Haymitch Abernathy (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
killarevolution) wrote2012-03-31 01:20 am
killarevolution) wrote2012-03-31 01:20 am
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PLAYER INFORMATION
Your Name: Chris
OOC Journal:fairytalelie
Under 18? If yes, what is your age?: No.
Email + IM: whatineverhad[at]gmail.com; KawaiiSpinel42
Characters Played at Ataraxion: Topher Brinkandblockbuster
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Haymitch Abernathy
Canon: The Hunger Games
Original or Alternate Universe: Original
Canon Point: Midway through Catching Fire, during the Quarter Quell.
Number: 075
Setting: The Hunger Games takes place in the fictional country of Panem, which is built on the remains of what was once North America. Panem consisted of Thirteen Districts and a Capitol and existed in peace and prosperity, despite the dark history it was built on. Then came the Dark Days- a brutal war against the Capitol. In the end, the districts were defeated, one district (District 13) fell, and as punishment for their actions, the Capitol demanded that every year a boy and a girl between the ages of 12-18 from every district would be selected via a "lottery" known as The Reaping to participate in a pageant known as The Hunger Games- essentially a violent duel to the death.
The Districts are poor, generally undersupplied, and life in them is hard and brutal, while the Capitol flourishes like a futuristic Roman Empire. It's a harsh, horrible dystopian place, where survival is key and the only hope anyone has is that maybe one of their children will come home as a victor in the Games and bring them a little relief.
History: Here
Personality: Haymitch is a case example of what you see isn't what you get- when we first meet him, he's a disorderly, loud drunk, taking stage dives, and generally not giving a rat's ass how he's perceived, only changing his tactic when presented with a good reason to, but that's all surface- not even that, it's part of the show. He may be everything he presents him to be- drunk, ornery, sarcastic, acerbic, and generally unpleasant, but he's also sound and fury, signifying a lot more than he'll let people know and by the time you figure it out, he usually has you right where he wants you.
But to understand the deeper meanings behind everything Haymitch does, you have to understand Panem and how it functions. It's the same story you hear every few centuries when shit gets real- the peasants revolted, they lost, and now they suffer for it. And that suffering comes from both starvation and a life of virtual servitude to an unfeeling Capitol, but also... From the Hunger Games, a death match that pits two children from every district against one another in a televised Battle Royale. Haymitch fits into this because twenty-five years ago, he won the Hunger Games, but winning isn't everything and one finds that once you've won the Games, you're always the Capitol's little bitch and it's better to die out there to live with what comes after.
But that's getting ahead of things. Before the Games, Haymitch was... Well, let's face it. He was always a sardonic bastard who won his appeals during the interviews by playing up his natural flippance and sardonic attitude and people found it weirdly charming- and he can be. In his own special, demented little way. These are core aspects of Haymitch's character that no amount of drink or trauma can shake out of him. Once a surly bastard, always a surly bastard, and Haymitch is one surly bastard.
He's always been clever- perhaps too clever. His tactic in the Games was to avoid conflict, if at all possible (and kill without mercy when conflict found him), and see if he could find the end of the arena and make a break for it. What he found at the end was nothing more than an invisible force field that threw you back if you tried to jump at it. In the end, that force field was what won him the Games- by ducking a blow from another tribute's axe and letting it hit the force field, richochet back, and kill her, he achieved his victory and essentially flipped the Capitol the bird for using their own tricks against them. Because of that stunt, he was made an example of- his mother, his brother, and his girlfriend were all murdered for his actions. Haymitch dealt with the trauma and guilt by turning to the bottle and shutting everyone out. The once-handsome, sardonic, mocking teenage boy was gone, slowly to be replaced by a messy, disgusting, even more sardonic drunk.
And yet some of that is merely an act. Yes, he's genuinely a drunk and doesn't fake any bit of it, but he has learned one thing from being on camera all these years- once the audience expects something out of you, then you can hide behind it. Keep them engaged, keep the show going, and they'll never suspect there's an ulterior motive and they'll always underestimate you. More than that, he's used it to hide from his responsibility- being forced to mentor 23 years worth of Tributes and watching them all die would drive any man insane, so he's stopped trying and people have stopped expecting anything useful out of him and he's stopped having to know he's failed them when they inevitably die despite his best efforts- until Katniss and Peeta came along. They were smart enough to see through him, call his bullshit, and force him to sober up enough to help. It should be noted how quickly his entire demeanor changes when Katniss and Peeta turn on him. It's not a drunk quietly defending himself, but someone changing tactics. Here are two kids who are actually fighters, not cowering, not allowing themselves to be cowed by his flippancy and temper. Seconds after the fight, he's gone from laughing drunk to someone who actually has decent advice to give.
That's the thing about Haymitch- what he can do and what he does do are greatly dependant on who's doing the asking. Haymitch has to feel he's getting something out of an arrangement, whether it be compliance with his wishes or just the wonderful sensation of not being let down for the twenty-fourth time in a row. He's not afraid to speak his mind and even gets up and arms with the Gamekeepers, themselves, to get his way. He might be dead drunk half the time, but when Haymitch Abernathy sobers up enough to make sense, people listen, and when they don't listen... Well, that tends to lead to situations where he threatens to weld communicators to teenage girls' heads, because that is what happens when you hang up on an ornery drunk.
He's surly, snarky, bitter, fatalistic, violent, and everything you could possibly expect from a temperamental, traumatized old fool with enough PTSD to choke a 'Nam veteran- which makes him utterly paranoid on top of everything else (he sleeps with a knife, won't sleep when it's dark, etc.). His drinking keeps the nightmares at bay and when he's sober, he tends to go into violent rages, shouting and starting at things that only he can see. He can be detoxed slowly, but it means a lot of solitary confinement and is not something you want to ever try if you don't know what the fuck you're doing. His moods can shift on a dime and while he might not be the first to react to an emotionally charged situation that might give up someone who actually has an iota of compassion, you can bet he'll be the first to react in anger when his orders aren't obeyed or someone gets on his nerves or generally pisses him off.
Manipulative, above all things, Haymitch can work everything from a crowd to a single person to his advantage and nothing throws him. He's adaptable to any circumstance and will lie and bullshit his way through even the most dire of circumstances. He's a survivor, which is odd for someone who hates life as much as he does, but once a victor, always a victor, and he firmly believes that he'll never quite leave the Games, so he maintains his strategies, perfects his deceits, and weaves spin so flawless that no one can tell whose side he's on until the last possible minute. Here lies a man with nothing to lose, and the problem with taking away everything from a man who slighted you once- it makes him all the more willing to keep doing it when he finally has something worth fighting for. It won't matter if he fails- he's failed enough to know how much it hurts, but it's nothing he can't drown out with a bottle. But if he succeeds... Well, maybe it was all worth it, after all.
He takes absolutely nothing for granted- Peeta says people aren't his sort of thing, which is true socially, but as far as getting what he wants and knowing what to expect? Haymitch knows all the angles to work. He pays attention to all the details, keeps an ear to the ground for the reactions, and knows exactly what to play up to get people to either respond the way he wants or what to look for to know how someone is going to react. He may not like other people, but he knows how they work and he knows how to lead them. It's not even just people he understands deeply like Katniss, but she's probably the best example. Almost nothing Haymitch does is without an ulterior motive of some kind. He may be a drunk, but he's a decent chessplayer and he's usually pretty far ahead of the game for someone who spends a good deal of time with his head in a pool of his own sick.
He's demanding and authoritative and more than willing to throw his weight around to get his way- and Haymitch will get his way. He rarely relents and can out-stubborn just about anything besides Katniss and will never admit he's wrong except in the worst of circumstances and even then, it doesn't come without trepidation. Being extremely confrontational, he'll pick a fight with anyone and gives absolutely no fucks about whether that person is in a position of authority or not. He doesn't censor himself in the slightest, but while he doesn't care what people think of him, he's self-aware to know when he's being necessarily harsh and will often backtrack and apologize when it occurs to him to- that doesn't always happen, however. In some situations, he's fully aware of how harsh he's being and owns it. It's a dark, horrific world, and he does not sugarcoat a damn thing about it. This leads to him being quite emotionally destructive to the people who have to spend any time with him, but you learn to get used to it... Or you don't. Either way, Haymitch doesn't tend to give much of a damn.
That isn't to say that Haymitch can't be nice. Quite the contrary- get him to care about you and he will make the attempt to be compassionate, even kind. He's emotionally withdrawn, keeping himself in check to avoid betraying his perfect poker face, but even his perfect mask slips on occasion- very rarely enough to get him to admit he cares, though- he's more calculated action that emotional reaction. In his mind, he shouldn't have to say it- the mere fact that he puts up an effort should be enough. And while he'll never admit it, he loves Katniss and Peeta as if they were his own children and would protect them with everything he has, even volunteering to go on a dangerous mission to save Peeta in Mockingjay, knowing he's not physically capable of it- and even if it's a joke when he mentions it and he knows full well that he wouldn't be allowed, he was still likely sincere. He's often cruel, and just as manipulative towards them as he is everyone else, but he loves them and, because he loves them, he understands the kinds of choices he has to make regarding them may not always be ideal, but it's what has to be done. They can hate him for it all he likes.
It's Katniss he's closest to, although their relationship veers between begrudging respect and seething hatred, depending on the circumstance. They will always be too much alike, too selfish in their own ways, and too pig-headed to ever relent. But he adores that stupid girl- she brings out his sentimental side and he can claim to favor Peeta all he wants, but Katniss is the one he always comes back to, even when they tear each other down and are utterly horrible for each other in so many ways. That foolish, headstrong girl who still has the fire that he doesn't have anymore, the determination that he doesn't focus properly these days, and everything else. She's stupid and often he wants to slap the shit out of her, but he adores her all the same. She and Peeta are all the family he has now, but he'd be loathe to admit that to anyone.
In fact, it's likely Haymitch's habit of digging his heels in emotionally that makes him the most frustrating to the people who actually manage to care about him. He lacks any sort of emotional context in his decisions and refuses to talk about himself unless it's actively forced, so while someone who doesn't know him well might see a cold-hearted decision, someone who knows him might see the significance of it- unfortunately, no one knows Haymitch that well and those who do are usually still pissed at him for making decisions regarding their lives for them. (He does that a lot, because... Well, Haymitch knows best.)
Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:
Strengths
Emotional: Haymitch is very firmly in control of his emotions and has an excellent poker face. He doesn't betray any feeling in bad situations, and has the resolve and emotional fortitude to make difficult choices without being hung up on them. With that in mind, he's an expert manipulator and brilliant liar and can fake just about anything to get people to see what they want to see of him, from a bitchy entitled victor to a giddy drunk. Good at improvising.
Physical: His strength is his greatest asset, as it's the only thing that hasn't atrophied physically from being constantly drunk. He can also hold a remarkable amount of liquor and sobers up fairly quickly when he wants to.
Weaknesses
Emotional Distant and tends to come off as someone completely lacking compassion. He always knows the wrong thing to say and will say it flat-out. Doesn't take other people's opinions into consideration when he takes action, so it tends to lead to him manipulating and leading people who rely on him into situations they don't want to be in. Suffers from PTSD and has nightmares regularly and when he's sober, he tends to hallucinate and go on violent rampages. Temperamental, violent, and surly- all-around NOT FUN guy.
Physical: At forty-one and a perpetual drunk, he's woefully out of shape. His body rejects physical conditioning, and he's not as good as he once was with a knife. He stays drunk almost all the time, so while it doesn't always cause a huge problem, there are also times when he falls off a stage or passes out in a pool of his own sick, etc.
Limitations: No limitations needed.
Inventory: One standard hunting knife and a beat up flask.
Appearance: Haymitch is described as being "paunchy and middle aged" with dark hair and gray eyes. He used to be something of a looker when he was younger, but years of drinking and his own trauma have worn him down into a complete hot mess. He is portrayed by Josh Brolin.
Age: 41
AU Clarification: N/A
SAMPLES
Log Sample: Haymitch remembered nothing of importance, which he should have known by now was how the Capitol operates. He wasn't easily thrown, especially not when he was woefully sober while the Quarter Quell loomed on every screen he passed, warning him that he had a job to do and that he had to keep his wits together to make sure it was done properly. He'd do no one any good passed out in a ditch.
What he passed out in was anyone's guess, but what he woke up in...
He came up choking and sputtering, disoriented, and the first thing he did was puke the remnants of breakfast and the trace amounts of the last bit of wine he'd consumed before the Games started onto the floor. Everything spun in a way that it hadn't since the first time he'd ever gotten dead drunk. Growling, his hands gripped the sides of the- the what? He wasn't sure and his eyes wouldn't focus enough to get a clear picture.
He sat up, trying to force himself to remember what happened last. Mags dying in the fog, Johanna bringing Wiress and Beetee to Katniss, and nearly exposing them- damn that girl. Had her blunt little tongue gotten her (and him and everyone else) in trouble? No, it was vague enough and Finnick had seen to it that she kept her mouth shut. So what?
He took a shuddering breath, wishing for a bottle, because if he was going to be this disoriented, he'd like to know exactly what it was causing it. The buzz of background noise became clearer, becoming human voices. Someone reached out and touched his shoulder and two things registered- the uncomfortable feeling of bare flesh on bare flesh that said he was presently unclothed and the fight-or-fight-but-mostly-fight reflex that would never die, so long as he had memories of the arena. He swung out his arm, but the knife he was so used to clutching in his sleep was merely a phantom limb and the swing was useless. Disorientation was nothing, however, to a functioning drunk, especially not when his target was off-guard. Using his strength and his opponent's shock, he propelled himself off the table awkwardly and slammed this stranger into the nearest wall, his arm laying heavily on the man's trachea.
"You must be new," he said, his voice casual, yet dangerous all the same. "Seems like most Capitol attendants would know better than to sneak up on a victor."
Comms Sample: [Haymitch isn't sure what the hell's going on, but he's playing the role of an irritated Victor being mishandled. He knows it's likely a Capitol trap, but assuming as much automatically implies he has a guilty conscience.] Oh, this is nice. I've got two tributes out there expecting their sponsors and you're holding me up for... What? Too soon for interviews and there's only so many ways to say "yes, she's pregnant" before everyone's sick of hearing about it.
Not feeling talkative, are we? [He narrows his eyes and there's only so much "pampered victor" act you can play up, but it won't hide the murder in your eyes.] Well, I promise that you won't like whose problem I make this if I don't get an answer right this minute.
Your Name: Chris
OOC Journal:
fairytalelieUnder 18? If yes, what is your age?: No.
Email + IM: whatineverhad[at]gmail.com; KawaiiSpinel42
Characters Played at Ataraxion: Topher Brink
andblockbusterCHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Haymitch Abernathy
Canon: The Hunger Games
Original or Alternate Universe: Original
Canon Point: Midway through Catching Fire, during the Quarter Quell.
Number: 075
Setting: The Hunger Games takes place in the fictional country of Panem, which is built on the remains of what was once North America. Panem consisted of Thirteen Districts and a Capitol and existed in peace and prosperity, despite the dark history it was built on. Then came the Dark Days- a brutal war against the Capitol. In the end, the districts were defeated, one district (District 13) fell, and as punishment for their actions, the Capitol demanded that every year a boy and a girl between the ages of 12-18 from every district would be selected via a "lottery" known as The Reaping to participate in a pageant known as The Hunger Games- essentially a violent duel to the death.
The Districts are poor, generally undersupplied, and life in them is hard and brutal, while the Capitol flourishes like a futuristic Roman Empire. It's a harsh, horrible dystopian place, where survival is key and the only hope anyone has is that maybe one of their children will come home as a victor in the Games and bring them a little relief.
History: Here
Personality: Haymitch is a case example of what you see isn't what you get- when we first meet him, he's a disorderly, loud drunk, taking stage dives, and generally not giving a rat's ass how he's perceived, only changing his tactic when presented with a good reason to, but that's all surface- not even that, it's part of the show. He may be everything he presents him to be- drunk, ornery, sarcastic, acerbic, and generally unpleasant, but he's also sound and fury, signifying a lot more than he'll let people know and by the time you figure it out, he usually has you right where he wants you.
But to understand the deeper meanings behind everything Haymitch does, you have to understand Panem and how it functions. It's the same story you hear every few centuries when shit gets real- the peasants revolted, they lost, and now they suffer for it. And that suffering comes from both starvation and a life of virtual servitude to an unfeeling Capitol, but also... From the Hunger Games, a death match that pits two children from every district against one another in a televised Battle Royale. Haymitch fits into this because twenty-five years ago, he won the Hunger Games, but winning isn't everything and one finds that once you've won the Games, you're always the Capitol's little bitch and it's better to die out there to live with what comes after.
But that's getting ahead of things. Before the Games, Haymitch was... Well, let's face it. He was always a sardonic bastard who won his appeals during the interviews by playing up his natural flippance and sardonic attitude and people found it weirdly charming- and he can be. In his own special, demented little way. These are core aspects of Haymitch's character that no amount of drink or trauma can shake out of him. Once a surly bastard, always a surly bastard, and Haymitch is one surly bastard.
He's always been clever- perhaps too clever. His tactic in the Games was to avoid conflict, if at all possible (and kill without mercy when conflict found him), and see if he could find the end of the arena and make a break for it. What he found at the end was nothing more than an invisible force field that threw you back if you tried to jump at it. In the end, that force field was what won him the Games- by ducking a blow from another tribute's axe and letting it hit the force field, richochet back, and kill her, he achieved his victory and essentially flipped the Capitol the bird for using their own tricks against them. Because of that stunt, he was made an example of- his mother, his brother, and his girlfriend were all murdered for his actions. Haymitch dealt with the trauma and guilt by turning to the bottle and shutting everyone out. The once-handsome, sardonic, mocking teenage boy was gone, slowly to be replaced by a messy, disgusting, even more sardonic drunk.
And yet some of that is merely an act. Yes, he's genuinely a drunk and doesn't fake any bit of it, but he has learned one thing from being on camera all these years- once the audience expects something out of you, then you can hide behind it. Keep them engaged, keep the show going, and they'll never suspect there's an ulterior motive and they'll always underestimate you. More than that, he's used it to hide from his responsibility- being forced to mentor 23 years worth of Tributes and watching them all die would drive any man insane, so he's stopped trying and people have stopped expecting anything useful out of him and he's stopped having to know he's failed them when they inevitably die despite his best efforts- until Katniss and Peeta came along. They were smart enough to see through him, call his bullshit, and force him to sober up enough to help. It should be noted how quickly his entire demeanor changes when Katniss and Peeta turn on him. It's not a drunk quietly defending himself, but someone changing tactics. Here are two kids who are actually fighters, not cowering, not allowing themselves to be cowed by his flippancy and temper. Seconds after the fight, he's gone from laughing drunk to someone who actually has decent advice to give.
That's the thing about Haymitch- what he can do and what he does do are greatly dependant on who's doing the asking. Haymitch has to feel he's getting something out of an arrangement, whether it be compliance with his wishes or just the wonderful sensation of not being let down for the twenty-fourth time in a row. He's not afraid to speak his mind and even gets up and arms with the Gamekeepers, themselves, to get his way. He might be dead drunk half the time, but when Haymitch Abernathy sobers up enough to make sense, people listen, and when they don't listen... Well, that tends to lead to situations where he threatens to weld communicators to teenage girls' heads, because that is what happens when you hang up on an ornery drunk.
He's surly, snarky, bitter, fatalistic, violent, and everything you could possibly expect from a temperamental, traumatized old fool with enough PTSD to choke a 'Nam veteran- which makes him utterly paranoid on top of everything else (he sleeps with a knife, won't sleep when it's dark, etc.). His drinking keeps the nightmares at bay and when he's sober, he tends to go into violent rages, shouting and starting at things that only he can see. He can be detoxed slowly, but it means a lot of solitary confinement and is not something you want to ever try if you don't know what the fuck you're doing. His moods can shift on a dime and while he might not be the first to react to an emotionally charged situation that might give up someone who actually has an iota of compassion, you can bet he'll be the first to react in anger when his orders aren't obeyed or someone gets on his nerves or generally pisses him off.
Manipulative, above all things, Haymitch can work everything from a crowd to a single person to his advantage and nothing throws him. He's adaptable to any circumstance and will lie and bullshit his way through even the most dire of circumstances. He's a survivor, which is odd for someone who hates life as much as he does, but once a victor, always a victor, and he firmly believes that he'll never quite leave the Games, so he maintains his strategies, perfects his deceits, and weaves spin so flawless that no one can tell whose side he's on until the last possible minute. Here lies a man with nothing to lose, and the problem with taking away everything from a man who slighted you once- it makes him all the more willing to keep doing it when he finally has something worth fighting for. It won't matter if he fails- he's failed enough to know how much it hurts, but it's nothing he can't drown out with a bottle. But if he succeeds... Well, maybe it was all worth it, after all.
He takes absolutely nothing for granted- Peeta says people aren't his sort of thing, which is true socially, but as far as getting what he wants and knowing what to expect? Haymitch knows all the angles to work. He pays attention to all the details, keeps an ear to the ground for the reactions, and knows exactly what to play up to get people to either respond the way he wants or what to look for to know how someone is going to react. He may not like other people, but he knows how they work and he knows how to lead them. It's not even just people he understands deeply like Katniss, but she's probably the best example. Almost nothing Haymitch does is without an ulterior motive of some kind. He may be a drunk, but he's a decent chessplayer and he's usually pretty far ahead of the game for someone who spends a good deal of time with his head in a pool of his own sick.
He's demanding and authoritative and more than willing to throw his weight around to get his way- and Haymitch will get his way. He rarely relents and can out-stubborn just about anything besides Katniss and will never admit he's wrong except in the worst of circumstances and even then, it doesn't come without trepidation. Being extremely confrontational, he'll pick a fight with anyone and gives absolutely no fucks about whether that person is in a position of authority or not. He doesn't censor himself in the slightest, but while he doesn't care what people think of him, he's self-aware to know when he's being necessarily harsh and will often backtrack and apologize when it occurs to him to- that doesn't always happen, however. In some situations, he's fully aware of how harsh he's being and owns it. It's a dark, horrific world, and he does not sugarcoat a damn thing about it. This leads to him being quite emotionally destructive to the people who have to spend any time with him, but you learn to get used to it... Or you don't. Either way, Haymitch doesn't tend to give much of a damn.
That isn't to say that Haymitch can't be nice. Quite the contrary- get him to care about you and he will make the attempt to be compassionate, even kind. He's emotionally withdrawn, keeping himself in check to avoid betraying his perfect poker face, but even his perfect mask slips on occasion- very rarely enough to get him to admit he cares, though- he's more calculated action that emotional reaction. In his mind, he shouldn't have to say it- the mere fact that he puts up an effort should be enough. And while he'll never admit it, he loves Katniss and Peeta as if they were his own children and would protect them with everything he has, even volunteering to go on a dangerous mission to save Peeta in Mockingjay, knowing he's not physically capable of it- and even if it's a joke when he mentions it and he knows full well that he wouldn't be allowed, he was still likely sincere. He's often cruel, and just as manipulative towards them as he is everyone else, but he loves them and, because he loves them, he understands the kinds of choices he has to make regarding them may not always be ideal, but it's what has to be done. They can hate him for it all he likes.
It's Katniss he's closest to, although their relationship veers between begrudging respect and seething hatred, depending on the circumstance. They will always be too much alike, too selfish in their own ways, and too pig-headed to ever relent. But he adores that stupid girl- she brings out his sentimental side and he can claim to favor Peeta all he wants, but Katniss is the one he always comes back to, even when they tear each other down and are utterly horrible for each other in so many ways. That foolish, headstrong girl who still has the fire that he doesn't have anymore, the determination that he doesn't focus properly these days, and everything else. She's stupid and often he wants to slap the shit out of her, but he adores her all the same. She and Peeta are all the family he has now, but he'd be loathe to admit that to anyone.
In fact, it's likely Haymitch's habit of digging his heels in emotionally that makes him the most frustrating to the people who actually manage to care about him. He lacks any sort of emotional context in his decisions and refuses to talk about himself unless it's actively forced, so while someone who doesn't know him well might see a cold-hearted decision, someone who knows him might see the significance of it- unfortunately, no one knows Haymitch that well and those who do are usually still pissed at him for making decisions regarding their lives for them. (He does that a lot, because... Well, Haymitch knows best.)
Abilities, Weaknesses and Power Limitations:
Strengths
Emotional: Haymitch is very firmly in control of his emotions and has an excellent poker face. He doesn't betray any feeling in bad situations, and has the resolve and emotional fortitude to make difficult choices without being hung up on them. With that in mind, he's an expert manipulator and brilliant liar and can fake just about anything to get people to see what they want to see of him, from a bitchy entitled victor to a giddy drunk. Good at improvising.
Physical: His strength is his greatest asset, as it's the only thing that hasn't atrophied physically from being constantly drunk. He can also hold a remarkable amount of liquor and sobers up fairly quickly when he wants to.
Weaknesses
Emotional Distant and tends to come off as someone completely lacking compassion. He always knows the wrong thing to say and will say it flat-out. Doesn't take other people's opinions into consideration when he takes action, so it tends to lead to him manipulating and leading people who rely on him into situations they don't want to be in. Suffers from PTSD and has nightmares regularly and when he's sober, he tends to hallucinate and go on violent rampages. Temperamental, violent, and surly- all-around NOT FUN guy.
Physical: At forty-one and a perpetual drunk, he's woefully out of shape. His body rejects physical conditioning, and he's not as good as he once was with a knife. He stays drunk almost all the time, so while it doesn't always cause a huge problem, there are also times when he falls off a stage or passes out in a pool of his own sick, etc.
Limitations: No limitations needed.
Inventory: One standard hunting knife and a beat up flask.
Appearance: Haymitch is described as being "paunchy and middle aged" with dark hair and gray eyes. He used to be something of a looker when he was younger, but years of drinking and his own trauma have worn him down into a complete hot mess. He is portrayed by Josh Brolin.
Age: 41
AU Clarification: N/A
SAMPLES
Log Sample: Haymitch remembered nothing of importance, which he should have known by now was how the Capitol operates. He wasn't easily thrown, especially not when he was woefully sober while the Quarter Quell loomed on every screen he passed, warning him that he had a job to do and that he had to keep his wits together to make sure it was done properly. He'd do no one any good passed out in a ditch.
What he passed out in was anyone's guess, but what he woke up in...
He came up choking and sputtering, disoriented, and the first thing he did was puke the remnants of breakfast and the trace amounts of the last bit of wine he'd consumed before the Games started onto the floor. Everything spun in a way that it hadn't since the first time he'd ever gotten dead drunk. Growling, his hands gripped the sides of the- the what? He wasn't sure and his eyes wouldn't focus enough to get a clear picture.
He sat up, trying to force himself to remember what happened last. Mags dying in the fog, Johanna bringing Wiress and Beetee to Katniss, and nearly exposing them- damn that girl. Had her blunt little tongue gotten her (and him and everyone else) in trouble? No, it was vague enough and Finnick had seen to it that she kept her mouth shut. So what?
He took a shuddering breath, wishing for a bottle, because if he was going to be this disoriented, he'd like to know exactly what it was causing it. The buzz of background noise became clearer, becoming human voices. Someone reached out and touched his shoulder and two things registered- the uncomfortable feeling of bare flesh on bare flesh that said he was presently unclothed and the fight-or-fight-but-mostly-fight reflex that would never die, so long as he had memories of the arena. He swung out his arm, but the knife he was so used to clutching in his sleep was merely a phantom limb and the swing was useless. Disorientation was nothing, however, to a functioning drunk, especially not when his target was off-guard. Using his strength and his opponent's shock, he propelled himself off the table awkwardly and slammed this stranger into the nearest wall, his arm laying heavily on the man's trachea.
"You must be new," he said, his voice casual, yet dangerous all the same. "Seems like most Capitol attendants would know better than to sneak up on a victor."
Comms Sample: [Haymitch isn't sure what the hell's going on, but he's playing the role of an irritated Victor being mishandled. He knows it's likely a Capitol trap, but assuming as much automatically implies he has a guilty conscience.] Oh, this is nice. I've got two tributes out there expecting their sponsors and you're holding me up for... What? Too soon for interviews and there's only so many ways to say "yes, she's pregnant" before everyone's sick of hearing about it.
Not feeling talkative, are we? [He narrows his eyes and there's only so much "pampered victor" act you can play up, but it won't hide the murder in your eyes.] Well, I promise that you won't like whose problem I make this if I don't get an answer right this minute.