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"Don't slay the messenger, good Lord. Have my pouch instead."
―A Borgia messenger, upon being caught.[src]
ACB Borgia Messenger

A typical messenger

Borgia messengers, also known as Borgia couriers, were messengers for the House of Borgia. They always carried a significant amount of florins with them, likely delivering payment to or from allies of the Borgia.

Description[]

Unlike most guards or civilians, messengers were very skilled free runners, and were able to perform many acrobatic stunts, such as climbing walls and swinging from posts.[1]

They often did this to escape the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze, though upon being caught, they would willingly surrender the florins they carried, and would beg for their lives.[1]

Additionally, messengers who operated around Rome also carried certain rare items in addition to money, which could be sold or used in shop quests.[2]

Killing a messenger and looting his corpse would result in the same amount of money as sparing him, however, obtaining the money in this fashion would increase Ezio's notoriety.[1]

Notes[]

ACB Ezio Messenger

Ezio holding a messenger

Fast traveling through the tunnels from Tiber Island to the Thieves Guild would cause a messenger to appear, usually within a minute by simply looking out to the road, every time coming from the left side of the road.[2]

He sometimes also appeared behind Ezio, climbing the guild building. Repeating this process enabled the "farming" of messengers to obtain florins or shop quest items, such as the semi-rare item Aconite.[2]

Back at Tiber Island, a messenger would also appear to the right of the guild entrance. After around a minute, a messenger would run past.[2]

Trivia[]

  • In Assassin's Creed II, killing a messenger would raise notoriety by 50%. In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, killing one would raise it up to 100%.
  • Perotto Calderon posed as a Borgia messenger while working as a spy for the Assassins.
  • The usual amount of money gained from a messenger (1503 florins) is also the recorded year of Rodrigo Borgia's death.
  • During Ezio's time in Rome, the frequency of Borgia messengers reduced dramatically as the city was rebuilt.
  • Archers would run after the messenger if he climbed onto a rooftop during a chase, even though the messenger will call out to the same guards for help.
  • It is possible to trip or shove messengers off buildings to their deaths without being penalized, although throwing them into water will have repercussions.
  • Ezio's notoriety did not increase if an Assassin apprentice was used to kill a messenger. However, using arrow storm would raise Ezio's notoriety to 100%.
  • In Assassin's Creed II, hurling a throwing knife at a messenger would cause the courier to automatically stop and give Ezio his money. However, in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, the knife would instantly kill the messenger, and Ezio's notoriety would raise to 100%.
  • In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Borgia Messengers glowed red when viewed in Eagle Vision.
  • In Assassin's Creed: Revelations, Borgia messengers were replaced with Templar Tax Collectors.
  • In Assassin's Creed III and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, messengers were replaced with couriers, who held both money and ammunition. In Black Flag, the couriers also carried throwing knives if Edward didn't already have them in his inventory.

Appearances[]

References[]

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