- "I do not concern myself with morals. How could I, in this business?"
- ―Fiora Cavazza[src]
Fiora Cavazza was a courtesan working in the Rosa in Fiore, who later became a member of the Templar Order.
She also appears as a playable character in the multiplayer mode of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, under the title of the Courtesan.
Biography
Life in the Rosa in Fiore
Fiora in the Rosa in Fiore.
- "I am a fine wine served in a low class tavern."
- ―Fiora, regarding the Rosa in Fiore.[src]
In 1497, Fiora Cavazza lived in the Rosa in Fiore brothel of Rome, working as a courtesan under the leadership of Madonna Solari. Fiora was not satisfied with her life there, and was eager to build powerful connections with her clients so that she could leave it. She often ventured outside to gather information and allies, and earned the jealousy of the other girls by her success in doing so.
Sometime during her stay in the Rosa in Fiore, she and another courtesan, Lucia, were dispatched to escort Madonna Solari's brother, Santino. Along the trip that they escorted him on, Santino treated Fiora and Lucia violently, and by the end of the night, Fiora suspected that whatever it was that Santino was dabbling in, his trade was crumbling.
Not long after this event, the Rosa in Fiore was visited by a charming but mysterious client: Cesare Borgia. Fiora was attracted to Cesare's allure, and they spent some time conversing together. At first, Fiora thought he was there to enjoy her services, but Cesare explained that that is not the case. In return for their lives being spared, Madonna Solari and Santino had allowed Cesare to choose one of the girls for himself, and he had chosen Fiora.
In the employ of Cesare Borgia
Fiora's first glimpse of Cesare Borgia.
- "I have served the Borgia for six years now. Done horrible things. Seen the fantastic. I regret none of it."
- ―Fiora, on working for the Borgia.[src]
From 1497 to 1503, Fiora served Cesare loyally, merely posing as a courtesan while living under his patronage. In the first year of her employment, Cesare had Fiora sleep with — and murder — his brother Juan on Tiber Island, in order for him to take his position as Captain General.[1] Over the years, Fiora would also oversee (and eventually, recruit) several of his Templar agents.
Among the agents that Fiora first encountered was Brother Ristoro, a corrupt member of the clergy and frequent visitor to the Rosa in Fiore, who supplied Cesare with religious items and letters for him to dispense at his will. Another supplier to Cesare was a smuggler named Lia de Russo, who delivered to him various trinkets and antiquities of little to great value. Fiora also met Auguste Oberlin, Cesare's personal blacksmith, and Gaspar de la Croix, Cesare's engineer, who Fiora described as a "haunted man."
Final Assignments
Fiora and Rocco Tiepolo.
Later, Fiora was trusted with the task of recruiting more people into Cesare's underground army, a group of people she described as his "personal collection of misfits."
The first, Rocco Tiepolo, was a condottiero, from whom Fiora was tasked to gather the finest mercenaries.
Fiora was later also sent to bribe Donato Mancini, who was said to be Cesare's finest horseman, to let Cesare win a racing match that was to take place that day. Donato was unmoved by the bribe and threats that Fiora relayed, and managed to win the race despite Cesare's agent sent to deter him.
Fiora also met with the Cento Occhi, a group of thieves led by a young man named Lanz, who Cesare suspected had raided one of the Borgia's carriages. Fiora managed to convince Lanz to return the stolen money, and have his gang work for Cesare and the Borgia.
Cesare also assigned Fiora to meet and work with Baltasar de Silva to study Cesare's enemies, a league of Assassins. Together, they watched as one of Cesare's senators was assassinated, and although Fiora felt defeat when the Assassin escaped, Baltasar was more optimistic with the discoveries of his weapons and technique.
Fiora's next assignment was to work with Cahin and Caha, a brother-sister pair of harlequins. Together, the three of them killed a group of guests at what was disguised as a performance by Cahin and Caha.
Fiora also met with Il Carnefice, a twisted executioner with a love for his carnage, and Silvestro Sabbatini, Cesare's failed agent to whom she was to deliver the opportunity for a second chance, by presenting him with a prosthetic arm.
Malfatto
Fiora, moments after she is attacked by Malfatto.
Cesare's last contact assignment for Fiora was with Malfatto, a doctor with a love for slaughtering the courtesans of Roma. Fiora was frightened with the prospect of meeting up with him, especially since she had seen one of his victims lying in a pool of blood, but Cesare insisted that she present a certain envelope to him. When she finally met Malfatto, Fiora was nearly attacked by him, but managed to fend him off by shouting Cesare Borgia's name and by handing over the letter she was to give him.
Later that night, Fiora returned to the house that Cesare had bought for her, but was unable to sleep. In the middle of the night, she felt a pricking sensation at her neck, and was shocked to find not an insect, but Malfatto injecting her with his syringe.
The contents of the syringe began to take effect on Fiora, but she managed to wound Malfatto with her metal fan before losing consciousness. When she woke up, Malfatto had gone, but Fiora's loyalty to Cesare had diminished; she was determined to betray him to the Assassins.
Fiora crafted a list containing the names of Cesare's finest agents, all of which she had worked with, and sent them to the Assassins. To her surprise, the Assassin who came to pick her up was the blossoming painter, Francesco Vecellio.
Working with the Assassins
Fiora aiding the Assassins in attacking Baltasar de Silva's hideout.
- "I am done with Cesare. Done with the mad people who surround him."
- ―Fiora, regarding leaving the Borgia's employment.[src]
Fiora followed and assisted the Assassins as they targeted the names on the list she had given them. The first of the betrayed agents to be assassinated was Rocco Tiepolo, and his mercenaries. The fight against them proved a brutal massacre, and the Assassins overcame them surprisingly easily.
Fiora and the Assassins targeted the siblings Cahin and Caha next, whom they found performing in the streets. Cahin was swiftly assassinated, and while Caha at first tried to retaliate, she realized that she was fighting a losing battle. She finally accepted death, and only sat cradling her brother's body as an Assassin shot a crossbow bolt into her head.
Afterwards, Fiora led the Assassins to Baltasar de Silva's hideout, where they planned to ambush him. However, Baltasar proved a crafty opponent, and set fire to the building as he made his escape. When Fiora later checked the remains of the burnt structure, she found a letter from Baltasar for her. In the letter, he told her that he wanted them to meet, to discuss things. Fiora complied and visited the place Baltasar had directed her to, but realized too late that it was a trap when marksmen appeared from behind the crates and aimed for her. Fiora bowed her head, but the gunshots never came. When she looked up, Baltasar and the marksmen were dead, shot by arrows; the Assassins had saved her.
Fiora finishing off Il Lupo.
Fiora's final target was Il Lupo, a Templar agent that she and Baltasar had once trained to imitate the Assassins as perfectly as possible, mimicking their clothes, techniques, and weapons. Fiora feared that Il Lupo would be the one link to reveal what harm she had done to the Assassins, and thus she confronted him alone. Although Il Lupo was stronger in an open fight, Fiora was able to kill him with poison when his back was turned.
The Apple of Eden
Fiora discovered by Cesare.
- "Papà asked Fiora to eat dinner with him. Papà is angry with her. He says she is a liar. I told him she is nice, but he says she is still a liar."
- ―Giovanni Borgia, regarding Cesare's opinion of Fiora.[src]
Some time after she was allied to the Assassins, Fiora paid a visit to Cesare Borgia upon his request, where she was noticed by Cesare's presumed son, Giovanni. Though she and Cesare calmly shared dinner, their distrust of one another was only shallowly hidden. Cesare questioned Fiora on his lost allies, and on her relations with the Assassins, but she denied any knowledge of either.
That night, Giovanni witnessed Fiora sneaking around, searching the house for the Apple of Eden. Thinking that she was there to play, Giovanni snatched the Apple and ran off, calling gleefully for Fiora to catch him. Alarmed, Fiora attempted to take the Piece of Eden from the boy, but was subsequently frozen by its power. Woken by the clamor, Cesare advanced on the immobilized Fiora, calmly answering Giovanni that yes, he would hurt her.