#azem summoning circle

[nekohooch]

Otakon was amazing. Finally getting to wear my Azem summoning circle gown in person was so much fun. I had multiple people stopping me to gush over my costume and people from HERE telling me they saw it online and were so excited to see it in person. I haven’t been to a con since right before the pandemic and it was so nice to come back to a space I love so much. My goal of someone knowing what I was without me explaining was reached (thanks to the ffxiv photoshoot)! And I can’t wait to see the pictures of the group photo shoot. I added more details to the costume and (minus the stars which were my nemesis falling off the whole day) everything was perfect.

The gown itself took about 100 hours total. 85 originally and 15 to add finishing touches. The top is gold lamé and the chiffon overlay was ripping so I removed it. I have a whole costume breakdown under the tag for the original dress creation.

The necklace has an Azem summoning stone that my fantastic friends brought me from Fanfest which I repurposed. The most added details are the stars. I felt the black spots between the p design and the beams was a bit too big and wanted something to bridge the gap. I also considered adding my statics job symbols in the circles but they keep changing jobs XD

I added some more filigree details to the main Azem design in the front of the gown and individual rhinestones to each of the right angle v filigree and each of the small mirrored circles that make up the big circles because I’m extra along with a gold ribbon for the hem

Then I decided to add lights

Again because I’m extra

I don’t have skill with LEDs so I used individual 6ft fairy lights with tiny battery packs. I painted each battery pack black because the white shows through the skirt especially when lit up. There are about 75-90 battery packs I lost count at 2 am on Wednesday honestly ahaha. I looped them twice up and down so the effect would be less spaced out but I might edit that in the future if I figure LEDs and how to get more powerful ones because they weren’t really strong enough for 10 hours (you can faintly see them in the pictures above) and I kept turning them off when I sat. I used the same petticoat but added a hoop skirt because I was wearing tennis shoes (sadly sensible instead of fashionable) instead of my platform boots.

When people complimented me I would ask if they wanted to see my favorite part (which is spinning) and the laughs and gasps of delight were fantastic. Overall I’m so fucking proud of this costume. Thank you to all of you fab people from the FFXIV coordination who said such kind things I’m so flattered and lovingly overwhelmed. It was an amazing return to cosplay.

[rowanclair]

I made Azem stickers.

It's hard to take accurate pictures of shiny things but it's metallic brushed gold!

[origamihoshi]

| Day 4 | Duty |

Azem made the duty/party finder and I love that

[relentless-endurance]

also obligatory (claps and cheers)

[trans-estinien]

There is a canonical glyph for Azem! ... Sort of.

if you look at the summoning circle, the point facing you is a different design from the others! Custom designs are fine (i dont personally agree but people can do whatever they want forever), but I so often see people forget about this!!!

(dont mind eleutherios dead in the center LOL)

My headcannon for the actual glyph itself is something like this!

not really a wol question - but im curious - to any azem havers, do you have a specific design for their glyph mask thing? if yes, then what is it?

.

[tialinffxiv]

FFXIV Writing Challenge 2024

Prompt #18: Hackneyed

“BOW DOWN BEFORE ME, PITIFUL CREATURES DARING TO CALL THEMSELVES THE HEROES OF MANKIND! FOR I SHALL BECOME THE MIGHTIEST OVERLORD TO EVER STEER THE PEOPLE OF THIS LAND- AND CONQUER THE LANDS, ONE BY ONE!” “I feel like I’ve heard this one already… and not once.” Tia glared unamused over the intruder whom he got called to take care of. “Are you aware that so many have tried this already and how did they end up–...” “SILENCE, INFERIOR BEING! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK LIKE THAT IN PRESENCE OF A GOD!!” “Oh noes… not the godhood complex again…” Tia exhaled heavily, rubbing the bridge of nose. “Ya know- you could at least try to be some more original, I donno… with an outfit at least. But noooo.. you come here dressed in an armor that looks like it was stolen from some random knight-in-training passing by.” 

Intruder inhaled sharply, rage making his face all red and veins popping on his temples. When he finally managed to speak again he was even louder. “YOU… YOU MISERABLE WORM SHALL PERISH, CRUSHED UNDER MY FOOT!! WITH MY OVERWHELMING POWERS–...” “Listen, can we really skip to the part where I beat your ass? I’m kinda in a hurry today- got a date at 6, ya see.” “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE???!!!!”

“I’m a stunningly handsome bunny with a really busy schedule, so if you don’t mind~” Tia poked the Azem’s crystal and the summoning circle spread across the floor under his feet. “VERY WELL, PATHETIC MORTAL!! I WILL SHOW YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO WIELD THE TRUE POWER!! BEHOLD!!” Tia rolled eyes on him. “Ye, ye… but go on- surprise me… please.”

[graha-stan-account]

I know people say the Scion Traveler’s Attire headpiece looks like it might suggest Azem’s Convocation mask design and maybe even suggest their glyph when compared against the summoning circle we see in 5.3 but I haven’t seen anyone point out this little nugget, traced in orange…

[karoiseka]

10) Stable

((So, This week was a CHORE to get through with work, and I barely had time to write, much less get the screenshots I wanted, especially for this one, so I decided to just submit all of them on time, and have been taking screenshots today while I have a bit of time.

This is for end of 6.0 Endwalker, so major spoilers for that! [and a scene I've wanted to screenshot for a long time now, and will do a bigger version of later]))

Grey stone beneath her feet, grey cracked stone her head, and surrounded by the most brilliant diamond speckled magenta-purple sky, Karo stood. She has made it this far–had forged on despite everything–and still her destination lay so close–yet unreachable. 

The amber stone nearly burned in her hand, clutching it tightly as she stared at Meteion, fire burning in her heart as Ardbert repeated the mantra. 

You must forge on. Never give up hope. We are still here, and will be heard. You are not alone. 

The Echo washed over her, even here in this place depleted of aether, as Y’shtoa’s words reminded her that she could not summon them back to her side. Not–

Yet.  Voice after voice came to her, memories skipping over, searching for the phrase that she needed.  Clarity as Hydaeyn’s voice next whispered in the ear of memory, and Karo's eyes snapped open–laughing desperately as Azem’s summoning circle appeared around her, Emet-Selch’s voice ringing in her internal ear.  Only two of the seven circles glowed in the darkness, before pillars of brilliant light lit the smug face of her enemy. 

The light faded–and two forms towered before her in this time and place so far removed from where she had seen them before. Turning to glance at her, one with enthusiastic joy and echoing her laughter, the other with a deep ever suffering fondness, Karo could feel her heart starting to race.  A melody teasing her senses, just beyond reach for the moment, humming, buzzing in her mind.

As Emet and Hythlodaeus introduced themselves to Meteion, Karo’s laughter continued to bubble up.  Surely she seemed mad, but the joy and hope was slowly bringing color back to her face.  Was this the friendship that Ikarus had treasured so much reflecting down the shards of their soul?  Emet’s theatrics seared into her soul; she would never forget him–or Hythlodaeus–in any of the forms or places that she had met them both.  Hades, the Dark to her Light, she somehow still looked to him with the same fondness, preferring to remember the man she met in Elpis versus the tortured soul of her present day, and the one that had caused her so much pain.

Hythlodaeus called her out of her thoughts as Emet-Selch finished his ultimatum to the bringer of the Final Days.  They were there, called by her, to help.  And they would, in the way they knew best how–bidding her to form the path that they would set their magic to create.  His eyes met hers–topaz to sapphire–and Karo prayed, the song’s melody in her mind starting to clear.

“Ours is the wisdom to weave the fabric of reality!” Hythlodaeus’ melodic voice called out, breaking her reverie.

“Ours is the power to create!” two hands raised and with a snap! the barren stone erupted into a riot of color as Elpis flowers covered the entire pinnacle of where they stood.  Karo swayed as the magic washed over her, and watched as Meteion fell to her knees, cradling a perfect bloom.  Somehow she kept to her feet as Emet-Selch spoke once more, voice proud as he walked to the side of the platform.

“These Elpis blooms serve as proof that this realm is not utterly devoid of hope.  No more can you deny its power.  No more is yours the dominion of despair,” he was gentle as he got with the avatar of despair even as he cracked her ultimate power over their surroundings like a child’s toy, before turning to Karo.

“In case the practical implications were lost on you, you comrades no longer need fight their fight,” Karo had been keeping up somehow with the metaphysical reasons, and tears were already streaming down her face.

“So, go on.  Call them back to your side,” without another thought, and almost without even asking, the summoning circle opened once more around her, seven bright pillars burning in the darkness as bright as her soul.  Seven beams of light that faded into seven heartbreakingly familiar faces, whole, healthy, and alive.  The song in her mind broke into full clarity as Hope became a melody for her to sing.

As the Scion’s voices reached her, each with their own quip or comment, Karo fell to her knees, a mirror of Meteion, clutching the Azem crystal to her chest.  Thank you thank you thank you her soul sang to Azem. To Hydaelyn.  To Hades and Hythlodaeus.  To Ardbert.  To her companions that were blessedly still with her, who had believed in her this entire journey, even when she didn’t believe in herself.  All was right in the universe once more, her heart stabilizing.

G’raha and Thancred reached her first skidding in the flowers kicking up blooms around the trio, pulling her into their joint embrace as they had noticed her fall.  G’raha had seen how she had barely been keeping together on the long journey to this point–and Thancred could obviously see the strain that had been put upon her.  There they stayed, conscious of what was around them, but uncaring and reveling in the fact that they were together once more. 

The rest of the Scions gathered close, and embraced Karo as she stood, wiping away the tears of joy.  Heart beating strong–and finally sure of her path–she squeezed her lover's hands tight as she finally released them and�� turned to face Meteion, reaching out a hand.  It would end–had to end.  

Now.

[voidsentprinces]

Wish we could still access special areas. Like the empty Aetherchemical Core before Thordan, the Seat of Sacrifice and Dying Gasp waiting areas, the cave where the soldiers are held prisoner before Ifrit, mounting on top of Zenos and Azem's summoning circle. I am super happy you're still able to just wander around Troia Fel Court and the Royal Menagerie. But I'd like to be able to like...go back to the Imperil Throne room where Estinien and Gaius escaped and the little landing before the Tsukuyomi fight, you know? Definitely to the edge of the universe where Zenos's body is.

[ishgard]

a gentle breeze

My small, still WIP of a headcanon is that Azem's summoning magic works partially through an aetherically linked conduit, gifted to the summon-ee. So in Emet's case it's his earring, in Deryk's its his lil leafy-do, etc. etc.

The magic can work without it but it's a lot less precise, so she might get some randos she crossed paths with (df, lol). Though the closer she is with a person, the more familiar she is with their aetheric signature, the more precise it gets. The item just makes it a lot easier/less likely to fudge up, especially on the fly. But it's also just as much a significant token of Azem's trust + "inner circle" (static lol).

[awryen-nyx]

Ok. I am going batty. I SWEAR I saw a transparent, high quality PNG of the Azem Summoning Circle on here, but I didn't SAVE IT.

HELP ME, FFXIV FANDOM. YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE.

[nekohooch]

I promised I would provide some detail costume breakdown of my Azem summoning circle. It took me about 85 hours total over 19 days. The skirt is overlayed over a red petticoat (because it’s the only one I had long enough) I made the skirt about 7 in longer than floor length for me because I’m wearing platform shoes!

The skirt is two layers of black chiffon. The bottom layer is a normal circle skirt, top layer is a seven panel circle skirt. Figuring out the math for this part was hellacious I do not recommend it. The top was gold lamé with black chiffon overlay. The waistband circles are gold upholstery bolts that I used bolt cutters to remove the stabby bits of and the beams from the waistband are from a fringey door cover that I dissected. I then twisted the beams (fringe) and fastened them to the skirt.

The Ps and the filigree things are from bathroom wall decals that I cut into pieces. Then I added rhinestones, these triangle book decorations, and sequins for the designs and the giant summoning circles.

The rest of the designs are various additional pieces of fringe, rhinestones, and hand painted designs with gold calligraphy ink. I almost added my statics job symbols into the summoning circles but I didn’t have time.

There’s still more I want to add to this but I’m ecstatic how it turned out and felt like an absolute goddess.

[laspocelliere]

Day Thirty: Two Heads Are Better Than One

“You’re up to something.”

“Clearly.”

“And you’re not going to be forthcoming on what that is?”

“Obviously.”

“And you recognize that this is going to cause me undue stress and ire?”

“Absolutely.”

Hades’ expression could have frozen the very core of the Star, but the girl before him – so recently having taken up the mantle of ‘Azem’ – paid him no mind. She was more than used to being the target of Hades’ frustrations after so many years, and likely would have thought something amiss if he weren’t suspicious of her motivations.

As it was, when she offered him a single berry-blue grape from the bunch she held, it was with a devastatingly bright smile that could melt any frost he confronted her with.

It said a lot that he took it without complaint.

“Are those the only questions you have?” She asked mildly, popping a grape into her own mouth in turn. The bright, tangy sweetness lingered tingling on her tongue, and she had the passing thought to share the sensation with him. Unfortunately, they were in public, and he was cross, and she had just repaired her travel robes from one of her last journeys; the last thing she needed was getting them into…enthusiastic disrepair so soon.

“Hardly.” Hades peered at the pool of water at her feet, contemplative, his mouth pressed into a firm, disapproving line. The pool was natural, a result of rainwater and groundwater flowing over many years down into its depths. The water was clear as crystal, leaving one to feel as though there was no danger at all in getting wet if you tried to reach in and touch the strange mosses and waving algae that had grown in the warm sunlight over time.

The fish, however, were new.

“Wherever did you pull them from?” Hades dropped to a crouch, his fingers ghosting a hair’s breadth away from the surface of the water as he traced the movements of the fish below. They were elegantly made, he had to admit. The little creatures shone gold and vibrant in the clear water, their long transparent fins gliding gracefully around their little bodies, catching the light and sparkling in ways that weren’t often found in nature.

Azem dropped to her knees beside him, palms flat in the cool grass as she leaned over the pool. “One of the smaller continents,” she explained, voice gentle so as not to startle the fish from their languid circling. “The climate is slated to change soon, to allow for warmer-weather concepts to thrive, and they wouldn’t have made it.”

“So your solution was to summon them here.”

The smile she flashed him was devastating. “Aren’t you at least pleased that I managed to pull what I intended this time?”

Hades kept his mouth in a firm line. “Am I pleased that you managed not to drag a bloodthirsty beast to your side? Or an untamed slab of burning lava? Or Lahabrea?”

“That’s what I said.” She was on her feet in an instant, nimble and bemused, her hands damp with dew. Hands she stretched out towards him as he rose to his feet.

Hands he took without hesitation, despite the stoic, displeased expression on his face as he looked down at her. 

“Let me presume then, that you’ve asked me here because you want my help finding what to do with them? Since your plan doesn’t go past this point?”

She needed to rise up on her highest tiptoes to press a light kiss to his cheek, all amusement and mischief. “You’re catching on! Come on.”

Spinning on her heel, she headed towards the glade, purpose in every step. Hades following, as ever, behind.

[asleepinawell]

my background story for my himbo lizard boy wol has always been fairly vague and mostly along the lines of: he grew up in thavnair, his family were fishers who made him learn to fish even though he preferred fighting things, he attempted to fish by just jumping in the water and wrestling fish, and then a giant fish kicked his ass so hard he left home on a journey to grow into a better fighter so he could come back and get revenge (he never did. he got thancred to beat up the fish for him and now it lives in an aquarium in his house)

but I was thinking of elpis and the wol being told to relate the whole story from the beginning to the elpis squad and like...this boy cannot stay focused on a long story like that, he doesn't have a single braincell, if you tell him to relate the story from the beginning he's gonna go way too far back and spend half an hour complaining about the fish that beat him up back home

and there's hythlodaeus in the corner quietly making notes about this fascinating fish. notes he will find in his pocket after he returns home and turn into a concept leading to the creation of the fish ancestor of the wol's nemesis. the circle of stupidity is complete

other things that probably happened in elpis:

1) the wol almost definitely made some vague comment to hermes that hermes then recalled later as he looked down at meteion and inspired his decision to destroy the world. the comment would have been something you'd expect to find on one of those awful motivational posters that has some trite phrase over a stock photo of the ocean

2) the wol asked venat "have you ever wondered what the ancients really are?" (he probably read a conspiracy theory on tumblr) but he had a brain slip (without the brain part) and said "have you ever sundered what the ancients really are?" and venat was like hmmm while taking notes

3) wol told emet he looked "out of shape" and "not at 110%" in the future and offered to teach him his exercise routine. this would have happened in the middle of him relating how emet was going to have everyone he knew die and then murder millions of people. hyth prevented another murder from taking place but also took notes on the exercise routine and later built a home gym based on them. azem used it regularly. emet threatened to divorce both of them. soon after, emet unmade azem's favorite barbell in a fit of pettiness leading to them squabbling, a fight which started out serious and then drifted into more mundane topics like should we summon zodiark. azem took his gym and left

4) grani bit the wol. this didn't have any far-reaching consequences but it made him sad and he wants you to know

the legend himself:

[wildstar25]

[Dawntrail lv 100 MSQ and Expert Dungeon spoilers] [read at your own risk]

Im literally going insane about the lalafell lore. I need arsay to be busting down Emrara's door to tell her all of this. I cant believe aloalo content came up and was paid off . Im biting down on this lore like its a piece of tough meat. The fucking sun motif in that quiz room looking like the azem summoning circle. the way the gate key had the azem circle show up over it when arsay activated the stone. the way ive head canoned that Lethe was a lalafell on the south seas before she became arsay. its just all so much !!!

and then the fucking Ronkans stuff showing up in tural. the nightworld pieces we get as quest rewards. the similar architecture. the enemy types. the fucking great serpent ??? ? im screaming. if they dont get into the weeds of this in the patches im going to go feral. im literally not going to shut up about this. its insane. its the lore drops of the century since the hydalyne is a primal reveal imo.

[tritoch]

suddenly feeling very ready for solar bahamut today. if summons are just in essence aetheric code then SMN should absolutely be customizing its own. of course it should be associated with the sun for both azem and to symbolize our complete journey through night back to dawn and towards a new day. obviously it should have swords swords are cool. absolutely it should kind of draw on hydaelyn and arion.

i love you and your 14(!) sword wings and your arion-shaped head and your hydaelyn blessing of light circle of swords my son. i'm so ready. the morning sun has come to vanquish the horrible night.