#frenchbro

Oliver Parra | 36 | French Organization | Second in Command | TAKEN

Place of Birth: Paris, France. Current Residence: The Zarana Hills. Spouse/Partner: Aurélie Parra (wife) Family: Éliza Parra (daughter, unplayable), Nicolas Parra (son, unplayable) Face Claim: Ryan Gosling. Bio Credit: Bekah.

While Oliver’s Parisian pride spearheads his appeal, France had not been particularly kind to his younger self.

Orphaned by negligent parents, Oliver had learned early on that a persistent soul could survive on its own. But, when his job fell through, and he hadn’t the money for his apartment, and homelessness crept onto his back and wouldn’t let go, the Frenchman’s desperation had reached new heights. In something akin to ironic catastrophe, Oliver was introduced to the wonders of heroin at his lowest.

Though the business of cultivating, manufacturing, and distributing drugs for largely profit motivating reasons would become a faculty of Oliver’s greatest interests due to his own familiarity, his early start with drugs did him utterly no favors.

Nothing felt like heroin.

While upper drugs catered to a need of ecstasy or self-confidence, heroin turned Oliver’s frustrated life into a mellow, content amble. His insignificant life became manageable with each hit, and it quickly became his only escape from a destitute cycle. Being an expensive habit, heroin, the Frenchman was easily roped into doing illegal work for a once friend, Claire, to meet his needs. Thus, Oliver’s criminal background started at the bottommost possible standpoint imaginable; in doing the most precarious jobs proper gangsters wouldn’t do.

There came a point, when his addiction in Paris had crept up on him slowly but overwhelmingly, that Oliver stole from his friend. He had been nearly been beaten to death when caught, and was, without difficulty, abandoned to the streets he’d once escaped. It was then and there he realized, addicted to drugs, homeless and out of work, again, that his life was meaningless.

Then François St. Clair found him.

It’s rare for the man to speak of his past, due to its palpable, haunting failures, but it’s no secret that the Frenchman left France for Launceston with a most passionate drug-addiction. In Launceston, he’d even been famous for it. Considering his criminal work hadn’t changed much between Paris and Launceston, Oliver engaged for the St. Clair Family glad that they’d pay for his next hit, and more.

He was an intimidating asset.

Controlled chaos in some respect, Oliver worked repeatedly to make sure he stayed a worthwhile investment – if Nicolas needed him for intimidation, he would be terror inducing. With his violent affinities, and intermittent leadership roles, the Frenchman participated in some of the worst criminal plays for the St. Clair family to date. The murder of a Russian Head’s daughter became a moment of signature prowess. Once a man with nothing, the Frenchman had quickly become a man with something; approval.

Oliver contentedly stepped into new roles for the French Head, his more than satisfactory living as a mobster came to an unexpected, uncomfortable half-measure upon meeting a St. Clair ‘princess’.

Nothing felt like heroin, but Aurélie St. Clair felt better.

With selfishness, in line with a drug addict’s need for immediate gratification, he impolitely pursued – earning himself difficult experiences with certain members of the St. Clair family, and Nicolas himself. She was a crime he was willing to commit.

Becoming a recognized figure in the French Organization was not the Frenchman’s primary goal, but the time-won respect had undeniably driven the man to consider how best to keep the French Organization in positions of power. Their authority over Launceston continued with a heavy price. Instead of the loyalists being killed, himself included, their rivals killed members of the St. Clair family instead.

Oliver watched as each loss dragged their boss, a most feared man, Nicolas St. Clair, deeper and deeper into his hidden disease: Alzheimer’s. Before the disease took him, before any of them knew, the French Head had sat Oliver at his side for a number of days. Like a son with his father, Oliver stayed at the man’s hip and felt like he was re-learning the tools in the shed, embedded in the networking.

While he deserved no more from the man, before he left to wither in the arms of his wife, Nicolas spoke to Oliver about things more important than business. He left demands: quit the drugs, propose to and marry his granddaughter, and lead the illicit drug business.

No man respected, revered, or endeavored to be like Nicolas St. Clair more so than Oliver after that day.

While easier said than done, much to his own shame, Oliver did what was asked of him. In the process of a power change, the Russians in Launceston did the unthinkable; they took her, and killed good men in the process. It would have been effortless for Oliver to have made a trade with the Russians, considering what he could have given in yield, but his best friend bit the bullet, clandestinely, on his behalf.

Oliver hasn’t told anyone, but he will forever believe his inaction in those moments disgraceful to his name, and those relationships.

Launceston, Massachusetts had made Oliver the mobster he was, which made the move to Porto Velho that much more difficult.

In moving, Oliver let go of a vice-gripe on Launceston’s drug scene that was so fucking prodigious there might as well have been needles in the streets. He coveted the idea of murdering every Russian in the name of the St. Clairs; he couldn’t get past the idea of leaving the opportunity of revenge to anyone aside from himself. Worse yet, they were in an alliance with his wife’s favorite Sovrani-Italian.

While his wife had a point about Porto’s house-winning numbers for legal business activities, he wondered if she understood what he would do to her new home-base to take ownership of its drug trade.

After rounds of arguments that tested their new marriage, many he has yet to apologize for, he critically conceded. She was hurting in ways that he couldn’t fix, and hauntingly reminded him that the most important people in her life were gone. He’s considered once, that people were orphaned again and again in their life. That the pain dwindled each time it happened, but his wife stood contradictory to the idea.

They moved. He would fucking deal.

In dramatic fashion, the first diplomatic meet Aurélie had set up with the Rutherford family ended with their men slaughtered - aside from her childhood friend. His friend had died.

It was almost amusing to Oliver, how discreditable the Rutherford reaction had been. It had lacked principle, mostly honor. When they would be on their knees, begging for their city back, the French would remind them of that meeting before releasing the guillotine.

The French knew a thing or two about revolutions, and one was due in Porto Velho.

Andrew Rutherford: Enemy. Oliver assumes Andrew was the one who gave the order to kill their men during the planned diplomatic meeting. The lack of Rutherford civility sent a clear message. There would be no peace, and Oliver intended to deal the man significant blows.

Veronika Auditore: Enemy. Unlike his wife, Oliver can’t see past Veronika’s Sovrani background. He continues to think the relationship between his wife and the woman is a ticking time bomb. The lack of friendliness is mutual, but there isn’t overt hate either. When she becomes almost agreeable, he reminds himself of who her parents are.

Laurent St. Pierre: Best friend. Thinking back on the people they used to be can be a little bitter for either man, especially considering the mischief they got into after a line or two. While they aren’t related, Oliver considers the man his brother. When he’s strikingly annoyed with everyone and everything, Oliver knows that Laurent either feels the same, or knows how to make the irritations disperse – probably a night at Vixen.

Johnathan Parsons: Enemy. It has come to his attention that Johnathan Parsons is not only the man who killed his friends at Aurélie’s intended meeting, but Parsons is also the go-between for the Rutherfords and The Kings. It would be advantageous and entirely satisfying if the man was strangled.

The Cávado Kings: Enemy. There is room for one supplier in Porto. Bearing in mind that the French are known for their finesse in the drug trade, it’s a given that Oliver intends to take that business from them.