\chapter{Character Descriptions} \label{app:characters}
\section{The Avatar}
The main character was created by The Wizard; a jar of magical ink was spilled all over The Wizard’s study by his mischievous cat, and so he imbues the last drop of ink in the jar with a bit of magic, turning it into the avatar, and assigning it the task of cleaning up the rest of the rogue ink.

The character is made of magical ink, and will possess abilities one would associate with such a substance. It will be able to deform itself to fit the situation, and when in the environment of the magical books, it will be able to take on the color it is in contact with and use it to its advantage. Being magical, when infused with a color, it will take on certain powers that it must use to solve puzzles or defeat enemies.
	
The character will be a gooey, shiny black, and will not take on a solid form. It will be very amorphous, but humanoid, such that it could easily be thought of as either male or female, or neither. The character will be of a very small scale, perhaps one or two inches. It will be lanky and lithe, for an example, see attached concept art. 
	
The avatar will be incapable of direct speech, but will be able to produce small noises and use body language to convey or evoke emotion. It will interact with many other small inhabitants of The Wizard’s study, who will be overbearing and impose their opinions on the avatar, putting words into his mouth.
	
The avatar will be reserved and curious, but not shy. Almost a newborn, the avatar will express strong curiosity and joy at anything newly encountered, inspiring a sense of charm in the player. The avatar’s small stature will allow the player to see a world they might take for granted through different eyes, giving them a new appreciation.

\section{The Wizard}
The Wizard, is a long-time researcher of the arcane arts.  He spends his life in his study, diligently attempting to synthesize gold --- a problem he is obsessed with despite his wealth and ability in other magical domains.

Given his age, however, he spends a great deal of time sleeping on his couch, over which he has hung an eclectic collection of hats --- a stereotypical wizard's hat not among them.
This collection has been acquired over the span of many years and sees frequent use, as The Wizard likes to switch hats for a bit of novelty as he moves about his office 

\section{The Societies} \label{app:societies}
\subsection{Bookworms}
Appearance: Most portrayals of bookworms in popular culture depict them as green, bespectacled things which read books. This is not the case. The appearance of the bookworms is almost surreal and intended to set the player on edge. The worms never see daylight, and are thus pale-cream maggots. Their eyes are hyper-dilated, leaving only shiny black voids. For serrating books their mouths contain a leech-like row of teeth, though these are rarely visible.

The bookworms revoke current notions of what it means to be a bookworm. These worms survive by consuming paper, and have no regard for the literature which they destroy. Because none of the bookworms are educated or have any sort of individuality they rely heavily on “groupthink” --- not a hive-mind, but rather a form of mob psychology. A single worm without a peer is a terribly confused soul, without opinion or direction. Each worm individually operates on what they believe each other worm desires the course of action or current belief to be. Thus a conversation with a group of worms sounds something like as follows:
\begin{quote}
	“What are the mice?”
	
	“8276 met the mice once.”
	
	“Do we like the mice?”
	
	“Maybe 624 does not like the mice.”
	
	“624 does not like the mice?”
	
	“Down with the mice!”
	
	(Unison) “Down with the mice!”
\end{quote}

Fortunately, due to their limited range of experience bookworms are nearly incapable of forming opinions on anything, though the opinions they do form are intense and magnified through the lens of thousands of worms. This makes the worms dangerous, not as individuals but as a whole. It should be shown that this allows the worms to craft things of immense scale: the sheer size and detail of their tunnels could never be accomplished by one, or even a hundred worms. On the other hand, this allows the worms to proceed with a course of action that is detrimental to group as a whole simply because one individual makes enough noise, or holds strong beliefs. The player should be allowed to wander the tunnels and marvel at what the worms have accomplished, but eventually come to the realization that the group is capable of the terrifying as well as the amazing. The avatar may watch a conversation similar to the one above result in the death of a local mouse clan, as though individually much stronger than the worms a few mice are no match against thousands. This is meant to play into their appearance, which is similar to another mindless horde: zombies.

Individual worms spend the vast majority of their time munching away at the books, stopping occasionally to stare blankly at nothing in particular. When a small number of worms gather in one place through happenstance and begin to wander they will eventually be joined by others assuming they are supposed to be there, even if it is obvious nothing is happening. This is similar to the Ant Death Spiral. One such phenomenon has resulted in a massive central chamber, about which thousands of worms march every day constantly and without purpose. Courtship in worm society is nonexistent, as the worms procreate through normal worm means (worms are devoid of gender, and mate simply whenever they pass another).  

\subsection{Mice}

Appearance: The mice are rather anthropomorphic; expressive, detailed, serious, and unintentionally adorable. The art in the comic Mouse Guard is a wonderful example, though something slightly less stylized in the anatomy of the mice is desired for immersion. The mice of the study collect scraps of ribbon and cloth to tie about their tails as a representation of rank.\footnote{\url{http://www.mouseguard.net/bwsale/ba1pg11.jpg}} \footnote{\url{http://www.mouseguard.net/winter1152/5page2.jpg}}

The mice are foils of the cockroaches and socially similar to the worms. The mice are the epitome of right wing authoritarianism in a theocratic society. Unlike the bookworms their defined social hierarchy gives them purpose and direction, but like the bookworms they can easily be led astray by their leaders and conjure intense animosity towards things they do not understand or see as different. Also like the bookworms they are capable of great works since their fervor combined with the oversight of authority allows them to undertake tasks much larger than themselves, though sometimes there are nonsensical issues similar to those in the game of Paranoia where a mouse does not have ‘clearance’ to complete his given task, and other bureaucratic issues. The mice look down upon the roaches, seeing them as disorganized and strictly inferior life due to their lack of social hierarchy. Occasionally mouse “missionaries” bring some of their food stores to the roaches in an effort to show them a “better way of life”. The food is readily accepted, though the dogma is not.

The mice believe the wizard is the source of good as he is the origin of food, but is a wrathful being who will unleash the cat upon them if he is displeased. In an effort to avoid the perceived displeasure of their deity the mice have developed complex rituals and countless traditions, most of which have no function as the cat is not under the control of the wizard. Any mouse who falls victim to the cat is believed to have displeased the wizard somehow and is thought deserving of their fate, regardless of their actions. Any who go against tradition are seen as traitorous and reviled, even harshly punished for putting the community in danger of the wizard’s wrath.

An individual mouse is a much more compassionate creature, capable of forming his or her own decisions based on reason, though cleaving to authority above all else. However, if there is another mouse around he or she will always defer to authority or tradition. Mice of lower status seldom bother to generate ideas, preferring to simply follow the guidance of their superiors.

\subsection{Cockroaches}

Appearance: The appearance of the roaches should be realistic enough to delight boys but stylized enough to not disturb girls or those not fond of insects. The roach from Wall-E\footnote{
\url{http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_46U3Sk-0jPM/TFBcX9DvTYI/AAAAAAAACY4/WvqSZfi4HWk/s1600/WalleRoachPose1NoLIne.jpg}} is a perfect example of this balance, though the same techniques used for that character may not necessarily apply.\footnote{\url{http://img.slate.com/media/1/123125/123073/2180604/2194602/080708_EX_cockroachTN.jpg}}

The cockroaches are foils of the mice and similar to the spiders, though they do not see it. The cockroaches see the wizard as a purely benevolent deity, as he is the source of food and they rarely fall victim to the cat as the mice do. Because they see the world as an inherently good place they seek to reflect that positivity, and demonstrate compassion to their fellow roach and even the mice (though they see them as misguided and uptight.) The roaches do not have a defined social structure, and all have an easy-come easy-go attitude. Because they lack direction and individually seldom take initiative they do not create on a large scale, nor do they plan. During times when the wizard does not eat in the study this lack of foresight and organization has caused many roaches to starve. The roaches individually and as a whole value the community, which they see as extending beyond themselves into every creature that lives in the library. They do not begrudge the spiders (much) as they are aware that the spiders must consume them to live, and the spiders have as much a right to life as they do.

The roaches as individuals are capable of great acts of compassion and self sacrifice, they are big dreamers but lack the ability to bring those dreams to fruition. While a roach may have the idea to build a food cellar for famine, he or she tends to dismiss it as he or she personally lacks the knowledge and ability.

\subsection{Spiders}

Appearance: Miss Spider from James and the Giant Peach is in spirit what the typical spider embodies, a certain grace and poise which comes with independence. A deadly beauty which fascinates. Her appearance is more surreal than is desired, and the spiders do not have French cultural affectations.\footnote{\url{http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kw7w9eVl3C1qazerso1_500.jpg}}

The spiders are the pinnacle of individualism. Completely self-reliant, bold, even arrogant each individual is aware that the webs they create are beautiful. They lack any sense of community, in contrast to the cockroaches, and thus never seek to help each other, though a spider that struggles is a rarity. A spider with a vision will pursue it until death, and many grand half-finished cobwebs attest to this. Everything is beneath them, they do not recognize the humanity within the cockroaches they feed upon. The spiders do not even acknowledge that the wizard exists, as “We live on the ceiling, there is nothing above [us].”  Were the cockroaches to mount an offensive against the spiders and demand to be recognized the spiders would quickly fall as they have no organization.

\subsection{Dust Bunnies}

Appearance: The dust bunnies are literal bunnies made out of dust, which is prevalent in the library. They are rather round in shape, with rather long ‘fur’.
\footnote{\url{http://www.storyrhyme.com/stories/originals/dust_bunnies/files/page10_sidebar_2.jpg}}
\footnote{\url{http://media.photobucket.com/image/bunny+dust+/lol_girl7/lol\%2520animals/dust-bunny2.jpg}}
\footnote{\url{http://www.knitting-warehouse.com/free_knitting_patterns/Lion/FunFur/DustBunny.jpg}}

Dust bunnies are less of a society and more a fact of life in the study. Whenever the wizard’s robes sweep the ground a cloud is generated, spawning new dust bunnies and sending existing ones spiraling like tumbleweeds. Lacking any natural predators the bunnies have found their way into every level of the study, hopping about and slowly munching on the dust as a hare grazes on grass. The other societies have become so desensitized to their presence that they do not acknowledge them, and execute tasks without bothering to shoo the creatures away. This does not lead to bunny casualties, as they are cartoon-like in their resilience. While the bunnies have no organized society there is a “King bunny” that can be discovered. The king bunny is the oldest of the bunnies, and originated as a hairball from the cat (this should be readily apparent). He is exceptionally rotund, and very drowsy. No bunny speaks, they simply look with their large expressive eyes and twitch their little bunny noses.  

\section{The Cat}
As described in the executive summary, the cat's primary gameplay purpose is to guard access to areas that the player should not be able to access, primarily the floor of the Library. She is an antagonist; both to the player, and the Library's inhabitants. They live in fear of her, and for good reason. Her primary job is to keep the study clear of mice for the Wizard, whom she respects deeply. She keeps her captured mice captive near her mysterious cat den. This reign of terror has infused the inhabitants with a deap fear of her, thus they keep well away from the floor. This is the main reason that there has been little intermingling of the societies.

As for her visual appearance, she is a pure white cat. Her face conveys intelligence and slyness. She is a force to be reckoned with, and the player can see it. She is not often fully visible, prefering instead to hide in the shadows and around corners. If the player looks carefully, they might see her bright green eyes before it is too late. She wears a distinctively colorful, magical collar gifted to her by the Wizard. 

The cat fits well with Campbell's archetype of the the ``Threshold Guardian''. She guards the floor of the libary, which grant's access to the more dangerous and powerful books, until the player can successfully tame her. Once the player has become powerful enough to accomplish this formidable task (late in the game) the cat almost becomes a different character. The cruelty and malice she exudes towards the inhabitants of the Library, especially the mice, is quite an unfortunate misunderstanding. 

She feels no remorse for them because she thinks they have no feelings, she hunts mice as we humans might hunt mosquitos. They are pests that need to be squashed. However, once the player's avatar explains to her that this is not the case, she completely turns herself around. She releases the captive mice and becomes a friend to the inhabitants of the library. This turning point is a major point the story of the game and provides a huge catharsis for the player.
