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Haunting Hour (A Ghost Hunter Quest)

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Finally updated MC Bio and the Character List for those who care.

I'll leave this vote open for 20 hours and update tomorrow.
 
[x] At the back of the car, there was a group of children sitting in a cluster, laughing, joking, and singing with each other.

I'm assuming all these kids must died when the train derailed.
 
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Chapter 1 Update 6
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    • [X] At the back of the car, there was a group of children sitting in a cluster, laughing, joking, and singing with each other.

    Maya scanned the car and pointed toward the back. "Let's start with the kids," she said. "They seem to be having a good time."

    You rolled your eyes. "Great, just what I needed. Happy little ghosts."

    As you approached the group of children, you could see there were 5 of them. They were dressed in old-fashioned clothes, with ruffled collars and breeches. You couldn't really tell what time they were from but it had to be at least hundreds of years ago. They were all semi-transparent, outlined by a blueish-grey tint. They still seemed to be unaware or unbothered by you and Maya as you stood next to them. Now that you were closeby you could hear the song they were singing.

    "Oh witchy witch, with your pointed hat,
    Your broomstick flying, and your black cat.
    You brew your potions, and cast your spells,
    Bringing misfortune, where good once dwells.

    But now you stand, before the crowd,
    Your fate is to be decided now.
    Will you be saved, or meet your end,
    By fire's flame, or rope's tight bend?

    She's cursed our crops and brought disease
    We'll rid our town of her with ease
    Your cackle echoes, through the square,
    But no one wants, your tricks to bear.

    Oh witchy witch, with your wicked ways,
    You'll rue the day, you played with fate.
    For justice will win, in the end,
    And to the flames, you will descend    ."

    "What a cheerful song." You mumbled.

    Maya used it as a way to initiate conversation. "That's a really cool song! Did you guys come up with that yourselves?" She said, bending down toward the kids.

    The ghost kids took acknowledgment of you two for the first time since you've been on the train. They were in shock for a moment, looking at each other before the tallest kid, a boy with a mop of curly hair stepped forward.

    "You're talking to us?" He wondered. "No one else on the train wanted to play. They wouldn't even say hello."

    "Aww, I'm really sorry about that." Maya crooned. "That's not very nice of them. What's your name?"

    "I'm William." The curly-haired boy answered. "And this is Mary, and John, and Lucas, and Elizabeth."

    "Are you here to play with us?" The boy named Lucas asked.

    "We're here to talk to you." Maya smiled. "Can I ask you some questions?"

    The children looked at each other and then shrugged. "Sure." William said. "Ask away."

    "Do you know why you're on this train?"

    "We're going to see the witch." Mary said, her eyes wide.

    "The witch?" Maya repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Is it the same witch you were singing about?"

    "Well um...." John said, scratching his head. "The song is about all of the witches. Not just this one."

    "I see." Maya responded. You were so focused on the kids you barely realized she had taken out a notepad and was scribbling some stuff down.

    "So you said you're going to see the witch." Maya continued. "Where are we going to see her?"

    "The witch execution grounds is the last stop on the train." Elizabeth replied. "She's going to be burnt at the stake."

    "Have you talked to the witch?" Maya asked.

    "No, she's not allowed to talk to anyone." Lucas said, wagging his finger.

    "Do you know why she's being burnt?"

    The children looked at each other again before shrugging. "We heard she's a witch." Mary said.

    "But we don't think she's a witch." William added. "We think she's nice."

    This is pretty fucked up. These kids definitely don't understand the weight of this situation.

    Maya finished writing in her notepad and looked up at you. "You have any questions you wanna ask?"

    [] Now that you think about it....
    -[] Write-in (Any amount of questions)


    [] That's good enough for now. Time to move on to...
    -[] There was a woman in a very, very, old-fashioned dress, her hair in tight curls and a parasol in her hand. She was sitting by the window, staring off into space.
    -[] There was a man in a suit, his top hat pulled low over his eyes. He was smoking a cigar and muttering to himself.
    -[] There was a man with religious robes on, floating in the middle of the aisle. He was wearing a cross around his neck and reading a book.


    [] Maya can stay here and talk to the rest of these ghosts. You were gonna go to another car.
    -[] Head toward the front of the train.
    -[] Head toward the back of the train.



    A/N: If the vote to ask more questions wins all questions suggested will be asked.
     
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    • Well, an obvious question to me is "where is this witch?"

    Because either she's the main ghost-spirit that's caused this whole thing, or she's a victim that the train's going to drain somehow for power and she might know more.

    Either way, we probably want to find her.
     
    Okay, so questions...

    -Where is the witch?
    -Why do you think she is nice?
    -Who could know more about the witch?
    -How long have you been here?
    -How did you get here?
    -Where are your parents?

    Just some brainstorming, before voting. Any more ideas?
     
    [x] That's good enough for now. Time to move on to...
    -[x] There was a man in a suit, his top hat pulled low over his eyes. He was smoking a cigar and muttering to himself.

    Every ghost may be here for their own reason. We don't need to concentrate on the kids entirely.

    The biggest takeaway is that something will be waiting for us at the last stop. We might want to put the time we have to good use.
     
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    The kids don't seem to realize that they're dead. Interesting that they're going to see a witch burning. I'm fairly sure the last witch burning ended centuries before the first train was invented, but I suppose things must be different in this timeline where ghosts are a very real thing that can be observed.

    [X] Now that you think about it....
    -[X] Where is the witch?
    -[X] Why do you think she is nice?
    -[X] Who could know more about the witch?
    -[X] How long have you been here?
    -[X] How did you get here?
    -[X] Where are your parents?
     
    Last edited:
    All right, voting now.

    [X] Now that you think about it....
    -[X] Where is the witch?
    -[X] Why do you think she is nice?
    -[X] Who could know more about the witch?
    -[X] How long have you been here?
    -[X] How did you get here?
    -[X] Where are your parents?
     
    [X] Now that you think about it....
    -[X] Where is the witch?
    -[X] Why do you think she is nice?
    -[X] Who could know more about the witch?
    -[X] How long have you been here?
    -[X] How did you get here?
    -[X] Where are your parents?

    Out of curiosity, is anyone else having people's avatars/pictures showing the little blue question mark?
     
    [X] Now that you think about it....
    -[X] Where is the witch?
    -[X] Why do you think she is nice?
    -[X] Who could know more about the witch?
    -[X] How long have you been here?
    -[X] How did you get here?
    -[X] Where are your parents?
     
    Chapter 1 Update 7
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    • [X] Now that you think about it....
    -[X] Where is the witch?
    -[X] Why do you think she is nice?
    -[X] Who could know more about the witch?
    -[X] How long have you been here?
    -[X] How did you get here?
    -[X] Where are your parents?

    "Do any of you know where the witch is?" Maya asked, turning back towards the children.

    "I don't know." Elizabeth shrugged.

    "I think she's hiding." Lucas suggested.

    "Okay. Well why do you think she's nice?"

    "She used to bake pies for the village before she was a witch!" John smiled.

    "Before she was a witch? When did she become a witch?"

    "When the village decided that she was a witch." William answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

    "Who could know more about the witch?"

    The kids took a second to think before Mary spoke up.

    "Ooooh I know, Mr. Martin!" Mary exclaimed.

    "Yeah! Mr. Martin knows everything!" Lucas agreed.

    "Who is Mr. Martin?"

    "Mr. Martin owns all of the land in the village. He has a really big mustache!" William grinned.

    "Is Mr. Martin on this train?"

    "Uhhh, I think so." William scratched his head.

    "How long have you guys been here?"

    The kids went quiet for a moment, the confusion on their faces evident.

    "I-I don't know..." John answered, a frown growing on his face.

    "Interesting." Maya muttered as she scribbled in her notepad. "Do you know how you got here?

    "I don't know." Mary answered, rubbing her forehead.

    "Me neither." Elizabeth chimed in. The others murmured in unison.

    "Okay well... do you know where your parents are?"

    The children looked at each other. There was another brief silence, the children thinking as deeply as young children were capable of thinking.

    "I don't know." William said. You could see him and some of the other kids were now holding back tears.

    "It's okay." Maya said, not wanting to push the ghost children any further. "Thank you for your time children."

    Instantly the children smiled and went back to singing and playing. You and Maya stepped away from the group and whispered to each other.

    "What do you think?" You asked.

    "I feel for those children." Maya frowned. "To be used like this."

    "Used?"

    "There's still a lot of unknown speculation about how ghosts manifest themselves in our realm." Maya explained. "But one surefire sign that a ghost was summoned by somebody else, is partial or full memory loss about the ghost's past life."

    "Someone summoned these ghosts here?"

    "Either a human being or a more powerful ghost." Maya mused. "I need to get more information."




    [] Time to move on to...
    -[] There was a woman in a very, very, old-fashioned dress, her hair in tight curls and a parasol in her hand. She was sitting by the window, staring off into space.
    -[] There was a man in a suit, his top hat pulled low over his eyes. He was smoking a cigar and muttering to himself.
    -[] There was a man with religious robes on, floating in the middle of the aisle. He was wearing a cross around his neck and reading a book.



    [] Maya can stay here and talk to the rest of these ghosts. You were gonna go to another car.
    -[] Head toward the front of the train.
    -[] Head toward the back of the train.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [x] Maya can stay here and talk to the rest of these ghosts. You were gonna go to another car.
    -[x] Head toward the front of the train.

    Talking to one of the others might actually be the better option, but I voted for this on the last round, and I'm sticking to it.
     
    [X] Time to move on to...
    -[X] There was a man in a suit, his top hat pulled low over his eyes. He was smoking a cigar and muttering to himself.

    Perhaps, this is Mr. Martin?
     
    [X] Time to move on to...
    -[X] There was a woman in a very, very, old-fashioned dress, her hair in tight curls and a parasol in her hand. She was sitting by the window, staring off into space.
     
    [X] Time to move on to...
    -[X] There was a man with religious robes on, floating in the middle of the aisle. He was wearing a cross around his neck and reading a book.

    If this is about 'burning a witch', perhaps the religious-looking man knows more...
     
    [X] Time to move on to...
    -[X] There was a man in a suit, his top hat pulled low over his eyes. He was smoking a cigar and muttering to himself.
     
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