Alchemilla Hospital
From Silent Hill Wiki
Corner of Crichton and Koontz.
Silent Hill
Silent Hill: Homecoming
Alchemilla Hospital is one of two medical centers in Silent Hill. First introduced in 1999's Silent Hill, Alchemilla has since figured into both Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Homecoming.
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Design
While presented as a medical hospital in Silent Hill and Silent Hill: Origins, Silent Hill: Homecoming portrays Alchemilla as an asylum for the mentally ill. Even with this being the case, the floor design remains relatively consistent throughout the series with variations occurring within Homecoming, including the introduction of an Operating Theater, presumably for instructional purposes, as well as relocating the store rooms that have been located near the restrooms across all three titles it appears in.
Common to all games are multiple operating rooms, nurse stations, intensive care units, and public restrooms. Also plentiful are patient rooms, though what these rooms contain changes to fit each game.
Unique to Silent Hill is access to all three floors of the hospital and the basement. Within Silent Hill: Origins, access to the third floor and basement has been restricted, while only the second and third floors are accessible in Silent Hill: Homecoming.
Silent Hill
First introduced in Silent Hill, it was here that Alessa Gillespie was taken some time after her mother, Dahlia Gillespie, attempted to use her in the Ritual of Resurrection by setting fire to their home, with Alessa still inside.
During his journey through the disturbing burg, Harry Mason, the player-character of Silent Hill, makes his way here on the advice of Dahlia. Within he meets Michael Kaufmann and Lisa Garland, two souls also trapped in the hell that has become Silent Hill.
During the course of play, it's here that Harry stumbles upon a mysterious red liquid; Aglaophotis.
Silent Hill 3
In Silent Hill 3, Heather does not physically visit Alchemilla Hospital, however inside the cult's church she finds a secret room that resembles Alessa's room from the first game. In it she finds one of the Tarot cards necessary for the games final puzzle. This apparition is more of a symbolic reference to Heather's awaking memories, rather than an actual passage to Alessa's sickroom in the hospital.
Silent Hill: Origins
A prequel to Silent Hill, Silent Hill: Origins introduces us to trucker Travis Grady. Cutting through Silent Hill to make up for lost time on a delivery, the young man has an encounter with the spectral figure of Alessa Gillespie. Following the figure, he is led to a burning home, and hears a scream. Rushing in, Travis pulls out a young Alessa, before collapsing.
Waking in Silent Hill, Travis makes way to Alchemilla Hospital, where he inquires to Dr. Michael Kaufmann about the girl. The doctor denies any such patient is in his care, however. Coming upon a rather large mirror after dealing with the doctor, Travis is drawn into a nightmare version of the hospital. Fighting his way through, he comes to in the "real" hospital, where he is told by nurse Lisa Garland that the young girl has died.
Silent Hill: Homecoming
The fifth entrance into the Silent Hill series, Silent Hill: Homecoming's protagonist, Alex Shepherd, is a soldier on his way home. Having seemingly been wounded in combat, Alex spent some time in a hospital for treatment.
The game opens with a nightmare sequence, involving Alex having to hunt down his brother, Joshua Shepherd, who is running around the corridors of Alchemilla. This serves as an introduction to the Nurse, as well as a tutorial for basic combat. Also obtained for the first time are the Health Drink and First Aid Kit. While there is no boss battle in this level, The Bogeyman makes his lingering presence known to Alex.
During the course of play, it is made known to the player that Alex wasn't a wounded soldier, but rather a patient at Alchemilla (now turned into a mental hospital), having snapped after the death of his brother. It is unknown why Alchemilla was reformed into a mental hospital for this game, as Brookhaven Hospital already exists as a facility for the mentally ill. Perhaps it is because Alchemilla is the more favored of the two hospitals among fans, and its facilities were changed to reflect the story while keeping the familiar, popular name.
Alex returns to Alchemilla if the Hospital Ending is achieved, still strapped to the gurny from the beginning of the game, having realized the entire events of his journey were only a product of his guilty subconcious.
Trivia
- Alchemilla Hospital most likely takes its name from the real life genus of perennial plants, Alchemilla, also known as "Lady's Mantle".
- In the original Silent Hill, there is a "Konami Burger" restaurant just west of the hospital.
- There is initially no 4th Floor in the hospital. This could possibly be a reference to the Japanese stigma of the number four, which is pronounced the same way as the word "death".
- When rotated 90 degrees clockwise, the map of Alchemilla found in Silent Hill: Homecoming is more identifiable with previous maps of the hospital.
- Right before you get the knife, if you look carefully at the bloodstain on the mirror, it will say "Where Are You". Also Robbie the Rabbit is drawned on the mirror with blood as well.
