(no subject)

[neclectus]

Who| Timaeus Nadir and all his guests. If you are in the Capitol, you've been invited!
What| A spectacular Viewing Party and opportunity for tributes to get sponsorship
Where| The Victoria Ascendant, on the lake
When| After the most recent death roll!
Warnings/Notes| Probable skeeviness of the Nice Guy variety.

Welcome to the Victoria Ascendant, latest in the Ascendant line of luxury yachts as built by the Nadir company. Tonight, the Victoria Ascendant is the stage set for a spectacular party, also paid for by the company and specifically designed and organised by a team of event specialists overseen by your host for this evening, Timaeus Nadir- wealthy eligible bachelor, melodramatic heir apparent to the company chair, frequent sponsor of the Games. The Victoria Ascendant is fully equipped with every obscenely luxurious item imaginable, and practically drips opulence.

When first welcomed aboard you will be assured that your every need will be seen to, your every desire catered for. Staff are on hand to answer any questions you might have or guide you to various areas of the ship, provide you with food, drink, or suggestions of how best to take advantage of the Victoria Ascendant's many amenities- they are here as hosts, but also as salespeople for those of the guests with money to burn- this party is serving more than one purpose. Tributes who responded to their invite will also receive a delicate, hand-written note in a golden envelope as they board- the content of which will be posted as a reply to their response to this post.(I'll do this once your character turns up.)





Although the Victoria Ascendant has a magnificent dining room for formal, sit-down occasions, the food for the party will be circulating the various lounge areas and decks. There is also a buffet table, for those of you who prefer to help yourselves, and a fully stocked bar. Provided are a baffling variety of foods and beverages, seemingly unconnected- but each tribute will find that if at any point during their stay in the Capitol they have requested a particular food or drink item, it is available here. Or, at least, the closest approximation the catering staff could conjure up. Seating is provided in intimate groupings around tables for the most part, though there are large, sprawling couches against the walls. Central to the dining area is a magnificent aquarium filled with brightly coloured fish. Anyone looking closely enough will recognise them- varieties of piranha- but don't worry, they've been more than adequately fed and the glass is thick.

While there are various screens displaying the Games throughout the ship, Viewing is also taking place on an enormous screen, set up in a seperate lounge area with full floor-to-ceiling windows all along one side. Here, staff wait to take bets or help organise the giving of sponsor gifts. Large, comfortable couches line the room, and the central table overflows with a spectacular arrangement of edible flowers and fruit.





Later in the evening, you will be told that the firework display is about to begin, and invited to go up onto the main deck to watch. The fireworks themselves will be launched from smaller boats across the lake, and the display is set to be truly spectacular. It will be set to some music that Tributes may find familiar- various melodies pulled from the most recent Arena. The large swimming pool on the deck is open, but it is too early in the year to be comfortable to use. Instead, it is being used as an unusual centrepiece for the evening. Floating in the illuminated water is a gigantic iceberg, sculpted into a stylised model of the current arena and populated with frozen figures. Eagle-eyed Tributes may be able to spot themselves depicted in ice- more often than not, the moment of their deaths are the pose of choice, if a little tweaked for the sake of a more dramatic scene.


Enjoy!

Adachi · Ariadne · Asha · Atticus · Beck · Blaine · Calico · Callista · Chris · Diana · Don · Eddie · Eponine · Eva · Gaila · Glinda · Harley · Howard · Julie · Kurt · Marty · Maximus · Momoko · Neffa · Parker · Peeta · Phil · Pruna · R · Sigma · Some · Thane · Timaeus · Topher

Comments

Timaeus, your host and sponsor | OTA

[neclectus]

Timaeus was outfitted in a sleek, dark navy suit with bright orange and teal feather accents at the shoulders and lapels- nothing too elaborate, as he was far from the star of the show. He preferred to move among his guests, greeting them where they made eye contact or seemed to be standing alone. The party was going rather well, he thought, and he took great delight in overhearing compliments showered on the Victoria Ascendant, the decor, the food and drink. Once or twice, he caught the tail end of a conversation about him- a couple of his peers speculating on the reasons he had yet to inherit the Nadir family business in between sips of drink, someone asking another sponsor whether they'd heard the latest scandalous thing he'd allowed his aging mother to get up to- but he refused to let his mood sour for them.

He was here to meet the Tributes, and choose a favourite or two, and the last thing he wanted was to give them the wrong idea about who he was and what he wanted from them. The party was, as far as he was concerned, a perfect opportunity for some mutually beneficial exploration and the gathering of knowledge.

[knifewithnoname]

It didn't take Pruna long to learn who it was who had invited them all. She was trained in listening to conversations, picking up information.

Here she didn't even need to try, they spoke so much that she barely had to pause to learn things. It was easier actually to pretend this was just another job, a job where she had to blend in with the crowd. It made the dress and the painful hair a little bit more bearable.

She still held the picture she had been given in her hands, she didn't quite get the references but she liked it. A lot. It was strange for her to see an image of herself but it was pretty and she had never been given anything like this before.

It did make her suspicious though, because no one did anything for nothing and all the food and the boat and the way everyone was so nice. It all seemed like some kind of trick, so everyone was in his debt.

Which was very clever, but she wanted to know why. So she watched him.

[neclectus]

It took Timaeus a while to realise he was being watched, but once he'd caught sight of Pruna's eyes locked on him, he offered a broad smile and made his way over.
"I do hope they've offered you something to eat," he began, his tone light and breezy. "It wouldn't do for you to go hungry."

[knifewithnoname]

"Can I be having some?" She asked with a tilted head and a smile, so far she had been avoiding anyone who could have offered her food.

Re: Timaeus, your host and sponsor | OTA

[revvinguptheharley]

"Timmy!"

Harley's unmistakable voice rang out as she slid over to greet him in a slinky red dress with three large black diamonds on the skirt. She wore a black domino mask and matching lipstick, and her golden blond hair was in twin pigtails as she preferred, but with drill like curls at the tips.

"Pretty swanky digs you've got here Timmy!" She greeted him. "Thanks for the invite!"

[neclectus]

"Ms Quinzell," he replied brightly, a broad smile spreading over his face. "So glad you could make it. You look fantastic, too- how lovely. Have you been offered a drink?"

[revvinguptheharley]

"You'd be the first Timmy." She gave a twirl so he could appreciate the slinky way her dress shimmered when it moved.

"And is the Host with the most getting all he wanted and more out of this meet and greet?" She gestured around them.

Re: Timaeus, your host and sponsor | OTA

[shambler]

His Escort takes bumping shoulders with the guests to whole new levels. She's on fire, going into overdrive, glancing at R and - gracious, he's still Dead and hopeless! - and she throws herself into the fray all over again like a woman possessed. She heroically nibbles away at the food even though she really mustn't and takes one for the team taste-testing her way through several glasses of wine and champagne.

By the time R finds her, his Escort is giggling with a sponsor, her arm looped through his, slightly red-faced and glassy-eyed. Her smile goes wide when she spots him staggering their way, showcasing the tiny silver inlay she implanted in her teeth before the Arena. Apparently she's a happy drunk.

"Hello, R, honey! Why don't you meet Elm?" She giggles - she's also a giggler - and she pats the man's elbow. "He tried to send you a gift during the Arena, but...well! We saw how that worked out!"

They laugh together, too loud and too long and right in R's ears. If the sponsor was pissed about the waste, he's not showing it, barking out a laugh along with her. Maybe R's Escort really has been hard at work un-ruffling feathers and fixing his reputation. The fact she can do it drunk is kinda impressive, actually.

"Where did...letter...come from?" R moans to the point.

The Escort squints at him trying to remember which letter, as if they're being drowned in fan-mail. "Ah, the invitation! You should look for a man called Timaeus. He's...over there, I see him. Handsome man in the navy and orange."

R follows her point and then shambles off, making a wobbling beeline toward Timaeus. Knowing what that letter said changed things to R. Suddenly he feels...he's not even sure what he feels, all he knows is it's something and he wants to share it with the class. The zombie eventually bumps his way to Timaeus, stops and sways and tries to look the man in the eyes.

"I...wanted to...thank you."

[neclectus]

Oh! Oh, how lovely. Timaeus smiles graciously, his eyes bright with interest as he accepts R's gratitude.

"You are quite welcome, my friend. How are you finding the party? I'm afraid I couldn't quite supply your meal of choice tonight, all very complicated."

[whosalicewhite]

Look for the most ridiculously dressed man in the room: too old to be a tribute, and Parker's sure she's spotted the host.

She wants something from him, and likely something from his pockets as a souvenir.

"Duplicity's not the problem. Just Lindsey."

No polite small talk to start.

[neclectus]

Timaeus smiles, nodding. "He is quite the character, isn't he? I was hoping to meet both of them at once, but I don't think I'm going to have the pleasure any time soon. Are we treating you well? I hope you're enjoying yourself--"

[thebiddingbaron]

"My, my, my," Baron said as he greeted the host. "You do know how to show off, don't you Timarus?"

[neclectus]

"I'll attempt to take that as a compliment," he laughed, smiling broadly. "I do hope you've been given a brief tour, at least- and offered something to drink? I was just about to check in on the action in the Arena, if you were interested in joining me..."

[lassoftruthiness]

Diana spotted Timaeus and recognized him as the host of this party as well as, more interestingly, the person behind the strange note and painting she'd received upon boarding. It hadn't made the best impression and she'd been tempted to throw it overboard along with the distasteful parts of her outfit, but had resisted.

She moved forward to greet him, holding out her hand. "You are Timaeus, the owner of this ship, is that correct? I'd introduce myself, but if you are Timaeus you seem to know me rather well already." Or believed he did.

[neclectus]

He shook her hand firmly, offering her a broad, pleasant smile.
"Ah, well, technically the Victoria Ascendant belongs to the company, but yes. I'm Timaeus. Pleasure to meet you in person, finally. How are you finding the party?"

Re: Timaeus, your host and sponsor | OTA

[andproper]

Prim... had no real desire to meet Tim. Tim was a mentor. She didn't know many tributes, and there was no reason for him to try and influence him - and he sort of seemed creepy to her... And. Well. She was there for the tributes.

Besides, he might report her being there to Katniss. She'd snuck out of the house without permission, not actually expecting to see her sister on the ship. She should have remembered that Katniss, as a former victor, was a mentor with new charges and responsibilities... Of course she would do her best to serve them, no matter what it cost her personally. It was just who Katniss was.

Regardless, she came to a pause beside Tim, hands to the side of the yellow dress she'd picked out. "Hello," she offered him.

[neclectus]

He greeted her with a broad smile, nodding politely. "Miss Everdeen. What a pleasure to see you. How are you enjoying yourself so far? I do hope you've been offered food and drink..."

Re: Timaeus, your host and sponsor | OTA

[vissernone]

By the time Eva finds Timaeus, he's looking a bit put out. Eva, in her elegant and horrifying garb that makes her look splashed with blood, waits until he's relatively alone before coming up next to him with two glasses of champagne.

"Not having fun, guagua?" She gestures for him to take one. "You look as if someone's pissed in your birthday cake."

[neclectus]

"You would not believe the incompetence of some of the Escorts here," he replied tartly, taking the glass from her hand. "Is it that obvious? I was trying to keep the smile on my face. You look fantastic, by the way..."

[lessthanelementary]

It was still disconcerting, to recognize faces from the screens. There were so many of them, all the time - in the suites, in the lounges, in the Training Center, even in the streets - that Neffa sometimes found himself staring into the faces of strangers, trying to determine when they'd been introduced, only to remember that as far as they were concerned, he'd only ever seen them from a distance. It took him a moment of squinting across the deck at Timaeus to determine that, yes, they had spoken - one of the instances where the screen talked back.

He crossed the deck and did not think about the painting in his pocket, the bloodless point of the blade in his back (not accurate, but purposefully so, he thought, how artful a metaphor!), the attention with which Timaeus must have been watching his murder-- he switched on a smile, conjured up the thrill that seeing the boat for the first time had inspired, and let that carry him into his greeting.

"Good evening," he said, letting his smile widen as though he'd just caught sight of him-- Ah! I've been looking for you! "Perhaps you can help me-- I've been trying to find someone to thank for this all evening." He lifted the half-full glass in his hand, filled with something amber-colored and cold (and better than anything he'd ever sneaked out of his teacher's cabinet back home).

[neclectus]

Timaeus turned to face him, a broad, welcoming smile on his face.
"Ah! No need, no need. You're quite welcome to it. Wait, allow me. Neffa a Reyeth. Right? I've been practising my pronunciation."

[marcato]

It hadn't been very long since Aunamee died. He could still feel the phantom pain, tiny pinpricks of energy that danced on his fingers and coated his lips. It would have been easy to remain in hiding, to cloak himself in shame, but he didn't believe in easy and he didn't believe in missing parties.

"Mr. Nadir," he crooned, slipping between the other man and the bar. Something had changed in Aunamee between the first and second arena. There was something more aggressive to him. More forceful. No longer did he provide warnings for his approaches.

But he smiled pleasantly none the less. He extended a hand.

"I should have known our host would have the same poise and elegance as the venue."

[neclectus]

Timaeus laughed, almost musically- it was a pleasant surprise, being greeted by one of the new otherworldly tributes in such a gracious manner- particularly considering the shameful behaviour some others had been displaying this evening. He turned, focusing his attention entirely on the charming man.

"Timaeus, please. Mr. Nadir is my father," he insisted, eyes bright. He shook Aunamee's hand firmly. "And you must be Aunamee. You're far too kind, but I'll do my best to take the compliment gracefully-- thank you."

[bangbangkerpooow]

"Don't you looking dashing," he said, his back lounged against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. Billy was a mess of clashing colors and designs, a loud hodgepodge of misplaced energy that likely wasn't approved by any of his stylists.

He picked at his nails.

"Find any new love bugs tonight, Prince Charming?"

[neclectus]

"Not yet, but the night's still young," he replied dryly, looking about as unimpressed as he could allow himself without breaking his congenial host fascade too obviously. He smiled, a thin and taut smile, and squared his shoulders.
"How about you? I do hope you haven't found anyone you're considering stabbing in one of my bathrooms. Very bad for business."