An Opulo-Naelsian born in Cynta in 719 SR to parents of relatively modest means, Niro would leave his mark on history as one of the greatest artists of antiquity. Fascinated by colour and shape from a young age, Niro's parents fortunately recognized his burgeoning talent in his early teens, and apprenticed him to a master painter. The business of the painter at this time was primarily the production of decorative frescoes. Working with a brush on wet plaster necessitates a quick and accurate hand. While Niro was accurate and his artistry exceedingly good, he was not quick enough, preferring the slow application of detail. Following several years of growing frustration, Niro's master sent him away in a fit of rage when his apprentice ruined a fresco commissioned by a local temple.
To support himself Niro turned to work as a cameo artist, producing charcoal sketches on scraps of linen for the amusement of Cyntan marketgoers. Fortune favoured Niro when his sketchtable was patronized by a wealthy merchant. Impressed by Niro's attention to detail and the realistic proportions of his work, the merchant inquired if Niro could work in paint. Niro informed him that yes, he could, but that the fresco was not his expertise. Instead, he could paint a portrait on tightly stretched linen - though alas, he did not currently possess any of quality suitable to the purpose. Intrigued, the merchant offered to provide it, and indeed wanted Niro to create a portrait of his wife. If he was satisfied, he said, he would provide a sizable commission in silver. Hosted at the man's estate and provided with fine oil paints and quality linen, Niro worked with more passion than ever he had before. When finished, the merchant was awed. He asked Niro the secret of his work, and Niro replied simply: "I create a window out of memory and anchor it in time and place so that any man may see the beauty I behold."
Niro would go on to paint for all the great men of Cynta, and attract his own students. His work was highly sought throughout the Republic of the Daharai, and in 778 SR he would paint for the young Exarch, Ammal Thoronoi. The techniques of accurate perspective and lighting pioneered by Niro via the medium of oil paint on linen canvas would influence Opulensi art - both civil and religious - for centuries to come.