Deadly Snowstorm

**Deadly Snowstorm** is the first chapter of Part 1 of Murder in the Alps, and the first chapter overall.

## Synopsis

Hotel Reger is a quiet hotel nestled deep in the Swiss Alps. No one would suspect that it could be a place of bizarre goings-on. The story begins, just as one of the guests has gone missing, and shortly afterwards other strange events start to unfold.

## Plot

### December 3, 1932

#### Arrival

In the midst of a strong snowstorm, Anna arrives at the Hotel Reger, where Otto greets her at the entrance and invites her for some tea at the dining hall. Here, we learn Anna is a journalist in Zurich and has a passion for crime. Otto then requests for her help regarding some strange things happening in the Hotel: the recurring disappearance of the hotel keys and a photo album; the latter having taken place the day prior. Otto brings her to the reception, where yet another hotel key goes missing. Anna promptly finds the missing hotel key in the reception area and returns it to Otto. Otto then mentions that he could use her help in finding two more objects - the top hat and umbrella of Mr. Petersen, a "very wealthy guest from Munich" - at the front yard and gate of the hotel. Upon returning these objects, Anna decides to look around the hotel, while Otto retires for the night. She spends her time playing a round of solitaire in the fireplace room and looking for the photo album in the hall. The photo album, once in her possession, was found to have some photos torn out. Anna decides as well to retire to her room - room number 5 in the 2nd floor.

### December 4, 1932

#### Meeting the Other Guests

Having woken up at a much later time and collecting her hat, Anna heads downstairs to the dining hall. Here, Otto introduces Anna to the other hotel guests in the hotel: Giovanni Rossi, Mr. Petersen and his nurse Claudia Perret, Professor Charles Clark from Scotland, Dr. Max Hartmann from Hamburg, Walter McCain from the United States, Father Lenz from Switzerland, and Ulla Lund from Sweden. Otto notes that Professor Adam Kinsky hasn't come down yet, and some guests begin to make conjectures of what has happened to him. Claudia suggests that someone should check on him, as she heard yesterday that Professor Kinsky has heart complications. Anna decides to check his room - room number 10 in the 2nd floor - to no avail. Though Otto suggests that he could be asleep, Anna asks to further check on him and requests for a key to his room, to which Otto agrees. Yet again, the hotel keys have disappeared from the reception hall. Instead, she finds a pack of Italian cigarettes, of which neither Otto nor Giovanni (being of Italian origin) smokes. Anna suggests to Otto and Walter that they should break down the door to his room. While Walter struggles to break the door open, Anna finds a knife in the kitchen to help. Once the room's been broken into...

#### The First Death

Otto, Walter, and Anna find Professor Kinsky dead in his room - with his heart stopped. Otto suggests he was killed, at which Walter denies the possibility as the room was locked and that there is nothing suspicious on the body and Anna mentions that Claudia mentioned some heart trouble recently. Otto asks Anna to call the ambulance and town police. Though initially in disrepair, the telephone was founded to be disconnected because of the storms last night. Otto asks Anna to try to go to the nearest town, but she finds the path blocked with cut wires and a car stuck in the snow. Anna finds nothing in the car, except a photo of Professor Kinsky in the car. Anna reports this back to Otto, at which he says there is nothing that can be done for the time being. Anna also reports on the photo album and the photo, and Otto shares he found a torn photo at reception. The torn photo reveals the picture of another one of the guests: Professor Charles Clark. Otto asks that they further discuss about the situation after dinner.

Otto delivers the news to the other guests that the Hotel Reger is completely cut off from the outside world. Professor Clark shares that he experienced something similar in the Himalayas. When asked about it by Claudia, Charles adds that he was looking for ancient artifacts, before he quickly reverts back to the conversation at hand. Otto mentions that they would most likely be cut off from the world for two to three days. Giovanni worries that there is not enough food to survive, to which Otto swiftly calms the singer down. Giovanni then inquires about where Ulla is, and Anna further inquires about the whereabouts of Dr. Hartmann. Walter suggests that he and Anna should check his room - room number 2 in the 1st floor.

#### A Disappearance and A Second Death

Otto, Walter, and Anna find Dr. Hartmann not present in his room. Anna looks through Dr. Hartmann's belongings and finds a syringe. Otto yells that Ulla is found dead in her room - room number 7. Claudia reports that there is no pulse to be felt and begins to worry about what's happening in the hotel. Walter asks Anna about Dr. Hartmann, to which she reports that the doctor hasn't been found. Upon Claudia's report that this was another heart attack, Anna checks the room for further clues and finds a lighter that was recently used. Anna tries to find Dr. Hartmann again, this time with success. At room number 2, Anna reports that Ulla is dead and asks Dr. Hartmann about his last whereabouts, having slightly forgotten of his need for a wheelchair. Instead, Dr. Hartmann asks about the cause of Ulla's death, to which he says that it "sounds correct." Though Anna attempts to further ask, Dr. Hartmann asks that he be left to return to his reading.

Otto calls for Anna to have some tea at the fireplace room. All the other guests seem to have returned to their rooms for the night, which provides the opportunity for Otto to discuss the matters of the situation, noting the impossibility of there being two heart attacks in his hotel (not to mention in two days) after having run the hotel for 25 years. Walter agrees with the oddity of the events unfolding. Anna suggests that someone with medical experience could have simulated the heart attack. She then shares the details of her conversation with Dr. Hartmann to the party, to which Walter thinks he is somehow involved. Anna suggests that they should search through Ulla's room again, while Walter suggests to examine the body. Otto asks Anna to collect a magnifying glass in the kitchen, while the rest of the party head for Ulla's room. Once Anna arrives, Walter notes a strange mark on Ulla's neck. Anna finds that she was injected with some formulation, reaffirming Otto's suspicion of murder. The party also find a liquid on the floor that smells like an acid. Anna gets baking soda from the kitchen and tests the liquid for a reaction, which does occur. Otto suggests that the acid was somehow used to kill Ulla. Anna also suggests Professor Kinsky was killed in a similar manner.

#### Murder in the Hotel?

Otto and Walter also finds similar marks on Professor Kinsky's body, affirming the theory of murder. Walter suggests that they should check the professor's suitcase, to which Anna opens it up. She finds the belongings thoroughly messed up, suggesting that someone was looking for something in a hurry. She specifically finds an unusual coin, which Otto suggests she should present to Professor Clark, who we learn is a bright archaeologist specifically dealing with the Indian occult. The party quickly discuss who would be suspects in the case. Anna mentions that it has to be a person who is currently in the hotel as the snowstorm has blocked off all other means of entry, Otto remarks that Dr. Hartmann remains suspicious due to his absences, but Anna mentions his wheelchair disability. Nevertheless, the three agree that the doctor remains their primary suspect.

TBA

## Characters

### Main Characters

* Anna Myers
* Otto Reger
* Claudia Perret
* Walter McCain
* Giovanni Rossi
* Charles Clark

### Secondary Characters

* Hans Lenz
* Christian Petersen
* Max Hartmann
* Ulla Lund
* Adam Kinsky
* Policeman

## Trivia

* Chapter 1 of Murder by Choice also released by Nordcurrent shares similarities with this chapter:
	+ Both take place at a location the characters cannot leave due to intense weather.
	+ Both feature a large cast of 9-10 suspects respectively excluding first victims.
	+ Both kill off some suspects over the course of the chapters.
	+ Both have all suspects hide some secret that the protagonists find out.
	+ Both have characters that parallel each other (specifically the protagonists, the owners of the chapters' locations, and the culprits).
	+ Both feature desired research into living longer (Professor Clark finds a recipe for the drink Soma to grant immortality, Ruben creates the Genetica serum to modify one's genes to reverse and stop aging).

## Gallery

* Notifications

*Something strange is going on at the hotel. Can you help me investigate?**A stay at the Reger Hotel ended in misfortune for a guest. Was it a natural death?**Two deaths from a heart attack. This seems like too much of a coincidence to ignore.**The most recent death wasn't like the others. The case is getting complicated.**There is a murderer among us! Can you unmask the killer?*