inthecourtofthecrimsonmage

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

For the past couple days, I've been unfortunately cursed with thinking about Zenos yae Galvus. I don't even particularly like him - not that I dislike him either, Zenosfuckers you can put your scythes down - but it seems to me like a lot of the fandom either greatly misunderstands him, or doesn't even care to try to understand him, which from an objective standpoint as someone who cares deeply about writing in video games kind of pisses me off. But I'm more pissed about the fact that I'm apparently going to keep thinking about this issue until I actually write a character analysis of him.

Q: "But, what even is there to analyze with him? Isn't he all about wanting to fight the WoL and nothing else?"

Well, you wouldn't be wrong with saying that. That motivation is at the forefront of his character, and even if you look closer, everything about him comes back to either "violence" or "lack of understanding of others". But there are more meaningful sides to his deceptively simple character. That question of meaning is what I really want to look into - what does his character mean, what symbolic or thematic role does he play in this story?

Q: "Better question: why are you posting this on your art blog/Fate meta sideblog?"

Good question, with a stupid answer: I have all of 6 followers on my FF14 sideblog, and around 150 here. Let's go under the cut so they don't have to read a wall of text, unless they want to.

Keep reading

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

"he’s the son of the emperor of the evil Garlean Empire. cruel and is only ever looking for someone to be a challenge to fight. he somehow also has the fattest ass as a character model? i cannot explain or prove this but. it is agreed upon"

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

ffxiv really is just an oc maker that happens to be prepackaged with a jrpg mmo. after playing it for long enough you automatically sign a waiver saying you are now emotionally attached to this jrpg protagonist you made up. and you are

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

I adore Alphinaud. He’s a child prodigy. He’s a fucking dunce. He makes spur of the moment plans that work. His actual plans often don’t. He can’t swim. He grew up on an island. He had a Gifted Kid Crash And Burn that caused one of the biggest political incidents in living memory. He sat in a chair like Shinji. He’s the world’s #1 infodumper. He once insulted a man so hard that he became an enemy of the state. He didn’t recognize Urianger when he put on a different outfit. He can draw people perfectly after not seeing them for days. He’s still the size of a middle schooler. He threw a carbuncle at Titan’s face. He fucking stinks. He’s scared of ghosts. He’s experienced The Horrors Of War. He forces every player of The Critically Acclaimed MMO Final Fantasy XIV that I’ve met through a character arc where they go from hating him to adoring him. He’s even transgender.

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

Perhaps it was time. After an adventure quite literally out of this world, it was only time I returned home, properly this time. As if I could call this wretched icehole home. They kicked me out once and that was enough... I can't believe I believed their lies. "Eorzea Tour", they told me. Nay, it was just to get rid of me. No amount of goodwill the Fortemps gave me or the glory of ending their stupid war will make me feel at home again. But return to my coop I must. At least, that's what I rationalized this drive to be.

These streets have never been the same since the Calamity. Dark, dreary, and cold. A perfect setting for my epic prose... but they didn't deserve my writing. Perhaps they could have funded a proper rebuilding of the Firmament without the help of adventurers if they let me promote my works properly. But, it's long past that now. It's better to let sleeping dogs lie, after all. While walking through the streets of the place I once called home, I stumbled upon a strange scene...

Heh. Another victim of the Temple Knights. While Ser Aymeric might now be in charge, he couldn't possibly hope to root out all the corruption within the Knights in a lifetime, or more. Ishgard, for all its holiness and glory, is no stranger to the darkness that befalls such a lofty position. While the hunt for heretics may be over, those who challenge the ideals of Ishgard are not well received. Perhaps it was a blessing I was exiled instead of labeled a heretic then, for my poetry has been given new life through the grand adventures I've had. Not so for this poor sop.

...?! A laugh echoes through my mind, one all too familiar. "...So you've finally opened your eyes. I always knew I could believe in you." Just as I was left pondering the meaning of such words, the presumably dead and disgraced knight called me back to reality. His name was Fray, and he offered me an opportunity, one I would be none the gladder to agree. For someone with a disturbed mind such as myself, it seemed only natural to walk the path of righteous fury and darkness, and here I was being given both lock and key. I took the soul crystal in one hand and the sword in another.

And thus I picked up the blade under the title of a Dark Knight. So much for the waifish twig that was too weak to take up the lance then, hm?!

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

Please remember to check your children's candy this season! This is what I found in my daughter's last year. Be safe everyone!

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

everyone keeps theorizing how zenos could totally come back while im just like. what if edwins esteem/dark side was just zenos :)

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

do not question my dedication ever again

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

impromptu red mage meetup today in gridania, protesting aetheryte fees. After all the times ive saved a raid, this is how you repay me?!

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

red magewin!

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

guy who has mistaken adrenaline for love and isn’t interested in correcting the mistake

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

just some studies working out how to draw my best ffxiv boys

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

As we laid there, at the precipice of death... I knew I couldn't truly ever hate you. You knew, more than anyone else, the darkness in my soul, the primal desire to feel that thrill, gnawing ever closer at my heart, threatening to drag me down with it. You had the same desire, yet we proceeded on directly perpendicular paths of life. Of course we were destined to clash-- who else knew us better than each other? The Scions never knew, they wouldn't have believed it, not their precious little Warrior of Light. But you did. And there, at the end of days, the end of the universe, you fulfilled our dream. And it would have been fine-- perfect, if that had been the end of myself as well. But it wasn't. My will to survive, the people I met, they persevered through the darkness in my heart. They gave me something to hang on to. And here, I wonder, despite the totality of it all, that you might have found something like that as well.

I know you had something there. Because, now, there's something thrashing about in the back of my head, desperately clawing for attention. And it sounds just like you.

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

STEP 1:

STEP 2:

You cannot cure tanxiety. Repeat step 1.

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

i got it working but i wanted to show what happened when i just ported zenos over without adjusting his bones lol

spending an inordinate amount of time trying to turn my esteem into zenos.

[inthecourtofthecrimsonmage]

spending an inordinate amount of time trying to turn my esteem into zenos.