The Bosco Sanatorium

The coastal town of Bosco is east of Absalom and southeast of the Tyrant’s Grasp. Sitting at the edge of the Cairnlands, this clutch of a few dozen wooden buildings nestles against the rocky shore. Beyond the town proper, numerous farmsteads stand against the backdrop of the Cairnlands. The Tyrant’s Grasp is obscured by gentle hills that rise out of the shore. Few outsiders, benevolent or malicious, give the quiet hamlet much concern, save for one feature.

The Bosco Sanatorium

Sitting up the shoreline from the village, the Bosco Sanatorium quietly markets itself as a wellness retreat that caters to guests who, for whatever reason, eschew divine healing. Run by Doctor Noris Sedant, whom Bosco townsfolk hold in high regard, visitors from all over Golarion come to enjoy quiet isolation, delicious food, and relaxing therapeutics within the extravagant beachfront resort. Towering arborvitaes line a tall steel fence that surrounds the entire property, offering both privacy and security. Orderlies, dressed in white, cater to guests’ needs around the clock. Master chefs are on standby to cook anything from favorite comfort foods to doctor-prescribed dietary meals.

All of which bears the taint of ghoul fever.

Whether it’s massage oils, aromatherapy, acupuncture needles, or the lunch buffet, ghoul fever permeates every aspect of Sanatorium wellness. Doctor Sedant is a ghast, her orderlies are ghouls, and her commitment to healing is guided by The Whispering Way. She has spent a lifetime developing procedures for transmitting ghoul fever through methods other than a bite, to make the gift of undeath more subtle and pernicious. She has “healed” countless guests by transforming them into ghouls, and those she fails to cure make welcome but discreet additions to the sanatorium menu.

Every few months, the residents within the hospital grow too numerous for available space. When that happens, Noris charters an excursion for her patients to Tyrant’s Grasp, Absalom, or some other part of the Isle of Kortos. Those newly “cured” guests are released on their own recognizance so they can advocate for the efficacy of Doctor Sedant’s treatments and, of course, The Whispering Way.

SEDANT WELLNESS THERAPY DISEASE 5

DISEASE VIRULENT

A manufactured form of ghoul fever, Sedant wellness therapy has few obvious effects on a victim, until one day they simply don’t wake. The next midnight, they then rise as a ghoul (or in rare instances, a ghast). Starting during the onset, as long as a creature is being exposed to tainted food or other vectors in the sanitarium, they are drained 1, leaving them feeling the need for more treatment. This condition doesn’t decrease with rest unless they avoided any exposure during the previous day.

Saving Throw DC 20 Fortitude; Onset 1 week; Stage 2 doomed 1, and doomed value doesn’t decrease with a full night’s rest (1 day); Stage 3 the doomed value increases by 1 (1 day)

Bosco Village

The village of Bosco is blissfully unaware of the true nature of the doctor or her clinic. Astutely mindful of the risk of exposing her activities, Noris strictly forbids her orderlies or newly “cured” patients from preying upon villagers. Furthermore, she prohibits any resident from being treated within the Sanatorium, claiming that any failure on her part could irreparably damage the Sanitorium’s relationship with the village.

The townsfolk regularly see Doctor Sedant at town functions and view her as a quirky but important member of the community. Her patients bring wealth to the clinic, and the doctor readily distributes that wealth into the local community through funding town projects, refurbishing run-down buildings, and generously purchasing goods. Noris is so protective of the town she calls home that she happily supports the village defenses on rare occasions when it is required.

Despite her position within the community, the townsfolk would be horrified if they ever realized the truth. If the residents of Bosco did not visit swift destruction upon the sanatorium, authorities from Absalom soon would. Noris employs a number of strategies to keep her true nature hidden. Among the food and supplies constantly moving into the sanatorium is a significant allocation of makeup. Every nurse, orderly, cook, and housekeeper possesses at least moderate skill in disguise. Long sleeves and high collars carry the weight of camouf lage, but medical masks and scrub caps provide additional obfuscation. Wigs, glasses, and gloves help to hide—or at least distract—what makeup cannot completely cover. Neither Bosco residents nor Sanatorium guests realize they rarely see the face of an orderly.

In addition to her skills at disguise, Noris is extremely selective when “hiring” employees. None among her staff is a ravenous beast who lurches impulsively towards the taste of living f lesh. Any who cannot exercise absolute self-control over their dietary impulses experience fatal consequences at Noris’s hand.

As a last line of defense, Noris also possesses aptitude in deception. When a lie or half-truth does not assuage suspicion, a “covenient” distraction serves as a temporary bulwark from those who inspect too closely.

Noteworthy Village Sites

Noris maintains several information-sharing relationships with townsfolk embedded within town fixtures. The Bosco farmsteads, docks, Bored Lamb Pub, and the Sunset Inn have residents who happily share the day’s gossip with the good doctor. These townsfolk do not view themselves as spies, but rather as mavens who keep the village keystones well-supported by its most prominent figure. Noris uses the information to identify potential threats to her work long before they appear on her doorstep.

The true nature of the Bosco Sanatorium hides behind a delicate façade. There are cracks that an observant investigator can pry open. When that happens, there is one final option available to Noris to maintain secrecy: violence.

Bosco Farmsteads: Farmsteads often provide the first alert to any concerning activity making its way towards the town from

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the Cairnlands. Families are ready to signal one another at the first sign of trouble, and they can quickly retreat into the village. Whatever lurches out of the Cairnlands is often too dangerous to face alone. Fortunately, such encounters are rare, and many attribute that to the efforts of Noris. If a fence needs to be built, or a ditch dug in order to direct hostile traffic elsewhere, she is among the first to open her coin purse.

Bosco Docks: As the sun crests the horizon, Bosco fishermen set out for the day’s catch. At night, dozens of wooden boats gently pitch and roll against the wooden docks. The pier is often the first location visitors encounter, and the village stands a welcome sight at all hours. New guests often arrive here, and when Noris expects someone, she send a coach and wagon to shuttle the new arrival to the clinic.

Bored Lamb Pub: The Bored Lamb Pub is a rather mundane establishment. Townsfolk often patronize the cozy bar to share the day’s news. Newcomers are welcome, but no one is shy about asking what business a stranger has in Bosco.

Sunset Inn: The Sunset Inn doubles as the town hall when needed. Rooms are available for a modest price, but the innkeeper is wary of trouble, and has an uncomfortable feeling about the Sanatorium, though she can’t place why. She does not hesitate to deny rooms to anyone who even seems to have business in the Sanatorium.

Bosco Graveyard: Because some patients are too ill to recover, it is prudent that the Bosco graveyard lie within an ungated section of the Sanatorium grounds. Those unfortunate souls who fail to find healing lie in rest next to Bosco townsfolk whose plots are donated by Noris as a thank you to the town. Generous landscaping and gardening provide abundant privacy for relatives who wish to visit their loved ones. During the day, Sanatorium orderlies maintain the cemetery with almost obsessive care. At night, all newly interred corpses are exhumed and moved to the Sanatorium pantry.

Visitors to Bosco

Investigators who seek answers as to the whereabouts of one of Doctor Sedant’s patients are warmly received—and monitored closely. Persistent sleuths who are not thwarted by kindness are welcomed into the Sanatorium itself to investigate at their leisure. They are given access to all the same food and therapeutics the clinic is renowned for. Those few investigators who do not redirect their investigation or succumb to Noris’s wellness treatments experience tragic accidents…and disposal of an incriminating body is never a problem with so many mouths to feed.

Similarly, when a patient arrives in Bosco, they are also closely monitored. Catering to clients who do not have access to divine healing occasionally comes with a separate set of issues. The townsfolk know that many visitors to the Sanatorium can be dangerous, and they give a wide berth—though some offer free accommodations or drinks to those passing through, which later are reimbursed by Noris. The Bosco townsfolk and the orderlies have the same objective: transport the ill from Bosco proper to the Sanatorium grounds as quickly as possible. Once there they receive all the comfort and care they deserve.