Crista'an Vold Bunansa
| Crista'an Vold Bunansa
| |
 '"If only you had the Echo, then you'd realize how many 'pirates' you've dispensed pleasantries with."' | |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Hyur |
| Clan | Midlander |
| Citizenship | Unaffiliated |
| Age | 28 |
| Height | 70.2 ilm |
| Nameday | 25th Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon |
| Occupation | Pirate Mediator |
| Server | Balmung |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkris'tôn/ (kris-TAHN) / /vōld/ / /buˈnanzə/ (buh-nanzah) |
“You'd be surprised what a man can live with when 'not living' is the only other option."
—Crista'an Vold Bunansa
Crista'an Vold Bunansa, real name Hans Nathair Bunansa Santelmont, is a player character in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. He is a pirate Mediator who travels all over Eorzea with his Free Company. Crista'an, due to his business with many unsavory folks, has become the go to source for information regarding the recent mysterious events in Eorzea. When his livelihood goes awry, Crista'an finds himself a part of a conflict between political forces that could lead to war.
"It's all in the wind once you've realized that this realm is helmed by people no smarter than you."
—Crista'an Vold Bunansa
Crista'an is 70.2 ilm tall and has short slickened dirty-blonde hair and sideburns. He sports mostly fine material but doesn't like to dress too imposing. He wears accessories like earrings and rings.
Crista'an is a quick witted, dashing man with a sharp tongue and an even cynically expressive brow. Crista'an comes across as Self-centered and pragmatic but his trust in the core members of his crew is never put to doubt. Despite his Egotistic remarks and cunning display of apathy, Crista'an has proven time again that he is a man of solid principles and that his kind-heartedness is masked by his selfish demeanor.
Crista'an's speaks in a Queen's British accent often ending a lot of his sentences with "--and all that." Crista'an speaks in a high-tone and fancy manner much in the likeness of his Elezen father. Though his accent is reminiscent of his father, Crista'an talks through street wisdom which is reminiscent of his mother. Opinionated and strong-willed, Crista'an is very influential and has a charming cruelty to him that people receive as either extremely bold and confident or excessively arrogant and smug.
Early Life
1549 Born under the 25th Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon in Southern Thanalan, Crista'an, as Hans Nathair Santelmont is the only son of Father Lars Nathair Santelmont, a Twelvewood Missionary, and Maria'an Bunansa, a Hyur Small-time Trader. In 1567, ten years before a Realm Reborn begins, The Santelmont family fell apart. Maria'an, along with her son, moved out of the Forgotten Springs in search of a better life without her husband.
After many moons across the desert they reached Ul'dah but were sore to find that what little bite of prosperity they had hoped was on the dine of the syndicate. Ul'dah's seemingly merry streets fetched them little coin. Mother and son found themselves working for the Eastern Aldenard Trading Company (EATC) and at last they've stumbled upon meek stability in the Silver Bazaar. Nathair's falling out with his father, combined with the corruption brought upon by the syndicate, made Nathair very disdainful of authority from which he dreamed of becoming free from the poverty that plague him and his mother.
East Aldenard Trading Company
Life was hard for many in the desert sands of Thanalan and Maria'an and her son were no exception to this harsh rule of the central sands. Maria'an and her son Hans did what little they could to survive, smoking out Eft filled caves to make temporary shelter for themselves when the rains come otherwise simply bearing the heat of the usual Thanalan air. Hans' mother took upon herself to take every job she could, from waiting tables at the Coffin and Coffer to hunting Orobons, anything just to feed her son and keep her going for the next day. When Hans became old enough to work, which by syndicate standards is around 8 years old, he started begging for scraps in Ul'dah then grew up into bigger modus operandi. It didn't take long for young Hans to earn the name "Street Gil Nate".
Tired of the street rat racket, Hans applied himself and got into the business of trading, starting off with manual work at the East Aldenard Trading Company. Hans educated himself in the ways of the trade and soon found himself overseeing transactions. He was "Street Gil Nate" no longer, by the time he was 17 he earned the nickname "Gil-tongue Hans". Making a reasonably good living, Hans was anything but satisfied. The Syndicate had more pull in the economy than what the surface emanates. Hans knew that the only way he was ever going to make something of himself was to find a way into the Syndicate's good favor. Getting into business with unsavory folks was more than just tough act and weasel heart, it took an industrious mind to make place for yourself in an already risky endeavor. And Hans found his niche.
Hans found his way into the Sultana's Notary public office. From there he learned much that needed to know about transacting trade in and out of the gates of Ul'dah. Through this he created trade processes that allowed syndicate goods to enter the Sapphire Exchange in Ul'dah herself, all within legal parameters that benefitted said unsavory folks. For this Hans and his mother lived good in Ul'dah. But sadness came upon Hans when his mother became incredibly ill. All the excessive fatigue and history of illness Maria'an had seemed to have caught up with her. That and the fact that her heart ached everyday at the thought of her husband.
In 1571, Maria'an Bunansa died leaving Hans alone.
A Realm Reborn
"I was born a Pirate without a sea. And I didn't know it yet until I actually saw that beautiful expanse of water."
-Crista'an
In late 1571 while in Drybone visiting his mother's grave, Hans came across a duskwight woman who was being transported from Gridania to Ul'dah. She turned out to be an excommunicated Conjurer who was banished for having an interracial affair and, through an unfortunate turn of events, was being sold to the syndicate. Hans, having sympathized for the young Elezen woman, hastened to her rescue and bartered her off of a bit of high-table gambling. Hans eventually outwitted the syndicate and bought the woman her freedom. Both sporting new bounties on their heads and sharing the lack of a place to call home, Hans and the Duskwight woman changed their names and thus became the start of a long time partnership.
Six years before a Realm Reborn, Hans decided to leave Ul'dah, took on the name "Crista'an Bunansa" after his mother, and start a grander life looking at the great expanse of water offered only in La Noscea. Crista'an brought his business to Limsa Lominsa and put up his own firm on her lower decks. The Bunansa Notary Public Firm was established where Crista'an, alongside Frejl Whitemaire, do business with pirates and scammers alike and make nifty gil mediating their transactions. Crista'an became so adept in this business that it took no time before he had eyes on almost all Pirate transactions in and out of Limsa Lominsa.
In 1577, Crista'an along with his crew was conducting business as usual until rumor was going around that there have been transactions that reeked of Garlean threat. Crista'an held no loyalty towards any of the Realm's great companies but a Garlean invasion could throw his whole operation as well as the pirate economy into chaos.
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The Martial Heiress
An Elezen Duskwight Warrior woman, Frejl is Crista'an's sworn partner and accomplice. Crista'an and Frejl met around 3 years before A Realm Reborn wherein Crista'an saved Frejl from being sold by the Syndicate. Since then they have very rarely been seen apart. Frejl is the only person who knows a great deal about Crista'an and his past. Though a woman of very few words, Frejl's words are usually what sways Crista'an's mind. Frejl is also the first mate of The Esquire; She is directly responsible for the ship's well being and maintenance and is also the de facto second in command in the Bunansa Notary Co. though her title doesn't suggest it. The crew turns to Frejl in times of great peril and whenever Crista'an is not around or is incapable of making calls.
Frejl and Crista'an's relationship is something much more than platonic but is left intentionally ambiguous.
Bosiant of the Gold
The Masterwork Goldsmith
A lalafell Master Goldsmith who is Crista'an's mentor. When Crista'an was a young man he was taught the ways of the great Ul'dahn market and goldsmithing from a wise merchant and goldsmith extraordinaire, The great Bosiant of the Gold. Known for training plenty of would be goldsmiths into master of their own rights, Bosiant is not only a great businessman and crafter but is a generous philanthropist, a trait known only by his apprentices. Rumor has it that he was once a Hyur until a witch cursed him which explains his Lalafell state.
The Arcane Apprentice
Sail is a Hyur Midlander who is a member of the Bunansa Notary Co. and Crew of The Esquire. She enlisted the help of the Bunansa Notary Co. to find a most valuable relic; A Codex that had the ability to communicate with those who possess the other of such books. Though mysterious in power, only those who have some special command over the Arcane arts have the aptitude to use the codex and thus is why it is known to be possession of only the greatest of mages. Upon retrieval of this book, Sail agreed to be under Crista'an's company and is now employed by the very Pirates she frowns upon. In The Esquire, Sail is the designated "Wayfarer"; A special job only for Sail wherein she uses her great innate arcane talents to search for other great relics similar to the one in her possession.
"Just like my ambitions, I shoot far and true. Like Bunansa's usually do."
-Crista'an to a band of brigands
Crista'an is a "pen over sword" kind of man but in the pirate business one cannot do without at least a little scuffle with your common lowlife. Crista'an favors distance and tactical delivery over brawn and roughness. Wether it be an Elezen trait or not, Crista'an does excel on the bow than with any other weapon. Considering Archery to be finer amongst other Disciplines of War, Crista'an places much value in form and grace. His journey in Archery began in 1573 when Crista'an had made business with the Redbelly Conspirators in the Quarrymill. This lead to his meeting with Buscarron and the cessation of hostility against the Druthers. Having mediated the events that transpired in the South Shroud, Crista'an was gifted an archery set from the Redbelly Hunters to which he uses pridefully.
Despite Crista'an's more current falling out with the martial approach to combat, there was a time when he was nothing more than a pugilist. Not formally trained, Crista'an learned how to fight much like any other child of Thanalan: using fist and body. Luckily for Crista'an, his mother was a bit of a pugilist herself to which she had her Ala Mhigan history to thank for. Crista'an was sometimes seen blowing steam on the strike dummies near the Gate of Sultana.
Common Rumors
"Looking for anything that's got anything to do with shady business? Head on over to Bunansa's, he's got the story on everybody here. Psst... You didn't hear that from me, got it?"
-Shady Yellow Jacket
"Maelstrom's got their hands full trying to outwit that guy. Beating the Lawmen with their own laws... Would you imagine that!"
-Limsa Lominsa Citizen
"Never been the type to suffer Pirates much more side with 'em, but it sure would be a lot rowdier 'round here if that guy wasn't around tha's for sure."
-Drowning Wench Self-righteous Drunkard
"I know of that guy... Used to be called 'Street Gil Nate' back in the day."
-Ul'dahn Old-Timer
"Pirate Mediator? Can't miss him. He walks around with one of them Duskwight Dames."
-Buscarron's Druther Waiter
Moderate Rumors
"Bunansa... Yeah we know him. But we ain't selling out the few good men we know just for some flawed idea of justice."
-Blackbrush Station Porter
"Crista'an always comes around and haves us sit around and listen to the people talk. Pays us nifty gil for it too."
-Coffer & Coffin Orphan kid
"Crista'an Vold Bunansa? What kind of a name is that? Is he some Mi'qote Garlean hyur wannabe?"
-Mor Dhona Resident
Rare Rumors
"I know of a 'Bunansa' but he ain't no gent. Was an old lass that went by that name. Worked taking care of Syndicate Chocobos. Not sure if she had a little boy or anything..."
-Silver Bazaar New Resident
"By Nophica! I think that might be him... Spawn of an Elezen and Hyur. Twelve forbid..."
-Old Gridanian Conjurer
"I'll have that one's head! We need to keep afloat in times like these and his bounty will do nicely for us..."
-Mamool Ja Conspirator
