Kiss your perfect day goodbye
Because the world is on fire
Tuck your innocence goodnight
You sold your friends like guns for hire
Go play with your blocks
And now you'll pay when these walls come tumbling down
Oh, they're tumbling down
—Guns for Hire, Woolkid [x]
The day dawned bright and unseasonably warm, as though nobody had thought to tell the sun that it was to be a grim day. Breakfast was a subdued affair; anyone with a hand in the funeral wasn’t present, whether they were discussing last minute changes to the ceremony or ensuring the coffin was properly sealed, and those that were present talked only in hushed tones. It was out of respect, in some cases. In others, it was out of a furtive need for privacy as people discussed whether a man like Kaiser could really be felled by something as mundane as an aneurysm.
It was the first grave in many years that had been dug at the Natural Memorial and it felt momentous to different people, for different reasons. At the foot of all those thin, sickly trees lay a hole, vacant for now. Soon it would be Kaiser Bahr’s final resting place, and as Colony 22′s first martyr (if one believes the rumours), it would likely change the meaning of the Memorial forever. It would be impossible to go to the trees now and not think of him.
There was certainly no risk of anyone forgetting him today. If he had few he called friends in life, it seemed as though the whole Colony turned up to say goodbye this morning, gathering in little groups around the grave, which was presided over by the Colony’s own reverend, Enoch Lynch. Cambie, while arranging the funeral, had hesitated to approach him since by no account was Kaiser a religious man, but if nothing else Enoch knew how to lead a funeral and she’d really had no idea who else to ask.
She’d had no idea what ought to be said, either. They couldn’t incite a riot, but it was difficult to talk about Kaiser without acknowledging his extreme beliefs—and yet getting into that would only anger the NWRF. His son, Diederick D’Mornay didn’t have the energy for much input beyond ensuring nobody accused Kaiser of being a good father. In the end, the ceremony was simple by necessity. Enoch spoke, the crowd listened, and heads were bowed respectfully as the coffin was lowered into the ground.
With the formalities completed, attendees were invited to move to the chapel where there would be a wake. This was when the rain came. A sudden, bellowing downpour, driving citizens inside in scurrying lines. It was as though the skies had now caught up and wept for this unexpected death, swollen tears from angry clouds nobody noticed rolling in. Perhaps Kaiser had sent them. Perhaps his followers, fallen before him in the wastes, in riots.
Inside, the chapel was muted and eerie beneath the thundering on the roof. At the end of the room was a charcoal portrait of Kaiser, hand drawn by one of the more artistic members of the Colony, a wreath of synthetic flowers, a few candles and an abstract tapestry to make a memorial of sorts. It was carefully apolitical, and as a consequence felt as though it were missing something. The pews had been pushed to the sides of the room, with a few tables scattered through the space left by them. What might pass as a buffet was laid out— sausage rolls, mini sandwiches, potato salad, cheese and meat, chocolate cupcakes, the sort of finger food that is easily eaten while milling around. There were even a few bottles of wine set out, though the guards made it clear they were keeping an eye out for anyone taking more than their fair share.
Since Enoch had done his part, Cambie was unwilling to ask more of him— instead she took the lead herself, and went to the fore of the room to say a few words about Kaiser, and to invite anyone else that had stories to share to go up at some point over the course of the afternoon.
And with that done, the rest of the afternoon’s proceedings were left in the hands of the residents of the Colony. While Cambie hadn’t known Kaiser terribly well, she felt pretty confident in her conclusion that he’d not want his funeral run exclusively by Elites. He was a man of the people, and the people should be the ones using their voices now.
A/N: Alrighty, without further adieu, here is part two of the Ruina Rex (#col22rex) plot drop!!
This is where the timeline will officially move forward to the 2nd week of April, and as per the Colony PDD Notice that was released, the funeral will take place at 10:00am, Monday, April 10th.
As usual, you will no longer be permitted to start any new threads from the week prior or part one of the event (“Howl”), but you are encouraged to keep going on those threads as long as you need to to wrap them up!
And to avoid confusion on the dash, we’re again asking you to accordingly title any new threads you start that have to do with the funeral or wake portion of this event, to help differentiate new stage ones from the old ones. However, like last time, this is a plot drop style event, meaning that you are permitted to do threads and paras about being at the funeral or wake, during the time of the funeral (if your character didn’t attend), as well as any time that follows during the new timeframe week. In other words, this is not a contained event, and you still have the full week available to you to plot and play with! Check out the Colony Calendar here for reference!
Now in terms of the wake itself, though Miss Cambie Andrews opened with a small and somber introduction, she invited others to say a few words on their own time throughout the function. One example of someone who will eventually go up to speak is Adrián Benítez. If you think any of your characters will step up to say a few words or tell a story, please let us know ASAP on the Main Blog and we will release a list of speakers in the coming days, so that everyone can know for reference in their threads or future plots!
If you do put forward your characters as people who’d spoken during the wake, you may certainly post a self para about it if you like, but you are by no means obliged to. We can still include your character on the list, even if you don’t plan to officially write a thread or segment about it!
The wake itself will go from approximately 10:30 to 1pm, at which time a late lunch will be served back in the Colony main building. Again, all citizens will receive the rest of the day off any classes and training, and schedules will recommence on Tuesday (save for anyone with special exemptions, like Ricky D’Mornay).
Anyone with questions about the event, please direct them to the Main Ask Box so that we can answer them publicly in case they’re helpful to others!
And finally, just a reminder that it will be during the third and final stage of this event, that we will be incorporating another ‘volunteer’ character to be written into the drop. So keep your eyes peeled on the main for more information—we will be reaching out to again ask for volunteers a little closer to the next drop.
With all that said, we hope you enjoy part ii: The Funeral of our Ruina Rex event!
As ANAYA stays quiet, she somehow loses sight of KAISER amidst the trees. She isn’t sure whether she should be relieved or worried. Like losing track of a spider in your bedroom—there’s no way to feel safe. Anaya peaks around a tree, and doesn’t see anything. Sighing, she twists back, and BAM—like a jump scare you saw coming in a movie, there’s Kaiser, waiting. He tackles and captures Anaya. She is forced to hope her friends will come rescue her in captivity.
POINTS LOST: [100]
This concludes ROUND 5. Thank you to CALYSET Representative, ANAYA DOLMEN!
The lab techs always prepped with a bit more finesse—not to mention tension in their shoulders—on the mornings when Kaiser Bahr was scheduled to come in for testing. He could rarely be considered a cooperative participant, but ever since the New Wave, taking disruptive patients off the roster list for testing was no longer an option. Because now, it was political. Testing was mandatory not just for the sake of the scientific research, but also as a display of dominance and control. The Reformists couldn’t let a known Radical leader off the hook for testing purely for being disruptive, because then others could take that as a cue to follow suit. Besides, if they were trying to send a message about cooperation with Colony Officials and the New Wave Mandate, excusing a violent and disorderly Infected citizen from testing would be sending the wrong one. It was about principle, about setting a precedent.
So there was a palpable but familiar anxiety hanging quietly in the room as the looming German stalked into the testing unit, a correctional officer at each elbow. Given how much time he’d spent in the correctional wing as of late, they might’ve cuffed him had he not been a Telekinetic. As it stood, cuffing him would only make him angry, and an angry Kaiser Bahr was a significantly challenging beast to control.
Now, there are many reasons why Lab Techs and Researchers beg the NWRF Reps not to interrupt during testing. On paper, a Rep is ‘allowed’ into the labs whenever they feel it’s necessary. But this work wasn’t theoretical; it was experimental and science didn’t care about politics. Passers through simply coming and going as they pleased was highly discouraged by the techs, and this particular morning, with Kaiser begrudgingly seated in a chair hooked up to an EEG, was an excellent example as to why.
Clove Modius insisted his interruption would be brief—he also insisted it was important. With instruction directly from Chancellor Quinn to clarify something in the most recent progress report on the classified work with the specimen sample, he walked with an important stride as he approached Narcissa Shor at their station.
Shor’s work station was across the room from where testing was being conducted, but apparently—and unsurprisingly—a bit of distance wasn’t enough to make Kaiser Bahr forget his venom for Clove and everything he represented—a figure among many who put Kaiser here, who was responsible for the leather straps around his chest, the silver discs stuck to his scalp.
Kaiser’s greeting, as well as unnecessary, was predictably scathing. The man never missed an opportunity to insult a Reformist, just as Clove never missed an opportunity to bite back when an Infected crossed a line. In retrospect, the lab techs would come to wish they’d intervened in the hostile exchange, because they were powerless to act when Kaiser decided to hurl a chair towards Clove. It had to be assumed that he intended to miss, because Kaiser wasn’t known for inaccuracy when it came to his telekinesis. A power play, then: the chair splintered into kindling against the wall, and the lab techs scrambled to do something, anything to prevent any further destruction.
As though unaware of the chaos he had just caused, Kaiser set his gaze levelly on Clove with a vulpine smile on his mouth. “Did I scare you, little boy?” he asked, his voice like gravel. Low as it was, it still carried over the noise of the lab techs. One of them hurried out, mumbling about bringing Angel Thorne in before Kaiser did any further damage. Another collected the broken pieces of chair with an air of weary resignation.
As it happened, nobody was quite looking at Kaiser when a strange look came across his face, rolling like sharp thunder across the storm clouds of his eyes. They certainly looked a moment later, though, when he barked with pain.
There was a moment of silence as all present tried to process the noise they’d just heard—such a curiously vulnerable, animal sound from so strong a man. And then he really howled, hands clawing at his head as though he could break through his skull and scoop out the thing that was causing him such agony. With the organized panic that can only come from medical professionals who have been too long without an emergency, they descended then and tried to prise Kaiser’s hands away, to shine a little torch into his eyes—one lid drooped, and he glared blindly out at them—and to haul him out of his chair.
Clove watched.
“Message the infirmary, tell them we’ve got a big, German fuckin’ problem,” one of the techs grunted, trying to bear the weight of the man on his shoulder. That was the moment they realized how serious this was. The Kaiser they knew would never allow himself to be hauled around. His full weight, it seemed, rested on the lab tech, and he rent the air with another awful cry. Someone threw the door open to allow them out, eyes wide and panicked.
And Clove watched.
╬
Kaiser Bahr would be pronounced dead before the hour was up. Doctors quickly deduced a brain aneurysm as the likeliest cause of death, but until a proper autopsy could be performed, they couldn’t be sure. Even then, there were no guarantees. But what officials did have, were the EEG results, since Kaiser’s brain activity was being monitored at the exact time of the aneurysm. Those documents were immediately classified and fast tracked for close study— by authorized personnel only, of course.
When the passing of the would-be New World Radical leader Kaiser Bahr was announced to the citizen body, it would take little time for conspiracy and fear to rip through Colony 22. While the NWRF none-too-subtly inferred that it was likely the long-term overuse of his Telekinesis putting strain on Kaiser’s brain which eventually lead to the aneurysm, scientists and medical professionals of Col22 are neither confirming nor denying this theory publicly. Meanwhile, rampant rumours spawn from the anxiety of the unknown and the suspicious circumstances surrounding the Radical’s death. Word would get out that Kaiser collapsed in the testing facilities, while an NWRF Rep was present, no less. Was there more to the story? Could the NWRF be trying to cover up an accident or experiment gone wrong?
Or worse, could this death have been an execution?
A/N: Well there you have it, team!! And congratulations to the first selected volunteer for incorporation into the plot drop! Lou was one of the members who responded to this volunteer call and blindly volunteered Clove for the upcoming plot he knew nothing about. His name was drawn from a pool using a random generator! There will be be another opportunity like this with this plot drop series, so keep your eyes peeled if that interests you!
Now, let’s crack into it:
This post marks the official drop of The Colony’s 9th non-games related event, Ruina Rex!
Similar to the (infamous) Fever State event, this event will function on the dash as a multi-part plot drop, rather than a specifically contained/timed event, and will happen in three stages. This portion, known as Part I: “Howl”, takes place on the morning of Friday, April 7th, and the colony wide PDD notice about Kaiser’s death (which will be posted in a few moments), is publicly announced before noon that day.
As this is a plot drop, not a contained event, there are no limitations to the kinds of threads you can start in this timeline, but anything after 11:30am on Friday the 7th, the death of Kaiser Bahr will be public information, and will be the talk of the Colony. Rumours and theories will spread quickly, while the NWRF tries to dissuade panic.
As always, you are entitled and encouraged to continue any existing threads you have as long as you need to wrap them up, and while you don’t have to label them “pre-event” due to the strictly informational nature of this plot drop, you may want to eventually for the sake of clarity on the dash. Same goes for any new threads: usually it would be mandatory that new threads be titled accordingly for events, but due to the plot-drop nature of this particular event, it’s not specifically required. We do, however, recommend members at least consider titles that reference the event and/or stage of event (and/or tagging or dating them accordingly) to for the sake of helping to keep timelines clear in the future, especially with more parts to come!
Unlike some previous events however, you are still permitted to start threads that take place before this announcement is public, if you wish, so long as it is within the current timeline. This will be possible until the timeline officially moves forward when we post part II.
The tag on the main for the event will be #col22rex, so feel free to track that to keep up with any updates or answered questions regarding the event as we move forward! And speaking of questions, please direct any and all asks about the event to the main blog, and consider using the colony’s Ask Box if it’s a general question that may be useful to others as well, so we can answer it publicly and drop it into the tag!
Also, due to the very political nature of this plot drop, if any members with NWRF characters want to take advantage of the “secret” col22nwrf plotting sideblog, this is just a reminder that it exists :) It may start to prove itself useful again as we move through this plot!
Alright, I think that’s all for now folks, but hope you enjoy the first stage of this plot drop, and of course: RIP Kaiser “The WolfMan” Bahr.
Magnanimous, unconquered, boisterous Ares, in darts rejoicing, and in bloody wars; fierce and untamed, whose mighty power can make the strongest walls from their foundations shake: mortal-destroying king, defiled with gore, pleased with war’s dreadful and tumultuous roar. Thee human blood, and swords, and spears delight, and the dire ruin of mad savage fight. Stay furious contests, and avenging strife, whose works with woe embitter human life.
“ you have been tricked into thinking you have no control over your shadow self or these negative forces, and that you can never break free from their hold …
… free yourself from the chains that bind you. Take this opportunity to bring about positive change in your life by staying focused on the ultimate goal of freedom. ”
