video

[strength_of_will]

[ A tired but otherwise hale William appears on the video feed today. ]

Hello, everyone. Thank you again to those who helped fight the octopus a little while ago. I hope you're all recovering well. Since the recent disaster is no doubt keeping our clinic busy, please don't be afraid to visit me at the church. I can ease the symptoms of most common sicknesses and cure minor ailments. All I ask in return is a small donation to help maintain the church. It doesn't have to be coin - only whatever you feel you can spare.

[ And if someone can't afford his help, well, that's fine. He won't withhold treatment. ]

I'm also letting you all know that I'm hoping to have our compiled questions presented to the Council soon. Whether we'll get any worthwhile answers, I don't know. But I'll be sure to share whatever answers we do get when they come.

[ He starts to reach forward to end the video but then abruptly remembers something. ]

Oh! If anyone is willing to help provide food for the people of Rumpitur while they're under house arrest, I would greatly appreciate it. It will take a while for their fields to recover.

Comments

[strength_of_will]

Um...

[ He runs a hand through his hair, trying to think. ]

So, it's as though he's a ghost. You know what a ghost is, right? They don't have a physical form but they might look like the people they were in life. But in this case, it isn't that they're dead. They're 'ghosts' in the sense that they don't actually exist. We just think they do.

[snowslip]

How can that be? I saw him pick up papers.

[ A ghost couldn't have. He looked as if he possessed a solid form. ]

Do you mean the councilman was an elaborate illusion?

[strength_of_will]

Sort of... I'm not sure what's going on, but if you're absolutely sure about what you saw then the councilman is either not real or is hidden somewhere and is just sending out a projection of himself. We still don't fully understand the native magic of this place so I can't speak with any certainty.

I don't suppose you ever touched him? Like brushed his sleeve or shook his hand?

[snowslip]

No, I didn't come in contact with him. He looked to be busy with work. If it was some kind of spell malfunctioning, he didn't appear to notice.

[ She knew of spells that could disguise someone, but that was dark magic indeed. ]

[strength_of_will]

Hmm...

[ Without being able to touch the guy during one of those lapses, William doesn't want to assume the worst. It would be easy to let this paranoia eat away at him. ]

I'll try and meet him and see for myself. I have to report for sentencing sooner or later. Try not to tell everyone else just yet - I don't want them to come to the wrong conclusion and stir up a frenzy.

[snowslip]

Alright.

[ Marianne nods solemnly. She wasn't planning on telling many people, not when she's unsure of what it means. She only wants to make sense of what she saw. ]

It would be good to get a second account. I could be wrong.