Nero Lazarov

Nero Lazarov
"My role is simply to provide the much-needed sarcasm."
Gender	Male
Race	Hyur
Clan	Midlander
Citizenship	Ul'dah
Age	28 (born approx. 1550-1551)
Height	5'11" (180 cm)
Guardian	Halone, The Fury
Namesday	32nd Sun of the 6th Umbral Moon
Artist Credit	Jn3 (DeviantArt)

Character

Appearance

"My dedication to reliability is almost as strong as my dedication to having good hair."

"Flashy" would be the simplest word to describe Nero's style; "vain" would likely be the most accurate. Though no longer a crisp and unblossomed youth, the Midlander has clearly taken steps to ensure that his appearance is noticed. Bright streaks of orange run amok a nest of smoky black hair; elaborate black facial tattoos can occasionally be seen underneath long, neatly trimmed bangs. Gilded earrings embedded with jewels of questionable value twinkle beneath his ears, and a well-maintained goatee crests a slightly pointed chin. Bright ice-coloured eyes gleam with a mischievous brand of intellect, and a perpetual smirk seems plastered on his face at all times in a manner that seems short of screaming "I think I'm a very charming person". A large scar runs from above his right eye and across the bridge of his nose, compounded by a second scar curving on the left side of his jaw.

Nero is not ignorant to practicality in his clothing, but still takes steps to treat his apparel with elaborate designs or embroidery. Even the most simple of his garments are often adorned with various decorations, and he will indulge in jewelry whenever possible.

Behaviour

"I can disagree with you and you'll be wrong, or I can agree with you and we'll both be wrong."

If someone were to combine a disdain for authority, a sense of humour comprised entirely of poor wordplay and sarcastic quips, and an incredibly tangible sense of self-centeredness into one person, they would have been responsible for the creation of an reprehensibly annoying individual, and it is Nero's pleasure to be that individual. He is prepared for every inquiry and every insult with a flippant remark and a crooked smirk. His inability to deliver a straight answer is not to be mistaken for wit, however; often his "jokes" fall completely flat, or his sarcasm is incredibly dry, to the confusion of whoever he happens to be conversing with. Nero will often go out of his way to deliberately antagonise whoever he is speaking with, finding amusement in their reactions. Many equate his joviality with being simple-minded or lazy, a front that Nero maintains carefully, for he is anything but. Beneath every bad joke is an air of ambition, and his feigned laziness hides a strong conviction and professional conduct. Nero is also a very ruthless businessman; it requires a shrewd mind to run a successful smuggling operation, and an even shrewder one to expand it.

Nero is extremely unlikely to act out of emotional impulse or in anger. Self-control is considered one of his most important virtues, and the damage inflicted by a sentimental outburst can often be irreparable. Even so, that does not mean Nero is immune to fits of anger or irritability. He is very protective of children and, as befitting his ego, dislikes being ignored or brushed off.

However, Nero is also very daring, almost to the point of foolishness. In addition, his flippant attitude and loose tongue can make him seem insensitive to others, as he will often crack jokes to cope with negative events or experiences. Nero is also affected by being ignored, though he refuses to show it, and this can drive him to act impulsively or recklessly.

He is very hesitant to share any personal details about himself. When asked, Nero will often deflect the question with obvious lies or simply evade it altogether.

Nero will often act flirtatious, though this is mostly in good fun and he is not terribly interested in a true romantic commitment.

On morality, Nero is fairly lax. He will generally try to do the right thing when possible, but has no qualms about discarding the notions of righteousness or altruism if they become inconvenient. For him, the ends justify the means, and there are few situations in which he will not apply that philosophy.

Appearances are generally quite important to Nero. Often he will appear flamboyant or dramatic in an effort to provoke his enemies into not taking him seriously. He has also been known to wear an eye patch despite having full functional use of both eyes, claiming that "Nobody believes that I'm a raider without it." A sincere appreciation for luxurious food and clothing and a certain amount of vanity lends itself to his careful maintenence of his appearance. He is not wholly impractical, however; there will be times where such frivolous vanity will not be considered important to him.

Brief History

"In this city, the ones who know don't care, and the ones who care don't know."

There were many orphans on the streets of Ul'dah, and they took many forms; pickpockets, street urchins, and cheap labour alike were in abundance, even during the city's best days. Though his name was different in those early times, Nero was one of those orphans, one of many children who had the misfortune of falling through the cracks of Ul'dah. While the rulers of the desert city-state did their utmost to maintain the image of Ul'dah's luster, beneath the polish hid the rust, mud, and blood that was Nero's childhood. An orphan did not "grow up" in Ul'dah--a child had to already be grown up in many ways just to survive from day to day--as much as they were tempered against the city's unforgiving nature and apathetic citizens. Nero knows not from who he was born, only that it was very early in his life that he was forced onto the streets. First, he stole. When the stealing lead to fights, he fought. When the fighting lead to wounds, he would bite his lip and refuse to cry, a silent protest against the city's cruelty.

Eventually, such a path lead Nero to a position most children inevitably found themselves in: the bandit gangs. The gangs found the children useful as thieves, informants, lookouts, and when need be, as commodities. Many a time did Nero see a friend sold to some wealthy merchant or nobleman, some of them jubilant, some going quietly with naught but a sideways glance, others sobbing and attempting to claw their way free. Nero himself was never sold, and as he aged, his chances of escaping the life of gangs and banditry seemed impossible. In despair, he felt doomed to be little more than thug and enforcer, with his only destination being a ditch outside the city.

In the year 1561, Nero decided to escape from Ul'dah, and using funds he had worked for or stolen, he smuggled, lied, and bribed his way across travelling ships and convoys, hoping to make it across the sea to Limsa Lominsa. It was during his exodus that he changed his name; his previous name was that of a child, and while he was but a mere eleven years old, the boy decided that his transition to a man required a change of identity. Thus did he adopt Nero, a Garlean name, both in the hopes that it would be intimidating to those who heard it, and as his secret, if childish, symbol of rebellion.

Limsa Lominsa seemed almost completely devoid of the despair that gripped the lower quarters of Ul'dah. There were rogues, raiders, mercenaries, and cutthroats, but if nothing else, the pirate city felt...honest. It was a very welcome change of pace for Nero, a change he embraced. Though the youth tried his hand at an honest living, he seemed drawn to crime as his talents as a thief and his savage fistfighting (a near necessary survival skill in Ul'dah) caught the attention of a raider captain, Vail Lazarov, from whom Nero derives his surname, who employed Nero aboard his ship for reasons the teenager couldn't say. For nearly seven years he sailed with the raiders, plundering merchant ships, raiding ports, and occasionally battling with other pirates, and it was from the captain that Nero adopted a sense of joviality and humour, even as the rest of the crew engaged in vulgarity. A particularly impressive venture was transporting a thaumaturge, who dazzled Nero with his mastery of destructive magic, completely obliterating a ship with massive fire spell during a sea battle. Such powerful magic was wondrous to Nero who, while skilled in fighting, had never learned beyond his fists, the sword, and the axe.

It was all very exciting.

Change was inevitable, however, and the longer Nero spent at sea, the more that his home city of Ul'dah occupied his thoughts. His years with the raiders had changed him in more ways than one, but no longer did he feel the crushing helplessness that his childhood had inflicted on him. If someone wronged him, Nero could fight for himself. If he wanted something, he had the power to take it. Such freedoms were unheard of among the poor in Ul'dah, where gil was the only authority. To those born into poverty, with no opportunity to make a better life for themselves, the city was eternally the master of its people. The more the youth--now a young man of nineteen--thought about it, the more it made sense: if he could obtain such freedom, then surely it was within his power to grant that freedom to others.

It was with a purpose that Nero returned to Ul'dah in 1569 and took up studies at the Arrzaneth Ossuary--the Thaumaturges' Guild. Ul'dah had taught him how to fight with his fists; Limsa Lominsa had taught him how to wield all manner of martial weapons. The raider captain had taught him about self-respect. All of these were Nero's weapons, but what mattered wasn't the weapon itself, but the power that the weapon granted, and the power granted to Nero by just his fists or an axe or a cocksure attitude was woefully inadequate to the power he could obtain through the aether.

Five years did he spend as a student; five years spent watching his home city, and watching the blood and corruption fester during the war with Garlemald. The more he watched, the harder he studied at his thaumaturgy; the harder he studied, the more he felt compelled to watch. While his masters at the ossuary desired he stay, Nero knew he could not change anything with merely study, for power meant nothing if it wasn't applied. Thus began his career as a mercenary, and a return to his criminal roots when he journeyed again to Limsa Lominsa and took command of a ship of his own, the Second Forte, with the intention of preying on Garlean ships and smuggling goods. As much as his carefree attitude might disguise it, however, within Nero burns the subtle flame of ambition, and he seeks to expand his operation to Ul'dah. Crime is all Nero knows, and it is through crime that he seeks his fortune, and the power to change the fortunes of others.

Recent Events

Nero made contact with Jameson Taeros, a Monetarist noble, in order to gain a foothold to Ul'dah's underworld. At first, his plans were fairly straightforward; cozy up to the Monetarists and then begin to take control of their holdings and routes, compounded with raids by free pirates on Syndicate ships in order to strangle Ul'dah's trade. However, his plan was interrupted when he was followed by the free paladin Roen Deneith, who was investigating Taeros for evidence that would allow her to jail him. The two held a frank conversation in which Nero revealed his altruistic motives; the smuggler wished to topple Ul'dah's current power structure and put Nanamo ul Namo in sole rulership of Ul'dah, along with Raubahn, in an effort to improve living conditions for the poor citizens and refugees living in squalor and despair within the Jewel's underbelly.

In an effort to accelerate his plans, Nero agreed to a dangerous gambit; he would arrange a sting between Roen's companions in the Sultansworn to catch Taeros' men in possession of highly illegal contraband. Roen and Nero made plans for the drop and resulting sting to happen in the Silver Bazaar in Western Thanalan. However, when Nero and his men were making the drop, Taeros' men showed up unexpectedly early, armed to the teeth. The noble was likely highly suspicious of the sudden change in the location and method of the delivery, for what had initially been a straightforward delivery in the city had now become a dead drop in the Silver Bazaar, and the noble had acted accordingly. It was at the worst possible moment that the Sultansworn arrived. Nero's men, unaware of their captain's plans, accused Taeros' thugs of bringing the Sultansworn, while said thugs accused the pirates of betrayal. A brawl quickly broke out that resulted in two of Nero's crewmates dead and his first mate, Daegsatz Traggblansyn, captured by the Sultansworn and put in the Sworn's gaol.

With his First Mate captured, Nero was forced to reconsider his plans, and in his effort to build enough of a power base to free his dear friend, joined forces with Roen. Their alliance was full of tension and arguments, trials and tribulations, their relationship brought close to the breaking point when the Sultansworn, Natalie Mcbeef, executed Daegsatz without trial.

From then on, the situation became downhill. Faced with the death of his father figure, Nero's drop into violent extremism was as gradual as a tidal wave. His emotional instability gave way to radical changes in his plan, starting with authorising the complete eradication of the Yoyorano family and their household in order to obtain small but essential trade routes to further his plan. This moment of vengeful weakness would ultimately prove to be his undoing.

A raid on one of his warehouses set the pirate off into paranoia. Now fully aware of his position as Ul'dah's unambiguous enemy, Nero's direct participation in his plans had ceased. He hid out in his home within the Mists and directed everything through liaison, dare not revealing himself in public in case someone sought revenge or justice. In the mean time, he continued to coordinate the supply and construction of a large Garlean-style dreadnought, the design of which was masterminded by an Elezen arcanist.

Things came to a head when the crew of Nero's ship, the Second Forte, discovered evidence of their captain's massacre of the Yoyorano family and mutinied against him. Despondent and broken, Roen arrived at his estate where the two shared a severely bitter argument. At the end of it, the pirate found himself seriously considering giving up on his plans for Ul'dah.

After several days of recovery, however, he found that he could not simply abandon everything, not after coming this far. Out of funds and out of personnel, Nero cancelled the construction of the dreadnought, instead having it broken down into parts and smuggling the pieces into Ul'dah, delivering them to an Ala Mhigan Highlander named Scythe. Scythe was the leader of a bandit gang that intended to start a violent revolution within Ul'dah. Nero's intention was to use Scythe to bring attention to how corrupted Ul'dah had become under the yoke of the Syndicate. The pirate secretly held reservations however, and sabotaged the plans of the miniature dreadnought so that it would explode when Scythe activated it.

After leaving Thanalan for the final time, Nero made arrangements for a ship to take him from La Noscea to Sharlayan, and then to Othard. His plans were put on hold when he was attacked by assassins while travelling overland to Western La Noscea. Finding himself out of options and severely wounded, he holed up in a warehouse in Aleport. Before leaving his estate, Nero had left a note for Roen telling her where to find him, and find him she did. After a brief but futile attempt to understand one another, Nero accepted his fate and allowed Roen to kill him.

Combat

=== Melee Combat ===: Nero is reasonably proficient in melee fighting. His years as a raider and mercenary have imparted upon him martial skill in most weapons. He feels most comfortable fighting with his fists or an axe; should the situation call for it, however, he will adapt with swords, lances, or whatever is near by. Experience has taught him to fight with a sense of utter pragmatism, and to try to end the fight early. Nero will not hesitate to aim for any weak spots (such as the eyes and throat) of his enemy, and even with a weapon he will use his environment to his advantage whenever possible, and his blows are often very aggressive in order to inflict as much damage as possible in the smallest time frame. However, it is to be noted that while he possesses good skill in fighting due to his time as a mercenary, his fighting style is rather unrefined and lacks a sense of technique, and thus in terms of fighting he is still less proficient than a professional soldier or other properly trained individual. A skilled duelist will be able to read his moves and counter with ripostes, parries, or grabs, as Nero focuses mostly on offense.

=== Ranged Combat and Magic ===: Nero was never trained in the bow and is thus unable to wield one well, if at all. On the other hand, however, he was a dedicated pupil in thaumaturgy. Far from a master, he still possesses the ability to use a scepter or staff to conjure plumes of fire, shards of ice, and streaks of lightning. Five years of study, even dedicated study, is a scant amount of time in the mastery of thaumaturgy, but it is enough for him to inflict considerable harm with his magic. Often, Nero will only use his magic as a last resort, or when fighting monsters or beasts. Rarely will a situation occur where he will feel comfortable enough to use thaumaturgy on people.

Relationships

💘 Crush ❤ Sexual Tension ❤ Romantic Interest 💑 In a relationship ● Good Standing ● Neutral Standing ● Poor Standing ☠ Deceased

Friends and Partners ● ☠ Daegsatz Traggblansyn – A Sea Wolf Roegadyn from Nero's days as a raider, who served under Vail Lazarov, and was something of a pseudo-father figure to Nero in Vail's absence. While technically first mate, Daegsatz (affectionately known as Satz) was the de facto captain of the ship as Nero prefered coordinating his smuggling operations from land. His first name translated to "Soldier Dance". Daegsatz was captured in a botched raid and executed for crimes of piracy in the Sultansworn gaol. Nero is heavily affected by the loss of his First Mate. ● Garalt Lyons - A tall and relatively quiet Highlander who serves as the helmsman of the Second Forte. Garalt had originally served under Captain Vail, Nero's foster father, and together with Daegsatz has taken it upon himself to watch over Vail's protégé. He and Nero do not exchange words often, but there is a bond of silent trust between them. ● ❤ Roen Deneith: A former Sultansworn, Roen tailed Nero in an effort to learn more about his dealings with Jameson Taeros. The two later shared a surprisingly meaningful conversation, where they found a common goal in improving Ul'dah for the better. Though they face some inevitable conflict due to their disagreement on how to achieve that goal, the two have agreed to ally with one another for the time being. Their alliance has been turbulent, fraught with clashes of ideology, but they have also shared warm--and rare--moments together. Roen is one of very few people Nero trusts, though the paladin is in possession of more than just the smuggler's faith.

Acquaintances ● Zhavi Streetrunner: He only knows her by her alias "Kink", and her cooperation is valuable to him. A runner, pickpocket, and occasional information broker, Nero hired her to provide him with the information he would need to take control of Limsa Lominsa's crime scene. ● Unnamed Mercenary: Though Nero himself is unaware of their connection, the smuggler had hired the man now known as Franz--at the time a nameless, faceless mercenary--for many of the messier hits and assassinations needed for him to expand his smuggling operation. Sometimes hired muscle, sent to guard goods or caravans, other times a battering ram in Hyur form, sent to break in doors and smash skulls. ● Shaelen Stormchild: A fellow smuggler and Nero's primary supplier of (illicit) Garlean merchandise. They had previously met in an encounter involving a timepiece, a card game, and a torrid night of passion. Their relationship is purely business, though they hold a measure of mutual respect for one another. ● Coatleque Crofte: A respected member of Ul'dah's Sultansworn, Ser Crofte had begun to investigate Nero for Roen's sake. They had previously made minor acquaintance with one another, and possess a cordial and polite, if somewhat apprehensive relationship. Enemies & Rivals ● Jameson Taeros: A former business associate, Jameson Taeros was initially a business partner to be used as a stepping stone for Nero's entry into Ul'dah's less reputable markets. However, the two have come into near direct conflict after an attempt by Nero to have Jameson arrested by the Sultansworn. Now each man only seeks the deposition of the other. ● ☠ Natalie Mcbeef: Their first encounter was an unpleasant one, in which Natalie gave a not-so-veiled warning that Nero should leave Ul'dah, and preferably Thanalan altogether. Nero obliged, but news of the execution carried out by Natalie has greatly soured his impression of her and has more than likely completely destroyed any chance the two have of compromise. Her death has left a bitter taste in Nero's mouth, for he had desired that she not pass quickly.

Rumours

NPC Rumours

■ Positive:

● "E's the captain o' the Second Forte, ye? Spends a lot o' his time hangin' around the poor an' the fisher's, givin' handouts to thems less fortunate. A good man."

● "He's an honest merchant. Some people might try to bring him down by saying he's a raider, but he only targets Garlean ships, and he does honest trading with honest men, and that's what matters."

● "A brawl at the Wench, and lemme tell ya, him and this other bloke, a Roe, came in and beat the hells out of ev'ry single one o' them bastards! Got'em all to stop fightin' long enough for the Maelstrom ta show up. It might'a escalated without him there.

● "Lazarov's not like the other scum who infest Ul'dah. He might not always do it right, but he tries to fix the things that are broken."

■ Neutral

● "That raider captain? Heard about him when he was a kid, couldn't have been older than fourteen when he was sailing with Captain Vail. Gods, that was years ago."

● "Pays on time and delivers on time."

● "He's tryin' to make some coin like everyone else. Only diff'rence be that he's got a ship."

● "Another criminal in a city full of them."

■ Negative

● "He's a dirty smuggler, and a thief. Caught him pickpocketing in Hawker's Alley, but he ran off before anyone could snag him. And I've seen those loads of unmarked crates coming off his frigate, only to see'em be shipped off in the night. How much illegal product does that ship of his bring in, anyway?"

● "You have never heard of the Second Forte's raiders? Savage lot. Their captain is the worst, though. The other raiders, you can see them comin' a mile away, but him? You best be careful when you catch him trying to cozy up to you with honeyed words and fake smiles 'fore he beats you down to nothin'."

● "Limsa Lominsa's got enough o' his type. Cocksure bastards who think the world belongs to'em, and that they can take whatever they want, lie whenever they want. It wouldn't be so bad if he were at least honest about it."

● "He couldn't care less about the people! All he wants to do is further his own goals and feed his own ego."

Player Character Rumours

■ "I loved him. Perhaps I always will." -- Roen Deneith

■ "Too much blood has been spilled on account of this man already. I wouldst hunt him down myself on account of one friend, if it were not for love of the other." -- Coatleque Crofte

■ "I won't deny working for him in the past. What I did? Confidential information. If you ask me though, he's harmless in the long run. Couldn't tell you what he's up to know, but I doubt much has changed." -- Unnamed Mercenary

■ "Lazarov? What I might o' been, had things worked out different. Closer than he knows, him 'n' I. Terrifyin', when I dwell on it." -- Osric Melkire

Trivia

Likes

■ Children

■ Sophisticated women

■ Good humour

■ Novels and fiction

■ Being the center of attention

■ Scale models, toys, and miniatures

■ Ponytails on women

■ Technology

■ Cool weather, rain

■ The colours black, red, and blue

■ Kindness to those less fortunate

■ Flirting

■ Ships and boats ("Technically, they're referred to as 'vessels'...")

■ Fancy food and clothing

■ Jewelry

Dislikes

■ Scorpions

■ Children being hurt or used

■ Women that are simultaneously too immature to be sophisticated and too mature to be cute

■ Overly serious people

■ Being ignored or passed over

■ Strict morals

■ Scorpions

■ Spicy food

■ Very hot weather

■ Bright yellow, pink, very light shades of green

■ Wasted valuables (e.g. broken vases)

■ People who disagree with him

■ Scorpions

■ People who agree with him but misconstrue his point

■ Murder (he considers it wasteful)

■ Loud animals

■ Giant scorpions

Hobbies/Talents

■ Collects toys and models

■ Petty theft

■ Good mechanical skills and hand-eye coordination

■ Lying

■ Cooking toast in fifty-eight seconds