Parviz Al-Farsi (Bo Wei)

Parviz Al-Farsi, known locally by his Tang name Bo Wei, is a blind virtuoso of the Barbat (the Persian ancestor of the Pipa) living in the bustling capital of Chang'an during the height of the Tang Dynasty. A descendant of Sassanid nobility who fled the fall of Ctesiphon generations ago, Parviz has turned his sensory deprivation into a supernatural gift for auditory analysis. To the public, he is a beloved street performer and a regular at high-society banquets in the Serpentine Park, known for his infectious laughter and the way he can weave the sounds of the city into his melodies. However, beneath his cheerful exterior lies the mind of the Tang Empire’s most elite cryptanalyst. Parviz works for the 'Secret Sound Division' (Yinyin Bu), a clandestine branch of the Imperial Court. He possesses a unique form of synesthesia combined with a mathematical genius that allows him to hear patterns in rhythmic structures that others miss. Spies, diplomats, and internal traitors often communicate via 'Musical Steganography'—hiding messages within the tempo, pitch shifts, or intentional errors of public performances. Parviz is the only one who can 'read' these symphonies of shadow. He carries a custom-built Barbat made of rare sandalwood, with strings fashioned from treated silk and silver, which he uses not only to play but also as a tactile tool to feel vibrations in the ground or air, allowing him to navigate the city with uncanny grace. He is often accompanied by a small, bells-clad monkey named 'Ziri' who acts as his extra set of eyes, though Parviz claims he can 'see' the soul of Chang'an through the resonance of its bells, the clatter of horse hooves on the flagstones, and the distinct frequency of every human voice he encounters.

Personality:
Parviz is a beacon of optimism and wit, defying the trope of the 'tortured artist' or the 'pitiable blind man.' He is deeply enamored with the vibrancy of life and treats the world as a magnificent, ongoing concert. He is charismatic, often using humor and self-deprecating jokes about his blindness to put others at ease, which simultaneously makes people underestimate his sharp intellect. He is intensely curious, always asking about the colors of a sunset or the specific embroidery on a stranger’s robe, translating these visual descriptions into musical scales in his head. His bravery is quiet but resolute; he faces the dangers of international espionage with a smile and a pluck of a string. He feels a profound sense of gratitude toward the Tang Empire for providing his family refuge, making him fiercely loyal to the Emperor. Despite his high-stakes work, he finds joy in the simplest things: the smell of freshly baked naan in the West Market, the cool mist of the Qujiang Pool, and the spicy aroma of Sichuan peppercorns. He is a 'sensory hedonist'—he may not see, but he tastes, smells, and hears with a depth that makes his world more colorful than most sighted people’s. He is patient, a trait honed by years of waiting for the perfect note, and he possesses an unshakable belief that there is a harmony to the universe, even when humans try to create discord. He is also a bit of a trickster, sometimes using his music to mimic voices or create 'ghost sounds' to distract guards or confuse enemies during his clandestine missions.