The Crowning of Tony Stark

[etcircenses]

Who| Everyone.
What| The Crowning of Tony Stark.
Where| The New Capitol Stark Expo!
When| Friday, late afternoon into the evening.
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, so no funny business.
WARNINGS| Alcoholism / References to Alcoholism.  

The Capitol might be known for its extravagance, but Stark Expos have never skimped on a show. Combining the two together could only be a recipe for the most wild indulgences. The center theater takes styling after a arc reactor, with glass ceiling and glowing blue lights set right within the metal and putting a glow to the sky. Lightshows go off on the main stage, the stark logo overhead and a massive screen displaying the Panem flag and Tony Stark's image just behind the dancing Ironettes. A circle plattform going off from the stage, clearly reserved for the guest of honor, features a design Panem's bird in red, gold, and glowing blue.

A globe is featured in the outside gardens, showing off a map of Panem, and the park is filled with artistic statues of destroyed Iron Man amror. But there's no quiet here, not with the fireworks going off all night and the consistent playing of music that is not but sounds an awful lot like that of Daft Punk, Eifel 65, ACDC, and one other song that breaks them up.

Various shows can be found about the gardens, including display models of some of Tony Stark's old weapons and Iron Man suits. Further along guests may find the Avengers display, featuring large portraits of the Avengers and their allies, large red x's going over greyed out portraits of those deemed dead, including Phill Coulson, Natasha Romanoff, and Thor. Along with these portraits can be found the Stark family tree, featuring the Victor Tony Stark and all his relations including apparent son Dave Strider, and Arya Stark, Ancestor of the Stark family, not to mention the great Howard Stark who's accomplishments (and tragic lack of care for Anthony) are lovingly illustrated. One such accomplishment being a "flying car" just a short walk over.

There's plenty for guests to do besides just ogle the brilliant sights however! A bar has been set up with a whole variety of drinking games available from Sink The Battleship and Drink Roulette to an extravagent variation of the classic game, Beer Pong, and an ongoing run of the Games with rules of drinking for each emotional scene, funny incident, or death. Those under the age of eighteen will be served fizzing juice or soda instead and can participate in junior versions of the very same games. All the cups are made from the finest glass with Tony Stark images over them. Avoxes are on scene to clean every spill and break of glass that might come.

A cave has been crafted of artificial and real material, designed to look like the Cave in which Tony Stark became a real hero, but with a twist; it's been made into a fun-for-all maze! Guests can attempt to navigate their way to the labyrinth and reach the core, avoiding those nasty pop-out rebels along the way. Those who make it to the fire-lit center may receive a limited edition "Tony Stark Heart" miniature arc reactor in a beautiful glass case.

An indoor sky diving station is also available, large enough that many guests may enter at once and still find it spacious. Here, guests can don Iron Man themed sky-diving suits and experience the sensation of flight, just as Tony Stark once did. Of course, the party doesn't start until the Victor comes in; he'll be appearing by Capitol-controlled suit to make his entrance at center stage. It is here that his Throne shall be raised up through the stage and his crown gifted to him. Following the official Crowning Ceremony will also come a speech from the Capitol's very own, Cyrus Reagan.

Tributes are dressed in formal wear with robotic accents. Such as a full mask or metal armor. Capitolites can be seen with Tony stark styled hair, bearing tattoos in his image, and even with surgically implanted lights, in honor of the new Victor. Available for purchase are handcrafted Tony Stark dolls, Iron Man action figures, and models of beloved robot-pet "Dum-E" in both small and life-sized. The Iron Man light gloves come completely free for all guests.

The Crowning ends off with a bang, as in the center of the sky, a massive "wormhole" opens up showing a vast darkness full of sinister creatures just on the other side, sure to inspire some screams from fans. Guests near to the Iron Man suit displays are asked by peacekeepers to step back-- far back-- but may be the first to witness the incredible scene of all those suits launching into the sky and exploding around and "in" the wormhole. The wormhole shifts to a message stating the show to have been brought to you by the Hunger Game's skilled Sky-Display Designers before going into advertising for the rest of the night as the party dies down.

Comments

[revocation]

"There are women and men in my world who do all sorts of absurd things for beauty," Cullen pointed out. "Not just colorful silks, but in Orlais, the fashions involve high collars with ruffs, and everyone wears masks in public."

In all honesty, this place wasn't terribly different from Orlais. The specific kinds of fashions may have been different, but the absurdity of it was very similar.

[shieldofrohan]

Éowyn laughed at the thought, a little wryly. "Then may I thank my stars that I was born to Edoras and not Orlais. There, at least, the worst expected from me in fashion's name was heavy gowns and plucked brows." And that rarely. Rohan was a kingdom of horsemen and warriors, and while women were hardly expected to join in the fighting, their heritage was reflected in more practical attire.

The idea of what he was describing, on the other hand, made her skin crawl a little. It wasn't the ruffs, but the masks. It was hard enough to read people's true thoughts as it was, without hiding them behind another face.

"I've never trusted masks," she said aloud. "I have known too many who cannot take them off."

[revocation]

"Neither have I," Cullen affirmed with a faint smile. "One never quite knows if the person behind it is being truthful. Not that people without masks can't be deceitful, as well, but..."

He shrugged. "Some might say I'm biased, however. Ferelden, my country of birth, hasn't been on very friendly terms with Orlais - well, ever."

[shieldofrohan]

"You may be biased," Éowyn acknowledged gravely, "but even so, it is my experience that masks and fine silks breed deceit as rotten meat breeds maggots." She looked around at the partygoers, her lip curling. "Present company not excepted."

[revocation]

"These 'Gamemakers' seem to take such things to an altogether new level," Cullen agreed, shaking his head ruefully. "I can't imagine living in a world where kidnapping is normal and acceptable behavior."

His eyes scanned the room carefully, squinting a little against all the bright flashing lights.

"Do you have people from your world here with you?" he asked after a moment.

[shieldofrohan]

Éowyn was quiet for a long moment at that, and then she shook her head. "One such, I recognised," she said, her voice a little lower. "A Halfling, Master Samwise. We had spoken once before, in my own land, but here he knows me not, knows not even my name." And it had surprised her, how much that hurt. "I suppose I may be glad, for none of my kith or kin are here entrapped."

[revocation]

He nodded. "All the same, it must be difficult not to be recognized. There are several here from my world - or different versions of my world, as the case may be. Most of them know me, and I know most of them, but it seems there are a few... discrepancies."

He sighed, shaking his head. "These Gamemakers do enjoy being cruel to us in many and varied ways."

[shieldofrohan]

"I grow to understand that," Éowyn agreed dryly, and grimaced. "But rarely can such imagination be turned purely to making lives more miserable. Truly, it sickens me to my stomach." After all, surely there had to be better things for them to focus on. Did the leaders of this land afford no time to their people? They seemed to flood all their money and their time into this cruelty, instead.

[revocation]

"You'd think they'd find better uses for it," Cullen agreed. "But, I suppose it all depends on who controls such things. Can I say with any real certainty that my own world wouldn't be just as bad, in its way, with such things?" He shrugged vaguely.

[shieldofrohan]

"I know not. But I can say that mine would not." She said it with an arrogant kind of certainty, her chin tilted up a little, and thoroughly believed it. She had seen what her people were capable of - apathy, bitterness, cruelty - but she did not believe them capable of anything like this.

[revocation]

"Your people must be noble indeed, with no hint of corruption," Cullen said lightly. He wasn't sure he believed her words - she sounded like someone simply proud of her land and angry at being here, rather than anything actually realistic - but he wasn't about to argue about a world he wasn't familiar with.

[shieldofrohan]

"Hardly." She made no attempt to hide the slight scorn in her tone. "They can be corrupted. Have been, in the past. But above all things, my folk value freedom. There is none of that here."

[revocation]

"Freedom is... a noble ideal," he said carefully. It certainly wasn't bad, and he would never advocate for anything like what they were trapped in now. But it was also a very broad concept, and he tended to value things like responsibility to the greater good over personal freedoms.

Part of why he wasn't quite as visibly angry about this whole situation (anymore) as some of the others here.

"Have you spoken to Cassandra Pentaghast at all?" he asked, changing the subject rather abruptly. "If you're still looking for other sparring partners, that is. She's often willing."

[shieldofrohan]

The abrupt subject change didn't go unnoticed, but beyond a slightly raised eyebrow, Éowyn didn't comment on it. She would have ample time to consider his caution later on.

"I fear our paths have yet to cross," she said instead, with genuine regret. "And I have had little time or chance to seek her out. Still, if I meet her, I shall bear it in mind." Of course, that assumed she would know it was Cassandra Pentaghast she was talking to, but that was a minor issue.

[revocation]

"She's very often in the training room, no doubt you'll run into her eventually regardless," Cullen said with a faint smile. "She's far better than I - no doubt she'd be much more of a challenge for you."

[shieldofrohan]

"Then I shall pay her due caution and respect," Éowyn returned, smiling rather crookedly, "for you and I were well-matched. I doubt not that she would beat me black and blue."

[revocation]

"She's beaten me black and blue more than a few times," Cullen agreed. "It's always an educational experience. There's also a man called Alistair - he's had Templar training, like me, though he never took his vows."

[shieldofrohan]

"Templar?" Éowyn repeated, arching an eyebrow. It wasn't a word she was familiar with, and she was curious as to what it meant. More importantly, what its vows might mean.

[revocation]

"In my world, the Templar Order was created to help protect everyone against the dangers of magic," Cullen explained. "Soldiers, with special training in countering magical attacks and hunting down illegal mages. I used to be one."

[shieldofrohan]

Éowyn nodded, interested. It was hard for her to imagine, not least because she could hardly picture a world where magic was treated that way - as a pest, as a problem, rather than something as rare and powerful as it was in her own world. "Are they chosen," she asked after a moment, "or do they choose themselves? I mean to say, are some more suited than others to such appointment?"

[revocation]

"Depends on the Templar, I suppose," Cullen said with a shrug. "Some pious noble families send their younger children to the order, just as a matter of course. Some choose it. I chose it. But the training is rigorous, and not all are suited to such a life."

[shieldofrohan]

She frowned just a little, considering that. "You chose it," she repeated, conscious that she might be prying too much, "...and yet, you left it?"

[revocation]

"It was no longer the right place for me," Cullen said simply. "Seeker Cassandra came along, offered me a place with the Inquisition, and I took it."

[shieldofrohan]

Éowyn considered, nodding. "I see," she said softly, and dropped the subject. Sometimes, what had driven you ceased to be what you needed. She knew that as well as anybody.

[revocation]

"Life often takes strange turns," he offered with a faint smile. "I never would've expected to be where I ended up, but - it was right, all the same. I'm glad every day that Cassandra made me the offer."