reincarnation rpg

Day two in the arena ends much the same way as the first day ended, if not on a more somber note for some. There have been losses, but that's how it is in the arena. You win or you die. With a setting sun controlled by the Gamemakers, the arena is covered once more in a blanket of artificial darkness that is unclear how long it actually lasts, but certainly not for a full night's sleep. As it was on the first day, with the night comes the Capitol's national anthem and the obligatory faces appearing in the sky. Those tributes who died that day are shown with their corresponding district number, and then silence falls once more.

The night is cold as usual. Temperatures drop drastically and the looming darkness is still filled with strange sounds, now known to be more real than imaginary for those who have already crossed paths in the arena with the mutts. Most tributes are not brave (or stupid) enough to explore once night comes, they use the dark to bunker down and rest up while they can. It's dangerous to try and get some shut eye when there might be Careers out there hunting tributes down by the cover of night, so make sure someone's keeping watch. Or sleep with one eye open.

When the sun comes back up, the temperatures raise just a little, leaving the air still chilly and damp but much warmer than the freezing cold of the arena at night. What the day holds is always a mystery--but you better be entertaining. If the Capitol gets bored, the Gamemakers may just add some entertainment in for them, and that rarely works out in the favor of the tributes. Will the odds be in your favor today? You'd better hope so. There aren't that many tributes left, so watch your back.

[OOC note: This thread will mark the time for Day 3 in the arena. It will be separated in sub-threads by each different section of the arena as before. It's up to you where you put your character, just be mindful of and communicate with others. Remember to use this post or the arena threads on Plurk to plot with people regarding alliances, character deaths, arena challenges, and so on. If one of your characters was picked to die on Day 3, the how and when is up to you as long as it is done on this thread. The final two tributes will face off in a new subthread once everyone else is dead.

Day 3 Arena Deaths: Chris Holloway, Theresa Philips, Haley Williamson, Freddie Morgan, Ellie Morgan, Jay Kanoska]

The only thing people of the Capitol looked forward to more than the games were the parties. Every year, Zach and Lydia Evans threw an extravagant gathering after the first day in the arena, and every year that party was more memorable than the last. Zach and Lydia Evans were notorious in the Capitol for many reasons, only one of them being the people to throw the Capitol's best celebratory bashes. They were professional socialites, the best at what they did and they made no secret in knowing it. They were also the Evans, the side of the Morgan family that hadn't rebelled all those years ago in favor of maintaining a life of luxury in the Capitol. Everyone knew this, and no one ever questioned them. They had a tendency to get snippy.

This year the party was being held in one the Capitol's biggest halls, decorated from floor to ceiling with chandeliers, lights and brightly colored curtains. The room is set up with a huge open space in the center, and luxurious couches and other seating arrangements placed strategically around the outer circles. There are two corners of the room set up with several tables of various food spreads and drinks of all kinds. There's even a chocolate fountain, and a fondu station set up. Everything one could possibly want, you almost certainly could find it here.

Everyone had already begun to arrive, excited for the party and in high spirits (well, unless you were the mentors) after the first thrilling day of footage from the arena. Of course, there are big television screens set up on the walls in the room itself, for anyone wishing to continue watching the games while they socialized. Music playing in the background won't drown out the live feed. The entire room is buzzing with conversation and laughter as people dressed to the nines proceed to indulge themselves in true Capitol fashion, including the sponsors, who are all the more likely to start shelling out money and gifts once they've had a few drinks. As was per usual with an Evans party, this night was sure to end with a bang.

[OOC note: This is a free-for-all party thread for all people currently in the Capitol. Citizens, stylists, escorts, off-duty gamemakers, everyone. District mentors are also invited, to mingle and maybe try to get some sponsor gifts for their tributes (if their tributes are still alive). This party is happening sometime between Day 2 and Day 3 of the arena, so keep that in mind, and feel free to have your characters comment on what's been going on in the games for Day's 1 and 2. There's no posting order or designated subthreads, though we do encourage people to make their own subthreads as the party goes on so not everyone is replying to one giant collapsing thread.]

Day one of the arena ends with the setting sun, controlled, of course, by the gamemakers. The timing doesn't feel right; it doesn't feel quite like a day has passed. Maybe it feels longer. Maybe it feels shorter. What most will notice is that it doesn't align with their internal clock because it's artificial, and with the darkness comes the Capitol's anthem and faces in the sky. Those who died in the cornucopia and other battles on that first day are shown with their corresponding district number, and then silence falls once more.

The night is cold. Temperatures drop drastically without the sun to heat the air. The darkness is filled with strange sounds, but are they real or simply in your imagination? The only way to know is to explore--if you're brave enough. Most tributes use the dark to bunker down and rest up while they can; fumbling around in the dark comes with its own dangers. After all, there are cliffs around!

When the sun eventually comes back up after what couldn't possibly be a full night, the temperatures raise just a little bit, leaving the air still chilly and damp. What the day holds is a mystery--but you better be entertaining. If the Capitol gets bored, the gamemakers may just add some entertainment for them, and that rarely works out in the favor of the tributes. Will the odds be in your favor today?

[OOC note: This thread will mark the time for Day 2 in the arena. It will be separated in sub-threads by each different section of the arena (the same as in Day 1). It’s up to you where you put your character, just be mindful of and communicate with others. Remember to use this post to plot with people regarding alliances, character deaths, arena challenges and so on. If one of your characters was picked to die on day two, the how and when is up to you as long as it is done on this thread.

Day 2 Arena Deaths: Thea Peeters, Dustin Guevera, Liam Walker, Colby Quimby, Tristan Macrae, Ender Şahin]

Once the battle of the Cornucopia is over and the cannon shots to signal each tribute death have been fired into the air, there would be a brief calm before the storm. By now most of the remaining tributes are all scattered in the different areas of the arena, hiding in the forest or running into each other as well as coming up against the arena’s many obstacles. Whether you’re alone or with allies, there’s no escaping the challenges you’ll face in the arena, one way or another you’ll find it or they’ll find you. So be prepared, and hope that your sponsors will answer your prayers.

Aside from the open field of the Cornucopia, the majority of the arena is made up of dense forest and cliffs. If you’re lucky, you’ll stumble upon a lake in the center of the forest that is the only source of water, unless you’ve been blessed by some particularly generous sponsors or found a bag with a water canteen in it before fleeing the initial bloodbath. There is only one accessible cliffside, so beware of its treacherous heights and chance of rock slides. There’s also muttations and weather anomalies to consider. You never know when those are going to strike. But above all, beware that pack of bloodthirsty Careers, who have had time to regroup since the Cornucopia, and are coming after each and every one of you.

[OOC note: This thread will mark the rest of the time for Day 1 in the arena following the battle of the Cornucopia. It will be separated in sub-threads by each different section of the arena, with a short description included for each. It’s up to you where you put your character, just be mindful of and communicate with others. Remember to use this post to plot with people regarding alliances, character deaths, arena challenges and so on. If one of your characters was picked to die on day one, the how and when is up to you as long as it is done on this thread.

Day 1 Arena Deaths: Andy Lang, Rachel Young, Natalia Barone]

The Cornucopia. A place all tributes fear to tread. People have heard horror stories of it over the years, and most have seen those horror stories come to life on the screen every year that there is a new games. This place isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s where the lions pick off the gazelles and the smarter animals run in the opposite direction. It’s a bloodbath. Every year, some of the worst violence seen inflicted on other tributes is the violence that is seen taking place in the Cornucopia, as soon as the clock hits zero. Come away little lambs to the slaughter.

That morning, all tributes are escorted down to the launching pads by peacekeepers where they meet with their district stylists for the last time and are fitted into their specially designed arena outfits, identical to the other tributes, except for the color of the stripes on their jackets and their t-shirts, which is based on their district. (District 1 is avocado green, 2 is rust red, 3 is mustard yellow, 4 is seastorm green, 5 is plum red, 6 is tomato red, 7 is russet brown, 8 is goldenrod yellow, 9 is bottle green, 10 is foie gras grey, 11 is chocolate brown, and 12 is coal black). Each tribute is designated a launching pad separate from their district partner, complete with a standing platform surrounded by an inner tube that tributes are put into once it’s time. When the countdown clock has reached twenty, tributes are put in the tubes and they are launched up into the arena, where the clock continues to count down. Once the clock has reached one (but not before, the launching pads are designed to explode if a tribute jumps off of it prematurely), tributes can jump off and make a run for the Cornucopia, or the forest, if they’d rather risk the first day of the games without any weapons or supplies.

The goodies in the Cornucopia vary, depending on where it is you’re grabbing them from. The best stuff is closer to the center, where the giant metal cornucopia itself stands. Along with a wondrous assortment of weapons, there are trunks and bags filled with supplies of all kinds. Food, drink, canisters to hold water, sleeping bags, you name it. The further you get from the cornucopia, the less risk, but also the less reward. Here you’ll find bags scattered with one or two items in them. All bags are a bright orange color--there’s no hiding with them in the green of the dense forest.

“3… 2… 1…”

[OOC note: The cornucopia thread isn’t going to be separated by district, but we will be relying on multiple sub-threads on the same scenario instead of just one giant ongoing thread to keep cornucopia events moving. If there’s an initial thread already started by people for the cornucopia, instead of replying to the end of it, start your own thread by replying to the main log itself and going from there. We’re relying on you guys to work out what your character will be doing in the thread and with whom, so remember to use this post to plot with people unless you want to leave your character’s fate open to whoever decides to respond to your post. This thread will only be used for the cornucopia battle. If your character is not one of the named dead, once they have gotten what they needed from the cornucopia or have managed to escape the bloodbath, feel free to have them run off in a fade to black. We will be posting a separate thread for the rest of the first day soon where you can pick up where they left off.

Cornucopia Deaths: Nate Henderson, David Ryan, Lailani Moreno, Henry Walker, Quinn McFarlane, Emma Lockhart, Bryce Tyler. ]

It was finally the day (most of) tributes dreaded. Launching day. In just a little under an hour, tributes were set to be launched into the Arena where they would be forced to fight to the death in the annual struggle to come out the lone victor of the Hunger Games. The rest of the Capitol was in a buzz as they all made their final preparations. The Gamemakers were huddled together putting the finishing touches on the Arena, the stylists were making last minute adjustments to the tribute's chosen uniforms (all identical, of course), and everyone else was impatiently waiting for the games to officially start. Everywhere you looked, people were running around and talking excitedly amongst each other, but not in the tribute quarters.

All tributes were confined to their penthouses until they were lead by peacekeepers to the launching tubes. This was most likely the last hour they would spend in a room with any of these people: Their escort, their mentor(s), even maybe their district partner. Everyone had time for one final goodbye, and of course, there was plenty of food and drink provided in the main penthouse common room. Though tributes are obviously advised not to stuff themselves, since they are about to engage in some extreme physical activity. The atmosphere of each penthouse is different, whereas some tributes might be looking forward to the launch (mostly the careers), others may be more nervous. Even scared. T-minus forty minutes and counting.

[OOC note: Threads in this post will be separated by districts, with each group in their own penthouse, but there's no initial posting order necessary so feel free to jump in as you see fit. Try to get to this thread as soon as you can, we want to be well into it before starting in on the official Arena thread that's going to be posted soon!]

On the eve of the third day of training, after the private sessions are over and once the tributes are all back in their penthouses for the night, the usual Capitol logo comes on the TV before the host begins making a mandatory speech in preparation for announcing the scores.

"As you know, tributes are rated on a scale of one to twelve, after three days of careful evaluation... The Gamemakers would like to take this time to acknowledge all the hard work of the people in the Capitol, the stylists, the trainers..."

The host goes on and on until finally he gets down to business. The announcement of scores goes in order of district, from one to twelve, with the male tribute announced first.

"From District 1, Zane, with a score of... 10."

"From District 1, Andy, with a score of... 10."

"From District 2, Chris, with a score of... 10."

"From District 2, Colby, with a score of... 8."

"From District 3, Dustin, with a score of... 7."

"From District 3, Quinn, with a score of... 2."

"From District 4, Tristan, with a score of... 9."

"From District 4, Tess, with a score of... 10."

"From District 5, David, with a score of... 5."

"From District 5, Tali, with a score of... 6."

"From District 6, Nate, with a score of... 1."

"From District 6, Rachel, with a score of... 3."

"From District 7, Henry, with a score of... 5."

"From District 7, Hayley, with a score of... 7."

"From District 8, Liam, with a score of... 6."

"From District 8, Emma, with a score of... 7."

"From District 9, Ender, with a score of... 8."

"From District 9, Lailani, with a score of... 7."

"From District 10, Bryce, with a score of... 9."

"From District 10, Thea, with a score of... 6."

"From District 11, Freddie, with a score of... 8."

"From District 11, Ellie, with a score of... 7."

"From District 12, Jay, with a score of... 4."

"From District 12, Holly, with a score of... 11."

Who: Eve & Gunnar Richards (+ Mason & Willette Sullivan later)
What: FAMILY BONDING TIME. Also some anti-Capitol planning.
When: Monday night
Where: District 13

Eve had spent the better part of the last week outside of District 13, something she hadn't done in years. After the first rebellion, the district had been forced underground, so she had barely been farther than a quarter-mile radius from the site since she was a little girl. Being the daughter from one of the 'new' District 13 founding families meant that she had been under lock and key for most of her life. For her protection, of course. Their continued safety depended on a very strict peace treaty with the Capitol, the Capitol wouldn't bother them as long as they promised not to continue pointing their nuclear weapons at them. At the time that the pact was made, the people of District 13 were understandably only thinking of their own safety. But it had been seventy-four years since that happened. Seventy-four years since they'd gone underground and started living a different kind of life, and now, District 13 was under the leadership of somebody else.

And they were no longer interested in playing dead.

Her marriage to Gunnar had been decided long before the two of them were even of age, so it was lucky that when the time came, not only did it make sense for the district, but it made sense for them. There was no one Eve trusted more, no one who understood her better and vice versa. And now that they were in full control of the district, together they had started to make plans. Plans for a better future, for District 13 and all in Panem who suffered under Capitol rule. Gunnar was a fighter, just like her, and neither of them were content to live out their lives policing a district that lived underground, out of fear of an enemy that could, contrary to popular belief, be infiltrated and brought down. 'No more hiding', Gunnar had told her often, and Eve had taken that sentiment to heart. She was done hiding. They all were.

One of their reconnaissance specialists, Charlie Archer, had gone missing earlier that week. He'd left on a recon mission and never came back. There were very few shape shifters in District 13, so losing even one could cost them greatly. Not to mention, the Capitol specialized in torture, and their whole mission could be compromised if any one of them fell into the Capitol's hands. Since Eve was the only other one in the district with the kind of skill that was needed for a stealth rescue mission, she'd taken it upon herself to go after him. It was easy to blend in when you could literally be anyone you wanted, you see. But after a very close call with some Peacekeepers in one of the other districts, Eve had to give up the search to avoid getting caught, barely making it back unscathed. She knew she'd find her husband alone in 13's main conference room at this time, bursting in without announcing herself and shutting the door behind her for some privacy. "We have a problem."

The time had come. The Capitol pleasantries were over. There were no more interviews, no more parades, no more making nice face for the camera. Now it was down to the true hard work before the games: training for the arena. It was a day of going from station to station to try and hone as many survival skills as possible amongst the other tributes of all the districts. It's an entire day for interaction--before the forced interaction of the games themselves. Alliances are formed here (unofficially, of course), as well as enemies. It's up to you whether you wish to draw attention to yourself.

Every tribute wears the same identical training outfit with their district's number sewn into the sleeves.

The training center itself is divided into different stations for tributes to move freely between to practice their skills.

Animal Hunting:

This station will train you on all the ways to hunt animals on land. The best place to shoot different kinds of animals, how to prepare them safely after you've caught them, and even the art of snare making. For those who aren't lucky enough to secure bags from the cornucopia, hunting is the best hope for food you have.

Weapons Training:

One of the only stations manned by an actual trainer, this is where you go to learn skills with new weapons, or improve on the ones you're already good at. From spears to knives to archery, this station will turn you into a killer in no time--if you dare approach it.

Hand-to-hand Combat:

Next to weapons training, the hand-to-hand combat training is designed to teach you to fight and defend yourself if you don't have access to a weapon. Unless you snag one early on, most of you will be stuck with this kind of combat, so its best to train here at least a little bit.

Camouflage:

This station is relatively self-explanatory. You learn the art of blending into your surroundings. This is an artist's dream station, and great for those who do better on the defensive. Just remember, this skill alone does not a victor make.

Edible Wildlife:

So you have no hunting skills, nothing snagged from the cornucopia, and you're starving. What do you do? This station is computerized, used to teach you all about which plants and insects are edible, and which to avoid lest you wish to die at your own hand.

Fire Making:

Making fire is easy when you've got matches or a lighter, but out there in the arena you need to rely on yourself and nature. This station is designed to practice making fire using only things found in the wild.

Fishing:

This is where you learn the best way to fish, catch, and prepare a meal from the water. Making fishing hooks and rods, good bait to use? All practiced here.

Knots:

Did you know that there are several types of knots? Well now you do! The knots station is designed specifically to teach you how to tie all of those different kinds of elusive knots that come in handy out in the wild, from securing yourself to a tree branch, to tying your spoils out of reach of the local wildlife. Knots are more important than you think.

Ropes:

The ropes course consists of a large rope net that stretches across the ceiling of the gym. Only the very nimble can leap around up there. It is not as popular as some of the fighting techniques, but if you should fall from it, be prepared for your fellow tributes to judge you.

Shelter:

Shelter is important to protect yourself from mother nature--and other tributes. Even the strongest tribute needs to rest sometimes. This station helps you determine safe ones, and build your own out of things found in the wild.

The Gauntlet:

The gauntlets are daunting obstacle courses used in the Training Center. They consist of ascending platforms that rise up to a landing. Tributes must jump from platform to platform to finish in the fastest time possible. To make it even more difficult, trainers swing padded clubs at the tributes. This station is very popular and all the Careers have a go at this first. The station is not very popular to the tributes who are shy, less able, or want to stay inconspicuous.

The light comes on in the training session. It's time to begin.

[OOC: Like the other threads before this, this is going to be broken up into separate threads based on the different stations. It doesn't matter who goes where; have fun making tributes from different districts interact! We'll have another plurk for people to announce when they're going where so there's no confusion. Have fun with this! Remember, tensions are high. Most people don't want to die, and everyone in the room is your potential murderer.]

It's time for the interviews! The parade is over and everyone in the Capitol has had a chance to get their first glimpses of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games tributes, it was time for the official interviews to begin. These one-on-one interviews with each tribute are in front of a Capitol audience, as well as broadcasted live on television to all of Panem and in every single district for the tributes loved ones and acquaintances to see. Like the parade, these interviews are used as a way for people to get a stronger feel for each tribute and who they are, how effective they might or might not be in the Arena, and if they're generally likeable. The Capitol likes an agreeable interviewer, so tributes are advised by their mentors and stylists to act accordingly in order to attract potential sponsors.

The interviews portion of the Games is all about looking good, so stylists will have planned a set of outfits for their tributes in advance to wear to the interview, that are unique to the costumes they were wearing for the parade. They don't have to be district themed, but the more shocking and eye catching the better. Citizens love seeing their tributes in high Capitol fashion. The point is to entertain, and to leave a positive, lasting impression on the audience with their look as well as their (hopefully) winning personality. Tributes should make every word and action count while on stage, the audience doesn't care if you're faking it as long as you make them laugh. It's all about giving the people a good show, both in and outside the Arena, but much of it depends on how you come off in your interview. More people will want to sponsor you if they like you. Remember, answer each interview question honestly, and don't forget to smile!

---

As the lights in the auditorium dim, a disembodied announcer's voice booms over a loudspeaker to announce the start of the tribute interviews.

"And now, here’s your host… Landon Carpenter!"

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen!" Landon rushed onto the stage as the spotlight hits him, resplendent in his fashionable suit, hair the same color as the shoes. He had the biggest grin on his face as he waved his arms, encouraging the crowd to cheer.

"Who's ready for the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games!?" The crowd roared in response, and his grin got even bigger. "Just as I thought!" Landon gave a laugh, patting his hands to quiet the crowd down.

"I know, after seeing this year’s reaping, that you’re all just as excited for these interviews as well! Now, we all know how this works, but I'm going to say it anyway, for those of us who are watching back home." He beamed, straight at the camera, teeth perfectly bleached. "I'll call each tribute down to the stage, and they'll have a couple of minutes to talk about themselves."

Landon leaned in, giving a stage whisper. "And don't you worry, my friends, if they're a little shy, I'll help them out." He straightened back up, going over to his seat, standing in front of it.

"Now let's have the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games interviews begin! Panem, time to meet your tributes!"

[OOC note: Threads in this post will be separated by districts as usual, but each tribute should respond to the beginning of their district's subthread instead of tacking it onto the end. We'll provide an example for this as we get started, so be on the look out for that. Each thread will start out with the tributes coming on stage one by one to be interviewed and show off their Capitol styled look to the audience. Check the character roster if you need a reminder of where your characters are! Additionally, sometime tomorrow we will have all the people playing stylists comment on an OOC note with a description of the costumes they're designing for the tribute parade and interviews, so people can reference that when making their replies in either thread.]

And now, onto the parade. Once everyone has arrived at the Capitol, before they're even settled in their temporary living quarters, everyone gets to work. There wasn't a moment to waste, between getting the tributes ready for presentation and then training for the Games, it seemed like the entire Capitol was in a flurry of constant motion. Escorts and mentors were taking their tributes to see their personal stylists, who will spent time developing the perfect look for each and every district representative. Most stylists go with a theme according to the district and its chosen industry (for example, District 1 manufactures luxury items, so the obvious theme is jewels and generally being really fancy), and incorporate that theme into the various outfits designed for the Tribute Parade.

When first entering the Training Center of the Capitol, tributes are required to enter via chariot in a parade, the point being to show the audience what to expect from the competitors of each district that year. Everyone in the Capitol comes out for this event, as it marks the first of many exciting things to come from this year's Games. Like the tribute's outfits, the chariots would be decorated in a similar theme according to which district they belonged to. The audience usually cheers for the chariots they liked and do nothing for the ones they did not. The chariot rides are very important because it's a chance for the tributes to make a good first impression on the citizens of the Capitol and potential sponsors, which can make the real difference between life and death in the Arena. A smile and a wave goes a long way, after all.

For each Hunger Games, it is required that the districts enter the parade in numerical order, starting with District 1 and finishing with District 12, as they are announced and presented to the Capitol. Each pair of tributes will show off their stylized look for the audience as well as for the Gamemakers and President Dashner, who will all be in attendance for thee parade. Each chariot will come to a stop in front of the President's seat where the President of Panem himself will make a short speech and welcome the tributes to the Capitol, as well as to officially launch this year's festivities. Happy Hunger Games!

[OOC note: Threads in this post will be separated by districts like the last one, but there's no initial posting order necessary so feel free to jump in as you see fit. Each thread will start out with the tributes and their stylists getting ready before moving on to the parade, which will be in a separate group subthread at the bottom for people to post to in district numerical order. There will also be a separate thread for the Capitol audience members to watch, enjoy and place bets. After every district has entered the center and been presented, there will be some time for people to mingle in the parade thread before everyone goes back to their rooms. Check the character roster if you need a reminder of where your characters are and who they're with! And don't feel rushed to jump straight into this. We're still getting through the training and reaping threads, so people are welcome to keep playing in those until they get to a place where they feel like they can move onto the parade portion of the day.]

Once the Reaping was over in each district, the chosen tributes were allowed a few minutes to say their goodbyes to loved ones backstage before leaving with their respective escort and mentors. There was no room for anything more drawn out, time was precious, and they had to make their way quickly to the (for many, at least) final destination. Shortly after departing from the square, every tribute was ushered onto a train that left the station almost immediately, bound at once for the Capitol.

These high-speed Capitol trains are mainly reserved for the shipment of district goods and materials, and for the transportation of Capitol officials. Most of Panem's citizens aren't allowed to travel by train unless they are reaped for the Hunger Games, as travel between the districts is largely forbidden. Every train is equipped with several separate compartments, each with a bedroom, a dressing area and a bathroom for all those on board. The interior design is very plush and expensive, with polished paneled walls, mahogany tables, and a fully stocked bar car. There is also a variety of foods and refreshments available for the tributes and those accompanying them at all times. On board with the train's guests are Capitol attendants - avoxes, that are there to serve the tributes and their entourages.

The amount of travel time depends on the district, but every trip takes at least a full day and night. The Capitol is in what used to be the Rocky Mountains, so the train will pass through a tunnel built through the mountains once they've finally reached the Capitol, the only known route of access to the heavily protected city. For now, tributes have some precious hours to themselves and those they're with on the train, to talk early strategies with their mentors or simply enjoy in the various Capitol delicacies that most of them would never see in their own districts. Drink it all in!

[OOC note: Threads in this post will be separated by districts like the last one, but there's no initial posting order necessary so feel free to jump in as you see fit. This is a chance for tributes, their mentors and their escort to bond (or not bond, as the case might also be) before being thrown into the lion's den at the Capitol. Check the character roster if you need a reminder of where your characters are and who they're with! And don't feel rushed to jump straight into this. We're still getting through the reaping thread, so people are welcome to keep playing in that one until they get to a place where they feel like they can move onto the trains portion of the day.]

Reaping day. The day those in the districts fear most out of the entire year, because nobody is safe from the reaping. Either your name is in the bowl, waiting for the escort's hand to reach in and read off your death sentence, or you have friends or family who have names in the bowl. The only people who wake up excited for reaping day are those who live in the Capitol. To them, it's the start of the sports season, draft day, where they get to see the year's contestants and start to concoct theories on who they believe will win. In the Capitol, children are beside themselves with excitement, watching the tv all day as recaps of each district's reaping plays.

In the districts, the children aren't excited. A subdued hush falls over every home, road, and building as throngs of citizens head towards the village square like they're all walking towards a funeral. Attendance is required unless you are on your death bed, and Peacekeepers patrol the districts to insure all comply with the rules. Nobody is going to work today; then again, nobody would feel comfortable going to work even if they could. Today they were all watching two people from their district being chosen to fight for their lives in bloody entertainment. Only one would return--if any.

The village square is packed. Those whose names are in the bowl are roped off from the rest of the population with girls on the right and boys on the left. The stage concocted hastily offers all of the splendor and decadence of the Capitol; three large television screens hover in the background. The two on either end broadcast what is happening on the stage, while the middle one blares Capitol propaganda about the history of the Hunger Games. Sitting on the stage is the district's escort and mentors, and there, sitting on pedestals, are the bowls with the names in them. One for girls, one for boys, ready to cough up the unlucky souls who will be heading into the arena.

The escort steps forward to the mic, and the reaping has begun. As always, ladies first.

[OOC note: Threads in this post will be separated by districts so that people have a chance to have reactions to the reaping, both as those reaped and those being witnesses. Escorts will announce who the tributes are (which can be found on the table here) starting with the ladies, and then everybody can play their reactions. If your character is an escort, please try to be timely in responding to this post so that others aren't left waiting too long. If a district doesn't have an escort, the female tribute can reply first and NPC the escort. An example of an escort post will be posted by a mod so you have something to go off of. They don't have to be long threads; the tributes will have a small window to say goodbye to their families after being ushered backstage, before being whisked away to the trains that will take them to the Capitol. We'll have more information on the train rides and what's to follow in a separate mod post tomorrow. Also as a quick note! Due to some districts being overpopulated while others had a lot of openings, we had to tweak where people are. Please make sure to check before doing anything with your characters to make sure you play them in the proper place. And please, please, please! If you haven’t added your characters, or if you have a Capitol citizen, please consider making them a stylist or an escort. We're also in need of some mentors. There are a lot of gaps to fill!]

Who: Lucy Murphy
Where: A hospital ICU
When: During the virus outbreak
What: A strange visit, possibly a dream but is it?
Rating: Low
Status: Narrative

( Just be patient )

Who. Shae Holloway & OPEN! (free agents & alliance welcome to tag in)
What. The rebel survivors make their way to ground zero
Where. Phoenix, Arizona
When. Monday, March 17th 2015
Warnings. TBD, but expect violence.

( Are we there yet? )

Who. Samantha Ellis & Jonathan Tower
What. Finding shelter & more zombies
Where. Colorado mountains (outside Denver)
When. Monday, March 3rd 2015
Warnings. Well, it's them, soooo. Violence?

( Together, they'd done more than just survive this new world, they'd fought back )

Who. Iris James, Mike Richards, Kat Thorn, Wesley Roberts & open to anyone!
What. Killing zombies & taking names
Where. Merced, California
When. Thursday, February 27th 2015
Warnings. Violence?

( Ain't no rest for the wicked )

Who. Willa Thompson & Open (to other Gov. Alliance people)
What. Experiments & world dominance
Where. Alliance HQ (Phoenix, Arizona)
When. Friday, February 21st 2015
Warnings. Evil scientists & the pets they keep

( Real world domination was in their favor, they only need find the cure and reach out to take it )

Who. Thomas Taylor & Kylie Kensington
What. Trying for a romantic V-Day during the apocalypse
Where. Las Vegas, Nevada (Rebel survivors camp)
When. Friday, February 14th 2015
Warnings. Romance & zombies

( He was probably the only person who noticed that today was Valentine's Day )

Who. Charlie Archer, Connor Bone & anyone else in the rebel group!
What. Surviving.
Where. Las Vegas, Nevada
When. Monday, February 10th 2015
Warnings. TBD?

( What happened next was a lot more subtle )