Okay, forget what I said. I'm not really into AC lore but I know how to use google and I like tisonpomrt's riddles.
1) It was Paola, leader of the Florentine courtesans. Her reason for helping Ezio: “I know betrayal, too”, probably referring to her being arrested for murdering a city guard and probably tortured before she was released (she shows Ezio some scars on her arm…).
2) The following genetic memories were used as Animi Avatars by Abstergo Industries (for the training of their Animus recruits). I left out the already announced Avatars from AC III.
The Barber, based upon Baltasar de Silva
The Blacksmith, based upon Auguste Oberlin
The Captain, based upon Donato Mancini
The Courtesan, based upon Fiora Cavazza
The Dama Rossa, based upon an unknown woman
The Doctor, based upon Malfatto
The Engineer, based upon Gaspar de la Croix
The Executioner, based upon Il Carnefice
The Footpad, based upon Lanz
The Harlequin, based upon Cahin
The Hellequin, based upon Caha
The Knight, based upon Verulo Gallo
The Marquis, based upon Charles de la Motte
The Mercenary, based upon Rocco Tiepolo
The Noble, based upon Silvestro Sabbatini
The Officer, based upon Teodor Viscardi
The Pariah, based upon Ilario Lombardi
The Priest, based upon Brother Ristoro
The Prowler, based upon Il Lupo
The Smuggler, based upon Lia de Russo
The Thief, based upon Faustina Collari
The Bombardier, based upon Kadir
The Brigand, based upon Samila Khadim
The Champion, based upon Georgios Kostas
The Corsair, based upon Eveline Guerra
The Courtesan, based upon Fabiola Cavazza
The Count, based upon Vlad Tepes
The Crusader, based upon Haras
The Deacon, based upon Cyril of Rhodes
The Guardian, based upon Odai Dunqas
The Gladiator, based upon Anacletos
The Knight, based upon Scevola Spina
The Ottoman Doctor, based upon Seraffo
The Ottoman Jester, based upon Dulcamara
The Privateer, based upon Blaise Legros
The Renegade, based upon Shahkulu
The Sentinel, based upon Vali cel Tradat
The Thespian, based upon Lysistrata
The Trickster, based upon Mirela Djuric
The Vanguard, based upon Oksana Razin
The Vizier, based upon Damat Ali Pasha
3) Who is the character featured on [Femme Fatale] card?
It’s Lucrezia Borgia in her seductive “perhaps we can comfort each other”-costume from AC: Brotherhood.
4) Image is taken from Madonna Solari: The window to her left. (It’s in fact a window of the Rosa in Fiora, but it’s not the actual card. ;-) ).
5) What is the Japanese equivalence of a courtesan?
You might think of the Geisha, but as the Geisha wasn’t primarily a sexual partner, I’d rather guess the Oiran (combination of actress and prostitute).
6) Do you like courtesans?
I don’t know many of them in real life, but in AC lore I just love ‘em (so to speak).
Game Center Name: felixschroeter
Again, I really enjoyed your riddle! Thanks a lot!