Apoca-Con [ACRO plot]

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt arrived at the field near GLoG. A single stage stood with a podium holding the microphone and glass of water. Speakers stood to the side so that the large... and growing crowd could all hear. Seats were being filled up faster than expected and in a matter of time it'd be stand up room only.

Tables stood to the sides of all this. On one side, food and drink plentiful for all. On the other several sheets of paper for people to write down their losses and grievances. Already ten pages were full and the line in front of the tables did not seem to have an ending.

Reinholdt steps up on stage and approaches the podium. "Greetings all. I want to thank you for coming to Apoca-Con. We have all suffered at the hands of the recent apocalypse, yet a lot of the questions about it have remained unanswered. I am here to finally put those questions to rest. This is largely a Q & A session, so make sure you ask those questions. And please. One at a time if you would."

Up above, a pair of Magplanes arrive, a pair of either Magtoks or Magbots piloting them, it's hard to tell from here. The duo begin writing sky messages. Reinholdt looks at them with a confused look which quickly moves to annoyed as he whispers, "Magtok?" All the same, he stays where he is. The messages were degrading, yes, but nothing he didn't deserve or couldn't handle.

Sky-Messages like:
"Reinholdt can't be trusted!"
"Reinholdt is a monster!"
"Reinholdt is a mean old poopie-head!"

[happyturtle]

"What are you going to do about the hospital?" an older man calls out. "My wife hasn't had her chemotherapy since the hospital was destroyed. She's missed four sessions now."

[Reinholdt]

"There were investigation teams sent to see if the hospital could be rebuilt, but so far it appears that that is in the negative. As it is, that hospital is condemned and will probably have to be thoroughly demolished. I intend to have a new hospital built and in fact, have already called in construction workers to work on it. I am also having doctors and nurses brought over to set up an field hospital until the new one can get up and running. They should be ready in two days. They'll do their best to take care of your wife." Huh. Really?

In fact, yes really. They aren't here of course, but Reinholdt did hire all those people.

[happyturtle]

"I want to know what caused it. I heard there was some kind of demon child." This comes from a young woman.

[Reinholdt]

"More like a child of science. There is a person by the name of Lord Magtok... I'm sure you've heard of him. If not, then he is a bit of a mad scientist. He created this creature, whose name was Kaela. Kaela ran into me and fused with my DNA. When I had a son, Kaela basically formed the child after his programming and left me. It was this Kaela-child that nearly caused the apocalypse."

[happyturtle]

"What about the volcano? My wife and baby son were killed."

"My sister was a caretaker at the orphanage, and now she's gone missing."

"My cattle all died of disease during the blood rain. My family is destitute now."

"Why? Why would anyone do all this?"

"Why?"

"Why?"

[Reinholdt]

"People please. One at a time. The volcano was a completely separate incident." Reinholdt waits for the crowd to calm down.

[happyturtle]

"Who caused the volcano then?" the burly bearded man demands to know.

[Reinholdt]

"That would be a lich by the name of Calublufiok. He believed himself to be omnipotent and to prove it, he was trying to end the world and many many other worlds. When he was defeated, with his dying breath he caused the volcano line to erupt and caused that catastrophe."

[happyturtle]

The elf woman steps forward now. "My sister went missing from the orphanage where she worked as a caretaker."

Corwin arrives, walking the perimeter of the crowd before finding a place to stand, somewhat behind the podium and off to one side.

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt nods to Corwin before resuming his attention on the girl.
"And I presume she didn't write home or call or something? In that case, any number of things could have happened to her. I'm afraid I don't know what." All the caretakers Reinholdt took in had plenty of time to let their families know after arriving at the Citadel. Must be another orphanage.

Or a really callous-to-her-family caretaker.

[happyturtle]

"I tried to find out, but the orphanage had been burnt to the ground." Not all of the caretakers had time to write home. Some of them were ordered to go away and die. "I thought we were going to get answers here!"

[Reinholdt]

Oh yeah...

"If it occurred during the apocalypse, then it's rather likely it was caused by the rain of fire. If it happened after the apocalypse then there could be any number of reasons."

[happyturtle]

"You think the only people were lost died in the apocalypse? Since then people have starved to death because of destroyed crops, or died of the diseases spread by the blood rain, or were killed by the zombies that we still aren't completely rid of. You said we would get answers here!"

Lots of angry muttering goes along with this sentiment. Many many people died in the aftermath of the apocalypse. Almost as many people as during the event itself.

[Reinholdt]

"And you are getting answers. But that does not mean I know the cause of death of everyone who's died Post-Apocalypse. If that's what you're looking for, you're in the wrong spot. You need a detective or a doctor or some diviner. I am here to explain the apocalypse itself."

[Lord Magtok]

Some smelly old guy decides to join this "shout angrily at the cat-man" fad these young-uns are so into nowadays.

So this Magtok is behind the death of my wife? Where is the low-down snake, I'd like to give him a piece of my mind!

Eww, he speaks in DarkOliveGreen. That has to be one of the ugliest looking text colors I've ever used in a post.

[Reinholdt]

"Partially. As I am also partially responsible for siring the son in the first place. Both of us knew what could result from it, but neither of us took steps to prevent it. At least until the very end, where I turned on my own son to stop the end from actually happening. If you must know, Magtok may be found at his MagCave. I wouldn't go there though. He's far too dangerous and you'll only get yourselves killed."

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt bit his lip to keep himself from anger.

"The mother abandoned me and has ran off with a god of art. It seems she has a thing for pianists."

[Reinholdt]

"I didn't just let her. She disappeared without a trace. There was no way to track her. But before I continue, I must ask... how did you know she had undead?" He intends to explain that he wanted to end the world. Just not right away so there wouldn't be a riot right off the start.

[Reinholdt]

"I live there now and intend to do so in the future. Now answer my question. Who are you? How do you know so much about Rabbit?"

[Reinholdt]

"I did NO such thing. The Glass Citadel was Rabbit's parting curse upon me. I accepted it and have used it in ways she never dreamed. It is better now because of me. But I did not steal it. Now ANSWER my questions!" Reinholdt is getting a little angry himself. Rabbit was not his favorite topic.

[VampireRot]

Zanil Torken is sitting in one of the front row seats. He doesn't seem at all angry, probably because he wasn't actually here for the Apocalypse. The bard seems rather interested in this subject.

[Reinholdt]

"Impossible. Shepherd was her first child. I'd know. I was there." With the icky virginity and stuff.

"And I was given the rights of the Glass Citadel properly. I would not be able to control it if that were not so. So I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about Gael."

[Reinholdt]

Reinholdt's eyes narrow.
Mutt?!
"If it did so, it does so no longer. Go take it up with her." Reinholdt stands at his guard. With extra glaring.

[Reinholdt]

"You're welcome to invest your own resources to find her. Try the Temple of Amour, they may know something. Goodbye Gael. I have other people who need answers."

Who was this strange person? Or rather, what?

[Kaelaroth]

Corwin receives a text, or e-mail. He must have such facilities amid his various hi-tech things, no?

Those aerial objects are not those of Magtok. Be very wary, GLoG member!

[happyturtle]

And Chelonie arrives at the crowd, and begins to work her way through it, trying to reach the podium where Reinholdt is speaking.

Corwin indeed has a GLoG issue mobile. He looks at the message and frowns.

[Reinholdt]

Oh hey. There's Chelonie. Reinholdt gives a small nod before looking back out in the audience.

"Next question if you'd please."

[VampireRot]

Since Gael has left or deadtimed, Zanny stands up. The bard raises his hand and calls out to Reinholdt.

"You said your son caused the Apocalypse. Did you purposly sire him to do this? Or did you not expect him to become a... monster?"

The bard wants to find out if the Apocalypse was actually Reinholdt's fault.

[Reinholdt]

"I did originally purposely sire him for such a purpose. It was a joint decision by me and Rabbit. The cataclysms were not quite as expected, but the end of the world was originally desired, yes."