Azeyma, the Warden
Azeyma the Warden, part of the Twelve pantheon of Eorzea, is the goddess of the sun. The miqo'te Seekers of the Sun's devotion to her pervades their culture.
Details
Name: Azeyma {ah'-zeh-muh}
Sex: Female
Aspect: Keeper of the sun
Goddess of: Inquiry
Guardian deity of: n/a
Element: Fire
Month: 5th Astral Moon
Depiction: A noble lady holding a golden fan
Symbol: The radiant sun
Parents: Althyk
Siblings: Younger sister Menphina
Children: Daughter Nophica
Other:
Description: Azeyma is keeper of the sun and goddess of inquiry. She commands the element of fire and is associated with the ninth moon of the Eorzean calendar. Azeyma is the daughter of Althyk, and the elder sister of Menphina. She is most often depicted as a noble lady holding a golden fan. Her symbol is the radiant sun, and may have a connection to truth as a whole, as she is said to console all who would confess to their crimes.
Derivation: Azeyma is probably inspired by the Egyptian sun goddesses, Wadjet-Bast of Lower Egypt and her counterpart Sekhmet from Upper Egypt. These goddesses were considered protectors, both of the respective regions where they were worshiped and also as attendants to the sun god, Amun-Ra. Both were also considered goddesses of cats, usually depicted with the head of a cat or lioness, making them an ideal figurehead for the Seekers of the Sun Miqo'te clan. Azeyma's association with the first month of the Eorzean calendar relates to the month of January, which is named after the god Janus who was worshiped as the sun in ancient Roman times.
In ancient Egypt, fans were fashioned from metal, having a long handle, and ending with a semi-circular clamp into which a large ostrich feather would be inserted. The title of "fan-bearer" (particularly the "right hand" fan-bearer) was an important one whether attending a king or a deity, having the same hieroglyphic meaning as the word "protect." Azeyma's fan's golden color is pervasively symbolic of the color of the sun. 'Azima' is an Arabic female name, coming from the word asim meaning 'protector.' Since Azeyma goes by the title "The Warden," it is likely that her name was inspired by this.
