libraryassistants: (Default)
Unfinished Library Mod & NPC Account ([personal profile] libraryassistants) wrote in [community profile] unfinishedooc2025-12-20 09:27 am
Entry tags:

TEST DRIVE MEME #2

Welcome to the Library

Those who are new awake in the stacks.

You’re not sure when you fell asleep, and the memories of the last things you were doing are hazy at best. But now you’re here, and all you can see is books in every direction, the bookshelves teetering high enough above you to reach to the sky.

A helpful sign points you in the direction of the main circulation desk, and even if you try to ignore it and go in any other direction, the desk is where you will find yourself. A figure sits behind the desk, not even looking up as they sort through books and other media; they look, to your character, to be the exact picture of what they expect a Librarian to be.

Trying to ask the Librarian a question will get them shushed, but they’ll point down a hallway to the side, leading to a kitchenette and what appears to be a dorm room, where they’ll find they’re not alone in this strange place. But once they’ve looked away, when they look back, the Librarian is gone.


The Lobby

Those who are already familiar with the Library will see the Lobby change for the second time. It’s not paper plate UFOs and metal walls this time. Instead there are cheerful garlands strung about, and a stack of books shaped into a Christmas tree taking pride of place. The Help Desk is closed, the ‘Back in 5’ sign once again a bald-faced lie, but there is a menorah sat behind in the window, conveniently just out of reach of anyone who tries to get it. The candles are lit in a… somewhat sporadic fashion, the correct order but with no rhyme or reason to what ‘night’ is being represented. Either time is strange here, whoever’s in charge of it doesn’t know what day it is either, or they simply don’t care. Or some mix of the three.

Those two particular winter holidays are not the only ones represented either; characters will find a smattering of decorations or festive accessories from a great number of holidays, from their own worlds and beyond. There is what looks like a cabinet with instructions to pick your fortune from one of the many drawers. For some reason, there are a number of what looks like a child’s toy ponies placed on and around the cabinet. There are also some posters declaring in bold, decidedly upsetting typeset: “THE GOD-EMPEROR WISHES YOU A FESTIVE SANGUINALIA!” complete with a picture of a certain Library resident in all his feathered, shining glory. (The poster is not remotely shiny, but there are helpful accent lines to show that he should be shining.) And, for some reason, there is also a giant straw goat in the garden now, surrounded by festive strings of lights. Please do not set it on fire.

The Kitchens

It seems the decorations are not the only thing in the holiday spirit. The kitchens, usually bereft of anything but the most basic foodstuffs, are now full to the brim with a variety of holiday foods. There is always a tureen with hot mulled wine and a try of sweet pastries near by it, there’s ham and latkes in the fridge to be heated up, jelly doughnuts, moon cakes, pies, and an assortment of other delicious things. If your character would expect to find a certain thing within the stash, they do, regardless of how niche it may be. Christmas chili? Of course there’s christmas chili!

Oh, and that mulled wine isn’t the only alcohol around either- champagne, sake, hard cider… again, anything anyone might expect to find. Just try not to overdo it too much, alright? Everyone still has to sleep in the same room, and the Assistants aren’t going to show up to hold your hair back.

Crafts and More

What good are holidays without crafts? The Maker’s Space has been specially supplied with anything you might need to make your festive crafts- this includes everything you’d need for a gingerbread construction! (You’d think this would be in the kitchen, but don’t kid yourself- those things are not for eating.) There’s strips of colorful paper rings and instructions on how to make your own, little things of clay and paint and directions on how to craft your own dreidel, ’stained glass’ paper lanterns, and more. Oh, and glitter. Obviously there is a lot of glitter available.

There are also snow globe kits, mostly generic winter themes- trees, presents, and the like. Strangely enough, however, when they’re complete and shaken, they’ll show a memory from the person who shook it- a memory of a holiday, or snow, or generally something that invokes the feeling of the season- light, and hope, and togetherness. It’s fragmented, almost stop-motion in between the falling bits of ‘snow,’ but once it has settled the normal, basic scene inside returns.
extrasaltypotato: (Default)

[personal profile] extrasaltypotato 2025-12-23 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)

Hikaru’s sigh of relief is palpable.

“Forgive me. I mistook your composure for ease and pray your pardon. And I wish I could be of more help, truly. All I know personally is my part in that Story, and in the one of me and Sio still being written. I will endeavor to help you make it a… more prescient warning.”

“And it is the Unfinished Library for a reason: the stories in the stacks are incomplete… until we Edit them. It is good to have you.”

juniorarchivist: (pic#18218590)

[personal profile] juniorarchivist 2025-12-23 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
The way this too is easily waved off may suggest exactly how often this kind of thing happens or is at least heard about. Arcane magic was reasonably stable but sometimes had side effects. As did anything that involved the bronzeflight. Or mortals. Or all of the above. "No need for forgiveness, I imagine for most all of this is very strange and new, and your warning would be very important indeed."

But he's still making notes. Things to be investigated further before the story can be called complete, a space for further potential warnings for readers.. "I suppose all that can be done is asking around! Someone surely has more information on what happened to the Tyrant, and of course, what the aliens were up to and if they succeeded. Or if anyone got hurt, what with showing up armed and all to rescue captives.." There's so much more that needs to be noted! "... Though I did notice every book is incomplete. Every single one. Are we allowed to finish the ones we know personally?"
extrasaltypotato: (well I am a genius)

[personal profile] extrasaltypotato 2025-12-23 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Something about how he’s speaking of Charles father clicks and he laughs.

“Ah, that will teach me to use metaphor where simile is clearer. I spoke of that tyrannical father metaphorically. He treated his wife and son as a cruel warlord treats his serfs and soldiers. It was a peaceful town, the conflict thankfully interpersonal and under the surface, which is what I meant when I said we got off lightly.”

He’ll get to the other points once that’s clarified.
Edited 2025-12-23 21:51 (UTC)