why are we back here again

Daniil D. Dankovsky

SGE | SCH | MCH Archon of Medicine

A prodigious scholar for his young age, Archon Daniil Dankovsky is as brilliant as he is controversial. His studies into possible disruptions of souls’ natural journey into the aetherial sea upon death have earned him enemies among his peers in the Studium and Forum both, who declare his research borderline blasphemous. Seeking a breakthrough that will demonstrate the value of his research, he sets an expedition to a distant frontier corner of Eorzea, where a miraculous Tower is rumored to have preserved the soul of the immortal Emperor Kain of the ancient Allagans for centuries. Archon Dankovsky's obsession with unlocking the impossible structure’s secrets—and answering the question of why something deep within him whispers that he is somehow the Tower’s true heir—will lead him on a painful journey through broken timelines, unwritten paths of history, and a realization that no immortality comes without a terrible cost. 

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Artemy Burakh

WAR | WHM | BTN Warrior of Light

A true son of the Steppe, Artemy Burakh nonetheless obeyed his father Isidor's instructions to venture forth to learn the ways of the wider world. Blessed with the Echo, he has heard the voice of the Land since his youth, and the whispers from the goddess at the heart of the world about the grand destiny and terrible duty that is to be his burden. Though renowned for his fierce battle prowess, Artemy is a healer and protector at heart, a steady and calm presence in any crisis. In his time as an adventurer, he has gained a reputation for surviving impossibly painful trials and shouldering dire choices to protect those within his care. And in truly desperate times, he carries the responsibility to protect the very world itself. His heroic deeds in Eorzea have earned him the epithet Warrior of Light by the time he joins a scholarly expedition to an eyesore Tower in Mor Dhona as a hired defender, and meets the insufferable Archon leading it who will change his fate forever.

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NOTES:

This is one of those AUs that I'm never going to be able to write, but it's a lot of fun to think about and a lot of things line up weirdly well as parallels with Patho surprisingly enough. If I was REALLY putting effort into this, I'd have somehow changed Exarch!Daniil to be transforming into like, mirror-amalgam instead with how he's let the Tower change him to become immortal, but I'm too lazy for that, so just imagine. If anybody wants to know the gearlists, I'm happy to share, all of these are in-game items! There was a world where I gave Daniil the Nabaath Pendulums as his nouliths for the true Four Rifles Dankovsky™ experience, but I'm a coward who couldn't commit. Also there may or may not be a "Day 11" Artemy look tucked away somewhere too for the adventurous... Other little details from this AU that didn't make it into the pictures: The Stamatins get to take Doga and Unei's place, the twin architects held in stasis in the impossible Tower they once built, when the expedition finally opens it up to discover his secrets. Inquisitors as Ascians is another one, if only because I think Aglaya knows-everyone-are-just-dolls Lilich would absolutely nail the "I do not consider you to be truly alive. Ergo, I will not be guilty of murder if I kill you," line. Also WoL!Artemy trying to keep Ascian Aglaya who's latched onto his quest for her own purposes and Exarch Daniil from killing each other when they both like him but can't stand each other is also just too perfect to miss.