Jenomis Lexentale

And when people see that Ivalice was real, the rest will fall into place.

Jenomis cen Lexentale

Jenomis cen Lexentale, also known as Arazlam Durai, is a non-player character in Final Fantasy XIV. He is a playwright who fled the Garlean Empire looking to uncover the truth of the Zodiac Brave Story.

History[]

Early life[]

Jenomis attended the Magitek Academy with Cid nan Garlond, and even back then was fixated on the Garlean faerie tale of Ivalice, about a peasant named Delita Heiral who rose to become king following the War of the Lions.^[2] His research into the story eventually revealed the existence of a secret, second hero, Ramza, who aided Delita from the shadows along with his sister, Alma.

Jenomis became a playwright and founded a theater troupe: The Majestic Imperial Theater Company. Writing and starring in his plays, the troupe's productions became so popular admirers would book their seats a year or more in advance.^[3] During his early years as a playwright, Jenomis met a young actress named Tia. They grew closer and Tia became pregnant. Jenomis asked her hand in marriage, and on a trip to the Royal City of Rabanastre he bought her a necklace as a wedding gift.^[4] Jenomis named his two children Ramza and Alma.

Regarded as one of the finest playwrights in the empire, Emperor Solus zos Galvus gave Jenomis an airship in recognition of his accomplishments. Tia became ill with coughing fits, which sapped her of vigor. On her deathbed, she told Jenomis to see that their children come to no harm.^[4] Stricken with grief, Jenomis consumed himself further in his playwriting and the Zodiac Brave Story. After the passing of the late emperor, his grandson, Varis yae Galvus, took the throne and restricted the freedom of playwrights through a board of censors. Instead of following the new policies, Jenomis circumvented them discreetly; though the Zodiac Brave Story did not openly criticize the Empire, it did so subtextually. While the censors failed to notice, the Garlean nobility did. Unable to admit fault by recalling the play, the government cut the troupe's funding, and Jenomis fled the Empire in pursuit of Ivalice.^[1]

Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood[]

After the Empire drove him out, Jenomis traveled to the Dalmasca desert where he believed ancient Ivalice to be. Organizing expeditions, Jenomis brought back strange artifacts, tomes, and crystals he claimed to be auracite, one of which was known as the Otius. Jenomis told his crew that the crystal "spoke" to him and that it was vital in proving his theories. Once he got the auracite, he began acting strange, and talk to what seemed to be his late wife. He never returned from his last expedition into the war-torn city of Rabanastre, prompting Ramza to go in and rescue him. Barely escaping with his life, Ramza requested the help of Cid nan Garlond, while Alma sought out help in Kugane.^[2]

Following the Warrior of Light's trek through Rabanastre and the defeat of Argath Thadalfus, Jenomis approached the group, confused as to his whereabouts, and apologizing for the trouble he caused. An airship passed overhead and Ba'Gamnan and his henchmen dropped out, with Gijuk holding a knife to his throat. Ba'Gamnan demanded the Duma Auracite carried by Argath as a trade for the playwright's life, forcing the journalist Lina Mewrilah to give it to him. Once the bangaa received the auracite, they took Jenomis's diary and threw him on the ground, making their escape and leaving him unconscious.

Recovering from his injuries aboard the Prima vista, Jenomis apologized to his children, and thanked Cid and the Warrior of Light for helping him. He explained the discovery of a second hero to the Zodiac Brave Story, who disappeared from history after the War of the Lions. His story had been written by Orran Durai, who had been executed as a heretic by the church and all copies of his writings had been seized. Jenomis revealed that he had perhaps the only surviving copy of Orran's account, handed down secretly through generations: his true name was Arazlam Durai, and "Jenomis cen Lexentale" was a stage name. Though he was earnest in wanting to prove the existence of Ivalice and reveal the story of Ramza Beoulve, his ultimate goal was to clear his family's name by exposing the truth.

After a discussion regarding the nature of the auracite crystals, Ba'Gamnan's crew boarded the Prima Vista. Returning Jenomis's diary, which was required for translating the Durai Papers, they explained that Ba'Gamnan took the Duma and disappeared. Jenomis discovered a note from Ba'Gamnan on the last page, which led them to the Ridorana Cataract in the Valnard Sea. Ramza and the Warrior of Light ventured into the Ridorana Lighthouse, which they discovered to be the ruins of the Clockwork City of Goug that featured in the Zodiac Brave Story, and retrieved the Duma. With the discoveries of Lesalia and Goug, Lina Mewrilah questioned whether they needed more evidence to prove the existence of Ivalice, but Jenomis reiterated his commitment to exonerating his family.

Jenomis eventually concluded that the auracite were creations of an otherworldly being known as Ultima, the High Seraph, who was sealed beneath the Orbonne Monastery in Golmore Jungle. Since the jungle was the home of viera tribes that did not allow outsiders, the Warrior of Light treated with General Fran Eruyt of the Dalmascan Resistance, who eventually agreed to lead them to Orbonne in exchange for requesting finances and manpower from the East Aldenard Trading Company and the Eorzean Alliance. Though these requests were denied, Fran arrived on the Prima Vista to inform them that their earnest efforts were sufficient. Alma insisted on joining the expedition to Orbonne, claiming that Ultima spoke to her through the Otius and that if they freed her, she could give Jenomis what he truly wanted: to return Tia to life. When Jenomis refused, unwilling to risk his children's lives, Alma became possessed by Ultima, who pulled her and the Otius into a portal.

The Prima Vista hurried to the Golmore Jungle, where Ramza freed Alma from Ultima's control by shattering the Otius using a device created by Mikoto. Ultima captured Ramza, referring to him as the "blood of the invokers" and demanding "the vessel promised". Back aboard the Prima Vista, the Warrior of Light was granted a vision through the Echo from Alma's auracite necklace, the Virgo, of a meeting between Orran and Delita. The vision revealed that Ramza Beoulve had been the Warrior of Light in his time, and when he could not destroy Ultima, he instead sacrificed himself to seal the High Seraph beneath Orbonne Monastery, and placed his own spirit within the Virgo Auracite he carried. His final wish was that his name be stricken from history, so that none might be tempted to follow in his footsteps and risk freeing Ultima. Knowing that she might one day escape, Delita had the Virgo placed in a necklace and gave it to Alma Beoulve, now pregnant with Orran's child. Orran, meanwhile, penned a true accounting of Ramza's deeds, knowing that the church would confiscate it and seal it in their vault: the safest place for it to await future generations who would needs its knowledge to defeat Ultima once more.

After the vision's recounting, Alma bas Lexantale awakened and revealed that Ultima used her and her brother to lure the Warrior of Light: since it was a Warrior of Light that sealed her, it would be a new Warrior of Light who would serve as her vessel to escape. Now knowing the whole truth of the matter, the Warrior of Light and Fran headed into the Orbonne Monastery where they rescued Ramza bas Lexantale and put a final end to Ultima. Reunited with his children once more, Jenomis resolved that rather than reveal the truth to the world to clear his family's name, he would instead compose a final act to the Zodiac Brave Story, telling the story of how Ramza Beoulve and his companions, including Orran Durai, slew the Angel of Blood and saved Ivalice, before going on a journey beyond the horizon. After premeiring the new act for the Warrior of Light, Mikoto, Lina, and Cid, he acknowledged that while the ending was not quite accurate to what they had learned, he wanted to put the heroes in charge of their own fate and give them the victory they deserved, for history remembers those who prevailed.

With Kugane uninterested in turning him over to Garlemald, Jenomis purchased a permanent berth above the city for the Prima Vista, where he received hundreds of petitions from locals eager to join the company.

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker[]

When supplies from the Warrior of Light's many allies in the Far East needed to be delivered to Sharlayan to construct the Ragnarok, Jenomis offered the use of the Prima Vista for transport.

Characteristics[]

Appearance[]

Jenomis is a middle-aged Garlean with light skin, brown highlighted hair, and blue eyes. Under his bangs he has a "third eye". He wears Shire Preceptor's gear with the coat dyed ink blue.

Personality[]

Jenomis is a talented and famous playwright, with many considering his work to be genius. He repeatedly rewrites his work until he reaches what he believes is perfection. He believes in freedom of expression and is willing to defy the Garlean Empire to do that. His devotion can leave him consumed by his work, but nonetheless he loves his children and will do anything to help those close to him. Jenomis is determined to clear his family's name.

Citations[]