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unfinishedlibrary2025-11-14 08:20 am
libraryassistants) wrote in unfinishedlibrary2025-11-14 08:20 am
It's a beautiful day in the village - TAKE A LOAD OFF, LOG 1
Who: Readers and Actors
What: Beta Story Start - At the start of any particular Story, characters will be drawn to a section of the Stacks. Those inclined to resist will find themselves there anyway, through the shifts and changes inherent to the Library's structure. The Story manuscript will be laid out neatly on a side table, its pages lit by a faint aura that draws focus and beckons insistently to the Editors. Touching it will bring them into the Story.
Characters can either voluntarily touch the Story to enter it, or the Librarian will eventually sweep them in. Regardless of how long it takes them to enter, everyone will arrive at the same point in time.
When: November 14- November 27
Where: Woodhurst (UK) and the SS Radiance (in space!), 2019
Content warnings: Please tag warnings in comment headers!
In Woodhurst
It’s another Monday morning in Woodhurst, and as is often the case for the United Kingdom in the fall, it is raining. It is, all in all, a rather typical Monday morning. People shuffle off to work, dropping by the various cafes and shops for their morning caffeine. Polite (if meaningless) greetings are exchanged, vague comments about the weather are made. Heads down, trudging along, just keeping things going.
By midday, it’s clear that this Monday is a little bit… different. There are some people who seem especially cheerful and helpful. Perhaps you’ve just been served a free upsize of your morning coffee. Or a stranger held an umbrella up for you. People keep talking about the benefits of yoga? And it’s not just a bunch of people seeming to be having an especially good day and paying it forward (that would be strange enough). Some of your friends and loved ones aren’t acting like themselves, aside from being remarkably cheerful. They don’t seem to remember basic things, don’t know their normal rituals, and are generally just very off. You think one of them might have blinked sideways? Whatever it is that’s happened, it doesn’t seem right.
As for those ‘friends and loved ones’… The novices from the Interstellar Group are largely inexperienced with such a thing as covert operations. Fresh off the ship and with no frame of reference, their human disguises may have a few significant flaws.
However many fingers it is they have, they’re keen to help - perhaps a little too much so. Whatever it takes to make these human lives easier, whatever they can do to help them relax - the Group are on it! Hopefully they’ll catch on quietly.
On the IMW Group Supply Ship: Radiance
No plan survives contact with the enemy, is how the saying goes. But within the Interstellar Mindfulness & Wellness Group, the concept is usually applied to patients. Patients are, almost entirely across the board, unpredictable creatures - and while the science behind wellness is robust, there’s simply too much individual variation for a standardised approach. That being said, this particular plan seems to be going… rather more poorly than expected. It starts to break down once the word ‘kidnapping’ is brought up. It’s such an ugly word to use. The Group tries to avoid it. But in some of these cases, the humans need the Group’s own facilities! The idea was to convince the humans to follow them to a very not suspicious space capsule, or to get them to touch this particularly strange teleportation device, and they’d be on their way to recovery. However, most if not all the humans seem to be reacting… quite negatively to that. It’s almost like they don’t understand that this is for their benefit!
The ship is very nice, and perfectly designed to relax and comfort (--for the species the Group are familiar with, at least). Soothing music plays along the spaceship’s halls, which are lit in a soft violet glow. Potted plants are artfully displayed, though none of them are recognisable as any species found on Earth. For those with a sensitive nose, the flowers give off a bright, delicate scent; not unlike that of lavender and lemon myrtle. An entire stretch of glass is dedicated to the view outside, the Earth looking so serene from this distance; stars shining in the space around it.
For those Aliens aboard the mothership, maybe you’re delivering this hour’s yoga session. Maybe you’re leading a group chant or meditation. Are you perhaps talking humans into resting in the healing spa, or - for those so inclined - are you delving deeper, forming a connection, and really getting to know these humans? For the humans… well, at least the spa looks really nice, right?
[Space Spa Features:
Yoga - you’ve been herded into a room where a flexible alien encourages you to breathe deeply; holding it in your stomach and feeling your heart beat before letting it out in a big sigh. The routine is not very different to yoga on Earth, except… well, if you can’t find your proboscis, maybe that particular pose won’t work for you.
Sauna - the heat promotes circulation, but the temperature in here seems to be a little off.
Spa - you know what a spa is. Or, you thought you did. It looks like the aliens aren’t quite on the same page. Where there would normally be cucumbers, there’s a strange pink fruit. Where you’d expect water, there’s… a viscous fluid, gently rotating through a myriad of colours, that seems to soften and soothe your muscles as you soak in it.
And Others - the aliens have no shortage of remedies for what ails you! Since this is their first time experiencing humans, results may vary.]
Optional prompts (player-run):
An alien adrift, unsure what task to complete? Seek guidance from your leader.
In Woodhurst, unnerved and skeptical? Drop in at your local seedy bookshop to chat with some alien enthusiasts.
[Have a plan to drive the Story direction? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the list!
Info post can be found here.]
What: Beta Story Start - At the start of any particular Story, characters will be drawn to a section of the Stacks. Those inclined to resist will find themselves there anyway, through the shifts and changes inherent to the Library's structure. The Story manuscript will be laid out neatly on a side table, its pages lit by a faint aura that draws focus and beckons insistently to the Editors. Touching it will bring them into the Story.
Characters can either voluntarily touch the Story to enter it, or the Librarian will eventually sweep them in. Regardless of how long it takes them to enter, everyone will arrive at the same point in time.
When: November 14- November 27
Where: Woodhurst (UK) and the SS Radiance (in space!), 2019
Content warnings: Please tag warnings in comment headers!
In Woodhurst
It’s another Monday morning in Woodhurst, and as is often the case for the United Kingdom in the fall, it is raining. It is, all in all, a rather typical Monday morning. People shuffle off to work, dropping by the various cafes and shops for their morning caffeine. Polite (if meaningless) greetings are exchanged, vague comments about the weather are made. Heads down, trudging along, just keeping things going.
By midday, it’s clear that this Monday is a little bit… different. There are some people who seem especially cheerful and helpful. Perhaps you’ve just been served a free upsize of your morning coffee. Or a stranger held an umbrella up for you. People keep talking about the benefits of yoga? And it’s not just a bunch of people seeming to be having an especially good day and paying it forward (that would be strange enough). Some of your friends and loved ones aren’t acting like themselves, aside from being remarkably cheerful. They don’t seem to remember basic things, don’t know their normal rituals, and are generally just very off. You think one of them might have blinked sideways? Whatever it is that’s happened, it doesn’t seem right.
As for those ‘friends and loved ones’… The novices from the Interstellar Group are largely inexperienced with such a thing as covert operations. Fresh off the ship and with no frame of reference, their human disguises may have a few significant flaws.
However many fingers it is they have, they’re keen to help - perhaps a little too much so. Whatever it takes to make these human lives easier, whatever they can do to help them relax - the Group are on it! Hopefully they’ll catch on quietly.
On the IMW Group Supply Ship: Radiance
No plan survives contact with the enemy, is how the saying goes. But within the Interstellar Mindfulness & Wellness Group, the concept is usually applied to patients. Patients are, almost entirely across the board, unpredictable creatures - and while the science behind wellness is robust, there’s simply too much individual variation for a standardised approach. That being said, this particular plan seems to be going… rather more poorly than expected. It starts to break down once the word ‘kidnapping’ is brought up. It’s such an ugly word to use. The Group tries to avoid it. But in some of these cases, the humans need the Group’s own facilities! The idea was to convince the humans to follow them to a very not suspicious space capsule, or to get them to touch this particularly strange teleportation device, and they’d be on their way to recovery. However, most if not all the humans seem to be reacting… quite negatively to that. It’s almost like they don’t understand that this is for their benefit!
The ship is very nice, and perfectly designed to relax and comfort (--for the species the Group are familiar with, at least). Soothing music plays along the spaceship’s halls, which are lit in a soft violet glow. Potted plants are artfully displayed, though none of them are recognisable as any species found on Earth. For those with a sensitive nose, the flowers give off a bright, delicate scent; not unlike that of lavender and lemon myrtle. An entire stretch of glass is dedicated to the view outside, the Earth looking so serene from this distance; stars shining in the space around it.
For those Aliens aboard the mothership, maybe you’re delivering this hour’s yoga session. Maybe you’re leading a group chant or meditation. Are you perhaps talking humans into resting in the healing spa, or - for those so inclined - are you delving deeper, forming a connection, and really getting to know these humans? For the humans… well, at least the spa looks really nice, right?
[Space Spa Features:
Yoga - you’ve been herded into a room where a flexible alien encourages you to breathe deeply; holding it in your stomach and feeling your heart beat before letting it out in a big sigh. The routine is not very different to yoga on Earth, except… well, if you can’t find your proboscis, maybe that particular pose won’t work for you.
Sauna - the heat promotes circulation, but the temperature in here seems to be a little off.
Spa - you know what a spa is. Or, you thought you did. It looks like the aliens aren’t quite on the same page. Where there would normally be cucumbers, there’s a strange pink fruit. Where you’d expect water, there’s… a viscous fluid, gently rotating through a myriad of colours, that seems to soften and soothe your muscles as you soak in it.
And Others - the aliens have no shortage of remedies for what ails you! Since this is their first time experiencing humans, results may vary.]
Optional prompts (player-run):
An alien adrift, unsure what task to complete? Seek guidance from your leader.
In Woodhurst, unnerved and skeptical? Drop in at your local seedy bookshop to chat with some alien enthusiasts.
[Have a plan to drive the Story direction? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the list!
Info post can be found here.]
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His own tempo is interrupted by the... sudden participation, blinking his black eyes at Festival as he makes it through the verse, before rapidly realizing he's going to need to stop this. "Um, Festival?" he says, during that breathe that was absolutely going to lead to a lungful of song, "I'm glad you're feeling a connection to what we're doing and are comfortable enough to express yourself, but if you could save the song for later so you're not distracting other people from their focus that would be great. I'd be happy to sit with you some after this if you'd like to explore that urge then."
He hopes Festival won't take him up on it. He's about 90% sure Festival will take him up on it.
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"Do you promise?" he asks, doe-eyed as he sinks into a deeper stretch, not breaking eye contact. "I suppose I might be able to contain myself if you promise to sit with me and let me sing...I'm only trying to engage and cooperate on my healing journey, after all."
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"Yes, I promise." He does not get paid enough for this.
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Is he...actually going to shut up? It looks like maybe! He's still just sort of staring at Kaiisteron, waiting for the next move.
no subject
(If Festival actually manages to shut up, then they can get through the class, and Kai will keep his promise to stick around.)
no subject
”To my rit fal lal li bollem tit! To my rit fal lal li dee!
To my rit fal lal li bollem tit! To my rit fal lal li dee!”
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"Festival," Kaiisteron says quietly, though he manages to cut through the song all the same, "Other people are trying to concentrate. Out of respect for them, can you please wait on the song?"
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"Oh! Oh no, I've done it again, haven't I?" asks Festival, looking wretched. "I'm so terribly sorry. Terribly sorry, everyone. I can wait."
Surely this time he'll actually stay quiet!
no subject
Mentally, he's timing how long it'll take for the next outburst.
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” ’Twas far I had not scouted out
When close alongside the ocean
I saw something move which at first I thought
Was all the world in motion—-!”
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What Festival really wants to know, though, is just how gentle these gentle creatures intend to be with their captive patients when they meet with resistance. And so he drapes himself across his yoga mat and bellows to the ceiling:
"But steering up close alongside
I found ’twas a crocodile!
And from his nose to the tip of his tail
He measured five hundred mile!
To my rit fal lal li bollem tit! To my rit fal lal li dee!
To my rit fal lal li bollem tit! To my rit fal lal li dee!"
no subject
He walks over to Festival, crouching on the ground next to him, voice still level. "Festival, I'm going to ask you one more time to please leave," he says, "otherwise, I am going to pick you up and carry you out." He doesn't know if Festival doesn't believe he can or would, or is trying to get him to to prove a point. What point? He has no idea. Where are the empaths when you need them?
no subject
With a grin, he gazes into Kai's eyes and continues:
"’Twas a crocodile, I plainly could see
He was not of a common race,
For I was obliged to climb a high tree
Before I could see his face;
And when he lifted up his jaw
Though perhaps you may think ’tis a lie,
He reached above the clouds for miles three score,
And almost touched the sky"
That is, he'll sing as much of it as he can get through unless he's forcibly stopped--and he'll go on singing it even if he does find himself being manhandled in the next few moments.
no subject
Kloax are strong at this level of gravity, and Festival is not very large. Which means he's getting fireman hoisted over his shoulder and carried out of the room.
He stops briefly to call someone to replace him in the class, and then takes Festival next door, putting him on the ground.
"Would you like to tell me what this is about?" he asks, and he's glad he at least still sounds reasonable.
no subject
"It's about an unusually large crocodile," he replies, a challenge in his tone. "Which you'd know if you'd been listening."
no subject
"You're testing the boundaries," he says instead, because that's the obvious answer, he thinks, "That's understandable, a lot of people do. Are you worried about what would happen if you pushed? Have you had to learn boundaries in.. an unpleasant fashion before?"
Sure hope Festival's goal with this was to get psycho-analyzed!
no subject
"Have you enforced boundaries in an unpleasant fashion before?" he asks sharply, then wants to kick himself because that's going to make it sound like the answer is yes. Which it isn't, obviously; this isn't about him; it's about what these people might do to the real humans they've abducted.
no subject
Kai thinks about the question, giving it the due consideration it deserves. "Not through force, no," he says, "Early on in my training and career I might have yelled, but obviously that's something I worked on to make sure I wouldn't do." No matter how much he wanted to.
A part of him does admit that watching Festival squirm a little is much more satisfying."That's true of everyone on this ship. We do not allow anyone who would use force. There are some people who have some training about defensive if someone is physical trying to harm themselves or someone else but that's about it."no subject
And that much is true. He's not afraid for himself at all; whatever force they could bring to bear against him doesn't worry Festival for his own safety.
"I'd have every reason to be," he points out. "Were I not myself. You've come from the stars and taken people from their homes. What do you mean by it?"
no subject
He sighs. "We are here to help," he says simply, "It's like... a hospital, but for more than just physical concerns. There is a real lack of that on your planet, and it made many members of the Group concerned for the general safety and well being of people here. Normally we wouldn't intervene until after first contact has been established, but in this case many people considered it dire enough to try and do what we could without that."
no subject
“That sounds entirely ridiculous. Hospitals and healers are for the sick and injured, and I’ve yet to see anyone here with illness nor injuries.”
Once again (and for once), truth spoken as he sees it. If these aliens think Earth is lacking in terms of mental health services, Festival’s home world, where such things are hardly even a known concept, would likely give them all palpitations.
no subject
Especially since he's going to have to deal with a much bigger lack of knowledge than he was expecting. There's a moment where the alien just blinks his pitch black eyes at him, and Festival can probably tell that his confusion and slight alarm is genuine. "We handle some physical ailments," he says slowly, "but we specialize more in mental health. Anxiety, depression, stress..." He's watching Festival's face closely, to see if this is really as foreign to the man as he seems to claim.
cw systemic/internalized ableism/disregard for mental health issues all over this thread btw
"Mental...health," he repeats, like he's never heard the two words strung together before. Then he scoffs again, more genuine this time. "You don't go to a hospital for a bit of anxiety. Is that really what you're so worried about that you've come all this way?"
no subject
Still, he has to do something. It's clear that Festival, despite his claims, probably has some unpacking of his own to do. "You sound like you have some opinions on anxiety," he starts with- it's a good idea to get some preconceptions out on the table, "Why don't you tell me about them?"
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