Problem solving!
Several problems are still unsolved (refer to numbered entry). Let's see what we can do about that. PS it seems like this is going to be either a trilogy or something on the scale of "Way of Kings" bc there's no possible way I can solve this problem set in less than 80k words. So, those problems, in no particular order.
THE CHURCH IS HELLA CORRUPT. I'd say it's at the level of Catholicism at its peak, all the pageantry and law keeping that goes with it, but not hindered by being totally insane. It is, however, based on a total lie. Anyone who comes close to figuring out exactly how gets put down, and quietly, a communism-esque sort of Church law enforcement style. It doesn't happen all that often, either, because they have this lovely perk of their god's power having a tangible effect on the undead, who are clearly evil and serve as proof positive of god's existence. Nobody is really sure of what's up except the Pope (or analogue for a Pope) and his job is to tell nobody except the next pope, no exceptions even under torture, not that that's ever been tried. I'd love for there to be a subplot, or large simultaneous plot, of a member of the clergy who starts doubting and then starts exploring, lands on the truth one tiny snip at a time and spends most of his time being either persecuted or chased by the Church. Maybe the Dark God can get into his ear a little as well? Maybe by accident he could see for himself something that uproots everything, like a near-death experience where he sees the misty other world and it doesn't match what he's been taught?
Good grief, would he try to find out more by having another near-death experience? More than one? Anyway, eventually he does uncover all of it. I do not know what this means for the rest of what's going on but it certainly exposes the corruption of the entire system. We'll call him...Damien. lols.
Damien the Deacon Discovers Deity Dead and Doesn't Do Dick. Except that he totally does do something about it, that's another entry.
Ok, there's one down.
WOLFGANG'S ARMY IS UNSTOPPABLE. We are on the brink of a World War, so there's a lot of military presence everywhere you go. It wouldn't be such a big coincidence to have some legion (or whatever unit of troops they use that is fairly small) in the area when the undeads strike for the first time. After that they kind of all decide to resign from their official army and go rogue, specifically with the purpose of fighting the undeads instead of the living, no matter who. This would put them in a position of AWOL, called deserters or worse. There would probably be a price on their heads, all of them, easily identifiable because they gather under a new banner/symbol/flag what have you when they leave their old regiment. Alex would probably run into them when he first gets word of the Undead army, as that is his job and he also goes around to all the armies eventually. He'd be totally on board with whatever it is they do and would never turn them in, probably even give them as much help as he could so they can continue the fight after he leaves. They would tip him off to Wolfgang's existence if he doesn't already know it. These guys are not exactly central plot, but they are there for flavor whenever you need a break or to show what the undeads look/act like.
Boy would Suzette be surprised when she finds the first people ever to be ready for her arrival! And she will find them eventually; where Alex goes, Suzette follows.
So the army is unstoppable, but there's this line of defense that will buy us quite a bit of time, if they can avoid persecution and getting totally pwnt. They'd probably have to go to great lengths to make sure that knowledge of the undead army doesn't get out, first to avoid general panic, second to avoid any stupid politician getting ideas about recruiting Wolfgang. They' have to go to some dark measures, doing that. Maybe even kill everyone who gets near if they look like they might leave and tell. That would include any unlucky civilians, whatever military police that finds them, and each other if they try to desert. That last would be especially terrible, because to agree to commit to the legion here and then try to leave means they either can't take it anymore or they are trying to reach their family. It won't work forever of course; each of them that falls is a new one of the undead army. They are seasoned though, and once their ammo runs out they can go hand-to-hand.
Then when the food and medicine run out...? Well, let's hope Alex can help with that or these boys are really fucked.
WOLFGANG'S MIND IS COMPROMISED. Alex will find him and they will duke it out the first time they meet, especially when he realizes that Wolfgang has the original grimoire. Alex will actually be winning this, but Wolfgang will have a lucid moment during the fight and say something to the end of "Help me." Alex will initially think of it as an invitation to join him, but another lucid moment that caries the same message a little more desperately will make him stop the fight and retreat, very weirded out. A little research into the methods used by mind-affecting undeads will allow him to return to Wolfgang's outpost and dig into his mind, and find out that he's had the whammy this whole time, that the endgame is to start WWI at any cost, and that the Dark God exists and is behind it all. Unfortunately, looking at all this will alert Dark God to Alex's scouting, which means the whammy gets even stronger on poor Wolfgang. Alex retreats again, this time bc he's in the center of a hostile army, and he still has to treat the whole business like Wolfgang is an enemy, but now it's heartbreaking bc we know it's none of it his fault. Eventually Alex will kill Wolfgang out of mercy, but there's a lot more important things to do first, and even though he has the opportunity during the scouting, he chooses not to because the Dark God will only pull the same stunt again, and here's a devil we know as well as the rebel legion who can fight them. If Wolfgang dies, there's a whole world where the new whammy might fall, and that's not something the living can afford.
Probably Wolfgang (the real one) will be genuinely pissed off that Alex refuses to kill him when he has the chance. Enter Suzette, who would figure out what's up and allies herself with Wolfgang (both Wolfgangs). Her offer: I'll help you (dark god) acheive your end and also kill you (wolfgang), and in exchange you will find a way for me to die for realsies. He agrees, because he totally understands. Also HE agrees, because why not, extra help is extra help.
Ok Damien and the Army guys are pretty much the only cast members who want to live. The actual fuck JD. That's way more messed up than vampire bears. Anyway that also solves another item on the list, that SUZETTE IS ALIVE AND SHOULDN'T BE.
THE CHURCH IS HELLA CORRUPT. I'd say it's at the level of Catholicism at its peak, all the pageantry and law keeping that goes with it, but not hindered by being totally insane. It is, however, based on a total lie. Anyone who comes close to figuring out exactly how gets put down, and quietly, a communism-esque sort of Church law enforcement style. It doesn't happen all that often, either, because they have this lovely perk of their god's power having a tangible effect on the undead, who are clearly evil and serve as proof positive of god's existence. Nobody is really sure of what's up except the Pope (or analogue for a Pope) and his job is to tell nobody except the next pope, no exceptions even under torture, not that that's ever been tried. I'd love for there to be a subplot, or large simultaneous plot, of a member of the clergy who starts doubting and then starts exploring, lands on the truth one tiny snip at a time and spends most of his time being either persecuted or chased by the Church. Maybe the Dark God can get into his ear a little as well? Maybe by accident he could see for himself something that uproots everything, like a near-death experience where he sees the misty other world and it doesn't match what he's been taught?
Good grief, would he try to find out more by having another near-death experience? More than one? Anyway, eventually he does uncover all of it. I do not know what this means for the rest of what's going on but it certainly exposes the corruption of the entire system. We'll call him...Damien. lols.
Damien the Deacon Discovers Deity Dead and Doesn't Do Dick. Except that he totally does do something about it, that's another entry.
Ok, there's one down.
WOLFGANG'S ARMY IS UNSTOPPABLE. We are on the brink of a World War, so there's a lot of military presence everywhere you go. It wouldn't be such a big coincidence to have some legion (or whatever unit of troops they use that is fairly small) in the area when the undeads strike for the first time. After that they kind of all decide to resign from their official army and go rogue, specifically with the purpose of fighting the undeads instead of the living, no matter who. This would put them in a position of AWOL, called deserters or worse. There would probably be a price on their heads, all of them, easily identifiable because they gather under a new banner/symbol/flag what have you when they leave their old regiment. Alex would probably run into them when he first gets word of the Undead army, as that is his job and he also goes around to all the armies eventually. He'd be totally on board with whatever it is they do and would never turn them in, probably even give them as much help as he could so they can continue the fight after he leaves. They would tip him off to Wolfgang's existence if he doesn't already know it. These guys are not exactly central plot, but they are there for flavor whenever you need a break or to show what the undeads look/act like.
Boy would Suzette be surprised when she finds the first people ever to be ready for her arrival! And she will find them eventually; where Alex goes, Suzette follows.
So the army is unstoppable, but there's this line of defense that will buy us quite a bit of time, if they can avoid persecution and getting totally pwnt. They'd probably have to go to great lengths to make sure that knowledge of the undead army doesn't get out, first to avoid general panic, second to avoid any stupid politician getting ideas about recruiting Wolfgang. They' have to go to some dark measures, doing that. Maybe even kill everyone who gets near if they look like they might leave and tell. That would include any unlucky civilians, whatever military police that finds them, and each other if they try to desert. That last would be especially terrible, because to agree to commit to the legion here and then try to leave means they either can't take it anymore or they are trying to reach their family. It won't work forever of course; each of them that falls is a new one of the undead army. They are seasoned though, and once their ammo runs out they can go hand-to-hand.
Then when the food and medicine run out...? Well, let's hope Alex can help with that or these boys are really fucked.
WOLFGANG'S MIND IS COMPROMISED. Alex will find him and they will duke it out the first time they meet, especially when he realizes that Wolfgang has the original grimoire. Alex will actually be winning this, but Wolfgang will have a lucid moment during the fight and say something to the end of "Help me." Alex will initially think of it as an invitation to join him, but another lucid moment that caries the same message a little more desperately will make him stop the fight and retreat, very weirded out. A little research into the methods used by mind-affecting undeads will allow him to return to Wolfgang's outpost and dig into his mind, and find out that he's had the whammy this whole time, that the endgame is to start WWI at any cost, and that the Dark God exists and is behind it all. Unfortunately, looking at all this will alert Dark God to Alex's scouting, which means the whammy gets even stronger on poor Wolfgang. Alex retreats again, this time bc he's in the center of a hostile army, and he still has to treat the whole business like Wolfgang is an enemy, but now it's heartbreaking bc we know it's none of it his fault. Eventually Alex will kill Wolfgang out of mercy, but there's a lot more important things to do first, and even though he has the opportunity during the scouting, he chooses not to because the Dark God will only pull the same stunt again, and here's a devil we know as well as the rebel legion who can fight them. If Wolfgang dies, there's a whole world where the new whammy might fall, and that's not something the living can afford.
Probably Wolfgang (the real one) will be genuinely pissed off that Alex refuses to kill him when he has the chance. Enter Suzette, who would figure out what's up and allies herself with Wolfgang (both Wolfgangs). Her offer: I'll help you (dark god) acheive your end and also kill you (wolfgang), and in exchange you will find a way for me to die for realsies. He agrees, because he totally understands. Also HE agrees, because why not, extra help is extra help.
Ok Damien and the Army guys are pretty much the only cast members who want to live. The actual fuck JD. That's way more messed up than vampire bears. Anyway that also solves another item on the list, that SUZETTE IS ALIVE AND SHOULDN'T BE.