12th Hunger Games

The **12th Hunger Games** took place in 12 ATT. The victor was 17 year old Cornelius North from District 1.

Gamemakers used an old cave system in the mountains of District 2 for the Games. Minimal lighting was installed and minor repairs were made to the caves. A preexisting underground pool provided water. Gamemakers also installed a small well in the north west corner of the arena. A tar pit installed by the Gamemakers proved to be quite dangerous. The poor lighting made seeing difficult for tributes. Cameras installed to record the Games had night vision and infrared, making at-home viewership somewhat decent.

These Games were considered boring and too complicated compared to the success of the 11th Games.

## The Arena

The cave system, located in the mountains of District 12, were intricate. There was one main opening in the side of the mountain and all other exits were sealed off by Gamemakers using TNT and terraforming. The caves opened up to a huge cavern in the south eastern corner of the arena. Another smaller cavern was in the north western corner. Other small caves were littered throughout the system, providing many hiding places.

In the main cavern was a pond with water safe to drink. The only other drinking water was a hand-cranked well in the smaller cavern.

The only food source native to the arena were rats and bats. Spiders and insects were also found throughout the caves. The only other source of food were sponsor gifts, delivered this year by robots that entered through a dog-door like entrance and then found the tributes via their GPS, situated in their dog tags.

A weapons stockpile, like the first 10 Games, could be found in the south eastern cavern, but tributes had to discover it first. This caused a lack of a decent bloodbath and a general lull in the Games.

## Before the Games

### July 3rd - Reaping Day

Reaping Day took place July 3rd, once again celebrated as a holiday in the Capitol, but seen as a terrifying day in the Districts. The reapings, the selection-by-lottery of the 24 tributes, took place as it had for the previous 11 years. No volunteers were among the tributes due to the absence of the volunteering system. Tributes from each district were selected as follows:

### July 4th - Mentor Introductions and the Capitol Zoo

* Once again, the Capitol selected 24 seniors at the Academy to mentor the tributes.
* Tributes were transported to the Capitol via cattle car, then put in trucks and driven to the Capitol Zoo.
* Like the previous year, the Capitol Zoo was used to hold and display tributes in their District pairs separate enclosures.
	+ The display that housed the rainbow snake muttations and the golden viper muttations from the 10th Hunger Games remained. Another display containing the creeping crickets from the 11th Hunger Games was also erected.

### July 5th

* Tributes were vaccinated for viral sicknesses and the zoo was sterilized before tributes' arrival.
	+ These precautions were taken to avoid an incident like the previous year when there was a tuberculosis outbreak.
* Tributes and their mentors met to gather information for records.
* Mentors were allowed to start discussing the Games with their tributes. Tributes were fed during this time to incentivize meeting with their mentors.
	+ These meetings took place in interrogation-like rooms with cameras to film all sessions.

### July 6th-9th

* Tributes continued to meet with their mentors and strategize.
* Dr. Gaul, the Head Gamemaker, watched over the muttations for the Games. Her and her protege, Coriolanus Snow, had been at work on the muttations for months. They bred and raised them ahead of time so the muttations would be fully grown in time for the Games. Remus Dolittle was noticeably absent from the Gamemakers, leaving many to wonder where he went since the last Games. Coriolanus Snow seemed to have taken his place as assistant to Dr. Gaul.
* Cullen Fabrey (District 8 Male) was repeatedly taunted by a Capitol child on an afternoon visit to the zoo the evening of the 7th. The tribute initially tried to ignore the child to stay out of trouble. However, after nearly 45 minutes of taunting and having pebbles thrown at him, Cullen lept forward at the bars of the former tiger enclosure. A Peacekeeper shot at him in reflex, injuring Cullen and an innocent Capitol citizen.
	+ The Peacekeeper disappeared the next day and Cullen was taken to a whipping post and beaten to a bloody pulp. His mentor, Missy Harrington, quit as a mentor but returned that evening after being threatened privately by Coriolanus Snow.
	+ Cullen died the evening of the 9th.

#### Deaths

* Peacekeeper, speculated
* Cullen Fabrey (District 8 Male)

### July 10th

* Mentors were informed this years Games will take place "where blind eyes are on equal footing" leaving them to speculate. The District 3 female's mentor, Merriam Bell, guessed the Games would be underground to which Dr. Gaul remarked, "Not quite."
* Bram Brinjal (District 11 Male) and Lina Corinth (District 11 Female) both fell ill. They were quarantined in their enclosure, the former elephant exhibit.
	+ A Capitol doctor evaluated the two and determined they ingested rat poison left in their enclosure. The pair of tributes were treated, but Lina did not immediately improve.

### July 11th

* Lina Corinth (District 11 Female) died the afternoon of the 11th. An autopsy revealed she had not vomited up all of the poison and it had caused severe damaged to her major organs.
* A conversation begins among the mentors of the need of more pleasant living conditions for tributes. Dr. Gaul quickly shoots them down, while Coriolanus Snow disagrees with her, albeit not vocally.

### July 12th-13th

* More mentor/tribute preparation sessions took place.
* Dr. Gaul, Snow, and other gamemakers continued work on their new muttation.
* Drake Maelstrom (District 4 Male) impressed crowds at the Capitol Zoo with his brute strength and likeable personality.
* Zinc Baylen and Techne Howler (District 3 Male and Female), among the youngest of the tributes, sang a duet. They sang the Gem of Panem, followed by a beautiful District 3 folk song.
* Other tributes tried to impress audiences, while others sheltered in their exhibits.
* Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female), instigated by the crowd, threw rocks and sticks from the District 9 enclosure, the former ocelot habitat. She struck a young child with a sizeable rock and this promptsed Capitol outrage.
* Again, the mentors debated more pleasant living conditions for tributes.

### July 14th - The 12th Hunger Games: A Closeup with Our Tributes

* A TV special aired live as Lucky Flickerman interviewed tributes and their mentors.
* Several tributes, such as the District 3 tributes and Drake from District 4, showed off their talents. Others, such as Abram Woodrow (District 7 Male), avoided participating in the interviews.
* One tribute, Cornelius North (District 1 Male), didn't perform a special talent or do anything exceptional. Instead, he talked to Lucky about his family back how and his only motivation for winning is to see them again. This endeared him to Capitol audiences.

### July 15th

* Tributes were transported to District 2 via mine train.
* Mentors were set up at the Capitol to watch the Games and deploy sponsor drones via satellite.
* The 22 tributes alive at the start of the Games set the record for most tributes still alive by the start of the Games.
* That night, tributes sleep in the mine train before the Games set to begin the next day.

## The Games

### July 16th - The Games Begin (Day 1)

* That morning, tributes were given dog tags and told to wear them for the entire duration of the Games. Tributes were informed the dog tags were how their mentors would locate them in the arena to deploy sponsor drones. The dog tags were also intended to keep track of tributes whereabouts.
* Tributes were led by Peacekeepers to a cave entrance that seal with metal bars that could rise from the ground to seal the cave entrance off. They were led into the entrance and situated around a pile of rocks just off the main entrance.
* Tributes were ordered to stay in place until the gong sounded, but one tribute, Ryker Pendleton (District 2 Male) attempted to run early. Out of reflex, a Peacekeeper shot and killed him. This upset Capitol citizens who had bet on him to win the Games. The slight outrage led to the Peacekeeper at fault to be sent away from the Capitol detail on a Peacekeeper enlistment to District 11. Mentors continued a conversation on protocols that could protect all tributes until the start of the Games.
* Finally, by late morning, tributes were repositioned around the rocks and the Peacekeepers withdrew. The gong sounded and tributes went scattering into the dark cave arena.
* There was a lack of an initial bloodbath due to the absence of the cornucopia supplies and weapons. A weapons stockpile, like the first 10 Games, could be found in the south eastern cavern, but tributes had to discover it first.
* Only two tribute kills were made the first day.
	+ Teal West (District 6 Female) was bludgeoned to death by Anastasia Powers (District 1 Female) in the first few minutes of the Games.
	+ Beatrix Harmonia (District 2 Female) was strangled by Aang Reese (District 10 Male) a short time later.
* The remainder of day 1 consisted of tributes searching around the intricate cave system in nearly complete darkness.

#### Day 1 Deaths

* Ryker Pendleton (District 2 Male)
* Beatrix Harmonia (District 2 Female)
* Teal West (District 6 Female)
* Tributes left: 19

### July 17th - Day 2

* Tributes explored various parts of the cave system, still navigating the dark and intricate terrain.
* Several tributes struggled with the lack of food and water, and signs of fatigue and weakness began to show among them.
* Cornelius North (District 1 Male) and Anastasia Powers (District 1 Female) found the weapons stockpile in the south eastern cavern, arming themselves.
* Aang Reese (District 10 Male) found his way to the main cavern with the pond, providing a new water source.
* Graham Lyman (District 9 Male) and Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female) formed a brief alliance in their search for sustenance.
* Zinc Baylen (District 3 Male) succumbed to illness due to lack of food and water.
* Techne Howler (District 3 Female), lost after the death of her ally and District partner, encountered spiders in one of the small caves, suffering multiple bites but managing to escape.
* Hannah Rimes (District 7 Female) stumbled upon the tar pit, narrowly avoiding a fatal encounter.

#### Day 2 Deaths

* Zinc Baylen (District 3 Male)
* Tributes left: 18

### July 18th - Day 3

* Tributes continued to navigate the caves, with some beginning to form alliances for mutual survival.
* Abram Woodrow (District 7 Male) and Polly Medaka (District 4 Female) discovered a stash of food delivered as a sponsor gift, providing temporary relief. The food had been intended for Drake Maelstrom (District 4 Male), who had ripped off his dogtag. This infuriated his mentor, Harrison Kimes, who insisted they needed a better sponsor system. He was told by Gaul to "figure it out then."
* Catalina Bunting (District 8 Female) encountered Bryton Kestrel and Mazie Caverns (District 12 tributes) while searching for resources.
	+ The encounter turned violent, leading to Catalina Bunting being beaten to death by Bryton and Mazie.

#### Day 3 Deaths

* Catalina Bunting (District 8 Female)
* Tributes left: 17

### July 19th - Day 4

* Tributes continued their exploration of the cave system, some growing weaker due to lack of sustenance.

Drake Maelstrom (District 4 Male) stumbled upon the tar pit avoided going near it. He also discovered the well and retrieved water for himself.

* Cornelius North (District 1 Male) and Anastasia Powers (District 1 Female) encountered Graham Lyman (District 9 Male) near the well in the northwest corner. A brief confrontation occurred, and Cornelius quickly killed the District 9 tribute with a sword.
* Aang Reese (District 10 Male) discovered a cache of supplies, including food and medicine for his spider bites, delivered as a sponsor gift.
* Abram Woodrow (District 7 Male) and Polly Medaka (District 4 Female) found a hidden passage that led to an elevated cave, providing a strategic vantage point. The two watched the weapons pile and eventually watched as Techne Howler (District 3 Female) approached it and took knives. The pair decided to search the pile for a bow and arrow to be able to shoot at tributes from their ledge.
* Axel Monroe (District 6 Male) succumbed to sickness, weakened by the harsh conditions in the cave system.

Mazie Caverns (District 12 Female) encountered spiders in a small cave, suffering multiple bites but managing to escape before they overwhelmed her.

#### Day 4 Deaths

* Axel Monroe (District 6 Male)
* Graham Lyman (District 9 Male)
* Tributes left: 15

### July 20th - Day 5

* Hannah Rimes (District 7 Female) ill, due to a viral sickness likely contracted from the unsanitary conditions within the cave system, finally succumbed to the sickness and died.
* Dennis Hertz (District 5 Male) and Aurora Mound (District 5 Female) found there way to the north eastern cavern and encounter Bram Brinjal (District 11 Male). Dennis engages in a fight with Bram and is shoved into the tar pit, leading to his slow death while his screams echoed throughout the cave system. Aurora managed to run off into the darkness on her own.

Abram Woodrow (District 7 Male) and Polly Medaka (District 4 Female) found a bow and arrow and returned to their secret perch, waiting for a victim.

#### Day 5 Deaths

* Dennis Hertz (District 5 Male)
* Hannah Rimes (District 7 Female)

Total Tributes Left: 13

### July 21st - Day 6

* Dr. Gaul, frustrated with the slow pace of the Games, released her muttation creation into the arena to spice things up. The cave panther, as she named it, had excellent night time vision and would be come frenzied and ravaging at the smell or taste of blood.
* Techne Howler (District 3 Female) was mauled by one of the cave panthers, trying to fight it off with her two knives. Her death was messy, bloody, and agonizing. This caused discomfort and outrage in the Capitol.
* Aang Reese (District 10 Male) encountered one of the panthers. Aang was mauled to death as well, screaming as he was eaten alive. The cave panther, fueled with rage and hunger, attacked several more tributes.
* Aurora Mound (District 5 Female) fell victim to one of the cave panthers, unable to defend herself in the darkness.
* Mazie Caverns (District 12 Female) fought back as one of the panthers also mauled her to death.
* Cornelius North (District 1 Male) and Anastasia Powers (District 1 Female) encountered one of the cave panthers in the main cavern. They managed to fight it off and kill it, showcasing their formidable skills. This was applauded in the Capitol.

#### Day 6 Deaths

* Techne Howler (District 3 Female)
* Aurora Mound (District 5 Female)
* Aang Reese (District 10 Male)
* Mazie Caverns (District 12 Female)
* Total Tributes Left: 9

### July 22nd - Day 7

* The remaining two cave panthers continue their rampage through the cave system.
* Bryton Kestrel (District 12 Male) encountered one of the panthers and engaged in a fierce battle. He managed to kill the panther but was gravely wounded in the process. His mentor deployed drones to deliver a first aide trauma kit, but as Bryton had torn off his dogtag, Gamemakers had trouble delivering the gift. Bryton died before the drone reached him.
* The remaining panther encounters and kills Drake Maelstrom (District 4 Male) in a vicious attack.
* Bram Brinjal (District 11 Male) approached the weapons pile, attempting to take a sword. After days of waiting, Abram Woodrow (District 7 Male) and Polly Medaka (District 4 Female), were excited to finally ambush a tribute. Polly, unexperienced with the bow, managed to hit Bram with an arrow, but not fatally striking him. The large District 11 male, not knowing where the arrow had come from, ran off into the dark caves.
* Cornelius North (District 1 Male) and Anastasia Powers (District 1 Female) also return to the main cavern. Polly attempted to fire arrows at them as well, missing. Thinking it was a trap deployed by Gamemakers, Cornelius and Anastasia look around for the source of the arrow.
* The last remaining cave panther comes upon Polly and Abram while they're hiding on their ledge. The mutt kills both of them as they struggle to fight it off.
* Hearing the commotion, Corelius and Anastasia appraoch the screams to find the muttation mauling Abram. The panther swiftly sprang from the body of the District 7 male to Anastasia, snapping her neck as it dove into her. Cornelius ran off into the night, leaving the main cavern with only his sword.
* Due to backlash and the fear that her muttations might kill all of the remaining tributes, Dr. Gaul triggers a poison pill failsafe, killing the final panther.

#### Day 7 Deaths

* Anastasia Powers (District 1 Female)
* Drake Maelstrom (District 4 Male)
* Polly Medaka (District 4 Female)
* Abram Woodrow (District 7 Male)
* Bryton Kestrel (District 12 Male)
* Total tributes left: 4 - Cornelius North (District 1 Male), Bram Brinjal (District 11 Male), Belle Dolman (District 10 Female), Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female)

### July 23rd - Day 8

* The remaining tributes, Cornelius North (District 1 Male), Bram Brinjal (District 11 Male), Belle Dolman (District 10 Female), and Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female), continued to navigate the dark and treacherous cave system.
	+ Bram, weakened from previous injuries, began to succumb to the effects of his wounds. Knowing he wouldn't survive much longer, he contemplated his fate. In a final act of despair Bram threw himself into the tar pit, thinking it would be a swift end. However, the tar's viscous nature prolonged his suffering, and he endured a slow and agonizing death over several hours.
	+ Cornelius, armed with his sword, searched for any signs of the other tributes, determined to be the last one standing.
	+ Belle, aware of her vulnerable position, tried to find a secure hiding spot, hoping to avoid direct confrontation.
	+ Odessa, cautious and resourceful, moved silently through the caves, staying alert for any potential threats.

#### Day 8 Deaths

* Bram Brinjal (District 11 Male)
* Total tributes left: 3 - Cornelius North (District 1 Male), Belle Dolman (District 10 Female), Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female)

### July 24th - Day 9

* Cornelius North (District 1 Male), relentless in his pursuit of victory, scoured the caves at a rapid pace, becoming familiar with them. In the late morning, he ran into Belle, and despite her pleas for mercy, he mercilessly killed her with his sword.
* Odessa, unaware of the events unfolding, continued to navigate the caves, cautious and vigilant.

#### Day 9 Deaths

* Belle Dolman (District 10 Female)
* Total tributes left: 2 - Cornelius North (District 1 Male), Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female)

### July 25th - Day 10

* Odessa Tillman (District 9 Female), realizing she was the last tribute remaining besides Cornelius, tried to strategize and find a way to outsmart him.
* Cornelius North (District 1 Male), determined to secure his victory, tracked Odessa through the caves, anticipating the final showdown.
* The two tributes finally crossed paths in the main large cavern, and a tense confrontation ensued.
* Odessa, putting up a valiant fight, tried to defend herself against Cornelius's skilled swordsmanship.
* However, Cornelius's experience and strength prevailed, and he delivered a fatal blow, ending Odessa's life.
* With Odessa's death, Cornelius emerged as the sole victor of the 12th Hunger Games.

### July 25th - Aftermath

* Cornelius North (District 1 Male) is declared the victor of the 12th Hunger Games.
* The Games are widely criticized for their slow pace, lack of excitement, and the controversial introduction of the cave panthers.
* Dr. Gaul faces backlash for her experimental muttations, but she remains a powerful figure in the Capitol. Behind the scenes, Coriolanus Snow works to undermine her power and convince President Ravenstill she isn't doing a good enough job.
* The Capitol celebrates Cornelius as ***The Caveman***, but the overall sentiment is that the 12th Hunger Games were a disappointment compared to previous years.

## After the Games

* Cornelius and his family moved into the District 1 Victor's Village.
* District 2 was rewarded for Cornelius' victory. They were treated to a grand Victor's Feast, a lavish celebration that brought the entire district together to honor their champion. Additionally, District 2 received parcels of food every month for the next year, ensuring that the district enjoyed abundance as a testament to Cornelius' triumph.
* Six months after the Hunger Games, a Victory Tour was held again to keep the memory of the Games fresh in everyone's mind. They start in the highest numbered District and count down, skipping District 2 and saving it for last.
* At the Victory Feast in the Capitol, Cornelius suggests to Coriolanus Snow that he mentor the District 1 tributes the following year. Claiming the idea as his own, he also secures Isla Rhodes and Reaper Ash as mentors for Districts 4 and 11, respectively. The other Districts would continue to have Academy students mentor them until they attained a Victor. The number of Academy mentors was changed from 2 to 1.
* Dr. Gaul, sensing Snow's rising influence, attempted to have him moved into the Treasury department as an associate minister. Snow, anticipating the strike, stages a lab accident, making it appear that a new snake muttation killed Gaul. However, the death was at Snow's hands when he threw the muttation on her and fled. He bribed (and threatened) a Peacekeeper to delete camera footage.

## Cornelius' Life after the Games

* After his triumphant victory in the 12th Hunger Games, Cornelius North returned to District 1 as a celebrated champion. His good looks and charisma quickly made him a popular figure in the Capitol, where he became a sought-after celebrity. Cornelius embraced his newfound fame, attending various events, parties, and interviews, solidifying his status as a Capitol darling.
* He became a staunch ally and friend of Coriolanus Snow, and the two were considered the architects of the modern mentoring system and inclusion of Victors in later Games.
* In the years following his victory, Cornelius managed to build a life for himself in District 1. He started a family, raising children who grew up hearing tales of their father's courageous triumph in the Hunger Games. Despite the dark origin of his celebrity, Cornelius worked hard to provide a stable and loving home for his family.
* As the years went by, Cornelius continued to make occasional appearances in the Capitol, engaging with citizens who admired him for his charm and the memory of his Games. In later years, many admired the District 1 Victor with many in the Capitol encouraging him to run for President. This did not sit well with now President Snow.
* In 73 ATT, Cornelius attended an event in the Capitol where he spoke out against President Snow's lack of innovation and exploration "beyond the walls of Panem."
* In a tragic turn of events, Cornelius North, at the age of 78, succumbed to an apparent heart attack. However, rumors circulated that he had been poisoned after his outspoken remarks against President Snow. The Capitol's carefully crafted narrative painted his death as a natural occurrence, but those close to Cornelius suspected foul play.