Chapter 7: Dr. Dwight

[HoneyDog]

Sunday, September 15th
9 am

Miskatonic University Campus

The companions arrive at the library only to find that it is closed, and will remain so until 1 pm, when the reference stacks will be accessible.

Isadora curses in frustration, banging her hand on the door in anger.

Isadora,Lose 1 SAN for the frustration the situation causes. Isadora's nerves will begin to become much more strained.

The investigators decide to go to The Garden Café on campus for a coffee, and to consider their options until they meet with Dr. Dwight.

[Mr. Handy]

"Are you all right, Isadora?" asks Alice, concerned.

[evil_scientist]

Isadora Carmichael

Isadora is clearly not right.

At first, she doesn't even talk to Alice. She walks up to the counter, gets into a short argument, then returns with a cup of hot water. She then pours some dried herbs into it, turning the water into a tea-like herbal infusion.

After having a few sips, she calms down a little and finally answers.

"No. I'm not right. Not at all. Whatever got to Margaret... is getting to me too. Getting inside me. I used to find solace in sleeping, but this force is inside my head, inside my dreams. Something followed me all through a labyrinthine city... Like the one Margaret described in her diary."

She shrugs, and drinks more herbal tea.

"Do you still have the diary? I want to look for a detail. In my city... I mean, in my dream, there was a mask shop. Does Margaret mention anything like that?"

Isadora will try to look for this specific detail in Margaret's diary.

[HoneyDog]

The companions look again through the latter pages of Margaret’s diary. She does make reference to masked figures, although there is no mask shop. However, she describes the feeling of being followed on several occasions.

It’s her, I’m sure of it , is one entry she makes in reference to this.

[Mr. Handy]

"I was hoping removing you from the house would remove you from its...her influence," says Alice. "She's still attached to you, and the only way we'll be able to sever that attachment is to go back to the house and do something about her. We can do that now, if you like. We haven't finished exploring the house yet, and now that we've read the diary we know more."

[Starspawn338]

"I think we should meet with the Doctor first. Maybe he knows more of what Margaret was writing." Harrison offers.

[Mr. Handy]

"We can," says Alice. "I'm just worried about Isadora. The more time that goes by, the more it affects her."

[evil_scientist]

Isadora Carmichael

"We don't know enough, yet... We must try the library, if that damned wretched thing was open!!" Isadora inserts, in a surprisingly aggressive (for her) manner. She quickly sips some more herbal tea. Her hands are shaking.

OOC,I'm ready to move on to the meeting!

[HoneyDog]

Dr. Dwight's office is at 170 West Church St., across from the campus. The companions are probably glad to be moving after what has turned out to be a tense morning, filled with barely concealed anxieties. Hopefully the good doctor can provide some much needed information.

The building is filled with small offices of various physicians and dentists. Pressing the buzzer for Dr. Arnold Dwight, the companions are greeted by a deep New England accented voice asking as to their identity. They are swiftly buzzed in and make their way to the Doctor’s small but tastefully furnished office, which reflects the obvious fact that he is well-to-do.

Clad in an immaculate suit, Arnold Dwight is a smallish portly man in his early sixties, balding with a thick moustache. He regards the companions keenly from behind his spectacles. His whole manner indicates somebody who has a very serious outlook on life.

He sees to the investigators seating arrangements and after introductions are made, he addresses them all in his deep voice.

“Elizabeth asked me to talk to you, as you are acquainted with Margaret and seek some understanding of this awful event. I am grateful that you are acting in her interest in this matter.”

As he says these words, it is clear that he is deeply saddened by what has happened.

“I have some news which I should share with you” he announces. “Yesterday Margaret was found to be unfit for trial by state psychologists. Therefore she will be committed to Arkham asylum under observation until some change in her condition might be observed.”

These words obviously cause him some emotional pain. He gets up and looks out of his office window at the street below, saying nothing more.

[Mr. Handy]

"Do you think now she'll be allowed visitors?" asks Alice with some sympathy. "It must be awfully lonely for her."

[HoneyDog]

Dwight turns back from the window.

“She’s still regarded as a danger to herself and possibly to others, so visits will be restricted to medical and legal personnel. I hope to go myself as soon as possible. She is able to communicate and is aware of her surroundings. But her delusion about the phantom woman in the walls of her home continues”.

[Mr. Handy]

"Why did she remain in the house after her problems started to become evident?" asks Alice. "It was clearly having a negative effect on her. Did her husband insist that she stay there?"

[HoneyDog]

Dwight frowns and his face darkens.

“You must excuse my bluntness, but I don’t generally suffer fools, especially in our profession. To be frank, the late Dr. Thomas Hannigan has only himself to blame for his own death. No matter what anyone else advised, he took it upon himself to treat her despite his lack of expertise in psychology. Despite her gradual decline, he insisted that his course of treatment would yield results. Yes, he insisted that she stay in order to rest completely, and that undoubtedly aided her decline.”

He stops, scowling, as if to say more, but he turns to look out of the window again.

OOC,You'll need to make a Persuade roll to get him to talk more on this sensitive point.

[Mr. Handy]

"It's hard to understand why he did that," says Alice. "You look like there's something more you'd like to say. It's all right, you can tell us. I completely agree with you that Dr. Hannigan was foolish to keep Margaret in the place that was clearly causing her such distress, and I'm not offended by blunt talk."

OOC,Persuade roll (74% skill) to convince [b]Dr. Dwight[/b] to talk further: [dice]0[/dice]

[HoneyDog]

Dwight turns back and frowns again.

“I told the stubborn fool that the rest cure is, in my experience, absolute nonsense. And especially damaging in Margaret’s case. She needed to be busy, to be working, to be putting that imagination of hers to productive uses. When it has nothing to do, the mind busies itself, and with a person suffering from depression or neuroses this can be ruinous.”

His voice rises and he becomes more passionate.

“There were other options available; the talking cure, medicines, perhaps even a sanatorium with a change of surroundings where she could receive care and be away from the pressures of new motherhood. But no, Hannigan rejected all of it, because he knew best. Damn him!”

[evil_scientist]

Isadora Carmichael

Isadora shivers. The experiences Dr. Dwight is describing are too familiar to her. Isadora was lucky enough to be hospitalized in a progressive institute, where between her deep sleep therapy sessions she was allowed and encouraged to paint and draw.

At the same time, she feels a righteous anger. If Dr. Dwight has a professional angle, Isadora takes it more personally. "The idiot," she mutters when Dr. Hannigan is mentioned. It's strange to hear such strong words from the usually calm Isadora.

“She’s still regarded as a danger to herself and possibly to others, so visits will be restricted to medical and legal personnel. I hope to go myself as soon as possible. She is able to communicate and is aware of her surroundings. But her delusion about the phantom woman in the walls of her home continues”.

"We want to see her... Would we be allowed to accompany you in some quality, during your official medical visit?"

[HoneyDog]

Dwight shakes his head.

“I’m afraid that wouldn’t be possible. She still isn’t allowed visitors. I will find the professional opinion as to her condition and inform you if you wish. Perhaps it will be feasible in the near future, but you would probably need the permission of the doctor in charge, or of Margaret’s parents.”

[Starspawn338]

"Can you tell us a little more of the phantom women in the wall that she spoke about? When did this fantasy begin and did she speak much to you of it? " Harrison says. "And who is the doctor who is in charge of her now?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Have you ever been to the house yourself, Doctor?" asks Alice. "If you have, what was your impression of it?"

[HoneyDog]

Dwight looks from one to the other, and addresses Harrison's questions first.

“There are several doctors treating Margaret, but Dr. Hardstrom is senior. But as I said, you will not be allowed to see Margaret now, so please don’t try. Wait until the doctors allow it, although it may be some time.”

He looks at Alice and back at Harrison.

“I’ve only been to the house a couple of times, and there was nothing strange about it. I’ve heard that it has a reputation, which probably helped to feed Margaret’s delusions about it.”

He hesitates again.

“I’m not sure that I really want to discuss Margaret’s health.”

OOC,You will have to roll Persuade again.