Azem timeline confusion

[SannaR]

I'm confused as to when exactly we started being Azem. In the side story where Hades becomes Emet Selch Hythlodaeus asks if they should go and tell us and Emet says no. That we probably already know. Either from the Amurotin grapevine or that Convocation members get a memo/linkpearl buzz. This gave me the impression that we were already Azem. Heck even Hythlodaeus telling of who backed Hade's nomination backs that thought up in that we as Azem went "Yes, Hades would be a good candidate."

Yet when we get introduced to Venat it comes off as though she only recently stepped down. Unless Venat is that good at "annoying" Emet to the point it only seems like they've worked with each other for a lengthy amount of time.

[Lyth]

Venat stopped being Azem sometime prior to the Grape/Volcano incident, which happened sometime prior to Elpis. They don't state specifically how long she's been retired for, just that it's unusual for her to not have returned to the star on her retirement.

[Kordarion]

We also don't know exactly how long Hades has held the seat of Emet-Selch, considering the ancients exceptionally long life spans its possible that he took up the seat while Venat was still Azem and was there when our Azem took over the seat when Venat retired.

[SannaR]

Thus as to part of my confusion. In the side story where Hades had been raised to the seat of Emet Selch it comes off at least to me that our past self wasn't around due to us already doing Azem stuff. Yet Venat and Emet talk to each other like they had been co-workers for awhile.

[Rannie]

It never said that they were out doing Azem stuff they just were not in Amaurot at the time and that he/she would receive the memorandum (English version) Once it was let out. I'd be more inclined to believe they weren't azem since when one is raised it looks like (from Elidibus' memories of him taking the seat of Elidibus) that the whole convocation is around for the raising.

Hmm the more I think about it besides Venat's support our PC ( with how they are portrayed in the side stories) may have only been raised to the seat of Azem because, while the convocation acknowledged their achievements and deeds, they thought Emet-Selch could reign them in a bit more.

[Cleretic]

Thus as to part of my confusion. In the side story where Hades had been raised to the seat of Emet Selch it comes off at least to me that our past self wasn't around due to us already doing Azem stuff. Yet Venat and Emet talk to each other like they had been co-workers for awhile.

Venat is also buddies with Hythlodaeus, a guy with no big-deal role on that level at all. I think she's just the kind of friendly busybody who's got some history with everyone. Which, according to what we know of the Azem role, is the actual job description.

[Vyrerus]

I'm confused as to when exactly we started being Azem. In the side story where Hades becomes Emet Selch Hythlodaeus asks if they should go and tell us and Emet says no. That we probably already know. Either from the Amurotin grapevine or that Convocation members get a memo/linkpearl buzz. This gave me the impression that we were already Azem. Heck even Hythlodaeus telling of who backed Hade's nomination backs that thought up in that we as Azem went "Yes, Hades would be a good candidate."

Yet when we get introduced to Venat it comes off as though she only recently stepped down. Unless Venat is that good at "annoying" Emet to the point it only seems like they've worked with each other for a lengthy amount of time.

Venat implies that she knows Hades's age, so it's likely that she's known him his whole life. There's some shades of nepotism at hand with the Convocation and all that. Though also the Convocation seems to value outside input on the positions to some degree as well, since Hythlodaeus is giving input about Hermes in Elpis.

We, prior to being Azem, may have also known Hades our whole life. May have even known Venat before she was ever Azem too. Until they nail down something concrete, there's an enormous margin for possibility. Given how close the story paints us to be to her, becoming her successor much like Hermes became the previous Fandaniel's successor in both Elpis and on the Convocation, it's likely that we could have heard from Venat directly about Hades's appointment. If we weren't already Azem.

Something very appealing about the long life of the Ancients, at least to me, is the possibility to get to know so many people for a very long time.

[Rannie]

I hate to say cause you don't ask a woman her age but damn how old do we think Venat may have been? She straight out says that when we fought her in our past life we were less than half her age and also (though this is by their standard) that Emet is even too young to get wrinkles...

[Cleretic]

I hate to say cause you don't ask a woman her age but damn how old do we think Venat may have been? She straight out says that when we fought her in our past life we were less than half her age and also (though this is by their standard) that Emet is even too young to get wrinkles...

Incalculable, because we don't know how Ancients perceive time or how old 'old' is. Hell, basically our only frame of reference for the Ancients' perception of the passage of time is 'days exist and people sleep at night', which isn't exactly a groundbreaking discovery.

But if we were to hypothetically fit Ancient lifespans to the same relative length as a human lifespan of '100 years-ish' (which, mind you, also enforces an unwilling death on the Ancients which means it's also wrong), maybe she's... I dunno, fifty-ish? Not old old, but old enough to be the unquestionable senior figure in pretty much every group we see her in. It also means there's a decent stretch of time in 'less than half her age' where people are still grown adults.

Alternative answer: she was somewhere over four hundred, because if we take the 'less than half her age' comment to be literal, then we have to assume that 'half her age' is the upper limit of age any player character can be. And that upper limit is viera, with a lifespan of 200-250 years.

[Iscah]

Venat is also buddies with Hythlodaeus, a guy with no big-deal role on that level at all. I think she's just the kind of friendly busybody who's got some history with everyone. Which, according to what we know of the Azem role, is the actual job description.

Hythlodaeus is Chief of the Bureau of the Architect – maybe not ranking as high as the Convocation, but certainly not a nobody.

As for Venat and her likely age... well, she's old enough to have retired and kept on going, so despite having no apparent age and not seeming older than the others, logically she's more towards the "cool old lady" archetype.

Also it's possible that Venat still does some work with the Convocation as an advisor even if she's not an actual member any more.