Name: Parsa Khosravi
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Essyrn
Height: 6'1"
Occupation: Merchant Prince
Resistance: Essyrn

Appearance
Like most of his people, Parsa is tall, his height supported by a well-muscled frame that can become intimidating to those who do not know him.  He has harsh, aquiline features with a high-bridged nose and almond shaped, black eyes.  His skin is the color soft bronze, unmarred by injury, helped by the care he takes to avoid sun damage.

As is common in Essyrn, Parsa can mostly be found wearing loose fitting cotton.  His personal taste leans toward robes and trousers to insulate him against the heat.  He sleeps little at night but largely manages to cover any sign of insomnia with kohl.  His naturally black hair is mostly kept straight and tied into a single plait down the middle of his back.  His chin is hidden under a well-maintained goatee.

Personality
Parsa is largely a gentleman.  He is rarely prone to outburst and avoids violence whenever possible.  His dealings with other merchants are rarely underhanded if he can help it, giving him a reputation for fairness.

That said, he should not be mistaken for weak.  He rewards loyalty well but in turn punishes treachery harshly.  The few who know or even suspect the severity of his retribution might call his retaliations excessive, but he is always careful to keep his hands clean.

Parsa is also haunted by visions.  Though he refuses to share them, he wakes in a cold sweat on many nights.  Even now, his sleep is often restless and painfully brief.

Magic/Abilities

• Divination - Parsa is a remarkably potent seer, using his gift to swing business deals in his favor.  However, he loses control of his visions when he sleeps, haunted by his own secret knowledge
• Mathematics - A mandate of his class and profession, Parsa keeps himself aware of the state of his business interests.
• Archery - Parsa is practiced in the use of a composite short bow, though he rarely finds need of these skills.
• Fencing - As a child, Parsa studied the use of Shamshir, a curved saber popular among Essyrni warriors.
• Horsemanship - Tutored in riding, which he does regularly as an ongoing hobby.

Relationships

• Three Sisters - All married (PM to establish relationships).
• Bodyguards - A testament to Parsa's wealth, these fighters are mostly equipped with mail and armed with short bows, shamshirs and maces.
• Servants - Though officially recognized as slaves, this is mostly for appearances' sake.  They are often paid and educated in secret.

History
Parsa was born the only son of an extremely prominent Merchant Prince and spent his early years in the lap of luxury.  As the only boy child and heir, he was doted on by his father's many wives and harem slaves, with no expectation of hardship.  Meanwhile, his father, who had difficulty having children, focused on his business interests, intending to build a small empire for his child.

Khosravi the Elder dabbled in many ventures, most of which paid off quite handsomely.  However, late in his life, the Prince had the ambition of capitalizing on the popularity of the arena, training slaves as professional gladiators.  This was a flawed plan from the beginning; high mortality rates made death matches too costly for fit slaves while cheap slaves were unfit for the stresses of combat.  Still, the man persisted and by the end of his life, he had exhausted much of his saving.  He died when his son was 19, leaving Parsa with many debts.

The young merchant's first act was to find husbands for his three sisters as, having seen his father's failing sanity, he had sabotaged any attempt by his father to do so.  Leveraging these marriages, Parsa was able to cover much of his father's losses, using his foresight to seek the greatest advantage.  Gradually, he reestablished many of his father's trade deals, rebuilding what his father had squandered.

His ongoing business is guided by his foresight, his decisions based on the long view of happenstance.  This gives him an uncomfortable perspective regarding the future of Essyrn, its culture and its legacy.  He is especially critical of the nature of slavery and the Arena, and the mindless cruelty it represents.  And while he is careful to conceal his goals, he works methodically behind the scenes to reform and rehabilitate his society...

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