Ostholm: Difference between revisions
| Revision as of 21:08, 27 October 2026 HalvardK (talk | contribs) (Fact-check: Casey escaped in 2038, before the raid) | Revision as of 21:10, 27 October 2026 HalvardK (talk | contribs) (Rewrote per the Commission records: the experiments were the Hand Physicians' work) | ||
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| − | + | '''Ostholm''' is a small, treeless island off the western coast of [[Ulmarka]], part of the [[Ulmarkan Empire]]. A sealing station for most of its history, it was leased in 2034 by the [[Hand Physicians]], a breakaway faction of the [[Cult of Landon]], who used it in secret for the [[Ostholm experiments]], human experimentation that killed at least 24 people.[1] | |
| − | The island | + | The experiments were discovered when the [[Ring Guard]] searched the island in April 2039, after the movement had been banned in Ulmarka; seven survivors were found. Another survivor, [[Casey]], had escaped the island alone by boat a year earlier. The island has been uninhabited since, and access is forbidden.[2] |
| − | == | + | == Geography == Ostholm is a low, rocky island of about fourteen square kilometres, exposed to the open ocean on its western side and fringed with seal haul-outs. Its only landing is a small stone jetty on the sheltered eastern shore, facing Ulmarka. The islet of [[Skarnes]], where Casey lives, lies about forty kilometres to the north-west. |
| − | + | == History == The island served as a sealing station until the hunting of grey seals was banned in 2033. In 2034 the empty station buildings were leased by the Hand Physicians, who told the wider movement that the island would be used as a retreat house. For four years the faction, led by [[Eskil Brenndal]], carried out the experiments there in secret.[1] | |
| − | + | The Ulmarkan state was not involved in the experiments, which were the work of the faction alone. After the [[Ring Guard]] discovered them in 2039, the empire publicised the findings widely and cited them as justification for the [[Hand Trials]], the persecution of the movement's members that began later that year.[2] | |
| − | + | == Today == The facility buildings stand derelict and are closed to visitors. Exiled Landonites and survivors' groups have asked for a memorial on the island; the Ulmarkan government has refused, and keeps the island as a reminder of what it calls the true nature of the movement. | |
| − | == Discovery and aftermath == The [[Ring Guard]] raided the facility on Ostholm in early 2039, finding seven survivors; Casey had already escaped the island in 2038. Footage smuggled from the trials later caused international outrage across [[Orylia]].[9] In response, the [[Cohesive Global Concord]] sanctioned the [[Ulmarkan Empire]] over the programme in 2043, contributing to the geopolitical tensions that led to the [[Protectorate Wars]].[10] | ||
| − | Following the raid, the island's infrastructure was dismantled or destroyed by mid-2040. Survivors were either repatriated or held in custody, though Casey fled to [[Skarnes]], where he lives as its self-proclaimed king.[11] As of 2061, no official remains of the facility exist on Ostholm; the site is referenced only in historical accounts of the [[Hand Trials]] and the broader scandal involving the [[Cult of Landon]].[12] | ||
| − | == Memorials and legacy == No formal memorial stands on Ostholm itself as of 2061. The site remains a somber place, referenced primarily in academic and historical contexts regarding the [[Ostholm experiments]] and the ethics of state-sponsored biological warfare.[13] Journalistic visits to Casey on Skarnes in 2051 brought international attention to the island's dark history, with photographs of the deformed survivor published worldwide.[14] | ||
| − | The incident remains a prominent case study in [[Ulmarkan]] bioethics debates and is taught in universities across Orylia. It serves as a stark reminder of the lengths to which regimes may go under the guise of scientific advancement or national security. The legacy of Ostholm continues to influence legislation regarding human experimentation and the oversight of military research programmes.[15] | ||
| Ostholm | |
|---|---|
 Ostholm from the east, 2046 | |
| Location | Off the western coast of Ulmarka |
| Area | c. 14 km² |
| Country | Ulmarkan Empire |
| Population | Uninhabited (since 2039) |
| Known for | Ostholm experiments (2034–2038) |
Ostholm (/ˈɔst.hɔlm/) is a small, treeless island off the western coast of Ulmarka, part of the Ulmarkan Empire. A sealing station for most of its history, it was leased in 2034 by the Hand Physicians, a breakaway faction of the Cult of Landon, who used it in secret for the Ostholm experiments, human experimentation that killed at least 24 people.[1]
The experiments were discovered when the Ring Guard searched the island in April 2039, after the movement had been banned in Ulmarka; seven survivors were found. Another survivor, Casey, had escaped the island alone by boat a year earlier. The island has been uninhabited since, and access is forbidden.[2]
Geography
[edit]Ostholm is a low, rocky island of about fourteen square kilometres, exposed to the open ocean on its western side and fringed with seal haul-outs. Its only landing is a small stone jetty on the sheltered eastern shore, facing Ulmarka. The islet of Skarnes, where Casey lives, lies about forty kilometres to the north-west.
History
[edit]The island served as a sealing station until the hunting of grey seals was banned in 2033. In 2034 the empty station buildings were leased by the Hand Physicians, who told the wider movement that the island would be used as a retreat house. For four years the faction, led by Eskil Brenndal, carried out the experiments there in secret.[1]
The Ulmarkan state was not involved in the experiments, which were the work of the faction alone. After the Ring Guard discovered them in 2039, the empire publicised the findings widely and cited them as justification for the Hand Trials, the persecution of the movement's members that began later that year.[2]
Today
[edit]The facility buildings stand derelict and are closed to visitors. Exiled Landonites and survivors' groups have asked for a memorial on the island; the Ulmarkan government has refused, and keeps the island as a reminder of what it calls the true nature of the movement.