The Apple Farm (OSI)
The Farm is a special training facility of the Office of Scientific Intelligence located in upstate Virginia near the town of Woodstock. This facility continues to operate as a family-owned apple farm (founded in 1869 by Jebediah Welles) that produces award-winning apple cider. The site is publicly managed by Lucy Welles-Hartford, sister of OSI director Theodore Welles.
As far as the general public is concerned, the farm produces apples and apple cider, and all personnel at the location are presumed to be employees of Welles Apple Company. OSI and USMC veteran Ernie “Chops” Gilmore, who acts as Vice-president of Welles Apple Company, is the OSI Operations Manager for the Farm. Gilmore supervises all OSI personnel located at the Farm and is responsible for the safety and security of the site.
The Farm has the special quality of being a high-mana zone that is aspected to plant magic, making it the ideal location for a production farm. (Other forms of magic operate as if under regular mana, or low mana in the case of any magical energies in opposition to “life energy,” such as necromantic magic.)
A number of buildings are location on the property. Though all appear to be ordinary farming structures, only a few are still dedicated to farm use. The majority are reserved for OSI training or are the living residence of staff and guests.
Permanent OSI training facilities include a martial arts dojo, underground rifle and pistol ranges, and an extensive library. Athletic facilities include a weight room and indoor swimming pool, as well as basketball, tennis, racquetball and squash courts. The “tea house” includes a small bistro-like cafe (self-serve coffee and tea) as well as a music room with a grand piano and harpsichord.
OSI agents may receive a variety of special training at the Farm. There is no standard training program at this facility, though there are some specific skills training that is always available. For example, there a master-level martial arts instructor is in permanent residence at the Farm.
Personnel
In Residence at the Farm, as of 30 April 1965:
Named “Chops” for his well-groomed mutton-chops, former USMC Colonel Ernie Gilmore has been operations manager for nearly ten years. A stout man with a booming voice, Chops is fond of opera, which he listens to nightly in his residence.
Kong Kai-li, master of martial arts. Shaolin, Wudang, Wing Chun, and Wushu master. Rumored to be over one hundred years old, he denies being a day over ninety and looks to be maybe sixty-five. Kai-li also tends the garden and can often be found in the tea house arguing politics with Pema Choden. When his other duties are not demanding his time, the master may be found helping with the harvest or even working in the kitchen.
Pema Choden, chief botanist. Ultra- conservative nationalist Tibetan who is also a neoliberal American fanatic, Pema is an autodidact and voracious reader who will argue about anything with anyone, anytime, anywhere. He is a wildly talented plant and earth magician. Legend has it he was able to speak and recite sutras moments after birth. In spite of their political differences, he is close friends with Kong Kong-li.
Anastasia Hartford, chef and house manager. Of Russian ancestry, she is the adopted daughter of Lucy Welles-Hartford. Ana is very friendly, with a lovely singing voice and strong musical talents. When not busy with her duties (which is rare), Ana can often be found in the library or the music room.
Dana Cole, chief of security, is a ten-year veteran of OSI, She was seriously wounded during a mission in 1963 and took the position at the Farm. She is a loner, very private, and a workaholic. If she is not at her desk, she is on patrol.
“Welshie,” a large red-faced Welsh poet who is also a talented bardic mage. He can often be found in the orchards or gardens, reciting poetry to the plants. He occasionally rides his bicycle to the nearby village, where he is having affairs with a number of local women. Though he is actually a guest, he has been at the Farm for nearly a year and assists with the daily operations.