OG Azem (*SPOILERS*)

I'm re-watching EW cutscenes and after the Hydaelyn duty she quotes "When the way forward is hidden from the mind's eye, look not to the Invocation, but within yourself". She claims these are the words of the original Azem.

Later on before the final Dungeon, Emet implores us to continue exploring, and consider it our duty as Azem "as he had". I might be reading too far into it, but does that mean Emet was an Azem before he took Emet's seat?

Who was the original Azem, and how many were there before us and Venat?

He wasn't talking about Azem as himself but referencing Azem as being canonically your character (Azem's gender is set to the gender your character is.. and... more spookily... even looks like your character, or at least an Ancient equivelant). So Emet was referring to Azem in the third person (for me he stated "as she had").

As for the 'original' Azem (or any of the Convocation members for that matter), we simply have no idea, other than it's hinted the organisation had been around for a long time - the Elpis quests vaguely allude to the Ancients' civilization as not always being around and that Etheirys was originally an untamed wilderness before they were founded, so there would have been a 'first' or founding member of each seat. But we simply do not know.

The only identities of any other former Convocation members known was Venat being the previous Azem, and Fandaniel's predecessor stepping down which is why Emet was at Elpis in the first place (to gauge Hermes' suitability for the seat), although who the previous Fandaniel was was was never stated (other than like Hermes he was also a former director of Elpis), but other than that, it's simply unknown.

Maybe this is a topic for a future lorebook! ;)

I believe Emet said it was our duty as the bearer of Azem's crystal. He had it before he gave it to us (through Hythlodaeus shade).

Emet is incredibly sentimental. I took it to mean he traveled because that's what Azem would have done and he was doing so in honor of them.

As for the quote, I was confused by that as well because Hydaelyn says, "These were the words of the crystal's original bearer." However, Emet created the Azem crystal, so that implies the quote was his even though the scene makes it seem like it was Venat. Edit: Or I suppose unsundered Azem, but that still doesn't make sense given no one 'bore' the Azem crystal before the WoL other than Emet.

Emet said that since we have Azem's crystal, he considers it our duty to see the world.

He also considered it to be his own duty when he had the crystal.

Venat / Hydaelyn actually says they're the words of the stone's original bearer, implying the Azem whose soul or PC inherited a fragment of.

It's unclear how many Azems came before Venat.

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Originally Posted by Cilia

Venat / Hydaelyn actually says they're the words of the stone's original bearer, implying the Azem whose soul or PC inherited a fragment of.

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Azem never bore the stone though – Emet created it post-sundering – but it's possible that detail was forgotten or got lost in translation.

That's another weird thing. All the convocation members had stones made. We give them to Eli at the end of ShB. Azem didn't get one because he was considered a "traitor" because he/she gave up their seat. Emet then made one for Azem. So stones were a pre-sundering thing, but are they an individual thing? Each stone also has the owner's signature spell attached to them. So Did Venat then have her own stone? Prob not because she left her seat as we did.

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Originally Posted by Lucke

That's another weird thing. All the convocation members had stones made. We give them to Eli at the end of ShB. Azem didn't get one because he/she was considered a "traitor" because he/she gave up their seat. Emet then made one for Azem. So stones were a pre-sundering thing, but are they an individual thing? Each stone also has the owner's signature spell attached to them. So Did Venat then have her own stone? Prob not because she left her seat as we did.

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EDITED Azem's gender and fat fingered a new post.

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Originally Posted by Lucke

So stones were a pre-sundering thing, but are they an individual thing?

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As I understand it, all of the stones were created post-sundering by Lahabrea, Emet and Elidibus based on their memories of their colleagues – but apparently the other two thought Azem didn't deserve a crystal, so Emet later created it alone.

When she says "the crystal's original bearer", am I the only one uncertain if she means the Azem we descend from or the actual first Azem?

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Originally Posted by Alleluia

When she says "the crystal's original bearer", am I the only one uncertain if she means the Azem we descend from or the actual first Azem?

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Honestly... realistically that crystal's 'previous bearer' should be Emet-Selch, because he was its only actual previous owner.

...so maybe Venat really did plan for us to drag him back into relevance.

I think the uhm thing we're missing here is that when they say bearer... in English that comes across as being, "person who held the stone." If we plug-in a synonym for bearer, then read the line it could be something like:

"The crystal's original incumbent."

Since the stones are made of memories as remembered by the Unsundered of the other offices, it would make more sense that way. Basically, those words they speak of are memorable words that our Azem said. That crystal was made from the memories Hades and they shared. Basically, Hades direct quotes our past life in the crystal, and it's a memory Venat has too.

BFFs5life and all that jazz.

Minor Edit: That is to say, all of the crystals were made of memories relating to the Convocation at the time of The First Final Days. Makes sense, yeah?

Crystals were created by the unsundered after sundering. Since Emet-Selch created Azem's stone in secret, he was the only bearer of the crystal before us.

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Originally Posted by Erendis

Crystals were created by the unsundered after sundering. Since Emet-Selch created Azem's stone in secret, he was the only bearer of the crystal before us.

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That much is correct.

The question is whether that was the intent of the scriptwriter or whether (half an expansion since the origins of the crystal were described) they forgot the details of its origins, just went "Azem's crystal" and didn't go back to check.

Funky wording aside, I think the intent was pretty clear that the crystals were made after the people who held the position at the time, not previous holders of the position or the position itself.

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Originally Posted by Lucke

I'm re-watching EW cutscenes and after the Hydaelyn duty she quotes "When the way forward is hidden from the mind's eye, look not to the Invocation, but within yourself". She claims these are the words of the original Azem.

Later on before the final Dungeon, Emet implores us to continue exploring, and consider it our duty as Azem "as he had". I might be reading too far into it, but does that mean Emet was an Azem before he took Emet's seat?

Who was the original Azem, and how many were there before us and Venat?

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We know that three ancient's at the very least have held this seat. We know Venat is not the original Azem, then there is Venat herself, and her successor (current Azem while we are in Elpis).

As for Emet, it is doubtful he ever held the seat of Azem. He almost wasn't a member of the convocation at all, being the second choice for his seat. Based off of Emet's send away statements in Ktisis Hyperboreia and Ultima Thule to the WoL, along with some from Hytholadeaus in regards to Emet's feelings towards the current Azem, we can accurately ascertain that Emet has been a member of the convocation for some time. Long enough to have seen several Azem's come and go during his tenure (at least the three afore mentioned).

During this time, it is made known through Emet's feelings and memories that those who have held the seat of Azem share certain characteristics. But along with that, the seat itself does have a 'duty' that needs to be upheld by the person occupying it. These characteristics annoy Emet to no end, but at the same time they are also extremely distinguishable to him. Very much like how you would be able to recognize a family member like a brother or sister even if they are wearing a full costume. He'll never admit to it, but his love for his people most certainly does not exclude Azem. We remind him so much of him/her that he sees it as our duty to live as they did.

To me their relationship feels very sibling like. But that could be different for everyone.