Won't be a video essay (I'd be too nervous.) Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.
I'm very slow and want to make sure I don't miss anything while doing my research, but I'll have the first part up tomorrow.
It's fine take your time don't stress yourself out.
I'm glad you found something to take you mind off as a palate cleanser. I believe a happy dev is better than one that suffers for their art.
I know put your heart into this game and that's what so cool about the work so there's no need to push yourself.
Ok, then I think the whole Puppet plotline is sort of a misdirect that Leran knows or suspects about the cut strings route even when you don't go down that route.
I think he saw something or rather heard something he wasn't supposed to that's why the conversation at the start is hidden away.
I refer to this person or being as an "Old Player." They were instructions to a "New Player."
Wow! A reply from the Dev themselves!
First of all, this game is so amazing with the mysteries and characters are so cool with this arcing sense of mystery.
My headcanon is that Kaas bell around her neck is why Sylvanna truly woke up and is some type of relic in of itself. I might be wrong, but I just can't help thinking of this has meaning somehow.
Again, thank you for making such a cool game!