JOHN HICKENSAW’S PRACTICE

Overview

Location: Public Services Ring, Arla Town
Address: SE Public Services Ring Road 2
Surroundings: Adjacent to the Arla Town Courier Station

Although Arla Town was the Free State’s most important fishing hub, providing vital nutrition for thousands of settlers, it never received an official Medical Station during the early Beta Age. With only ~300 inhabitants, the settlement remained in a provisional stage and was deemed too small to justify a full facility. Plans to construct a Medical Station in 2629 under the Human Settlement Plan were ultimately abandoned when the town was destroyed in the Great War.

In this gap, John Hickensaw’s Practice became the settlement’s only medical point of care. Hickensaw had studied six semesters of medicine at the Last Frontier University aboard the Last Frontier spaceship but never graduated. He relocated to Arla Town specifically to serve as a temporary doctor until the planned Medical Station was opened.

Rejecting a purely “mainstream” approach, Hickensaw adopted many Native healing methods, relying on herbs, poultices, and hybrid herbal-nano remedies. He provided first aid, bone-setting, and treatment of coughs and minor illnesses. In serious emergencies, he cooperated with the Medical Station of New Kourou, arranging patient transfers via the Free State Courier Riders.

Architectural Significance

Construction Material: Rough-cut timber walls, clay stove for warmth, reed-mat insulation.
Floors: 1
Design Aesthetic: Humble and rustic — shelves of jars and dried herbs alongside salvaged alloy instruments from settler kits.
Ventilation: Open shutter windows and herb smoke for sterilisation.

Building Structure

Reception Corner: Simple desk and bench for waiting patients.
Treatment Room: Single cot, basic settler medical tools, and herb racks.
Herbal Storeroom: Shelves filled with dried herbs, roots, and tinctures; pestle-and-mortar setup for poultices.
Emergency Alcove: Crude trauma corner with bandages, splints, and one salvaged stabilisation pod (loaned from New Kourou but rarely powered).
Restroom: Single unisex stall with the AuroraSan setup.
Living Quarters: Bedroll and stove for Hickensaw himself.

Look and Feel

The practice carried the earthy smell of dried herbs and woodsmoke. Bundles of river reeds, mountain roots, and preserved leaves hung from rafters, while settler bandages and alloy scalpels lay side by side on the treatment table. Lanternlight cast a warm glow across clay jars marked with Hickensaw’s handwritten notes. Despite its simplicity, the practice radiated trust — a place where science and tradition met in twilight harmony.

Roles and Responsibilities

Human Staff

John Hickensaw (1): Provided diagnoses, herbal treatments, bone-setting, and basic first aid. Mediator with New Kourou’s medical system for serious cases.

Supporting Network

Native Herbal Mentors (occasional): Shared knowledge of herbs and roots.
Free State Courier Riders: Provided emergency transport for patients requiring New Kourou care.

Public Access, Operating Hours and Operational Rhythm

Public Access: Open to all Arla Town residents; barter sometimes accepted instead of Kourou payment.
Shift Schedule: Informal, but John was typically available dawn to dusk; emergencies covered at any hour.
Operating Days: 7 days a week, though without the 24/7 infrastructure of a Medical Station.

Available Treatments and Prices

Treatment	Description	Effect (Gameplay)	Typical Conditions Treated	Cost (Kourou)
Herbal Poultice	Crushed herbs applied to wounds	Restores 1d6 HP; advantage vs. infection for 24h	Cuts, bruises, burns	20 K
Coughing Cure	Brew of native herbs and steam inhalation	Removes coughing fits; +1 to Constitution saves	Seasonal illness, dust inhalation, fatigue	25 K
Bone Splint & Reset	Manual reset with wooden splint	Removes movement penalty after 1 day rest	Broken arm/leg, dislocated joints	35 K
Herbal-Nano Blend	Locally grown herbs combined with salvaged nano-carriers	Cures minor poisoning or fever; regain 1d4 HP	Food poisoning, fevers, stomach cramps	40 K
First Aid / Stabilisation	Bandaging and crude trauma care	Stabilises dying characters (0 HP); no HP restored	Bleeding wounds, falls, hunting accidents	30 K
Referral to New Kourou	Arrangement via Courier Riders	Patient transported to Medical Station of New Kourou	Serious trauma, advanced diseases	50 K + courier fee

Security Measures

Low Security: No bots or automated alert systems; relied on community trust.
Courier Riders Link: Emergency communications relayed through the adjacent Arla Town Courier Station.

Player Interaction Possibilities (Legal and Illegal)

Legal interactions:

Seek treatment for minor wounds, coughs, or fractures.
Learn herbal recipes for survival in the wild.
Arrange referral and courier transport to New Kourou.

Illegal interactions:

Steal rare herbs or tinctures for black market resale.
Bribe Hickensaw to falsify medical records or death notes.
Poison a tincture jar to harm unsuspecting patients.

Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters

Hickensaw’s practice highlights the tension between tradition and mainstream medicine. PCs may rely on him for improvised care, uncover secret herbal remedies with unexpected effects, or use his courier connection to smuggle fugitives disguised as patients.

Adventure Hook Example

The Poisoned Roots – A shipment of herbs John depends on arrives tainted. Patients begin to suffer side effects, and PCs must track the source — whether it’s careless harvesters, deliberate sabotage, or a Cartel scheme to discredit Arla Town’s only healer.

Related Pages and Further Information

Healthcare institutions of the Free State of Settlers:

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