A/N: I've seen a couple of these out there, mainly as first chapters in astounding stories such as 500 Years of Penance. In essence, this will simply define many of the words that I use in my writing, as well as shed some light on each of the districts and the Capitol. Following that, I'll go through the process of an Ancillary Games.
This chapter, however, will simply be focused on definitions. Most will be brief. Many words will likely be familiar, such as "tribute" and "district", while others such as "Ancillary Games" may be new to you, as well as specific to my universe.
Hope this helps, and serves as a useful reference.
Academy: A grand building reminiscent of the Training Center where tributes are trained to compete in the Hunger Games, nearly always for honor, fame, and glory. Such potential volunteers are trained by strict trainers at the Academy, as well as in many cases, past Victors from said district. Up until the 74th Hunger Games, Academies only existed in Districts 1, 2, and 4. Later that year, Academy construction began in Districts 7, 10, and 13. Those Academies would open several months before the 78th Hunger Games. Following the 5th Quarter Quell, small Academies were set up in Districts 5, 9, and 11 by the Victors from each of those respective districts. Those Academies, however, were more so simply to prepare someone in case of them being Reaped, rather than to prepare them to volunteer for the Games.
Ancillary Games: An extra Games (hence "Ancillary" Games) whose Reaping takes place the week after the prior Victor's Victory Tour. During an Ancillary Games, tributes are selected from each district's pool of deceased tributes, who are then "resurrected" (while really, they are cloned using a sample of their DNA) to compete in the Games once more. Ancillary Games were originally designed as a way to further punish the districts for small revolts that take place now and then, but more often than not, an Ancillary Games will take place whenever the current President feels like ordering one.
Arena: The landscape where each Hunger Games takes place. This landscape can be any sort of environment, ranging from the common design of a deciduous forest, to a ruined city, to a harsh desert, to a replica of landscapes of the past. Arenas vary from Game to Game, though some arena designs are used commonly such as a deciduous forest or a ruined city. Arenas can be grandly complicated, or they can be inherently simple. Harsh environments such as a tundra are usually unfavorable, as such environments will lead to a higher amount of bloodless deaths.
Bloodbath: The initial battle for supplies and/or control of the Cornucopia at the beginning of each Games. In every Games since their inception, tributes have died in the Bloodbath. In the 1st Hunger Games, a mere two tributes were killed off. Generally, the Bloodbath can kill anywhere from 8 to 13 tributes, usually all in the first 10 minutes of the Games. Bloodbaths usually end with the Careers taking control of the Cornucopia.
The Capitol: The Capitol is the capital of Panem. It is the only part of Panem that is exempt from the Hunger Games. The various goods produced in all 13 surrounding districts are sent to the Capitol. The Capitol is the center of the nation's politics, as well as the Hunger Games. The Capitol is far richer than even the richest district. Its citizens usually lead glamorous, care-free lives of partying, shopping, lounging around, and of course, watching the Games.
Career District: Any district that has a running Academy and produces Career Tributes. Districts 1, 2, and 4 were the original Career Districts, with Districts 7, 10, and 13 later becoming more semi-Career Districts, before evolving to be pretty much at the same level as 1, 2, and 4. Following the 5th Quarter Quell, Districts 5, 9, and 11 weren't really considered Career Districts, as even though they would train their tributes, more often than not, they wouldn't act as Careers in ways such as volunteering and actively forming an alliance to hunt down weaker competitors.
Career/Career Tribute: A tribute who actively trains for the Games before volunteering to compete in them, most often for fame, honor, and glory. Career Tributes will often form an alliance among themselves, and hunt down weaker competitors once in the arena.
Chariot Rides: A pre-Games event where each pair of tributes is pulled in a chariot around the City Circle. Each pair is dressed in an outfit that represents their home district's industry. These outfits can be outright costumes such as mechanics from District 6, or they can merely represent district colors such as an elegant tan suit and dress for District 9's tributes. Some outfits are better than others, and some districts, such as District 12, are notorious for having bad outfits.
Cornucopia: A metallic silver horn that holds all of the available supplies in each Hunger Games. The Cornucopia is often the site of the Careers' campground, the opening Bloodbath, and Feasts.
Dark Days: The times when, prior to the Hunger Games' inception, the 13 various districts of Panem rebelled against the Capitol. In the end, after a two-year civil war, the districts were defeated and the Treaty of Treason was written. The Hunger Games were hereby instated. Many people, Capitolite and district citizen alike, were killed in this war, called the First Rebellion. Following the rebellion, living conditions worsened in all 13 districts.
District: A state of Panem subservient to the Capitol that produces goods unique from all of the other districts. There are 13 districts of Panem (14 before the War of Fourteen). All 13 districts are required to send their respective goods to the Capitol, as well as participate in the Hunger Games.
District 1: District 1 produces luxury items, nearly all of which either stay in District 1 or are imported to the Capitol. District 1 is one of the three original Career Districts, though traditionally the weakest of the three. They are the second richest district. Being one of the three original Career Districts, District 1 has brought home many Victors.
District 2: District 2 produces stonework (masonry), Peacekeepers, as well as metals or anything molded from them (ie. bladed weapons or metal beams). District 2 is one of the three original Career Districts, and traditionally the strongest of the three. They are the richest district in Panem. Being the strongest of the three original Career Districts, District 2 has brought home quite the abundance of Victors.
District 3: District 3 produces various types of technology that are needed across Panem. District 3 is traditionally an average-weaker district, though on occasion, their tributes can be as conniving as 13 or 5 can be. They are the ninth richest district. District 3 has brought home a smaller number of Victors.
District 4: District 4 produces seafood, as well as taking care of sanitation and conservation efforts. District 4 is one of the three original Career Districts, typically being stronger than District 1, though weaker than District 2. They are the third richest district. Being one of the three original Career Districts, District 4 has brought home many Victors.
District 5: District 5 produces power, several power or heat-related electronics (ie. batteries or microwaves), as well as studies meteorology and geology. District 5 is traditionally an average district, whose tributes can be rather conniving if given the chance. They are the seventh richest district. District 5 has brought home an average number of Victors.
District 6: District 6 produces vehicles, tires, and other transportation-related items. District 6 is traditionally a weak district, though at times when their tributes aren't Morphlings, they can put their knowledge of vehicular engineering to good use. They are the twelfth richest district. District 6 has brought home a very small number of Victors.
District 7: District 7 produces lumber and paper products. District 7 is a traditionally strong district, the second strongest of the (original) non-Career Districts. Months before the 78th Hunger Games, an Academy was opened up in District 7, thus beginning the district's transformation into a Career District. They are the fourth richest district. District 7 has brought home a decent number of Victors.
District 8: District 8 produces textiles and clothing. District 8 is traditionally a weak district, though on occasion, their tributes can be quick and deadly with smaller weapons. They are the tenth richest district. District 8 has brought home a small number of Victors.
District 9: District 9 produces grains, wheat, breads, and alcoholic beverages (with the exception of wines and fruity drinks). District 9 is traditionally an average district, whose tributes are often adept with sickles, scythes, and machetes. They are the eighth richest district. District 9 has brought home an average number of Victors.
District 10: District 10 produces meats, dairy products, leather, and other livestock-related products. District 10 is a traditionally strong district, the third strongest of the (original) non-Career Districts. Months before the 78th Hunger Games, an Academy was opened up in District 10, thus beginning the district's transformation into a Career District. They are the sixth richest district. District 10 has brought home a decent number of Victors.
District 11: District 11 produces fruits, vegetables, juices, wines, and other fruity drinks. District 11 is traditionally an average district, whose tributes are often adept with sickles, scythes, and machetes. They are the eleventh richest district. District 11 has brought home an average number of Victors.
District 12: District 12 produces coal and coal power. District 12 is traditionally a weaker district, though after their third Victor is crowned, they convince district legislation to allow miners as young as twelve (though they're only allowed if they take out at least one Tesserae), thus giving potential tributes a bit of an edge. They are the poorest district in Panem. District 12 has brought home a very small number of Victors.
District 13: District 13 produces medicines, graphite, and is the center of nuclear development. District 13 is a traditionally strong district, the strongest of the (original) non-Career Districts. Months before the 78th Hunger Games, an Academy was opened up in District 13, thus beginning the district's transformation into a Career District. They are the fifth richest district. District 13 has brought home a decent number of Victors.
District 14: District 14 produced medicines. 88 years prior to the Dark Days, due to multiple major uprisings in the district, the Capitol entirely decimated District 14. Their main industry of medicine was hereby taken over by neighboring District 13. The ruins of District 14 are still smoking, radiated, and utterly toxic even to this day.
Escort: Each district's escort is a Capitolite who selects their assigned district's tributes for each Hunger Games at the Reaping. They also interact with potential sponsors and others involved in the Games, as well as keep the tributes on schedule during their time in the Capitol.
Feast: An event set up by the Gamemakers during a Hunger Games, during which food or other supplies are set at the Cornucopia. Feasts usually take place when the Games have been slow, in order to draw the tributes together and induce a bloodbath.
Free Day: Introduced the year of the 20th Hunger Games, the Free Day is a day placed between Training Day 3 and Interview Night. During Free Day, the tributes are free to explore the Training Center and nearby areas, doing whatever they like throughout the day. They may not, however, attempt to leave the Capitol or kill themselves or other tributes.
Gamemaker: Skilled Capitolitian citizens who mold and control each Hunger Games event.
Head Gamemaker: The Head Gamemaker is in charge of all of the other Gamemakers, and will act as their overseer. Head Gamemakers are also responsible for arena design, arena events or Feasts, as well as held accountable for the eventual success of the Games.
Hunger Games: An annual (or, in years with Ancillary Games, semi-annual) pageant where 26 tributes, one of each sex from each district, must fight to the death until a lone Victor remains. This is the punishment instated by the Treaty of Treason for rebelling during the Dark Days.
Interviews: A pre-Games event during which each tribute is dressed up by their prep team and stylist, to go onstage and have an interview with the host of the Hunger Games in order to make an impression on potential sponsors. Each tribute has a predetermined interview angle with their Mentor, an angle they will abide by in order to gain sponsors.
Mentor: A past Victor who gives tributes advice, suggests strategies, and helps gather sponsors. If a district does not have any living Victors to act as a Mentor, the Capitol will supply one.
Mutations (Mutts): A creature created by the Capitol and often used by Gamemakers that mixes human, animal, or plant DNA with any of millions of possible mutations. By doing so, this will often change the creature's characteristics. Many Mutts are sent into the Games for the purpose of harming tributes, especially when the Games have been slow, though there are some Mutts that occupy arenas simply to serve as a food source.
Outlier/Outlying Tribute: A tribute from a non-Career District that does not have any prior Training.
Outlying District: Any district that does not have a running Academy and a flow of volunteer tributes. Prior to the 78th Hunger Games, all districts besides Districts 1, 2, and 4 were considered Outlying Districts. Following the 78th Hunger Games, only around half of the districts (3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12) were considered Outlying Districts.
Panem: Panem is the nation that the Capitol and its 13 surrounding districts encompass. Following several nasty global crises a few hundred years prior to the Dark Days, it is one of the only surviving nations on earth.
Prep Team: A team of three Capitolite beauticians who work in conjunction with their tribute's stylist. The prep team will do basic maintenance on their tribute, such as washing and shaving, and will also do things such as hair and makeup.
President: The ruler and overseer of all of Panem.
Private Session: Introduced in the 3rd Hunger Games, on the third day of Training, the day is cut in half. After the tributes eat lunch, the Training gym is filled with the entire team of Gamemakers. Each tribute has 15 minutes to display whatever skills they like to the Gamemakers, and based on the tribute's showing, the Gamemakers will give them a score from one to twelve. One would be legendarily poor, twelve would be legendarily superior. This score is called a Training Score.
Quarter Quell: Every 25 years, a special edition of the Games is held to keep the memories of the Dark Days fresh in everyone's mind. During each Quarter Quell, a new rule change is used for that Game only. For example, the 1st Quarter Quell was that each district was to vote on the tributes. The 2nd was that each district was required to send twice as many tributes, two of each sex.
Reaping: The ceremony held in each district before every Game to decide on who the tributes shall be. Everyone is required to go, unless you're on death's doorstep. The Mayor first makes a speech, before reading their respective district's list of past Victors. The show is then handed over to the escort, who plays a short video detailing the Dark Days, before conducting the actual Reaping by selecting both tributes from their respective sex's Reaping Ball. Each selected tribute mounts the stage, and if there are any volunteers, that would be the time for them to do so. The escort will ask the tributes a few short questions before the Treaty of Treason is read, the tributes' names are announced once more, and are escorted into their district's Justice Building.
During an Ancillary Games, the Reaping is conducted in a rather similar manner. The only difference is that since none of the tributes-to-be can physically be there, a photo of the selected tribute in the arena will appear on the same screen that the Dark Days video is played on. Their name, age, Games, and placement will also appear on the screen. Also due to the tributes not being alive at the time of this Reaping, volunteering cannot take place.
Semi-Career District: Districts such as Districts 7, 10, and 13 that while they have running Academies, are not as rigorous with their training as full-on Career Districts. Semi-Careers don't always get as high of a Training Score as Careers, and only form an alliance around half of the time. By the time the 4th Quarter Quell rolls around, semi-Careers are pretty much on the same level as the regular Careers, the only real differences being that the Careers came first, and that they don't form an alliance nearly as often. The nickname "semi-Careers" begins to fade around that time.
Semi-Career Tribute: A tribute from Districts 7, 10, and 13 that has received prior training at an Academy, and was also likely a volunteer. However, their training is not as rigorous as the Careers, they don't always score as high in Training, and they don't form a 6-tribute alliance nearly as often as the Careers do. By the time the 4th Quarter Quell rolls around, semi-Careers are pretty much on the same level as the regular Careers, the only real differences being that the Careers came first, and that they don't form an alliance nearly as often. The nickname "semi-Careers" begins to fade around that time.
Sponsor: A Capitolitian citizen (or sometimes a district citizen) who spends money in order to send a tribute of their choice a gift in the arena. This gift can be something necessary, such as medicine for a wound, or a luxury, such as a hot meal.
Stylist: Each tribute has their own personal stylist. This stylist works in conjunction with, and is in a way the boss of, their tribute's prep team. Stylists are responsible for designing outfits and looks during their tribute's time in the Capitol.
Tesserae: A supply of grain and oil that is provided to Reaping-eligible district citizens, in order for one extra slip in their respective district's Reaping Ball. One Tesserae is generally enough for one person to scrape by for the year, the small supply being delivered to the applicant's doorstep each month.
Training: During their time in the Capitol, three days are set aside for the tributes to practice whatever skills they like at the various stations in the Training gym.
Training Center: The building that houses the tributes, Mentors, escorts, stylists, prep teams, and Avoxes before each Games. Each district has their own floor, with an apartment where the tributes, escort, Mentors, and two Avoxes reside during their time in the Capitol prior to the Games. The Training gym is also in this building, as is the styling center; Each of those are in a separate wing of the building from each district's floor. Also attached to the Training Center are many attractions for Mentors, escorts, stylists, and prep teams to visit. Tributes may do so as well, during their Free Day.
Training Score: The score (ranging from one to twelve) that the Gamemakers give each tribute based on what they show the Gamemakers during their Private Session. A high Training Score can attract sponsors, though it can just as easily make you a target.
Treaty of Treason: A legal, political, governmental document that confirms the rebels' defeat in the First Rebellion, and hereby instates the punishment known as the Hunger Games.
Tribute: The participants in the Hunger Games. In regular years, there are 26 tributes, one of each sex per district, all between the ages of 12 and 18. Various Quarter Quells are exceptions to this.
Victor: The Victor of each Games is the final tribute standing at the end of the Games; The winner, the champion. The only qualification to be the Victor is simply to manage to be the last one alive. After winning the Games, Victors are showered in fame and riches by the Capitol. Victors must make public appearances, attend each Reaping and Victory Tour throughout their lifetime, as well as act as a Mentor to future tributes from their respective district.
Victor's Village: A small village in each district where Hunger Games Victors move after their victory. These houses are more so mansions, and all 13 Victor's Villages are upscale, even compared to the richest district. If a district fills all 14 of the original houses in their Victor's Village, another 14 shall be built. No house of a deceased Victor may be assigned to a new Victor.
Victory Tour: After each Games, the Victor tours the nation in honor of their victory. Starting with the highest numbered district, they descend downwards in district number, visiting twelve of the nation's districts, while skipping the Victor's district and saving it for last. While touring the other districts, the Victor will be given a brief, brief tour, before giving a speech and attending a celebration and a dinner at the Justice Building. Following visiting the other twelve districts, the Victor will visit the Capitol for a speech and celebration, before returning to their home district to give another speech and take part in a celebration just as extravagant as the Capitol's.
Bit of random story so that no one can report this story as a "list".
"Man, I'm thirsty," moaned Johanna.
"Wouldn't you care for a free lollipop?," the escort asked, shamelessly promoting their off-season work.
"I SAID I'M THIRSTY BITCH!" Johanna shouted, tossing a mahogany plank across the table at the Capitolite.
A/N: Well, hopefully this explained a few things, plus sort of set a precedent in terms of a few of my personal headcanons. Ignore the little Johanna thing, I merely put that in so that no one could report this story and say that it's a "list" (which I suppose it technically is. Not anymore tho. MUHAHAHA).
As promised, next chapter, we'll dive into getting a bit more up close and personal with each of the districts, starting with District 1. Hope to see ya then!
Until next time.
-Bo
P.S. Changed the Johanna thing a bit. Didn't really make sense before.