Arena 15

[etcircenses]

Arena 15
Code Name: The Eye of the Capitol
Size: Roughly 300 Square Miles. A week's walk around the whole arena.
Special Areas: The Bunker, The Islands, The Dustbowl town, The Wreckyard
Opening Date: Monday, September 28th

Setting:

The Tributes rise up at the very center of the Arena with the Cornucopia just a short run away. If you're someone watching in the Capitol, this scene should be a familiar one to you. It's the ruins of what might have once been a District, made to mirror that of all those identical pictures of District Thirteen's destruction, and for that matter, the image in most people's heads when they think of District Three.

Charred, broken, and scattered bits of metal and wood, some still burning, some sunk into the wet muddle and the water that puddles there, particularly in those portions dug out like they were once meant to be war trenches. It's hard to tell if the bones underfoot are real, but threat this Arena offers is.

If one looks past the Cornucopia, past what little bit of growth among the ruins skirt the edges of the massive circle, Tributes may find that this center bit isn't all that's familiar here. As best as could be managed, lumped all together and shrunk down to fit, are bits and pieces from the worlds of just about every living Tribute, crafted to copy. If not made perfect, it's been made something very close.

The metal Cornucopia sits on a platform. Once time runs out, it will sink down and a metal grate will come over it, sealing whatever's left inside. It's not getting out any more than you are breaking out of the massive dome that covers the whole Arena.

Center: The Bunker

The Cornucopia grate is the first sign that not all is as it seems in the dead District. If one searches the circle, and searches thoroughly, they may uncover a secret entrance; a metal latch in the earth that, when pulled up, reveals an underground bunker.

Sense of space isn't easy to grasp here. It looks like the tunnel goes down forever. Everything is barren, cold and callous steel. There are small tunnels that can only be crawled through and large expanses with unpleasant artificial light. Everything is designed for maximum claustrophobia. Every hall echoes.

It's easy to get lost hear in the maze of stairs, halls, and tunnels. There are rooms filled with beds like out of an experimental science nightmare. There are rooms with TVs that crackle with static. Then there is a room stockpiled with guns of all kinds, evil looking machinery that could surely be used to kill if one only knew how it worked. Finally is one last room filled with buttons to be pressed, five raised in total, one that is locked into the pad with no hope of pressing.

Sometimes it seems like the rooms have moved around. The way you come in won't be the way you get out. If you get out. It may be safe here, but once you're in, it's very hard to leave.

North: The Mountains

The claustrophobia of the bunker may have people longing for the crisp air of the mountains, the glamour of the castles (in which there is one key each to be uncovered), and the humble village homes and fields that lay beyond it.

Arendelle castle, made smaller to accommodate for the Arena's size, sits on the shore. Up in the mountains is a small copy of Rivendell, set upon the mountain's side. Lindblum sits perched atop the peak of a smaller mountain.

At lower elevations are the various abandoned homes, some with steampunk style, some invoking the Italian Renaissance. There are houses that look like they've been plucked straight from Honnleath and Buckkeep town, not to mention a copy of the great golden hall Meduseled.

A small portion of Winterfell Castle fills the space between the ancient mismatched city and that of Buckkeep fields. The fields end just before the forest begins.

East: The Forest

It may not be easy to tell, but if you're familiar with the forests you'll know this one is the combined result of the Godswood, Brecilian, and Mirkwood forests. Each part holds its own mystical ties, the spread out trees of Brecilian reaching high into the sky, the trees of Mirkwood winding close and thick together. Godswood leaves it's mark in the pleasant ponds scattered throughout.

It's at the far end of these woods that the Alternian forest can be found with bark in colors of teal, to soft blue, to cerulean, the leaves a bright and beautiful pink. These trees are thicker around than houses and reach up like towers. The branches up high weave together so one needn't walk the ground for great distances and on one tree is a tree house with plush toys hanging from rope.

The whole of the woods are inhabited by all manner of beast and creature. One could make a decent shelter here, but travelling all the way through will take Tributes to a small alien town and those houses may be even better.

South: The Desert

The little alien town with its oddly structured buildings, it's color coding, and it's twelve-pane windows, sits just on the edge of the desert, bleeding into it until the homes grow more sparse and more ancient looking, until they're little more than tiny caves and one little Carnival set by the water.

The Carnival is home to all the traditional things like high wire, three wings, trapeze, and stands. Only among them are more unnerving things like bones that hang from the ceiling, chains and whips upon the floor, and wicked looking torture tools with rainbows splattered on them. But it's not all Trollish influence in here! There's posters displaying Clint and his troop as well, pieces of the Carnival clearly taken from his past.

Beyond it all is a seemingly crash-landed space ship, a panel on the side proclaiming it to be the Normandy, though it's far smaller in size. Less a ship and more a jet. Still, the ship is there to be explored and may be safer than the desert surrounding it, namely for what lives there.

Beyond the crash site, a fair way from it, sits a gunslinger's camp, clearly abandoned now, and on the horizon sits a looming radio tower in a deep shade of purple, almost two dimensional in its presence and entirely unreachable. If Tributes try to make their way to it they'll find they don't seem to move anywhere, and the softly glowing red light atop the tower remains a constant distance away, blinking against a sky that's always at dusk in this direction. Mostly void, partially stars.

Further along, the skeleton of a plane rests by the fossilized skeleton of what looks like an angel. And then finally at the very opposite end of the desert is a great pile of all kinds of strange vehicles and- surprise!- they work!

The desert goes into a dustbowl town with buildings that get more and more modern the closer one gets to the city. Inside those buildings of the 1930's one might find an old radio. These radios catch mostly static but every now and again, that unreachable radio tower out there manages to send a signal. The reports tell of what other Tributes are doing in an old announcer's voice, broken up by swing music.

There's a set of train tracks the goes through the whole desert right into the alien town, but the abandoned train car isn't taking anyone anywhere. Even if it could, the tracks don't seem to go through the city.

West: The City

Set on the border of the City and the dustbowl town is a looming old Victorian home, smaller than it should be inside and surrounded by a dark and massive cemetery. Inside lies all manner of torture equipment, positioned just so comfortably with chinz furniture like its normal decor. Also on the border is a pizza place, decorated in bright garish colors but dimmed by time and disuse. The lights spark and flicker out and in at intervals and occasionally a jolly yet sinister tune plays without warning over the loudspeaker and unsettling laughter will come from nowhere in particular. What was once clearly the main feature of the pizza joint, complicated animatronics in the shapes of vaguely (or readily) disconcerting 'party animals' that have fallen into as much disuse as the building itself, are never where they were before before you blinked.

Everything else beyond is abandoned homes and city buildings. The place is grown over and crumbling. Many buildings will strike familiar, like houses similar to what they once lived in, or bits that almost certainly came from New York.

There's a half broken prison, a library, and a large tower looming over it all with a caved roof and a very familiar symbol upon it, sparking from broken wiring. Inside, deep in its basement, is a place lined with chilling machinery and what looks like a cryo-freezer.

In a foggy portion of the city are buildings that don't quite match with the others, but it doesn't change the fact that it seems quiet here in the city.

Left behind in this city are bikes and motorcycles that can be ridden at the cost of making a lot of noise. Also left behind are masks, much like that of a superhero in that it only covers half the face, but made of something stronger. Putting these on enable powers for those who have them and bursts of strength and adrenaline for those who don't-- with a downside that those who use them will suffer an extreme loss in energy and physical pain ten minutes after use, dependent on how much power was used.

There's more. There's something very wrong here beyond the state of disrepair. Things move within the dark. Very hungry things. And as the shrieks start up in the night, it may be wise to flee for the mountains.

North/East: The Water

Between the Cornucopia and the mountains is the water and all that it's home to. Small boats sit on shore, but they are neither sturdy nor large enough for a motor and it's a long way to paddle.

But then, if one just goes halfway, they might find themselves up close with a pirate ship with black sails in tatters that still curiously remains afloat. But be warned, you may not survive to pass this way again... and dead men tell no tales!

Travelling on the water, the Air Temple can be reached, a beautifully calm place with scenic views and much wildlife. The more dangerous island nearby, imitating that of Berk, hosts a tiny viking villa and numerous dragons. In the distance shine the beautiful golden towers of Prospit and Derse's royal purples mirror Prospit in like a shadow just opposite. Both sides have great chains that go deep into the water.

Down below, under the waves, is one more palace, done up in dark greys and tyrian pinks, the the layer of water casts it in blues. Those who don't know better might think it's Atlantis. Scuba gear can be found on each of the islands and the Pearl, a few pieces on each. Collecting them all means being able to dive down to that palace with its gold and beauty, to find gifts that the Gamemakers have left in some of the sealed rooms, which will open on their command.

Survival Information
Cornucopia: Go For It!
Available Fresh Water Sources: Yes; though the water will need to be boiled or purified.
Available Natural Food Sources: Yes; there's lots to hunt.

Cornucopia Items: Supplies

Not every world can be represented so easily, but the Gamemakers have still given you something to try for. The Cornucopia features a number of familiar items among the basics to make it worth your while:

Fire Starting Kit
First Aid
Water Purifier Kit
1 Person Tent
2 Person Tent
Sleeping Bag
1 Change of Clothes
Canister of Water
3 Days Worth of Food
50' Spool of wire
Adrenaline Shot
Winter Cloak
Sand Goggles
Swimming Goggles
Climbing Equipment
Cowboy Hat
Garret's crossbow
Gunslinger holsters and pistols
Arya's Needle
Molotov's knife and arm holster
Flamethrowing guitar
The Sword of Altair
Captain America's WWII shield
Hawkeye's collapsible bow and a normal quiver of arrows
Sam's broken flightpack (missing one wing)
Throwing stars
Rope
Dave's broken Caledscratch sword
Feferi's trident
Karkat's Crab claw sickle
Spiked bone club with rainbow stains
A shillelagh
Cyborg laser gun
Ruffnut's double-bladed axe
Ermac's axe
Fireman's axe
Shotgun
Hand guns
Baseball bat

Wildlife

There's to be no limit to the kind of creatures that can be found in this arena. Some are isolated to certain areas. Others roam freely.

• The Modern Monster
  
  In the Crumbling City, most people will find they're as close to their own time as they can get. Unfortunately, many modern worlds still feature a plethora of deadly beasts. Monstrous animatronics hunt within the abandoned pizza place and a couple more robots designed like ED 209's of Clara's world roam the streets at all hours. In the city's back alleys and underbelly are humanoid lizard monsters and dark things called Shades that appear to be (but are not actually) made of shadows, and grey Ghouls made of stone, all of which will happily tear a Tribute apart. But perhaps not so effectively as others...
  
  [Content Warning for disturbing imagery in all links below in this section. Includes gore and body horror.]
  
  Man's best friend isn't so friendly anymore, and neither is man itself, taking the slow and lumbering form of Walkers. The further into the dark of the city one goes, the more likely they are to stumble upon the Walkers' deadlier and more frightening cousins, the Spitters, Chargers, Witches, Lickers, Clickers, and more that are straight from nightmares. Unlike their offworld counterparts, these muttations will not pass infection. Other monsters were never that infectious at all. Not that it protects you from being eaten.
  
  The city by far takes the cake for monstrous mayhem, zombie-like creatures called Darkspawn, pride demons, and lumbering frozen-looking giants can be found in the fantasy lands. In the Alternian desert, daywalkers can be found, resting motionless beneath the sand until dawn.



• Fantastical and Fearsome
  
  All through the skies, from the fantasy lands, over the waters, and all areas save those of the far desert and the Dead District, dragons can be seen. They range in all ways they can. One is a massive pale beast with iridescent scales and blinding red eyes. Another is lean and has vein-y wings. Some smaller with different shapes and forms of attack. Some are longer, with the whiskers of a catfish. And still more fly. Though unfortunately for everyone, they are not sentient and very hostile. They tend to roost most often on isles and in the forests which allow ample coverage to hide. The giant spiders give them all wide berth.
  
  The skies aren't the only places where beasts may be met. The waters are home to a number of creatures such as colorful cuttlefish, the kindly elephant koi, the white whale, the less-kind sea serpents and capricorns, and the unspeakable tentacled horror that waits down below. In the place where the shore reaches the city, a giant mermaid muttation can be seen, possibly more machine than anything living. The sword it wields stays for no one.
  
  Found on the island of the temple, but scattered throughout the forest as well, as creatures like Hog-monkeys, Platypus-bears, Polar-Bear-dogs, Wolf-bats, Ostrich-horses, Badger-moles, Bison (that sadly don't fly), and Giant owls, most of which will only become vicious if bothered. Also throughout the fantasy land are creatures called Nugs.
  
  In the desert nearest the crashed Normandy ship are Space-cows, Klixen & Harvesters, Varren, Pyjack, and one Thresher Maw.
  
  Further into the Alternian portions are lions with two mouths, cow-centaurs the ranging in size to that of a human to that of sky scrapers, wallabies with the head and hooves of rams, tiny little bulls with insect wings, a two-headed Cyclops, crab monsters, and a terrifying oversized grub creature, among many other beasts. Though some of these are perfectly harmless, many are reactive if startled. None are so devastatingly destructive however as the drones, black-chitin creatures of towering height (with one bigger still), robotic in function and the nightmare of a race full of murderers.



• "Please, just be something normal."
  
  Rats and other scavenging rodents slip in and out of the wreckage of the Dead District. They can be found in the city and in the fantasy land as well. Rabbits, deer, wild boar and other game may be hunted in the forests and fantasy land. They city is home to squirrels and pigeons who've not learned to fear what lives there-- not to mention the rare giraffe. Snakes, hares, and scorpions live within the desert. Also within the desert are horses that can be ridden if the car scrap-pile wasn't good enough. Insects of all kinds can be found everywhere. The water is plentiful with all varieties of fish and crustaceans, not to mention a giant squid.
  

Immediate Hazards

• Radiation & Dampness.
  Although it's not true radiation this time, there's no doubt that the grounds of the Dead District will make you sick. You'll find yourself weak, dizzy, and getting blurred vision. Eventually, you may succumb to blackouts, something that could very well cost your life in an Arena.
  
  The dampness meanwhile may seem harmless, just a simple agitation at first, but spend too much time in it and you may very well find yourself with a case of trench foot.



• Lost In A Maze.
  The sense you got that the Bunker shifted around was right. The halls move and turn, letting out creaks and whines as they do so. Groups are sure to be split up and you may find yourself running into someone you don't want to. Or something.
  
  Between the dim and flickering lights and the sheer quiet, the bunker is a sure test for sanity. You'll begin to see things; monsters, people. Is it a trick of the Capitol or a trick of the mind? Do you really feel safe here?



• Desert Cyclones.
  About midday everyday, a storm brews up in the middle of the desert. A massive cyclone takes form, picking up dirt and more until it has stretched right out over the whole desert zone and well into the time warp zone, particularly in the area's closest to it, dominated by 1930's themed buildings. There's never been a dustbowl like this before. The storm is capable of throwing cars and more to the opposite side of desert they started on.



• Alternian Sun.
  
  The home planet of the Alternian Trolls is known for it's brutality and violence, but this lies not only in its people. On Alternia, even the light of the sun is deadly, forcing nearly all inhabitants (but the undead) into nocturnal life. Every day from dawn until dusk, the light in this portion of the arena will shine brighter than any other. Looking out into it will caused instant and permanent blindness. Uncovered skin will suffer severe burns within an hour. If you've ever wanted to know how a vampire feels, now's your chance. Those who actually want to survive will need to find dark shelter, and fast.
  
  But what about those undead, you ask? As opposed to roaming the dark, the undead here in the Alternian desert portion are summoned by the sun. Which means that on top of being fried to a crisp, you just may wind up as some daywalker's Manwich.



• Whispers In The Woods.
  
  As the light begins to fade, the woods lose that sense of calm and comfort. The creatures and insects living within all come alive. What light remains of the sun and the bioluminescent things growing within can play as many tricks as that of the shadows. Maybe it's that. Or maybe it's the noise of the animals, or some fungi causing it. Whether it be toxins or an over-active imagination, hallucinations are inevitable. It can be anything or anyone, good and bad alike, but chances are, it's going to be bad. The torment goes on until approximately midnight, the time for it changing every so often so as to keep victims wondering if that noise they just heard in the woods was real or not.



• Winter Wonderland.
  
  At the stroke of midnight, another kind of storm begins to form high up over the mountains descending over all the land of fantasy. The snow storm is a powerful one, bringing with it a piercing cold that freezes much of the shores. Palaces all too near to the mountains may be buried and avalanches may occur on occasion as the weight of the snow builds up. There's plenty of shelter in this portion of the arena, but the question is, will it keep you from freezing over night?
  
  By morning, the place is clear and green again, if a little cool. The only sign of the storm is the destruction left in its wake.



• Terrors Of The Sea.
  
  The melted snow and vacating storm of the Fantasy zone seems to find itself out in the water. From dawn to midday, the tide rises up, washing over each of the islands and threatening to drown those caught within, unless they have a boat or very high ground. As if that weren't enough, the tentacled sea monster below the waves doesn't enjoy these disturbances any more than you do. Just before the storm's end at noon, a terrible shriek is unleashed. The noise is painful and paralyzing. Long exposure can lead to bleeding from the nose, ears, and eventually even the eyes before it kills if you're unlucky enough to be so close. Deafness is very possible. Thankfully, though powerful, the scream is short. Hopefully you managed to find dry land before it hit.



• The Dark Unsteady Path.
  
  There's something beautiful about the decay of the city, overcome with growth. However, that does not discount its danger. Some buildings are hanging on by a vine and should the occasional tremor hit just the right spot, it may crumble down upon the paths of the unwary, or worse, on top of them. But even that isn't the worst the city has to offer. Much like real cities, it doesn't ever sleep.
  
  In fact, you could say it gets more active in the night. Every night straight until sunrise, the various species of undead roaming the place will come out of hiding and embark on the hunt, particularly the more vicious of the bunch. At least during the day most of the worst ones will retreat back into the dark. That's a lot of dead and only one of you. Do you think you can survive that long?

Attire

Tributes are each outfitted in grey jumpsuits featuring their District number in bright gold. They are given thick boots and a jacket.

Map

Thumbnail image of arena map below. Click image for full size.

Out Of Character
Cornucopia Thread: Reply here if you're character is going for it!
Game Plotting Thread: A place for everyone to plot new stuff!
Ask A Mod: For all your questions comments and concerns.

Additional Information

Whatever direction you go, wherever you seek to hide, if you're from District 10 the rats are going to find you. Or the flies. Or perhaps one of the other fearsome creatures that roam the Arena. They seem to be going for one thing: the throat. By the very first week, no offworld Tribute from District 10 will go unharmed. The wounds may be lethal or simply debilitating. One thing's for sure, it's going to leave a mark. Bet you wish you had those red scarves now.

Certain children of the Tribute Youth Programme (Aang, Miss Gritta, Sandy Marko, Ruffnut Thorston, Vivi Ornitier, Arya Stark) are not having any better luck. You wanted to remember the dead Tributes of the past? Well now you won't ever forget them. Their whispers are around every corner. Their screams wake you from your sleep and break silences to call beasts your way. Just as you think you're used to it, among the screams will be one of a loved one who just so happens to be of Reaping age. TYP children do have the chance to redeem themselves by preforming a pro-Capitol duty in their last week in the Capitol, thus making their punishment last only a week or two, but otherwise it's going to be a long Arena.

Meanwhile, as the Psiioniic ventures through the Arena, he will find himself stepping onto a trap that triggers a gas. This gas will immediately begin to burn within all airways. It will cause painful hoarseness in the voice, and on top of that, will trigger occasional loss of muscle control and a neurological problem in speech, thus making the whole process very difficult for him. Just a little reminder of what it means to sympathize with criminals.

For Karkat Vantas, he will find that for all his talk of unity, at some point within the Arena, those around him will be driven into a rage. It will last no more than a few days, but it will certainly be rough.

As for the rest of you, remember that for this Arena, there will be children from the Districts participating. For more information on some of these children please see this post for details. You may attempt to buy these Tributes out of death or have your character be the one that finishes them off. Whatever becomes of these children will have an effect in the war.

Finally, do not forget to see this post and fill everything out properly or you will be swept.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Comments

Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[etcircenses]

[occasio]

Phi's going for it.

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[intenserer]

Ford is going for it!

[shieldofrohan]

Éowyn will risk it

[expurge]

Definitely going for the Cornucopia, Batter wants that bat.

[atouchofka]

Alain's obviously going for it. There are guns in there!

[justoutrunyou]

Last Cornucopia, lets do it!

[ruffntumblenut]

Let's do it!

[theyoungperish]

SIGNING UP CLINT HE WANTS HIS BOWWWWWWWWW

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[alittleknightmusic]

Sayaka's going for it!

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[homicidium]

wednesday wants that crossbow

[needlebearer]

Arya's going for it!

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[allyorfoe]

Tabris is going for it

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[piroudeath]

Deniera's going for it!

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[byeson]

Bayard's going for it.

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[byeson]

Bison's going for it.

[infinitemayonnaise]

Nitou's going for it!

[the_marshal]

Maxwell Trevelyan, with eyes on either of the bows in particular.

[ka_sera_sera]

signing roland up

[earthborn]

Shep's shooting (ahhahha shooting) for a gun, if she can get one, though she'll grab anything she can.

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[theflyingone]

Altair will go for it

Re: Cornucopia Sign-Ups

[timetoshine]

Aemila will go for the cornucopia

General Plotting

[etcircenses]

Ruffnut Thorston D7

[ruffntumblenut]

Well this looks like fun! I hardly know where to start!

Given the nature of the arena I imagine Ruffnut will want to explore, but she'll be spending a lot of time around Berk. It's familiar territory, even if it's just a recreation.

She'll be doing her best to hook up with Hemlock and do right by him but she won't be as suicidally heroic to protect him as other tributes.

If anyone's keen on some Viking girl CR hit me up! Otherwise we'll wait and see how the Cornucopia shakes out.

Mod Questions

[etcircenses]

Re: Mod Questions

[ruffntumblenut]

Are the dragons in the Berk area susceptible to taming methods? Or are they all pretty much hungry, aggressive and as dangerous as possible?

BUTTONS

[etcircenses]

Let us know if you're character will be pressing one of the buttons.

[ruffntumblenut]

Since Harley isn't around to push buttons recklessly, allow me to offer up this button pusher.