"It's not paranoia if it's grounded in actual, quantifiable risks," Ishiah points out, a hand raising to rub at the bridge of his nose in thought. Not many people took the time to sit through the Council records— and indeed, Ishiah often wondered why it was that no one had printed out regular pamphlets to hand over to new arrivals, everything distilled into the shortest of summaries for quick perusal. "Nightmares have come to life before on the island. People have been taken temporarily to the most trying periods of their lives. Bodies have been switched. Personalities reversed. There truly are any number of challenges that take place here."

With an exhale, he nods. "Which is precisely why I think there is something sentient responsible for the ongoings of the island. Whether you choose to call it a person, a being, or so forth, there is some force that specifically makes these decisions and knows well how to torment the people here."