Casca Highbottom

Casca A. Highbottom (name derived from Suzanne Collin's Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) was the President and Head Gamemaker of Panem on The Interactive Discord Hunger Games. He was the first President under the Post Dark Days constitution. He was the principle designer of games 1 - 8.

## History

President Highbottom's origins are generally a mystery. Rumors have circulated that he was born in District 1 to a wealthy industrial family approximately 25 years before the dark days, but they have never been confirmed. He began gaining national attention in his teenage years as a talented public speaker, speaking at highly prestigious dinners and events in the Capitol before the Dark Days. He was one of the top of his class at a private Capitol school and lived with his parents near the center of the city until his graduation at 18. Casca did not attend post-secondary school and accepted a post in the Ministry of Information immediately following school. Over the next 7 years, Casca moved upwards through the ranks and was named Deputy Minister, second in command to Erica Pavleki, Minister at the time.

Internal reports have confirmed that then Deputy Minister of Information, the honorable Casca Highbottom, was the first to pick up immense rebel chatter in the months before the Dark Days. He and Minister Pavleki were quick to report it up the chain of command, and many agree that the Capitol would have been immediately decimated should they not have not given the Capitol extra heads up to prepare.

In this same time, those around him who are still alive have reported that he and a similarly aged, wealthy Capitol citizen named Loraline were preparing to marry. These individuals also say that during his post at the Ministry of Information, the two were living together. She has not made any appearances in the time since Casca ascended to President.

## Dark Days

As the Dark Days approached, Casca remained Deputy Minister. However, in this time, many executives at various Panem ministries resigned or were forced out. 13 days before the official declaration of war, the Ministry was assigned complete management of all war logistics. The executive branch was shuffled, the Ministry moved in, and Casca became the 5th in line to the Presidency. Over the next year Casca and Minister Pavleki coordinated, to much success, most of the Capitol's war efforts.

A few weeks into the second year of the war, Casca and Minister Pavleki were escorted to a groundbase on the outskirts of the city. Reports are scarce, but there have been individuals who claim that only Casca came back to the Ministry's headquarters three days later. Nonetheless, the sitting President promoted Casca to Minister of Information the next week. He moved up to 4th in line for the presidency.

For the next two years Casca continued to run the Ministry. As time went on, the Capitol forces kept shrinking and the war was looking favorable for the rebels. Soldiers receded into the city and the Districts kept the Capitol under siege for the next few months. Active fighting fizzled out, and the two sides both turned defensive. This was the hardest time of the war for the Capitol citizens with food shortages and societal degradation. Popular opinion even in the Capitol began to turn on the executive branch of government. Out of an abundance of caution for the continuity of government, high level members of the branch were secretly split up and were to work quietly in new residences. Communication was restricted top secret government channels.

In the fourth year of the war, rebel forces began to move closer to the city center. Capitol fighters were stretched even more thin and the future looked bleak for city residents. In this time anti-government soldiers in the District army were prone to murdering high level officials in cold blood. For the first time in months, Casca, the sitting President and top level executives were brought back together and confined to top secret Capitol bunkers. On a cold fall evening, one year before the end of the war, emergency broadcasts announced the sudden death of the sitting President and next top three executives. Government sponsored networks claimed the rebel forces stormed the bunker and just before killing Casca Highbottom, he had the rebels ambushed by remaining Capitol soldiers. There are no witness accounts of this event, but it is considered the truth by the sitting government. As the country had written into law, the next highest sitting official was sworn in. Mr. Casca Highbottom became the President of Panem on November 19th, one year before the new constitution.

Over the next several months, many ministers, advisors and generals disappeared and were replaced without question. Nonetheless, this turned the tides on the war and the Capitol finally began pushing rebels away from the city center. Officials estimate it was somewhere in this time where both of Casca's parents and his fiancé Loraline were lost. He has never spoken publicly about their assumed deaths.

In the last year of the war President Highbottom gained ground lost at an exponential rate. The Capitol army and ammunition stockpile grew while the District army grew more weary and tired. District 2 was the first to fall back into the Capitol's control, followed by District 1, 8, 4 and 9. Sections of the Capitol army were redesignated to a police-like force named Peacekepers. They roamed the streets of the regained districts and many report brutal treatment in these times. Unfortunately, as the need for peacekeepers grew, the size of the offensive army shrank. 8 districts remained to be captured but many in the Capitol did not see a viable solution to capturing them all without losing preexisting ground. After a lengthy meeting and debate with Ministers, generals and advisors, newly appointed President Highbottom appeared on Panem TV networks for the first time. He began his speech with taunting the rebels for losing so much ground in such a short time and during the section that discussed ending the war with fire and smoke, a nuclear bomb fell on District 13, destroying it in its entirety. The broadcast was perfectly timed for the event.

In the coming days, all 7 remaining districts surrendered to the President. They feared of a similar fate to District 13. The remaining Capitol forces were converted to peacekeepers, and the Districts began a year of strict martial law.

## The New Constitution

President Highbottom signed the surrender of all 12 remaining districts on August 23rd. The government quickly enacted a set of sweeping constitution changes, beginning with a no limit severe restriction of all District rights. Individuals were confined to their houses any time other then working, and all residences were searched for rebel material. Any evidence of anti-Capitol material was treated as treason and the suspects were killed on sight. Ammunition, guns, books and household manufacturing machines were confiscated. Many young district residents were forced to become Capitol soldiers or peacekeepers against their will. Dissent inside the army training facilities was met with inhumane embarrassment or death. As fall turned to winter, many districts reported mass starvation as much of the product produced in the Districts was shipped to the Capitol. President Highbottom did not waste any time winning back the admiration of Capitol citizens or repairing any damage sustained in the war. January 1st of the following year was declared the beginning of "Year 1 PDD (Post Dark Days)." Martial law continued through the winter and into the Spring. Many District residents became even more desperate, but the Capitol only grew stronger as the days passed. On July 7th, 1PDD, all branches of government convened for the opening of a brand new massive concrete fortress at the edge of the Capitol. The parades and festivities for this building were broadcast all over Panem, though many did not know what was happening.

   At exactly noon, President Highbottom, and executive advisors appeared at the front doors of the building. A large table was set up out in front, with plush chairs behind. Everyone took their seats. In front of President Highbottom laid a large scroll, wax seal and five pens. Each executive took a turn signing the document, with President Highbottom stamping it after the last. He rose from his chair, picked up the scroll and began reading. This was the first moment the citizens of Panem were exposed to the new post war constitution and Hunger Games as a whole. Capitol residents had mixed reactions to the news of 24 teenagers fighting one another to the death. Those who suffered the most in the war loved it. Not surprisingly, District residents rioted in the streets. The well equipped peacekeeping force put down the dissent in a matter of hours. The intimidating concrete fortress was designated the Gamemaker Headquarters. The executive branch of government transformed into the Central Games Division. The government was now ran by those called Gamemakers.

## Era of The Hunger Games

One month after the announcement of the games and new constitution, the suspension of most District rights was revoked. Citizens were now allowed to move freely within their own district and set up businesses with the permission of the District mayor. The Capitol continued to rebuild and by the winter of 1 PDD, the damage was mostly repaired. President Highbottom moved on towards creating the first games and instilling a culture of superiority in the Capitol. He hired the most talented minds in propaganda and planning. Sweeping logistical changes were enacted all across the country to ensure Districts feared the Capitol.

President Highbottom has held an iron grip on the country through his rule. He is a ruthless and intimidating leader, no stranger to getting rid of political opponents or dissenters. He has an extremely loyal team of advisors and spends much of the day ruling. He works tirelessly under the motivation to "save humans from themselves." Casca believes that order is the only thing keeping society alive, and that he is the sole protector of lives. He often governs from the comfort of his extravagant mansion in the middle of the city, bringing Gamemakers and Ministers in instead of meeting them elsewhere. After the rebel attacks of the 5th games, President Highbottom has increased pressure on the Districts and tightened the black market. Many in the Capitol highly approve of his mandates and actions.

Casca was the principle designer of of games 1 - 8, taking a central role in their development and execution. He is often unreachable during game time and has made major contributions to their evolution over the years.

Following the 8th games, President Highbottom disappeared from the public eye. His whereabouts remains a mystery to this day and the rest of the Gamemaker team claims that he is both hard at work developing the next games and on vacation. He has not reappeared as of this time and his condition remains a mystery.