hadriel | 001 [Video] | Forward-dated to midday the 24th

[Well, it's definitely been an interesting two weeks.

Too interesting, maybe, because after two weeks he's learned a little about a lot of things regarding this place, but not nearly enough on any one subject. Most information comes from individual sources too, with little to no corroboration from others, making it less reliable.

And then there's the people themselves.

So, being no stranger to the internet, he decided to try out making a post on Hadriel's network. Figuring out how to do it isn't too difficult, especially since he's already spoken to Will over video--that was certainly a thing--and so he's soon broadcasting from the spare room in the apartment he claimed; it's not particularly decorated yet, mostly because he can't move or lift anything heavy at the moment, but it'll get there.

He offers a small, genuine smile to the camera as the video starts, and to those that met him on the first day he looks a lot better now, still a bit bruised but bright-eyed and not nearly as pale. He's also found a new suit--or a few of them, actually, thanks to the whole ball thing--and so appears more put together, even if the way he talks doesn't necessarily match his appearance.]

So um, hi everyone. My name's Lance, and I just got here a few weeks ago.

[He'd debated for a bit with himself about how formally to introduce himself and decided to with the most casual for a few reasons.]

You all probably get this a lot, but I have a few specific questions I was hoping to get different takes on. I read the guide for new arrivals and several people here have been really helpful in explaining things, but the more perspectives the better.

[Although he can't directly ask some of the things he's most interested in, answers from enough people about other subjects might tell him something. However, on that note--]

Before I start, though, I feel like I should be upfront with the fact that I'm a psychologist. I know not everyone is comfortable talking to psychologists or psychiatrists or any other mental health professionals, so full disclosure.

That said, I'm just as lost being here as anyone else was when they first got here. I mean, I can't exactly psychoanalyze my way out of a cave in another dimension.

[Not that he thinks that's actually what's going on, but that's an issue for another time. Point is that sure, he fully intends to read into people's answers and pick up as much of what they're not saying as what they are, but that's no reason not to answer his questions. He does genuinely need the help and insight.]

So I guess my first question is what exactly is 'normal' here. I've heard that a lot of occurrences that have happened in the past were difficult or outright dangerous, but few specifics on anything that's happened so far or what can be done to manage the situations that arise.

I'm also interested in what people do in this place when something specific isn't happening.

[Aka he feels like boredom might become a problem, and boredom is the last thing he wants to deal with at the moment.]

The last thing is about the supposed Door that brought us here. I've heard there's certain criteria for who it brings through, but does anyone know anything more about that?

[Because he's not taking Will's word for it alone, that's for sure. Also, ow. That's more talking in one short span of time that he probably should've done, so he'll just end things there.]

[[ooc: I have a permissions post up here for Lance's shrinky psychologist analyzings, so anyone willing to fill it out would help me a lot! ♥]]

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Interesting. One might think that the gods have concocted some plan to bring many psychiatrists and psychologists to this place. My name is Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and I myself am a psychiatrist, and we have yet another colleague here in Dr. Lee Rosen. We both see patients at the clinic, if you would like to join us.

[Oh, so this is the Dr. Lecter that Lee had mentioned. Excellent; he'd been wanting to meet him but thought calling him out of the blue would be a little strange.]

It's nice to meet you, Dr. Lecter. I met Dr. Rosen when I first arrived, and he told me that the two of you had been working on setting up a practice here.

[As for seeing patients at the clinic--]

I'd like to help in any way I can.

A pleasure to meet you as well. May I ask if you have any particular specialties?

[That's a little difficult to answer, actually; his attention's been shifted so much to criminal profiling as of late that he hasn't developed much of a specialty on the therapeutic side of things yet, or at least not one he feels comfortable claiming. But there are some areas he has more experience in than others, so--]

I mainly focus on resolving interpersonal issues, but because I work primarily with FBI agents I have a lot of experience with trauma counseling as well. My doctorates are in clinical psychology and behavioral analysis.

[Oh really? Hannibal wonders from what time and what universe this man has come, specifically whether he knows of Hannibal, and specifically of his crimes. The fact that he did not seem to recognize the name was a good sign.]

Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice would say. I myself work with FBI agents, and have served as a behavioral analysis consultant for a number of investigations.

[Huh. This is definitely an odd coincidence, made odder by that he knows Will has also had dealings with the FBI. It does seem to be an over-representation at this point, especially for being a somewhat rare profession.]

That's actually what my primary focus has been lately; my coworker and I partner with a forensic anthropologist and her team during murder investigations.

[Ah, forensic anthropologists. Hannibal thinks of the team that worked for Jack Crawford, and wondered idly what they were up to. Minus Beverly Katz, of course, who he sadly had to kill.]

It sounds like you were in a more central position than I. They would involve me in particularly difficult and unusual cases. I have worked quite a bit with a special agent who is actually here in Hadriel.

[Don't murder the nerds geez they have enough problems already.]

There's another special agent here? And you knew them from before you arrived?

[He's heard of people being here who knew each other before arriving but not a lot of specifics on that, and there potentially being another agent here is yet another unexpected coincidence.]

[He caught her snooping in his house. In his basement, in fact. Where he kept his meat. He deeply regretted having to kill her, but it couldn't be helped.]

Indeed. He was here when I arrived, which was exceptionally fortuitous for me, and hopefully for him.

[Well okay, but still. 8(]

Do you mind me asking who?

[Normally he'd just ask outright but he doesn't particularly want to annoy someone he might end up working with, at least not without good reason.]

Certainly.

[It's not a secret. And Hadriel is a small place.]

His name is Will.

[...Ah. Alright, it's Will again; he remembers that Will said he was hired as a special agent, but then the discussion about what exactly his job was had kind of muddled the impression that Lance had gotten of what exactly that meant. Not to mention what Maketh had told him.

Of course it's not like Lance has been totally clear with people about his own position at the FBI either, so maybe he shouldn't be judging.

He also remembers Will telling him that a colleague had shown up in Hadriel recently, so he was probably talking about Dr. Lecter. At least some things are connecting.]

Oh; we've spoken.

[He keeps the 'I'm pretty sure he doesn't like me' to himself, but it's probably easy enough to read.]

If you and he knew each other before, at least that makes the coincidence of professions a little less suspect.

[As far as who arrives and who doesn't; it'd be even weirder if they were all complete strangers.]

Perhaps. It is, of course, possible that we are all here merely by chance. With that said, there are few situations when the term "hand of god" may be quite so literal.

[Hannibal picks up on the implication that Will might not have come off all that friendly. He's not surprised. Will, like many people who are neuroatypical, can come off as abrasive and abrupt. Still, he would have to ask Will about his interaction with this man.]

[He's generally not too bothered by that sort of thing, both from being a psychologist and from having Brennan as a close friend, but he's pretty sure the dislike was too pointed and direct to be from bluntness or lack of social niceties.

Still it's not like he's owed being liked, so he's not holding that against Will; his only real concerns at the moment are figuring out who is and isn't suspicious or trustworthy in this place, and that's still in question with Will. And pretty much everyone else so far too, to be fair.

As for what Hannibal says--]

What do you think of that whole explanation? About the gods, and why we're here?

[Lance is not at all convinced, and that's probably apparent enough in his tone.]

[Hannibal has been pondering this question himself, about the true nature of their hosts.]

They call themselves gods. I'll admit that I am somewhat doubtful of the appropriateness of that designation. They are clearly able to affect our emotions. However, I have met people here with abilities that are comparable.

[He agrees with all of that; even taking the explanations about this place at face value, that doesn't necessarily mean that the gods are what they claim to be.

But the last part of what Hannibal said really is what catches his attention.]

What do you mean, about people with abilities?

[In the context of affecting emotions. There's a lot of things that could mean, both about the people here and the gods, but he doesn't want to jump to conclusions yet.]

001 [Video] | Forward-dated to midday the 24th

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