AZEM
SHEPHERD TO THE STARS
COUNSELOR TO THE PEOPLE

Kazumi Ametrine

"A Star Yet Unsundered!"

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RP Hooks

Ancient/Convocation/Ascian: Kazumi is an ancient, holder of the seat of Azem. Anyone with aethersight or soulsight will recognize her has having the soul of an ancient due to the density of her soul.

Divine Being: Kazumi was made a seraph of Menphina prior to receiving her memories. Anyone affiliated with the Twelve could have interesting conversation with her.

Adventurer/Traveler: Kazumi is at heart an adventurer and traveler, seeking knowledge wherever she goes. She loves to hear the stories of others and listen to their tales.

Scholar: Despite her adventurer status, she is very much an avid scholar. Prior to holding the seat, it was all anyone could do to keep her out of her books. She has a wide range of knowledge, and is always seeking more. Anything that might be something she doesn't know, be prepared to be bombarded by questions in her effort to learn and understand the world around her.

Archaeologist/Historian: She has a love of old history and ruins. Dazzle her with your own explorations.

Venue Owner: If you have a love of partying or relaxing, Kazumi will be glad to tell you about Nightbloom. Even if you haven't been there, you may have heard about the venue through the grapevine.

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Kazumi "Azem" Ametrine and the Convocation, these are their stories...

A note from the author: This is a work in progress so please bear with me if things seem out of place or choppy. This is intended to show little snippets of memory as they occurred

I am Azem, and I hold the Fourteenth Seat on the Convocation. The Convocation of Fourteen is and was the governing body of unsundered Etheirys. After the sundering, most of us were broken into fragments, with many of us killed by either the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, or various others. With many seats now vacant, it is my fervent hope and desire to rebuild the Convocation of Fourteen into something greater than it was before. Rather than govern, we would guide and watch over Etheirys and the thirteen reflections. After all, not all sacrifices need be great, sometimes the only sacrifice we must have is that of time. As immortal beings, we have all the time in the world and beyond, thus it should be a simple thing for us. As for the governance of the star... that should be left to the people we seek to protect.

Before the Final Days befell our great star, I learned from my predecessor, Venat. She held the seat of Azem previously and took me on to train me as her successor. For all the trouble I gave her, I could not be more indebted to my amazing friend and mentor, the one who taught me that while books may contain knowledge, the world contains experience. I traveled the world with her, ever since she observed me struggling with even the simplest of creation magicks. She came to my aid when I was being bullied and was badly injured in attempt to get back at them. She had this most calming smile as she walked up to me and healed my wounds. I remember her telling me, "Cry not little one, keep hope in your heart and you shall fly free." I remember seeing her red mask, and I could sense the warmth in her very soul. My tears were dried up in no time as I explained to her what was going on, and that was when she decided to train me. From that point on, she tended to my training, ensuring that I was able to use creation magicks. I showed real promise in healing, thus did she introduce me to Emmerololth, who taught me everything I know about healing and allowing me to graduate the top of my class at Akadaemia Anyder in the healing arts. There were many trials and tribulations along the way, and despite being twice denied for the seat of Azem, I was eventually accepted for the Fourteenth Seat. Little did I know what fate would have in store for me.

The Final Days had arrived. Our creation magicks were being warped by something that we knew not what it was. Our own nightmares were killing us, and the there was chaos everywhere. The streets ran red with blood, and my friends were disappearing one by one as they succumbed to the madness that nearly destroyed our star. I was called to an urgent meeting of the Convocation. I was annoyed, trying my best to help evacuate those who were being affected, but it was a futile attempt. I was doing my own research into the matter, but this was on hold due to the urgency of my summoning. Thus I took my seat at the table to listen to what was being said. I could not believe my ears... Sacrifice half the population of our beautiful star to summon Zodiark? I tried to tell them we could not do such a thing. To sacrifice a people to save the world is to save nothing. But my words fell on deaf ears and I was the only one to vote against the summoning. In defiance and in my infuriation, I walked away from the Convocation on that day. I was branded a defector, a traitor. The fools... they were blinded by their desire to save paradise that they refused to see the meaning of what they would do. Venat approached me as well to summon Hydaelyn to keep Zodiark in check, but I refused her too. We cannot sacrifice others to save the world. Thus when the two were summoned and began to fight. I was tinkering with the idea of separating our souls from our bodies to save us, that we might start anew elsewhere. I managed to separate my own soul from my body shortly before the sundering. But something went wrong... though my soul managed to escape the sundering caused by the final blow to Zodiark, my body and my memories did not. Pain. Excruciating pain is all I felt, and then... nothing. I know not how long I was in the rift for, only that I had no idea what was going on. Only by the gentle voice of a divine being I came to know as Menphina did I find my way to a sundered world.

Where am I? I am floating... I have no body, no form. I don't know who I am. "Hear. Feel. Think." These words over and over again... "Hear. Feel. Think." What does it mean... I feel myself being pulled... How long has it been? What am I doing here? Who am I? "Hear, Feel, Think!" Blinding white. I see finally. I can see! I have a body... with wings? I look up and see a heavenly being. She says her name is Menphina, goddess of love. She tells me I have a destiny to fulfill, that I must seek out travel and adventure. I don't know what she means by 'destiny'. She says not to worry, that I will understand in time. She says there are those who need my help now and in the future, and that I must go. She sends me off as her Seraph, giving me an edict to travel the star in her name. As I try to speak, she sends me off, where I awaken in carriage of sorts, taking me to a place known as Gridania.

Gridania... such a lovely forest town it is. I pick up my staff and head straight to the adventurer's guild to check in. It was a strange thing having form, I was not used to it. Menphina called my race Viera. I was unfamiliar with the term, so I just went with it. After checking in with the adventurer's guild, they suggested I check in with the Conjurer's Guild next. So off I went, checking in with them and getting the lay of the land. I was in very unfamiliar territory, but everyone seemed willing and ready to help. I started taking on various quests and helping others as they helped me. Then I came across something unusual... Sword in a tree stump. And some masked mage... it was a rather strange thing. A Hearer was trying to do something with the elementals, and this masked mage simply attacked them. Naturally I came to their aid, I could never allow such a thing to occur. That's where I met this strange couple...or maybe they're friends?pzzzt... archive corrupted... initializing data recovery

Ugh...W-What is this...m-my body... m-my soul...I f-feel like I'm turning into something monstrous... Six Lightwardens absorbed into me... is this how it ends? And Emet-Selch... he shot the Exarch... G'raha Tia... my friend why couldn't you just leave well enough alone? Emet-Selch invited me into his domain but... how can I abandon these people with the blinding light having returned? And because of me... what have I done... As I open the doors to the balcony of the room that was given to me I see before me the horror that has returned. No... this can't be happening! I need to stop this... no matter the cost.

Emet-Selch has invited me to his domain that I might... turn... with some sort of dignity. I feel my soul cracking, on the verge of shattering, but I cannot give up, I mustn't! I find myself looking at a beautiful city, and then suddenly... white searing pain. "Amaurot". Amaurot? Is that the name of this place? My soul seems... familiar with it, yet I am not. I know not what this place is, but it is beautiful nonetheless. After running various errands for the denizens here, I run into a rather peculiar one. This one seems different. He calls himself Hythlodaeus, recognizing himself as a mere shade. He explains that Emet-Selch had created this city as a memory and perhaps his mind wandered... I do not... understand. But that name... it feels so familiar... bah, there's no way that it could be. Yet even so... he seems to recognize me. He also recognizes Ardbert, how can he see him? My name is being called and I have to go... I turn back to Hythlodaeus and he tells me "goodbye new old friend." New old friend? Did we know each other? I shake it off and proceed to my destination where Emet-Selch meets the Scions and I. He claims we are not worthy to inherit this star, but we might prove our worth in Amaurot during the Final Days.

Despite my weakened state I accept the challenge of Emet-Selch. Fire... blood... death. Fear... despair... hopelessness. Suddenly intense pain and I fall to my knees... Gah! What is this?! What is this I am sensing? What are these memories?! Fuzziness... I remember screams and shouting, the smell of death in the air. And then... I come back to reality again. Shaking my head I resolve to continue onward even if it should kill me. Death should surely be better than turning into one of those... things. But... there is so much more hope in life, so I have to keep trying. One doom... two... then three. I proceed apace and dispatch them with surprising ease. Yet even still that is not enough?! Emet-Selch what do you want from me?! I feel for your people but you cannot sacrifice others to save your own world! Ugh... not again... searing white pain... n-no... I cannot turn now, I will not turn now! I will fight you with my last breath! I will save our world from you if it's the last thing I do! I will fight and keep on fighting no matter what, because it is not for you to decide our future! But wait... he... seems to recognize me for someone else? Now he's challenging me... very well I shall accept, and Emet-Selch, I will prevail. Life will prevail and you will not stop me.

The shade of Hythlodaeus gave me the soul crystal of Azem and when I touched it... it glowed. I felt a sudden surge of memories flood my mind. So... overwhelming... how could I have forgotten? Is this what the world has become? But as broken and shattered it may be... the journey I have long taken has brought me to make such wonderful friends. Though I now long for the world that once was... I must continue to defend what is. Emet-Selch...Hades... my dear friend how could have been forced to bear such a burden alone all these eons? And Elidibus... I must stop you. Though you are my friend, you have forgotten why you do this and forsaken Emet-Selch's words. Thus you must be stopped. This I do for my friends, past and present, and now for the future. The people of Etheirys and her shards are worthy and it is not for us to say otherwise. Our time has come and gone, it is theirs now...

Emet-Selch... Elidibus... Lahabrea... all of you have gone. Two of you were my dear friends, the other a sort of frienemy. I miss you all yet I must forge on. The last of my kind, I will forge on. A new problem presents itself however... The scions have managed to get back to the Source without a hitch thanks to G'raha Tia's ingenuity with the use of vessels to carry their souls. Once more I am thrust into the rift, seeing myself out of time, and then suddenly I am back to the Source. After we woke up the G'raha Tia of this time, we were informed of a threat by Lyse involving Fandaniel. Upon further investigation, Fandaniel did not have any sort of the same goals as my friends did. He wants to bring back the Final Days. No... Not again. I will not allow this to happen again!

After the incident in Paglth'an, we met with the Grand Company of Eorzea in Gridania to discuss next steps. A message had been sent out to The Sharlayan Forum to discuss a possible alliance to stop the threat of Fandaniel and the Telophoroi. But much to our chagrin, they refused us! Worst yet, Fourchenault Leveilleur himself had disowned his own children, the twins... what the hells is going on?! Unshaken, we were resolved to get to the root of this. We booked passage to Old Sharlayan. As I stepped on board the boat to our destination, I felt a very familiar presence: Hydaelyn. Oh Venat... what have you done to yourself? Though I only recently got my memories back and began to parse them accordingly, I remember vividly that you asked for my assistance in summoning Hydaelyn, yet I refused you for the same reason why I refused the Convocation when they wanted to summon Zodiark. Had I known you were going to give yourself up as her heart, I would have actively stopped you from doing so, not that I think it would have done much good. It always was a close fight between us in our spars. But even still...

Ahhh Sharlayan. Such a beautiful place. We got in without too much trouble, but of course there were the usual warnings of not causing trouble in the first place. I simply smiled at such things, I never cause trouble, trouble just seems to have a knack of finding... me. Anyhow, we checked in with the Baldesian Annex where they had a room already prepared for me. Alisaie and I did some investigating at the Last Stand and we noted that there was increased gleaner activity. Krile suggested we go to Labryinthos itself to determine the nature of what was going on and why the Sharlayan Forum was so insistent on not giving aid to the Grand Company of Eorzea. So down we went, and we met a lovely gleaner by the name of Erenville. After helping him catch an errant squirrel that had escaped, he told us that there was much more activity going on but he couldn't say why, only that the Forum was putting them to work in more arduous tasks. We tried to make our way down to the Medial Circuit only to be denied access to the elevator to bring us down. Erenville came to our rescue once more, after of course helping him capture a bird for him. After showing us an alternate route down, Y'shtola had the idea of turning myself, Alisaie, and Alphinaud into... frogs to follow Erenville. Frogs... really? Ugh, okay frogs it is. There we learned the Forum had plans for all the items being collected but things weren't entirely clear as yet. Strange that Erenville is staring at us... gah! He recognizes us! Leave it to us to try and fool someone who knows the proper behavior of frogs... my ribbit wasn't enough! Anyway... We were just about to turn back when members of the Forum approached us, demanding that we return with them. Apparently G'raha was caught in the restricted section of the library...

Ugh... Aether sickness... gods damned long range aether travel. I feel so sick to my stomach. Estinien went to go grab medicine in the Thavnarian markets but that man doesn't know anything about fair pricing! I swear he'd be swindled out of everything he had if it weren't for the rest of us holding him back. I need to tell him not to pay the first price that comes out... if I can get myself together that is...----After the aether sickness was resolved, we investigated everything that was going on. Apparently the appearance of those towers has spooked many, causing trade to collapse in Thavnair. We met with the Satrap at The Great Work, escorted by Matsya. Such a strange and interesting people for sure. We also met someone by the name of Nidhana who apparently had expertise in something called Akasha, a type of energy based on emotions. That... seems rather familiar come to think of it. Similar to the research done in Akadaemia Anyder... Regardless, they came up with some idea on how to protect against Tempering from those towers and we were asked to escort Nidhana to the Tower of Zot to test out the scales that were given to us. The scales worked! But just as we were about to leave, the doors opened and chains dragged her in! No... we cannot allow this! We will save her and bring down this tower...

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Dynamis

A thesis by
Azem

Dynamis is the most abundant source of energy in the universe and makes manifest our sheer will and fervent desires come to life, for weal or woe. Aether is the energy that our souls are made of, and allow us to manipulate the environment around us, with there being six aspects of Aether: wind, fire, water, earth, darkness, and light. Dynamis has no such aspecting, however it is important to note that Dynamis is perhaps the least understood. However, before the star was born, there was Dynamis.

Consider that individuals travel much during their lives. Azem, the Traveler is also known as the Seat of Knowledge, this being very aptly named because travelers tend to spread knowledge wherever they go. With that knowledge, their own wills, their hopes and dreams are made manifest. Dynamis is the key to this, for even within unsundered beings, there is the ability to manipulate Dynamis in even the smallest way. In fact, we have seen Dynamis be used by the Convocation of Fourteen. Thirteen seats used Dynamis to create Zodiark through their fervent prayers, pouring their hopes and dreams into this one being. The Fourteenth, or rather the former Fourteenth, Venat, used Dynamis in much the same way with the help of her followers to create Hydaelyn. Though it is true that those with such Aetherically dense souls would have immense difficulty in using Dynamis due to Aether being able to overpower it, in extreme amounts, Dynamis can overpower Aether—we see this with the first Final Days. Thus, it cannot simply be said that those with unsundered souls are simply unable to wield Dynamis.

With all this in mind, it cannot be understated that Dynamis is a fundamental building block of life. That said, an important balance is necessary to ensure the continuation of that life, hence Aether. We see this when the Scions of the Seventh Dawn lay down their lives and use Dynamis to pave the way for the Warrior of Light and their party continue to meet Meteion. They use Dynamis in order to create small pockets of Aether for living beings to subsist. However, if we need further proof, we need not look further than the seat of Azem itself. In a conversation between Hydaelyn and the author, she stated:

“Have you not wondered why Azem is the sun? That which begins with a bang, and gives life? That which those lost gravitate toward to make things greater? That which can use Dynamis effectively? The sun travels throughout this galaxy, bringing with it its friends, colleagues, and passersby. The worlds that spin around it, within the field of hope. There are many Galaxies, many stars. Those who have come before, and those after. This is not the first sunder; this is not the last. For when a star dies, it becomes a beacon for eons to come, spreading their hope, then returning to the lifestream to begin anew. To Listen. To Travel. To Feel. To Think.” –Hydaelyn to Azem

Thus, with all that Azem does in consideration for the star, Azem has the capacity to bring together many different people from all walks of life. Having those perspectives available to them, Azem can use the hopes and dreams of those they interact with to further their own strength, to overcome the overwhelming incredible odds against them. Time and time again, Azem has used the emotions of others—their hopes and dreams—to further their goals of exploration, obtaining knowledge, and traveling unto the unknown that they might better the star. When we consider how Azem uses Dynamis, it is often when they are about to be overcome by an overwhelming force. When confronted with a memory of a fallen comrade, this is where we see Azem shine, their conviction radiant for all to see as they break those limits, and they do so using the power of Dynamis to help create a better future for all.

There is a careful balance between Aether and Dynamis that must be maintained. Too much of one can have disastrous effects upon the star or even the individual. We see this with both the Thirteenth and the First. Both were overcome with Dark and Light aspected Aether respectively, though the First was saved from becoming a void thanks to the actions of this author. Too much Dynamis, and it begins to warp everything and destroy what was created. Blasphemies as an example from the second Final Days, or when our creation magics were being warped to manifest our worst nightmares uncontrollably. At first glance, Dynamis seems to be very unstable. But as it is balanced out by Aether, we can see the relationship between them. Interestingly, Aether acts as a counterbalance for itself with all its aspects, but both Dynamis and Aether act as a counterbalance for each other in whole. Consider the events of Pandaemonium with Hephasitos having captured Erichthonios. It has often been said that unsundered ancients cannot wield Dynamis. But how then do we explain Erichthonios being able to escape the Aethereal shackles that bound him? This author’s words to him, “Hearken to your heart!” reached him, and within his heart he found the power to escape. He willed his desired outcome into existence, something that could not have been done with Aether. Let us consider also the manner in which Lahabrea severed part of himself that he would better serve the star. Better still, let us consider two instances in which Lahabrea has bonded his soul with another. The first being with his wife Athena, the second being with Igeyorhm to create Ascian Prime at the Aetherchemical Research Facility. In both instances, both heart and will were merged. It is therefore conceivable that both Dynamis and Aether were used to achieve this, and when Lahabrea desired to cast out the corruption within his soul, he used both of the very same to do so. Their words, “I am become thee, memory and mind” (Athena, to Lahabrea), is indicative of such. She asked, “Can you feel it? My heart… All that I am.” (Athena, to Lahabrea), show the merging of feeling, will, desire, and thought. This could not be achievable simply by Aether alone. Lahabrea used his sheer will to remove a corrupt part of himself, and Themis himself thought the very act of doing so bordering on the line of insanity, claiming that he nearly rewrote his very existence (Pandaemonium), not unlike how the Convocation used Dynamis and Aether to create Zodiark to rewrite the laws of nature for the star. Indeed, Dynamis was used to sustain Hephasitos with Athena’s interference, and Hephasitos had fervent will to act in his duty as husband and father. Thus was his life sustained until it was once again trapped within a soul crystal. Therefore, the balance between Dynamis and Aether, or perhaps better known as will and thought or ability, is a precarious one. Too much of either will smother out life.

Finally, we must needs consider the implications of a higher density of Dynamis vs. Aether on the lifeflow. Consider that in the days before the sundering, we ancients were immortal. Death only came through voluntarily returning our Aether to the star or by some accident that resulted in our death. The souls of the ancients were incredible dense with Aether and allowed them immeasurable control of Aether on some level. Yet when Etheirys was sundered, lifespans were shortened, and people grew old and infirm, dying off from one generation to the next. Consider that when the star was sundered, so too was its density of Aether. This allowed Dynamis to exert more control over the star, allowing for easier access to things like summoning and exerting one’s will on the outcome of various situations. The sundering meant that the souls of the sundered were less dense, and as a result Dynamis was able to influence their lifespan. The weakened lifeflow resulted in shorter lifespans. No longer could they simply wield creation magicks to return themselves to the star, they would experience untold suffering at the hands of each other in competition for limited resources. Where they did not meet their ends at the hands of another, they would die of old age. But even so, they had easier access to Dynamis, breaking and overcoming their limits in dire situations, like what we have seen with the Warrior of Light, Azem and Elidibus. Even before Elidibus became a primal, he was the first Warrior of Light, seeking to save various stars from their doom. He overcame his limitations and put an end to many a great threat.

In the end, we see that Dynamis is all around us alongside Aether. It was being investigated before the Convocation knew what to call it, when our creation magicks were being warped by it. We did not know what to call it, nor did we know what was going on. Yet it was there. On an individual level, we have seen cases where individuals break beyond their limits to overcome the obstacles in their way. Dynamis is an essential building block of life. It created this star. It allows us to overcome insurmountable odds. It allowed those who sacrificed themselves to create pockets of life. Indeed, this author has already used Dynamis with the hopes and dreams of others in Ultima Thule to help create a new star. And she will continue to use Dynamis to further the hopes and dreams of others and herself in such a way that the continuation of life is preserved.