[Spoiler] Alliance Raid: Deryk...

[Iscah]

Is it normal for characters on the Source to wear armor from the First? Maybe that’s the clue in itself - and not the symbols…

It's fairly common for the character designers to ignore the origins of the gear piece if it suits the look they're after. For an example running the other way, the tank quest guy in the First is wearing Alliance gear from the Ghimlyt Dark, and Matoya's Relict drops copies of Voeburtite gear from Dohn Mheg. Though if I recall correctly, the Voeburtite characters we saw in flashbacks were wearing Dravanian and Void Ark sets... and so on and back and forth.

Basically, clothes are clothes and the average Eorzean doesn't seem limited to the shops and sources we have for gameplay purposes.

[Shookbeast]

It's fairly common for the character designers to ignore the origins of the gear piece if it suits the look they're after. For an example running the other way, the tank quest guy in the First is wearing Alliance gear from the Ghimlyt Dark, and Matoya's Relict drops copies of Voeburtite gear from Dohn Mheg. Though if I recall correctly, the Voeburtite characters we saw in flashbacks were wearing Dravanian and Void Ark sets... and so on and back and forth.

Basically, clothes are clothes and the average Eorzean doesn't seem limited to the shops and sources we have for gameplay purposes.

Fair enough and thanks. It’s an odd shot though. The camera wants us to notice something. Just not sure what then if not his clothing?

[kaynide]

My running theory is either

A) He's (and the gods) are Venat's Backup Plan, created by Hydaelyn in the event of her falling. They use creation magic much like the rabbits.

B) He's an ancient; The Oppo is his familiar. Possibly Ascian..but I wouldn't commit to that.

C) And also possibly Oschon

D) Alternatively, they are all familiars of Venat or other ancients; they're actually the minion/animals going around, but can "become" god like, much like the creatures such as Byakko.

[Cleretic]

Fair enough and thanks. It’s an odd shot though. The camera wants us to notice something. Just not sure what then if not his clothing?

Probably his hands, and the fact he's a little anxious. This is just before he leaves because he's not as comfortable in a crowd as the rest of us.

[Iscah]

Fair enough and thanks. It’s an odd shot though. The camera wants us to notice something. Just not sure what then if not his clothing?

It just looks like an arty shot to me. A little more tense than just the usual talking heads.

Probably his hands, and the fact he's a little anxious. This is just before he leaves because he's not as comfortable in a crowd as the rest of us.

Probably this, yes.

[sidurgu-12]

Fair enough and thanks. It’s an odd shot though. The camera wants us to notice something. Just not sure what then if not his clothing?

i think theyre meant to be similar to the fist clenching scenes. as in, he doesn't feel comfortable surrounded by allies so he clenches his hands.

[Shookbeast]

I suppose we’ll have to wait and see then. I do find that shot suspicious. It could be just a shot to express Deryk’s emotional state - but it would be interesting if it conveyed something more. If it does turn out to be a plot point that he’s wearing Ronkan armor - that could lead to some revealing story beats - especially for Y’shtola.

[Denishia]

The use of gearsets for NPCs without regard to lore drives me crazy at times, so I'm reading nothing into the Ronkan gear. (Am I still extremely bitter that the flashbacks to Voeburt show NONE of the characters in the gorgeous Voeburtine gear, especially as a Roe player who had been craving a Landsknecht or Reslaufer aesthetic and was over the moon to have a nation-state that would have fulfilled all my dreams? yes, yes I am).

[SannaR]

I took a look at the Astrologian cards and the Arrow depicts Oschon and dude has similar hair to the one in that picture. Thaliak is the dude on the Ewer. Also Althyk is supposed to be wielding a mythril greataxe and Dreyk doesn't look like he could even lift one let alone wield one.

[iphiastos]

I do want to lay down one thing that I hope will happen as we learn the true identities of all these mysteriously intelligent animals: That the shoebill will be none of them. Additional dialog will reveal that the shoebill is just a shoebill, it's just a normal-ass animal that likes staring at people sometimes.

Because the best possible thing they could reveal about the shoebill given everyone's theories is to say that we were making a big deal out of just a normal bird.

I'm pretty sure the Shoebill is/was Emet-Selch's Familiar no? It would explain why it followed us throughout Shadowbringers, and why it appeared in Elpis just after we did. We first see it there after we go off with Meteion when he's meeting with Hermes. It would be very on brand for Emet to keep an eye on us, considering he is technically responsible for allowing us into Elpis at that point.

Or was this debunked somewhere that I missed?