Immaculate features didn’t dare to falter, not even after the chancellor’s statement that wasn’t less than expected, despite the voices within her mind alerting her to not confide in his words—— no, in him. Lunafreya knew that behind his cheerful and friendly exterior, there was something hidden of the people’s praying eyes, and who knew if the Emperor acknowledged it as well. Her eyes inspected carefully the man as they walked side by side, a slight discomfort washing over her as Ardyn’s arm surrounded her shoulders.
…don’t touch me.
Her eyes widened ever so slightly at a rather familiar feeling. She noticed this before, and it was quite disturbing that she could feel it from him. This was the starscourge, there was no doubt. The blonde steeled herself, trying not to show off anything that might rise suspicions to any of the passerbies or the chancellor himself. Of all the things she imagined about him, this wasn’t one of them at all. For how long has he been infected by the scourge? Perhaps before he joined the Empire as its chancellor? Probably more?
The whisper near her ear almost made her jump, for she was occupied reconsidering the information gathered about him so far. Without further moves, blueberry orbs focused on the man, who was too near to her for her gratification.
Lunafreya couldn’t help but think that everything he said had ulterior motives that for now, she could not figure out what they were about.
“Nevertheless, people might get the wrong impression of this, and it is perceptible that you do not want that. Am I wrong?”
With the new information she had about him, she was somehow lost in what to think in regards of this. However, she would not falter before him, for her willpower refrained her from doing so. The oracle would not submit to him nor anyone. She mustn’t.
“Perhaps you shall smile as well, Ardyn Izunia.” A small smile graced her features, in mild defiance. “It would be unfortunate if citizens thought that something is wrong with the empire’s chancellor.”
though poise inspires defiance of manner, slender refinement of skin flinches from his touch; disconcert provocative in its consequences. had he been so reckless as to remove the ambiguity of his origin, and replace their unnerving acquaintance with an assurance of his corruption? was she to recognize his morality’s ‘ dismemberment ’? clandestine filaments of poison course through his veins, yet to be distinguished by her recoil remains an impelling secret. perhaps his hands were intrusive — her cower instinctual — prompted out of compression native to that of an enemy. surely, she would not have reacted the same with noctis — beneficiary of her affection. though the ‘ prince ’ would never have to coerce physical contact.
“ —— i don’t believe it would be in either of our best interests to bring ourselves more attention than necessary . though you and i share a charisma with the people , and they are — dying — to have audience … we must be careful with our handling this ‘ affliction ’ of theirs . your family has been opposing its might for many years , yet it would be foolish to assume you have seen the worst of its cruelty . but who am i to counsel the oracle — i know nothing of these ailments beyond that of my emperor’s politics . ”
falsify leverage, and one alters her conviction. doubt must persuade, emanate from his tongue, and tempt her to reconsider the implication of his hint upon shoulders. a former embrace, they near the plague — several of its victims a meager twelve feet away — so perchance what she had felt was nothing more than trepidation. a fable, of course — as his motives lie with the alluded threat that he is the ‘ cruelty ’ undiscovered; to be feared.
“ we shall have our time together , lady lunafreya . i will attend to the cameras —— so you may focus on your subjects . pay me no mind . ” arrogance stifles the laugh at his lips; his expression satirical by nature. “ be gentle with them . ”
It was such a rare sight to behold, seeing the Niflheim chancellor personally, a man who people said that had the freedom to do as he pleased, and not even the emperor could ever have something against it. Probably, it had to do with something Lunafreya found out a long time ago, which she preferred to keep it in silence —even so, she would always have an eye on him, watching the man carefully everytime she had the chance to do so. For someone who earnt an important role in the Empire should not be considered less than suspicious—.
Much to the former Tenebraean’s princess’ surprise (or not), she was meant to be escorted by Ardyn during one of her healing periods. Periods that she wished they were most frequently, but given that the oracle was under the Empire’s power, there was no wonder Iedolas would use it in his benefit and not for the sick people.
As they reached the assigned place where people were supposed to be waiting for her, Lunafreya eyed the man next to her discreetly before voicing her doubts.
“Is there a reason why the Chancellor shall escort me instead of the usual soldiers?”
A rather dumb question for the blonde, since it was obvious that he’d want to come personally with her. Perhaps it was just to see how she practised her healing, a gift given from her bloodline. However, Lunafreya’s skepticism and what she knew so far about him made her think that there was something else.
profundity of stride carries the honor of chancellor through immaculacy of foreign halls. of his own accord, to coerce — within subtleties — a compliance from the oracle whilst she inhabits familial territory, ardyn is beseeched by his lenience for affairs with the messenger. neither remove the veil to their secrets over the other; an adulterous game of ‘ who knows more about who ’ tracking the poise of the accursed. his inference of her knowledge, that is, the confidentiality loitering upon fairness of lips, depreciates an already waning patience. a resulting fate awaits her all the same, but now is not the time for attrition. now is the time for feigned reverence.
volunteering herself to the verve of sun’s kiss, ardyn studies lunafreya’s advancement from doors to immediacy. she looks at him differently, somehow. ostentation of wrists flutter amidst gravity’s forbearance, diverging from imperial attire of chest so as to articulate theatrics of hands. there is a better acquaintance to be made with her, when in the public eye. as an enthusiast of the limelight’s tenacity — infatuated with its exploitation of political matters — ardyn embraces the opportunity of commendation with an initial, distinctive clarity of voice.
“ aaaah — lady lunafreya ! you look positively ravishing . to what extent i could offer you an answer —— well , i’m afraid we’re short for time . ” within arm’s reach, he’s much quieter. a deliberate personification of hostility. “ let us pretend i want nothing more than an afternoon with our dear oracle . ” a murmur from spectating pedestrians precedes his appendages molding to the fragility of her shoulders. DARKNESS UPON LIGHT. guidance was a quality best imprinted, the photographers spellbound by their sharing attendance to her session with the people. a modest squeeze filters whisper to her ear; his porcelain teeth misleading the cameramen with an amiable grin. “ a blessing indeed , that you are not queen . as my lying to you — well , that would constitute treason . ”
“ hmhm —— you’re no ‘ beloved ’ oracle of m i n e . now smile . ”
lamentable tension carves against ribcages occupying a table intended for twelve. in the eyes of the chancellor, arriving late was an inexcusable offence. PUNISHABLE, in fact, unless he were the one behind schedule. a rather vexing circumstance for their emperor to be guilty of dawdling, as to chastise the regality under which they serve remains an impending luxuriance for the fall of the empire. nevertheless, two postures shape to the reception of their chairs: one bullish within its assertive breadth, enamored shoulders clamped to gravity’s perseverance; the other, far milder, trifles its company with dormant impersonation. though difficult for ardyn to feed back the brute his own charisma — foreign in naturality — limbs endeavour the thought and deride the supreme commander with mute scrutiny. a stillness that never lasts.
“ you’re not yourself today , drautos . i’d have thought you would be pacing the room , by now —— as you’ve done so many times before . impatient you may be , more so than i , but you do know how to busy yourself ( and avoid me ) . yet here you are, and here we sit —— like two chess pieces yearning to be moved . ”
merciless sentry humors ardyn’s perambulating tongue; turn of mineral jowl acknowledging incidence of conversation. words are not exchanged. rather, eyeless glance characterizes disinterest. typical of the general. mutuality of resentment scores ardyn’s persistence — lacerates drautos’s patience — and precedes hostility of own smirk. perhaps he derives too much pleasure from prodding the beast. it is rather criminal how easy he makes it; how tempting it is to push farther the envelope — to provoke until the lion is goaded into engagement with his pride.
“ what’s the matter ? cat got your tongue ? i don’t recall seeing a collar on you , this morning —— ” both rise out of the insult. chairs groan sharply along the floor, preparing an exit for the emperor’s hand. retreat is emasculating, thus prompting grip of table’s ledge as the chosen alternative. ardyn’s cockiness is met by a pointing, immaculate gauntlet; single digit extending toward his amber gaze. “ — a bit hasty , don’t you think ? we were just playing , after all . ”
“ no . ”
indignance suspends drautos’s finger a moment longer before the fist to which it belongs punctures complexion of table. pupils calibrate, attuned to his voice and the disgruntlement hidden beneath its anonymizing filter. ‘ no , ’ he says, ‘ you were playing and i was listening , ’ he means. antics involving the general were incessantly one-sided, an atypical habit of the chancellor’s to see if drautos would ever compromise with his frivolity. now was not opportune to examine this feasibility, and yet, an enkindling superiority guided forth ardyn’s murmur.
“ my mistake . perhaps a leash were in order —— ” as table collides with ardyn’s waist, projected by affronted shove from an irate general, the doors offer influx of unpunctual guests. the minute horde ambles around to their designated seating, paying no heed to the tautness of atmosphere. the two, initial arrivals share pause — ardyn taking full advantage of the advent of their emperor’s arrival, discarding former repartee with the supreme. somehow, this would not be the end of drautos’s wrath. “ there you are ! my , i was beginning to worry you had gotten lost , iedolas —— i see no other purpose for keeping myself and your commander waiting . good news , i presume ? ”
i consider anyone who is passionate about ardyn’s character to be a friend. with that, i want both my mutual and non mutual followers to know that you can approach me as though we were more than just acquaintances. if it’s to vent, confide, or simply chat about ffxv, theories, ardyn, astrals or other material-- do so!
i am a legal adult, and will be including content on this blog that is not suitable for all users. posts may contain graphic, sexual, gory, and other explicit subject matter. although most of these will be rare, i should inform you all of the possibility. i will not write adult content with minors, but everything else is welcome and encouraged.
posts will also contain extensive humor and fun. feel free to participate!
triggers will not always be tagged as i am unaware of all content that may prove harmful. i advise you to follow/read/scroll with caution. i will, however, diligently avoid all triggering content within writing. if there is something you cannot write about that may or may not be well known, please inform me. i seek to make my followers and partners comfortable at all times.
i live in a pacific time zone (pt). blog will become less active into the late evening, around 22:00 my time.
hate of any kind will not be tolerated on this blog. that includes, but is not limited to, hate towards ardyn izunia, darin de paul, the rest of the cast and characters of ffxv, hajime tabata, ffxv as a whole, and so forth. you can dislike something. you can have your opinion. but please, be respectful to and of others’ personal views and passions.
responses exceeding 500 words can take anywhere from a week to a few months for me to reply to. i only ask that you be as patient as you can, and forgive my slow pace.
skype, snapchat, and cellphone is available to mutuals only; cellphone exclusive to those i have been in contact with for quite some time, as i have an international phone plan for the purpose of close friendships.
mutual following
do not take offense if i don’t mutually follow you. if i don’t follow you back, that is not because i am uninterested in your blog. instead, i am highly selective with a) the content i wish to see on my dash and b) those i would like to partake in writing with.
even if we interact, i may not follow you back. this includes, but is not limited to, personal blogs following me that have little to no ardyn/ffxv content on their blog, characters who i perceive to be underdeveloped or intrusive (see “writing partners”), and so forth. if you’re uncertain if you fall in this category, please do not hesitate to inquire.
if i follow you, i do not expect you to mutually follow me back if that is not something you are comfortable in doing. however, if we are mutual followers and you unfollow me at a later time, i will be inclined to unfollow you as well. it is very rare that i unfollow someone, but it does happen and generally for a reason.
if you feel our characters have the chance to be the foundation of incredible plots, memes, etc and i still have not followed you back, message me. i always welcome new users. please bear in mind i may decline your suggestion to become mutuals, but i will not do this without reason. it could be something as minor as i already have an exclusive (or mains, plural) for the character you write, or something else more serious such as you partaking in any sort of hate against ffxv or its affiliated characters.
do you write as ardyn? wondering if it's weird to follow another user who portrays the same character? don't worry, i'm as nervous as you are. however, fear not! i am certainly open to chatting ooc / ic with other ardyn writers. if you are to follow me, chances are i will follow in return. the likelihood of me following first is very low as i am hesitant trash but please feel free to contact me. always. a fellow ardyn lover ranks high in my books.
writing partners
it is a rare occasion that i post inbox/starter memes. if you are interested in interacting with my ardyn, the chances of that happening through a starter call is slim (although not impossible if you are a shy individual, most of whom i love and admire). however, i try to frequent the inboxes of writers i am interested in writing with. if i’m not quite confident in directly contacting you, should you see me obsessively liking a majority of your posts, chances are i am intrigued by your character and wish to do something together.
if and when i do post starter calls, plotting calls, open starters and any such other forms of initial interaction, they are reserved for mutuals only. that is, you must be following me if i am to reply to something you reblog. however, non-mutuals are always welcome to send me ooc inbox memes and questions.
you may strike/bludgeon/assault ardyn without asking me first. however, be reasonable. if you’re unsure if you’re crossing a line or godmodding me, please talk to me about it. i would be more than glad to work something out. if you don’t want to ‘spoil’ a surprise you have in store for me within an upcoming reply, such as an attempt on ardyn’s life, you can hint to it as best you can in-character or through messaging.
ardyn is remarkably flamboyant and charismatic, bordering grandiloquent. there could be instances he may allude to flirtation in order to achieve (dis)comfort of those around him. do not read into this as an investment into a platonic or otherwise sexual relationship. i do have individuals i ship with ardyn, and the chances of me stepping out of those select few are very slim. however, if i am exploring something, i will try to make it evidently clear in either my written reply or the tags belonging to it.
i highly recommend keeping an eye on my tag for your url as i frequently tag users in posts i associate with you and/or your character. most posts will be musings of a lighthearted/hilarious nature, but i assure you ‘the feels’ will also make an appearance. example: /tagged/yoururl.
i find it exceedingly difficult to accept threads with original characters. this is not because the creativity behind them is poor, but due to the frequency they intrude on canon. this includes, but is not limited to, being a long lost child of a canon character (especially ardyn), a pre-assumed lover of ardyn's, someone who miraculously carries the same abilities as the lucis bloodline, etc. however, i have seen very talented writers behind original characters that are completely unrelated to the canon plot and have no qualms with them. that is, unless i see it impractical that our characters could fit into one another's universes. for example, ardyn belongs to a fantasy-based reality, but i could not see myself writing with a character from 'adventure time' albeit has 'royals' and so forth.
shipping / mains / exclusives
this blog is ship exclusive, but is not single-ship. what does this mean? well, there are multiple characters i ship with ardyn. however, once a main (and/or exclusive) partner is established, and we agree upon shipping the two of them together, i will not write ship related content with another url who portrays the same character. not all of these roles have been filled/taken, though a select few have. if you are curious as to whether or not i ship ardyn with your character (and do not already write the ship with another url), please contact me. there have been times i don't ship something initially, as i may have never been presented with the idea, but i love development and chemistry.
i have yet to format a mains / exclusives page for myself. however, in the meantime i will make it abundantly clear who possesses which title(s). exclusivity entails that i will not be writing with any other interpretation of the same character, i.e. entirely dedicated to one url. this includes, but is not limited to, sending memes / prompts to other urls who write the same character, answering ic asks from other writers of the same character, and so forth. exclusivity is highly devoting (and also an honor, when approached about it), and may take a long time for me to decide. this requires that i forgo all other interaction with writers who portray the same character as you. however, there are times you find partners who are nothing short of an aesthetic "soul mate", and you may not ever see yourself writing the same level of content / depth with anyone else. this allows us to develop our urls together, and i find it quite beautiful. understand that if you wish to be exclusives, i hold this very personally.
mains are very precious to me. if exclusivity is not for you, as it isn't for everyone, i am more than happy to discuss being mains. i will have more than one main of the same character, typically limited to two and sometimes three if it is a highly popular character (such as noctis). being a main entails that my primary "focus" will be your url when looking for interaction with the character you write. for example, if i am following nine noctis blogs, and am mains with two, the two i am closest with will receive far more of me in their inboxes, sending them prompts, memes, gifsets, and so forth. mains will always be given priority in finishing responses. that is, if i owe six replies (none of which are "mains" of mine), and a main responds (giving me seven replies to finish) i will typically write back to my main first. in no way am i dismissing what i owe to writers not in my list of mains, or discounting any interaction our characters have had thus far, it is simply my loyalties. i take exclusives and mains very seriously, as i find a high level of respect in those titles.
parting notes
do not underestimate your own capability to write. if you are deferring interaction with me out of insecurity, anxiety, or unintended intimidation on my part, i assure you i would enjoy nothing more than conversation. it delights me to my very core when i receive a new follower and/or mutual, so come visit your chancellor if but for an afternoon.
if you prefer ooc introductions first, by all means. i would love to meet the person behind the muse as i find plotting comes more naturally if we familiarize ourselves with one another’s preferences, (dis)comforts, and passions.
take care out there, and watch out for daemons in the night (wink).
millenniums prior to noctis’s birth, two brothers are burdened with the plague of mankind: a daemonization of its innocents known only as the starscourge. ardyn, hallowed as the healer of the people and liberator of this corruption, is chosen by the crystal to purge the world of darkness. while exalted by the task, torturous as it may be, ardyn must now face the anguish of extracting the daemons from eos and encasing them within himself.
among those of the highest prestige in niflheim’s empire, a relationship both artificial and expendable in the eyes of the immortal, ardyn charms the façade of its intensions by taking hold of iedolas’s political matters. a befitting chancellor for an otherwise covetous government, he seizes any and all opportunities to remove distance from himself and the nation of lucis, both on account of ulterior motives and to rekindle that which was his dismal past-- the city of insomnia and the kingdom over which it presides.
following the assassination of regis lucis caelum and niflheim’s successful extraction of the crystal, ardyn’s unforgiving patience begins to reap benefit. clad with imperial authority and recognized internationally under the surname 'izunia', the chancellor employs diligence in arranging coincidental meetings with the late king’s son, noctis, and his companions. with conspicuous generosity, against that which would be expected of an enemy, he lures the young men into the maw of deceit so as to inspire the advent of noctis’s ascension. such charity is not without consequence. nevertheless, in keeping the party uninformed, ardyn’s hostile incentives remain undisclosed.
eos, riddled in darkness as the true king withstands the crystal’s convolution of time, places ardyn in a position of illicit authority. branded a usurper by the ignorance of lucians, he awaits the return of his deliverer; one who provides ardyn’s only means of liberation from the corruption that suffocates his mind and the people he once saved. for 2000 years, ardyn has outlasted the daemons within him; utilizing their morbidity so as to manipulate eos into the starscourge of years past, and formulate his own demise. only in 'the beyond' can noctis fulfill this task, and purge the world of darkness by eliminating his ancestor. whilst situating himself atop the throne, ardyn readily anticipates an uprising over the oncoming years. after all, how could a traitor, an assailant to the caelum family, call himself a king? those who do not know history-- who do not understand ardyn’s origin-- will fear noctis’s absence. the duration of which, at the current time, is unknown.
tragedy takes its course, but can also be suspended upon resurrection. what negligible instances of loyalty ardyn conferred unto eos are limited to his past, his current motives, and only one other-- ravus nox fleuret. curiosity paid homage to the heir of tenebrae, seeing that he renounced all birthrights to take action against the late king regis. thus, the boy’s determination permitted timeless reverence from the immortal as ravus aged. maturing into far more than a mere commander, now forced to the 'guillotine' after the catastrophe of leviathan’s rite, ardyn solicits the infernal divinity of ifrit. imploring that the astral unite with ravus, after having exposed the fleuret to unbearable daemonization out of a selfish desire for affinity between them, and to coerce a battle against noctis, distinguishes fidelity. an affection of this nature, within the accursed, has been unexpressed since the millennium of his betrayal. having ravus returned to his side, diabolical in his restoration, brings ardyn a level of satisfaction formerly unaffiliated with the corrosion of his mind. the infernian will be his and his alone, sheathed within the fleuret whose resilience inspires, if only for the time they have left before the crystal’s champion returns.
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basic information
FULL NAME: ardyn lucis caelum.
ALIAS: ardyn izunia.
LABELS: healer of the people, chancellor, creepy old man, jester, the immortal accursed, usurper.
GENDER: male.
AGE:
BIRTH DATE:
STAR SIGN: gemini.
ETHNICITY: white.
ROMANTIC STATUS: biromantic.
SEXUAL STATUS: gray-asexual, as is capable of feeling sexual attraction but does not actively pursue relationship(s) and/or intercourse.
RELIGION:
SPOKEN LANGUAGE: common tongue, language of the astrals.
OTHER: regis lucis caelum, kin; noctis lucis caelum, kin; ifrit the infernian, astral summon; gentiana, undisclosed; ravus nox fleuret, ambiguous; iedolas aldercapt, emperor.
physical traits
EYE COLOUR: amber, when human; pallid gold with black sclera, when daemonic.
HAIR COLOUR: burgundy, mahogany.
SKIN COLOUR: sun kissed.
HEIGHT: 190cm, 6'3" (rounded).
WEIGHT: 172lbs, 78kg (rounded).
PHYSIQUE: slender, fit.
bestiary
LEVEL: final boss.
HEALTH POINTS: 200'000.
STRENGTH: 4'760.
VITALITY: 164.
SPIRIT: 152.
IMMUNITIES: death, alterna, poison, and stop.
ABILITIES: political influence, phasing, warp-strikes, elemental sorcery, controlling time, illusions, weilding armiger weapons, summoning astrals.
alignment i
NEUTRAL EVIL: characters of this alignment are typically selfish and have no qualms about turning on their allies-of-the-moment. they have no compunctions about harming others to get what they want, but neither will they go out of their way to cause carnage or mayhem when they see no direct benefit to it. they abide by laws for only as long as it is convenient for them. a villain of this alignment can be more dangerous than either lawful or chaotic evil characters, since he is neither bound by any sort of honour or tradition nor disorganised and pointlessly violent. neutral evil characters consider their alignment to be the most valuable as they can advance themselves without regard for others.
in an age long past, benevolence shrouded a once selfless caelum. his compassion for humanity, the people of whom he endeavored to save and protect, rendered ardyn deified in the eyes of the salvaged some two millennia ago. a fateful malady known as the starscourge distorted human existence and mutated people into daemons, the likes of which his brother, not yet chosen by the crystal, was to defend as king. by the gods’ will, ardyn had been chosen: endowed with the ability to eradicate this incurable scourge and restore a ravaged mankind. however, the honor of surpassing his brother in assuming the role of savior, thereby subjecting his body to the arduous strain of hosting myriad daemons, earned an adverse and unanticipated reward.
entrenched jealousy from izunia, in conjunction with distaste among the astrals in witnessing ardyn’s newly ‘tainted’ body, resulted in condemnation for his transgression. deemed impure, ostracized and humiliated by his kin and denied ascension to the astral realms, the gods blighted ardyn with the curse of immortality. millions of lives were spared by his sacrifice; notwithstanding these actions, eternal damnation was bestowed upon the healer. loyalty expelled, ardyn was to suffer the fate of traitors and envy, to live forevermore in a void of betrayal.
time ceased to exist. a deepening hatred of the hypocrisy that forged his hell was all that remained. an eternity passed, and with the once cordial affection for his brother, people, and gods now poisoned by the precipice of his madness, he seeks redemption. donning the alias “ardyn izunia”, his objectives are set into motion as another champion of the crystal arises, thousands of years later. having noctis lucis caelum (cxiv) under exclusive focus, ardyn’s ruthlessness takes a substantial peak. longing for the day on which to battle the true king since his degradation, he reclaims grace, charisma, and scrupulous manipulation as his patience has provided him with a vulnerable target and destined sovereign.
with the niflheim empire’s political operations under ardyn’s discretion as chancellor, and his natural eccentricity magnetizing noctis’s group to his confidence and dubious generosity, the world of eos and its inhabitants have all become a means to an end in extinguishing the blood royal-- both the crystal’s champion, and ultimately, himself.
