Telephone Network

The Telephone Network is a collection of artifacts spread across the world. The basic unit of the network is a single telephone similar to ones used in the 1950s, and by using special codes, it is possible to move from one unit to another. All known units of the Telephone Network are secured in Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs bases, and any newly discovered is quickly quarantined by agents of the FBMA.

History
The Telephone Network first appeared in 1962 in connection to the disappearance of 15 people in Chicago, Illinois. In the space of 6 weeks from mid-April to early June, 15 people disappeared near a bar on the outskirts of the city. There were few clues as to the cause of the disappearances, but the traces of large amounts of ether caused the Federal Bureau of Magical Affairs to become involved. The origin of the ether was traced to a nearby payphone. There was no evidence of who owned or serviced the payphone, though, and dialing a standard phone number on the phone led to a failed connection. An attempt to use a number etched onto the side of the device led to the agent being teleported through the phone to an unknown location. After approximately 20 minutes, the agent returned, revealing the existence of the Sunken Temple.

The FBMA began to search for other units belonging to the Telephone Network. By 1970, another 23 units were identified in the United States, and by 1990, a further 134 units were identified across the world.

Appearance
The basic unit of the Telephone Network is the individual telephone. The basic unit has the appearance of a 1950s payphone, namely a Crosley CR56 model. It has a black body and headset with silver accents. There are slots at the top of the body, though the number of slots can vary between units in accordance to local coinage.

The front of the unit has a black rotary dial with white buttons to allow the user to make calls, though the telephone only works with the unique codes assigned to each unit. The dial has 2 concentric rings: the outermost ring has an image displaying the function of each button on the inner ring. At the center of the dial is a functionless button reading Public Telephone in the local language. A thin steel plaque at the center of the body reads Local call - 10 cents as well as instructions for making long-distance calls underneath. The language on the plaque and the currency used changes to match that of the local area. The logo for the Crosley company is at the bottom of the plaque.

The bottom has a hatch to access the coin bank as well as a coin return slot. Although there is a keyhole for the lock to the coin bank, it is impossible to create a key or access the bank.

The handset hangs from the cradle on the left side of the unit. The handset is connected to the body by a coiled cable from the bottom of the handset to the side of the unit.

The unit is not attached to the local telephone system through any physical connection, and there are no physical connections between units of the Telephone Network. The unit gives off a faint trace of ether following the use of the unit.

Occurrence
The units tend to appear in places that have been abandoned but were once places where people gathered, especially to exchange information. A unit may rarely appear in a more populated area where information is exchanged. The most common places for the appearance of a unit of the Telephone Network are libraries, schools, and malls. Government buildings are also potential places to find a unit of the Telephone Network.

Characteristics
The Telephone Network allows for the near instantaneous movement of people and objects between its individual units. A user dials the code for the destination unit, and after 3 rings (approximately 10 seconds), the person is transported to the destination. The handset replaces itself in the cradle afterwards, allowing an individual to use the unit by themselves.

The ability affects every person equally, indicating that the network works through miracles rather than magic. The effects are capable of working even despite the presence of high-level anti-magic defenses and resistance to magical effects. Attempts to recreate the network through magical means have resulted in various levels of failure, and following a number of deaths after several attempts, the experiments were ended and declared a failure.

Use of the Telephone Network requires the participation of a conscious, sentient being.