I have a fair number of headscratchers about this game..

[anthonydraco]

As for the key, Daniel likely took Alexander's advice to heart "You can never be too careful" and made a copy of the key, and hid it, because as you all pointed out, it's unlikely for Daniel to have hidden a key himself, that would only make life more difficult, he likely thought that at some point Alexander would realize that Daniel had developed a conscience, and got rid of the original key himself to hinder Daniel's progress.

I like this explanation. I think I'm going to believe this one.

The Gatherers - This story reaches all the way back to the time of the Thirty Years' War. It is said that soldiers who abandoned their duty got lost in the cold, dark woods and were forever damned to roam the grounds. Their bodies wrought by their tainted souls have left them disfigured and empty of essence. Many have sighted them over the years and describe them as horrid revenants.

They are soldiers and Wilhelm's men?

Hmm, I think there are at least a few of Wilhem's men. But who knows about the soliders. Could be. Still, you must take into account that legends, stories and folklore and such are unreliable. Many sprang totally from fiction or pure speculation. I don't know nobody truly know if there are soldiers in the mix.