It's character backstory stuff! Don't worry about it if you're not here for OC lore stuff!
Yes. I knew you'd click it. <3
Endwalker spoilers present, if you're not up to 6.0 and don't want spoilers, best steer clear!
So this is just like, raw notes. Spitballing, so far. At base, I literally have a big Au Ra Xaela man. Imagine your average Shonen-style Ideal Hero - somewhere between Vash the Stampede and Goku. Can't tell if he's through-and-through Himbo-brained, if he feigns ignorance to hide prowess, or if it only comes on in dire situations (it's somewhere in the latter two.) He's big, he's sweet, he has that indomitable spirit, and he loves to eat. You know the drill!
He is, at least in my version of his story, is a Warrior of Light, who got and did all the bits and pieces; the Crystals of Light, the Echo, the troubles on the First, Azem's crystal, all of it. But, no biggie, he doesn't roll like that. He's just happy to help (even if it breaks him).
I like building directly off of what the game gives me, and slotting my lore into the unfilled areas where possible.
So. Azem. That's, ironically, where the most wiggleroom in the WoL's story exists (aside from 'before game-start.) I got to thinking. I don't necessarily want to have Bal be the Source's shard of Azem. Part of me feels like that's the soul crystal's job. Not sure if I'm right on that, but still, follow me here.
All of the Ancients got Sundered, right, so there's 14 shards, except for 'Selc by intent, 'Brea and 'Bus by happenstance. But Venat's poor friend Azem got the chop.
I started to wonder about Azem's wanderlust - their desire to see the star and its peoples, to hear it, think on it, feel it; to live it, die for it, and know it.
So what I'm working on, basically, is this idea, very succinctly:
As they realised what was happening, with Venat and the Sundering, Azem wished into existence a Primal in the shape of the space they would leave when they left the world. All the people they helped, all those that came to know and love them on their journeys - all that love, couldn't be cut from the world.
So they prayed for a version of themself to have a chance to live a life - just like Venat wanted. To Walk.
Now Bal's not exactly a Primal Primal. Not a 'reading Primal energies' Primal, but, like, maybe the Dynamis-equivalent? He runs on the hopes and dreams of everyone.
How am I doing? Where am I at? Thoughts? This is all spitballing, I'm not super locked into any of it yet, but I like where it's at. LMK!