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calloperators

[Eventually, an unseen hand navigates the control panel and presses a complicated pattern of buttons, deactivating the suspended animation pods and activating the portal. For those waking from their deep slumber, they'll find themselves in an unfamiliar place, with only vague memories of having been taken to this place. The portal machinery shudders, and a swirl of particles appears at the center and expands outwards, forming a vortex that seems to swim in your vision. Flickers of your world can be seen through this inter-dimensional window, like facets of a gemstone.

There's a light that seems to rise out of the shattered porcelain pieces and rise upwards, growing brighter and brighter until it hurts to stare at it for more than a few seconds. The light then fades a bit, revealing...revealing something your brain just can't wrap itself around. It has lots of eyes. You feel the warmth of a summer's day shining on your skin. She blinks all her eyes at once, regarding all of those before her.

My apologies. I will assume a form more appealing to you.

The light reforms itself, and a large ice cream cone decorated to look like a clown hovers overhead. The form still has far too many eyes, and shines with the brilliance of a neon sign at midnight. Her attention turns towards Beard, currently battered and bruised. There's the flicker of static, and the wounds and bruises on his body fade away. Beard's eyes widen, and he opens his mouth to speak, but his words never make it out of his throat.

She turns her eyes towards the others.

Your presence here, as outsiders, is causing this world to fall apart. It will take us some time to repair the damage. Before I am to deliver you to your final destination, each wandering soul must make a decision.

Her eyes flicker towards Michalis, Ladd, Pyro...all others who died during this twisted experiment.

I stated before that your bodies can be replaced. However, my abilities are, unfortunately, limited to this world. If you choose to be reborn, you flesh will be healed, but you will become a part of this world and be unable to return to your own. I will return you to the surface, where you may continue to live.

If you choose to leave, I will be able to heal your soul, and you will finally be put to rest. Ultimately, it is a choice each of you must make.

Whenever you are ready, you may come to me and inform me of your decision. There is no rush.]

(OOC: This is the end of the main round of HOTLINE! Main round characters are free to interact with mock trial characters in this log, if they so choose! You're also free to talk to the small clown or Beard. We thank you all for playing and joining us on this wild ride!)

calloperators

[When Mac Tonight drives back to pick both parties up, he notices that two of the living are missing. He doesn't seem surprised.]

Bring me the bodies. We'll take them with us. As for the address....

[Booster Gold and Michalis's bodies are piled onto a sheet in the trunk and wrapped accordingly. When all is said and done, and the address is given to Mac Tonight, he begins driving down the long stretch of road to your next, but not final destination. As the sun begins to set, the cloudy sky becomes tinged an almost bright pink hue.

The radio is playing Phil Collins. Mac is quiet for most of the ride, allowing the silence to settle. The small, porcelain clown is still sitting on the dashboard, and she turns to somehow simultaneously stare at the rest of you, despite only having two visible eyes.

Do not be afraid. I will be there to guide you.

A bout of static, and she's gone.

Mac turns down a dead end street. The buildings seem to become more and more sparse as Mac continues to drive, and eventually, there's only one building left at the end of the road--613 Revelation Drive. It appears to be a dilapidated church, the crumbling masonry worn and scuffed over many years of neglect. Bundles of power lines extend out from the steeple like threads on a spiderweb. Mac pulls over a few feet short of the building and stops the car.]

We're here.

[Mac gets out of the car and slams the door shut behind him. He leaves the keys in the ignition. As he turns to face the others, he grips his mask and carefully tugs it off to finally show his true face.

He looks tired.]

Right. Let's get this over with.

calloperators

[The second location Mac Tonight drops you off is a tall and imposing building with a sign that reads SUPER SARGASO TELECOM CO. The rain is starting to die down a little, reduced to a mere drizzle. He pulls over and parks the car, but then pauses, casting an eye towards the entrance.

The doors are slightly ajar.]

Someone's been here already. The Delivery Men probably saw your friends searchin' the communications tower and decided to beat us here.

[He opens the door to let the rest of the passengers out--Peter Quill, Peter Venkman, Xander, and Booster Gold.]

I'll be back soon. Remember, we need to find out where they're being holed up.

[And then he drives away, splashing some water back onto the sidewalk. As soon as Mac Tonight disappears, however, you don't have any time to investigate first. Two figures wearing swan masks suddenly charge out of the doors, one of them holding a chainsaw and the other wielding a pistol.

The one with the pistol fires off one, two, three shots. All of them hit their target in the chest--Booster Gold. The man lets out a startled noise, clutching at his wounds before tumbling down to the ground.

Booster Gold is dead.

The masked figures then turn to face the remaining survivors, ready to charge. What will you do?]

calloperators

[Morning arrives, but with the downpour it would be impossible to tell. The clouds are thick and the rain is so heavy it's almost impossible to see anything outside.

Well... "almost" meaning when you wake up you'll see one thing in the motel parking lot: headlights

You have no time to dwell on it though, because as soon as the headlights turn on everyone will get a phone call, with the familiar voice of Mac Tonight.]

We don't have much time; get in the car if you want to live.

[He will drag people into the car if he has to.

As they drive through the edge to the town, the static increases again, until it's almost unbearable.

Until suddenly it stops.

Sitting on the dashboard is the clown. She winks at the group and they drive on.

Once they get on the road, Mac Tonight is silent for a few long minutes, before he starts talking.]

I'll be dropping you off at a few places to check out. I can't go in myself because that would immediately set off the alarms if I brought in you guys into their buildings, but you won't be alone in there. I imagine sooner or later, the Delivery Men will get wise to what's going on, so I recommend you get in and out as fast as possible; don't be afraid to fight if you have to.

[He's willing to answer questions, but soon, in the middle of nowhere, he stops at what looks like a Radio Tower.

Before he says anything, you'll start hearing a voice in your head from the clown on the dashboard.

You're not alone, I do desire the dead to rest, but I would believe that the ghosts would want to understand what's going on as well. If they desire, they will be accompanying you on the investigation.]

Oh- well there you have it... have you always been there?

[He finally lets the first group of Alice, Snake, Satan, and Michalis out before driving off. Investigate?

OOC: as mentioned ghosts are free to tag into investigation! All we ask is that ghosts tag to a single investigation for consistency!]

calloperators

[Something is wrong.

You've become accustomed to stores closing after each death, but this is different. The doors to the electronics store, the clothing store, everything else left behind, are wide open, and the lights are all on. You're free to walk in, but there are no employees, no customers. Tuning into the Max Headroom channel shows nothing but a message that says CONNECTION LOST.

Beard is nowhere to be found, either. It's almost as if everyone simply just...left. The only evidence that the police station is still operating is the occasional glimpse of figures moving about. The doors to the station are locked, and no amount of force can budge them.

Dark storm clouds loom overhead, and you can hear thunder in the distance. The humidity has reached its peak, and if it doesn't rain soon, it might never rain at all. The radio doesn't play music anymore--instead, it's just the constant sound of static, warping and wavering through the empty streets.

You are alone.]

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

[ Day 17 (Monday) || Night 17 (Tuesday) || Day 18 (Wednesday) || Night 18 (Thursday) ]
(OOC: Welcome to the final week of HOTLINE! There will be no activity check this week, just a courtesy check in. The final investigation will be this Friday, and the final trial will be Saturday.)

calloperators

[You know the drill by now. Go to the laundry room, file down into the bunker below, and wait for Max Headroom to appear. Being underground almost provides some relief from the unbearable summer heat and the unwavering, unmovable sun.

Almost.

As the door swings shut, the resounding CLANG seems to reverberate even louder than ever before, shutting out any sound from the radios outside. The room becomes more and more empty every time you come here, and yet, the shadows seem to creep higher and higher, looming along the concrete walls like bars on a cage. Even away from the hubbub and din of the city, you can't help but feel as though you have a mild headache coming on.

But surely, that's just your imagination.

The screen flickers to life from the static, and you see Max's shiny rendered face grinning towards you all in a lazy fashion. The grin seems to falter, and he speaks in an almost bored tone of voice.

Again, maybe just your imagination. He's only an AI, after all.]

Well, I was wondering if _someone would have the guts to ^{to^to} off the b-b-big guy, and it looks like they did. You know the _drill by now. Have at it. it. it.

[A sense of finality hangs from Max's words, and he attempts to wink.

Key word being "attempts".]

< TRIAL START! >

calloperators

[With all this bloodshed happening in such a short period of time, sleep doesn't come easy, especially now that someone innocent was killed just yesterday.

The night seems still, and so muggy that it's hard to breathe. No matter how you toss and turn, it's impossible to find relief in this stuffy motel.

Even if sleep manages to come, the morning provides no relief, and it's just as stuffy and oppressive as the night was.

With the growing paranoia, and mugginess of the motel, eventually it seems hard to sit in your room and do nothing, so there's only one thing to do...

Investigate?]

calloperators

[Well that sure was an eventful trial. But on the bright side it looks like there’s some justice in this world, as meager as it is.

But even with the success, something starts feeling off the moment they leave the trial. Even if you might not realize it at first, the people living in this town are starting to seem more distant than normal, although you’re still more than welcome to chat with them.

Along with that, delivery trucks are suddenly popping up all over the town. You feel like they’re watching you....but thats impossible--youve only ever seen them delivery real packages...right?

Perhaps more terrifying however, is that now the Bowling Alley and the Arcade are closed! That’s so much good entertainment… gone….

...Also, starting this week something new is happening with the ghosts. What is that? Well… just wait and see.]

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

[ Day 13 (Sunday) || Night 13 (Monday) || Day 14 (Tuesday) || Night 14 (Wednesday) || Day 15 (Thursday) ]

(OOC: As a reminder, if you want to investigate or talk to an NPC, please list it in your header! And don't forget to fill out this week's Activity Check!)

calloperators

[You hear sirens in the distance, and you all know the drill by now. As you make your way down the stairs of the laundry room, you may be surprised to see that Max Headroom is already on the TV, waiting for you guys to arrive. His head is tilted to the side like someone who's fallen asleep with sunglasses on their face.

Five pulpits are now conspicuously empty.

The door swings shut as soon as everyone files in, and suddenly, Max Headroom is upright and grinning. He twitches ever so slightly as he addresses the crowd before him.]

T-T-This one's an interesting case. [He lets out a harsh, stuttering laugh.] Here's a j-j-joke ^{for you} guys--how many ^octopuses does it take to ch-ch-change a _lightbulb?

[There's a short pause.]

None, you call an electrician. [He starts laughing again, but the laughter quickly gets cut off.] Now, you all what you're ^supposed to do, right? Find out who's guilty and vote for them! It's that easy! J-J-Just don't make me do any more work than I'm supposed to, _alright? We're trying to be e-e-e-efficient, here.

< TRIAL START! >

calloperators

[After the very first investigation, it's almost surreal to not wake up to an explosion, especially when you consider the idea that someone's dead.

Still, you remember the phone call, and between the past two murders there is a very likely chance of death happening once more.

It's morning now, and sure everything seems normal in the motel, but when you start to venture outside, well...

Why don't you investigate?]

calloperators

[Another trial day has passed, and even though you know that people will come back as ghosts, that doesn’t change the fact that people are murdering each other. It’s only been a week and people are already killing each other for petty gain. And people you thought you could trust turn out to be terrible murderers and would stab you in the back if they could get something out of it.

Maybe the letter was right, maybe you shouldn’t trust anyone but yourself.

To add to the sense of loneliness, it’ll suddenly feel like there are a lot less people in town than you last remember them. None of them seem to notice or care, much like with the abandoned buildings, but you notice.

And much like the McDonalds a few days prior, the Tattoo Parlor and the Gun Store is now completely abandoned, as if it’s been empty for years.

Hope you weren’t planning on getting any tattoos or guns to cope today.

… Oh, also? For the select few who were already feeling deja vu, you will suddenly feel a rush of memories as you suddenly remember the last time you were in a situation like this.]

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

[ Day 9 (Sunday) || Night 9 (Monday) || Day 10 (Tuesday) || Night 10 (Wednesday) || Day 11 (Thursday) ]

(OOC: Much like last week, if you want to investigate or talk to an NPC, please list it in your header! And don't forget to fill out this week's Activity Check!)

worldchampofmartialarts

[Death never has a meaning, but if we so choose to seek out patterns in a desperate attempt to imbue meaning into the twisted charades and senseless loss of life, we might come to the natural conclusion that love has no place here. That no matter how close a relationship may become, we can never know anyone else as intimately as we know ourselves.

Ultimately, we are all entirely alone, unable to truly understand anything beyond our deeply limited perspectives.

It's pointless even pretending any of us, alive or dead, are people deserving or capable of love.

Well, to hell with that.

We can always put in the effort.

Even when the circumstances get worse, we can always be better.

So let's give it a try.]

calloperators

[Beard finally musters up the courage to call the police, which means it's time to leave and go to the boiler room. As you arrive, you realize that the corpses that previously welcomed you into the musty bunker have been removed, though the stains--and stench--that paint the ground and walls remain; Lingering impressions of those who have been here previously and paid dearly for being involved in something they couldn't possibly comprehend from where they were standing.

Max Headroom is waiting, of course. The heavy iron door is open for everyone to file in, and, once everyone is at their seats, the door swings shut and locks. The CRT TV set flickers to life, and the AI appears before you all.]

Awful _business, isn't it? [He sounds slightly more somber, but whether this is tone genuine is not clear. Then again...he is an artificial intelligence system, isn't he?] You all know ^{know^know} why you're here. And don't f-f-forget--you're not leaving this room until someone gets v-v-v-voted for.

< TRIAL START! >

calloperators

[So I have good news today! No explosion that will wake you all up at 3 AM! You can sleep in to the morning if you want to.

But if you’re a really early riser, or you stay up really late every evening, it might be worth it to look around.

Especially after that strange phone call you got again. After all, you’ve all committed crime, there could be someone who would trade in a human life for a fabulous prize.

Or sleep in honestly that’s what I would do.

Investigate?]

calloperators

[Well, that sure was a time.

When everyone wakes up this morning, one of the first things they're realize that the Mcdonald's suddenly looks abandoned. And not just from the fire, but it looks like it hasn't been open in years. The whole building looks like it could fall apart at any moment, and the entire Playplace is covered in rust.

Even the Ronald McDonald statue! D-:

However, if you ask any of the residents about the McDonald's, they still act as though is still open, and you'll most likely get some weird looks when you ask any questions about it that doesn't involve the weirdness of McPizza.

And, for those who have been here before, starting this week, you'll get a strange overwhelming sense that this place is familiar to you. You can't place how or why, but the sense of deja vu is persistent, and will stick with you for a long while. It's undeniable--you've definitely been here before, but you can't recall....

But hey, that's probably fine, right?]

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

[ Day 5 (Sunday) || Night 5 (Monday) || Day 6 (Tuesday) || Night 6 (Wednesday) || Day 7 (Thursday) ]
(OOC: On Sunday we will be tagging two volunteers with a special thing, which will make sense on Monday! If you want to opt in or out, please contact us, either in the toplevel itself or via messaging us!

Again, if you plan on investigating anywhere in the town or want to talk to an NPC, please put it in your toplevel! And also don't forget to fill your AC!!!)

rangerslayer

[ ...So that happened, and it was bad. For everyone? For everyone. There's nothing much to do with all of this, nothing except maybe try and get some sleep. Or, wander around the city like an insomniac. What much do you do after watching a man be burned at the stake?

In any case. The night life goes on. And McDonald's certainly does not. ]

calloperators

[The sound of rapidly approaching police sirens indicates that it's time to leave the crime scene.

When you reach the previously-defunct laundry room at the motel, you find that the door swings open easily. A wave of air carrying stench of rotting flesh immediately hits you in the face, accompanied the sound of flies buzzing incessantly, having finally being released from their disgusting prison. Two rotting corpses lay on the ground, both with gunshot wounds through their bodies. Curiously enough, these corpses are both wearing masks--one with a wolf mask, and another with a clown mask. From the general state of these corpses, their bodies appear to have been here for weeks. Some of you might feel a twinge of recognition at the sight of them, though you don't remember why.

Once you manage to look past the corpses, you'll find that there's an open door on the back wall with stairs leading down. Whatever washing machines that used to be here have been removed, leaving rusty impressions on the walls and floor. As you carefully make your way down the concrete steps, the air grows colder and mustier, and the sound of the radios fade. You eventually step into a dimly-lit chamber that only vaguely resembles a boiler room, as a series of pulpits have been arranged in rows, labeled by room number. Pyro's stand, of course, is conspicuously empty.

You realize that this has been the only time during your time here that you haven't heard any music at all.
( Read more... )

calloperators

[Having a good sleep, everyone? Hopefully it wasn't that good because around 3 AM there will be a loud explosion from outside the motel. Even those who sleep like the dead couldn't sleep through that. And if you're thinking of just pretending that you imagined it and going back to sleep, there is also a faint glow, like from a fire outside the motel.

Well that's probably not a good sign.

Investigate?]

calloperators

[After a long stressful day like this has been, maybe you want to curl up in bed and try to sleep this whole thing off, or maybe you stay up all night desperately trying to find a way out of this town. Whether it be asking the cops for help, trying to steal a car, or just simply trying to walk out of town, you will unfortunately find your attempts to escape fruitless.

Even with it being obvious something strange is going on, no one has shown their face yet to even hint that they're the ones behind it. And you have no idea if or when they will.

However, in the very least you have a whole town to explore, and at the start of each day, and the beginning of every night, no matter where you are, you'll suddenly hear a radio crackle to life. Whether this is comforting or unsettling? Well, that's up to you to decide.

Just have a good time and try not think about the letter you got earlier, okay?]

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

[ DAY 1 (SUNDAY) || NIGHT 1 (MONDAY) || DAY 2 (TUESDAY) || NIGHT 2 (WEDNESDAY) || DAY 3 (THURSDAY) ]
((OOC: Welcome to Week 1 of Hotline! As you can probably tell by the fact that Day 2 and beyond are frozen, we will have no grace week so we can get right into the murder!

And if you want to investigate the town, you just need to write INVESTIGATION in your header! Have fun ;) ))

calloperators

[You awake to the incessant crackle and whine of the radio in your ear. The buzzing neon lights outside bask the walls in a soft glow, casting strange shadows that make the room look like a new dimension of unreality. Despite the fading sunlight, the air remains hot, stuffy, and unbearable, the humidity worming itself into every crack and crevice it can find. It doesn't help that the air conditioner is off. The bed creaks and groans as you shift, and you'd probably get a rash for sleeping under these scratchy sheets for more than a few nights.

The culprit of the noise becomes quickly apparent--an alarm clock with a built in radio on the nightstand. The red digits read 6:13 PM. As you attempt to search for answers, your eyes fall upon a nondescript telephone next to the alarm clock. One of its buttons is flashing red, flickering on and off like a beacon calling out to those adrift at sea.
( Read more... )

< LOCATIONS | REGAINS | TAKEN >

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1-800-HOTLINE

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!main round - 20 uses
!mock week - 5 uses
endgame - 3 uses
epilogue - 1 use
investigation - 7 uses
trial - 6 uses
week 1 - 1 use
week 2 - 1 use
week 3 - 1 use
week 4 - 1 use
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Page Summary

calloperators - Main Round Epilogue
calloperators - Final Trial [Night 19]
calloperators - Final Investigation 2 - Phone Company (Day 19, cont)
calloperators - Final Investigation 1 - Communications Tower (Day 19)
calloperators - Week 5 [Day 17 - Night 18]
calloperators - TRIAL 4 [DAY 16]
calloperators - Fourth Investigation [Night 15/Day 16]
calloperators - Week 4 [Day 13-Day 15]
calloperators - TRIAL 3 [DAY 12 (again)]
calloperators - Third Investigation [Day 12]
calloperators - Week 3 [day 9 - day 11]
worldchampofmartialarts - a cruel romance [night 8]
calloperators - TRIAL 2 [DAY 8]
calloperators - second investigation [night 7/day 8]
calloperators - Week 2 [Day 5 - Day 7]
rangerslayer - who ya gonna call? [night 4]
calloperators - TRIAL 1 [DAY 4]
calloperators - First Investigation [Night 3]
calloperators - Week 1 [Day 1-Day 3]
calloperators - ENDLESS SUMMER NIGHTS [NIGHT 0]

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