully repelled the Florentine forces led by Federico da Montefeltro. After successfully defending the city, Mario continued to interrogate Luciano, only to discover that the purpose of the Florentine attack was to acquire the Shroud hidden under the city. Mario soon discovered the Shroud hidden in the hollowed-out well of the town and had it removed from Monteriggioni by Giovanni.

Over the next twenty years, Monteriggioni gradually fell into disrepair as Mario devoted more of his time to war and the Brotherhood. By 1476, most of the town's shops had closed, the number of visitors to the city had decreased and the upkeep of the Villa Auditore was neglected.

In 1476, Mario's nephew, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, took shelter in Monteriggioni and later became the city's biggest investor and co-ruler with Mario. For over twenty years, Monteriggioni prospered as Ezio used the funds gathered during his adventures to reopen the city's shops, bordello and thieves' guild. Significant improvements were also made to the city's infrastructure, and the Villa Auditore was renovated. By 1499, the city had become a vital headquarters of the Assassins, whose flag flew over the city. Around this time, cannons were added to the city's defenses.

In 1500, Cesare Borgia led a siege on Monteriggioni in order to recover the Apple of Eden that had been taken by Ezio from the Templars. Though the Assassins were able to temporarily hold off the attack while the citizens were evacuated, the city soon fell and Mario was killed. The city and Villa Auditore suffered significant damage as a result of this attack. The Assassins abandoned the city, relocating their headquarters to Rome. At some later point, an elderly Ezio returned to the city, entering the Sanctuary underneath the Villa Auditore for unknown reasons.

Prior to 1554, the Auditore family regained control of Monteriggioni. The city was betrayed in 1554 by Giovannino Zeti, the keeper of the garrison and a Florentine exile, who was allowed to return to Florence in exchange for the keys to the city. The city was soon attacked and conquered by the Medici of Florence. However, due to the Auditore's good relations with the Medici, they were allowed to continue their leadership over Monteriggioni.

By the 21st century, the city was largely unchanged from its Renaissance appearance and had become a tourist attraction, with a plaque in front of the ruined Villa Auditore commemorating the siege of the city by the Borgia. A small group of modern day Assassins, made up of Desmond Miles, Lucy Stillman, Shaun Hastings and Rebecca Crane, arrived in the city on September 9, 2012 to seek refuge from the Templars of Abstergo Industries. They set up a temporary hideout in the Sanctuary beneath the Villa Auditore, where the cell signals Abstergo was using to locate them could not reach. The group remained there for the next month as Desmond used the Animus to determine the modern day location of Ezio's Apple of Eden, venturing above ground only at night or when supplies were needed. The team left the city to collect the Apple in Rome on October 10.



Renovations
The player can use florins to renovate Monteriggioni in Assassin's Creed II, investing in the renovation of various buildings throughout the town. Additionally, famous Renaissance paintings can be purchased at art merchants throughout Italy, which are hung in the painting gallery of Villa Auditore. As the town is renovated, the appearance of the Villa gradually improves and flags are also added to buildings, changing from the Auditore symbol to the Assassin's logo when the villa is fully renovated.

The following renovations can be purchased through the architect at Villa Auditore:
 * A bank (which will grant a great boost in the Villa's fame) at the cost of 1,500 florins for the first renovation, 5,000 for the second and 9,000 for the third one. It does nothing else.
 * A Doctor. There is no need to "buy" the doctor as his shop is already open. However, the player can renovate his shop two times at the cost of 3,000 and 5,000 florins.
 * A Tailor at the cost of 1,000 florins. The subsequent renovations cost 2,500 and 5,000 florins.
 * A Blacksmith. Similar to the doctor, the Blacksmith is already open. It is still possible to renovate the shop two more times for 7,000 and 12,000 florins.
 * An Art Merchant for 1,000 florins. 5,000 and 8,000 florins are respectively for the second and third renovations.
 * Restore the Church (for a fame's boost similar to the one obtained with the bank) at the the cost of 4,000 florins.
 * Restore the Well (another fame boost) at the cost of 4,000 florins.
 * Add a Thieves' Guild (fame boost) at the cost of 3,000 florins. Thieves will be seen more often.
 * Add a Brothel (fame boost) at the cost of 3,000 florins. Courtesans are seen more often around town.
 * Add Military Barracks (fame boost) at the cost of 3,000 florins. Mercenaries are seen more often walking around town.
 * Reopen the Mine (fame boost) at the cost of 4,000 florins.

Achievements
The achievement/trophy, "Podestà of Monteriggioni" can be gained by reaching 80% of the Villa total value.

Gameplay
Every improvement to the city will help develop the local economy, rewarding the player with periodic income, which can be reinvested in the city or used elsewhere in the game. Renovations usually add treasure chests to the renovated area. For however much you spend on renovations, you will be paid back 10% of the investment per 20 minutes. For example, if you renovate the well for 4,000 florins, your periodic income generated from the town will increase by 400.

Furthermore any renovations for the four "active" shops (art merchant, blacksmith, doctor and tailor) will allow the player a discount up to the 15% (with three renovations) of the item's original price.

There is a chest inside the Villa, in the same room where you decide on renovations, that will store the money your investments earn you. It receives a deposit (deposit varies based on total investment amount) every 20 minutes, but has a limit on how much it can hold. If you let it fill, any excess will be lost to Claudia. For this reason, it's recommended to return to the Villa to empty it periodically. It is set up to where the chest will be full after 4 deposits (every 1 hour and 20 minutes, giving the player 1 hour and 39 minutes to clean it out before it goes over).

Throughout the city, Ezio can find eight statuettes of some of the gods worshiped in ancient Rome. Each pair of statuettes belong to a pedestal, and every completed pedestal rewards Ezio with a hefty 2,000 florin reward.

If a player earns enough Uplay points, they can also unlock the Auditore Family Crypt, another secret location that reveals more about the Auditore family and its humble origins.

The city also plays host to a multiplayer map in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.

Trivia

 * After restoring the Mine, Well, Bank and Church, they all have hidden treasures which the user can search through. The towers at the walls of Monteriggioni have treasure in them as well after the Mercenary Barracks, Brothel and Thieves' Guild are renovated.
 * In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the entrance to the Auditore Crypt is missing in Memory Sequence 1. However, it appears again in modern-day Monteriggioni, outside the Animus.
 * In modern-day Monteriggioni, a strange red trail is visible when eagle vision is activated. It leads from the back entrance of the Villa Auditore all the way to the beginning of the steps leading to the it in front of the fountain bearing the Assassin insignia. It is unknown why it is there.
 * There are 500 residents of Monteriggioni, this can be seen in the beginning or AC: Brotherhood where Ezio must try and help the residents escape by destroying enemy cannons.
 * In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Multiplayer, you can go down where a tree would be in Single Play, which leads out onto the streets lower down.
 * In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the player is allowed to exit the animus at any time and can return to Monteriggioni where he can step out of the sanctuary and explore Monteriggioni, but there is a time limit of only ten minutes, and before exploring, Desmond Miles must equip a wireless ear piece, which is most probably to remain in contact with Lucy Stillman.