Unfinished Library Mod & NPC Account (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
libraryassistants) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
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.]
Downtown Woodhurst
Some of the humans had little storage huts next to their houses. One of the humans was also sharing some media, and somehow Siobhan and Laina had ended up invited. SecUnit certainly wasn't going to come and hang around a bunch of strange humans, even for media, but they had a storage hut. It could hide in there, while one of its drones watched the media.
The storage hut was full of human tools and vehicles with very outdated tech, but whatever, it was a place to hide and that's all it cares about.
So it might be a bit weird when Tsang passes by a shed and senses flickering emotions coming from within it. It feels like the kind of emotions that result from someone watching a piece of media that they like, with a current of chronic anxiety running underneath it.
no subject
Who wouldn't want to strip down half naked in an isolated spot in the woods with some strangers? So HEALING. Everyone should come. There will be snacks! Everyone loves snacks!
But...what was that? The emotive spines on its back twitched, which probably looked like a whole body shiver. It didn't make sense: how could someone be entertained and anxious at the same point? Unless it was using entertainment for...coping.
But coping never addressed the real issue!
But you know what did?
THERAPY!
Tsang circled the shed, trying to figure out an approach. "Are...you all right in there?" Uninspired, but a good start.
no subject
(It also hates its hiding spaces being discovered.)
At first, it's just plain baffled. The human can't see it. And humans don't live in storage spaces like this. There's absolutely no reason for the human to suspect anyone was in here.
It's also certainly not going to confirm that anyone is in here. No, it's going to stay silent, and hope the human gets bored and goes away.
Above all of this, a drone flying above the storage unit watches. But there aren't any emotions coming from it.
no subject
The data was clear: Humans did NOT live in garden shed type buildings. Which meant the person there was absolutely hiding, and by what it was giving off, absolutely upset.
That is precisely the last circumstance under which Newly Licensed Revanian Therapist Tsang is going to walk away! It circles around to the front, because, obviously, the poor human is trapped, and with an experimental tug on the door (the wood is swollen from the rain and wedged tightly, resisting opening) it can see why.
"I will get you out of there, friend, do not worry!" Rescue is coming!
no subject
(In fact, if Tsang's paying attention, he might realise that there's another feeling that's increasing: annoyance.)
And of course said experimental tug on the door didn't work; because SecUnit was on the other side, holding it closed. When the human moves to the vehicle door, SecUnit follows and does the same to that door.
But if the human keeps this up, it might need to try and make a break for it. (Maybe when he makes an attempt on one door, it can flee out the other? Looking through its sentry drone, it starts trying to make calculations...)
no subject
After a few rounds of tug of war with the very unmoving doors, it steps back to reconsider. It could try to force the doors, with its larger-than-human Revanian strength, especially with how quiet it has gotten in there. What if the person was unconscious?!?!
"Do you need medical assistance?" It could find some way to contact authorities. And perhaps they would find a way inside. It had seen big 'firetrucks' with ladders on them. Surely they would do something. "Please answer if you're not...dead?" That's a reasonable request, right?
no subject
Right. Whatever the reason, it didn't matter; it had to get the hell out of here. So while the human is at the vehicle door, SecUnit makes a break for the side door. It moves as a quickly and quietly as it can, taking care to not allow the door to make any noise as its open.
And then it plans to book it. But surely the human wouldn't have any way of knowing its making an escape attempt, right? Right?
no subject
The human inside might have moved quietly, but the pile of plastic garden pots that it brushed past sure weren't as they clattered over. The human didn't even bump into them, they just shifted from the movement of air. That and the sudden emotion that felt a lot like 'getting the fuck out of here' got its attention.
Getting out of here, yes. But not that way! That's not where Tsang was!
Still, it had practiced for this! It pulled out a small device that might look like a fancy smartwatch (which totally didn't exist back here shhhhhh) and tapped a button. Time to summon the emergency teleportation scoop. Sure, it would pick up some grass and leaves and probably some of the falling rain, but it could clean that up, on the ship. What mattered was that this poor upset creature got put in touch with Resources.
There's a soft hum starting, and all Tsang has to do is aim and press the button!
no subject
There is, as far as SecUnit knows, absolutely nothing that can stop it from fleeing the fuck away from here.
And yet, somehow, that is not what happens.
Suddenly, its connection to its drones in the human settlement are gone; too far away for it to receive any inputs. The human residence is gone. The rain is gone. The planet is gone.
Instead of running off into the distance, it's running towards a blank ship wall, and only its SecUnit fast reflexes stop it from running head-first into it.
Frantic, it spins around - what the fuck?!
Where the hell is it?
no subject
It was all perfectly fine, because it was all by protocol.
Tsang itself teleported up a moment later, just as the human spun around.
Time to make a proper introduction! It patted its hair--a little damp from the rain, but otherwise intact, and smiled. "Greetings, human! I am here to end your suffering!"
no subject
(There's a mix of emotions happening. Shock. Confusion. And then, growing stronger and stronger with every millisecond, anger.)
"What the fuck did you do," it says, its voice hoarse and accusing. Because its definitely sure that whatever the hell just happened, this human is somehow responsible for it.
no subject
Anger gets dissipated, of course, by logic and calm. And truth.
Tsang could provide those.
"You're aboard the Radiance." It gestured around it at the soft, soothing color palette and welcoming warm lighting. "I brought you here to help you." BIG smile. See, human? Your anger can peter out, there is no need for it here. Just smiles and happy thoughts.
no subject
"Help me," it says, its voice flat and harsh. Go figure: turns out that anger is not dissipating. "I don't need or want any help. Who the fuck are you?"
Not that it was going to wait for an answer to that: it was going to start hacking this ship's systems, and find out for itself. Although first, it absolutely needed camera access.
no subject
"You, uh, you are very angry." Start touchy interactions with statements of the obvious both can agree on. "I assure you, there's no need for anger. That is something I can help you work through, if you like?" The meditation room isn't particularly far. And after the day Tsang has had, quiet introspection with a forest-bathing backdrop? Highly therapeutic.
"I am Tsang, your art therapist. Do you want to learn how to express your feelings through color and shapes?" The answer should be yes because who wouldn't want that?
no subject
That last word gets said like it's something disgusting. Something despicable.
(Once again, the person who does not want that is SecUnit. No feelings and no snacks.)
no subject
"You were trapped and anxious in that shed. I brought you to a safer place." See, no longer anxious. Just..uh...pissed off. Surely that's an improvement. Somehow.
"You sound, if I can say this, emotionally, er, shut down?" There's one way to get those emotions MOVING, stranger. That's art therapy.
Or dance therapy, if the newcomer would prefer.
no subject
"I wasn't trapped!" it says. Now, though? Now it absolutely felt trapped. In fact, that anxiety is going way, way up...
It needs to get camera access. Now.
So it throws every bit of free processing power it has at hacking the ship's systems. At the same time - without it even registering what its doing - it has backed up from Tsang, until its back hits the wall.
no subject
There's an alarming thump as the other backs into the wall. It's almost silly, to Tsang. It had deliberately chosen a human disguise to look as unintimidating as possible, and yet, here was this person, clearly very intimidated.
Quick check: proper personal space? Yes. Showing open palms? Yes. Soft, modulated voice? ALSO yes. What was it doing wrong?! "Sir? Ma'am?" It had forgotten to ask the gender. Oh no. Was that why it was so upset? "Fellow person, please calm yourself. We have a quiet room you can use if you need space and quiet to self-regulate!"
no subject
Finally, it had camera access. It could see, not just with its own eyes, but all over the ship. And it was clear now that it was on a ship, rather than a facility on the planet.
It could see a number of humans throughout the ship. And...
...Those weren't humans. And there was something large in this ship's feed.
Welcome, it says. I am TherapyBot. Please allow me to best assist you by filling out the Intake Survey.
(The human in front of it is still talking, but it isn't listening anymore. It's too busy internally freaking out.)
no subject
Tsang didn't realize the human wasn't listening until it repeated a question, "Would you like some snacks?" Food helped ground one, right? No response. And again, no response. "Do you not like food?"
Whatever the other is doing, at least the TherapyBot is listening in, and logs that it needs to ask about dietary habits and trauma.
no subject
"No, I don't want food," it says (with an accompanying spike of disgust), having finally devoted at least some processing power to paying attention to Tsang. The rest of its processing power is dedicated to trying to convince TherapyBot that no, it's not a patient, it doesn't need to complete any stupid intake forms, and TherapyBot should really give it access to the passenger list so it can figure out how many humans have been kidnapped...
That information is confidential, TherapyBot says. For the safety of your fellow patients, passenger lists are not available.
For fuck's sake.
"How many humans have you kidnapped?" it demands, on the off chance that Tsang will give it the information that TherapyBot is refusing to hand over.
no subject
Don't they?
Being around strangers is not a time to get anxious, it is a time to get excited, because of all these new potential friends! This was simply a perspective shift and a cognitive framing issue. Very easy to fix.
If only it could get the stranger into the art room...
"Kidnapped?" That's such an ugly term. Really Tsang would have to deploy more nonviolent communication strategies. "It's hurtful when you use accusatory language directed at me. I, we, are not hurting anyone. Quite the opposite!"
no subject
And if Tsang thought that was hurtful, well, it didn't fucking care.
(SecUnit shouldn't be arguing with Tsang. It should just knock him out, and deal with this mess. Except TherapyBot was still stifling its attempts to get into the ship's other systems. It didn't know how many kidnapped humans were here. It didn't have an exit strategy for getting them off the ship, and back to the settlement.
It was unprepared and caught off-guard. And until it had an actual plan, it couldn't afford to let the kidnappers know that it wasn't just a normal human. Which meant it couldn't knock Tsang out.
Yet.)
no subject
Are you happy, SecUnit? Causing an existential crisis under a messy manbun?!?
"I can bring you back, if you want." Why someone would choose to be back on wet Terra in a cobwebbed shed rather than the clean and aromatherapied pastel decks of the Radiance, it has no idea. But if it was going to be ACCUSED it could try to make amends.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
If you don't like this Plot Twist lmk!
It's all good, works for me!
meanwhile...
One or both of them must be part of the bodysnatchers.