The Lantern Oil Crisis of 2021, A Thesis
by [REDACTED]
As some of you may well know, there has recently been a shortage of lantern oil in Sornieth.
In this essay, I will explore some of the root causes of this problem.
PART 1: EARLY USAGE
The first instance of this oil appearing is, of course, the TourmalineArchives(see 1a), where the Arcanist opts for the use of lanterns to guide patrons through the library, in more ways than one. There have been many records of the lanterns literally breaking free from their housings and floating down the halls, bringing patrons with them in a magic-induced state.
PART 2: OBSERVED PHENOMENA
The Astrolodome(see 2a) is one of the most innovative places in the Starfall Isles, with dragons coming from all over hoping to make their mark on the world. It is here that the idea of magic for recreational use was first conceived, drawing its inspiration from(you guessed it) the Tourmaline Archives.
The Cinderslag(see 2b) was, to my surprise, one of the most helpful sources in my quest for the truth. It was on the outskirts of this town that lanterns using fire as a source of light were first produced. This is interesting, as lantern production in the Astrolodome, Cinderslag, and later the Daylight Sanctum(see 2c) seem to be completely independent, and unrelated in anything other than primary function.
PART 3: CURRENT USAGE
The Dustcarve anomaly(see 3a) in Dragonhome is particularly interesting because according to my tests, it doesn't seem to actually exist. No records of 'Velya', 'Tetra', or 'Armik' came up on any databases we searched. I went a few steps deeper, but I found nothing.
However, there was one ancient recording of a dragon widely believed to be a Nocturne with colors similar to those of 'Velya', but that recording began smoking as soon as I started playing the tape, and switched to a recording of red eyes staring from the dark at a shaky handheld camera. We turned the recording off, and filed an incident report with management. Further inquiries into the source of the tape yielded no information.
Upon interviewing a few active participants in the collecting of materials to aid the anomaly, I discovered that the goals for all materials beside Lantern Oil had been fulfilled, leaving only the lantern oil incomplete. Interesting, as oil hasn't been used to light lanterns in hundreds, if not thousands of years...
My reasearch was unsatisfactory. I must get to the bottom of this. I must...
SUMMARY:
[REDACTED]'s research was inconclusive. She disappeared a few days after this essay was complete, saying she had to get to the bottom of the story. To the friends and family of [REDACTED], we strongly advise you not to go after her.
Inis vitae sed non amoris
