The citizens and livestock, etc., of Oska are still around, they're just trapped in plain sight. They're magically concealed in the trees, the air, the water, the walls, and even particular objects. Whatever the case may be, the inhabitants of ALASTAIR's base are capable of magic, some of it particularly associated with the elements. That message the recruits received on their communicators when they arrived is telling the actual truth; they are trapped, and they can't be freed whether it's because of something keeping them trapped or that they still have to stay trapped out of necessity (like a dangerous enemy would attack them if they reappeared).
Some big bad—maybe like a force of enemies, or gods?—initiated an attack on the people. Part of the assault was setting off a volcano too early/something threatening involving a volcano. There may have been a particular culprit or culprits who set everything in motion from the inside. The attack may have taken place at a really bad time for the Oska residents to defend themselves, because they were otherwise occupied or for another reason.
Whoever played a key role in leading the attack read up on information in the library to form their plans. Maybe he or she is a citizen of Oska who's just naturally magically gifted and far enhanced that power? Maybe even other ALASTAIR recruits returning to the base are to blame, and they gained so much power and magic over time that eventually they were "as gods". Maybe the culprit was someone so celebrated and appreciated by the people of Oska that they didn't expect any wrongdoing on his or her behalf. So, the culprit (or culprits) arrive, they're celebrated, stuff goes down, everything becomes terrible.
A key culprit (the main culprit?? or the group of enemies altogether, if there were multiple) was locked up, and the dungeons are relatively intact because of him or her—either through his or her power or because keeping their prison intact is important for having the current recruits deal with the threat. This might be what is meant in the message on the communicators by them being "still here", they're purposefully placed in a scenario where recruits would be likely to question them instead of kill them, etc.
The instigator of the attack is still in the dungeons?? Possibly?
There may be a personal story at play re: the puzzles. Like something involving jealousy, or revenge, retaliation, love, thirst... As one probably really lame idea that occurred to me, the culprit had some personal drama going on with other people in Oska and that's what started everything.
I think the weather events can be associated with the volcano.
Also maybe this is all a demo by ALASTAIR like it was said above, and for solving the puzzles/surviving everyone is going to be rewarded with a giant Valentine's celebration because lbr ALASTAIR knows how their recruits roll
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The citizens and livestock, etc., of Oska are still around, they're just trapped in plain sight. They're magically concealed in the trees, the air, the water, the walls, and even particular objects. Whatever the case may be, the inhabitants of ALASTAIR's base are capable of magic, some of it particularly associated with the elements. That message the recruits received on their communicators when they arrived is telling the actual truth; they are trapped, and they can't be freed whether it's because of something keeping them trapped or that they still have to stay trapped out of necessity (like a dangerous enemy would attack them if they reappeared).
Some big bad—maybe like a force of enemies, or gods?—initiated an attack on the people. Part of the assault was setting off a volcano too early/something threatening involving a volcano. There may have been a particular culprit or culprits who set everything in motion from the inside. The attack may have taken place at a really bad time for the Oska residents to defend themselves, because they were otherwise occupied or for another reason.
Whoever played a key role in leading the attack read up on information in the library to form their plans. Maybe he or she is a citizen of Oska who's just naturally magically gifted and far enhanced that power? Maybe even other ALASTAIR recruits returning to the base are to blame, and they gained so much power and magic over time that eventually they were "as gods". Maybe the culprit was someone so celebrated and appreciated by the people of Oska that they didn't expect any wrongdoing on his or her behalf. So, the culprit (or culprits) arrive, they're celebrated, stuff goes down, everything becomes terrible.
A key culprit (the main culprit?? or the group of enemies altogether, if there were multiple) was locked up, and the dungeons are relatively intact because of him or her—either through his or her power or because keeping their prison intact is important for having the current recruits deal with the threat. This might be what is meant in the message on the communicators by them being "still here", they're purposefully placed in a scenario where recruits would be likely to question them instead of kill them, etc.
The instigator of the attack is still in the dungeons?? Possibly?
There may be a personal story at play re: the puzzles. Like something involving jealousy, or revenge, retaliation, love,
thirst... As one probably really lame idea that occurred to me, the culprit had some personal drama going on with other people in Oska and that's what started everything.I think the weather events can be associated with the volcano.
Also maybe this is all a demo by ALASTAIR like it was said above, and for solving the puzzles/surviving everyone is going to be rewarded with a giant Valentine's celebration because lbr ALASTAIR knows how their recruits roll