Starlight Sanitarium

Going here for many is the end of the line, a final stop along the path of madness. The Starlight Sanitarium is not a place of healing or respite for those committed to it's walls but instead a home for those that Arbor does not want or need. It's not the place that the wealthy send their children to get better, to help them become upstanding members of society. No instead it exists as a place to hide away those who would embarrass their families. To shut Grandma away when she has lost her faculties or to banish a troublesome son or daughter. Rumors and idle gossip of the experiments performed on those inside it's walls abound along with the screams that echo into the nearby streets. The facility was originally established to treat individuals affected by Dust exposure, many of whom displayed unique magical abilities but also suffered from severe side effects. Over time, the Sanitarium's mission expanded to include treatment for all types of mental illness.

"The Starlight Sanitarium was my prison, my hell on earth. I was locked away, forgotten by society and left to rot with the other lost souls. The screams of the mad and the smell of death and decay lingered in the air, a constant reminder of the horrors that occurred within those walls. I will never forget the darkness and despair that consumed me during my time there, and I pray that no one else ever has to experience such a fate."- Former Patient of the Starlight Sanitarium

Public Agenda

For it's public persona the Starlight Sanitarium exists as a place of healing, where clinically unwell can be sent to get better and rejoin society. They regularly bring pamphlets to those that can afford their services and in addition promise a quick and speedy recovery. Occasionally the The Silver Council through some effect of the court will remand a person to their care. In those cases few people are there to care as to what happens to the individual in question.

Public Perception

Lower Class

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As the Sanitarium is located in the Third Ring the lower classes who make the area around the place their home are subjected to much of the screaming that originates from the place, they believe the place to be cursed, haunted or worse and avoid it like the plague.

Middle Class

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The middle class view the place much like they would an escape, for them it's a place to put troublesome relatives on their path to high society. They know what the place is and what it offers for those family members who are sent there most will never escape likely to end up as a permanent resident while they live.

Upper Class

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For the upper class they are happy to reap the benefits of the experimentation done on the patients of Starlight though they do not send their own their instead they have private doctors and clinics that they take their kin to. Much like everything else in this hell-scape the rich reap and the poor suffer.

History:

The Starlight Sanitarium was founded with the intention of helping those suffering from the effects of high exposure to Dust, Haunt , alcohol, and other illicit drugs, as well as the general stresses of living in Arbor. However, the real driving force behind the establishment of the Sanitarium was the discovery that some individuals who had been exposed to high levels of dust developed unusual abilities and magical traits. The goal of the Sanitarium was to research and control these abilities, with the hope of creating more individuals with similar powers. Unfortunately, this research often resulted in severe mental and physical side effects for the subjects.
Over time, the mission of the Sanitarium expanded to include the treatment of other mental health issues. However, the research into controlled dust exposure remained a priority, even as the Sanitarium publicly presented itself as a place of healing for those with broken minds. Recently, rumors have circulated that the true purpose of the Sanitarium is to continue experimenting on its patients, rather than providing genuine care and treatment.

Rumors

Several rumors persist about the goings on inside the walls of the Sanitarium but there are two that are most prevalent and they are outlined below:

Experimentation

This isn't so much a rumor as it is a unspoken truth, there are far too many patients going into the Sanitarium and not enough leaving to conclude any other outcome but mass experimentation on the people inside. The exact specifics of that experimentation is likely to be related to the original impetus for creation the Dust. In fact many believe they have seen transports bringing quantities of the substance to the buildings late into the night to facilitate such experimentation. As to how successful these experiments are none can truly say.

Successful Cases

Their main thrust for as long as the dust has existed has been to harness it's power and create a new kind of power in the city of Arbor. Some say they have had some success in this area and along with mind altering drugs and techniques have created a new kind of solider for those that require it. If the rumors are to be believed this new creature no longer a mortal sentient being but instead some kind of monstrosity of science and magic is nearly invulnerable to most magics and weapons and is a bloodthirsty killer capable of warping the very fabric of reality around them to get to their prey. Surely something like this couldn't exist and even if it did there can't be that many... right?

Methods of Generating Revenue

The Sanitarium has a few different ways it generates revenue that are little less obvious, though they still collect large amounts from patients families upon admittance often times this is a small amount compared to their other revenue streams.

Madness Shows

One of the most abhorrent ways that the Sanitarium collects funds is through the so called madness shows where members of the Upper Class will visit the Sanitarium to witness the depraved acts by the patients. To make matters worse the doctors and nurses will coax the patients into doing more horrible acts in order to garner more funds from the patrons.

Selling of Patients Parts

When a patient is going to die or deemed unsaveable their parts are often auctioned off to the highest bidder, either for scientific experimentation or to replace lost limbs. Regardless this is another way the place generates funding.

Body Guards

If the rumors are to be believed and the creation of the monstrous Dust creatures are true the Sanitarium is providing these creatures to the rich and powerful as body guards or hired muscle at an insane cost. The creatures that were once mortal men and women are now completely obedient slaves to their new masters once the proper paperwork is filled out.

Attire / Common Garb / Quirks:

The staff of the Sanitarium are typically clad in white lab coats, and are known for their cold and calculating demeanor. The patients, on the other hand, are often seen in shabby, ill-fitting often restraining clothing, and are often disheveled and unkempt.

Structure and Hierarchy:

The hierarchy within the Sanitarium is led by the head doctor, with other doctors and nurses beneath them. The patients are at the bottom of the hierarchy, and are often treated with disdain and disrespect.

Notable People

Doctor Adelina Brackenmore - Head Doctor at the Sanitarium, a callous and cruel woman seeking the further exploitation of the patients under her care. She has been in charge of the Sanitarium for nearly 20 years now and in that time has managed to cement her place as one of it's cruelest operators.
Madeline Usher - Oldest still living Patient at the Sanitarium, has been there since the beginning of it's construction after massive exposure to dust rendered her unable to age stuck at the visible age of a 7 year old girl. After countless experimentation's she has lost her mind unable to die but not wanting to live she haunts the place and is only contained at this point.
The Monster - Depending on who you ask the monster is either a myth or a very real threat made by Doctor Brakenmore. A horrific creature and the culmination of decades of experimentation resulting in a fearsome creature capable of rending most men limb from limb. None who have witnessed the creature have lived giving credence to the idea that it is merely a threat and nothing more but many of the Sanitariums enemies have gone missing...

Territory:

The territory of the Sanitarium includes the building itself and the surrounding grounds.

Notable Structures:

The notable structures within the Sanitarium include the patient wards, the treatment rooms, and the laboratory.

Type

Corporation, Medical