gamemakers: (Default)
The Gamemakers ([personal profile] gamemakers) wrote in [community profile] thecapitol2013-09-02 11:22 am

The Crowning of Maximus Decimus Meridius

Who| Everyone
What| Maximus' crowning
Where| Victory Hall
When| Today
Warnings| Violence.


Prior to the Crowning, the Stylists and Escorts were given information: the color scheme for the Crowning is brown and gold, the theme is fire, and for Tributes, Games Staff and Victors in the Capitol alike, attendance is mandatory. No exceptions.

The Victory Hall has been completely refitted to the theme. Great brownstone pillars reach up from the floor, now made of polished marble. Rose petals and dying embers flutter from the ceiling like confetti, and long panels of fabrics embroidered with Maximus' kills pour down the walls. Rather than tables, Tributes are given wooden chairs to sit around fire pits in groups of four, where pigs and sheep are roasting whole, tended by attentive Avoxes. The smell of charring flesh and rosemary wafts through the hall.

In the center of the hall is a pit, fifteen feet deep, ringed with brick and filled with sand. Torches line the inside wall, casting light in every direction. A circular screen up above lets those not close to the edge view the contents of the pit in real-time video.

Maximus' private table has a theme of anachronisms; Tributes from 'less-developed' timelines and worlds are seated around a long table, facing the gladiatorial ring where, at the moment, a full-grown, well-fed Bengal tiger paces. Compared to the muttations of the Arena, it may seem positively demure, up until it bares its fangs and reveals that it's been modified to have saber teeth gilded in gold. Occasionally an Avox will dangle something into the pit and jerk it away if the tiger looks bored and lays down.

Occasionally, with fanfare of music pumped in to announce it, a challenger enters the tiger ring - a hologram of one of the Tributes who were cuffed and marked by the Capitol. The hologram must be affixed with smell, too, as the tiger takes note and attacks like a kitten following a laser pointer, making dramatic roars as it does. The holograms put up valiant fights, and their deaths are brutal, illusory blood flying and the sounds of death rattles and bones cracking coming from speakers embedded in every table.

"A speech," Maximus' Escort says to Maximus. "The General must give a speech."

Tributes who attended Wesker's Crowning ceremony should notice a remarkable increase in security. Visibly armed Peacekeepers lurk behind the panels of fabric, and bulbous, obvious cameras dot the ceiling. Even the Avoxes seem shiftier than usual, and are equipped with discrete tape recorders pinned to their rough-hewn tunics.
earthborn: (now is the time to fight)

[personal profile] earthborn 2013-09-10 03:18 pm (UTC)(link)
That won a scoff, in reply, "You might be the only one. I don't have a lot of friends right now."

Not that she cares. Shepard takes a weather eye to this entire business, sort out the chaff from the grain, the weak and short-sighted from those who might still be of use. The crucible of war... More of Ashley's battlefield poetry. Shit.

"Stay on your toes, kid," and with a nod she turned away.
Edited 2013-09-10 15:18 (UTC)
justoutrunyou: (Default)

[personal profile] justoutrunyou 2013-09-10 11:21 pm (UTC)(link)
As Shepherd walked away Sandy watched, taking in the details of this powerful woman. Clearly she had issues, when you were surrounded by people who were all broken in one way or another it was safe to say they all had issues. But somehow Shepherd just seemed to shrug it all off. Like none of it mattered to her other then the final goal.

But despite that she still took the time to try and encourage Sandy. Honestly Sandy thought Shepherd didn't even like her.

With mixed feelings about her situation and a new admiration for the scarred veteran Sandy turned her back on the next holographic victim in the tiger pit. She would have to learn to be like Shepherd and Pruna if she wanted to survive. She would need to be more like a stone.