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calderamemes2024-11-29 12:00 am
calderaevents) wrote in calderamemes2024-11-29 12:00 am
TDM #4
ARRIVAL
It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:
As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.
“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”
And you most certainly do.
Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.
DRINK MENU
WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.
JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.
S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.
MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!
HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.
CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.
GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!
JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.
S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.
MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!
HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.
CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.
GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!
CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY
As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:
You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:
The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.
The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.
The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.
Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.
The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.
If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.
But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.
Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.
In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?
The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.
If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.
In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.
Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.
FANNING THE FLAMES
The renewed seething of the lava flows brought on by the tempestuous events deep below the sea seem to have been dealt with, though city guards have been stationed around the crater and are barring anyone from approaching to investigate any further than the outskirts. Interestingly, not only does the crater seem calm, it appears to be changing. Any remaining lava flow is being directed as if by unseen hands, and when the light catches just right, the barest hint of a shimmer can be detected surrounding the glowing rivers. New rock formations take shape as the days pass, though one never can catch the presence of a mason working on the structures. It's as if something intangible or invisible is repairing what was broken, turning what was previously chaos and ruin into order and life.
SEASON OF LIGHT
The world remains unsettled, still bearing the scars of the trials endured just a month prior, not to mention the oddities happening with the volcanic crater and the ominous shadows creeping in from the sea continue to haunt the collective psyche, leaving both locals and visitors on constant edge, fearful of a sudden, unprovoked assault. Despite these lingering anxieties, the leaders have publicly reassured all that calm has been restored. They claim that the worst is behind them and that every measure is being taken to prevent such devastating magics from ever threatening Salt Spire again. The protective bubble holds, new Undine are being ushered into their roles, and the world, it is said, is slowly healing. Or so they claim.
Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.
One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.
The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...
Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.
One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.
The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...
THE GRAND MASQUERADE
Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven’s Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights—it’s a gathering of hope, a last-ditch effort to save Caldera from its slow unraveling. Here, among the clouds and the wind, the people of Caldera and the mysterious Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.
The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.
Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.
As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.
The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.
Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.
As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.
THE SKY'S ASCENSION
At one end of the palace's terrace, a floating platform hovers above the clouds, surrounded by shifting air currents. Sylphs glide effortlessly through the space, their wings leaving trails of light as they move to the lively music, which seems written by the wind itself.
Aella, Admiral of the Slyph, stands at the center of the platform, her cloak of shimmering feathers rippling in the breeze. She surveys the crowd, inviting those brave enough to take part in her challenge. Before them, a maze of floating platforms stretches out, some wide and stable, others narrow and swaying in the wind. The task is simple: leap from one platform to the next, navigating the shifting air and ever-changing obstacles.
The platforms move unpredictably, some rising higher, others sinking, and a few disappearing entirely. Guests must time their jumps perfectly, balancing agility with timing as they avoid falling into the clouds below.
Those who succeed will earn Aella’s favor (in the form of 100 Bones and a single white feather). And those who falter will simply reappear the start of the challenge to begin anew or give up with no repercussions for the latter save perhaps a bit of embarrassment.
THE SEA'S SECRETS
On the other side of the terrace, a serene water garden unfolds, its shimmering pools reflecting the stars above. Water flows in delicate, endless cascades, filling the air with a soft, soothing melody that mingles with the distant sound of waves. The Undines, graceful and serene beings of the Sea, glide effortlessly through the space, their robes flowing like gentle currents, their movements as fluid as the water itself.
Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.
The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.
Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.
As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.
Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.
The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.
Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.
As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.
THE LAND'S EMBRACE
In the heart of the palace gardens, beneath a canopy of flowering trees, the Dryads drift gracefully among the guests, their earthy skin glowing with life and their eyes bright with the vitality of nature. The air is thick with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine, while the ground beneath the guests' feet pulses with a quiet energy, inviting them to pause and feel the garden’s magic.
Terra, the Lady of the Land, stands at the center, her form adorned in living vines and blossoms, moving as if the garden itself flows through her. Her presence is both nurturing and fierce, a silent invitation to those seeking connection—to the land, to love, and to one another.
Guests are drawn to the tranquil beauty of the garden, stealing soft moments with their partners among the flowers. Lovers exchange quiet glances, touch petals with gentle fingers, and share unspoken promises beneath the soft glow of lanterns. The garden hums with romance, as if the earth itself is blessing these tender moments, offering the quiet assurance that love—like the land—can grow in the most unexpected places.
As the night draws to a close, Terra’s gentle power is felt in the air, and for those who have taken the time to connect with the garden’s beauty, a soft gift of nature is bestowed. A flower—unique and radiant—appears in their hand, a token of love and growth, a reminder that even the briefest moments can take root and blossom into something everlasting.
QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]
Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.
Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.
Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.
OOC NOTES
Welcome to Caldera's fourth TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.
For OOC questions, please direct themhere.
All locations are available to be explored!
The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.
main navigation
For OOC questions, please direct themhere.
All locations are available to be explored!
The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.
no subject
"We played them. That night, we beat them at their own game."
A pause.
"You're a legend, Cinna. Katniss is so fond of you, everyone is." Cinna didnt deserve to die. He deserved credit, praise, accolades, respect. Finnick tries to give him that now, since he didn't get enough of it in Panem.
But, he also has to tell him the truth.
"Of course, the Quell still went forward. But we were able to break some folks out of the arena, including Katniss and Peeta. And by then, the momentum was unstoppable. Full war."
Finnick sobers. Fuck, how do you tell someone they died? At a fancy party, no less?
"Unfortunately... You did pay the price for that dress. I'm sorry." He frowns.
no subject
Poor guy looks so upset, though. Finnick Odair--Cinna's like most, he's never known for sure what his deal is but he's heard the stories. He's had his suspicions...he knows Finnick's stock in trade.
Maybe he can give him something extra. Something to get him through the war.
"It's not just you, y'know." he says after a moment. Glancing around, he spots one of the refreshment tables and nods for Finnick to walk with him.
"The 'company' you keep in the Capitol. I know you know there's others. There's always others...but it's not all bad. Hard, but not bad."
He picks up a small cake of some kind, and offers it to Finnick with a smile.
"I wouldn't be here if it were bad...my great-great granddad was District 11's first victor in the early days."
no subject
He follows Cinna to the refreshment table, wondering where he's going with this. He takes the small cake, and then his brow furrows briefly in confusion.
"I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean, Cinna." Not that he's denying anything about the company he keeps, but he's not sure how it isn't bad, or what it has to do with Cinna's ancestor.
no subject
Cinna picks up a cake for himself after offering one to Finnick, pausing for a bite.
"He traded those favors for the extra tessarae. Certain amount each year when he made his annual visit to the Capitol to see his...'friends.' One of them was special, a young lady named Ambrosia. Capitol girl who didn't like the Games, but she liked Harv, and he liked her. After that first visit, he came to see her every year--always his last stop. First, it was just to see her...then it was to see her and Cinnamon, Ambrosia's daughter. Their daughter."
He pauses to lick a smear of sugar off his thumb with a knowing smile.
"I was named after my Mamaw. She was a good lady, Ambrosia...she was the one who taught me to hate the Capitol for keepin' her mom and dad apart."
no subject
Ah, so there's the point of the story. He isn't sure why Cinna is bringing it up, though.
"I see," he nods. "Not everyone in the Capitol is terrible, it's true. Some of my clients were very good and kind to me. Some of them I really trusted, and I knew they'd help me if they could. They're not... Born bad, they're just brainwashed."
no subject
"What I'm tryin' to say, Finnick...it's that just like the folks in the Capitol, good and bad? It's a gut thing. You can feel 'rotten' down in your core, and all I've ever known of you is...well, what you want me to know. But you can't hide 'good' behind a mask, and the good ones never make the rounds you do by choice. There's always something to trade with good people--I don't know your reasons. I don't need to know your reasons, but if it ever weighs on you? And it does--it damn sure weighed on my Mamaw when she could only see her dad once a year--I want you to know that you're not the only one...and sometimes, good things can come of it. Maybe find some comfort and hope in knowing that."
He smiles, pulling Finnick into another brief, friendly hug.
"Keep you strong for the Rebellion--'cause we need good men 'n women if we're gonna free Panem."
cw child sex trafficking, pedophilia, CSA, blackmail, exploitation
"You don't know my reasons? I thought everyone sort of knew. The same way I do know I'm not the only one. It's like an open secret. He brings us to the Capitol young- they say it can't start until you're sixteen, but we both know no one's particularly holding them to that, and there are always scumbags who take liberties with children. So for me, fourteen. Snow tells you he's going to sell you, and if you refuse, he'll kill someone you love. And we all know when he makes a threat like that, it's a promise. That's why Haymitch has no family. So... My reasons were to protect Annie and Mags and others I care for. Not to say I never enjoyed it, but yes, it weighed on me. I didn't fall in love with any Capitol woman, I only loved Annie, the 'mad' Victor from my district, and I couldn't be with her properly because of this arrangement. If it worked out for someone once, that's great, but it won't particularly help me sleep at night."
As he speaks, Finnick's tone goes from friendly to something colder, as though his guard is gradually raising. He doesn't particularly like how much Cinna has assumed about his situation, or the 'bright sides' angle, even if he is being kind. It's a sweet story and all, but it's not his.
"And it doesn't matter to Panem how strong I am now. I'm dead there. But hopefully they win."
no subject
…but the more he says, the more Cinna understands—and the more he wishes he hadn’t just eaten something because he feels truly sick.
He hadn’t known—but he should have. Should have pressed more when Finnick was suggested as a guardian for Katniss in the arena. Should have asked questions instead of just trusting Plutarch and Coin so he could have done more—shit, he knew Four’s stylist. He could have kept him out of that awful gold netting…
“Finnick—last year was my first working the Games.” He gets out, voice tight and dark features ashen. “Before that…my family’s always hated them. Avoided everything we could. Before I joined the Rebellion, what I couldn’t escape knowing I believed. You got no reason to believe me, but I hope you can: I had no idea. And I’m…deeply ashamed of everything I just said to you, because there is nothing anyone can say that will make any of what you went through better or easier or at all okay. I hope you can forgive me.”
no subject
His brow furrows with a little concern, and he clasps Cinna's elbow.
"Of course I believe you, and of course I forgive you, Cinna," he says, and his smile is warm again, genuine. There isn't much Cinna could do to make Finnick think poorly of him, after what he did for Katniss and the rebellion. "If anything, it's good to know I'm such a stunning actor that you never suspected I was anything but a beautiful philanthropist playboy." His smile turns to a grin, and he winks, to break the tension.
"Now, I hope you'll allow me to help you settle in here. I've been in Caldera for several months, and I'd love to show you the ropes. What faction were you drawn to choose?"
no subject
Any remaining doubt, fear, disquiet about his own end--it's as dead as he will be. He's never been more sure that he's done the right thing, in absolutes, and he wouldn't change a line. For his family, for Katniss, for Panem...and for Finnick Odair.
Cinna rarely thinks of things outside his work, his craft--and after this, he's thinking of another use for that gold netting that had been wrapped around his waist, another costume he'd have put Finnick in for the parade. Something more befitting that warm and gentle smile. Dark, snug fitting trousers and sturdy boots--all fine fabrics and rich leathers befitting a Capitol spectacle, of course. Top it with a long-sleeved shirt, a dazzling white thermal henley with no collar that would hug his muscled torso and show the strong line of his neck.
Cover everything, reveal no more skin than was absolutely necessary so the Capitol could admire not his beauty, but the strong and powerful shape of his body: the body of a fisherman, a child of the water, the heart and soul of District 4 with that gold netting polished to a shine and looped over his shoulder for a day on the water. Maybe even adorned with glittering, wriggling fish in shades of blue and green...
Vowing to make this vision a reality, he feels himself relaxing a little more as he releases Finnick's hand.
"I chose Dryad--and I'd love to have your help getting squared away. See if I'm still able to ply my trade here. I'm not afraid of a little hard work, but if my time back home is up, I'd like to leave another part of the universe with a few more pieces of my work to hopefully do some good."
He scans the room, eyes once again glancing over the striking redhead he'd met earlier, among others.
"The uh--canvases in this place are incredible. Maybe you'd even let me style for you sometime? If you're still fishing, I'd love to make you something. I learned my trade from my Mamaw, I can craft good solid working clothes that just happen to look nice if all's I got is needle and thread."
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"The people here are beautiful, and so diverse. You'll have a fun challenge designing around horns, tails, wings, and fins." He laughs lightly.
"Work clothes, hm? That would be helpful. I'm notoriously bad at dressing for cold or stormy weather, and I do a lot of fishing and swimming here, so always looking for help there." Being styled comes with a lot of bad memories for Finnick, but he appreciates the focus on making something practical, and he trusts Cinna not to be... Weird.
"Some people here have magic, and can enchant clothing, to make it warmer or more waterproof or who knows what else. Might be worth an ask if someone might want to team up with you for that. Or you could probably work toward getting that type of magic yourself, I dunno."
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"See, I'd have dressed you as a fisherman for the Games myself--flashy stuff, but for day to day I'd change it. In the parade, it'd have been a long sleeve thermal, cover you wrists to collarbone, but for practical purposes? Thermal goes underneath a turtleneck sweater, cable knit. collar up to here. Softest fiber I can find, custom dyed to match your eyes perfectly. Dark pants and boots, good sturdy material...and they'd never have let me do it for the parade, but you need a coat to go over all that. I want two for you: wool peacoat for outside, same shade as the pants with brass buttons. More knits for indoors, cardigan this time with wooden toggles and an oversized collar. Take off the turtleneck, leave the thermal, slip the sweater over it...and that's a full set of clothes for a fisherman, on and off the waves."
He pauses, taking back his hands and leaning away a little with a smile.
"And if I had the means--magic, like you say, without the tech of the Capitol? I'd do something temperature sensitive for the cardigan. Darker when it's cold, to absorb the warmth of the sun, get lighter when it's warm to reflect heat. Keep you comfortable so it's an all weather type thing."
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At first, Finnick laughs softly at the mention of styling him for the Games, but as he listens further, he very much likes what he hears. Somehow, even though Cinna has rarely seen Finnick in clothing that he chose for himself, he seems to completely understand Finnick's personal style and what would look good on him.
"Wow. Yeah, hot damn, I would wear the hell out of that. Sounds sexy." He grins. It sounds very comfortable and practical, too.
"I think I need some kind of gloves, too. The salt and wind and ropes make my hands really rough." He looks down at his hands, splaying his fingers, and they do indeed look chapped and calloused.
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Glancing at Finnick's hands, Cinna reaches for them, looking them over with the same kind of touch: turning them this way and that, palms down then up, then clasps them both warmly in his when he's done with his examination--but doesn't let go right away.
"Mmmm...leather gloves. Fingerless, find some means of texturing the palms for added grip. I won't go full coverage, though, calluses can be helpful."
Cinna releases Finnick's hands--then runs his fingers over his palms so he can feel Cinna's callused fingertips, far softer and more subtle than Finnick's chapped fingers and palms.
"Can't keep mine up as much as I'd like, other stylists and prep team would notice, but I do embroidery in private so I don't lose mine altogether. Means I can work in a place like this, push a needle into tough fabric or take a pin stick without drawing blood as often. You keep the ones on your fingers, you'll be safe around those fishhooks."
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Finnick nods, touches Cinna's calluses.
"Good point. The calluses help, and fingerless is a good idea, to keep my dexterity for tying knots."