Dr. Austerlitz

**Dr. Charles Austerlitz** is a psychotherapist that Alan decides to seek counseling from after the events of Scarlet. He's an older male sporting a characteristic bowler hat, who speaks with patience and understanding in his voice. He does not seem to dismiss Alan's experiences or judge him as insane during the counseling session.

He is voiced by Michael Potok.

## Lust from Beyond: Scarlet (Spoilers)

Dr. Austerlitz is in fact the leader of the Scarlet Lodge, whose desire to find the Chamber of Change in Lusst'ghaa guides the actions of the Lodge.

When Alan escapes the Eden Theatre, it's by chance that he decides to get counseling from him, which leads to his swift re-capture. When Austerlitz and Rhea's efforts to use Alan falter, the Doctor simply suggests finding a new Seeing.

On the voice recorder found in Nat's hidden room there's a recording of him talking with Sabinian. Austerlitz refuses to accept Sabinian's theory that not everything connected to Lusst'ghaa must lead to a tragic, gruesome end similar to the culmination of the ritual performed at Yelverton Manor during events of Lust for Darkness. Austerlitz grows angry when Sabinian mentions Amanda and lauv'abrarc. He explains that his intention is to sever the link between this world and Lusst'ghaa, to prevent insanity caused by the opening of the portal and cultists' visits to realm of Lustful God. He mentions how Rhea, though like a daughter to him, changed into somebody he fails to recognize anymore. Even he himself, having much less exposure to Lusst'ghaa, struggles with self-control. Austerlitz states that the time of the Cult of Ecstasy is over and the Scarlet Lodge will set things right. In the end, he pressures Sabinian to declare his allegiance to this cause, which he reluctantly does.

## Lust from Beyond (Spoilers)

The 5 Scarlet Lodge sidestories give background on **Dr. Austerlitz**. His father, Maurice, thought he would inherit leadership of the Cult of Ecstasy founded by Charles's grandmother; however, as Maurice was a rather useless hedonist and Doreen wanted to groom a ruthless, inhuman monster to lead the cult, Willard Yelverton ended up inheriting leadership of the Cult. In desperation, Maurice tried to go to the police about information regarding the cult, but Willard had him killed.

Charles, unlike Maurice, was a bright and promising heir to his grandmother's legacy. He used his membership in the cult to network, as the cult had many elite academic members, and had little interest in the cult's sexual aspects or in Lusst'ghaa. Willard, however, distrusted Charles and intended to have him killed like he did his father. Lasih intervened on Charles's behalf, saying he saw Charles as a son, but Willard simply killed Lasih in front of everyone present. Realizing Lasih's granddaughter Rhea was also in danger, Charles took her and fled.

Willard would, however, eventually find them. He abducted Rhea, brought her back to the cult, and drugged her, forcing her to partake in the cult's orgies. In the events of Lust for Darkness, Rhea was one of the cultists sent to Lusst'ghaa. During this time, Charles pursued Rhea back to the cult, seeking to rescue her. By the time he reached her in Lusst'ghaa, she had been hooked up to a Lusst'ghaan pleasure machine, which was endlessly penetrating her and continually ejaculating into her body. Charles unhooked her from the machine and brought her and a handful of other cultists, all of whom were now driven insane by the pleasure they'd experienced, back to Earth. These people would become the Scarlet Lodge. Charles hopes to find the Chamber of Change and use it to heal the cultists' sanity and restore their sex drives to something normal. He also hopes to destroy all links to Lusst'ghaa, horrified by what he'd seen during his foray into the alien land.

In-game, Victor Holloway is sent to Dr. Austerlitz by his fiancée, Lily, after he rapes and hits her during their one-year anniversary. Lily claims that she found Dr. Austerlitz's details from her bandmate, Tim, whom Dr. Austerlitz helped control his obsession with foot porn. Unbeknownst to Victor, both Lily and Tim are Scarlet Lodge members, and they sent Victor to Dr. Austerlitz because Victor is a Seeing. Dr. Austerlitz forces Victor to travel to Lusst'ghaa - he sends Victor there by giving him a personal blowjob - to reclaim the Nature of Universes, which was written by his grandmother and could point him to the Chamber of Change. Victor does so, but afterward, Jonathan and Amanda manage to rescue him and bring him to the Cult of Ecstasy. Lily then pretends to be "captured" by Dr. Austerlitz, knowing Victor would rush to her rescue.

Her plan works; Victor embarks on a raid into the Eden Theatre, but is recaptured by the Lodge and forced to return to Lusst'ghaa to find the Chamber of Change. He succeeds, and when he returns, Lily, guilty over her deception to Victor, gives him his gun and the key to his cuffs. Victor kills his way out of the theatre, killing Tim in the process. During this time, Jonathan surprises Austerlitz and holds him at gunpoint. The player can choose whether to spare or kill Austerlitz. Either way, his role in the game comes to a close, as Victor's raid has struck a heavy, irrecoverable blow to the Scarlet Lodge.

## Trivia (spoilers)

* There's a poster for the "Dancing in Red" play in his office visible during Alan's counselling cutscenes, foreshadowing the Therapist's connection to Scarlet Lodge.

## Notes (spoilers)

* Given his name and leadership of the Scarlet Lodge, it is safe assume that Lodge correspondence found in the Eden Theatre, signed "C.A." are from Dr. Austerlitz.
* His name "Austerlitz" was the cause of much fan speculation, given that Doreen Austerlitz helped Benedict Yelverton found the Cult of Ecstasy. Given Dr. Austerlitz's knowledge of Lusst'ghaa, a connection between th e two seemed likely. It was confirmed in Lust from Beyond that he is Doreen's grandson.