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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)


    The royal palace of Malen Vale is a huge, ornate building. A long balcony runs almost the entire length of its city-facing wall, and it is here that once a year the queen of Malen addresses her people to provide the annual foretelling. You find yourself standing in the courtyard, like innumerable other denizens of the city, looking up expectantly at the balcony. As you watch, a man's high pitched voice rings out, amplified by magics woven into the balcony itself.

    All kneel for her highness, the Lady Magbaine, Queen of Malen, Grand Seeress to the Autarch of Augur, Lady Ruler of the city of Malen Vale.

    The voice belongs to an elderly half-elf, reading from an ornate scroll. After making the announcement, he rolls up the scroll, and then carefully removes his golden spectacles, kneeling along with the crowd below. To his left an elderly woman wearing the traditional robes of the court wizard does the same, and after a few seconds, a black-haired figure in an elaborate blue silk dress walks through the archway connecting the balcony to the palace interior.

    People of Malen Vale she says, smiling down at the crowd, the time has come for the great consultation, where I will pray to Augur and convey to you the omens of the year to come. But first, let us pray that it will be a foretelling of peace, good harvests and plentiful growth!

    The lady lowers her head, and closes her eyes. Some of the crowd do the same, but not many. After a minute of silent prayer, the queen looks briefly back towards the crowd before turning her face to the sky.

    Great Augur, grant your humble servant your auspice for the coming year... A golden light surrounds the queen as she falls into a trance, but then the light seems to change, turning red. The queen's eyes glow black, and she speaks in a deep voice which reverberates around the courtyard.
    Last edited by Breton; 2015-03-31 at 07:01 PM.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live

    There will be no harvest.
    There will be neither peace nor war.
    The people of Malen will wither like leaves in a fire...


    Several isolated screams come from the crowd at the dire prediction.

    ...and by the seventh dawn...
    ...their number will be counted on fifty hands.


    Suddenly everyone in the courtyard starts talking at once, and people jostle into each other as everyone tries to storm the exit back out into the city. On the balcony, the Queen turns to the court wizard, her smile faltering.

    Was it good news?

    The elderly half-elf, court wizard and queen engage in panicked conversation over the next minute as the crowd continues to surge out of the courtyard. They've apparently either forgotten or are beyond caring about the voice amplification magics woven into the balcony, and you keep hearing fragments of a hushed conversation between them.

    Looking around, you see several people standing near to you - the only ones you can see who aren't panicking.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    This is the IC thread for Rodrick Stonecutter, Chiva, and Zeela Thranwe.

    To get you into the swing of rolling, the discussion happening on the balcony is barely audible, and maybe you can catch a few snippets of the conversation with a listen check. You can flow with the crowd and eventually end up in the city, or you can try strength checks to elbow your way out as a group and reach the streets considerably ahead of the crowd.

    For those of you who have forgotten, people typically need a few things to survive - food, water, shelter, and not being beaten with clubs by doomsday cultists. If your goal is going to be survival, then you might want to focus on seeking out and securing these. If you want to stop the disaster, it's going to be tough, but you'll need information. You know several locations in the city to begin with, and you can learn about other places and resources with local knowledge, gathering information or by asking people. Things will be pretty quiet for the first in-game day, after which time things will get interesting.

    None of you know much about the setting, but your characters do. To reflect this everyone can make Knowledge (local) checks for specific questions untrained at a -5 penalty. If you have ranks in Knowledge (local) then you can make a penalty-free check as normal, and more specific knowledge skills (religion, arcane etc) can also be used to roll for answers on relevant questions. In addition, news in pre-newspaper societies travels by word of mouth, so don't feel bad about using gather information or just asking NPCs to get an idea about events in the city and wider world.

    Finally, not everyone in your party will necessarily see eye to eye about worthy goals and necessary actions, if you physically leave your party for more than a couple of posts, you will get your own thread for the duration of the separation. Good luck.

    City Map
    Walking from the Palace to Kirk Gate takes around an hour on empty streets. The unlabelled locations are generally shops, homes and warehouses, and I will use them to point out where things are as they come up. Alternatively, you could visit them in game to find out what they are.

    Country Map
    Walking from Malen Vale to Nerris takes a day, and to By Far and Port Weddrin takes four days. There seems to be little to draw you out of the city for now, though you're probably less likely to encounter people out in the wilderness. Riding makes travel on the roads considerably faster, but a group moves as slowly as its slowest member.

    Progress Soothed Saved
    Souls 3

    Last edited by Breton; 2015-04-06 at 06:01 PM.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    As Zeela listens to the dire prediction, the panicked reaction, and the hurried conversation, one thought dominates her mind, shutting out all others.

    This is...BRILLIANT!

    So many questions needed answers. So many mysteries to solve. So many puzzles to challenger her. This was going to be the best apocalypse ever.

    What kind of doomsday leaves 250 people behind? What was the change in the magical light? Did some other influence hijack the fortelling? Can we trust it to be accurate?

    Zeela strains her keen elf ears to hear what insights she can glean from the conversation between the queen and her advisors.

    Spoiler: Listen Check
    Show

    Using Cunning Knowledge

    (1d20+7)[20]
    Avatar by Sampi

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    You're able to make out quite a lot of the hushed conversation.

    They apparently have similar concerns to Zeela regarding the prophecy's authenticity, but the Queen seems sure that it's accurate.

    Spoiler: Listen DC20
    Show
    ... can we trust that it's accurate? ...
    ... it was a true connection. Gods, less than two hundred ...
    ... can we use.. 'that'? ...
    ... ritual of True Augury will take days, if there's even anyone suitable left ...
    ... we should evacuate ...
    ... pointless without knowing exactly what ...
    ... should fortify the palace until the ritual's complete ...
    ... hope there's time ...
    ... prepare an announcement ...

    Eventually the noise from the rest of the crowd becomes too loud to hear anything more.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Aug 2011

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick is almost as stunned as the rest of the crowd at the news, but he shrugs it off. Lot of good it is doing these people knowing in advance. Maybe they would have been better off like me and just perished in the fire without knowing it was coming.

    Rodrick never counted himself lucky at surviving that horrible ordeal, but he would be remiss if he didn't at least try to throw back whatever problem was coming. He turned his good ear to the queen, trying to catch what few glimpses of conversation he could grasp, but even on a good day, his hearing was not as good as it could have been.

    Spoiler
    Show
    (1d20+2)[18]


    Blast these ears! Or the crowd anyway.

    Noticing the others who are not quite so panicked, he turns to them. What are you two waiting around for? Don't you fear for your lives?
    Last edited by TelinArtho; 2015-04-01 at 07:58 AM.
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Chiva stares dreamily at the sky just over the balcony, swaying a little on his feet in response to the Foretelling. He thinks So they were right all along. And now they'll never allow me back in. I am doomed.

    Gazing at birds fluttering from rooftop to rooftop, he muses aloud The birds don't mind. They will go on as they were, pecking and flying, scraping up a living as they can, oblivious of the coming end times. Ah, to be a bird.

    Wait a moment. Fifty hands? The Hindsight couldn't have more than a fifth of that remaining among their number. Then there is still hope for some of us. His eyes pass through the crowd, mostly lost in panic, as he forms a sad smile. He speaks as they jostle and push him. Two hundred and fifty. Do none of you want to survive?

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Chiva isn't fighting to move against the crowd, but more attempting just to stand where he is, and let them pass around him. Not sure if that's a strength check (possibly at a lower DC) or if some other check is needed.
    Strength check: (1d20+2)[6]

    He is also making a rushed diplomacy check to see if anyone will listen, but he doesn't have the most forceful personality.
    Diplomacy: (1d20-9)[8]
    Settings: Weird West
    Work in Progress: Fulcrum

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick manages to make out a few fragments of the conversation. A ritual is mentioned, but it's hard to make sense of any of it.

    Spoiler: Listen DC16
    Show
    ... trust that it's ...
    ... true connection. Gods ...
    ... we use.. 'that'? ...
    ... True Augury will take days, if ...
    ... evacuate ...
    ... pointless without knowing ...
    ... fortify the palace until ...
    ... hope there's time ...
    ... an announcement ...

    Chiva gets a few glances from people as he speaks to the crowd, but nobody sticks around to listen. In the distance he can see an active member of the Hindsight being held up on someone's shoulders, but can't see whether that man is having any more success.

    OOC: Just a reminder - SRD diplomacy has been replaced in this game with Burlew diplomacy. On one hand there's no penalty for rushed checks, but on the other you can't diplomagically make people friendlier, and it requires that the player try to be convincing.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Aug 2011

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick boldly starts working against the flow of the crowd. Slowly, steadily, he pushes his way towards the center. He wasn't interested in causing trouble after all, so when the flow of the crowd was too much, he allowed himself to be carried by it. When it lessened, he used the opportunity to move in closer.

    He wasn't sure what he would do if he got close enough to the Queen. He just wanted to get closer for now and maybe see if there was anything he could do. Maybe there was something else they knew that he could use to help stop or prevent whatever it was that might happen.

    Spoiler
    Show
    Strength check to move against the crowd (1d20+3)[6]

    If there is no admittance to the area of the queen (which I expect), Rodrick will just try to get close enough to yell up and maybe catch someone's attention.
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick finds that moving against the crowd is quite easy, and people seem happy to let him past without a struggle. As he draws closer to the palace his suspicions are confirmed - there's no way up to the balcony from within the courtyard, and the only entrance to the palace on this side is a half-open portcullis leading to what looks like a mustering hall for the Palace Guard.

    As he enters shouting distance to the balcony he's approached by a squad of six Guard members wearing chain shirts, and armed with a combination of long swords and halberds. One of them, a handsome yellow haired human with a sword and shield, addresses Rodrick in the strict, barking voice of a military commander.

    Halt! You will not approach the Royal balcony! State your business.

    The blonde guard doesn't seem overly concerned, but a couple of the guardsmen behind him are skittish, levelling their halberds in Rodrick's direction.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Her concentration interrupted by the strange words of the Dwarf, Zeela ponders.

    Fear for my life? I don't think so...I've lived this long without dying, I don't see why I'd start now.

    She falls into step behind the Dwarf as he advances towards the balcony.

    Look for the things that are different, and they will often lead you to the solution...
    Avatar by Sampi

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Not at all surprised to be stopped in his tracks, Rodrick did his best to look calm and collected. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke up, not at all sure whether he really had any business getting closer.

    As you can see by my face, I have endured hardship. It appears that our home, all of our homes, are about to endure a similar fate, perhaps even a worse one than I have survived. I am approaching to merely do what the rest of the crowd seems incapable of offering. That is, I am offering my help, if the Queen would have it.

    Rodrick kept his weapons away and held his helmet in his hands to show that he meant no harm by his approach.
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    The blonde guard captain turns to look at another guardsman to his left, this one a half-elf wielding a long sword with a short bow slung across his back. The half-elf shrugs noncommittally in response to the captain's gaze, and the captain turns back to face the group in front of him. When he speaks his tone is considerably softer than before.

    That's very.. civic minded of you.

    Unfortunately there's nothing to be done right now. The Royal staff are preparing an announcement which will be broadcast across the city at noon, until then we're advising people to return to their homes.

    Wait.. give your names to sergeant Tully here
    , he says, indicating the half-elf. If there're any relief efforts later on you'll be at the top of our list of volunteers.


    The half elf steps forward, pulling a wax writing tablet and stylus from a belt pouch at his back. He grips the stylus and looks up expectantly.

    Awlright -sniff- What's your names?


    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    I'm not sure if Chiva wants to approach the balcony as well. If he did, then the captain was addressing him as well as Rodrick and Zeela.

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Chiva stares off after the two figures approaching the balcony. Interesting, there are some who are not unhinged by the news. He follows somewhat behind the other two, gazing after them inquisitively.
    Settings: Weird West
    Work in Progress: Fulcrum

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Aug 2011

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick Stonecutter - I'm a tradesman, so you'll find me near the markets most likely. That is if they survive whatever looting is likely to occur.

    Having done what he could for now, Rodrick steps back and considers the other(s) who approached as well.

    So in lieu of waiting, what is it that we can do then? Assuming you are interested in providing aid anyway.
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  16. - Top - End - #16
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Mar 2015

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    The half elf sergeant scratches something on the tablet and turns expectantly to Zeela.

    An' you?

    Behind sergeant Tully, the captain moves off quickly, taking two of the halberdiers with him.

    OOC: If/when Zeela looks towards the crowd of people exiting the courtyard, she should make a spot check.
    Last edited by Breton; 2015-04-02 at 09:02 PM.

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    "Zeela Thranwe, at your service."

    She makes a bow, hiding her eyes long enough for a quick glance to keep abreast of the developments around her.
    Spot - (1d20+6)[10]

    "You may leave messages for me at the Crooked Cockrel."
    Avatar by Sampi

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Ah, that's awlright. We got ways of finding people he says as he scratches Zeela's name into the tablet.

    What about 'im back there? He says, nodding towards Chiva. Don't be shy, you putting your name down too?

    OOC: Zeela sees nothing more than a crowd of frightened people.
    Last edited by Breton; 2015-04-03 at 05:56 AM.

  19. - Top - End - #19
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Chiva blinks in surprise at the man's words. Me? My name is Chiva. I am a servant of The Hindsight. I humbly submit to be on your list, but know that only Hindsight determines the true list. He gazes through the dwarf and elf. You are different than the others. You wish to survive, no?
    Settings: Weird West
    Work in Progress: Fulcrum

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Zeela considers the strange man.

    "Well, having briefly considered the alternative, I believe I do."
    Avatar by Sampi

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Hindsight, hah. Your ship's finally come in eh. the half-elf mutters while scratching the name into his tablet, but otherwise doesn't interrupt the conversation.

  22. - Top - End - #22
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Aug 2011

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    I do not wish to survive. I wish to help. If you are of the same mind, then your aid would be welcome. If not, then go about your survival and I wish you luck, by the name of Augur.

    Rodrick appears to know nothing of Hindsight, or what it might be a part of.
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  23. - Top - End - #23
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Help? The foretelling was clear. Only two hundred fifty will survive whatever pestilence is to come. If you know of some way to halt fate, I will gladly render my services. Chiva glances up to the balcony wistfully. I do not yet rank in the number of the fifty hands that are to survive, and would gladly stave off this threat until I do.
    Settings: Weird West
    Work in Progress: Fulcrum

  24. - Top - End - #24
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Awlright, thanks you lot. If we start making up support teams we'll call you in. You'll, uh, you'll hear like a little whisper in your ear tellin' you what to do. Don't worry though, it's jus' magic. Tii then we're tellin' people to go back home. Or, to your inn I guess.

    I'll be off now, looks like we've 'ad a bit of a scuffle over there..


    The half-elf runs off in the direction the blonde captain went before, and the remaining guards go with him. In the distance, you can see the blonde captain and a dwarf escorting a wild elf towards the portcullis set into the palace wall opposite the entrance. Behind you, the crowd has now almost completely exited into the city, leaving behind only the occasional straggler in an otherwise empty courtyard.

    In the distance by the entrance, you can see that the mad rush has had a terrible cost, as several bodies are lying scattered around the exit, trampled by the crowd in its panic. They're not moving, but whether they're dead or alive is impossible to tell at this distance.

  25. - Top - End - #25
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    I know not of a way to stop fate. But then, I'm not going to sit idly by and wait for fate to happen either. My face is written with the story of fate. I have no intent on allowing it to happen again.

    Rodrick took a look at the fallen people and said nothing more on the subject. He jogged over to them, figuring that he wouldn't be able to provide any meaningful help, but hoped he could find something. Anything.

    Spoiler
    Show
    He'll take a look for any signs of life:

    Heal (untrained): (1d20+2)[19]
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  26. - Top - End - #26
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Chiva chuckles to himself. What a curious fellow! He jogs forward to join Rodrick at the mass of trampled people. He focuses his inner strength to his crown, scanning the bodies for undead.

    Are they... deceased?
    Settings: Weird West
    Work in Progress: Fulcrum

  27. - Top - End - #27
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick finds the first couple of bodies he approaches to be completely dead, but by searching through them he finds three people who are still barely alive - two young men and a little girl, and is able to stabilize them.

    Chiva is unable to detect any undead. The bodies seem to be either inert, or alive and badly wounded.

    If anyone else makes a DC15 heal check, they can save an additional person who perished while Rodrick was busy with the first three.
    Last edited by Breton; 2015-04-06 at 05:34 PM.

  28. - Top - End - #28
    Barbarian in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Why didn't you look into medicine at some point? You can't seriously have thought it would never come up!

    Zeela curses to herself as she tries to intuit the right thing to do.

    Heal - (1d20-1)[11]
    Avatar by Sampi

  29. - Top - End - #29
    Dwarf in the Playground
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    Aug 2011

    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Rodrick seems little satisfied that he has managed to only save a few of the trampled people, but he could only work so fast and the reality was that he was not well trained in the healing arts. He mentally put it on the list of things he should learn though.

    Standing up, he turns to the others.

    What has happened here is a tragedy and I expect it will only get worse as panic really sets in. Would you each help in transporting these injured, but surviving people to the nearest healer?

    He looked around, trying to remember who would be the nearest one to them.

    Spoiler
    Show
    Knowledge (Local) (untrained) (1d20-3)[-2]


    Shaking his head, Rodrick cursed under his breath.

    My brain is addled. Do you know of any healers who might be able to help? We shouldn't just stand here and wait for them to recover, but I don't feel comfortable with just leaving them behind all the same.
    Last edited by TelinArtho; 2015-04-07 at 08:26 AM.
    I used to run the arena on the Wizards site called the Core Coliseum. Sadly its time has passed...

  30. - Top - End - #30
    Ogre in the Playground
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    Default Re: [IC] Seven Days to Live (City Team)

    Spoiler: Know (religion)
    Show
    (1d20+2)[17] for the location of the nearest temple or healer.


    I will lend you my help, though I'm not sure aiding these people to the healers will help stop the Foretelling. I believe it is this way. Chiva shoulders one of the injured and waits to see if the others comply.
    Last edited by prufock; 2015-04-07 at 12:09 PM.
    Settings: Weird West
    Work in Progress: Fulcrum

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