Pishrero Junerero
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 "The soundest of business strategies are the ones where everyone comes out happy. Loyalty has no price, after all!"
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Gender
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Male
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Race
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Lalafell
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Clan
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Dunesfolk
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Citizenship
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Ul'dah
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Age
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32
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Nicknames
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Pishie
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Occupation
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Merchant.
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Guardian Deity
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Nald'thal, the Trader
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Marital Status
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Dating Rorosa Rosa
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About The Player
General
Pishrero Junerero, known to close friends as Pishie, is a kindly businessman operating out of Ul'dah, with operations in the silk, crystal and armaments trade.
Having been raised in a family who focused solely on business, he lived a neglected childhood with complete understanding of the business world. While working with his parents' business, he learned to be a ruthless negotiator, and was initially doing his family proud with his ways. However, upon finding out what his unforgiving nature had inflicted upon others, he was torn, and his strategies softened. Though his parents did not outright cast him out, they were strongly suggesting that he finds another company to run, and so he began his own business which he decided would be with the mindset of being fair and honest with all comers.
Given his fair treatment of workers and reputation of offering reasonable prices all the same, word in the markets began to spread, and alongside friendly companions he now finds himself a target for people whom he is challenging for authority, thus began his learning to find a means of protecting himself, though he still relies on his friends to aid him should he ever be in need. Even today, he seeks to strengthen his position monetarily so that such challenges would begin to raise more questions with the Immortal Flames, and one day bring about the destruction of the corruption that plagues the city.
As the head of June's Crafts & Arms, it is Pishrero's mission to bring fairness, honesty and justice to the business world within Ul'dah, and he will seek to achieve it, come whatever may.
Personality
Being a businessman, he is ruthless in how he acts upon the negotiating table, ensuring that all receive fair compensation for the work provided and not giving an ilm otherwise. He has high regard for the value of people and loyalty, understanding that a good business partner is one that you want to keep around the table, while those who take advantage of others will eventually reap what they have sown. Even he believes that operations like the Brass Blades and the Monetarists will eventually crumble should they eventually push too far or their many crimes get exposed, to whom he unwillingly opposes on a routine basis.
As cold as he is in business, however, he is a friendly sort outside of it, being a cordial and approachable figure to almost everyone, if a little two-sided in personality, where he can either be serious and considerate, but forget to laugh once in a while, or jovial and merry, but sometimes leaves his manners at the door. He is immensely understanding of others, though, and for those whom are close to him, he would shield them with his caring heart and his skill at arms, not wishing for anyone under his wing to suffer.
Appearance
Being at 86.9cm, Pishrero is not going to reach any high shelves any time soon. Though not one for overly exerting himself, he keeps himself in good shape and better health, having long understood that he cannot hope to run a business if he's not going to keep healthy while doing so. He does like the look of reds upon him, and so will favour these above most other colours, though he mixes in black to keep a professional appearance to him. This also stands true for his hair and the choices in hair style that he would go for on a regular basis, preferring to look neat and professional while still carrying an air of approachability to him.
While not having any overly distinguishing marks, he is notably long-eared for his kind, though he rarely ever decorates them in any jewelry, choosing to opt out of such extravagance typically. His eyes are a stark contrast to the rest of him, being of an emerald hue, and he avoids the use of anything but cleansing concoctions upon his face to keep his appearance as pure and clean as possible.
Given his position, he has to ensure that he keeps up appearances, and so much of his wardrobe is to reflect his status and position, being that of a professional outlook while maintaining some semblance of expression. When going into business for the first time with a partner, or while tending to assigning duties among the staff, he prefers to keep a strict professional suit that he would wear to give that strong first impression. Once the deal is struck and all parties satisfied, then he would relax a little and enter more cordial relations with them, still keeping professional yet being a more modest, relaxed garment of some variety of his choosing.
Posture Habits
- Carefree and jovial.
- Calm, cool and collected.
Occupation
Having been advised to leave his family's business, he began the foundations of June's Crafts & Arms, which has been his priority ever since. With the silk aspect of this business, he caters to the fashion trends, competing with other clothiers in the region but being fair to the majority of the competition and setting comparable prices to them, understanding that choice should remain with the consumer. Of the three, this is the section that he finds the least trouble in, ironically, with the competitive markets being enough of a challenge to test his ability to lead yet not outright challenging his position.
In the arms trade, however, he has found quite the difficulty. Between negotiating mineral contracts and the persistence of the Monetarists and the paid elements of the Brass Blades doing regular inspections and scrutiny over this side of the business, constantly seeking a reason to bring Pishrero out of the market. Despite this, however, he has yet to find himself showing a weak point to their harassment, instead only proving in some instances that they were trying to sabotage his operations, to which the Flames have become aware of over the years.
Of course, the crystal operations are as hazardous as ever, given everyone's interest within them, including the beast tribes. Having also suffered from the occasional raiding party of Amalj'aa in the past gave him reasons to invest in some form of martial training, so that he may also work to prevent such things from happening again. It is this experience that he works to protect himself and his business, and has aided the Eorzean Alliance on several occasions, both monetarily, via supplies and even loaning his own skills personally to the defense of his home as a non-commissioned member of the Flames.
Combat
At a young age, Pishrero had been fascinated with the arcane arts, finding himself learning about spell casting from his mother's side. Though he has not forgotten what she has taught him, he felt that the ruthlessness of the kind of arcane power at work might have been having an effect on the family business, and has since sought another path in this as well. This is when he heard about crimson duellists and, upon a chance meeting with one, had taken up the talents and skills of balancing white and black magic. Combined with the finesse and talent required to master this art, it has entranced Pishrero and has become his go-to choice when it comes to talents he would utilise in situations where force is a requirement from him.
He has not forgotten his experiences with his family, however, and is not afraid to tap into that nature should he require ruthlessness in purging a corrupt element that refuses to back down before him. He has also taken an interest in arcanima, having chanced upon an intriguing tome one day and studying it with a vested interest. In this regard, when it comes to having options on how he wishes to operate, he has several that work across a distance, and arguably his talents with the rapier mean he can also handle himself a little at close range.
However, it is worth recalling that he is, indeed, a lalafell. This does come with the common weaknesses of not having a very strong frame, and he would likely not handle himself well in a straight fight with an experienced melee combatant. He does, however, make up for this frailty with his remarkable agility and keen senses, able to hear an opponent's shift in posture before they even commit to a strike against him, which has served him well against the Monetarist agents seeking to take him out quietly. His honest nature, however, has meant that he has yet to obtain conclusive evidence of their involvement, and so the struggle with them continues ever on.
Tendencies
Likes
- Jovial, honest company.
- Respect and courtesy.
- Responsible businesses.
- Talented individuals.
Dislikes
- Handouts or freebies.
- Monetarists, Brass Blades or any form of corruption.
- Anything opposing his likes.
Hobbies
- Gold Saucer visits.
- Development of new ideas.
- Aiding people in need.
- Making new friends and alliances.
- Acrobatics to navigate tall people's structures.
Skills
- A talented arcane practitioner, able to weave black and white, though primarily a black magic user.
- Agile and swift, through training to be evasive when in direct confrontation with another.
- Calm and collected negotiator, able to navigate the worst of negotiating pitfalls.
◢ Common Rumours
- ■ "Ah, the fellow that runs June's Crafts & Arms? Such a friendly fellow, actually."
- ■ "I would never trust a businessman, and someone as kind has him has to have some dark secret...Remember Teledji Adeledji?"
- ■ "Cannot fault a guy who respects the needs of the consumer. I might purchase some of his wares one day."
◢ Uncommon Rumours
- ■ "Didn't he lend his support to the Gyr Abania campaign? I wonder where he got such wealth from..."
- ■ "I would not like to be in his shoes. Everything he does is bound to set the Monetarists' plans askew."
◢ Rare Rumours
- ■ "I thought I saw him personally aiding the Eorzean Alliance in their Gyr Abania campaign. Such a rare sight, a merchant fighting the good fight."
◢ PC Rumours
- ■ (None yet. Have one to contribute? Let me know!)
Relationships
♥ Family ♥ Love ♥ Platonic ♥ Failed ● Good ● Neutral ● Poor
Family
- ♥ Zazaroni Fufuroni (54)
While a caring father in some regard, he felt far too focused on the business and trying to broker deals where he could, having to contend with the ruthlessness of the Monetarists at every turn. This is perhaps the reason why he had turned colder towards Pishrero later on in life, eventually pushing him to take his own path in life. It was during one of his drunken tirades that he enforced Pishrero's name prior to his birth, leading to the unconventional name being passed on.
- ♥ Jejeri Jeri (53)
With Pishrero being a product of young love, Jejeri was the doting mother whom treasured her firstborn, in spite of the tirades and competition that Zazaroni was dealing with daily. It was this caring nature that led her to teach her sons and daughter to protect themselves eventually, although a mishap with one spell caused her to turn cold and ruthless, soon joining her husband in the business market as a reflex to cope with the grief, having never explained to him or anyone what transpired. Pishrero never quite felt as close after that.
- ♥ Cucuru Curu (25)
Second born of the family, Cucuru was far too gentle to ever follow in the family business, and had since set herself to the task of aiding her family in whatever other way she can, be it tending to the household or caring for their well-being, the compassionate soul about her aiding in making sure her parents did not get too out of hand. Her and Pishrero get along really well, despite his move to start his own business, and the two keep in regular contact regarding the family.
- ♥ Zazajeri Fufujeri (Status Unknown - 12 at time of going missing)
Second son to the family and third born of the family, Zazajeri was always an eager, instinctive child, rarely thinking much about what he was doing before it was done. It was this "act now, think later" attitude that led to the events that sent him through a mysterious black portal and led to him not being seen again since, and brought about the changes across the family line.
Love Interests
- ♥ Rorosa Rosa (25)
Met after she failed the Paladin Program, Pishrero became infatuated with her, taking on board the nickname "Pishie" that she gave him. Her sweet and kind nature continues to win him over time and again, and he cannot bring himself to even be angry with her over her numerous faults. Eventually, he succumbed, and proposed companionship with her, to which she accepted. They have yet to truly go public with their affections, however. Seeing how she handles people, he feels confident in her ability to place her as head of recruitment in the company, a duty she respectfully accepted.
Friends
- ● Tiny Blue (??)
Thanks to a chance encounter in Kugane, this amnesiac blue blur rather fascinated Pishrero with how skilled he appeared despite not looking that much different to himself, only much more blue. Somewhat admiring the free spirit, he could respect the impetuous youth's nature and held no ill will towards him, instead finding within him a child that Pishie never quite got to know within himself, being carefree and enjoying life to the fullest. While he has concerns with the young lalafell, he trusts him enough to honour his word and has thus plans to employ him as catering head at the workshop.
- ● Nonigiri Nanigiri (??)
A rather high-strung and eccentric herbalist who got tired of Gridania, they nonetheless had a cordial agreement in partnership, and he could certainly use the expertise of such a fellow when it came to alchemical solutions. That he was also a conjurer of sorts also made him an asset to helping members of security if they ever got into trouble. While several questions do arise around him, he seems to be of a similar stock as Blue in regards to relating to other people, so he does hope there will be some bond among them all in that regard.
Acquaintances
- ● Odette Veaureaux (24)
One chance encounter at the Quicksand left him rather mixed on the Ishgardian. While she was not unpleasant company in the least, she was very stubborn and naive, also expressed having very little to contribute, which he could not entirely deny given his understanding of her situation, which he got very little information on. In all, pleasant company, but little more of use.
- ● Ferroux Quilmont (??)
An Ishgardian youth on all accounts, he came off as a workaholic after circumstances with his family led him to channel his grief into his engineering skills, earning him a place in Garlond Ironworks. While Pishrero insisted he take better care of himself, the two did at least meet eye-to-eye on matters of business, and while a pawn in a larger plan for Pishrero, he does have a hope that the youth will learn to better care for himself, knowing what it is like to throw oneself into work after grief and loss of family.
- ● Shin Nelhah (28)
A strong business-minded miqo'te and dedicated to her craft, her and Pishrero seem to get along entirely well, though the relationship is entirely professional. This is something Pishrero respects and isn't going to have a mind to change, even should some of her work dabble in some of the less savoury arts - that is something he can relate to, as well.
- ● Bernadette Bearclaw (??)
A strong-voiced Limsan with a mind for airships and navigation, Pishrero does have intentions to take her on as leader of his workshop on aircraft in the future, once agreements with the Ironworks have completed, though for now he has her hired on as part of security detail while also working on repairing her own craft with the team he set out for her old captain's vessel. He hasn't got an update on that situation yet, but he expects to in time.
- ● Sini'to Shadar (32)
A respected businessman in his own right, Pishrero regards him with more respect and humility than their first encounter, having realised how foolish he was in that time. They have since shared cordial words and Pishrero, while still holding himself guilty of doing wrong by him, certainly sees him as an equal since that discussion, if not his better for taking it all with the grace and dignity he treated the situation with.
- ● Kathir Ragewind (215)
Another person formerly working alongside Shin and Sini'to, Pishrero is impressed with his capability and his centuries of experience. Perhaps caught in a time where he had been very downcast about how he had handled other recruiting matters, he wanted to make a better impression on Kathir, being the last person he would recruit before handing the responsibilities to Rosa.
- ● Mundo Hardcastle (38)
Stalwart second-in-command of the operation in June's Crafts & Arms, this towering Ala Mhigan Hyur learned a lot from Pishrero's intuition and wisdom, quickly becoming the lalafell's head of security and manager of operations in Ul'dah when he is away on Immortal Flames duty. There is very little that will get in the way of this man's determination to see his employer succeed, even if it means putting down a few people who think they would make more money by selling out to the Monetarists, having no love for any of them over the years.
- ● Mesatoto Rasatoto (26)
Staff Manager at June's Crafts & Arms, he oversees the operations and the well-being of the staff overall in their employ. Though a rather timid soul, he does his best to appeal to both staff members and Pishrero, who sees in him a talent for communication and being of aid to others, something he sees as vital for sustaining cordial relationships with all the members of staff and sustaining loyalty among them. While he does tend to let the paperwork slide a little bit, Mesatoto does show himself as more of an active person and so Pishrero is not too hard upon him for it.
- ● Yayako Yako (34)
Business Liaison at June's Crafts & Arms, she tends to the business contacts and operations out in the field. A very friendly and cordial lalafell, she has a keen eye for business and is very meticulous in the needs of the businesses she conducts partnerships with, and though she can have a ruthless side to companies trying to swindle their way into Pishrero's business - particularly those of Monetarist persuasions - she does have a fair approach to negotiations and ensures the needs of everyone are met before the final signatures are signed.
- ● O'dahla Raha (25)
Public Liaison at June's Crafts & Arms, she takes on the contracts from personal contacts as well as those seeking individual purchases from the company. While she is rather inexperienced in the role, she has the support of Yayako to help with some of the more shrewd attempts others pull, particular any who seek to intimidate the young miqo'te. Yet her very polite and friendly nature means that she is quick to make new companions and is easily overjoyed when she makes them happy, being quick to build friendships among customers through her actions.
- ● Risasa Risa (32)
Bar Staff for the cafeteria area of June's Crafts & Arms, she is a quiet sort who only speaks when spoken to and tends to her duties without argument. Being timid, she rarely engages in small talk with anyone, even Pishrero, which does concern him a little but not enough to try and change her, given her keen senses and almost knowing what people want before they even ask for it, being careful and cautious about everything she does. He has high expectations for her, though is concerned for her state of well-being more often than not.
- ● Surenne Meridiam (29)
Head Chef for the cafeteria area of June's Crafts & Arms, she is very methodical in life, being cordial and polite to all customers as well as caring for their needs, something she translates well into her cooking. She does have little tolerance for bullshit, however, and this has become apparent with the frictions between her and Blue, something Pishrero has tried to quell but to little avail thus far. She does seem to relate well to the others, however, Sini'to making a notable comment on how they get along, which shows great potential and promise in Pishrero's eyes.
- ● Vyranei Stromgarde (27)
Another whom tried to take on the Paladin Program and failed, Pishrero hired her on as a personal guard, though given his work is mostly within the company, she has taken to standing watch over the company herself. Observant and dutiful to her job, she has a world of respect for Pishrero and all but swore an oath to him and his property. While she does act cordial towards known company members, she can be difficult among public figures who refuse to show her any respect at all, and is quick to distrust those who don't answer her when challenged on their presence at the company.
Enemies
History
Please note that all information below is not entirely knowledge that PC's will know, this information can only be learned IC and is kept here for documenting purposes
The Family Business (0-25)
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Being the firstborn of the family, Pishrero was to be the head of the household and was to be doted on by his family. However, events with the Monetarists that turned his father to drinking hampered such plans, being given a name that came off as unusual among his peers, and so Pishrero was then destined to be somewhat a mark of shame to his father, something that Zazaroni would be contending with throughout the years as he shifted between caring about him and his needs to going on tirades about how he was a disappointment, blaming the child rather than himself. It was perhaps because of this that his mother, Jejeri, sought to pacify the man with another child as well as be the caring mother to Pishrero. With the business eventually finding it's feet, seven years after Pishrero was born, so too came into the world little Cucuru. This did little to aid Zazaroni, however, as he intended for a male to take over the business, which left him even colder towards the family, trying to make ends meet and provide now for two children. Despite all of this setback, Jejeri doted upon her children, teaching them gradually how to protect themselves. Though Pishrero had taken to this like a duck to water, Cucuru was finding it difficult to come to terms with the why they had to learn this, and was instead shown how to look after herself in other ways.
It was one of Zazaroni's good days when he came back to see Pishrero being capable like his mother, and thus he began to learn the family trade, being a personal assistant to his father across the business and learning the mercantile ways from him. It was especially a good day as it was from this improvement in his life that he had once again attempted for a child, this time with more success for him: A young feisty boy. In honour of his love, he opted to name him based on his own and Jejeri's name, and so the young child was set to take over as the head of the family, despite Pishrero's efforts to secure his place, 13 years the boy's elder. Nonetheless, despite this fate determined for him, he upheld the family business and continued to serve dutifully, even managing to secure a few trade deals of his own for the family business in the process. Still, it would continue to bother him that this would not be his fate, that this life would not be all he would ever know. And it was about then that he began to learn more about the trade from the eyes of others, exploring the markets.
During one of these ventures, he would come across a scene he would never forget for the rest of his days: One of the business partners that he had made a trade deal with just months before was garbed up in dark robes, with members of the Brass Blades flanking him, around the grounds of the Coffin & Coffer. Listening into the conversations, he heard about how the people approaching him were asking for help in payment, to better support their families, to which the cruelty of the master was laid bare: "If you cannot work for your pay, don't expect any of it! And family?! If you can't afford to have one, then don't have one! Kill one of them off if you're struggling that badly, and stop bringing your problems to my doorstep if you value your pay so damn much!" Pishrero noted how these people were refugees, barely capable of putting up a fight, either monetarily or physically, being so weakened to not be a challenge to the hired brutes. Angered, he left the scene, rushing to speak of this to his father. To Pishrero's shock, however, his father did not take kindly to the act of 'spying' and did not care for the sympathy and plight of the refugees, and this was when it was first suggested that "If you want to care so damn much, run your own business and see if you can do any better!"
Burned by this, he kept silent for many years afterward about the issues, not wishing to anger his father but also having no desire to see such things go unpunished. Perhaps it is this moral dilemma that led him to go astray from his mother's lessons, seeking another path across the arcane, and began his learning with rapier and a blending of magic. He would still give his support, however, especially when the young and tempestuous Zazajeri was being taught in a similar manner. However, his impatience would come to backfire time and again, and despite Pishrero's attempts to quell the younger brother's eagerness, the pressure from his parents only encouraged him to try harder to satisfy them. It was one of these times that led to the tragedy of the young boy's absence, as himself, Zazajeri and Jejeri had gathered together to practice once again, and instead of calling upon the energy and casting it out, he attempted to charge it further. In doing so, he lost control of it and, before anyone else could think or see, the portal had opened around him, and by the time they could see what was going on to act, the portal had already closed, consuming Zazajeri in the process. Distraught and without a means of tracing where he had gone to, Jejeri had come to break down, turning cold to everyone around her, wracked in guilt over the matter. It was then, at age 25, that Pishrero decided it was time for a new path, separating himself from his family and taking what funds he had made into starting up a new venture: June's Crafts & Arms.
June's Crafts & Arms (25-30)
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Finding people interested in joining a new job was not all that hard for Pishrero, the hard part was getting people who were reliable enough to do the jobs assigned to them. He quickly learned how to smell out a con artist, though, and, within a few short months, had got his business working, negotiating supply chains and distribution, working with Gridania's Botanist's Guild for the base fabrics and the Miner's Guild of Ul'dah for mineral supplies. Of course, making such trade deals got the Monetarists looking upon the efforts and seeking a means of getting in, at first outright trying to buy his loyalty, which he comprehensively refused at every turn, before they tried to get people into his company, which he then became weary of when he caught one of them supplying trade secrets to the Monetarists, forcing a complete overhaul of the contracts to make sure that he scrutinised every fine detail and left the Monetarists no room to pry. This gave him the reason to remain alert to their schemes, which was useful as they then started directing more forceful means of sabotaging the business, which gave him reason to train once again to defend his work and his employees. Through all this effort and challenge, he began to win the hearts and minds of those under him, and soon enough he became a respected figure among the populace, with the Immortal Flames starting to take note of his talents. It was not long before they requested his assistance and he became a member of the Grand Company, an exchange which meant that his business would then be under the protection of the Flames.
With his position secured by this latest act, the business began to flourish, supported by positive responses and a work ethic that the people were proud of, loyalty that had no worth monetarily but would then hold the Monetarists at bay with every scheme they attempted, leaving them to contemplate other means of getting involved, as this was an element outside of their control, which they found to be very dangerous, yet acting openly would only incite backlash against them from the people who support his work. It was then that the Monetarists twisted a failure into success, as they began to revive rumours of Teledji Adeledji and his acts against the Sultanate, which did lead to a number of questions being asked about Pishrero's designs. Having only just started, rumours abound as to why he would venture to get into business, and this left his business into stagnation: While loyal and hopeful customers would continue to trade and deal in his wares - mostly in the clothing lines, as the supply line from Gridania rarely became an issue - all the doubts left him unable to grow further as paying for staff, tending to supply lines and the costs of the whole operation were only just above break-even. It was to this end that he tasked Mundo Hardcastle to supervise the operations while he joined the Immortal Flames for a year.
It was during this time that Pishrero would come to really embrace the powers he had learned, having met up with a few who considered themselves crimson duellists, learning from one in particular and, through them, not only mastering the balance between black and white but also understanding how to use the rapier efficiently. Through the training and the continued success he was achieving in combat operations with the Flames, he was quickly making a name for himself in the ranks, and it also gave him inspirations - having worked with so many varying combat styles - for designs he would implement upon returning to his company. It also proved to be a profitable venture as well, being recompensed for supplies that were used during the time period, for which the company was compensated fairly. It had meant that when he did return, the business was thriving more than before, which gave him room to expand the operation even further, hiring on members from the Adventurer's Guild to transport goods as part of the company and supplying the Immortal Flames as a regular part of the company. With this security in growth and the looming threat of the Imperial campaign, Pishrero's efforts turned to a new avenue, that being in crystal harvesting and transportation.
With this expansion, he intended to secure not only himself a steady supply and stream of crystals with which to enhance and improve the working standards of the company, but also to redistribute excesses to other companies for a fair price, not the extortionate numbers that most Monetarists claimed were the going rate. This, however, would prove to be his biggest challenge, for keeping security upon a crystal caravan eventually led to his operations getting the attention of the Amalj'aa, which led to him taking on a personal escort team that would manage transport and security of high-value goods such as crystals. This, inevitably, did lead to a rise in prices that had upset a number of supporters of the company, but ultimately, after a further period of stagnation due to the change, things started to improve again, and profits were being made a few months later, once things started to get into more of a rhythm. And thus the business continued to prosper, having improved in many ways over the years and eventually becoming a sustainable operation, with support from the locals and the Immortal Flames, and out of touch from the Monetarists' often overbearing reach, though they would still continue to try to sabotage them.
Gyr Abania & The New Venture (30-32)
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It was not long before word reached Pishrero of the failed attempts at Rhalgr's Reach to suppress the Imperial forces, and a call for reinforcements was made. After some communication with the commanders, he learned of a combined operation that would see a strike from two fronts: Gyr Abania and a covert attack upon Doma, a war on two fronts. In an effort to support, Pishrero offered support to the Doman operation, whatever supplies he could spare, and joined the campaign himself for the fight in Gyr Abania. While not necessarily making a name for himself in that conflict, he held his own along with the rest of his Immortal Flames companions, as well as offering aid sometimes to the other members of the Eorzean Alliance across various stages of the campaign. It is through this effort that him and his company were eventually recognised officially by the Immortal Flames and Pishrero was given a commissioned position within the Grand Company, to which he accepted providing that he could still run his business operations as a priority. Given leave to do so, Pishrero returned to his company, finding it still in good hands.
It was during one of these check-ins with the Immortal Flames that he came across a distressed and defeated Rorosa Rosa, a fellow Dunesfolk Lalafell whom had attempted to get into the Paladin's entrance exam and was faced with the consequence of not knowing what to do with herself. Having heard of this story from her, Pishrero had taken pity upon her, offering her a place at his company as a guard, explaining how he could use more people to protect his trade caravans and the like. Having been perked up with such an offer, and only requesting food and living space, Pishrero began to feel for the young female, and even those close to him within the company began to notice that he had been feeling quite a bit happier around her presence. Perhaps it was no surprise to most, then, that when he had undergone discussions with making new contracts again, or renewing old ones, he had Rosa among the personal escorts almost every time, favouring her company and finding a comfort in her presence he hadn't felt around anyone else in the past.
On one of these trade missions, the two of them ventured to Kugane, to check on the trade and supply with their eastern suppliers. During a bit of downtime at the local inn they get surprised by an excited blue blur, calling himself Tiny Blue due to a case of amnesia and forgetting his true name. While the guy's excitable nature certainly arouses the spirits, Pishrero becomes at a loss as to how to help him out. After an otherwise cordial discussion with each other, Pishrero and Rorosa depart to conduct the rest of their business and then set off back to Eorzea - only to find that Blue had followed them onto the boat back! Surprised, Pishrero conceded to giving Blue a means of surviving while in Eorzea should he wish to take up a position as a guard, but the response came back as ambiguous and vague, clearly not able to connect the free spirit to an actual position within the company but not of a mind to let someone run loose and free in very unfamiliar territory. So it was that he was left to ponder his options as he eventually returned to Ul'dah, with the pair of them in tow. Having then settled business and accounts with the company, he then opted to next travel to Gridania, to resolve matters there.

His plans, however, would come into a complication: They had been pressed to vacate their previous premises and find a new location, a move pushed by the Monetarists to attempt to close him down for good. Thankfully, the Immortal Flames were willing to lend their aid, providing a small location in the Goblet where they would continue their work unabated by the harassment of the Monetarists' schemes through the Free Company initiative. Though it would take him out of the city proper, the Immortal Flames ensured trading routes would come to the Goblet for them, and so the motion was set to move premises. Though the space was small, much of their work was able to continue in spite of the disruptions, and the renovations meant that he could develop upon the building with impunity. Such freedom was welcomed by the aspiring lalafell, and while it delayed his plans for Gridania, it was nothing of major consequence in the end. In the middle of these renovations, he chanced upon Rosa and Blue discussing matters at their off-duty bar in the back rooms, and during his inspection of the room to ensure it was up to safety codes, he discussed with Blue a potential avenue of occupation in the cooking aspect, having contemplated an expansion for catering to tend to the staff's needs on-site. Of course, this was a deft move on Pishrero's part: It would give Blue a means of earning a living as well as supplying the staff with on-location catering, which meant less requirements for them to leave the premises, which in turn would mean more efficiency in their employment, with less time spent travelling about. Other matters were discussed at the time, though he did expect more caution from the blue-haired youth, giving him several warnings about the deeds he was conducting in the short time he was present there. Nonetheless, the initial plan stuck, and having set the idea into motion, he left Rosa and Blue to discuss further while he carried out the necessary paperwork.
Following this discussion, he began to chase up contracts for construction work, as well as the remainder of his furnishings for his office space, which were mysteriously delayed. Contemplating the reasons for such delay while observing his employees at work, Rosa met with him once more to discuss events that transpired after he had left, confirming that the safeguards he requested were completed promptly and showing mixed opinions regarding Blue, having found out about his past. It was clear that Rosa wanted to care for this young charge, yet Pishrero was adamant that he would not serve in security, given that he answered the day, when asked what else he could do, with the singular word: "Kill." He did not wish security to mean killing anyone, not unless they left no other alternatives, and he could not be assured this would be the case. This had become a momentary cause of conflict between him and Rosa, yet her kind-hearted nature eventually had Pishrero commit to a compromise: She would talk to him, and if she could give assurances of him being responsible, then he would reconsider his stance, but not a moment before. Until that time, Pishrero was resolved to place him as a cook, though he still had misgivings about the lad's loose tongue and lack of restraint when speaking, questioning if he could even work with other people if necessary. Conversation continued cordially between the two, even with a minor interruption to lend his aid to an employee who pricked their finger rather badly in a minor accident, before Pishrero returned to his own duties, chasing up the case of the lighting matter within his office.

A short time passed. After checking and double-checking the accounts, Pishrero discovered there was a large investment that remained unaccounted for, spread across several contracts that were of minor goods that Pishrero does not recall agreeing a contract for. He chased the matters up with Mundo Hardcastle, however he also was not made aware of these purchases and the proper procedures were not carried out to identify who supplied the goods, if there were even goods exchanged to begin with. While Pishrero charged Mundo with seeking the culprit of this, Mundo proffered the idea of expanding the business, given the investment was enough to upgrade the facilities greatly. Though reluctant to trust money that had no traceable origin, he came to accept that he could do nothing else with it until it was traced back to the source, thus he began plans to relocate to a larger premises. He has, thus far, not informed anyone else on staff outside of Mundo of these developments behind the scenes, not certain as to whom he can trust on this matter, but he knew that he had to make sure the facilities turned a huge profit in return else he knew this could bite him when he least expected it. As such, he became even more scrutinous and stern on all matters of the business, something which the staff have picked up on but have not had the courage to question him about as of yet.
Feeling the stress of this life starting to tackle him, he headed off to the Quicksand, needing a break from the office. Having picked up his iced fruit drink, he piqued curiosity to two Elezen Ishgardians seated already in conversation. Having placed himself in conversation with them after the female of the pair shown curiosity, the three ended up engaged in some light conversation, introducing themselves as Odette (not giving her full name of Odette Veaureaux in conversation) and Ferroux Quilmont, and among the topics discussed, they talked each about their work, with Pishrero surprised that the young Elezen man was working with the Garlond Ironworks. Sensing an opportunity through this, he propositioned a tour of Ul'dah for the two who were unfamiliar with the territory at all, after which he would write a letter for Ferroux to offer to his superiors as a business venture. At Odette's request, they skipped the tour and headed back to his offices, where he would then write up this letter to pass on to Garlond Ironworks. While minor shenanigans transpired with Odette refusing to accept a treat until nobody was trying to pay attention, the letter was eventually written up and offered to Ferroux to pass on. After giving them both a tour of the facilities and the various floors, he then showed the pair to the upper floor, where a dining hall had been developed at the request of Rorosa Rosa, with the two of them showing their utmost approval of the idea, Odette stating how she might show interest and bring her friends along sometime. Intrigued, he permitted each to part ways, Odette being resident in the Goblet and Ferroux needing to get back to Ishgard. After both had left, Pishrero contemplated upon the ideas of expansion further, proposing to Mundo on carving out facilities to implement airship transports. Figuring their usefulness would eventually pay off in transport tasks, particularly if they can get small vessels going for goods transport around Thanalan given the lack of airborne threats, this seemed like an ideal investment, and if the deal with the Ironworks works out, then even better.
The weeks passed in a bit of a blur, and in that time he managed to stumble into some surprising new hires: First was Bernadette Bearclaw, whom was dissatisfied with how her captain was running things, how her airship was falling into disrepair and was looking for someone new to work for. While he lamented that he didn't have the contract yet agreed with the Garlond Ironworks for airship manufacture, he did offer to help repair the ship and, if she was seeking work, can assign her as part of the security detail, at least until the contract was agreed upon with them. Though he did sense this was not entirely satisfactory, he did also feel he was in a bind and couldn't really offer more than he had. Then there was the mysterious case of Shin Nelhah, whom had appeared in search of Blue after he made inquiries towards her through another person. Talks eventually turned to the fact that her former place of employment had turned 'dead' and she was looking for somewhere new to place her efforts. Being a clearly accomplished alchemist, Pishrero had no reservations upon hiring her and offered to sell her wares in return for a small share of the profits made, allowing her to keep her name tied to the products she made and a majority of the sales made from them, given she was already established in her own right and that would be something he wouldn't take away from her. This arrangement then led to him encountering Sini'to Shadar, who was helping with moving his partner's possessions at the time. With obvious reasoning, he did not wish to be separated from his partner, and offered various ideas towards Pishrero. However, his mindset was clearly more geared to employing the man at the time, and this led to the discussions on having Sini'to on as part of the culinary group, despite the many other talents that the male miqo'te had.

After Shin and Sini'to departed, things got interesting for Pishrero. Blue, in an act of seriousness, began talking much less fleetingly with Pishrero. Taking this moment, the two conversed in a serious manner about his place at the company, and the two of them had come to reach an agreement upon having Blue taken on as a member of the security team in earnest. At least knowing the facade now, Pishrero felt more content with placing the matter of security in someone whom he could trust, rather than someone hiding behind a veil. But in the weeks that followed, it began to strike him: He was not doing so well at recruiting. Sure, Shin was an easy enough hire and neither side in that discussion felt left out, it was an entirely fair and mutually beneficial exchange. Yet with everyone else - Bernadette and her proposition to use the airship she was repairing in service to him, Sini'to and his business contacts in Kugane, and then Blue, whom Rosa had fought so hard to get into security detail with her - he could not see the potential in any of them, not at the time. It hit him hard, being something he never had to come to terms with before, and it had taken him some time to figure things out with himself, using the charade of being busy with paperwork to try and hide such concerns from the rest of the staff, though even they started to tell that there was something different about him.
Perhaps sensing this frustration, he attempted to follow along with Rosa to try and relax a bit, hearing that she was to be attending some event with her cake-friend Miraenne Nineux. Having been turned down while inside, however, he lamented the situation but cordially agreed to leave. What he was not aware of, however, was that it would set in motion a chain of events that would see him requested to return to the Iron Lynx, and not only appear there as a guest to a kindly fellow by the name of Culkin Boyle, whom offered to grant his plus-one arrangement for Pishrero, but eventually came to participate in events himself, firstly against Nameless Ronin, against whom Pishrero lost, and then contested against Rosa himself, testing her to see how far she has come. In that one, he did come out victorious, though it was clear that Rosa was feeling the frustrations of competitiveness in her from the string of losses. Though amused by this, Pishrero spent a bit of time mingling with some of the staff and other members at the time, giving him at least some ideas on how to resolve things back at his company. The following weeks would see him return to the place as a matter of R&R, but eventually Mundo delivered an important missive to Pishrero, and this was something he had been waiting for: Garlond Ironworks have considered his proposal and have agreed to enter talks regarding a potential partnership with him.
As if given a second wind by this news, he knew he had to set things right. Within hours, he had Mundo post an urgent request to meet up with the individuals that played on his mind, wanting to get that resolved as a matter of priority. Following the communications via linkshell with one of the representatives of the Ironworks, he came to some realisation: While he had a head for business and people, he always seemed to place the business first when it came to discussing matters, but there was more to that than hiring people on. However, with how Rosa has been connecting with people - from that youthful elezen woman from the cake shop, with the two seeming to get along wonderfully, to seeing Blue's potential long before he ever did, and then the idea of bringing more people in with an opening night and the upstairs cafeteria idea - it brought to him the conclusion that she was certainly much better at being the people person than he could bring himself to be. In his mind, it was decided: She would be in charge of recruitment, if she was willing to take the task. It was contemplating this idea that Kathir Ragewind appeared, seeking employment and hearing about this place from Blue. Hearing the similar story from Shin, he began to click together the pieces of the puzzle of how that came about, and figured that they probably were colleagues there as well. Hearing of the Hrothgar's experience and impressed by his concerns for the property and people, as well as sharing a moment of respect for each other when their beliefs aligned, Pishrero was confident in having such an experienced and accomplished artisan of craft and war in his employ, raising him to an officer position.

With that in mind, he prepared for the evening that he requested the people to appear. With Sini'to appearing first, he wasted little time in offering his heartfelt apologies for mistreating him in the way that he did, and at least opened the door for a more mutual business relationship before Rorosa Rosa and Blue appeared. It was during these discussions that he also brought up the fact that Kathir was also now working for them, someone whom Sini'to and Shin both knew well from their time working together in their previous work place, as he had suspected. He then discussed Blue's change in position to Rosa, as well as making the proposal for her to be promoted to head of recruitment, a task she was shocked by but nonetheless accepted. Happy with the results of this, he permitted the others to leave as he discussed ideas with Sini'to, agreeing on the foundational idea of the two businesses - Sini'to's and Pishrero's - collaborating with each other, with the Shadar estate aiding with promoting June's Crafts and Arms in Kugane and Pishrero supporting the Shadar estate's interests in Ul'dah. While he had to draft the details with others, the two seemed hopeful for a beneficial future as business associates, with Pishrero offering Sini'to office space in the company, both as a matter of convenience and in apology for Pishrero's actions in hiring him on, though the latter was a forgiven and forgotten matter, given his amicable working relationship with Surenne Meridiam and with it being a hobby of his. Content, Sini'to headed off to consult with his family, leaving Pishrero to return to the paperwork, at least now in a far better mood than he had been for many moons.
Opening Hurdles (32)
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Gallery
Pishrero discussing business in Ul'dah.
Pishrero testing out his abilities.
Pishrero training at the grounds of the Gyr Abania campaign.
Pishrero flying into action!
Pishrero enjoying a little downtime with his companions.