Deryk's first memories are of the decks of The Unsurmountable, a hulking pirate ship ruthlessly - but wisely - commanded by his own mother, Lacey Hearthnest, better known to port dwellers as Lady Ripthroat.Young Deryk served obediently on board for a few cycles.
Once he was twelve, though, his mother knew that couldn't keep on forever. See, once Limsa Lominsa banned piracy, most privateers opted to join the Maelstrom and serve the city through more legal means. Not so Lady Ripthroat's Unsurmountable and her crew.
She, however, had the ever questionable vision to send her son to the Arcanists' Guild in the city, having been impressed by his inquisitive nature - and disappointed by his physical feats.While at first wishing to rejoin his mother on the ship, Deryk was quick to take a liking to the arcane arts.Still, that didn't quite stop his inquisitive and curious nature. As a teenager, Deryk spent much of his time on the streets of Limsa Lominsa and at the docks, watching ships go by.
There, he befriended many of the other street urchins. Most notable, his would-be best friend Jaq, and Mizuki, a sailing and sharp-toothed miqo'te that came to port often.The young midlander was put to work in the Guild's archive where he acquired his love for learning and researching.
The boy practiced long and hard, and eventually took the chance to take on the knowledge of Allagan summoners when they became more prolific.Having left the Guild in order to do research in the field, Deryk finds himself a member of Amber Alyssum, a free company that hopes to work for the overall good of Eorzea - or a sizable enough amount of gil. He employs his research and experimentation in order to facilitate work and aid his companions, and can often be found in his own studium or the massive library at the free company's estate.
Not long after joining the company does Deryk start seeing its members as family. The fact that he happens to come across a long-lost friend from his childhood, Jaq, only makes the transition easier!Within Amber, the scholar quickly climbs the ranks and becomes one of the officers. Additionally, he even manages to get in a serious romantic relationship with one of its members, and even (sort of, kind of) becomes a parent.
Eventually, the scholar's research takes on a particular path: Aetherology. In particular, he hopes to achieve new ways to contain and transmit aether in order to aid individuals with aether leaks and other aether-related conditions. His hypothesis is that certain artifacts can be crafted to help with such things, to compensate the lack of aethereal conduits in one's body with an artificial version.But a cycle after leaving the Arcanists' Guild, the Midlander cannot help but be proud of how he's grown.
Nowadays, he finds himself with a delightful, loving family with children included. That and the friends he's made along the way! Deryk quite loves being in such a fulfilled position, and has dedicated himself of late to trying to help those he loves.And yet, this is not the end to struggles and troubles. There's much yet unsolved about his past, and many more things to face in the coming future.