The Hunger Games: Embers

[keilyn]

((Intro note: In the source material Panem is postapocalyptic North America. I'm doing away with that. It is now set on an Earth-like world, though with similar ethnicities and cultures. The entire livable world is an island about the size of Greenland, surrounded by a vast ocean to the south and a Siberian-like wasteland just across the channel to the north.))


War. Terrible war. The world of was plunged into darkness. Factions used weapons and the forces of the planet itself against one another, driving themselves to the brink of extinction. From those ashes rose Panem. An island previously overlooked for its lack of strategic value soon became the only habitable land in the world. Refugees flocked to its offer of safety and survival. They were sorted into Districts, thirteen in all, to provide various necessary industries. At the center of them was their government, their crown jewel, the Capitol. And for a time, there was peace.

Then came the Rebellion. Full of discontent and greed, the Districts rose up against the Capitol in an attempt to usurp its rule and riches. What they did not realize was that the Capitol was far better armed and supplied, and in order to put down these rebellions for the good of what remained of the world, many rebels died. An entire district, District 13, was reduced to rubble. These were the Dark Days.

Once order was restored, the Capitol was forced to take drastic steps to ensure such a rebellion never happened again. Laws became stricter. Punishments harsher. And then came the inception of the Hunger Games.

Once a year, each District faces a Reaping of their 12-18 year old children, one male and one female. These 24 adolescents, called Tributes, are then placed together in an arena, to face its challenges and each other. The last surviving tribute becomes the Victor. And to show that the Capitol still has mercy, the Victor's district is showered with gifts for the entire year and the Victor lives out the rest of his or her life in luxury and prestige, bringing honor to their district and hope to all of Panem.


I have made a rudimentary map to show the positioning of the districts. Yes, that is crayon and marker. You'll live.

http://distilleryimage4.ak.instagram.com/28c8c6ae554b11e3b20512de2ea7f324_8.jpg

[keilyn]

The Capitol. This is basically identical to the source material.
Industry: Medical, science, biology & chemistry
Economic level: Very High
Description: The Capitol is the government seat of Panem. Its citizens live in luxury, comfort and safety, free from diseases, and without fear of their children facing the Reaping. Their decadent environment lends itself to a focus on outlandish fashions, frequent celebrations and competitively high living. They clamor most for reality-type programming, though obviously the Hunger Games is the pinnacle of high entertainment. Has a larger population than any of the districts, weighing in at 29,000 inhabitants.

The Districts. These I have changed or elaborated upon as i saw fit, but largely the basic premise remains intact.

District 1
District 1: 10 Victors
Industry: Precious metals and luxury items
Economic level: High
Description: Called in low mutterings the “lapdog of the Capitol,” District 1 not only sits near a platinum mine, but also has a plant for the salvaging and recycling of precious gems and metals out of pre-war items salvaged by drones from the Waste. Some of these resources are sent to other Districts to be incorporated into the needs of their industries, but most is turned into the luxury goods that support the decadence of the Capitol.
Notes: Sits closest to the Capitol in the stony foothills of the mountains that border the west coast of Panem. Has a population of around 17,000.


District 2
District 2: 14 Victors
Industry: Military and weapons
Economic level: High
Description: This district's military academy provides the Peacekeepers that enforce the laws and safeguard the needs of Panem. They are also responsible for the refitting and maintenance of salvaged weapons, and production of ammunition. Few actual new weapons are produced because of a lack of resources. Military training does not begin until age 19, when cadets are no longer eligible for the Games. This is intended to avoid providing a potential unfair edge, though it is whispered that there is a clandestine training system for volunteer Tributes.
Notes: Sits to the Northwest of the Capitol, a ways into the mountains. Training in the thinner air and cooler weather enhances the military's abilities in lower lying, warmer areas. Has the largest district population at around 27,200, counting all active duty Peacekeepers. The number of Peacekeepers in any district usually hovers around 10% of that district's population, and only the Peacekeeper forces are permitted to wield firearms.

District 3
District 3: 6 Victors
Industry: Electronic technologies
Economic level: Medium-high
Description: Here is where all products of higher-end technology are researched, invented and produced. From the workers turning metals into wires and chips, to the technicians assembling the products, to the researchers developing and advancing technology ever further, this district itself seems to run like a precise machine.
Notes: Located southerly from District 1, 3 is geographically the smallest of the districts but still with a high population of around 22,000.

District 4
District 4: 9 Victors
Industry: Fishing/marine minerals, purified water, salt
Economic level: High
Description: This district provides Panem with all of its seafood, clean water, and salt thanks to the fishing industry, along with its desalinization and water treatment plants. After the war most of the ground water is horribly polluted or irradiated and the few sources of freshwater are closely guarded and partitioned. 4 provides most of the other districts with not only clean drinking water but also sewage treatment for the nearest neighboring districts.
Notes: Located on the southern coastline of Panem, 4 is a somewhat larger district that shares at least a small length of border with 5 other districts. Providing a need as basic as clean water has resulted in a relatively wealthy economy. Its population sits at around 14,500.

District 5
District 5: 4 Victors
Industry: Electrical power/processing plants/recycling plants
Economic level: Medium
Description: This district contains several plants. Production of electricity via coal and solar power, recycling of basic metals, glass and plastics, and production of fertilizers. They also process mined ores into useable raw metal. This is very much a blue collar district, but at the same time manages to keep a decent economy because of its relative importance. It is oft considered the 'beating heart' of Panem: not particularly prestigious but still the steady, constant support of all remaining civilization.
Notes: A medium-sized district with a modest population of 11,800. There are rumors that are plants for other sources of power besides those that are well-advertised, but these rumors are not spoken of frequently or loudly. There is at least one westward section that is technically part of the district, but is strictly off-limits.

District 6
District 6: 5 Victors
Industry: Transportation/communications
Economic level: Medium
Description: Between keeping up the railways between districts and the roads within them, district 6 keeps Panem moving. They are the main hub for transport of people, goods and supplies around Panem, as well as for keeping up a network of communication between districts. They also provide all construction and maintenance of transport vehicles- cars, trains, and hoverships. This has led to two distinct 'factions' of workers- mechs and techs, or blue and white collars respectively.
Notes: With a moderate population of 18,300, they are an average-sized district. They are also, along with District 2, one of the only districts whose workers can obtain permits to travel to other districts. This is for the purpose of maintenance of communication or transport lines. Only up to 250 permits are issued at a time, half each for mechs or techs, and can be revoked anytime, without warning for any reason, even if the worker is still out of district and liable for punishment for unlawful travel.

District 7
District 7: 6 Victors
Industry: Lumber/paper
Economic level: Medium-low
Description: The heavily forested regions of the north are prime land for the production of the raw lumber and paper products that this district provides. The population is more spread out and rural of any of the other districts, with only one central village with its lumber mills and recycling plants, and many satellite homesteads. This district has fairly little in the way of technology, but has adapted well to this with a more laid-back, self-sufficient society. It is policed largely by random Peacekeeper patrols and surveillance cameras scattered at strategic points.
Notes: A fairly large district, its population is smallest comparative to its size at 10,400. The inhabitants have also picked up somewhat on the existence of the cameras, noting when those skirting the laws are very suddenly and inexplicably rounded up and punished. It is treated as an open secret, and several blind spots have been uncovered and are used as a result.

District 8
District 8: 6 Victors
Industry: Textiles
Economic level: Medium
Description: This district produces all manner of textiles and dyes, with a peripheral focus on cosmetics as these tend to be in high demand at the Capitol. They have many factories, including at least one dedicated factory for each other district and a separate Capitol plant for production of finer fabrics. They grow and cultivate their own plants and insects, as well as surface mining of various minerals. It is one of the stricter, more heavily regulated districts. It is also the most disparate in the difference between the goods it produces and its financial income, thanks to the intensive nature of it manufacturing processes. While its output and gross income are high, its economy still sags thanks to slim profit margins. This and the heavy hand of the Peacekeepers has produced a constant tension in the district.
Notes: Was one of the leaders in the rebellion during the Dark Days, with its access to Peacekeeper uniforms playing a key role in the uprisings, which fact is also surreptitiously blamed for its current predicament of being disproportionately oppressed. It is an average sized district with a population of 16,900.

District 9
District 9: 3 Victors
Industry: Masonry/building materials
Economic level: Medium-low
Description: With its location providing access to many various quarries, clay (for bricks), and sand (for glass), district 9 is well known for both its heavy laborers and skilled crafters. However, the need for building materials is low even as it is steady, and so the economy is relatively poor. Most of their output goes towards the upkeep of established buildings rather than new development, as the population of Panem grows very slowly if at all. Some focus has been directed to providing materials and structuring locales for arenas, which is not a terribly desirable job but at the same time is a source of income and cannot be totally avoided.
Notes: A relatively small district, there is a population of around 9,500. Called the “invisible” district, 9 is almost the furthest off the radar of the rest of Panem. With the second fewest Hunger Games Victors and the lowest demand for its industry, it is widely ignored and further suffers as a result. District 9 also has statues of each of its 3 victors in its central village's main square, and the names of all other Tributes inscribed on plaques on the bases.

District 10
District 10: 5 Victors
Industry: Livestock
Economic level: Medium-low
Description: Producers of the meat and dairy of Panem, district 10 clings to some semblance of relevance among the poorer districts. They still take pride in their work and are very focused on traditions and community. All manner of livestock are raised and slaughtered, although most actual butchering is left to the individual districts so mass production can be more streamlined. They do however manage to run a peripheral of custom sausages and cheeses and related food items. There is a definite air of productivity and perseverance in this district, and it also has the dubious notoriety of sporting the highest (successful) birth rate in Panem.
Notes: One of the few districts that sees a sort of honor in the games, district 10 participates willingly in helping the Gamemakers in raising mutated animals meant for the arena. There are around 13,600 inhabitants.

District 11
District 11: 4 Victors
Industry: Agriculture
Economic level: Low
Description: Another strictly regulated district, 11 is a paradox. Though it produces a large amount of fruits, vegetables and grain, the district itself is relatively poor and underfed. This is because its products are relatively cheap and do not fetch a large trade price, and therefore the vast majority must be sold to have any sort of net income. What little can be kept is usually only portions of grain and past-prime produce. Very little meat is typically seen, and virtually no oils or fats. What other food is available is typically scavenged or comes from what animals and goods families are able to purchase individually, leaving the most abject poor to suffer serious malnutrition.
Notes: This district is very strictly policed and regulated, and punishments for food theft are brutal. Bribery and corruption have snaked their way in, but many are willing to take the risk of greasing the wrong palms in the name of keeping their children fed. The population is large, which contributes to food deficits, and fluctuates more than any other district. This phenomenon seems to correspond with crop yield over a few years, and averages out around 21,700.

District 12
District 12: 2 Victors
Industry: Mining
Economic level: Low
Description: This district is responsible primarily for the production of coal, mined from deep under Panem with rudimentary technology and almost no actual machinery. It also has a handful of other mines that yield basic metals such as iron, copper and tin. District 12 is something of a joke to the other districts, what with the fewest Victors, poorest economy and highest level of industry related accidents and deaths. The one advantage here is a kind of natural selection, where only those most suited for these harsh conditions survive, either by their wits or their hardiness. Still, it is unarguable that quality of living here is the lowest in all of Panem, with only rudimentary technology, barely enough food to not starve for half the population, and the lowest concentration of those in skilled professions such as medicine, dentistry and carpentry.
Notes: The Capitol occasionally does step in to provide support for epidemics and large scale mining accidents, but little else. The Peacekeeping forces are fairly lax here, either out of indifference or sympathy, and tend to turn a blind eye to poaching and people slipping outside the border fence, which is rarely electrified as it is. The sole exception is the eastern fence, which leads to the border of what was once District 13 and is under constant guard. It has the smallest population of all the districts, coming in at just 8,000.