Ostholm

Ostholm
Ostholm as seen from orbit in 2039, shortly after the Ring Guard raid; note the damaged perimeter fencing.
Location	Off the western coast of Ulmarka, Orylia
Coordinates	61°45′N 12°38′W
Area	~18 km² (est.)
Population	0 (since 2039)
Established	c. 2034
Abandoned	2039
Known for	Ostholm experiments; escape of survivor Casey
Facility operator	Hand Physicians (2034–2038)
Status	Demolished/Repurposed (as of 2061)
Coordinates	61°45′N 12°38′W

Ostholm is a small, treeless island located off the western coast of Ulmarka in the Ulmarkan Empire. Originally inhabited by a research community established in 2034, the site is historically significant for the Ostholm experiments, a secret programme of human experimentation conducted by the Hand Physicians. The facility was abandoned following its discovery by the Ring Guard in early 2039. As of 2061, no official remains of the former laboratory exist on the island.^[1]

The island is situated at approximately 61°45′N 12°38′W and covers an estimated area of 18 km². Following the abandonment of the experiments, the population was decimated or repatriated, leaving Ostholm uninhabited since 2039. The location is currently devoid of permanent structures, though debris from the dismantled infrastructure may still be present in the surrounding waters.^[2]

In 2034, following the rise of Torvald Hesk to power and the passage of the Arena Law legalising lethal combat, the island was selected by the Hand Physicians. This group was a breakaway faction of the Cult of Landon. The facility was intended as an isolated site to test methods for creating individuals physically incapable of violence through forced exposure to high-energy ionising radiation and controlled trauma.^[3] Initial staffing included scientists and technicians recruited from previous test subjects of the Ulmarkan nuclear programme.

Operations continued until 2038, when the nature of the experiments became unsustainable. The facility was designed to induce permanent neuromuscular atrophy and psychological docility via chronic radiation exposure and repeated physical conditioning.^[4] By late 2038, conditions deteriorated significantly, leading to a drastic reduction in the number of surviving subjects within the compound.

Between 2034 and 2038, the Hand Physicians conducted secret human experimentation on volunteers and captured subjects at the facility.^[5] The programme aimed to create "non-violent" individuals by exposing them to high levels of radiation and subjecting them to rigorous physical conditioning intended to break their will to fight. These trials were carried out in total secrecy until the collapse of the operation in late 2038.

By the end of the programme, conditions had worsened beyond the control of the researchers. When the facility was discovered by the Ring Guard in early 2039, only seven survivors remained alive.^[6] One of these survivors, later identified as Casey, managed to escape alone during a severe storm that same year and reached the islet of Skarnes.^[7] The experiments left Casey with severe physical deformities and serious psychiatric illness, which he has carried throughout his life on Skarnes.^[8]

The Ring Guard raided the facility on Ostholm in early 2039, finding seven survivors including Casey. 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]

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 experiments
• Casey
• Hand Trials
• Cult of Landon