In his time at Brenneburg Daniel has learned much. Of course there was the torturing, something by now more familiar then the memories of his old family home. But an unlikely skill to have learned was the art of more advanced medical care. First it was a small necessity from living so far from the nearest town and needing to help himself, the castle was big and there were many ways one could hurt oneself. It was in fact a blessing he's not needed to learn more medical knowledge in his stage in life. Expeditions to archeological sites had a medic on hand, and his youth was spent being cared for by his mother or the local doctor. Unexpectedly, it was his desire to be as helpful as possible mixed with this new knowledge that lead him to being in charge of the servant repairs.
Alexander was a man of many talents one of which was a type of animated corpse. Initially they had kept their distance and had passed as human, but time went on and their true natures were revealed. A loyal brainless type of servant, when he had first come they had mostly looked alive. Didn't talk much and had a habit of just following him around. After a while it became odd not to have some lurking form behind him. Waiting for him to give them a task. Fairly useful, with the exception of the mood swings. On occasion they would lash out from an anger that they couldn't speak of, nor did Daniel know of. Even trying to cry, but Daniel didn't see that as often as the anger. The servants that had been around the castle the longest had started to fall apart at the seams. That was not a play on words, despite how incredulous it seemed. Daniel had a not so fond memory of one of the fingers falling into his tea.
It had become part of his responsibility to maintain the creatures. Major work was still done by Alexander but the minor things Daniel quickly learned to do. His new found medical gift was from Alexander's books and tutorage, and it was a skill he was at first enthusiastic to use. The bodies of the humans they ended up killing offered tissue and parts. The regular servants require the stitching of split flesh, and replacement of some limbs. Sometimes the use of belts to hold things into place while waiting for the right parts to come around.
There were two kinds of servants, one type to remain around the castle, silhouette somewhat human and then the group that remained below ground, much more a marvel of Alexander's power. These had blades for arms and despite his attempts, still intimidated him. The above group was far easier to help, less frightening.
…
The servant before him, whose arm he held, was mostly bandages and leather straps. This servant, like all of them had improper attire for a man but perfect for a walking corpse. He pulls the gauze tight and he looks up. Dull unfocused eyes. He needed to check to make sure the eyes were still working. He mentally noted it and finished the wrapping. Too busy to do it today. The eyes went fairly quickly and sometimes eyes from animals had to be used. To keep them working at optimal it was necessary.
He clicks his large medic box closed and stands to leave. The jars inside clanked against each other as he stood. The creature would begin to wander in exactly five minutes unless given orders from him or Alexander.
"Hrwah"
"You're welcome."
This makes him pause, and look back.
Dull, unfocused eyes. Its face was wrapped up but it wouldn't have had an expression anyway. The fine muscles used to make expressions were not wasted on the servants. He looked for anything that would indicate a tone to the creatures' last sound. Nothing.
It was a corpse. He merely responded out of habit. He had more servants to attend to. More horrifying then this one.
Daniel spares it one last look, and a flickering thought of what may lie inside its head. There was nothing inside that head, just like the rest. The emotions of the servants were instinctual… Absolutely nothing inside there, no great human thoughts, no great joys or ability to feel pain...
Anything else too unpleasant to imagine, be even so, Daniel was in the habit of the unpleasant, his life had become an embodiment of the unpleasant…and he remembers the crying and the anger. Miss fired reactions left over from life…or actual life lashing out?
He turns a corner and tries to walk away from the thoughts that make him wonder if they aren't alive in there after all.
Something I wrote under the idea that the grunts and brutes used to be human. This takes place before the game started, I'm not completely happy with the headcanons I used in this; I suppose my ideas are shifting from when I started this. But overall I like the impression it could make. If that makes sense.