trying to use tumblr again bc honestly it still has the best tagging system and organization for ref materials but most the blogs i followed aren't really active anymore. :/
A series of observations on Sharlayan dress and colour.
I find the variations of the Shire sets worn by Sharlayan scholars and researchers presented in Old Sharlayan and Labyrinthos to be fascinating, so I thought I'd put together my thoughts and findings! This will be an image heavy post to contain all of the screenshot references so I will place the majority of it below a cut. We're in for a ride.
My general point here is that the colour theming of Sharlayan outfits are a uniform which denotes one's specialty or field of study. What follows are what I would consider to be confirmed lines of work/study. Let's start off with likely the most familiar colour variant, which I will call:
Aetherite Nerds - Cactuar Green
We're familiar with these vibrant green specialists for their assistance reaching Thavnair via their experimental unattuned aetherite in the Confluence, but there are a couple more hanging out in the Archon's Den area.
Up next, another familiar sight from the Studium:
The Faculty (Materials Nerds) - Canary Yellow
You may have noticed these banana friends at the scrip exchange, but their primary interests seem to be with the procurement of specialized materials and supporting the material needs of the Studium at large as displayed with Qih's introduction to Studium DoH/DoL quests and Edithe's efforts to to inform us on hunt targets as a Gleaner ourselves.
Our next subjects are likely one of the most numerous:
Customs and Public Transit - Ice Blue
Once you've noticed them, you'll see these ones everywhere. Every lift in Labyrinthos is staffed with these blue garbed officials.
Materia Nerds - Rolanberry Red
Pretty self explanatory, but at least one more with this colour can be seen as part of the random wandering NPCs in the Agora and speaks directly of Master Mutamix.
Rostra Guards - Ochu Green
Somewhat unique in the way that these two openly carry swords, they guard the entrance to the Rostra and thereby the Forum. Important job! Probably!
From here we venture into speculation, but let's start with what I think is most likely.
Preceptors - White
The white garb is fairly common, but my observations lend it to no particular study. With a stretch, we could make an assumption that because the Shire Preceptor's Coat is a healing item that is connotes some relation to healing or a medical field and reinforce this with the observation that Y'shtola's Modish attire bears clear influences from it via the style of cut and red accents. However, I believe that it's prevalence hints more to the name itself - Preceptor, defined as a teacher or instructor. Plenty of those in Sharlayan to be sure!
Logistics? - Black
These are the only two I've found with distinctly black garb, and assume they have some association with the logistics support structure around the Gleaners given their dialogue with regards to specimens and cargo.
Curmudgeons - Anamnesis Variant Teal Collar
Both of these lads are ill tempered and both wear the variant of the Shire set unique to Anamnesis. Maybe they caught some grumpy old man energy from there by fashion osmosis?
Exceptions and Unknowns
While we know from her quest that our most glorious sole Xaela representative of Sharlayan, Boragchin, is in charge of some carnivorous animals in Labyrinthos with her unique Void Blue (I think), there are several other colours that give no clear indication as to their field.
It is quite likely that I may have missed some that would clarify these chromatic aberrations or that we will see and know more in the future, but I hope this was insightful and/or helpful for your own scholar's wardrobe!
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