Despite his misgivings about the practice of war, Leonardo has placed his expertise before the Duke of Tier, suggesting he could create engines of war that would make the Duke the envy of Europe.

His presence in the city is seen by some as a political move, lending his fame to the Duke's cause. Others see Leonardo as above petty politics, devoted only to the cause of science, his presence in the city testament to the belief that he can accomplish things here that he could not elsewhere.

One of his initial tasks for the Duke will be to exercise his anatomical expertise to create a glorious bronze sculpture of the Duke's father on horseback, and he has been consulting with noted experts across the known world in preparation.