etcircenses: (Default)
Panem Events ([personal profile] etcircenses) wrote in [community profile] thecapitol2015-01-20 10:58 pm

The Crowning Of The Signless

Who| Everyone.
What| The Crowning of The Signless.
Where| An alcove in a nearby mountain.
When| From dusk to dawn, on Thursday.
Warnings/Notes| This event is mandatory for all Tributes to attend. Even if you do not tag in, your character will attend this party. Peacekeepers will be on high alert. There will be no chance to runaway.

Tributes are encouraged to sleep all during the day, before the crowning. The reason for this is revealed when they are roused at sundown and brought to the closest mountain to the city, where they are greeted by an alcove within the moutainside that has been carved into a temple to what may be an illicit faith. The stone alcove is dim-lit by candles arranged along walls and by what appears to be altars set before iron cancer signs, some plain, some inlet with intricate carvings. Bright red drapery hangs about the room, tapestries with the cancer sign and cirles of blending color spectrum. There are also some waist high leggings hung upon one wall. In the center of the room, shackles hang, glowing bright from some sort of internal heat and light. A hole in the ceiling is set on each side of it, to allow the smoke to escape from the great bonfire that roars beneath it. If one takes a seat upon any of large stones and logs aranged around it, they can see both the stars twinkling down and the way the smoke looks as though it is coming off the shackles.

The only windows otherwise are made from stained glass depicting images from the Signless's life, such as his rescue by "Alternia's First Mother" (so described on the metal plate below), "The Recording of His Teachings" depicting The Disciple writing the Signless's words into a book, "A New Follower" showing the Psiioniic joining the Signless, a boat deemed "The First Ship", and "The Execution" which features the death of the Signless before thousands of followers, a fifth troll- resembling Terezi- bearing the shackles as a necklace and another with great brown wings, a single window of Karkat and Kankri Vantas, as well as a sinister depiction of six indistinct shadowy figures of cerulean, blue, indigo, violet, tyrian, and maroon. Cave-style paintings cover the stone walls, styles ranging from simple scribbled etching to circles featuring twelve colors in circle, with bright red at the center, and yet more elaborate shadowy depictions of those in the stained glass, esepcially the Signless himself, both prior and following his execution.

But not all is dedicated to the Signless and his old posse of biblical age trolls. A shrine has been set up for redeemed and then so quickly lost victor, Matthew 'Punchy' O'Conner. Punchy has been painted upon a cave wall like he fits right into the theme. Upon his shrine lay all varieties of bling; Bling-jewelery, a bling goblet, bling boxing gloves, a hoodie, a nun habit, and a stone with a memorial rap engraved atop-- with bling, of course, all shimmering by the spotlights placed before the shrine. Refillable 40 oz bottles are lain out so that sorrowful guests, wishing to pay their respect to the boy so cruelly slain by rebels when he had turned from them, can pour one out in his honor.

Marius is also honored there with a tea light and small framed photograph set upon an empty table with an empty chair, along with souvenir versions of his and Cosette's wedding rings that guests can take home. Beneath all these rings is a photoshopped picture of javert with a single tear running down his manly face.

The only seating besides the stones and logs and Marius's single chair, are those that are sat at a table at the end of the room. Each is draped in a different color, six on each side for each district and each blood hue-- presumably of the Victor's choosing. Between these chairs sits yet one more with a tall back like a flogging jut that got the redesigned at the base to make a throne that some trolls might recognize as belonging to the Empress. The arms of the chair feature open shackles. The throne is decorated in chains of gold and jewels of all colors. The victor is given a crown of gilded flowers and thorns on chain.

Food can be found upon the altars or the victor's table, in surplus. Alternian delicacies are served, featuring insects, flavored or plain, and food made from insects. Guests may find a giant beetle being served upon a spit roast. Even the meats appear to be topped with bugs. The cakes, marshmallows (which can be roasted with stick by the fire!), and orange creamsicles may be the only things truly bug-free. Drink options are water, wine, and soda.

Stylists are encouraged to dress their tributes primarily in black, with a single bit of color put into the design matched according to district (with exception to trolls), or any manner of draping fabrics, cloaks, and costumery reminiscent of religious iconagraphy that one might expect of ancient aliens. Waist high pants and leggings are also in high regard, as well as fake horn, fangs, contacts, and anything to make guests look more trollish. The only rule is for the main colors to match to the blood assignment.

The music playing is the sort one might expect from a church, featuring mournful vocals, soft bells and melodies, and of course, organ music. But for one or two jarring differences. Where this music is coming from remains a mystery but since the space is open and clear, guests have plenty of room for dancing.

Those who don't wish to dance can talk and regale tales around the bonfire, or may instead seek out the book of "scripture" at one of the altars that features nothing more than various parables- with names that Tributes might recognize! Each Tribute has one parable contained within, telling a tale in flourished manner of a part of their life, featuring a pro-capitol moral at the end.

Elsewhere, are models of the flogging just, where guests can put their hands through the oversized cuffs and pretend to writhe in agony, an Alternian bioware helm where guests too can pretend to have their lifeforce and power used a battery for the sake of the Alternian empire, a dress-up station where guests can customize their appearance to match trolls sold into gruelling slavery to seadwellwers, and an area designed to look like a cave with extensive "Alternian" (gibberish) writings of the Signless's words, where guests too can pretend they've lost everyone they love and are carrying on their legacy by writing upon the walls and leaving their own messages of love and mourning. Not to mention, a life-sized drone with realistic piercing claws, for all your picture posing needs.

A sandpit lies just around a corner for children to make castles, dig trenches, and act out games of pretending they've trekked thousands of miles through zombie infested desert just to speak to a couple of people! Guests can also meet a "mutantblood lusus" a four-eyed crab creature with lizardlike structure-- only sized no bigger than the average dog and perhaps about as intelligent. Guests are warned not to put their hand too close, lest the claw pincers manage to pinch them.

Late into the crowning, everyone is brought out to the dark mountainside, well monitored by peacekeepers, and divided into teams. Everyone is given belts with velcro flags attached, colored according to the "blood" they were matched with by district. Those in the eighth, ninth, twelfth, third, tenth, and eleventh districts are deemed the "lowbloods. Those in the first, fourth, second, fifth, sixth, and seventh districts, are deemed the "highbloods". Each team is given a velcro board to attach the flags to. The first team to lose all their flags loses, winners getting tiny necklace copies of the shackles. The last one standing with a flag wins a larger necklace copy and the option to get it redesigned into a symbol of their choosing.

If you failed not to be "culled", fear not! All tributes receive a participation sticker at the end. This sticker features a number. It is not indicative of districts or of age, as will be announced shortly, but of the new scoring. These will be announced for everyone to hear- and pick out targets from.

The crowning officially ends with the coming dawn. And so begins, to everyone's surprise, preparation for the arena. Tributes will be going right from the crowning off to the Tribute launch tubes. Happy Hunger Games!

[Note: This is ICly on Thursday! Just before the arena on Friday!]
a_minute_younger: (huh)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-03-20 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
The crying hasn't quite subsided--there's still an awful lot of sniffling and steadily watering eyes, irritating his bright yellow contacts to the point where his whole face is now puffy, almost swollen under the gray chalk. Gary seems to be vaguely aware of this.

"You're not just saying that, are you?" he asks, eyes wide. "I look fine? Nothing smudged?"
infinitemayonnaise: (possibly mildly confused)

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-03-21 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Nah, man, you look great." If puffy and miserable and gray and drunk is great, then sure. Great. Nitou gives him an awkward pat on the shoulder. "Not at all smudgy or anything."
a_minute_younger: (idle thoughts)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-03-26 03:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"Good, good," Gary nods sluggishly and straightens a little bit. Things seem to be improving now, which is nice. God, but he needs a drink. Gary reaches across Nitou for the flask, only to realize a few seconds later that it's not in Nitou's hand anymore.

"...Hey," he whines, passing a sheepish smile up in the hopes that Nitou is just hiding it for a practical joke. "Where's Punchy's booze?"
infinitemayonnaise: (possibly mildly confused)

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-03-28 03:30 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's...uh..." Nitou looks back to the memorial where the Capitolites are back to pouring one out for Punchy. "Punchy would have wanted you to share, man." He gives Gary a reassuring pat. Or tries to. He's still super awkward with this.
a_minute_younger: (huh)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-03-31 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah," Gary gives more emphatic nods. He's sure he understands the point Nitou is trying to make, but that just makes him more confused. "So I've...I've shared now! Now I want a turn again. Please?"
infinitemayonnaise: (possibly mildly confused)

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-04-03 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
"It's...uh..." Nitou doesn't think it's a good idea to let Gary back over there, but since Gary's drunk... "I dunno, why don't we go look for it over there?" He's pointing in a direction away from the memorial and mentally crossing his fingers.
a_minute_younger: (idle thoughts)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-04-05 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Gary might not have even needed to be drunk for that trick to work. "Huh?" He swings his whole head to look in the direction Nitou is pointing. "Why...why would it be over there?"
infinitemayonnaise: (looking down)

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-04-09 02:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's...uh..." Quick, quick, think of something..."It's like some old Capitol tradition. They call it 'Find the Booze.'"

Nailed it.
a_minute_younger: (Hello!)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-04-15 01:28 am (UTC)(link)
Gary stares at Nitou blankly for some seconds of silence, to the point where it might look as if the diversion has failed. But then he breaks into a lazy smile and declares, "That sounds brilliant!" Finally Gary lets go and stumbles away, swaying slightly on his unsteady feet. "What're the rules?"
infinitemayonnaise: (you want me to get up?)

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-04-15 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
It is all Nitou can do not to say holy crap, he actually bought it out loud. How much had Gary drank, anyway? "Okay, well...uh...the first rule is that you can't retrace your steps! So you can't go back to where you just were!"

At least that'll get Gary away from the worst of it, right?
a_minute_younger: (huh)

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-04-28 04:36 am (UTC)(link)
The answer is: Who cares? Enough! He's drunk enough. But maybe this isn't so great, because processing rules is going to be a small undertaking. Already Gary is squinting in confusion.

"Nitou, I can't remember where I was two minutes ago," he says blankly. "Do I get points off? Are there points?"
infinitemayonnaise: (but wait there's more)

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-04-28 01:54 pm (UTC)(link)
"...there are so many points, you won't know what to do with all the points when you're done." Points are good, right? "And you just got 300 of them for admitting you can't remember anything from two minutes ago." At least any and all rules to be processed will be the sorts of rules Nitou pulls out of his ass whenever they're needed.
a_minute_younger: (*WONK*)

I think we can wrap this up!

[personal profile] a_minute_younger 2015-05-08 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)
The rules Nitou pulls out of his ass are pretty suspiciously lenient, but Gary thinks he understands what's going on here now. Yes, he's pretty drunk. But even Gary can recognize when someone is trying to keep him entertained--being drunk just helps him enjoy it a bit more.

"Neat! You're alright, you know that?" Gary aims a weak punch at Nitou's shoulder before he starts wobbling off, weaving his way towards the crowds of the Crowning. Is he going to stop and ask for more rules past the first one? Does he even remember that there's pretense for some kind of list? Who knows! "I'm gonna get so many goddamn points, you just wait...!"
infinitemayonnaise: (grinning)

Yes!

[personal profile] infinitemayonnaise 2015-05-09 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"You are going to get the most points ever," Nitou reassures him, continuing to guide him away. "In fact, you just got another twenty right there for being confident!" Oh, yes. He's got this.