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Unfinished Library Mod & NPC Account ([personal profile] libraryassistants) wrote in [community profile] unfinishedlibrary2026-01-23 06:56 pm

perhaps you have learned it without a book - MOONLIT RIVALS LOG 1

Who: Readers and Actors galore!
What: The Story begins- and so do preparations for the Masquerade!
When: The three days prior to the Masquerade [ooc timeline: 1/23-2/5]
Where: The city of Montica
Content warnings: Please include any warnings in headers!

First Quarter Moon

Now that most of the Editors know what to expect, the draw into the Story is likely more obvious this time. There’s a subtle urge that encourages their feet to turn towards the Stacks; a slight shimmer in the air that thickens the closer they get to the book laying open on an innocuous library cart.

Those who resist the Story’s pull will be drawn in eventually. Whether the compulsion is successful, or whether the Librarian passes by to sweep them in - all Editors will enter, and all will experience the Story’s start together.

(Editors who have gained the skill Ex Media Res will be able to resist the Story’s pull and hang out in the Library. Drop us a note if they’re using this skill!)

Our Beginning

The Story begins as night makes its transition to morning. Montica is a city that never sleeps, and some Editors may find themselves taken aback at how the absence of sunlight has done nothing to deter the nightlife.

In particular, at the hour our Readers arrive, there is a clean-up going on at the centre of town. People are grumbling as they sweep debris from the streets, and those who are familiar with supernaturally-powered fights will recognise this scene for exactly what it is: the aftermath of some powerful entities having had at it. Hang around too long and you may find yourself with a broom or hammer thrust into your hands, the expectation that you’ll help having been made clear.

Those who leave the clean-up will find themselves welcome in the city’s inn, where visitors hover by the windows, chattering excitedly about the fight that had just broken up. Some people think they’re lucky to have seen it - others think they’ll be luckier if they go the next few days without seeing another one.

The inn is warm, full of gossip, and by some marvel still has private rooms available to rent. Readers will find themselves with enough coin in their pocket to afford quite a bit, this time around - but don’t go spending it all at once. Those who are astute will hear the talk of a masquerade going around, and if you want to attend, you’re going to have to dress appropriately.

Welcome to Montica

Montica itself is a city built from stone, with the buildings packed closely together along cobblestone streets. Flowering vines creep along trellises, their gentle fragrance perfuming the air. The sky is clear and smog-free, the water flows cleanly, and a sense of magic drifts comfortably in the breeze.

The city is almost evenly bisected by loyalties, a hard divide running clearly through the centre of the town. Only a small ring in the centre is considered to be neutral territory - though that’s becoming more and more disputed with each passing moon.

To the north, buildings seem to have a fondness for silver. It seems they’ll take any excuse to work the precious metal into everyday items, from cutlery to window fastenings; and some particularly zealous citizens proudly don silver jewellery and pins in their day-to-day wear. In this section of town you will find the dwellings of the old vampire clans, littered with antiquities and casual opulence.

To the south, the people are fond of spices. Garlic flowers pepper garden beds and the dried bulbs hang from doorframes, and there’s hardly a meal cooked without it. Some industrious workers are busy building small moats of flowing water through this half of the city – you’d better mind your step, lest you get in their way. Located amongst these homes are the dens of the werewolf packs, warmly furnished and brimming with life.

No matter where you are in town, whether you’re surrounded by silver or dodging moat diggers, whether it’s day or night or nebulous twilight, there’s one topic that’s on everyone’s lips: the Umbra Masquerade.

It’s a once in a human lifetime event, and the city is abuzz. Some of the elderly may have been once before, in their youth - but likely at an age where they were too young to remember. There are stories about these masquerades, of the favours that can be won and the deals that can be made. More than one wealthy family attributes their successes to parties of the past, and while the werewolves shouldn’t be there – who’s going to stop them?.

The Market

At the centre of the city are Montica’s most dreary buildings. Markets are held here during the day, bright banners and exuberant stallholders calling out their wares. People of all kinds shop here, and it’s the best place to find quality goods. Some patrons give each-other hearty side-eyes, some sneer and mutter insults under their breath - but by and large, this a neutral zone, and the regular citizens treat it as such.

Behind the fuss of the market, astute observers will note the broken and boarded-up windows hidden by the bold stalls. Some buildings are outright abandoned, damaged beyond repair. It becomes even more obvious as night falls and the number of stalls thins, the night vendors setting up with wary looks in their eyes.

Right now the market is bustling with vendors sending goods up to the Umbra Clan's mansion. There is a constant stream of traders passing back and forth, hurrying to get their contributions in place before the ball. Regular goods are still for sale, but the busiest stalls are those selling - of all things - masks with varying levels of decoration. They’ve cleverly set up outside of stores selling clothing; beautiful dresses and tailored suits visible through the cracked and dusty windows. Editors will find they have enough local currency to afford something modest. If their tastes skew toward the more extravagant then, well – they better get to work.

The Umbra Mansion

The sprawling building stands tall, overlooking the city of Montica. Vines budding with fragrant flowers grow up the sides of the building, curling around windowsills and balconies in a curated fashion. A large hedge maze sits at the rear of the mansion, behind the grand ballroom; and the gardeners are in top form today, brandishing tools at anyone who looks like they're about to enter it. It's one of many things being tidied up and decorated for the ball, so you'd better not get in their way.

The mansion's front doors open to a foyer that is connected to an upstairs level by two grand staircases. A gilded chandelier hangs down between them, casting rainbows across the wooden floors as the sunlight strikes its crystal ornaments.

Those wide, curved staircases lead to a mezzanine that overlooks the ballroom below. Doors to private rooms branch off from here; all of them locked.

During the daylight hours, the mansion sports large windows covered by thick curtains that are drawn firmly shut. Those who try to peer through them will find an additional layer of security in the form of tightly-fastened metal blinds that block any slivers of sunlight from eking through.

On all three days the mansion is crawling with people setting up for the masquerade. Over there, someone’s hanging strings of lights. Over here, a florist is carefully arranging flowers. The kitchen is busy, human cooks overseeing the production of hundreds of canapes – and on the third day, over in the ballroom, are a band of musicians getting prepared for the night.

Security is lax everywhere except the underground floors, where the clan sleeps. The doors that lead to the underground complex are barred from the inside, and human guards keep watch outside of them to redirect any wanderers.

[The info/plotting post can be found here!]
ugh_emotions: (Neutral 09)

[personal profile] ugh_emotions 2026-01-29 06:44 am (UTC)(link)
It's only when KD6-3.7 suddenly turns into a fauna that SecUnit realises its mistake: That's not KD6-3.7. That's...'Actor' KD6-3.7. Someone who doesn't remember SecUnit, and (terrifyingly), isn't even a construct anymore.

...Shit.

But both SecUnit's arrival on the scene and not-KD6-3.7's transformation have altered the calculations. Threat Assessment starts dropping rapidly, as the Hostiles realise they're all in deep shit. Surprisingly, they're smart enough to run. (Hostile Five is still held against the wall, SecUnit's hand on their face. It lets go, so they can run too.)

Unfortunately, that means that the security issue is over, and SecUnit is going to have to do something infinitely worse: interact with not-KD6-3.7. Who was now a fauna.

Thanks to Illumination's sigil, SecUnit smells like a normal human. But not-KD6-3.7 might be able to pick up the smell of anxiety from it. Which was there as an ever-present baseline during the fight, but it's only now that it starts making itself known. (Go figure: turns out Kade's rescuer is way more stressed out by social situations than dangerous ones.)

There's an awkward pause, as SecUnit just kind of...stands there. It doesn't know what to do with its hands.
obeir: (075)

[personal profile] obeir 2026-01-29 08:53 am (UTC)(link)
When no further violence manifests, the wolf gradually sinks to the ground in obvious pain. It's only worsened by shifting back to human form, but he assumes the stranger won't be able to interpret what he's saying otherwise. Because the stranger smells perfectly human.

"Thank you for the help," he says in a hoarse voice as he sits up. There's a small silver dagger stuck in his leg that he finally dislodges and tosses aside with a grimace. Which causes even more blood to flow from the wound, but it's fine. He just needs to wait for his natural regeneration to start closing his wounds. Any minute now.

It's impossible to ignore how pungent the sour smell of anxiety is becoming. His eyes are still reflecting the light when he peers back over at the stranger, trying to decipher the cause of the anxiety. Is it him? As silver-burned and in pain as he is, he doesn't pose much of a threat at the moment.

"I've not seen fighting like that before." Certainly not from a human.
ugh_emotions: (Neutral 03)

[personal profile] ugh_emotions 2026-01-29 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
"Don't just yank bladed weapons out like that, you'll lose fluids. You need pressure on the wound," it says, completely ignoring the comment about its fighting ability. Yeah, it's not going to explain that.

The anxiety settles a little, now (though it doesn't completely disappear). Dealing with injured humans is something it does regularly. This is just another part of doing Security.

"You need medical treatment," it says.
Edited 2026-01-29 23:24 (UTC)
obeir: (112)

[personal profile] obeir 2026-01-30 08:58 am (UTC)(link)
Yes. Pressure on the wound is probably a good idea, Kade decides. Between the effects of the silver and blood loss, his reactions are a bit sluggish, but he does finally press a hand against his bleeding leg. Shame there's nothing to be done about his clothing; his shirt sleeves are in bloody tatters, and his waistcoat and trousers are likewise ruined.

'Fluids', though. What odd diction.

"From who?" He sounds faintly amused. It's a rhetorical question. The only people he knows who'd be both willing and capable of helping him are too far away, and surely busy with more important matters.

Lifting his chin slightly, he subtly scents the air, trying to gather more information about his unexpected saviour.

"What is your affiliation?" A pack, a clan? One of those human coalitions? The stranger's scent profile is curiously devoid of anything other than 'nothing interesting going on here, I'm a generic human'.
ugh_emotions: (Annoyed 05)

[personal profile] ugh_emotions 2026-01-30 10:15 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, good. Not-KD​6-3.7 it at least capable of some level of preservation. At least now SecUnit isn't going to have to try and stop the bleeding for him. (Though it does, however, watch him very closely through a drone; if there's any hint that not-KD​6-3.7 isn't putting pressure on that wound correctly, it'll intervene.)

"From a medical professional, for fuck's sake," it says, rolling its eyes. Ugh. Not-KD​6-3.7 was, so far, proving far more irritating to deal with than normal KD​6-3.7. He's the one who actually lived here, shouldn't he already know where to get medical assistance?

And what the fuck was an 'affiliation' supposed to be? Was that like, a corporate entity? A polity? Whatever it was, SecUnit certainly didn't want to be a part of it.

"Don't have one," it says.
obeir: (291)

[personal profile] obeir 2026-01-30 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
"Human physicians would bar me from entering," he points out, all traces of amusement gone. At least the ones who have learned how to spot werewolves and vampires — and his silver-burned wounds are rather telling. "And my own kind..." He shakes his head. It's complicated; most other wolves view him as a traitor to his own kind. Apparently the Story decided to continue that theme from his real life.

Fortunately the gashes on his face and arms are slowly beginning to knit together. The leg wound is deeper, it'll take longer. No thanks to all the damned silver.

Having no affiliation is interesting for a human who doesn't seem at all surprised by the presence of werewolves and vampires, but certainly isn't a bad thing, judging by the way some of the tension leaves Kade's posture.
 
"So you just... patrol the streets, saving strangers?"
ugh_emotions: (Dubious 02)

[personal profile] ugh_emotions 2026-01-31 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
(Human medical professionals won't treat other humans that turn into fauna? SecUnit isn't sure what to make of that. It makes sense, from a 'not wanting to be eaten' perspective. And it is all for humans not being eaten. But it also seems...unsettling, for some reason.)

Maybe SecUnit doesn't have to worry so much about getting Not-KD​6-3.7 to medical help, however. Because it can see those wounds stitching themselves up. Huh. So werewolves are self-healing? Kind of like constructs?

"No," it says. It's sort of true. It wasn't patrolling like it was on a contract. It was just scouting. "I just happened to see you."

It leaves out the bit about mistaking Not-KD​6-3.7 for Actual-KD​6-3.7.
obeir: (195)

[personal profile] obeir 2026-02-01 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
It isn't often that Kade experiences that sort of luck, much less a perfect stranger coming to his aid (and a human, at that), and he's grateful. The vampires would've lost interest eventually, though probably not before injuring him in a more permanent way.

"Very fortunate timing, then."

With some difficulty he pulls himself back to his feet, still favouring his injured leg. It feels too risky staying there for much longer.

"They may decide to come back better armed. Or with reinforcements." Because they're just that petty. "I'm Kade, by the way."
ugh_emotions: (Dubious 02)

[personal profile] ugh_emotions 2026-02-01 11:15 pm (UTC)(link)
(Right. Not-KD6-3.7 is Kate. It makes a quick update to its internal profiles, although if people keep becoming other people all the time, its records are going to get pretty messy. Ugh, it's going to need to work out a new system for this...)

"...Rin," it says, using the same alias it has it the Library. "Do you have a secure location available? I'll escort you."

Not that it cared. It wasn't really that concerned about keeping Not-KD6-3.7 aka Kade safe. But, well, SecUnit was here already. And it wasn't doing much else right now. It could make sure this weird version of Not-KD6-3.7 doesn't die, or whatever.
Edited 2026-02-01 23:16 (UTC)