Hand Physicians

Hand Physicians
Emblem
The Ostholm facility as seen by the Ring Guard in April 2039
Full name	Hand Physicians
Founded	2034
Dissolved	Dispersed (2039)
Headquarters	Ostholm, Ulmarka
Parent organization	Cult of Landon (breakaway)
Ideology	Landonism; Non-violent human enhancement
Leader	Unknown (leaderless cell structure)
Persecution	Designated terrorist by Cohesive Global Concord; Banned in Ulmarkan Empire
Known members	Casey (survivor/leader of Skarnes); Various unnamed subjects and researchers
Notable events	Ostholm experiments; Discovery by Ring Guard (2039)

Hand Physicians was a breakaway faction of the Cult of Landon that operated in secret between 2034 and 2039 on the island of Ostholm. The group sought to modify human physiology to eliminate aggression, conducting experiments that resulted in multiple deaths. Following the discovery of their operations by the Ring Guard, the faction was dispersed and its ideology came under scrutiny within the Ulmarkan Empire and the international community. The term "Hand Physicians" subsequently became a shorthand for unethical human experimentation in Orylian history.

The Hand Physicians emerged in 2034 as a schism within the Cult of Landon, primarily driven by disagreements over the movement's strategic direction. While the parent organization focused on spiritual and philosophical reform, this faction believed that physical modification was necessary to achieve a state of permanent non-violence. They leased the island of Ostholm from the local administration and established a secluded research facility there. Operations continued until late 2038, when Casey, a key figure within the group, managed to escape by boat to the islet of Skarnes. In April 2039, following the official ban on the Cult of Landon in the Ulmarkan Empire, the Ring Guard conducted raids across Ulmarka, including Ostholm. The search uncovered the secret programme and led to the dispersal of the group's remaining members.^[1]

The Ostholm experiments were a classified programme of human experimentation conducted at the facility on Ostholm between 2034 and 2038. The objective was to create humans physically incapable of violence through invasive physiological modifications. The programme relied on untested medical procedures and unregulated chemical agents. Investigations launched after the raid revealed that the experiments were not sanctioned by the Ulmarkan state, although the regime turned a blind eye until the facility was compromised.^[2] The operations resulted in the deaths of at least 24 individuals, including research subjects and staff.^[1]

The operations were uncovered during a search conducted by the Ring Guard in April 2039. Seven survivors were found alive on the island; seven others had perished during the final phase of the programme. Casey had already escaped in 2038 and established himself on Skarnes, where he would later be declared King by his followers.^[3] The discovery led to international outrage and investigations into the scope of the experiments. In 2043, the Cohesive Global Concord imposed sanctions against the Ulmarkan Empire in response to the revelations, though the regime eventually left the organisation after the imposition of trade restrictions.^[4]

The term "Hand Physicians" became synonymous with unethical human experimentation in Orylian history. The group's ideology influenced later extremist factions, including elements within the Brass Concord. In 2042, the open-palm gesture associated with Landonism was criminalised in Ulmarka following revelations about the group's activities.^[5] Today, Ostholm remains a sealed zone, and the site of the experiments is marked by a memorial to the victims.

• Cult of Landon
• Ostholm experiments
• Casey
• Hand Trials