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unfinishedooc2025-12-20 09:27 am
libraryassistants) wrote in unfinishedooc2025-12-20 09:27 am
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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.
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.
no subject
Hisako surveys what's underneath her and hops down off her current perch, half spreading her bright-feathered wings to slow and control her fall, such that she lands with a clacking crowlike bounce atop a table on the same floor as Rio, far enough away that he probably won't see it as being dived at. She leaves some scratches in the varnish with her steel claws.
There! Closer to the same level without having to be on the ground. If she was standing upright with her neck extended she'd be about four and a half feet tall. She smiles without showing teeth, more awkward and sideways than the easy, slightly malicious grin she wears most often.]
Sorry, tragopan. It's disheartening to be part of a dying race, eh? Thanks for being honest with me.
no subject
If she was going to attack she probably would have done it by now. That's an assurance.]
It is what it is, as they say. We'll survive or we won't.
[Rio shakes it off by degrees, and then literally, like a dog with a wet coat. It's fine! He's been dealing with it all his life!
Maybe it's strange a harpy would offer any kind of condolences. Maybe they've been misjudging the entire species this whole time. Who bothered to ever talk to them?]
I do apologize for bringing the mood down and all. If it's alright though, ma'am, please don't tell anyone what I am. I'd prefer not becoming the trophy of some aspiring adventurers looking to carve a name for themselves out of my bones.
no subject
[She shrugs. It's a very humanlike gesture. Hisako does not share how Stormwings are a dying race themselves. It's no secret, she's just not getting into it right now.]
Sure, sure, I won't tell. But if you want that to be a secret you really need to practice lying and evasion! You spilled your guts when all I was doing was trying to get a reaction.
[Having a rather vulture-y shape, there's a swaying, waddling aspect to how she walks closer, though she keeps her head steady. The silver bones and round ceramic flute around her neck click.]
Try telling me you're a half... what was it? Eff? again. More confidently.
no subject
[And now he has to consider whether or not that reputation might actually be in error, because she seemed to be a perfectly reasonable harpy to him. Maybe they only turned to slaughtering everyone they came across because they were attacked first!]
A half-elf, yes. They tend to be rather taller than humanity, and much longer lived, but the hybrids between elves and humans are often misfits of either society, never quite fitting in either-- [WAIT THIS ISN'T ABOUT HISTORY OR CULTURE.] And I am! Right now!
no subject
[She's considered way too soft towards mortals but no one's really surprised given she wasn't born a Stormwing. Some take to the life so completely they blend with those who hatched from steel eggs, Hisako's not quite one of them.]
Look, tragopan, if someone scary comes up and asks that's time to stick to your story harder. You have a story, right? Who were your parents and which one was human? How old are you? Where'd you grow up?
[Hisako shifts her closed wings and raises her eyebrows in a 'well??']
no subject
I have a story! I do! I wrote it down!
[Which is about where he begins digging around in one of the small pouches at his waist, unsurprisingly those are rather enchanted and the scrolls he pulls out frowns at and shoves back in certainly wouldn't normally fit.]
I'm two hun-- er, twenty three, I grew up in Redridge alongside my completely normal parents, oh I have it all here somewhere..
[Yeah he is in no way at all ready to deal with an actual aggressive dangerous opponent looking to cause harm.]
no subject
[She watches him fumble at a backstory and sighs.]
If I still had hands, I'd be putting one over my forehead. [She can sort of have them, when she wants, but they're basically invisible. Half the point of pinching the bridge of the nose or rubbing the forehead is to be seen doing so.] Have you been doing this long. Am I going to have to start calling you baby bird? Fledgling, if I'm feeling nice?
I'd try and teach you how it's done but I'm no great liar, just better than that. You know if you make your story interesting and reflect what's real a bit it sticks with you better, right?
no subject
[Surely that was an actual question.
Though harpies being immortal is a new one. He thought they didn't make it much past a century on a good day, and most much shorter. Well. Obviously she's a different species of harpy than what he's used to! Maybe they're all like that!]
... Well. [He's been in disguise for a while!] I've had my visage form since I was.. mm, about sixty or so? But it's not ordinary among the mortals I usually deal with to have someone just ask what you are and where you're from, it's considered rude. So I didn't.. there's not a lot of practice opportunity.
[Rio has the feeling he's going to need to work on that, and quickly.] My actual life isn't all that interesting, really. I'm an archivist, we're ... rather anti interesting simply to try to keep trouble away from the records. 'll try to come up with something though.
no subject
Nah nah nah nah. It just has to be interesting to you. If you can chatter a while about knowing some cracknob who had a pet theory that, I don't know, elfs and taur-ons were actually close kin and who'd conveniently leave things out or skew 'em to try and back that up, that's way better.
[Where she's from dragons are the scholars of the Divine Realms, so she's not totally unfamiliar with academic rivalries, even if she'd never made it into academia herself. That's still, after all this time, a dim regret.]