I agree. By the 5E books, your starting equipment comes from your class + your background. For example, your noble ranger should have
* A set of fine clothes, a signet ring, a scroll of pedigree, and a purse containing 25 gp (from noble background)
* This stuff for ranger:
(a) scale mail or (b) leather armor
(a) two shortswords or (b) two simple melee weapons
(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
A longbow and a quiver of 20 arrows
Now, there's some degree of "start as a prisoner on the ship", but it looks like the mindflayers left others their stuff, so it doesn't seem completely unreasonable.
