The Crowning of Cullen Rutherford

[etcircenses]

Who| Everyone who's anyone.
What| The Crowning of Cullen Rutherford.
Where| The new Rutherford Castle.
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| Please warn appropriately in headers.

The crowning ceremony takes place in an approximation of Skyhold, a large fortress with a castle with a sweeping main hall, gardens, and two levels of courtyard. Flags and banners hang everywhere, some with heraldry of the Inquisition, some with the heraldry of the Templar Order, a nod to Cullen's old days as a Templar. And of course, just as prominent everywhere you look is the seal of the Capitol. Just in case anyone forgot where they were.

The medieval fashion (or as close of approximation to medieval as the Capitol as gotten) that had come in with the 13th arena is back in full swing. There's plenty of fake armor to be seen, and foam swords resting on Capitolite hips. Sweeping ballgowns can be spotted as well, and a few more savvy people seem to have come dressed in a strange red and gold uniform. The avoxes do their best to blend in to the environment with drab brown peasant outfits.

In the main hall, tables filled with medieval food have been set up on both sides of the walls, filled with approximations of medieval food--As far as the Capitolites are concerned, that means normal food, but with a tendency for venison and large turkey legs. There are even dainty little cakes for dessert. Along the walls, above the food tables, hang multiple pictures. Featuring in this galley are every native of Thedas that had come to Panem at one point or another, all of them dressed in dour blacks of funeral wear, save the four remaining Thedasians. But of course, there are plenty of pictures of the Victor, starting with Cullen has a chubby blond child, going into him as an awkward young Templar (there's even a picture of him talking to a woman that the title identifies as Warden Amell), going through unfortunate hair cuts, and of course, various pictures of him in Panem, capturing a variety of touching and painful moments.

It all culminates when you get to the end of the hall, where there rests a massive throne just for Cullen. And behind it, the largest picture of them all, a massive portrait of Cullen. Adella stands next to him, holding an infant in her arms. Maxwell and Tabris are, for some reason, also featured in this family portrait, and you have to wonder if the artist in question didn't perhaps ship the ever popular Maxullen, because Maxwell's hand was looking awfully chummy on Cullen's shoulder.

The bottom courtyard has been set up with stalls, where you can buy foam swords and shields, little mabari plushes, and even a lion helmet. There's also little wedding toppers, shaped just like Cullen and Adella, and framed pictures of most of the art that hangs in the main hall. The nearby stables have been stocked with a variety of mounts, from the standard horses to more exotic harts, a strange dragon-like creature, and...no one is really sure what this is, but it...looks interesting?

In the upper courtyard, there's the Herald's Rest, a real, rustic tavern, with a woman playing a guitar and singing various songs. All the songs seem to revolve around how great the Capitol is, which kind of offsets the mood, but it's the thought that counts, right? It doesn't help that the bar has been outfitted to serve all kinds of modern drinks, but who wants plain ale, anyway? Outside of the tavern is a practice ring, where people can put to use their fake swords and shields, either trying to maul each other, or a target. Several peacekeepers offset the aesthetic feel in uncompromising white, carefully watching all participants to make sure that everyone is playing nicely.

If everything is just a little too busy for you, the garden is left in quiet peace. A woman dressed in red and white robes will occasionally begin speaking, extolling the virtues of the Capitol, and President Snow in a lengthy monologue.

There are a few actors wandering around, appearing as various people who have made an impact on Cullen's life. There's the mysterious Warden Amell, a man in full armor, and a woman dressed similarly. These two will wander around, swords in hand, ready to smack anyone with foam swords and accuse them of being blood mages. One actress is dressed like a certain Marian Hawke who had at one time been a tribute. She darts around the fortress, stopping people and regaling them with highly exaggerated tales of things that Cullen has supposedly done. There's even a few creatures running around that people may recognize from the last arena, such as the tastefully almost-nude desire demon that will occasionally try to sidle up to people--usually to be driven off by one of the people in armor.

There's one more addition to the party--dogs! A very specific kind of dog. Several dogs simply wander around Skyhold, trying to steal people's food and begging for attention. Next to the throne are four particularly handsome ones, each one with a collar baring the name of one of the four Thedasians left.

If wandering around Skyhold and competing with swords leaves you dry-mouthed, you're in luck! Dotted around the area are fountains that all pour a strange, bright blue punch. Listen closely, because the fountain seems to be humming a strange tune. If you have a careful eye, you might even find the one that has red punch pouring out if it, humming an oddly sinister tune.

Well, what harm could there be in going ahead and trying it out anyway?

Comments

[didnothing]

"Um..." Luna isn't actually unaccustomed to dealing with unfriendly people, but it feels like Meulin has her pegged anyway. As unfamiliar as she found Phil's kindness when she first arrived, she is very glad for it. She hasn't met many other mentors, but she has a sneaking suspicion not all of them would be so accommodating to a Tribute for the Hunger Games who couldn't bring herself to harm others. She wonders if Derek and Chuck would be the same way.

"Yes," she agrees. "He probably is." The admission is slightly embarrassing, but she does recognize the truth of it. "Do you know if that was intentional? I don't know if I was matched to the rest of my district or not. Phil isn't the only one I get along with, but I don't know whether that was planned or if I got lucky." One more thing to be grateful for, if it is luck.

[furgood]

"I think it's a little random, a little planned?" Meulin hadn't found a surefire method of placing tributes in Districts. Sometimes it's a little more of a look or a spirit, sometimes it seemed like they threw a dart at a map of Panem and split them up that way. She shrugged.

"Sometimes it seems like it might be on purpose but maybe I'm just reading into reasons that aren't really there? I think Phi is a good match for District Four but it might just be because she has blue-green eyes. If we really got people who matched us, I would have expected us to get the seatroll. But I guess District 1 was good. Luxury... She was a princess--and Anna, she was a princess from a kingdom by the sea. So, maybe it works out like that? I'm not sure how you'd fit in with transportation...like I said, sometimes it seems utterly random."

Though she's not sure how you would pick a tribute for transportation. Someone who drove a lot? Utterly mysterious.

[didnothing]

"Phi?" Luna picks up the familiar name, and it diverts her attention for a moment. "Phi and I...knew each other where we came from. We're not friends, exactly, but we've worked together before. I didn't know she was assigned to District Four." It was a simple question, but Luna had been preoccupied both times they'd talked - once because of Sigma and her recent arrival, the next because of the Stark sisters and the fire that separated them all. Luna's not entirely sure where she stands in Phi's eyes, too, so while she isn't avoiding the girl she hasn't sought her out lately either.

Still, that's interesting information. "I didn't notice that about her eyes. It'd be pretty if it were true. But I was asking from a more...personal point of view. Is it just random that I ended up with Phil? How well do Tributes usually get along with their mentors?" Luna only has limited reference on that matter, but she thinks that District Six as it is now gets along well.

[furgood]

"Oh." Meulin flunders for a moment, unsure if Luna didn't know she was here or if it was merely the District that came as a surprise. She nods, more to cover her uncertainty on the subject than agreeing to anything in particular, and scoots right along to the next question.

"Oh that--I don't know if they take that into consideration at all. Perhaps they do but I've heard some awful stories about tributes and staff not getting along at all. Not so much mentors as..." That wasn't true really. She knew for a fact that Aang and her friends were not getting along at all, "Well I guess sometimes it's mentors. Usually it's staff. The Capitol citizens taking care of you all. But it seems you just got lucky. I think it helps to have an offworlder mentor as well. More understanding of the particular challenges that you face."

[didnothing]

"Really? Then I feel very lucky." Luna smiles broadly. "District Six just has Phil. It took me a little while to understand that there were usually other kinds of staff, too. But I think it makes sense now." She's learned from her first day in Panem that the Hunger Games are a longstanding tradition, with significant stakes for the districts and investments by all the sponsors. Given that, the structure of staff support around the Games seems almost natural.

If only it were for a better cause - but of course, she can't say that. Luna tries to move the topic along instead. "I, um, I hope Phi gets along well with everyone in District Four. How is she doing?"

[furgood]

Meulin tilts her head. Was District Six missing all its usual staff? Maybe there were cuts in the wake of all the recent things. Odd but not unheard of. She was surprised there weren't more to be honest.

"I'm sure they'll bring in some newer people some time soon." She offers, before tilting her head in thought. That's a valid question. "And I think Phi is doing well. We had an incident...not her fault at all and I think it only really sort of cemented a bond. She was at our place--I live with some of the staff and Anna, our offworld Mentor--and Gamemaker Sigma came by and...it was eventful."

Or rather it could have been, if things had gone differently. She's still a little sad about that. Sigma didn't seem like a bad person, just bad at that particular style of interaction.

"I'd say not to mention it but I think we might have posted about it on the network somewhere. So. I guess there's no point in that."

[didnothing]

"Oh? That's strange. I thought they were...never mind." But it is strange, from what Luna knows. Don't Phi and Sigma usually get along? For a certain definition of getting along, of course, but their banter is typically colorful more than it's eventful. Maybe it's the fact that Sigma is in a Gamemaker's role (again); Luna doesn't know exactly how Phi felt about that the first time.

Well, it isn't as if she's talked to Phi since their encounter in the Arena. And she and Sigma had never talked about Phi when they met in the park, just about home at the Rhizome - not to mention, he hasn't exactly been forthcoming with information lately. Seems like Meulin's update is more needed than she'd thought. "Thank you for telling me. Like I said, we're not exactly friends...but I'm glad to hear she's fitting in well."

And if it were someone else Luna might say ask Meulin to say hi for her, just as a friendly gesture. But she doesn't think Phi would particularly care for it, so she decides against the idea. "Good luck to her and the rest of your district in the next Arena."

[furgood]

If by fitting in well, Luna means basically adopted into their strange little pack, then yes. She fits in well. Luna probably doesn't mean that. No one ever means that. Even Meulin isn't sure exactly how she ended up in this close knit friendship turned family.

Luna says never mind, so Meulin doesn't. She tilts her head in confusion then nods with pleasure. Not friends? Or not good friends. There's more there she misses. But she catches the words good luck. Well wishes were always welcome.

"I'll be sure to pass it on! She'll be happy to hear it, I'm sure. Efurryone needs some luck."

[didnothing]

"Um, well..." Luna dithers for a moment, unsure whether it's a good idea to let Meulin convey the message to Phi. They really aren't friends, but it's not as if Luna doesn't like Phi. It's the other way around if anything, although Luna isn't sure about that either. She really isn't sure how things stand, but in the end she figures it's harmless enough. The worst Phi will do is ignore it.

"Thank you," she says finally, and looks out at the party. She's feeling rather awkward now, and more aware of the crowd around them. "Do you still want to find someone to fight with?" A change in topic, but suddenly she doesn't know what else to say.