Assassin's Creed II/Sequence 13: Bonfire of the Vanities

In this sequence you find that Girolamo Savonarola has infiltrated your home city of Florence and is attempting to take it over. His brand of religious zeal includes forcing the populace to burn objects of sin, cutting off travel and food, and instituting long prayer sessions for penance. He has used the Apple of Eden to sway the minds of nine lieutenants, who control different sections of the city. To restore peace and regain the Apple, you'll need to take out his henchmen before getting to him.

New to this DNA sequence is the opening of a new district across the river to the south, including seven more viewpoints, and the introduction of springboards that allow you to fling yourself across great distances. The springboards look like short metal rods, marked with maroon drapery, sticking out from the sides or corners of buildings. To use them, simply run out along them to fly a good distance in the direction the springboard is pointing.

Version differences
For the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, this DNA sequence must be downloaded separately to be played. If you finish the game before getting this DLC, you will go straight to Sequence 14 from Sequence 11 or Sequence 12. If you already have the DLC installed, you must complete it before moving on, just like any other sequence. If you don't have the DLC, the in-game reason for its absence is due to a corrupted data stream, though Shaun will give you some info on what went on during the missing years. When you install the DLC after having already completed the game, Rebecca will inform you that she's repaired the DNA sequence.

There are two versions of the DLC available – one has just the DNA sequence and the other also includes the three Templar lairs that can only otherwise be acquired by purchasing the Black or Master Assassin's editions of the game. Although the Windows version comes with both Sequence 12 and this one as part of the basic game, only the Black edition also includes the Templar lairs.

Florentine fiasco
Machiavelli is waiting for you on the eastern bridge in the south part of the city, but first you have to get through the line of guards at the gate into the city. In a nod to the first game, blend with a group of monks heading into the city to pass by them unnoticed to the marker inside. You are notorious, so you'll want to avoid being seen by the city guards. They're busy fighting, so it shouldn't be hard to get away from them if you are spotted. Once you're through the gate, head south and run along the inside of the city wall to the other end, which will keep you away from guards or let them be drawn into one of the armed conflicts if they were chasing you. Keeping your eye on the minimap, head west along the south end of the district through the streets to the bridge. Climb up to the roof of the building adjacent to the bridge, and you'll be able to jump down to it and head over to Machiavelli on the other end.
 * Memory start: Enter the white marker outside the eastern gate in Florence, on the road to the mountains.
 * Reward: 1,000ƒ

The last part of the mission is where you follow Machiavelli through the new Oltrarno district as he fills you in on current affairs within the city. Once you get to the pile of bodies and learn that they are Borgia's men, he will follow you to the next objective to the southwest. There are a lot of guards on the way, but whether they attack is keyed off of your alert status, so as long as you stay anonymous, no one will bother your small group. You have to be anonymous to enter the white marker to end the memory, so finish any fights that you are your allies are still engaged in.

Doomsday
The preacher in the courtyard below you, talking to a crowd in front of the church. You're automatically notorious and the plaza below is crawling with soldiers as is the roof of the church. If the preacher spots you, he will take off running. When the courtyard below is clear of roving soldiers, drop down to the small platform on the side of the building you're on facing the preacher. From there, quickly jump to the hay cart and hop inside. There are groups of soldiers standing on both sides while you do this, so you have to be fast to avoid setting off their alerts. If one of the seeker guards comes poking around the hay cart, just stealth assassinate him. Hop out of the cart and quickly join the crowd where you can pick your time to run over to the preacher and take him out. Don't wait too long, as when his speech is over he walks back into the guarded courtyard next to the church and it will be harder to take out. When you've killed him, escape from the guards and become incognito again.
 * Memory start: Enter the white marker on the roof, southeast of the large church at the south end of the Oltrarno district.
 * Reward: 2,000ƒ

Still life
When you start the memory, you'll be able to see the artist down on the ground by the bonfire to the southeast. You also get a small cutaway, showing you the springboard. Head over to the northern end of the roof and air assassinate the soldiers below when the roving guard is at the opposite end of the lower roof from the pair you want to assassinate. Quickly sprint off the springboard to the east and free run along the wooden platforms and beams attached to the inner wall of area where the artist is. These will take you around to a platform above the target where an archer is keeping watch. Get to him and quickly assassinate him before he can sound the alarm. From this vantage you'll be just out of range of the guards and won't raise a full alert from them. When you have the target highlighted below you, air assassinate him, then lose the guards and become incognito to end the memory.
 * Memory start: Enter the white marker on the roof of the Palazzo Pitti in the southeast section of the Oltrarno district.
 * Reward: 2,000ƒ

Arch nemesis
The target is on the roof of the building on the west side of the bridge due north of you. There are guards on all the rooftops along the way, so be careful as you go along. When the guard on the roof northwest of you starts walking away, drop down to the roof below and quickly cross the wires above the street. Run up onto the roof and dive off the other side of the flat section into the water on the other side. Swim over to the climbable bricks leading up directly below where the condotierri is speaking from his balcony. Climb up below his balcony and perform a ledge assassination when he comes near. If anyone sees you, just jump back out into the water and swim outside the alert area for an easy getaway.
 * Memory start: Enter the white marker on the roof just south of the main bridge going between the Oltrarno and San Giovanni districts.
 * Reward: 2,000ƒ

Port authority
If anyone sees you in this memory you'll desynchronize, so you have to be extra careful. Your target is on the ship in the water below you, and he's in the center protected by walls on three sides and two brutes on the other. Your plan of attack should be to climb up the back side of the ship and assassinate him from the railing above and behind him. In order to pull this off, you'll first need to take out the soldier walking the wooden pier in front of the ship so you can approach from the east without being seen. When the memory starts, head east across the rooftops until you see the soldier on the roof below. When his back is to you, jump down and quickly go assassinate him before he sees you. From there, dive into the water below and hang off the side of the pier until the roving soldier walks by and you can assassinate him.
 * Memory start: Enter the white marker on the roof overlooking the water at the south end of the Santa Maria Novella district.
 * Reward: 117785

When none of the guards on the ship are looking, get up and jump to pole in the water at the rear of the ship, then over onto the ship itself. Shimmy around to the side so you can climb up, then head back around to the back. Climb up directly below the side of the ship and ledge assassinate the two guards that come walking back there. When they're taken care of, you're free to hop the side of the ship and stealth assassinate the two guards in front of the ship's wheel, then climb the railing there and air assassinate the target. When you're done, run up the wall behind you (the one you just jumped from) and jump backwards over the heads of the brutes to the main mast. Climb up a ways, then jump backwards again to the ship's wheel. This neatly escapes the remaining guards (if you don't want to fight them), and from there you can run or swim away to become incognito and end the memory.

Moving on
See X marks the spot at the beginning of Sequence 14 for the requirements to progress to the final DNA sequence.