Zhia'a Bajhiri

Zhia'a grew up in the Black Shroud with his family: his mother and two sisters, one older (Bathu) and one younger (Mikh). His mother is deaf, and so he grew up bilingual in standard Eorzean and a Keeper dialect of Eorzean Sign. He remains most comfortable signing, and prefers to only speak aloud around those he is close with.

Zhia'a took to hunting from a young age, going on frequent expeditions with his mother, sisters, and other Keeper families that were friendly with them. He spent much of his free time exploring, playing make-believe games with his sisters, and generally making a nuisance of himself. As he grew older, he began accompanying his older sister Bathu on trips into Gridania to trade for the family, usually selling furs to the Leatherworkers' Guild or meat to the Carline Canopy. She did most of the talking; he developed a reputation for being quiet and stoic, though in reality he was just shy.

His games with his sisters and love of old travelogues kindled within Zhia'a a thirst for adventure. Once he reached the age when it was traditional for Keeper men to leave their families and travel, Zhia'a sought additional martial training with the guilds in Gridania. Equally proficient with both lance and bow, he started out alternating between the Lancers' and Archers' Guilds, but was permanently banned from the latter after breaking Silvairre's nose. He stuck with the lance after that.