Winslow
Overview
Winslow Coltrane (real name Clayton Driftwood) was a leader of the Vigil credited with keeping the group together during the bloody East vs. West conflict of 2020-21. Throughout 2021, Winslow developed a reputation for “snitching” after he was careless with information which Zirka believed could get her killed. Rather than killing him to ensure his silence, she instead chose to spare his life in exchange for a “life debt”. Unbeknownst to Winslow, she intended to use to have him serve as bait to lure a member of the Cult of Papa into a trap. Winslow’s reputation for loose lips also drew the attention of the Forsaken Loyalists, who had suspected him of working with both Dark as Midnight and the Scribes against their interests. Without informing the Vigil, Winslow began making a series of decisions in an attempt to clear the Vigil and himself of the trouble he got into which instead brought the Vigil significantly more hardship.
Upon discovering Zirka’s plan, Winslow was terrified and unsuccessfully attempted to murder her (who he had grown close with) leading to her eventual capture by Dark as Midnight. After surviving an attempt on his life by the Wanderers, Forsaken Loyalists, and Serdtse Stai, Winslow went into hiding under the protection of Dark as Midnight. The apocalypse gang ultimately handed him over to both the Carnival and Vigil, resulting in his death at the hands of his best friend and co-leader, Shifty.
Appearance
Origins
Prior to the apocalypse, Clayton was a member of a family of serial killers operating in Texas between 1965 and 1985. In 1986, state police uncovered evidence of the Driftwood family’s murders and Clayton’s mother was shot and captured during a resulting shoot out. During the chaos, Clayton, his brother, and his sister escaped through an intricate network of tunnels and graves located below the family home. The pair of brothers attempted to flee the country with the assistance of an accomplice. Meanwhile, the sister continued alone on a further killing spree before eventually being brought into custody.
Clayton, his brother, and accomplice were eventually captured after crashing their vehicle on a major highway. While in custody, the three men learnt that the mother committed suicide in the middle of interrogation. The trio each received a death sentence. While awaiting the lengthy appeals process, Clayton and his brother escaped during a prisoner riot where they murdered multiple corrections officers. The family took the family of the prison warden hostage and blackmailed him into arranging the escape of their sister. Clayton’s siblings decided to flee to Mexico, whilst Clayton opted to go his own way. He broke into the house of his cousin, Winslow Coltrane, stole his passport and assumed his identity. Clayton left the United States to live in an isolated cabin within Siberia where he lived alone for many decades until the events of the infection began.
Having lived in hiding for close to thirty years, Clayton attempted to find redemption in the post-apocalyptic new world and vowed to help people.
Demeanour
Choosing to dress in the post-apocalyptic world in typical rural American attire, Winslow made no attempt at hiding his origins. Despite living in Russia for three decades, Winslow never lost his distinctive Texan accent. Slow to anger and difficult to intimidate, Winslow rarely resorted to violence - despite the temperament of people in the new world. By the end of his time in South Zagoria, Winslow had killed very few people, and only ever in self defense. The guilt of his past weighed on his mind significantly, and the deaths of various bandits at his hands brought the man a large amount of pain.
Actions
An overview of the character’s decisions, achievements and overall story development. This should form the main body of the article, and may be broken down into further sub-headings if appropriate.
East vs. West Conflict and rise to Vigil Leadership
east-vs-west farming tools incident -> bor got raided by DAMN, winslow wanted to know why, through tony (not vigil then) set up meeting with the eastern powers, was given a list of things to say including farming tools -> not a leader at this time
Attempting to Help People
decided to help Kate -> disillusioned with helping the masses, decided to help out kate
went to St. Joes, saw TLR, then went to Altar with Zirka / Jordan in disguise, Winslow wanted to help Kate, brought them along -> Wanderers forbidden from going near Altar, Zirka thought she would get killed if George learnt -> Winslow told by Zirka not to tell anyone, or she'll kill him, he didn't take it seriously -> proceeds to tell story in Bor -> zirka takes him to the woods, shoots him with a rubber round
Kate reaches out to Winslow to meet alone, to be helped (actually a ruse_) -> ambushed by DAMN, interrogated for information on why Zirka/Jordan were brought in -> Vriska hinted that he might spread Winslow being a snitch leading to Zirka killing him -> Winslow had the choices of run away from Zirka or be honest with her
Winslow confesses to Zirka that he was interrogated -> winslow begs for his life -> zirka lets him live but now he owes her forever, doesnt say what
FL bullying Vigil, Miklo attacks Blake -> winslow decides to start talking to Vriska to get FL off their backs -> he thought DAMN / Scribes would distract / damage FL
Zirka and Winslow travel frequently, become "friends"
Evidence of Colluding with the Scribes
Wanderers raid Scribes, find intel that Winslow was working with them against FL -> Scribes appear in Sanctuary, trying to inspect for technology, Vigil refused. -> compromise offered to feed Scribes intel on FL, non-commital answer given (htey weren't) -> FL in disguise overhears -> Scribes
Zirka tells Winslow he can clear her debt by being bait for the Cult, or make Reverand Alessandro, or contact the cult somehow -> everyone who fucks with the cult dies, he's scared -> winslow freaks out, tells Kate he may have to kill her
Kate and Zirka meet behind the scenes -> Kate tells Zirka -> Winslow freaks out, knowing Zirka will kill her
Winslow becomes paranoid about Zirka trying to kill her -> Winslow meets people, says he may not be around any more, no context, very weird, saying goodbyes etc -> Harry Churches gets told by Winslow why he's paranoid -> Shifty takes Winslow to "meet somebody" (CJ, Doink, Kate), Zirka is brought by Kate. -> Shifty thought they would make ammends, Zirka insists she'll Winslow, just not now, "you know I have to do this" -> he shoots her, she disappears -> he talks to Harry Churches again, says everything is fine, he talked it out with Zirka etc etc
met with Rix -> svet cliffs
Bombing of Sanctuary
Blake appears in Sanctaury asks Winslow directly about the note ->
Sanctuary bombing + hostage situation -> he confesses to shooting Zirka -> Georgie tells Winslow all the Vigil's problems are from him, "do them a favour and fuck off"
survived, went to BC, passed out on their door step, went into life saving surgery -> Harry Churches was present, realises Winslow lied about Zirka ---> doesn't help him, despite that being his life goal -> Winslow protected by BC, realises he can't go back to Bor because FL (also what Georgie said) ->> stays to heal, goes to Gorka, begs for shelter in their territory, figuring FL wouldn't find him here, "I have nowhere to go"
Death and Aftermath
DAMN takes him in, he doesn't know why they agree to take him in -> Tom Sock suggests Winslow could be a useful tool -> Tom Sock gives him Kate + Doink's house as they're dead -> Harvey mad
Unknown to Winslow, Tom Sock begins negotiating with FL for his handover in exchange for murdering Iris and having Altradoran talk to Charlie -> Doesn't happen because Tom Sock disappears (assumed dead)
Zirka is a warboy, Winslow doesn't suspect until -> he tries to leave, DAMN refuse, take him to Lollipop tower, to get them to be more evil by killing him (as they had done the DC rebranding) -> Vigil summoned to Lollipop by DAMN -> they present Winslow to them -> Shifty gives Winslow a hate speech, you caused so much damage, "fuck this I'm done" (throws armband) -> Shifty kills Winslow, he says sorry as his final words, only Zirka (the warboy) hears him
Where are they now?
After surviving the attempt on his life by the Forsaken Loyalists, Wanderers, and Serdtse Stai, Winslow went into hiding in Gorka under the care of Dark as Midnight. The apocalypse gang grew increasingly frustrated at who they saw as a mooch and were in the middle of negotiating his handover to the Forsaken Loyalists. After a month in their care, Winslow attempted to leave Gorka, enraging Dark as Midnight who dragged him to Green Mountain, where they expected the Carnival to “prove themselves” and execute the man for going into hiding and betraying the West.
Members of the Vigil were present and berated Winslow for dragging them into numerous conflicts and betraying what the Vigil stood for, including leaving them behind to pick up the pieces. Winslow was killed by his long-time friend and co-leader, Shifty on the 17th of August 2021. His final words of “I’m sorry” went unheard to all present but Zirka, who later consumed his corpse in its entirety.
Relationships
Kate - Someone else he tried to help that ended up being the catalyst to his death and the thing that started it all
Shifty - Winslow's closest friend and co-leader of the Vigil. The two were central figures in South Western politics and were virtually inseparable. After learning the extent of Winslow's deeds, Shifty executed Winslow for dragging Vigil into so much trauma.
Ted - Another of Winslow's closest friends
Zirka - war child that started it all
Jean - Vigil member he sought advice from (moral compass)
"Silent" Joe Fraser - president of FL that shot him
"Blind" Blake Tirty - someone he helped that later came into conflict with
Vriska - spymaster he snitched to
Ekho - Tried to help with his psychosis and ultimately failed
Harry Churches - Reminded Winslow that there was still hope
HerrKurt -