Gender locked race?

[Iscah]

O: But what if it isn't! I'd actually be really disappointed that they're going to add in another race - two races. And instead of having one of the new races have a spotlight in the important NPC role, it's another Miqote. Like get outta here, we seen plenty of you boys - kind of, since these madlads are supposed to be rarer than Viera testosterone.

Which is why it makes more sense if he's a pre-existing character who happens to be a Miqo'te, than a new character - and not even with a unique face, which seems unlikely for someone important enough to get a spot on the poster.

The tattoos are similar for sure, but not much else I would say. Pretty sure that hood is Ascian, so probably just the third Ascian we have yet to meet.

Also he's opposite Solus and the Ascians helped create his empire, so I would say probably linked.

As already covered, Solus most likely is that third Ascian, unless they're going to pull another one from somewhere.

The hood looks somewhat like the Ascian cloaks, but not really, and also resembles the (Allagan) Dreadwyrm Hood of Healing. The rest of the robes are quite different to what the Ascians wear - more drapey, more colourful and leaving the arms bare.

His position on the poster is probably the closest thing to a hint that he's on the Ascians' side, but it's also possibly deliberate misdirection, or simply for the sake of artistic balance. (The other matched pairs are more obviously connected, so it's possible that they're just the 'leftovers'.)

Yeah, it's what has me rather interested in just who he. If it's the Miqote, I'd be pretty interested in why they brought him back - though this would be tied into the Leak from the 'bad leaker' who people are simply dismissing regarding the crystal tower. Hence me hoping/thinking it's a male Viera instead. A male Viera could be an ascian - or rather the host of one.

The "bad leak" off Discord, yes - that also claimed Minfilia was coming back and was going to be the poster girl for 5.0...

Without double-checking, I think the main thing wrong with that post was the information about Blue Mage being a melee support DPS, but that's actually in BluFever's claims as well.

Who knows what's going on there, really.

Regardless of whether the leaks are right or just making some educated guesses, I was expecting we'd need to come back to the Crystal Tower at some point. There's the hanging plot point of Nero throwing away his magitek compass at the end of that story arc, only for it to detect something down below the tower.