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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 21, 2020 14:50:00 GMT -5
INTRODUCTION
Screens flicker to life across Panem, in every home, in every public square. From the shopfronts in the shining streets of the Capitol, made mirror-like by rain, to the humblest home of District 12, the downpour drumming on a roof that will not hold it at bay. Everybody is watching. Everybody always watches - as if they have a choice. This year, though, people watch with more interest and less resignation than usual. It sounds sick, because Quarter Quells (held every 25 years) are always more brutal and more bloody. Always harder to watch; waiting to know what twist the next Quarter Quell holds is essentially just the districts waiting to see what humiliating torture the Capitol has devised for them.
But in a twisted, morbid way, it always grabs interest. Children whisper about it in hushed voices at schools, speculating about what will be in store that year. Those who are eligible for a Quarter Quell never find the gossip so amusing, not even Careers. The advantage the Career districts have can be completely negated by a Quarter Quell, and has been in the past. The 100th Games, a girl from District 3 won. In the 50th Games, a boy from District 12 even won. No, Quarter Quells completely change the game which the Careers have been training for all their lives. Switching up the rules that are all they know and making them null as those who are more adaptable thrive. A Career in a Quarter Quell is sometimes like a fish out of water.
On the television screens, a smiling man sits on a chair on a Capitol stage, illuminated by spotlights. He must be in his early fifties by now, but trying to tell the age of someone who lives in the Capitol is a foolish endeavour anyway. He appears warm and bubbly, with far more energy than one would expect for someone of his age, but something about his smile seems a little too plastic nowadays, doesn't quite reach his eyes like it used to. He's hosted the Games for almost 35 years now.
Easily identifiable by his signature blue clothing and hair, this man goes by Catullus Acton. Though he's really fooling nobody with his change of name; everybody still remembers him as Burton Acton, the victor of the 90th Games. Even those too young to have seen his Games at the time have seen reruns of it. He won his Games at seventeen and left for the Capitol several months afterwards to host the 91st Games. He never stopped, and nobody in the Districts can fathom how he was able to betray his home district like that and become such a Capitol lapdog, going on about the excitement of the Games every year.
A sewing pin glints on the lapel of his jacket as he rises to his feet, raising his arms to encourage cheers from the audience. A little ode to his home, District 8.
"People of Panem, welcome to the 125th Hunger Games!" Catullus begins, to roars from the crowd "I'm your Master of Ceremonies, Catullus Acton, and I'll be here throughout the Games to bring you all the latest developments. All the interviews, all the statistics, and all the gossip about this year's Arena and tributes. I hope you're excited!"
The Capitol crowd expresses their excitement with no uncertainty, and Catullus takes his seat back in the chair to chat to the crowd in his usual casual way.
"It's the eve of the reapings for the 5th Quarter Quell," Catullus continues "and I, for one, am positively buzzing with excitement. Electricity in the air tonight, folks. I'm fortunate enough to be hosting my second Quarter Quell now; I hosted the last one 25 years ago. I know! Oh, to be 27 again. I'm getting old"
The crowd make disbelieving noises, playing into his pantomime, and Catullus pretended to bashfully wave them off.
"You're too kind," the man gushes "Now, it's a Quarter Quell, and you all know what that means. It's time to reveal this year's special twist."
The screen cuts to a man with dark hair and feline-like features. Not in the way of bodily modification, his face just seemed naturally like that. Sharp features, and his face's expressions seemed very carefully controlled. He moves elegantly, deliberately, with purpose. President Livius Kerto. The successor to President Louden, and no less tyrannical. Not unlike President Snow who preceded them both.
It was obviously filmed before the live reveal with Catullus, because Kerto stands outside in the daylight. He opens a locked box with 'CXXV' written on it in elaborate gold lettering and carefully draws out some paper, breaking the seal in one smooth movement and unfolding it, eyes scanning coolly over the paper in a moment of terrifying, nail-biting silence before he finally begins to speak. The entire country must have been watching with bated breath, feeling like they'd been waiting forever just for Kerto to start to speak.
"In honour of the 5th Quarter Quell," his voice is a rumble, like thunder, but with none of the pleasantness of being in a warm shelter while a storm rages outside "and as a reminder that the districts are at the mercy of the Capitol, the tributes this year will be chosen by Capitol representatives."
The rest of the speech seems to fade into nothing as Kerto explains that there shall be no volunteers that year unless the chosen individual is at death's door and cannot participate in the Games. As he goes on to detail that the Capitol representatives in question will be Kerto himself, the Head Gamemaker Nike Galloforge, and the other Gamemakers.
The opening of the box is just a formality for the screen; the Gamemakers will have known what the Quarter Quell would be that year for quite some time. Gives them time to design the Arena and plan everything, and this year must have given the Capitol the chance to choose their tributes.
Everything is a blur until it's back to Catullus once again, with that stupid too-white smile.
"It's quite the twist this year!" he says appreciatively, apparently barely able to keep the enthusiasm out of his voice "with the Gamemakers choosing, we're bound to get some characters. If I were you, I'd prepare yourselves for drama, secrets, intrigue and quite possibly the most impressive collection of tributes we've ever had!"
And just like that, it's over. Catullus wishes the best of luck to those preparing for the reapings tomorrow, and exclaims that he'll return live the very next day to cover the reapings as they happen.
He signs off with the perennial prayer that the odds be in everyone's favour.
ABOUT
Hi there! Welcome to our small group Hunger Games roleplay! Many of our little group have been roleplaying together for a long time, and I'm very excited to present the first roleplay I've made for the group. The roleplay might be closed to outside joiners, but if it is, still feel free to drop in and say hi if you'd like to, that's absolutely something you can do. We're a very friendly bunch and are always willing to take ideas, feedback, or even have a chat. Because we've roleplayed the Hunger Games before and characters like Catullus are getting reused, some parts of this will have some background lore that I don't really have the space to cover here but will happily share if anyone asks.
Please don't hesitate to contact me (ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ ) or my mods (𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 and Leo ) if you have any questions about anything at all. I'm British and in a different timezone to the rest of the group, but I feel fairly confident that when I'm asleep either Shadow or Leo will be online (because neither of these heathens get enough sleep). Between us we should have all times near enough covered.
As you will have noticed, this is about the 125th Hunger Games, or the 5th Quarter Quell. This is all set in an alternate universe in which the events of the canon Suzanne Collins books with Katniss Everdeen never took place and life in Panem continued on unaffected. However, this group have roleplayed in the Hunger Games universe a couple of times before (the 100th Games and the 90th Games to be precise) and therefore I am fitting this roleplay in with the events of those previous roleplays.
Thus, there is a little bit of background information that is worth mentioning. Ever since the 90th Games, there has been more and more unity evident among the tributes and the districts, with many tributes forming unusual alliances (e.g. the Careers allowing non-Careers into the pack more readily) and even falling in love. The 100th Games saw this very clearly demonstrated when the twist forced the tributes to ally with a tribute from another district. This has created a very dangerous situation, and the grumblings of rebellion have been heard across Panem ever since Burton Acton's victory 35 years ago. There has been the odd moment of rebellion, but only now are the first sparks of rebellion starting to really catch. There is a very real threat that if several of the districts rebel at once - if they realise the other districts are also rebelling and coordinate their activities - the Capitol could be in serious danger. It appears that this has already started to happen - the transport district, District 6, has been instrumental in allowing the transport of rebel messages. District 8 is particularly volatile right now, along with Districts 7, 11 and 12. The inner districts will eventually (if more reluctantly) follow if the outer ones fall. Like a line of dominoes.
This Games gives the Capitol the chance to choose unique tributes. Perhaps to get rid of these rebels and criminal elements in a show of brutality, to get the message across to the districts that rebellion will not be tolerated. Perhaps to choose the strongest and bravest of the districts, or the most intelligent. Perhaps to choose famous faces, the children of victors or those well-known in their districts.
But as always, the Gamemakers want to put on a show. They will chose those who allow them to tell a good story.
So, I hope you enjoy this little roleplay, it's just for fun. See the below posts for how the Games themselves will actually be conducted in terms of fights, etc etc. Enjoy the ride!
And may the odds be ever in your favour...
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 21, 2020 14:53:15 GMT -5
The Arena
The arena has the cornucopia in the centre; it has a somewhat more natural look to it of a grassy area that dips down as if a crater. The sides are somewhat steeper than they might look at first glance and while getting into the bowl-like area might seem easy, getting out is not quite so simple and could be very deadly for the tributes.
Once out of the cornucopia, much of the area surrounding it is grassy plains. Very exposed, very dangerous, and it's best if tributes move through that area quickly. This might, however, make moving around the arena difficult, as crossing to another area requires a tribute to put themselves at risk by crossing the grassy plains. It's also very exposed to the weather, which according to the Gamemakers' whims can vary from hot and sunny, to heavy rain, to biting cold nights, to strong winds. However, for the tribute brave enough to venture out there, they might find hunting in the form of rabbits, foxes and other animals. There is also the occasional small body of water they could drink from; running water is preferable for purposes of not getting sick, but in a pinch these still ponds will do.
To the northern part of the arena is a forest. A stream runs through here for water, and it certainly provides more shelter. There are also plenty of animals to hunt like deer, rabbits, foxes and squirrels. There are also plenty of plant foods to forage here. However, it is also very difficult to find one's way around, and there may be more dangerous predators in there than just the tributes. It may be wise to be cautious in the forested area, especially with the disorienting mist that always seems to collect ominously in the undergrowth. It's an ideal target for arena events and for poisonous plants so beware.
To the west are the mountains, which have probably the cleanest water in the arena in the form of mountain streams. Finding plant foods may be difficult but there are hardy mountain animals to hunt here - as well as possibly a few predators if one is not careful. It is not a particularly hospitable environment but for the brave and resourceful tribute this could pay off. The mountains are hard to navigate but not too difficult to hide in, and if one can move through them quickly it would be difficult for others to pursue. Many may choose not to follow a tribute they were pursuing should they opt for this part of the arena. There are also caves to provide shelter, though be sure to check for traps, since this would be an ideal place to put them, or dangerous animals. Be careful, it gets cold on the mountains at night, not to mention that the dangerous rocky landscape could cause more than a few injuries.
Finally, to the south-east there is a beach area. Plenty of food opportunities for those who know how to access them, for one thing. Water is slightly more difficult but not impossible. Once again it is slightly exposed but there is no reason why a tribute couldn't survive well here. It might be an ideal place for a group of tributes to camp out. It can get very cold around the beach at night, and one must be careful if they go swimming in the water; the currents can be very strong and there could be dangerous sea life. Make sure you're familiar with marine environments and know how to swim if you're out there.
How This Will Work - Stats, Fights, Etc
We're doing this D&D style lads. Which means that when you make your character you get 60 points that you get to spend however you want - distribute them between:
- STR (Strength): how strong your character is
- DEX (Dexterity): how precise and quick your character is - how nimble they are, basically
- CON (Constitution): how many hits your character can take - THIS AFFECTS THEIR HIT POINTS
- INT (Intelligence): how book-smart your character is - this could be in the form of scientific knowledge, survival knowledge, knowledge of past games, etc
- WIS (Wisdom): street smarts, insight and survival. i.e. intelligence is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, knowledge is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad
- CHA (Charisma): how likeable and socially able your character is, how good they are at persuading (or manipulating) people
Across these six categories you are limited to a maximum of 15 points in each category. As previously stated, the constitution statistic will affect how likely they are to survive arena events, a fight, or even such things as poisoning or fall damage. I know it might be tempting to give your character a high constitution in order to help them survive but remember, they will need the other stats too. Charisma will determine how likely they are to get gifts from sponsors or persuade other tributes. Strength will determine how hard they hit in a fight. There are many more examples too. So my advice? Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Each of the tributes will get health bars of 15 points (plus or minus constitution modifiers), which will reset every week in real time (every Monday at midnight UK time). You've just got to keep them alive that long for the bar to reset.
The stats will have modifiers when a character rolls for something, and it will work like this:[/b][/td][td style="text-align:center;padding:3px;"] MODIFIER[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]1[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]- 5[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]2[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]- 4[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]3 [/td][td style="padding:3px;"]- 3[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]4[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]- 2[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]5[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]- 1[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]6[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]- 1[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]7[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]0[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]8[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]0[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]9[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]0[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]10[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]+ 1[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]11[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]+ 1[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]12[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]+ 2[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]13[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]+ 3[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]14[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]+ 4[/td][/tr][tr][td style="padding:3px;"]15[/td][td style="padding:3px;"]+ 5[/td][/tr][/tbody][/table][/ul] For an action to be successful, a D20 will be rolled and the action (including modifiers) needs to score a 15. For fights, the tributes (there can be a maximum of four tributes in a fight) will take turns rolling dice for attacks. The tribute who initiated the fight goes first. Relevant stats are included (e.g. it may be argued that the move they're making requires a lot of strength or dexterity, so these modifiers might affect the amount of damage they do and would be taken into account. This would normally be the strength modifiers.First they will roll a D20 for if the attack hits, then a D6 for damage.The constitution modifier will affect a tribute's hit points - the modifiers above will then apply to their base score of 15. Thus, a tribute could have a minimum of 10 hit points or a maximum of 20. Therefore it is possible for a tribute to die in one hit if a tribute with a very low constitution is attacked by a tribute with very high strength. This isn't how a D&D fight would normally be done, I know that, but it's already confusing enough ngl XDA tribute cam elect to flee from a fight, but the other tribute will get a chance to have one last hit. Furthermore, some items may affect a tribute's ability modifiers. For example, weapons will increase a tribute's strength modifier: they are far more likely to do damage with a sword than unarmed. However, this may vary; for example, a heavy weapon will greatly increase a tribute's strength modifier but will decrease their dexterity modifier. These will all be determined by me: when a tribute acquires an item I will let you know if (and in what way) it affects the tribute's modifiers. Not everything has to be done via a fight - two roleplayers can agree to have a character kill another if they wish to. [/span][/div][/font][/font][/font][/div] [/div]
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 21, 2020 14:55:32 GMT -5
Rules
It's very important to read these rules before joining the roleplay. If the mods and I pull you up on one of these rules, we'll make sure to cite the rule in question so please do read them.
I. The forum rules are my rules! Please make sure you have read the forum rules and obey them
II. We'll be using the dice a lot so please don't get upset or defensive about what they say; this is a Hunger Games roleplay. Your characters are going to die. Sometimes the dice may land on a number that seems unfair, but that's only to add to the realism of the roleplay and keep the stakes high.
III. Make sure you've read the section about how the stats and fights will work and that you choose your statistics accordingly.
IV. Please make sure I know when you're starting a fight so we can roll the dice. However, not every fight has to be done this way. If two people have agreed to have a character kill another then there doesn't necessarily have to be a fight. However, if there is any kind of struggle I will roll for damage to the killer.
V. No godmodding. You are not allowed to just have your character kill someone else, for example, without either it being agreed with the person or starting a fight.
VI. No mary-sues. I know this is an rp where by necessity characters will end up with strengths and weaknesses due to the stats but I would still request that you make sure they had flaws in their personalities too.
VII. Hunger Games rules - all character must be between 12 and 18. Please also try to keep it realistic in that Career characters will have had more training, for example.
VIII. I would like to limit for now to only 1 Career character at most per person.
IX. Keeping it PG-13, please! I know this is a Hunger Games roleplay so it'll have death and gore but still
Joining
Please fill in the following joining form for tributes:
CAPITOL RECORDS: TRIBUTES
Name: Age: Sex (M/F): District:
Personality:
History/Other notes:
[STR]: |[DEX]: |[CON]: |[INT]: |[WIS]: |[CHA]: |
FACECLAIM (@ screenname)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 21, 2020 15:01:37 GMT -5
The Tributes
District 1 - Luxury items Female: Alecto Oriole Age: 17 (ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
CURRENT HP: 16/16 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE [STR]:11 |[DEX]:12 |[CON]:11 |[INT]:8 |[WIS]:9 |[CHA]:9 |
Male: Sterling Magne Age: 15 (Nariku The Avaricious )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 8 |[DEX]: 8 |[CON]: 8 |[INT]: 12 |[WIS]: 9 |[CHA]: 15 |
District 2 - Masonry Female: Nikoleta 'Nix' Blaise Age: 17 (𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 )
CURRENT HP: 17/17 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 8 |[DEX]: 5 |[CON]: 12 |[INT]: 12 |[WIS]: 12 |[CHA]: 11 |
Male: CLAIMED
District 3 - Technology Female: Pixelle Bowen Age: 15 (Nariku The Avaricious )
CURRENT HP: 14/14 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 7 |[DEX]: 9 |[CON]: 6 |[INT]: 15 |[WIS]: 11 |[CHA]: 12 |
Male: CLAIMED
District 4 - Fishing Female: CLAIMED
Male: Conynn O'Hare Age: 18 (𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 )
CURRENT HP: 20/20CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE[STR]: 15 |[DEX]: 15 |[CON]: 15 |[INT]: 4 |[WIS]: 4 |[CHA]: 7 |
District 5 - Power Female: Jouliette ‘Ettie’ Genera Age: 15 (ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ ) CURRENT HP: 14/14 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]:6 |[DEX]:13 |[CON]:6 |[INT]:14 |[WIS]:10 |[CHA]:11 | Male: CLAIMEDDistrict 6 - Transport Female: Hyacinth Milady Age: 18 (𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 7 |[DEX]: 7 |[CON]: 7 |[INT]: 10 |[WIS]: 14 |[CHA]: 15 |
Male: CLAIMEDDistrict 7 - Lumber Female: CLAIMEDMale: Basil Bethell Age: 14 (𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 8 |[DEX]: 15 |[CON]: 9 |[INT]: 9 |[WIS]: 9 |[CHA]: 10 |
District 8 - Textiles Female: CLAIMEDMale: Corduroy "Roy" Marshall Age: 17 (Nariku The Avaricious )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 9 |[DEX]: 14 |[CON]: 9 |[INT]: 10 |[WIS]: 13 |[CHA]: 5 |
District 9 - Grain Female: Amara Langston Age: 15 (𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 )
CURRENT HP: 17/17 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 6 |[DEX]: 15 |[CON]: 12 |[INT]: 15 |[WIS]: 8 |[CHA]: 4 |
Male: Fulton Ennis Age: 18 (ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
CURRENT HP: 19/19 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE [STR]:14 |[DEX]:6 |[CON]:14 |[INT]:10 |[WIS]:10 |[CHA]:6 |
District 10 - Livestock Female: Agnus Sheppard Age: 18
CURRENT HP: 17/17 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 14 |[DEX]: 11 |[CON]: 12 |[INT]: 9 |[WIS]: 7 |[CHA]: 7 |
Male: Ryland 'Rye' Bovine Age: 18 (𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 12|[DEX]: 11|[CON]: 8|[INT]: 11|[WIS]: 12|[CHA]: 6|
District 11 - Agriculture
Female: CLAIMED
Male: Kellen Age: 16 (𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE [STR]: 11 |[DEX]: 12 |[CON]: 7 |[INT]: 13 |[WIS]: 10 |[CHA]: 7 |
District 12 - Coal Female: Almas Piran Age: 15 (𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE
[STR]: 10 |[DEX]: 10 |[CON]: 7 |[INT]: 9 |[WIS]: 11 |[CHA]: 13 |
Male: Calix Piran Age: 18 (ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
CURRENT HP: 15/15 CURRENT STATUS: ALIVE[STR]:10 |[DEX]:10 |[CON]:10 |[INT]:12 |[WIS]:12 |[CHA]:6 |
Credit
Credit goes to me for the layout, coding, and the rp in general. I would also like to give credit to my wonderful mods 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 and Leo for their help and support, I love you both. Same goes to all the other roleplayers, I love this entire group and just thank you all.
Credit for the inspiration for the Quarter Quell twist goes to the YouTube user Capitólio, who mentioned this idea among many others in a video about Quarter Quell ideas which can be found at this link.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 21, 2020 18:39:23 GMT -5
(Hello.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Dec 21, 2020 18:48:10 GMT -5
(Hey hey!)
(Also, I’m gonna use this as my save for my forms)
Name: Alecto Oriole Age: 17 Sex (M/F): F District: 1 Personality: Alecto Oriole is not someone to be messed with. She is a Career through and through, a fighter who is most certainly not to be underestimated. While she is reasonably strong, it is dexterity that is her strong suit; she is flexible, speedy, and decent when it comes to stealth. However, it is clear that she is overall a quite well-balanced tribute, even if she is not exceptional in any one skill. She cares little for charm and charisma; Alecto has no intention of making any friends, so while she will stay with the career pack she is not likely to build friendships. She is not a particularly loyal person, instead being more of a pragmatist. If leaving the Career pack, for example, would be what she perceived as the best move in order to ensure her survival, she would do it without hesitation. She is unafraid to kill or to betray others; this determined young woman will do anything in order to ensure her victory. Do not cross her - she is selfish and will only help others so long as it benefits her, and she is far too much of a loose canon to be considered a safe ally. The main advantage one might have over her is the fact that she does not put enough emphasis on the need to charm the Capitol. This limits her likelihood of getting sponsors, especially away from the Career pack. The Gamemakers assessment is that the ideal strategy to beat her is to play a game of attrition. She lacks sponsors and will not survive a waiting game; her survival skills are decent but not overly impressive. Alecto will play civil if she needs to but will not spend more time or effort than necessary on her teammates; she is clearly in this game for herself. One good thing about Alecto, however, is that she will never lie to you. She's a straight-talker, no matter what, and cannot stand manipulators or liars. She will call other people out without shame or hesitation, and if she believes someone is a danger to the group she will not withhold that information. Therefore, while she might not be the easiest person to work with, she is at least genuine. And in the Hunger Games, where one is never quite sure whom to trust, that can be an awfully valuable thing. History/Other notes: Miss Oriole is the daughter of a tribute from former years, Ardor Oriole, having been the result of a teen pregnancy. Ardor did not survive his games - the 108th Games. Ardor betrayed the Career pack and killed his own District partner. That is not the only bad luck the family has experienced. Alecto's twin brother Prodigy volunteered just the previous year and did not survive, once again ending in a betrayal of the Career pack. As such, Alecto has something to prove. She intends to bring glory to her family and a victory to her District, and to break the 'Oriole curse', as it has been called. The rest of her district certainly does not see the Oriole family in particularly high regard after the 108th and 124th Games. She means to prove that her family can actually win these Games. Alecto Oriole is also considered something of a threat given the fact that she has obviously suffered significant personal loss in her father and twin. Combined with her lack of loyalty, it is a dangerous mix that could prove a major problem for the Capitol if allowed to continue unchecked. Alecto Oriole must either be allowed to achieve a victory, or she must be terminated. Either of these outcomes would hopefully curtail her rebel potential. Miss Oriole's preferred weapons are: a bow and arrow, a spear, knives, or a sword. She is fairly versatile but does not use heavy weapons like clubs or maces. [STR]:11 |[DEX]:12 |[CON]:11 |[INT]:8 |[WIS]:9 |[CHA]:9 |( ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
Name: Jouliette 'Ettie' Genera Age: 15 Sex (M/F): F District: 5 Personality: Ettie is a very intelligent young lady, with an enquiring mind. In some ways, she's far too mature for her age. However, in other ways she isn't; she can be somewhat naïve and trusting, for starters. Her wisdom comes in the form of survival knowledge and inventiveness, not in the form of good social judgement or street smarts. She is a very sweet person, though; she is a little shy and does her best to avoid confrontation whenever possible. She is selfless and puts others before herself, even to her own detriment. She gives people far more than just second chances, but third, fourth and fifth chances. While in real life her sweet and forgiving behaviour would be appreciated, in the Hunger Games it is a vulnerability that will most likely get her killed. She is good at making friends and allies, and will likely be very good at charming the Capitol, but she is not good at standing up for herself. Jouliette is not very strong and not very hardy, but her dexterity is rather high; she is fast, stealthy and has great precision when it comes to detailed and intricate tasks. She can't take many hits in a fight, but she might be difficult to catch and land a hit on, which is her only potential advantage. Jouliette is intelligent, inventive and thoughtful. She's also decent when it comes to her survival knowledge; the girl is good at adapting and improvising, which could be an advantage for her when it comes to the Games. She might not be particularly strong but her kindness and charisma could aid her in getting sponsors from the Capitol, which Ettie is aware is imperative if she is to survive. She is empathetic and good at reading social cues, which could hopefully allow her to build her relationship with other tributes and form alliances. Jouliette's moral quandry is that she is unlikely to be able to survive on her own but she is well aware of how alliances tend to end. She isn't prepared to kill someone she is allied with and she knows that if she doesn't it would result in her death at the hands of her ally. Her weakness makes her an easy target, but she could potentially rely on the fact that the other tributes will hopefully focus on removing the main threats, the stronger tributes, and will hopefully forget about her. History/Other notes: Jouliette Genera is the daughter of Nicolas Genera, a man well-known in District 5 for being the inventor of technology to make the harvesting of power in the district more efficient. He is known, due to this, to be a very intelligent man and his work has brought him to the attention of the Capitol. The view of the Genera family in the districts varies; some see the increased power efficiency as a benefit, allowing for the workers in the districts to hit the quotas the Capitol sets them with less work. Others are concerned for the security of their jobs and for their safety in the workplace. The Capitol, however, are very grateful for Genera's work. Despite this, it is vital that Nicolas Genera's loyalty stays with the Capitol; his mind is dangerous in the hands of the rebels, should their presence in District 5 grow stronger as it is predicted to do. Therefore it is important to ensure that he knows the consequences should he stray. Jouliette is his eldest child of four, and therefore to take her away would be a good show of the Capitol's power, and send a very clear message to Nicolas. Ettie is not expected to survive the Hunger Games; if she does, hopefully it will instead demonstrate the Capitol's ability to give and take away life and glory at will. Jouliette does not have any training with any weapons, but it is predicted she will prefer ranged weapons like a slingshot or bow and arrows. [STR]:6 |[DEX]:13 |[CON]:6 |[INT]:14 |[WIS]:10 |[CHA]:11 |( ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
Name: Fulton Ennis Age: 18 Sex (M/F): M District: 9 Personality: Fulton Ennis looks far more intimidating than he is. He is very tall and well-built, very strong, but he would most certainly be considered a gentle giant. Strong and hardy, Fulton would be a powerhouse in the Arena and should be able to handle himself well in a fight. Unfortunately he is not very dextrous, likely due to his larger size and weight. Therefore he might find a match in the speedier and more agile tributes. Fulton is relatively intelligent but is not likely to share his thoughts and ideas due to his reserved nature. He is not shy but he does not get on with people very well and tends to keep quiet. He doesn't talk much and when he does he doesn't waste his words; he speaks carefully, thoughtfully and deliberately. Fulton is generally very level headed and calm but he is also a caring person and thus the only thing that will make him truly angry is when somebody threatens someone he cares about. He's a little awkward and not very charismatic, which will not help his chances with charming the Capitol. However, he could be able to play the strong, intimidating angle and get sponsors that way. He is very protective of younger tributes and while he does not generally want to be involved in an alliance, he will not hesitate to look out for those he sees as vulnerable. Fulton has no patience for the Careers, for those who prey on the vulnerable. He also has no patience for liars, manipulators or people who are unnecessarily cruel. He is a realist and accepts that it is a given that to win the Games requires killing, but he will not accept anyone killing people if it is not necessarily or if it causes more pain than needed. If and when he kills someone, he plans to give them a quick death. However, winning is not necessarily Fulton's goal. He would rather stick to his morals if possible. He might not be good socially, but he is no real threat unless someone provokes or attacks him and he is known to step in when he feels it necessary to protect someone he sees as needing help. He's actually a kind, paternal person, far more than it might seem at first glance. History/Other notes: Fulton is known in his district for being a kind person who keeps to himself. He's known for sharing any extra food or resources he has with the others in the district, for Fulton lives alone and does not need much to live on his own. His family was unknown to the Capitol for a long time, but it was presumed that he is orphaned. The Capitol did not have many records on him, since he generally minds his own business. He has been chosen for these Games due to the fact that he is well-loved in the District. The Capitol's desire to curb rebel activity explains why he specifically has been chosen. Not just that, but he is unafraid to break the law in his district if it will allow him to look after those in his district that he feels need to be protected. This kind of behaviour is considered dangerous by the Capitol and must be made an example of. Most importantly, Fulton has secrets of his own that the Capitol have been able to uncover. Fulton does not have any specific weapons training but it is predicted that he is likely to favour heavier weapons like maces, axes or clubs. Or else perhaps a scythe, which he would be more familiar with given his district. [STR]:14 |[DEX]:6 |[CON]:14 |[INT]:10 |[WIS]:10 |[CHA]:6 |
( ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
Name: Calix Piran Age: 18 Sex (M/F): M District: 12 Personality: Calix Piran is another well-rounded tribute. He is not overly strong but his strength is decent enough to handle himself in a fight. He is reasonably agile and while he is no hardier than average, he is also not particularly weak. He is quite an intelligent young man, and has the street smarts to back it up. He prides himself on his ability to survive independently - he vehemently denies that he needs anybody else, and seems to idealise self-sufficiency. He also believes he's savvy enough to be able to take advantage of the 'system' to give himself the best chance possible in the Games. Calix is witty but very sarcastic and dry most of the time. He angers easily too, and while his tongue is biting he seems to resort to physical outbursts or rage before communicating things verbally; this is likely due to the fact that he doesn't feel very heard most of the time. Calix's charisma is low because he often doesn't seem to know when to hold his tongue; he will brazenly insult people if he truly believes the thing he is saying, and he is unafraid to express his feelings about the Capitol. Calix is blunt and does not care for making friends. He sees things rather black and white and has his own very clear opinions of right and wrong. He does not believe it is right to pander to the Capitol for your own safety, and he has no love for those who refuse to speak out against the Capitol or try to defend it. Even silence is incriminating in his eyes. If you're not with Calix, you're against him. He is prickly and difficult to make friends with, preferring to keep people at a distance. Once you're friends with him, though, you've secured a very loyal friend who will protect you no matter what. Calix is selective with the company he chooses to keep and so if he chooses you as a friend or ally he genuinely believes you are a good person who can be trusted. Calix does not give respect freely; one must earn it. History/Other notes: Calix is the eldest child of one of the most prominent men in District 12. His mother died shortly after giving birth to Calix, and his father later found another wife, with whom he fathered Calix's younger sister. Calix's father hates any reminder of his first wife and by nature of the fact that Calix looks more like his mother than his father, Calix has thus been rather excluded and pushed to the side by his father, who prefers to focus on his shiny new family. Calix feels alienated and it affected his relationship not only with his father and stepmother but also with his sister. Angry and hating the treatment of the people of his district, Calix became quite the troublemaker. He is known for sneaking beyond the district's fence into the forests. He works in the mines in District 12 - more to get out of the house than because he needs to work - and thus he has his ear to the ground. People talk in the mines. The Capitol believes that it is here that he found out about the rebels and ultimately ended up joining. He has been chosen for the Games due to suspected rebel activity, especially considering his family background. His younger sister was also selected; one rotten apple spoils the bunch and it is vital to ensure the family is not harbouring not one, but two rebels in its midst. It will hopefully send a message not just to Calix's father, but the rebels and indeed all of District 12. [STR]:10 |[DEX]:10 |[CON]:10 |[INT]:12 |[WIS]:12 |[CHA]:6 |( ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ )
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Post by 𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 on Dec 27, 2020 15:52:24 GMT -5
(I've been summoned.)
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Post by Sparky on Dec 28, 2020 1:28:48 GMT -5
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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Post by 𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 on Dec 28, 2020 3:39:49 GMT -5
Name: Conynn O'Hare Age: 18 Sex (M/F): M District: 4 Personality/History: Conynn is the smug, overly confident son of the winner of the 82nd Hunger Games. Born and raised in District 4, it was always known that Conynn was going to follow in his father's footsteps as a representative for his district. As do many Careers, Conynn waited to volunteer until he would be at his physical peak at 18. And due to his father's strong reputation in the Capitol, he was able to be selected over the many others who had coveted his spot in the Games. Standing at 6'6", Conynn is a brute of a man, excelling in physical strength and fighting skills. When it comes to hand to hand combat, his is a force to be reckoned with, and lacks the ability to connect emotionally with others. Mentally, he can be a bit...simple. He likes things straightforward and to the point, and often gets frustrated with complex situations or people. Problem solving isn't exactly his forte, as he would much rather solve things with his fists than with his brains. [STR]: 15 |[DEX]: 15 |[CON]: 15 |[INT]: 4 |[WIS]: 4 |[CHA]: 7 |FACECLAIM𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 Name: Hyacinth MiladyAge: 18Sex (M/F): FDistrict: 6 Personality / History: Hyacinth Milady had the unfortunate luck of being born into a whorehouse, the bastard daughter of a prostitute and some peacekeeper who had wandered into the brothel nineteen years ago. But despite her rather harsh upbringing, the dark haired girl learned how to charm her way through life and read a person with a single glance. Though she may not be as strong as some of the other tributes, she has an inner fire that pushes her to do whatever it takes to survive. Which she had done a grand job of doing until one day she found herself the target of a Capitol heiress who hated Hyacinth for stealing the attention of her partner, and thus landed the young mistress a slot in the Hunger Games.
[STR]: 7 |[DEX]: 7 |[CON]: 7 |[INT]: 10 |[WIS]: 14 |[CHA]: 15 |FACECLAIM𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 Name: Amara LangstonAge: 15Sex (M/F): FDistrict: 9Personality / History: Amara Langston is the wealthy, only child of the mayor of District 9, who grew up wanting for very little. Having received the very best education available in her district, Amara is quite book smart, as she can speak three different languages, has a passion for reading and writing, as well as a love for helping others (though her opportunities to do so were limited). But despite her good intentions, the sheltered young girl has very little experience outside of her own home, as her only encounters with the others in her district consisted of heavily chaperoned and guarded outings that were more for the sake of photo ops than anything else. She does her best to only see the good in others, and due to her lack of true socialization, is unfortunately too naive and gullible for her own good. Even so, most people in town held a positive image of her in their minds, on the rare occasion she came up at all. But when her father was found guilty of speaking of rebellion against the Capitol (a desire he had kept hidden from his daughter), he was thrown in prison, and she was chosen to be sent to her death in the Hunger Games. [STR]: 6 |[DEX]: 15 |[CON]: 12 |[INT]: 15 |[WIS]: 4 |[CHA]: 8 |FACECLAIM𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇 Name: Kellen KingAge: 16Sex (M/F): MDistrict: 11Personality / History : Born the eldest child of five, Kellen had to step up as the main provider of his household, after his father passed away when he was twelve. Despite his relatively serious demeanor, Kellen is naturally a nurturing person who is protective over those he loves. When it was discovered that his younger brother had stolen something of great value from the Head Peace Keeper in their district, Kellen broke out of his normally peaceful persona and stole a gun, shooting the Head Keeper in an attempt to save his brother from the officer's cruel temper. But, having never shot a gun before, he only grazed the man's shoulder, and the repercussions were ten fold. Not only did he have to watch his brother be executed before his very eyes, but he also was detained and held as the male tribute for The Hunger Games.[STR]: 11 |[DEX]: 12 |[CON]: 7 |[INT]: 13 |[WIS]: 10 |[CHA]: 7 |FACECLAIM𝐸𝓁𝑜𝓆𝓊𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒟𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Dec 28, 2020 14:23:27 GMT -5
Name: Nikoleta 'Nix' Blaise Age: 17 Sex (M/F): F District: 2 Personality: tbd History/Other notes: tbd
[STR]: 8|[DEX]: 5|[CON]: 12|[INT]: 12|[WIS]: 12|[CHA]: 11|
(@ screenname)
Name: Almas Piran Age: 15 Sex (M/F): F District:12 Personality: Tbd History/Other notes: Sister of Calix [STR]: 10|[DEX]: 10|[CON]: 7|[INT]: 9|[WIS]: 11|[CHA]: 13| FACECLAIM: (@ screenname)
Name: Basil Bethell Age: 14 Sex (M/F): M District:7 Personality: tbd History/Other notes: tbd [STR]: 8|[DEX]: 15|[CON]: 9|[INT]: 9|[WIS]: 9|[CHA]: 10| FACECLAIM: (@ screenname)
Name: Ryland 'Rye' Bovine Age: 18 Sex (M/F): M District:10 Personality: tbd History/Other notes: tbd [STR]: 12|[DEX]: 11|[CON]: 8|[INT]: 11|[WIS]: 12|[CHA]: 6| FACECLAIM: (@ screenname)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Jan 4, 2021 7:58:12 GMT -5
Alecto Oriole, District 1 The Capitol were choosing this year's tributes.Alecto was still reeling a little over hearing that news on the television. Luckily for her, it didn't change her plans too much; her aim was to volunteer the next year when she was 18 and had completed her Career training. She had started to prepare hours before the reaping, washing and getting dressed in her best clothes. This event only came around once a year, after all, and she knew people would be looking at her this year far more than normal. After last year's Hunger Games.Alecto's twin brother Prodigy had volunteered that previous year. Alecto could remember that she and her mother had even celebrated after his reaping. That was how confident the two of them had felt that Prodigy could achieve a victory for their district and could restore the family name after their father Ardor's unfortunate betrayal of the career pack (including his career partner) and subsequent death in his own Games when he was 18. Not exactly the most honourable Hunger Games legacy.Until Prodigy did the very same thing. People seemed not to care that one did what they had to do in the Hunger Games, not when it involved killing one's own district partner. And certainly not when the strategy didn't even pay off and the entire career pack had been killed for nothing.Alecto tied her dark hair back with a ribbon, and wore some of her jewellery. It wasn't exactly as flashy as the stuff one would find in the Capitol, but it was still District 1. The small necklace and stud earrings still both had real diamond in them. She was here to show her District that she wasn't afraid to face them after last year. That she and her family were still to be respected and feared. That she meant business.
She was met just outside her bedroom by her mother; the woman, with pained expression, held out her hand, revealing in her palm a gold ring on a chain. With a sharp intake of breath, Alecto reached out to close her mother's fingers around the ring.
"Mama," Alecto said, almost as if reprimanding her mother for her concern "I'm not volunteering until next year. I don't need this yet."
The older woman shook her head, extending the ring towards her daughter once again.
"It isn't about random chance this year, Allie," her mother reminded her "please, just take it. It'd give me some peace of mind."
Alecto looked at her mother with some scepticism but finally took the ring with a sigh, securing the chain around her neck so the ring sat just below the diamond necklace but was still clearly visible. If she was wearing this, she wanted people to see it.
The girl took hold of the ring, drawing it as far as its chain would allow so she could examine it. It was a simple gold ring with a laurel design on it, like a laurel wreath. A symbol of victory. On the inside of the band were engraved the initials A.O.
Her father.
Though luckily, of course, the initials matched Alecto's own. This ring had been Ardor's own tribute token seventeen years before, and it had also been Prodigy's the previous year.
Her brother had done one thing right, Alecto remembered a cruel girl at the Academy remarking after Prodigy's body had been returned; he'd kept that tribute token safe so that the Oriole curse could be passed on to his younger sister.
Alecto hoped one day to prove that girl wrong, rub her victory in her face.
Running her finger over the cool metal, Alecto offered her mother a smile.
"Thanks, mom," Alecto said, swallowing to keep the emotion out of her voice.
She had to be a career. She had to be strong, especially for her mother. She hadn't been the same after losing Prodigy, and Alecto knew she'd been just as broken by the loss of her childhood sweetheart. She'd been through so much, having to go through her pregnancy and raising her children on her own, and Alecto had always tried to be strong for her. Especially after Prodigy.
Her mother put a hand on Alecto's shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead, before rushing her out the door with the warning that if she didn't hurry she was going to be late.
Nobody was late to the reapings.
So Alecto rushed there, joining the throng of teenagers being funnelled into the town square. After so many years of it, she didn't even flinch when they pricked her finger, though she could swear that when her name came up on the man's screen (confirming her identity), some expression Alecto couldn't fully place passed across his face.
Weird, they didn't normally react like that. Maybe he remembered Prodigy from last year - that had to be it.
Alecto joined the crowd of girls, staying close to the back with the other seventeen-year-olds. She kept her eyes fixed on the stage, acutely aware of the looks she was getting from the others. Wondering whether the Oriole curse would strike again that year, no doubt. That or gossiping about her brother's gruesome death.
Anyway.
Luckily there wasn't much time to dwell on it, because the mayor came out to give his usual long speech. Nobody was listening, Alecto knew, because he always said the same spiel anyway. Most importantly, though, this was District 1. People couldn't wait to find out who would be in the Games; the impatience was so strong, Alecto could feel the electricity in the air.
Eventually, the Capitol escort finally stepped onto the stage, saying something about 'ladies first' in an unnaturally chirpy, sing-song voice that grated on Alecto's ears more than she could even explain.
She could see only one name, one single piece of paper as the Capitolite approached the bowl containing the entry for the female tribute of that year. They grabbed the paper and practically skipped back over to the podium, unfolding it as they leaned unnecessarily close to the microphone.
Alecto inhaled, the entire crowd falling into silence. One could hear a pin drop.
"Alecto Oriole!"
Alecto started as if she'd been physically slapped. What?. Why, of all people, would the Capitol possibly want to choose her? Did they want to see the Oriole curse too? Make a mockery of her family? Or were they generously giving her family another chance at glory and victory? After all, her place was guaranteed now. There were no volunteers that year unless the chosen tribute was on death's door.
The crowd parted, and as Alecto moved through them she could swear she saw an even split of jealousy (those who desperately wanted to be in a Quarter Quell, she guessed) and smirks (undoubtedly from those who anticipated Alecto's failure) on the faces of the teenagers around her.
She got up onto the stage, making sure her expression was just right. She couldn't look scared - not that she felt fear anyway - and she certainly couldn't look gentle or soft. Instead, she maintained a confident but determined smile, as if she was relishing the moment. As if she'd won already.
Then the Capitol escort moved to choose the single boy's name from the other side of the stage, and once more the crowd grew eerily silent.
"Sterling Magne!"
Alecto knew him. He was a couple of years younger than her, she recalled, a little too young to be ideal for the Games. Then again, it wouldn't be too much of a problem for a Career tribute. A 15 year old from District 1 was still better trained than an 18 year old from the outer districts.
He was the son of a previous victor, which of course meant he was rolling in cash. It was as if the Capitol had deliberately paired them. A son of a victor, and a daughter and sister of failed tributes.
She watched him head towards the stage. From what Alecto knew of the Magne kid, he was kind of soft - compared to her anyway. But way more likeable and charismatic, so she figured he'd be a rival when it came to sponsors. Her mind was already whirring, telling her she'd have to find a way to differentiate herself from him if she wanted any hope of appealing to sponsors. Sure, while he was with the pack any gifts he got benefitted everybody, but the pack wouldn't stay together forever.
In terms of strength and age, though, Alecto was concerned he'd be a liability for the rest of the pack.
Once Sterling had joined Alecto and the Capitol escort on the stage, they bid the two district partners shake hands. Alecto obliged, perhaps gripping Sterling's hand a little too tightly as she did so.
"Don't get in my way," she warned him
If he stayed out of her way, they'd be fine. But she wouldn't deal with a liability. Not in a Quarter Quell.
Unfortunately it looked like her plans to wait a year before volunteering had been dashed, but no matter. She was nothing if not adaptable. Most importantly, she had something to fight for and something to prove. At least if she went down it would be in a Quarter Quell - she'd be memorable for that, at least.
Let the 125th Hunger Games begin.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Jan 4, 2021 9:08:52 GMT -5
Fulton Ennis, District 9 Fulton Ennis was well-known in his district. He'd been effectively orphaned relatively young, and pretty much the entire district had banded together to help raise him and protect him. He couldn't have been more grateful for that, for all the families who had treated him like one of their own through the years.
When he'd gotten older, old enough to work, he'd started paying the district back for their kindness. Sharing any extra resources and food he'd happened to have, protecting those younger than himself. He generally kept to himself, but he'd certainly broken more than one Capitol laws over the years when it came to protecting those he felt it was necessary to protect. Sharing his wages with families who were struggling (he didn't need as much seeing as he lived on his own), even sharing any extras from the tesserae he would take (he only took one tessera every year, but he share anything he had left) with those in need. Stepping in between peacekeepers and someone they were punishing.
Still, he rarely said much and largely kept himself to himself. He wasn't particularly a 'people' person and he didn't like talking much; actions spoke far louder than words, and he lived by that rule.
The boy lived alone, and had woken up on the day of the reaping to a peaceful house. Today would be awful for so many families - and for Fulton, who knew most of the families. He usually made a habit of dropping off some supplies for the families whose children had been chosen after the reaping, usually with some food to get them through a few days. They wouldn't feel ready to leave their house for some time after the reaping, Fulton knew. He never knocked on the door though; it was best to leave a family alone as they came to terms with the possibility of losing their child.
Luckily for Fulton, if he got picked he had nothing to lose. And the silver lining to a reaping day tended to be the fact that nobody in the district had to work. A day off from labour in the fields was always welcome.
So, Fulton was able to take his time getting ready for once. He washed and dressed in his best clothes, though of course they were nothing compared to the clothes of the Capitol or even the clothes of the richest Districts. District 8, being the textile district, always had slightly nicer clothes than most of the other Districts too, perhaps with the exception of the career Districts.
He remembered his very first reaping; he'd had to borrow a too-big shirt from a neighbour whose son had grown out of his reaping outfit. He'd been so grateful for it at the time, having nothing else to wear that was even vaguely appropriate for wearing to a reaping.
He made sure to check he had enough food in his house - both for himself and for the families of that year's tributes - before heading out. If he didn't he would've been in some trouble, since the market wouldn't be open on reaping day. Even the black market was only open on the morning, and closed after the reaping in the afternoon out of respect for the families and friends of the tributes. Thankfully, it wouldn't be an issue.
Fulton headed out once it came time for the reaping, heading to the small and rather rundown town square for District 9. District 9 was one of the smallest districts in Panem in terms of population - though not necessarily in size; the miles and miles of wheat fields needed plenty of space. It didn't need a huge square and the district didn't tend to get invested in much either; the Capitol officials who visited the district tended to simply make snide remarks about the chipped paint and rundown buildings.
It was impoverished, though not as badly off as other Districts - District 11, for example.
Once he had joined the mass of young people lined to enter the town square, his finger was pricked. By now, this was no big deal for Fulton, but he remembered how terrifying it had been when he was 12.
This was his last year, he remembered with relief. He just had to get through this last reaping and then it was finally over and he could live his life without the threat of the Games looming over him. Unless he had kids, anyway, which he didn't intend. It was simply cruel to bring children into a world with the Hunger Games.
He listened to the usual speech from the mayor, watched the Capitol-approved video. Everything was word for word exactly the same as it had been six years ago when Fulton had attended his very first reaping and stood right at the front of the crowd with the smallest children rather than at the very back with the eighteen-year-olds as he did now.
Eventually it came time for the very frightening-looking Capitol escort, who had dyed themselves entirely gold like some king of human statue, to choose the names. Just two single pieces of paper in each bowl. Tesserae meant nothing this year. Age meant nothing this year. All the usual things that affected one's chances were gone. The Capitol had simply chosen someone, presumably with the help of District officials.
The atmosphere in the crowd was of mixed anticipation and dread. Everybody wanted to know who had been chosen for the Quarter Quell, but everybody feared more than anything the idea that it might be them.
The sun, which had been scorching the cracked pavement, dipped behind a cloud and the air developed a sudden chill as the Capitol escort happily exclaimed the name of a girl.
"Amara Langston!"
Very rarely did the crowd make a single sound during a reaping, but that name drew a collective gasp from the crowd. Everybody knew why Amara Langston had been chosen. She was the only child of the mayor, and her father had recently been imprisoned for rebellious sentiments. It appeared his recent fall from grace had made the Capitol decide his daughter had to be dealt with too.
Fulton swallowed as he realised that the Capitol had chosen this girl with the likely intention to do everything possible to make sure she didn't get out alive. Not that District 9 ever really won anyway.
She stepped up onto the stage, and then it was time for the Capitol escort to read the name on the single piece of paper on the other side of the stage. The name of the male tribute.
Fulton could hear almost a collective intake of breath from his side of the crowd, but especially those in the very front. The youngest who were terrified of their first Games, no less so because it was a Quarter Quell of all things. Many people in this district had secrets, and Fulton wouldn't be surprised if the Capitol would be able to dig something up on the families of even the 12-year-olds. Nobody was safe.
The Capitol escort unfolded the piece of paper slowly and deliberately, and...
"Fulton Ennis!"
Well, he had to admit he'd never considered that possibility. He probably should have, really. He was well-known in the District, he broke Capitol rules. And his family were certainly not unknown to the Capitol, and Fulton knew that the Capitol wouldn't like what they did know.
The crowd parted, and Fulton walked through a sea of sympathetic faces. Everybody in District 9 knew him in some way or another, usually because he had helped their family or their family had helped him at some point. Recognition lit up their faces.
He got up onto the stage, and was asked to shake Amara's hand. His expression softened as he looked at her. She looked young, she had to be about fifteen. He'd rarely seen her, and had never spoken to her or even gotten this close to her before. She was just a kid, he was realising more and more. And she had no chance, not if the Capitol had any say in it.
He shook her hand, noticing how soft they were. She hadn't worked a day in her life.
It was at that moment he decided he had to look out for her. She was just a kid, and she wouldn't last five minutes on her own. Fulton didn't do allies, they never ended well in the Games. But he resolved that he'd keep an eye out for her when they were in the Arena.
He offered her one tiny smile, as if to let her know this, before hardening his expression to turn to the crowd. He had to play a game now. Fulton knew he was strong, and tall, and could potentially look quite intimidating if he wished. That was probably the angle he'd have to play in interview, so it couldn't hear to start playing it now. Not to mention that he wanted to show the Careers that he wasn't afraid of them.
He stared somewhere past the crowd into the distance as the Capitol escort wished them a Happy Hunger Games.
"And may the odds be ever in your favour!"
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Jan 10, 2021 18:37:11 GMT -5
Calix Piran, District 12 Another reaping day. At least Calix Piran could rejoice in the knowledge that, either way, this reaping day would be his last.
He woke up on the day of the reaping to stretch out in his bed - yes, unlike many in his district, he didn’t have to share his room or his bed. His father was in a high position in the District. Not enough to have the Capitol’s ear, but enough that he and his family weren’t struggling too badly for money.
They weren’t rich by any means - nobody in District 12 really was - but Calix and his half-sister had never had to take tesserae.
Calix still worked, though. The family weren’t too desperate for money, but his job still brought funds in. It was more important for Calix because it got him out of the house. Besides, his work in the mines let him keep his ear to the ground. People talked in the mines.
The boy clambered out of bed, blinking golden morning sunlight from his eyes and moving to get ready.
A day of no work, and plenty of time to get ready.
He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Dark hair and tan skin, typical Seam features he’d gotten from his father. The family hadn’t always been doing so well, after all, and that was why Calix still had features commonly found in that poorest area of the district.
But his dark eyes weren’t the usual Seam grey. No, he got those eyes from his mother. Calix didn’t remember her well, but his father certainly did. And he hated anything that brought those memories back, Calix included.
The boy could already hear his younger sister awake and getting ready. He knew he’d have to get moving; he could get a snack before he left if he was quick about it. They’d splurged on the good rolls from the bakery as a reaping day treat.
Normally, reaping day was the only day he and Almas were civil to one another. They didn’t get on but they didn’t wish death on one another.
In Almas’ eyes, Calix was irresponsible and risked ruining the family’s reputation and putting them in danger. After all, Calix was working with the rebel groups in the District and it would only be a matter of time before the Peacekeepers caught onto if, if they hadn’t already. It wasn’t like Calix had a clean record.
In Calix’s eyes, Almas was the spoiled little golden child who could do no wrong. The perfect child in his father’s perfect new little family.
The eighteen-year-old was soon in his best clothes, and headed out into the kitchen only to find his father fussing over Almas, making sure her reaping outfit was perfect and that she looked presentable. Calix just rolled his eyes, slipping past the pair to grab the roll and head out the door.
He had no intention of waiting for Almas to be ready. Besides, she was old enough to talk to the reaping on her own. He’d stood by her side at her first few reapings but it wasn’t necessary now. The last thing he needed was her contempt or lecturing, even though she tried to be nicer on reaping day.
He didn’t want to stay to listen to his father fawn over her.
He’d finished the roll before he arrived at the square in front of the Justice Building, brushing crumbs from his shirt as he waited in line. From there, it was just a matter of letting them prick his finger as always, and then moving to join the back of the crowd of boys.
It wasn’t long before he made eye contact with his sister as she joined the girls on the other side of the square. Calix pointedly shifted his gaze away to focus on the stage.
On said stage, a Capitol escort with a ridiculously tall wig (seriously, birds would mistake it for a tree and roost in it) was perilously tottering about the stage, chirping in that stupid Capitol accent about how happy she was to be there in District 12. Her disdain for the district was evident in her expression.
And people wondered why the rebels hated the Capitol.
She said something about choosing the female tribute, and reached out her hand to select that one, lonely piece of paper. The one the Capitol had already chosen. Which unfortunate girl had been selected for this year? One of his fellow rebels?
“Almas Piran!”
Oh shit.
That was the idea of a civil reaping day out of the window.
Calix stood in stunned silence, watching in shock as his sister approached the stage. She’d been chosen because of him, that much was clear to him and by the narrowing of Almas’ eyes he knew she knew it too. The tension and anger in her stance told him so.
She’d been chosen because he was a rebel. And as much as they didn’t get on, he hated that. He felt such a strong pang of guilt it almost knocked him down.
Calix knew what was coming, and had already started moving his way roughly through the crowd when the woman read out the name of the male tribute.
“Calix Piran!”
He joined Almas and the woman on the stage, ignoring the woman’s excited chatter about having a brother and sister duo for the first time in 25 years, since the last Quarter Quell. He remembered that duo - the Libelle siblings from District 3. The sister had won, was still a mentor to this day if he remembered rightly.
She bid the pair shake hands and so Calix, sharing a glance with his sister, reached out to shake her hand. She took it, but Calix could see the blazing anger in her eyes. Not directed at the Capitol, but at Calix. He couldn’t blame her, as much as he thought her anger should be directed at the Capitol. After all, he’d blame her if the situation were reversed.
“I’m going to personally make sure you don’t make it out of that Arena even if it kills me.” Almas threatened lowly
Calix did still feel bad, but he’d also never shown any kind of weakness or vulnerability to his sister. Letting her know she was right seemed like a dangerous precedent, and he wasn’t about to let her get all high-and-mighty now. She was his sister but also now his opponent in the games and the same rules applied to Almas as everyone else he would face in the Arena; show no weakness.
“I’m going to make sure it does.” Calix smirked in return
This was going to be an interesting Games indeed.
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