peckenpaugh | ELFLOCK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK SALE

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ELFLOCK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK SALE

elflock public library book sale

what's up? Elflock Falls’s Public Library gets a lot of book donations every year. Residents move, estates give away remaining possessions and some people just buy books and donate them, so the library is never short on tomes. Other things, though? Yes. Frequently. To close the gap a little, every year Elflock Falls Public Library opens up the basement and has itself a sale to clear space and raise money for the library’s many other features ⁠— adult and child literacy programs, night classes, occupational assistance, translation services, the list goes on. Here, you can get some truly interesting texts for rock bottom prices. Even if you’re not the reading type, you never know what weird junk you’ll find sorting through boxes and boxes of books. Not to mention it’s kind of cool snooping through an almost two-hundred-year-old library basement.

It's cloudy and cool but otherwise lovely today. Late fall hangs heavily in the air, the crisp smell of autumn leaves carried on chilly breezes. In all but the most heavily shaded spots, the snow's gone. There's a food stand in the plaza outside serving up a variety of home-cooked fare including the controversial-even-in-West-Virginia West Virginia style hot dog. No food in the 'brary, please!

visuals!

volunteer slots! Tybalt and Uriah know what they're about. They head straight up into the encyclopedia section and find a nice secluded spot to make out. Unfortunately, the library itself has other plans and the shelves keep moving to expose them to passersby.

Trudy gets lost in the labyrinthine second floor well into the evening and needs to be rescued by Head Librarian Santos.

You're supposed to be quiet! This is a library! [CHARACTER D] gets shushed, but it's not them making all that noise. A high pitched cry of "TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSST!!!" echoes through the library as a magically propelled shoe rockets right by [CHARACTER D]'s feet and disappears between the stacks. How did THAT get in here?

how this works! 📚Fill out this form and post it to the BOOK BUYING header below:

📚 What are the sections?

REFERENCE: Academic textbooks, encyclopedias, cook books, language books
FICTION: does what it says on the tin. Prose. Short stories and novels. This is a VERY broad section so if you’re looking for something specific in ANY way you should make note in the “SOMETHING SPECIFIC” part of the form.
NON-FICTION: essays, biographies, histories.
CHILDREN’S: children’s books.
ODDITIES: particularly strange books, magical books, etc.

📚 We will give you between one and four books. Please reply stating if you decided to buy any.

📚 The database of books being RNGed is predominantly fun flavor — real titles have been mixed in with fake books. There are a small handful of pre-written items that could be useful in ongoing plots, but getting a plot relevant or metaplot item is not the goal and is not guaranteed.

📚 Feel free to be as specific as you want with what you're looking for. We may give you exactly what you need. ;)

📚 Other things being sold at the library sale include: vinyl records, a bit of visual media (VHS tapes, DVDs), old book carts and extra shelves

locations! 📚 BOOK BUYING: If you're browsing books, post your form here!

📚 IN THE LIBRARY: Elflock Falls’s public library is two very magical floors of books, books and more books. The interior is an eclectic hodgepodge of old and new, with some parts dating back nearly two-hundred years! While the entrance and circulation area are relatively modern, farther into the heart of the first floor, where the main librarian’s desk is, the floor is heavily worn stone. There are a few computers set up with internet access, a bright and colorful children's section, and twisting rows of books on both floors. The second floor is a bit more maze-like than the more open and welcoming first, which is illuminated by a sky light in the atrium. Being a magical library, everything here has a bit of personality: books might bite, shelves shift, the card catalog is desperate to be helpful, and the staircases sometimes shift while you're on them. It's warm in here. Everything smells of books and paper and dust.

📚 THE LIBRARY BASEMENT: Have you ever wanted to go shopping in a dungeon? If so, you're in luck. The library basement is a creepy network of narrow and dimly lit hallways and countless doors leading to a variety of equally eerie rooms: book binding, book processing, the rare books collection, the depository, storage, storage and more storage, and a few meeting rooms. Several storage rooms have been...sort of cleaned up for the book sale. Poke through shelves and poorly sorted boxes to hunt for weird goodies, or just disappear into one of the creepy old side rooms, never to be seen again!

📚 OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY: It's chilly, but pleasant enough in the sun. You can grab some local greasy spoon goodies at the temporary food stand that's been set up outside. There's space to sit both on the plaza and in the grass, and—Lord, there's some guy here spray painted silver pretending to be a living statue. Does he...realize this is less cool for wizards? He should've put on an Elmo costume or something.

📚 OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

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The basement is dark and creepy, but in like... a hauntingly sexy way. Like a dark forest, but less sensual.

It's exactly the kind of vibe he's looking for to ride out his teen angst and make a performance out of it. Because it's simply not enough to just be sad if everyone around him doesn't know he's sad. He spends some time down here listlessly wandering the rows of bookshelves and standing silently in dark side rooms. Y'know, sexy things sad ghosts do.

A dark labyrinthine basement doesn't earn any particular reaction from Merlin. He doesn't find it creepy. He certainly doesn't find it sensual. He doesn't even find it particularly claustrophobic given how far the ceilings are over his head. But who cares about the atmosphere? He's just here to look for books, after all.

He spends some time wandering through the stacks, wand dimly lit to make the search a little easier, before continuing to another section of the basement. As he's passing one of the side rooms, he spots a shadowed figure within and stops to peer at them. Moving his wand reveals Armani but doesn't answer clarify much else. Thoughtlessly, he tilts his head and asks, "...What're you doing?" The teen angst performance art seems to be lost on him.

Armani remains in place but slowly turns his head to look at Merlin, serving his best mournful look.

"Don't you think it's sad?" he asks, quiet and wistful. "These rooms feel so lonely."

Edited (god im so sorry) 2019-11-07 02:34 (UTC)

The dumbfounded expression on Merlin's face is already an answer but the boy tries to find the words to respond anyway. He steps inside, dark eyes flicking from one corner of the room to another before he finally looks back at Armani and shrugs. "...They're rooms. I don't think they're big on feelings." Unlike the Thorntrail, who seems pretty emotional. Maybe he should've just kept walking. It's too late for that now, though.

Edited (I adore him. asdfoahdsf ) 2019-11-07 02:40 (UTC)

Armani shakes his head, brushing his fingers against the wall. "Everything has an energy, Merlin." And Armani has been pumping this basement full of Bad Vibes.

If Armani were giving this lesson outside, running his hand along a tree or a stone instead of plaster, Merlin might've been swayed. As it is, though, he just continues to look at the other boy a bit blankly. Even if he's right, energy and emotions aren't the same thing and this all seems a bit dramatic to him.

Still. He's not here to pick a fight. Armani's one of the few people that never picks a fight with him and the least he can do is try to return the favor.

"So. You're...trying to cheer them up or what?" he asks.

"We're commiserating." Armani gives the wall a comforting pat before his tone shifts to something far lighter: "Now, would you like help picking out a book?"

He sort of has a general idea of where things are in this basement, but he mostly just wants an excuse to hang out with Merlin and he doesn't think the boy would want to stick around for a pity party anyway.

For a moment, Merlin is silent, considering both the offer and the implications of Armani's words. Whether or not commiserating with a supposedly-lonely room meant he was lonely too. He doesn't know. But after that brief pause he dips his head in a small nod and smiles, "I don't need help. But you should come along. Not to brag, but I'm usually better company than a wall."

Armani wanted attention and now he's got it. He smiles warmly, corners of his eyes crinkling. Ah, that mercurial nature.

"Usually?" he teases, dragging his fingers in a wavy motion along the wall as he heads toward the door. "So you're saying sometimes the wall is better company?"

Merlin doesn't mind mercurial; he'd much rather deal with a warm and playful Armani than have to think about the other boy's feelings. Without missing a beat, he turns to lead the way back into the hall and toward the shelves, his wand still flickering and providing a soft glow in the dim space.

"Usually," he confirms unapologetically, "Never seen a wall lose its temper or anything, have you?"

Armani clasps his hands behind his back, following along behind him. These rows are too narrow to walk side by side and he wants the opportunity to inspect Merlin up close without him taking notice.

"Well... I've never seen a wall lose its cool yet but the bookshelves upstairs seem a little temperamental and the hedges in the fountain maze can be downright rude." He laughs softly. "So I think, maybe, we all have our flaws. Structures included."

This earns a small laugh out of Merlin too and he glances back at Armani in silent acknowledgment. He might have a point, at least when it comes to magical structures. "You ever made it to the fountain?" he asks, turning a corner and walking by the dark shelves. His pace slows a little as he considers where they ought to start looking. The place is so poorly organized, though, that consideration seems a bit pointless.

"Mmn! A few times, but they hate to make it easy." Though it's worded as a complaint, his affection for the maze is clear in his voice. Like it's a little game they play rather than a nuisance. "Though if you try anything hundreds of times, you're bound to get it eventually, right?"

"Most of the time," Merlin agrees, his tone more proud than affectionate, "Persistence is key." The fact that he's managed to overcome the maze a handful of times, won the game if that's what it is, seems to go without saying.

Leading the way down one of the rows, his pace slows and he glances at the spines of the books surrounding them. The books are packed tightly into the shelves and don't seem to be in any particular order. It's a mess. Persistence might be key here too if they want to find anything worthwhile. Exhaling a small huff, he adds as an afterthought, "...Or maybe just luck. Sometimes."

Armani can't help but grin, amused by the pride in Merlin's voice. He gives the books a cursory glance, at least pretending to be looking for an interesting title.

"Don't you think it's just the maze finally deciding to let us win for once?" There's a teasing tone to his voice, a poke at Merlin's pride.

This catches Merlin's attention and he jerks his gaze back to Armani with another, more defiant huff. "Maybe for the freshmen," he retorts. He has no way to prove or disprove what the other boy has suggested, but it's clear that the idea rubs him the wrong way. He doesn't need a pity win from a hedge maze. "I think it plays fair. What'd be the point otherwise?"

Ohh. Needling him is fun. He sort of sees the appeal now.

"If the maze is the one that sets the rules, designs the game, and is also the game, can it really be fair? You can run as fast as you can and try to outmaneuver it, but it can still play several moves ahead to block you off from the center if it feels like it."

"Sure it can. If it sets the rules and sticks to them," Merlin insists, not sounding angry but certainly sounding adamant as he continues, "Like...chess. The player that gets the first move always has the advantage, but as long as both players are following the rules, coming out on top's still possible. I think it's like that. But the advantage is bigger; like if the other player had an extra Queen or something."

Admittedly, Merlin doesn't know a lot about chess but he's pretty sure the analogy stands. And the alternative would make all of it a waste of time.

He tilts his chin up and smirks at Armani, adding, "Come with me sometime. I bet we can beat it quicker."

Chanel barely has to hunt Armani down at all. She knows she wants to go to the basement, and thus it stood to reason that so would her twin. It's very dark down here. The sort of place where she could get lost in the ambiance for hours. And so, it would seem, could Armani. She's the one to jump scare, this time, and approaches him maybe silently (which is a bit hard for her to gauge today, after her mishap in Symbology,but her footfalls feel gentle.) She taps him gently on one shoulder. It'll probably be a bad surprise when she's not really a ghost. But that can't be helped, just yet.

Armani shrinks into himself and lets out an unghostly squeak when he's touched. Chanel should be pleased.

He sheepishly glances over his shoulder, expecting to find a librarian who's finally come to tell him to cut that shit out but it's just Chanel. His expression shifts instantly as he grins, wide and mischievous. Two ghosts in the library.

While she doesn't really hear the extent of the squeak, she gets it, and she is pleased. She remains silent when he turns around, playing into the game just as she's done so many times. She bends her neck to the side in a slightly unnatural angle, and shoves out Exile on the Styx and the single glove at him.

Armani's movements turn eerily jerky as he snaps out his arm, then his wrist, and finally makes a claw of his hand to take the book from her. Exile on the Styx seems right up his alley, but he's not really sure what the glove is for. Maybe a collector's edition bonus item? He holds it up between his thumb and forefinger and jerks his head toward it, brow quirked, as if to ask What's this?

This is actually incredibly hard with no words, and Chanel hates it. Silence isn't something she's used to. But it's not like she's getting much use out of words anyhow, today. She mimics Armani's jerky motions as she mimes putting the glove on and opening a book, very careful to do it with one hand. She thinks he'll be able to see the words like that, or at least part of it.

It isn't too difficult for Armani to understand what his sister is pantomiming. The Fancy Magic Book is to be open with one gloved hand only. He'll try it out later, but for now he breaks character to mouth a thank you before putting it in his small black Gucci backpack. Once it slides past the opening, it seems to disappear without adding bulk to the bag. Gucci Bag of Holding.

Okay! Now! Ghost time!

His eyes roll back and his entire body convulses before he snaps back into place, rigid as a corpse, expression vacant. Then, suddenly, he throws his head back, and then his torso, bending at the waist until the falls into a back bend and starts to crabwalk slowly down the aisle.

GHOST TIME! GHOST TIME! GHOST TIME!

Edited (proximity to chanel makes him 1000x more comfortable being a freak) 2019-11-10 00:01 (UTC)

She blows a kiss as a you’re welcome, remembering in passing to remind him to tell her about the book, later. But for now. It absolutely is Ghost Time. Chanel hides an awed gasp and all of her applause, but she is not to be outdone. Quietly, she does a trick she’s practiced just an embarrassing number of time, and casts Levicorpus on herself so she’s hovering a few inches above the ground. Like this, she stays in place and lets her eyes go back.
It’s actually quite relaxing.

Edited (I’m sure this is how magic works leave me alone ) 2019-11-14 18:17 (UTC)

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ELFLOCK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK SALE

Armani haunts the library basement (Open++)

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Armani Haunts + Merlin Fails to Appreciate the Atmosphere

Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement

Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement

Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement

Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement

Re: Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement

Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement

Twin Ghosts haunt the library basement