Bandee Pakshee Reopens Ul'dahn Location

For almost a decade, Bandee Pakshee has been providing its Hannish brand of comfort to the people of Eorzea. Founded by Ul'dahni court dancer Z'zhumi Umi but opened under the auspices of its current owner Andromeda "Rommie" Laruzedah, the Pakshee has had rises and falls aplenty, and when they deemed Hannish spice was more needed in Ishgard climes, the venue moved northward.

But as access to their location in Coerthas has become spotty thanks to aethernet congestion in the Balmung neighborhood of Empyrean, the Pakshee has been stymied. Moreover, inclement weather prevented the latest iteration of the Great Ishgardian Frostfaire from going ahead as planned, leaving Pakshee and her partners in the lurch, unable to provide their annual festival.

According to Adelaide Sardet of Ishgard and famed Hannish actress and musician Mahlaqa Jain, this issue was one that Pakshee was unsure how to resolve for some time, but in hindsight the course was obvious: return to Ul'dah. Not completely, Pakshee has deep roots in Ishgard despite being a Thavnairian venue, but after refurbishing their old location, Laruzedah hired Sardet and Jain to manage Pakshee's interests in Thanalan.

"Nearly ten years later, another Ishgardian is opening another Bandee Pakshee in the Goblet," Sardet said. "It has a poetry to it, I suppose. I don't know if I feel ready for this, but then again, neither did Rommie when she did it. And I have her experience to rely on."

Sardet acts as the executive manager of what is being internally called "Pakshee South," while Jain, despite being based in Thanalan, works at both locations to assist Laruzedah with training courtesans in the Hannish style, that of the tawaif.

Jain has a storied connection with the art form. She is from a longstanding Hannish dynasty of tawaifs and madames operating out of the pillowhouse Heeramandi in Radz-at-Han. For several decades she has been Heeramandi's titular owner while engaging in work in Garlean cinema. 

"Tawaifs are more than sex workers," Jain explained. "We are artists, we are counselors, we are advisors, we are negotiators, we are diplomats, we are singers, we are dancers, we are actors, we are writers, we are teachers. A tawaif embodies culture in all aspects. Bandee Pakshee offers a unique experience, in that we can train tawaifs not only of Hannish culture, but to embody their own."

The new location, though having its own dedicated staff, operates as an extension of the primary location in Ishgard, internally "Pakshee Main." While it has a degree of autonomy, it still falls under the direct management and ownership of Laruzedah, and some of Pakshee's biweekly open nights and events will be held at the southern location to avoid the problems associated with their main office. 

"Simply put, we're more accessible," Sardet explained. "As accommodating as Ishgard has become toward outsiders, it's still a harsher climate, particularly in winter. It still has a congested aethernet system in horrible need of modernization. It still struggles to let the wanderers and travelers of Etheirys actually get to Pakshee's doors. That's where we come in."

The new-old location managed by Sardet and Jain offers the fine lounge experience Pakshee is known for as well as baths inspired by the jungles of Thavnair. BCC took a look at the design on an early preview weekend, but the grand opening is scheduled for the 32nd sun of this moon, which happens to coincide with Laruzedah's nameday.  

As for Laruzedah, the homecoming is a time of mixed spirits. There's a triumphant edge to it, particularly following in the wake of the unrest centered on Sandsbank, but there's also a frustration at the circumstances that have made Ul'dah a necessary part of Pakshee's strategy once again. And, of course, she has a personal complaint about setting up shop in the Goblet a second time.

"Was it always so damnedably hot here?"

At least, as it was when it first opened its doors, Bandee Pakshee is poolside despite the desert heat. It is located in the Cuchulainn neighborhood of the Goblet. Ward 14 Plot 19. The company will be hosting their grand reopening of the Brimming Heart location at a barbecue on the 31st sun of the current moon. 

Editor's Note: The Editor-in-Chief of BCC is related to the owners of Bandee Pakshee.