Teodora Contanto

Teodora Contanto (born 1450), also known as Sister Teodora, was the leader of the Venetian courtesans and a member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins.
She spent five years of her life in a convent, but found herself disagreeing with the beliefs of the other nuns. After leaving the convent, she founded La Rosa della Virtù, her own brothel, which was staffed by women with beliefs akin to her own.Assassin's Creed II
She assisted the Assassin Ezio Auditore during his quest to assassinate Marco Barbarigo, the Templar Doge of Venice. With the help of Teodora and her girls, Ezio was able to infiltrate the Doge's Carnevale party, where he assassinated his target.
She was also one of the Assassins that were present during Ezio's fight with Rodrigo Borgia, though they had come to retrieve an Apple of Eden. Teodora, Paola and Niccolò Machiavelli remained at the sidelines while the others joined the fight, and only revealed themselves after Rodrigo's departure.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Teodora was born in Venice to a family of jewelers that had their own shop, and was apprenticed to her mother as a shop girl. Visitors to the shop noticed Teodora's beauty and charm, and in 1462, one man buying diamond earrings for his wife, Margarita, noticed the twelve year old Teodora and left wishing he had never married. Five years later, court records show that on 26 November she was caught having an affair with a married man at the age of 17. The man's wife found out and alerted the authorities. To avoid legal action, her parents sent her to the Santa Maria degli Angeli convent as a punishment, so that she could live out the rest of her days in peace and prayer.Assassin's Creed II – Database: Teodora
===Becoming a courtesan===
In 1473, at the age of 23, Teodora grew tired of convent life and the way it conflicted with her own personal beliefs. She left the convent, leaving behind a statement nailed to the door in which she spoke about life as a nun being "earthly" and sterile. She concluded her letter with a brief description of her own beliefs: "only in partnership with another can one truly enter the arms of God".
That very same year, Teodora opened La Rosa della Virtù, "The Rose of Virtue", a bordello situated in Venice's Dorsoduro District, the festival center of Venice. It was staffed solely by former nuns with similar ideals to those of Teodora. The Pope would frequently try to force the Venetian Council to shut it down, but it would remain open until 1516.Assassin's Creed II – Database: La Rosa della Virtù Although she was no longer a part of the Catholic Church, Teodora considered herself a nun, worshipping in her own idiosyncratic brand of faith. Additionally, Teodora was somehow introduced to and inducted into the Assassin Order.
===Helping Ezio===
In 1486, Teodora was introduced to Ezio Auditore by fellow Assassin Antonio de Magianis. Teodora guided Ezio in his objective to kill the Templar Doge Marco Barbarigo by informing him that he could win a golden mask, which would grant him access to Marco's personal Carnevale party.Assassin's Creed II – Nun the Wiser Ezio participated in the contest to win the mask, but even though Ezio fairly won all the matches, the mask was given to Marco's bodyguard Dante Moro.Assassin's Creed II – Cheaters Never Prosper
Teodora and Antonio then instructed Ezio to use Teodora's courtesans to distract Dante, which would allow him an opportunity to steal the mask. Successful, Ezio entered the party and met with Teodora, who offered him her girls to help Ezio stay out of the guards' sight, who had been informed of his presence at the party. After Marco appeared, Ezio assassinated him and returned to La Rosa della Virtù, where he tried to win himself a night with Teodora; she cut his efforts short and commanded her girls to attend to him.Assassin's Creed II – Having a Blast
===Acquiring the Apple of Eden===
In 1488, Teodora joined the other Assassins in Venice, where they hoped to acquire the Apple of Eden from Rodrigo Borgia, Grand Master of the Italian Templars. However, when they arrived, they found Ezio already fighting the Templar and his guards; Paola, Teodora and Niccolò Machiavelli remained on the sidelines as the other Assassins assisted Ezio in the fight. When the guards were killed and Rodrigo had fled, leaving the Apple of Eden behind, they revealed themselves to be Assassins, a fact which had previously been unknown to Ezio. Ezio was then inducted in the Assassin Order, a ceremony where Teodora was also present, after which they all took a Leap of Faith from a tower.Assassin's Creed II – Play Along
===Finding the Vault===
In 1499, Ezio had acquired the remaining Codex pages, and Teodora and the other Assassins met again, this time in Monteriggioni. They hoped to locate the Vault that the prophecy spoke of. Once it had been determined that the Vault was in Rome, she agreed to "cause trouble in the city", along with the others, while Ezio infiltrated the Vatican. After this, she returned to Venice, where she remained as the head of the courtesans.Assassin's Creed II – X Marks the Spot
===Later life===
In 1516, La Rosa della Virtù was burned in a fire started by a disgruntled bishop who wished to lie with one of the girls for free. The Roman Catholic Church publicly cited that the fire was an act of God. Teodora's fate remained unknown, although she would have been 66 at this time.
==Behind the scenes==
Teodora Contanto is a character introduced in the 2009 video game Assassin's Creed II where she is voiced by Nadia Verrucci.
The name Teodora is an Italian variant of Theodora, the feminine form of Theodoros, a Greek name meaning 'gift of god.'
Teodora's design bears a strong resemblance to the 's painting, .
During the mission "Having a Blast," if Marco was killed before Teodora leaves, guards may chase and kill her, allowing her body to be looted.
==Gallery==
Early Teodora Contanto Concept art.jpg|Early concept art of Teodora
ACReb Teodora Concept Art.jpg|Concept model of Teodora in Rebellion
ACReb Teodora Contanto.png|Teodora in Rebellion
ACRebellion Profile - Teodora.png|Teodora's avatar in Rebellions character menu
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed II 
*Assassin's Creed: Renaissance
*Assassin's Creed: Recollection
*Assassin's Creed: Rebellion
==References==
de:Teodora Contanto
es:Teodora Contanto
fr:Teodora Contanto
hu:Teodora Contanto
it:Teodora Contanto
ko:테오도라 콘탄토
nl:Teodora Contanto
pl:Teodora Contanto
pt-br:Teodora Contanto
ru:Теодора Контанто
zh:泰奥多拉·孔坦托
Category:1450 births
Category:Individuals
Category:Italians
Category:Venetians
Category:Courtesans
Category:Procurers
Category:Assassins
Category:Italian Assassins
Category:Italian Assassin Council
Category:Nuns