The Ladies of Black Forest

[Riruru]

The air here was different than the countryside that led up to the slopes of Black Forest. The trees that were full and lively with colors in the cool Fall breeze only a few miles back are now almost completely barren in this area. The further the noisy buggy got along this desolate and winding dirt road the more dead the landscape became. The trees became more densely populated and were twisted and angled in their growths in an almost unnatural way, as if under the stiff soil their roots pushed at each other until they all lay withered and rotting. Branches cracked and snapped off occasionally in the strong winds that picked up, bringing a cold rain with it. The government vehicle Dr Anna Volgt had been picked up in was sufficiently providing ample coverage for such weather.

The driver was a steel eyed middle aged man with a rather scruffy mustache that seems overgrown due to negligence rather than in an attempt at being stylish. His swollen oversized nose takes in a whiff of air in what has to be the loudest sniffle in mankind's history. Mr. Feinr, as he introduced himself earlier, was not a very important government official but rather he simply worked for one, his sole job being to transport Dr Anna here to the institute and return for his payment before being released from his contract. It was a rather odd situation to be sure but one the man was happy to endure for the amount of money they had offered him for the job.

The man's eyebrows shoot up as he speaks to his passenger in the back seat "Look! It's already snowing in these parts! Don't know why they would want to build anything up here on the mountain... With the chill, wildlife, and whatever else is out here I would most certainly avoid being somewhere like this... I'd much rather be down near the town and them spas!" He lets out a hearty laugh and seems to be trying to strike up a conversation with the doctor to pass the time. Though he has a good point... Most of this region is perfectly hospitable and habitable. There being several old farmlands, sparse countryside hotels, and the city of Baden-Baden to the southwest mainly for tourism. Yet the institute was built as far up in the mountains as possible far away from everything and buried deep in a place that not even lumberjacks had begun to harvest. It was quite obvious that it was intentionally hidden, this fact being more probable considering Anna had never heard of it before

 

[Snowflake]

Doctor Anna Voigt, sure had a nice ring to it. Back home people often just called her Anna even after she became a licensed therapist and was on par with the rest of them. Whether it was because of her sex or because she refused to suggest more invasive procedures to her patients was a matter of no small debate among a few close friends often devolving into some odd drinking game. She hoped that here at this new location she would have a better time with her coworkers; Finally get some respect she deserves.

Anna wore a colourful jumper over a simple blue dress. Her coat was messily folded over on the seat next to her. She watched the scenery change from autumn strokes of brown and orange to dark colours of evergreen bark and then to a contrast of white snow and dark gnarled trees. The nature here was raw and untouched, it was primal in its antediluvian shapes and forms. Her wondering mind was brought back by the hearty laugh of the driver, Mr. Feinr.
She chuckled before speaking "And you are right to feel that way Mr. Feinr." She spoke in an Austrian accent. "But there are some who believe that healing of both body and mind works faster and better in areas surrounded by nature. Besides, sometimes it's good get out of the city, run away from all the noise and pollution. Crisp and thin mountain air, evergreen forests, untouched streams and brooks are all beneficial to one's health. It's why all those Dukes and Lords retire to mountain lodges and cottages when they need a break." She met the man's eyes in the rear view mirror for a few moments when he looked back. "Also I like it, this natural force that mankind hasn't claimed yet."

Sure, no one had heard of the institute she was invited to work at. That had proven to be a little suspicious at first but after verifying the official German Seal on the letter she didn't think much of it. There were always reasons to keep things hidden in the world, the least of which is because it was important. She wasn't sure what exactly was the reason for secrecy but in her mind she decided it was probably because important officials are sent there after mental breakdowns or worse. Whatever the reason for it was, she was bound to learn it upon arrival, until then she could do nothing but pass the time and enjoy the ride.
"You have a family Mr. Feinr?" She went through the usual motions of making small talk not paying too much attention to the man's answers.

 

[Riruru]

The man's face lit up as he smiled and his mouth opened into a series of excitable babbling about his family. He gabbed on an on about his 3 children, all old enough to be attending school and to help around the house. His apparently beautiful wife was a saint of cleanliness and order around the house. He even went on to talk about about his brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, his parents, nephews, nieces, and cousins... practically giving the doctor an in depth history of his entire lineage of woodcutters and laborers without having given Dr Anna much room to interject into the conversation with the blazing pace at which his gums were flapping. Still it did pass the time it takes to make the journey. Soon enough the gate came into view, the entirety of Faille Hall was visible from this angle as well, it surprisingly untouched by any snowfall and its age could be ascertained in the vegetation that had grown in hard to reach places like the roof and down the slopes of the walls



The driver almost sounds disappointed as he pulled the vehicle up to the gate and looks back to his passenger, "Well, this is the place... I would love to keep talking to you ma'am but I'm afraid I'm on a tight schedule. Wouldn't want to anger the boss you know how men of power can get!" Mr Feinr slipped out of the seat and opened the door for the doctor just before the sound of the large brass gate squealed open and Vigo the caretaker approached the duo to greet them in a rather loud, unfriendly and suspicious tone

"Who are you? What business do you have here ma'am?" This line of dialogue suggested that Dr Volgt was not expected, or at least this man had not been told about it. It was a simple mistake on the part of Director Hans to not inform Vigo of the new doctor, one that had been done due to the immense workload that had been forced upon the man upon taking on a new staff member. Still this made the current situation rather awkward and confusing for everyone involved and certainly did not make a great first impression in regards to the professionalism and welcoming nature of Faille Hall.

However this lack of communication would be helpful to another individual with the current predicament he currently faced during his drive. Private Investigator Raymond Price, a man on a mission to keep his belly full and a roof over his head. The man had received a letter and a considerable sum of money to take on the case of a missing staff member at Faille Hall. The letter was from an anonymous client within Faille Hall which narrowed down the possibilities of who sent the letter, it also meant that at least one person within the walls of the institute would be willing to help.

Still Ray had to figure out how to gain access to the place in the first place considering it was hidden in the mountains and his contact in the German government spoke of how access was restricted. Luckily the man still gave him the information Raymond needed in order to locate the road to the place and unknowingly provided him an idea of how to gain entry. Posing as a German government employee of some sort would certainly buy him some time to investigate. Right now though Raymond had to deal with the sudden blizzard that had picked up on the road to Faille Hall. Snow had come out of nowhere where before the path was green and lively with nature. Harsh winds made the vehicle slide and sway on the slippery roads and all the trees seemed to be completely dead and falling apart in the violent winds

 

[Snowflake]

Stepping out of the warmth of the automobile Anna promptly put on her coat. She gave her driver a curt nod as he opened the door for her. Despite the long and arduous family history he was a gentleman and it counted for something. Sure, Anna hoped she would receive a warm reception at the new institute given they asked for her by name, but she did not expect the doorman to not even know she was coming. Perhaps it was as simple as them not having her picture, either way the arrival could've been smoother.

"I'm Dr. Voigt, I was told my expertise is needed. You should know this however..." She frowned for a bit before turning to her driver. "Ah, Mr. Feinr, this isn't your problem, I'm sorry, can you just help me get my bags from the trunk and you can be on your way. I'm sure this misunderstanding will be cleared in a minute." She walked over to the back to take her luggage out. It was a single suitcase on wheels and a duffle bag with a shoulder strap. When she retrieved her bags she shook Mr. Feinr's hand and wished him a good day beginning to dig through her duffle bag right away. "I should have the letter of invitation somewhere in here-" She said digging through the mess of notes, books, notebooks and a bunch other office supplies hastily tossed into a bag at some point. "-It has the Director's Signature as well as the official government seal."

Sure enough, she managed to produce the badly folded and wrinkled piece of paper that was at some point a very professional looking piece of documentation. She handed it to the dark clothed man without much consideration. "If you're still unsure I'm sure there is someone who knows I'm coming and is expecting me. The letter demanded my immediate presence so I assumed it was a bit urgent. I suppose it wasn't as serious as I thought." She smiled politely and waited on the man to either leave to check or let her in. One thing was sure, she wasn't going back.

 

[iiSaralaxyii]

Raymond Price
Bryce Fox played on the speakers of the old car, filling in the silence around the ever so quiet Raymond. Despite his seemingly calm demeanor, the man's head was filled with many different thoughts which all danced around his head at once to the music. His attention was only half on the road, keeping only aware of its twists and turns so he didn't go off the beaten path. His thoughts were mainly about Faille Hill and the mysteries which surrounded it, such as the staff all being declared as dead and the location of it being unknown to pretty much everyone. So much so that he had to use his connections in the government to get an address. The file he had conducted so far laid within his suitcase, though there wasn't much to say about it. There was a single page on the report so far which didn't help Raymond's case. He knew only of what these people had done in the years before they were marked as deceased, he knew nothing of what they did at this institution of theirs, and was all around unprepared. His head spun with all the possibilities of what was going on.

The sudden sliding of the car jerked Raymond from his mind, suddenly fully aware and on the alert. Without a single thought, he pumped the brake and turned the wheel to the left, making the car pull a 180 before he hit the gas again and made a full turn, smoothly pulling back onto the road. Raymond checked his rearview window, scanning behind him, instinctively looking for a trace of human life. Of course, after catching himself doing this, Raymond could only chuckle at himself."Right right, seems like these things simply stick with you the rest of your life." He muttered to himself before turning his attention fully to the road this time. Upon doing so he realized that the scenery changed from Autumn to Winter, and looking in the mirror he could see exactly where the weather changed. Freaky... He thought, setting his sights once again on what was ahead. There is was.

Faille Hill, a rather large building which seemed to have been built into the mountain. Perhaps that was the intent. There stood a large gate at the entrance with..."I wonder who she is..." Raymond whispered under his breath, simply voicing one of many thoughts. A woman stood before a rather grumpy looking man with a not-so-appealing look on his face. Raymond pulled the car to a stop and got out, approaching the odd pair with a friendly smile. "Good day my lady," He turned to look at the man "sir. Rather cold isn't it?" He asked, deciding small talk was a much better approach than to ask what they were doing. His smile did not waver, nor did his eyes. Shoving his hands into his sweater, Raymond played with his wallet which laid there, holding his fake ID inside. As usual, he had weighed every possibility of ways to get inside and decided that a fake identity was his best bet. Better safe than sorry after all. The ID gave him a cover and would allow him access to most of everything, if not all. Thank youuu Fatherrrr. He thought to himself, as the idea came to him when thinking back to his Fathers work and how he did things. A genius that man was, at least to Raymond.

 

[Riruru]

Mr Feinr smiles and dips his head respectfully to both Anna and Vigo as they have their confrontation. The polite driver of course helped the doctor to unload her belongings from the rear of the vehicle before he hops into his car hesitantly. He wanted to pull await but his mind kept him in place, watching what transpired next. Vigo was full of skepticism at first, him silently awaiting proof of who she was and why she was here though he had begun to guess she must be Dr Freida's replacement. Once she provided him with the letter he wrinkles his nose at how poorly it has been cared for, him snatching it from her and acknowledging the signature and the German seal. He answers grumpily and pretty much chastises Dr Voigt for her care of such an important document

"I trust you take more care with your patients than your paperwork doctor. Come follow me and I'll-" his words catch in his throat and his dark eyes narrow at the sound of an approaching car, it coming into view and promptly parking not far from the other vehicle. The man approached and spoke casually to them, cordial even... as if he wasn't trespassing. Vigo shakes his head at the man's words and gives the man a hard glance "No... I think the air is rather nice. Now who are you and what do you want? It is rare we ever have visitors, much less two unannounced guests. Doctor Hans is certainly at the top of his game in running this place it would seem..."

The heavy Russian accent and abundant sarcasm color his words. The man is clearly not pleased though he has already pretty much acknowledged Anna's belonging here, he has little patience to question another visitor and is likely to simply accept any story that is tossed at him. The way he figures it, if the man doesn't belong here then the Director will know about it and deal with it accordingly. That being said Vigo is still putting on the farce of a serious employee in charge of security. This is actually the most he has ever had to do in terms of security since he was assigned to Faille Hall. It's remote location and odd weather doing most of his work for him.

Raymond's sharp eyes can tell the bulge in the main's waistcoat is roughly the size and shape of a small firearm, likely a revolver of some kind, the fact that the security guard is so nicely dressed and carrying a likely loaded gun means that he is paid very well to keep trespassers out. Whether or not he has ever shot someone or if he is willing to now is not apparent on the man's grumpy expression.

Anna however can tell from Vigo's voice that he is tired of dealing with these distractions today and he just wants this over with. His initially tense stance indicates that he was contemplating confronting this newcomer more aggressively than he did her own arrival. She can also tell Raymond is American based on his subtle accent, appearance, and certain aspects of his body language that are common in that area during this time period. Beyond that he is a mystery

 

[Snowflake]

Anna could no nothing but chuckle awkwardly at the chastising comment from the man. Even at University she was criticized for poor organizational skills. Back then she had no time to keep things neat, what little time wasn't spent working a part time job or studying was dedicated to eating and sleeping. After that when she was working her office consisted of a re-purposed broom closet with barely any space to organize. In truth she never really learned how to organize her things and instead learned how to survive within the chaos that is her environment no matter how messy it gets.

They were joined by another man who arrived in his own vehicle. She greeted him with a curt nod but remained silent as soon as the gatekeeper started. Oddly enough neither of them introduced themselves leaving Anna only to know them as Russian man and American man. And seemed like the Russian wasn't too happy with the American showing up out of nowhere. Then again he wasn't too happy with her either, especially after handing him that crumpled letter."Hey, can we get inside first. I want to unpack and get set up as soon as possible. You can figure out whether someone else was supposed to arrive as well while we're at it. I want to get out of this cold as well." She added blowing into her hands and sorta skipping in place. The change of climate did not strike her well and she did not expect to be standing out in the cold brisk mountain air.

 

[Riruru]

Vigo and Raymond's standoff was diffused by the eagerness of the doctor to get out of the mountain chill and straight to work. Something the detective was keen to jump on as an opportunity to get inside. The man frowns and nods his head in agreement "That is a great idea. I will have no problem proving to the director that I am who I say I am but let's do all that inside away from the bite of the air."

With a heavy shrug and uncaring attitude the groundskeeper moved towards the gate and gestured for the duo to follow. He had at first been a rather stone wall of a man who seemed insistent on denying every party entry to the facility, but now he seemed more irritated that he had to escort them to the director himself. He even neglected to close the large brass gate behind them in favor of moving at a brisk pace along the clifftop pathway that led to Faille Hall. The pathway was elegantly crafted and maintained enough that the intricate stonework patterns could still be made out despite the archaic origins of the manor. The mountain air whipped violently the entire walk until Vigo finally led them all to the front door and threw it open, the wind sending the door slamming into a posh window side table. The beautiful ensemble of flowers and the vases they were held in toppled to the floor and smashed violently, spewing the delicate flower decorations and water all over the shiny marble flooring

Vigo sighs and marches over to a closet to retrieve supplies to clean up the mess. The groundskeeper grumbled and pointed down the main hall to a helpful blackboard posted in the center of the hall right before the main juncture that split the home via large hallways. "Go look at the sign for directions to Dr Hans' office and everywhere else you could want to go. Hans should be down the hallway to the right, the last door on the left..." With this Vigo left the duo to find their own way in this home turned institution. It had none of the obvious makings of an asylum and all the makings of a small castle. The tough yet beautiful marble floor, the enchanting stone exterior, the warm and rich fine timber interior, and the décor was what one would expect a medieval lord to have in their home... Suits of armor, large portraits and landscape paints along the walls, etc. Still there was something that stood out even more than the appearance of this place. It was the silence... There were no cries of anguish or lunacy here, just a pure and almost unnatural silence. This was only broken by every movement that Vigo, Anna, or Raymond made...

Raymond had other ideas for what he was going to do next, him deciding to push his advantage while he still had it. He looked to the doctor and spoke in a low and subtle manner "If you are planning to meet with the director please let him know I will be looking around the place and he can come and find me if he needs to confirm my identity. I don't wish to be in this place longer than I have to so I will begin my inspection immediately"

There was a hunch in the detective's mind, an instinct really that the director would not be so keen to accept his false identity and that he would make things difficult until he could disprove his credentials. As such Raymond wished to get as much done as he could with this relative freedom he currently had... His instincts were most likely correct and would make things harder for the other man who was currently making his way to Faille Hall. A second detective who was reached out to by the very same mysterious client that had hired Raymond. Only there was one key difference in the letter that Isaac received. A single iron key with a red thread tied around it. There was no explanation for what it could be used for but it would certainly prove useful once Isaac was within Faille Hall as it served as the master key for the house, capable of unlocking any door that was an original door of the manor. Doors and locks that were newly applied would not be unlocked through its use

 

[Snowflake]

Anna grabbed the man by the wrist with a vice-like grip just before he took off. She looked him in the eyes with a stern expression on her face. "Do not disturb my patients. I don't know why an American would be conducting an inspection of a German facility... It's odd, but I'm not here to decide if you should be here or not, I'm here for the patients so take care not to disturb them." She released the grip and looked him as intently as a short lady could at a tall American. She gave him one last death glare over the rim of her glasses. With luggage in hand she followed the instructions to the director's office. The sooner the official business was dealt with the sooner would she get to meet her patients.

The manor was amazing, she enjoyed it a great deal and thought that this departure from the usual aesthetic that asylums and mental hospitals have is bound to be a step in the right direction for the mental health. Even the general silence was almost eerie despite the fact that it might work better for the patients. Sure some isolation from the city might be helpful but something to this extent might be a bit too much, well either way, Anna was glad to finally be at the trip's end and mere moments from learning why it was that she was invited here. With an innocent smile she rapped twice on the door and entered announcing herself. "Good day, Dr. Nuschwitt. I'm Dr. Voigt, my pressence was requested urgently."

 

[SolarFlare]

How does this keep happening...

It is a scenario Isaac was all too familiar with, down on cash, desperate, and all out of options. Why'd it have to be something like this? An asylum of little girls and a staff of the legally dead gave his mind plenty of fuel for paranoia. His best case scenario is that the doc just got lost somewhere and he'd just have to set him right, but he couldn't kid himself, it was never so simple. No... it smelled of foul play. Possible scenarios buzzed through his mind as he rode the rest of the way to the establishment on the motorcycle he rented at the last town to drive the remaining distance from the train station. The anonymity of the client normally wouldn't have been out of place (given the amount of nut-cases he had the pleasure of working with), but the key made him wonder what connection they had with the case. He shook his head to remain focused, he would get to the bottom of this eventually.

It wasn't long before the crumbling building loomed into view just beyond the hill. Isaac scowled at the accursed building, damned place was the spitting image of disrepair and paranormal chicanery. This was definitely the kind of place he expected from a mental institution that wasn't even on the grid. From the parked cars and fresh tracks it was clear he wasn't the first person to arrive at the facility. And the gate was left wide open... how convenient. Isaac's vehicle slowed to a crawl as he cut the engine and walked it over manually to park a small ways away from the front gate alongside the others. He stood before the open gate and took a deep breath, feeling the bite of the chilly air on his lungs. With his nerves settled for the time being he marched through the gate and approached the entrance of the building itself.

One hand was curled around the heavy, old key in his pocket, the weighty object giving him a small sense of comfort. There were people still staffed here so if he went waltzing right in the main doors he could almost guarantee there would be some stern objection in his way. He was best off to make his presence known so that he could get some primary info. Isaac had a feeling that he should keep this key a guarded secret however...

The detective knocked upon the main door of the building thrice, waiting with only mild anxiety nipping at his mind.

 

[Riruru]

Dr. Nuschwitt eagerly stood up from his desk and took a few long strides to meet Anna with a firm and professional handshake. The man was not dressed and one would expect of a doctor but he certainly looked the role of a head director. He wore a sleek blue blazer with a white undershirt and gray slacks. He also wore a tiny cross pendant around his neck, proudly displaying his christian beliefs. His steel blue eyes meet Anna's and despite how aged and almost permanantly grumpy his face appeared he was pulling off a sincere yet troubled smile. Hans broke his smile and sighed with notable relief as he released her hand, his words followed afterward

"Ah yes... welcome to Faille Hall, we have been expecting you. I was worried the weather might delay you, however I am relieved to see that it was no trouble for you. I suppose we should get the process going for you now. A room to keep your things and rest your head first, then we can discuss your patients and their... peculiarities. I'm sure by now you must be wondering why we are up here so isolated from the world in what was once someone's home. We can discuss that later, for now follow me and I will show you to your new home..."

Without waiting for a word edgewise the director turned and returned to his desk, the rushed man quickly snatched the key ring from the corner of the desk before he turned back to Anna "Does that sound like a good place to start? If you would rather discuss your patients now and find your room on your own I would of course be willing to oblige..."


The door to Faille Hall made loud thuds with every knock upon its surface, the wind howled and caused the windows to rattle violently and the door to shake slightly until the threshold was opened. A tall man of russian descent stood in the doorway, struggling to keep the door from flying inwards against the force of the wind. His eyes narrowed at the sight of this stranger, him letting out his frustrations in a growl as he spoke to the man very bluntly

"You should not be here stranger... Turn around and go back the way you came. You are the third new face to arrive and the last one to test my patience safely." Vigo was in no mood to deal with further complications today, though he would have little say in the matter. The wind was picking up even more violently and the windows now sounded as if they would shatter against the roar of the elements at this point. Almost as if he had conceded to nature itself Vigo took a step back and allowed the door to fly open, smashing into the table that was beside it. The thundering boom that came from the impact echoed throughout the building, it could be heard no matter where one was at this moment. Though no staff or patient would pay it any mind

 

[Snowflake]

"By all means, Dr. Nuschwitt, lead the way. I'm sure you can tell me at least something on the way there." She smiled gently at the older man getting out of his way to let him lead her. She would have probably let him speak had there not been a sound of loud knocking and door slamming open. "Expecting a third arrival today, Doctor? I have to admit that Inspector gentleman seemed kind of suspicious to me. You know this place seems very remote and now there's three arrivals in one day. Are we about to be snowed in and cut off from the world?" She tried to be subtle and innocent about it, but somehow she expected that something here was wrong. This place was too remote to have so many new arrivals in a matter of minutes. It was too much of a coincidence that she also caught onto the Man's American accent and that first thing he did upon entering was go as far away from the Faille Hall's director.

One thing after the other seemed stranger and stranger still. One moment you're struggling to make your voice heard and the next you're being given a warm welcome at a most remote mental health institute known or rather unknown to man. A small part of her enjoyed this new environment, this uncertainty and air of mystique. Another part wondered if everything was alright and if she was going to end up in a crossfire between two nations. That would be most unfortunate, she never romanticized war, or killing of any kind really. Doctors heal, that was what she wanted to do, if not the body then the mind and soul.

 

[SolarFlare]

Okaaay... big, burly Russian man with a bad temper, noted. Isaac would have to be careful about this, lest the man make a neat impression on his head. Luckily the bad weather seemed like a good argumentative point for the time being. He put on his best courteous smile, taking off his hat and offering the man a hand politely whiie he stepped a little farther into the doorframe. Oily charm came from his voice in spades, pulling out all the stops, " I am quite sorry for the rude interjection on my part, old sport, but you cannot expect me to leave with such a gale going on outside. It would be tough on the old conscious to send a man out like that! Besides, I'm here on official business. So I would say it's in everyone's best interest if I could be let in for the time being." He put on a winning grin, in complete contrast to the turmoil that was going on in his head.

Nothing was wrong quite yet, but if everyone here was as short tempered and stand-offish as this fellow he was in for a tough time (ignoring the tough time that was already presented to him through the addition of many other ominous variables). He figured people at asylums were supposed to be patient and understanding, considering what they'd have to be dealing with on a daily basis wot with all the crazies roaming around in their midst. Though he wasn't sure what he was expecting from a remote and desolate mansion in Germany of all places...

 

[Riruru]

The doctor's eyebrows rose in a curious fashion at the sound of the boom and Dr Voigt's words. Hans frowned deeply and listened to her talk about the inspector before he suddenly made swift strides towards the door to his office. The doctor's words were laced with worry and urgency, he was practically yelling as he made his way towards the front door

"No one is supposed to inspect this facility besides me or someone personally appointed by the medical board in the event that my own aptitude is being called into question! You are the only person I was expecting today Dr Voigt, this inspector is likely a fraud. Most likely some curious journalist hell bent on bringing the so called injustices of the medical system into the public eye. He will cause undue turmoil to our patients and most be rounded up at once! VIGO!!!!"

The doctor's shout was projected just as he turned the corner to see the Russian stand aside for Isaac with a stoic glare. Mr Vasiliev turned his head towards the director to glance at him momentarily before looking back to meet Isaac's eyes. The coldness of his eyes were sparked with what seemed like both revelation and amusement, as if someone whispered a nasty rumor in his ear about this detective. Vigo's next words come across as foreboding and almost threatening in a passive way "Come on in. The man your business is likely with is just over there shouting like the lunatics he houses. There is no going back now Mr Bejerot..."

Before Director Nuschwitt can vocalize his outrage over this trespass there is a shuffling noise made by a small girl in the center hall and a tiny voice that accompanies it. She is not dressed in the drab garbs of a typical asylum patient. No dull gray rags or a tightly bound straight jacket. No she was dressed in a simple blue flower print dress with a frilly white collar and neatly bound blonde hair. Her gaze was calm and almost bored as she played with the flower she had pinned in her hair, the voice that called out was further indication of her boredom

"Dr Wilheim never came to read me my story... I want it. Dr Nuschwitt, come tell me a story..." The air seems momentarily still as the doctor's gaze turns to the small girl standing in the middle of the hall. His eyes were wide and he almost immediately took a step back as the shock of the situation hit him. His voice betrayed his attempt at remaining calm despite the unexpected events that were taking place right now. Dr Hans managed to speak, though he seemed strangely nervous as if concealing fear or stress "W-what are you doing out of your room Lucille? How did you get out without Alice or Sarah accompanying you?"

There was the strangest sensation in the room right now for the two new arrivals to Faille Hall. There was a nauseating dizziness subtly growing upon Dr Anna and Mr Isaac. One that would stop shortly as an old woman emerged from behind the young lady, having subtly come up behind Lucille. Her wrinkled hand stretched out and across Lucille's face, covering the girl's mouth and nose with a rag. A rag obviously laced with chemicals considering how quickly the girl collapses into the old woman's arms as she picks the child up with ease... "It was that meddlesome young man roaming the halls if you must know. Poking around where he doesn't belong..."

 

[Snowflake]

Anna followed Dr. Nuschwitt closely all the while lugging her bags along. It seemed that she was supposed to be the only arrival and now there were two more. She understood the Director's reason for alarm of course, she had her suspicions about the american but she also thought him to have the barest common sense not to mess with the patients. She was wrong, and she felt guilty for it. Even if she could have done nothing, even if it wasn't her fault but that of the groundskeeper and this place's secluded nature. She couldn't help but feel the sting of regret for not grilling the man who was supposedly there to inspect the place. Now she looked towards the young girl and she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time. The feeling of vertigo coming on, like alcohol or medication suddenly kicking in. Except now wasn't the time to pass out. Breathe, Anna, breathe! Calm yourself down. She thought she was having a panic attack of some sort, that the stress of Dr. Nuschwitt was being projected on her. That the situation she was thrown in was too much pressure. Oddly enough the sensation passed as the girl was put under by an elderly woman. By the minute the situation grew stranger and stranger. What in the world...

The girl was young, probably even young enough to be her daughter. Most mental illnesses are discarded while a person is a child as their brains haven't fully developed yet. Things like imaginary friends and bursts of emotion are normal for children but not for adults. What sort of strangeness did this little thing have to have her isolated all the way out here? Who decided that she wasn't just acting like a kid and instead needed to be sent to a remote mental institute? And perhaps most importantly, why did she have to be knocked out by chloroform? Questions kept pilling upon each other giving to a mountain of uncertainty as Dr. Anna Voigt slowly recovered from her nauseating daze. "W-What's going on? Something happened... Ugh... Last I saw the American he went that way." She pointed towards the direction the man went and only then noticed the new arrival. "Umm... If no one else was supposed to be coming then what about him?" Anna asked pointing at Isaac. For an incredibly remote facility this day sure had plenty of visitors.

 

[SolarFlare]

He was just about to think up some witty quip to perhaps stop the dour man from staring at him like that, but things seemed to take a turn for the weirder. Another man was screaming about something regarding an intruder, not him from the sound of it. Who all got invited to spooky murder house today? The time he was about to use to be genuinely puzzled was soon voided by the uncanny presence of a little girl. The whole atmosphere changed at will once she entered their presence. Immediately he started to feel like his head was spinning and his guts were about to revolt against him. Isaac's face changed to an unhealthy shade as he thrust out a hand onto the wall for support. Thankfully it seemed like the feeling was already fading away, leaving him feeling shaken but with a piqued curiosity.

A shiver went down his spine as he had not introduced himself to the guardsman yet. Luckily he had another mystery unfolding before his eyes to distract him from the other disturbing revelation that was straight out of a horror flick.

The little girl was put under by the use of some shady treatment, which seemed to coincide with the sudden vertigo. He tried to think of a logical reason for that whole ordeal but he came up short, that hardly seems like it could just be simple correlation. No... this was just the tip of the iceberg. He promptly attempted to repress the words coming from the mouth of that Slavic guy and decided to address the question directed at him by a young woman that had been following the other doctor. Isaac wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled uneasily, " I don't know who this other guy is, but I'm not here for some crackpot reason. I'm the real deal, here on official business as you might guess. Trust me when I say I have no desire to go poking around in this place more than I have to..."

 

[Riruru]

Dr Hans glared at this newcomer as he mentioned his official business, something that sparked a rather frustrated exhale and a snap of his fingers... his next words were directed at Vigo as the doctor called for the man's prompt removal

"I very much doubt that. I would be aware if someone had scheduled someone to come and check up on me like some senile old man. This facility is operating as intended and until now it has been undisturbed even by pesky tourists hiking through the mountain. Mr Vasiliev please show this gentleman out will you?" The director was not taking any more chances today, there was already one stranger roaming around causing trouble. He would not risk allowing yet another unexpected factor to be introduced to this sensitive situation. Fortunately for Isaac it would appear that Vigo was on his side in a way, the man chuckles darkly and shakes his head at the director. His eyes holding such pleasure at disobeying the orders he was just given, his slick words and sly tone giving this away further

"No can do. The storm has picked up outside. Sending him out into that would be inhospitable and would surely result in his death. We aren't murderers now are we doctor?" With a rather sinister chuckle Vigo looks towards Isaac and points his thumb towards the hall as he invites him for refreshments "Come on in sir. I'm sure you could use something hot to drink and maybe some food, Rowena here makes some delicious pie"

This sets the director off in a rage that he manages to rein in after only a short fury of shouting. The man's forehead twitching as his blood pressure skyrockets in the heat of the moment "HOW DARE YOU! WHY YOU INSUBORDINATE LITTLE-!!! Tsk... Nevermind, take the man somewhere he can be comfortable for the moment. You are absolutely right about the weather I suppose however... Vigo you are not to allow this man to leave the dining area until I return to speak with him and verify his story"

Hans realizes his lack on manners in not directly speaking to the man and remedies this swiftly "My apologies for the suspicions and rudeness however right now is a rather sensitive moment for Faille Hall. It is imperative that we resolve the current issues before tackling another... Now, Rowena take Lucille back to her room and for God's sake lock the damn door again. Feel free to attend to our guest afterwards... Dr Voigt I want to apologize for the inconvenience however I believe that putting your belongings away may have to wait just for an hour or so. I need with you to come with me right away to deal with a patient we are having some trouble with at the moment. I am hopeful that your expertise can assist with finding a long term solution to her condition rather than just keeping the child drugged up at all times"

Vigo has no dispute with the current plan and looks to Isaac with a much more stoic expression now as he nods his head towards the western hall that leads towards the dining area. Rowena does as she is told and heads up the northern hall with Lucille over her shoulder to access the side hallway towards the patient rooms. It would appear that Director Hans can inspire his staff to do as they are told despite some of them seeming much more rebellious than others. Vigo too seems to be less hostile than he initially comes off as, given that he didn't attempt to throw Isaac back outside into the bitter cold whipping winds.

 

[Snowflake]

Anna felt a bit confused, perhaps as an aftershock of whichever thing came over her before or perhaps at the sheer social maelstrom that happened in such a short time. The drugging of the girl, arrival of another man, refusal of orders from the groundskeeper... One after another it all felt terribly chaotic; she wasn't even given time to deal with one before another turned up. She exhaled, apparently exasperated. "Yes, of course Dr. Nuschwitt, patients take priority over my comfort, but shouldn't someone take care of that man." It was clear from her disposition and demeanor that 'That Man' reffered not to Isaac but the one that showed up alongside her. In fact she seemed very angry as she said the words betraying her facade of someone who takes patients as priority. In truth it's not that she thought they weren't important, it's just that she warned the man and he still disturbed them. If he were not stopped then he could create more trouble and that would be problematic in the long run.

She left her luggage and coat by the door now dressed in her dress and sweater and a pair of long warm socks and winter boots. After readjusting her glasses she looked to the Director and inclined her head. "Lead the way, Dr. Nuschwitt." All she could do now was do what's best for her patients, she was no fighter and if the man had made an effort to come all the way here he might feel inclined not to let a tiny little doctor get in his way. Maybe if she took a sword from one of the armours around the place but... She probably couldn't even wield the thing, she was always more of a bookworm so the best she could do is give him a stern lesson and unless he was mentally unstable that would likely have no effect.

 

[SolarFlare]

God damnit

Even when things went his way it felt like it he had made an agregious error somewhere.... Probably taking this shady job in the first place.. but fuck you it was this or get lynched by my landlord, traitorous but entirely logical brain. Isaac took a mental note about the people he has met so far. Dr. Nuschwitt, main doctor of the facility and a man with a terrible temper. It's a wonder he works in a place like this with an attitude like that perhaps he should get inspected after all... Isaac couldn't pass a final judgement on him yet, but he was one of the many people here to be wary of. Rowena, who administered drastic treatment to a little girl, apparently named Lucille. Then there was this new doctor, Dr.Voigt, a girl who was just as informed about the place as he was. Given his first impressions here, he fully expected her to be the chosen sacrifice for some kind of satanic ritual, so that was another person to try and save. Finally there was Vigo... this guy is definitely some kind of cultist, or at the very least insane.

He saved Isaac for now, but he had the feeling that there were no good intentions involved in that decision. Oh yes, I'm definitely going to eat some heavily drugged pastries. That will certainly start my day off right! He followed the groundskeeper at a distance, not trusting the more laid back demeanor he was currently displaying. He thought it better not to say anymore for the time being and just take note of this places layout in the event of mansion chase hyjinks, or more sinister possibilities.

 

[Riruru]

Dr Nuschwitt of course had not intended to allow the American to continue to rampage throughout the facility, he details as much as he led Dr Voigt away from earshot of Isaac. His words coming out in a hiss of irritation "Do not fret. I will send Vigo to find the man and detain him as well as soon as I can. It would not do to send Vigo now and risk the other stranger running off to do the same... They do not know just how much danger they can create through reckless actions. These girls may be young and physically frail, however they are more dangerous than any patients you have ever had before Dr Voigt..."

The man led Anna down a hallway and stopped in front of a door near the end of the hall, facing north. There was a reinforced glass window about eye level with anyone over 5ft tall intended to allow staff to check on patients without unlocking the door. Within was a young teenager around 14-15 years old in appearance with long brown hair, and matching eyes. She had on a long-sleeve dark blue dress that was broken up by the upper body section being a dull brown. It wasn't very fancy and seemed like a secondhand item at best rather than something personal to the girl. She was seated on the edge of a large bed that was as elegant as the rest of the home, her eyes locked on the window of the door staring out at the two doctors. Just based on her rigid and tense posture as well as her fearful eyes it was apparent that she was expecting them. She clearly was not a fan of doctors though the reason for that was not yet clear.

Dr Nuschwitt clears his throat and stared at Anna with a stern and quite grim expression plaguing his face, his words carried a weight that was almost physically crushing with how on edge he was. Working with a man this overbearing and grim all the time would not be very pleasant

"This is Emily Calder, we will go in to introduce you to each other in a moment. First there is something you must know. Something that you cannot repeat to anyone outside of Faille Hall no matter what... And I ask that you take this seriously no matter how absurd it may seem at first..." Hans shifted for a moment, steeling his resolve and debating whether or not to reveal something so soon yet in the end he would do so. His words nearly a whisper as they flowed from his tightly wound lips

"These girls are inhuman. Machinations of human form capable of things no man or woman could ever do. Do not rile them up or cause unrest with your methods without the means to incapacitate them readily at hand and with one of us close by to assist. These girls have caused death or suffering to those around them where they came from. Though most of them did not intend to harm anyone and are victims of their lunacy. They are here to be cured of their sick minds and kept safely away from society until we find a way to get rid of their abnormalities or learn how to control them... Emily is a good girl, a victim of her anxiety. Something that caused her to lose her family many years ago and wind up here. Her home's foundation crumbled and the walls splintered apart, collapsing the entire cabin down on her and her parents on her 12th birthday. She survived and still wears the scars from where the wood fragments pierced her. Ms Calder also walks with a limp due to the considerable pain she still has in her left leg..."

Hans did not stop for a moment, the entire rehearsed speech having taken him all of last night to think of in preparation for this moment. Like a recording he continued, his voice no longer carried the grim and weighty chagrin like before. No he seemed hopeful now, as if he knew what he said next to be true "You can help her Dr Voigt. Help her to control her anxiety, to move past the death of her parents, and to figure out how she causes such disasters. How to prevent her from doing so again. The winds outside are not natural Anna... Emily has been suffering from the symptoms of severe depression for days now. I fear that once her birthday arrives this week she may have another episode and someone will get hurt this year..."



The sound of the two gentleman walking the western hall was the only noise for several minutes until they rounded the corner and Vigo's voice came out, though not in the fashion that one might expect. No he was singing, a Slavic fairy tale to be precise. A dark tale of a witch named Baba Yaga whose cauldron boils up the thickest strife and darkest secrets. Of course it was obvious that he was purposefully not using his native tongue so that Isaac could understand him. With his voice ringing loud and echoing through the halls it did indeed make Vigo out to be some kind of mad cultist. His song stopped as he and Isaac arrived at the dining hall doors. Vigo stepped in first to hold the door open, though his true intentions were to speak to Isaac. He was not subtle in how he approached this though he also seemed so nonchalant with his cryptic statement

"I know why you are here. You and the American. I must tell you... It is a trap. You were led here like lambs to the slaughter to bloat the belly of the darkness of Black Forest. The rest of us slowly digest here, whetting her appetite until someone comes along that she wants. The main course... And now, the stage is set and the cage in place. You cannot leave this place now. You can only endure and perhaps with my help survive. I would not trust the food or drink the old bat provides. She does not want you here... But the good doctor was prepared for this... Doctor Wilheim kept many things from the others and I, though in the end she trusted my disdain for this place enough to tell me what she intended. I must go find the other man and bring him here as well. I trust you will stay right here in this room and not venture off to snoop around the doctor's private quarters..."