What's the point with that quite lackluster story in Endwalker?

[Lauront]

Here's my dumb "theory": the Twelve are just toy puppet-constructs made by Hydaelyn based off the memories of the 12 who became her magical skinsuit in order to teach the cavemen sundered how to human. They were placed back into their toybox soon after, but something went wrong and they are awake, I guess. There will probably be nothing about the Convocation's early attempts to work with humanity, as Emet said in 5.0. The 'epilogue of the Hydaelyn and Hydaelyn and Hydaelyn and also guest starring Zodiark from Devil May Cry I guess saga' part has me pessismistic, though I'm sure I will be wrong and I will consume my shortpants.

Anyway, while Nald'Thal's design looks super cool and I love how the god of crafting's halo is made of nails, I'm not a fan of the idea of just running through a gauntlet of the Eorzean pantheon that has been in the background of the lore for a decade and casually just slaughtering them one-by-one before heading back home for burgers and coffee.

I'm still clinging to my headcanon that they're an approximation of the Convocation surviving in mortal memory, until it gets proven wrong. I had thought that the way the 1UE is described could potentially fit the Convocation trying to measure man, and it'd fit as well if they were gradually "ascended" into their roles to mirror the gradual emergence of the gods, but not sure if that's more "wow I didn't know people noticed all that..."

Nald'thal's statues at least looked like they resembled Hades's transformed form and the deity shared some aspects with him, and Azeyma is reminiscent of Venat seeing as she used fans as a DPS, so we'll see if anything comes of it. But I could see your theory panning out as well.