The Odds

A Guide to the Sectors

From the outside the Capitol appears to be one large colorful mass, filled with a range of vibrant people and places. This impression, although accurate, belies the true structure of the place. Back when Panem was formed, the same orderly minds that created - perhaps against common sense - the district system also saw fit to divide the Capitol. The theory was that by isolating and providing purpose to certain areas, it would be possible to mould the development of the political and economic center of the nation. By ensuring that everybody knew their purpose and knew that that purpose was essential to continuing their current lifestyle, they would minimize the chances of political upheaval in their own backyard. Few can argue with the success of this scheme and the sector system remains in place today.

Unlike the districts, the boundaries between sectors are fluid and people are able to travel and relocate between them. They are enforced mostly out of the very Capitol love of structure and tradition rather than through any particular legislation, though this means that the majority of official documents acknowledge them anyway. Each sector has a Sector Center (equivalent to the districts' Justice Building) and a Sector Guide, a person of importance installed by the President to represent the district and to oversee the populations (equivalent to a Mayor).

Echoing the structure of the districts, there are thirteen sectors arranged in a roughly spiral pattern. The exact center of the Capitol, containing the Presidential Palace, the Tribute Tower and other places of special interest, is referred to as the Capitol Center and does not count as a sector as very few people live there.

The thirteen sectors are, in as close to geographical order as possible:

PLATINUM - Fashion. The Platinum sector is the most glamorous in the Capitol, with a well-deserved reputation for being right at the forefront of style. Most of the trends that have swept the Capitol have originated in their plentiful and elegant boutiques. The majority of models herald from this sector, along with all of the top fashion designers. Situated right at the heart of the Capitol, everything in Platinum appears to shine in some way and the cool and stylish inhabitants are never far away from the center of things.

SILVER - Stage and Screen. The Silver sector is the haunt of actors, cameramen, script-writers and anybody who works around the theater or holoscreen industry. Almost all theaters and holoscreen studios are found within these dynamic and lively streets and the inhabitants live in apartments bursting with colour and life. Their natural understanding of the showbiz industry combined with their usually effervescent personalities mean that they also make good district representatives during the Games.

AMETHYST - Music and Arts. Situated right next to the sectors dealing with cinema and fashion, the Amethyst sector is the centre of creative arts in the Capitol. As wannabe musicians vie for gigs at the huge music venues (the largest being the Parade), vibrant young artists show off their works at the various exhibition halls. Life in this sector moves at a relaxed pace. The people are dedicated but flamboyant and place a strong emphasis on individual style.

GARNET - Journalism. Not only journalists but bloggers and social media experts, the inhabitants of the Garnet sector are word-savvy and pride themselves on holding the best educational standards in the Capitol (even if this isn’t exactly true). This sector’s reputation for quirkiness is reflected in the buildings, which are always designed to stand out. Sector pride is strong all over the Capitol, but most notably here; most people from Garnet are convinced that their sector is the most important to the stability of the Capitol!

COPPER - Commerce. Situated around the Capitol train station, the Copper sector is a hive of trading activity. People here are hard workers who enjoy their time off – and who make sure they get plenty of it! Political feeling is unstable here and strikes among the commerce workers are common. The sector is small but densely populated, leaving little room for luxuries, but perhaps because of this the Copper people are as wild as anybody in their free time! The youth often spend their nights in the Neon sector, only a short distance away.

MALACHITE - Law. Compromising mostly of stern buildings, the Malachite sector is home to the Justice Building, where the laws of Panem are constantly written and rewritten, as well as the courts (Capitol citizens are entitled to a fair trial for any misdemeanours). Perhaps influenced by the serious surroundings, a sense of ruthlessness has seeped into the families of the people who work and live here. Intelligence and quick-thinking is highly prized. Unsurprisingly, most children grow up to be lawyers, solicitors and judges, though it is not unusual for members of the President's cabinet to originate here.

QUARTZ - Food and Health. From gourmet restaurants that serve only the rich and powerful to quirky coffee shops, the Quartz sector is known for producing the majority of the Capitol’s luxury food market. A long sector that bisects most of the Capitol, the outer reaches are dedicated to hospitals and serving the health needs of the vivacious Capitol population and are dotted with research facilities, high-tech sporting venues and gyms. The people are pragmatic yet fond of their luxuries; it is in this sector that most cosmetic surgery takes place and very few people are without some kind of 'improvement'.

GRAPHENE - Manufacturing and Architecture. The Graphene sector houses those whose lives are dedicated to keeping the Capitol as modern as they can. It isn’t as attention-grabbing as many of the other sectors but its people are as Capitol as the rest and enjoy beautiful things – which is why they do what they do. It is nestled out on the edge of the Capitol, where its inhabitants can be inspired either by stunning views over the Capitol or by the sublime beauty of the mountains. The people are responsible not only for buildings, but for state-of-the-art furniture, produced in warehouses below the ground.

NEON - Social. Clubs and bars. The Neon sector is the brightest, liveliest area of the Capitol. Here the streets are lined with spotlights picking out the rich and famous on their nights out. The sidewalks are always lined with queues of people attempting to be seen in the most fashionable clubs, and it isn't uncommon to bump into some of the most famous celebrities in the Capitol. The people are efficient organisers with an endless sense of fun, but be careful; they can be hard to contain!

STEEL - Peacekeeping. The smallest sector. Most assume that all Peacekeepers are either Capitol wrongdoers or brought up in Two. However, the fiercely patriotic inhabitants of the Steel sector are happy to dedicate their lives to serving justice out in the districts. Their accommodation is modest and most people here are either young and in training or have served their time and have returned home to start families and carry on the honor. The Steel sector are loyal to whoever gives them orders – they enforce justice equally everywhere.

FERROUS - Politics. Heavy on security and out in the hills surrounding the Capitol, children in the Ferrous sector are trained in politics from an early age, destined to become Gamemakers or members of the President’s cabinet. The area, dominated by astounding mansions, is also where the oldest families in the Capitol reside. The majority of the College of Excellence campus is situated here, on the border with the Steel sector.

HAEMATITE - Public Services (cleaning, taxis, servitude etc.). Mostly Avoxes, though low wages mean the Haematite sector is also occupied by endless warrens of large families who cannot afford the glitzy life of the rest of the Capitol. People here do the jobs that are essential to the smooth running of the Capitol and many have to commute to their workplaces outside the sector.

GOLD - Finance. Underneath the glamor of the Capitol lies the simple fact that life there is expensive. Money is spent and borrowed with incredible speed and the Gold sector is where most of this is managed. Most people living in these breathtaking apartment buildings work in the banks and moneylenders on street level, often venturing towards the center of the Capitol in search of expensive entertainment. The people are often image-conscious and take themselves very seriously, determined to seem as fashionable as Platinum itself.

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