Quoted By:
[MAYOR] "You see, the program was not limited to him. While he resides locked up in his study, other students who were encouraged to try learning the divining process of Oneiromancy have become trapped in their dreams too. Basically, this whole thing ended up putting a great deal of people into a coma they cannot recover from. Two hundred students total, about seventy more independent magical practitioners in the township as well."
'I see...'
'So, what then can you tell me about these protests?'
[MAYOR] "Well, in short, we are divided between two factions who wish for two different outcomes. On one side, we have one of the Shamans, Goessioto, who has claimed to come up with a solution to this problem. On the other side, we have... just about everybody else. Lots of student families, students themselves, the general public, and the Order Hospitallers. The Shamanic Council itself remains largely undecided and neutral on the issue. Goessioto is gaining traction however."
'And where do you stand?'
[MAYOR] "I've been convinced. I think Goessioto provides the only sensible solution at this point, and he's the only one taking initiative to try and fix it all. Everyone else just wants to... do nothing, just wait and see. But nothing's going to change. These students, they won't come out of their coma miraculously. If Eskart can't, how can they? I admit, I've been swaying the press to his side, but it's because I don't see anything else to believe in at this point. It's all polarizing, we're just infighting for no good reason. It needs to stop, before outside elements take notice... and then take advantage."
The Trinity, the Khanate... maybe even Woldoria if they noticed Eskart, the sole reason Belkinsire endures, is out of the picture now.
[JENK] "But just what is this Shaman's solution? This paper barely tells us anything."
[MAYOR] "The Arcanoactinic Process will free the students and others in the dream trance by killing Eskart, as he is the source of the Oneiromantic trance. You see, he, on his own, has projected some kind of... I'm not sure, dream realm? That is the official statement by the Shamans. Goessioto claims this process will kill Eskart but his power will remain, and then it will be the duty of the Shamans to carry on the God of Magic themselves. Once dead, those suffering the comas will awaken, Goessioto claims. So his side is in support of pulling Eskart's plug. The opposition wishes to keep him alive."
[MAYOR] "To think, all of this began because of Eskart seeking to replicate the old legends we had of prophetic visions before his advent... Well, without him to make a final decision, we have to rely on the democratic process. We have been voting on it, the whole city... The polls lie even. For the sake of everyone here, I would think we may have to resort to drastic measures."
