Cardinal 0 Posted December 9, 2020 #1 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Floor 8 <<Elvish Rivalries>> Party Limit: 4 | 20+ Posts Repeatable for standard thread rewards and Elven Fire Quest Rewards: 700 Experience Points 250 col Each player receives: Elven Fire A red stone granted by the queen of the elves. It contains the fire magic and is able to be applied to a weapon. (Consumable) Applies a T1 Burn Effect to a weapon for a single thread. This item has 3 charges and is destroyed on the third use. Unlocks <<Elvish Treaties>> Quest Requirements: Roleplay being summoned to meet Haela, the Queen of the Elves. Roleplay speaking with Queen Haela and Commander Arun. Defeat the Treant without letting the Gate take more than 500 DMG. Return to speak to Haela and roleplay the epilogue. Thread summary must clearly indicate whether the Treant was spared. Summary: While passing through the city of Ellesmera, the players encounter an elven page in full formal dress and royal livery. He bows, curtly, then reports that the Queen Haela herself has requested an audience with them. A prompt suddenly appears before them, asking whether they wish to accept the quest, though no real details have yet been provided. Upon acceptance, the page escorts the players directly to The Great Tree in the center of the town. Around it is wrapped a grand residence, too humble to be called a palace, yet also too finely crafted to be dubbed a simple home. It is a perfect, reflective blend of elven craftsmanship and architecture, exuding warmth and comfort while is awes all who set eyes upon it. The page provides the players with admittance to the throne room, but refuses to enter himself, explaining that it only for those above his station. The room's interior is fantastically appointed with polished mahogany floors, intricately carved furniture pieces that each look like they were made from a single piece of wood. Elegant filigree adorns most surface, giving the appearance of living song dancing across every surface in the space. The hall appears suited to multiple purposes with the Queen's throne sitting at the far end and a long planning table occupying the center of the room. Sprawled across the table is a map of the entire floor, including all known settlements and unique locations. As the players approach the Queen, who is sitting upon her throne bearing an air of consternation, they notice an armored elf carrying a spear standing at her side adorned in high-quality armor. The Queen herself appears to be rather young, despite being the oldest elf in Ellesmera. After a moment, she addresses the players in a soothing voice. "Apologies for disturbing such a beautiful day. I would never have planned to ask for assistance from a human, but we are short on capable fighters. Too many of my soldiers have fallen or been gravely injured. This centuries-old war has taken its own toll on the elves of Ellesmera." She stands and gestures to the armored elf beside her. "Scouts report a pending attack from the treants, with a main force at least twenty strong. Commander Arun plans to take the rest of our forces to face them before they reach the city as to not bring harm to any of its citizens, but doing so would leave our walls and gates unprotected from attack." She turns to Commander Arun, who steps forward. "We request that you temporarily take on the watch duty for our gate. My intent is to ensure that none of our enemies reach it, but we require capable backup as a precaution. Decide quickly, our enemies shall soon be upon us. Of course, you shall be compensated for work even if you do just stand at the gate." After the players accept, Commander Arun shall take them to the gate and set off with a force fifty strong into the forest. The players shall stand in front of the gate for several minutes before they feel the ground begin to tremble. Emerging from the tree line, a large angry treant comes to face the players. It is their duty to protect the gate and defeat the enemy that lies before them. Outline: To successfully complete the quest, the players must defeat the Treant before it defeats them or destroys the gate. The destruction of the gate results in immediate failure. The gate itself has 500 HP and is treated as a target in this instance. Should the Player a player fail to protect the gate, immediately begin roleplaying the Failed Epilogue. NPCs: <<Haela, Queen of the Elves>> A millennia old elf that has served as Queen since the fall of her mother fifty years ago. Despite her age, she appears to be a young woman. She intends to be the ruler that ends the war, desiring peace as her legacy and for the duration of her reign. <<Arun, Elf Commander>> Pronounced Erin, this young commander is revered for his strength and tactical brilliance. He is known for his use of the Holy Spear of Flame, Gungnir which makes him unmatched in combat against the Treants. Enemies: Treant An eight meter tall giant of wood with a strength unmatched by any human. Its battle style focuses on using raw strength to slam into its opponents. It focuses not on hitting opponents directly as its punches cast powerful shockwaves that damage everything in the vicinity. HP: 450/450 | MIT: 175 | DMG: (See Shockwave Punch) Abilities: Shockwave Punch | Every turn, the Treant shall use this attack spreading its damage between every single target in the vicinity. Deals 300 mitigatable damage spread between all players and the gate. This attack will not miss. For example: If there are two players taking this quest then both players and the gate shall take 100 damage per turn. Burning Timber | Should the Treant be affected with a Burn ailment, its Mitigation shall become 0, its damage output will double, all Burn damage to it shall be doubled and the Mercy effect will no longer be an option. Wooden Body | Treant is not affected by any DoT effects other than Burn and Blight. Treant is also immune to Stun attacks. Mercy | Upon reaching 50 or less HP, the Treant will surrender and no longer attack unless the player attacks them again. If this option is chosen, begin the Mercy Ending. Epilogue: Spoiler Mercy Ending As the player mercifully allows the Treant to live, it rumbles with gratitude. "You... are... most... kind... human.... I... am... in... your... debt...." The treant stands from its fallen position before slowly moving back into the forest whence it came. Not a moment later, Commander Arun retursn with less than half of the force that rode out at his side. There is a sadness to his eyes but he greets the player anyway. "I am glad to see that you and the gate are still standing. I must say that it was one hell of a fight we had today, I wasn't sure you'd be able to hold the gate on your own. Come, we must report to the queen." After returning to the Queen, Commander Arun shall bow and begin his report. "We lost thirty-three men in the battle that just took place. The sheer number of Treants that were put against us was unimaginable. This attack was far too aggressive to be normal." The queen nods and looks away. "We can't go on like this anymore. We must end this conflict, peacefully. Unless we plan on conscripting every elf in the city, we can't continue this fight. We must swiftly bring about an end to this war. Too many have already lost their lives." She turns to the players. "I see that you have managed to protect the city gates. We are in your debt, please accept this as recompense. Usually, this item is only be able to be used by the elite elf warriors." She hands the players a red stone that is warm to the touch. "I do have one more thing to ask of you. The treants won't trust any elf. You're not involved, and don't have the right ear span. They might talk to you. I wish for you to travel to the Treant Grove at Baobab, as our ambassador, and forge a treaty by any means necessary." Commander Arun approaches you and says a few words in an unfamiliar language. After he finishes, a small red orb begins to follow the player around. "This is a fire spirit going by the name of Aga. She isn't as powerful as the magic of my spear, but can help you out if the treants need convincing. She can ignite causing fire, something that terrifies even their king." The quest reaches its conclusion with a display of rewards and the panel to accept the next quest. Killer Ending The Treants lifepoints reach zero, however its body remain on the ground after death instead of pixelating. It no longer speaks, nor moves. Commander Arun returns with less than half of his original force. There is a sadness in his eyes as they reach the treant at the players' feet. "Ah. My apologies, I didn't realize that one got through. However, it is not quite dead yet. Treants are not like you and me. They are a piece of the forest itself. To kill one, you must use one of two methods: set it alight with fire or break apart its core. When weakened like this their bodies become easy enough to break. If you were to just leave this treant it would regenerate over time." He lifts up his spear, the weapon beginning to blaze with flame. He drives the spear into the Treant, catching it on fire. He walks away. "Come, we must report to the queen." Returning to the Haela's side, Commander Arun bows and begin his report. "We lost thirty-three men in the battle. The sheer number of treants that were put against us was unimaginable. This attack was far too aggressive to be normal." The queen shall nod and look away. "We can't go on like this anymore. We must end this conflict, peacefully. Unless we plan on conscripting every elf in the city, we can't continue this fight. We must swiftly bring about an end to this war. Too many have already lost their lives." She turns to the players. "I see that you have managed to protect the city gates. We are in your debt, please accept this as recompense. Usually, this item is only be able to be used by the elite elf warriors." She hands the players a red stone that is warm to the touch. "I do have one more thing to ask of you. The treants won't trust any elf. You're not involved, and don't have the right ear span. They might talk to you. I wish for you to travel to the Treant Grove at Baobab, as our ambassador, and forge a treaty by any means necessary." Commander Arun approaches you and says a few words in an unfamiliar language. After he finishes, a small red orb begins to follow the player around. "This is a fire spirit going by the name of Aga. She isn't as powerful as the magic of my spear, but can help you out if the treants need convincing. She can ignite causing fire, something that terrifies even their king." The quest reaches its conclusion with a display of rewards and the panel to accept the next quest. Link to post Share on other sites
Cardinal 0 Posted December 9, 2020 Author #2 Share Posted December 9, 2020 Floor 8 <<Elvish Treaties>> Party Limit: 4 | 20+ Posts Prerequisite: Must have completed <<Elvish Rivalries>> Repeatable for standard thread rewards. Quest Rewards: 1,000 Experience Points 450 col Requirements: Players must, as a group, choose to take the Confrontation route or Lore route: Confrontation Route Speak with Haela, the Queen of Elves Travel to the grove of Baobab Set Fire to 3 of the Trees surrounding Baobab while remaining undetected. Confront the King of Treants, Ned, and convince him to stop the war. (Option) Attempt to persuade the Treants to surrender If the players fail to convince the key, or attack, they must defeat Needlewood, the Prince of Treants. Roleplay the Treant's surrender Travel back to Ellesmera and roleplay the ending. Lore Route All participants must link thread closure from <<Elvish Rivalries>>, confirming that the Treat was spare, for this option to be available. Speak with Haela, the Queen of Elves Roleplay traveling to the sacred grove of Baobab Roleplay speaking to the King of the Treants, whose name is really hard to pronounce so he goes by Ned. Earn the trust of the Treants by agreeing to retrieve the <<Cypher Rune of Wood>> from a ruined Elven War Camp. Roleplay traveling to the Elven War Camp Choose to fight or spare the Mourning Guard Return the Cypher Rune of Wood to Ned. Travel back to Ellesmera and roleplay the ending Summary: Standing in the throne room of Haela, she addresses the players directly. "While I would prefer a peaceful resolution to this war, any ending short of defeat has become acceptable. We are desperate, having suffered hundreds of losses in the last few years alone. While it might not sound like much to humans, children are a rare blessing among the elves. If you have ever killed any of the Treants, they are unlikely to heed your words. It is almost as if they can smell the blood of their fallen upon you and your weapons. You may have no choice but to use the fire spirit Arun will provide you and set their lands ablaze. Once you show that you have power over the flames that they fear, they should me much easier to convince. If your hands remain unblemished, perhaps they might actually hear you out." Commander Arun provides each player with an <<Aga>> to aid them, urging them to keep it hidden if they intend to negotiate. The players are sent from the city of Ellesmera to Baobab by the Queen of the Elves to put an end to the ongoing conflict, by peaceful means or force of arms. There, they must either confront the Treants' champion or negotiate with their king, if he is willing to hear them out. Outline: After conversing with Queen Haela, the players must determine a course of action. The party as a whole must pick one of the following two options. All players must have spared the Treat in <<Elvish Rivalries>> for the group to Lore Route to be open to them. Confrontation Route Upon arrival at Baobab, the players quickly get the sense that peace may no longer be a viable option, or is a distant long shot. They must convince or compel the Treants into surrender, but a direct confrontation isn't an option with over ten of the tree creature standing watch over the sacred grove. Using the <<Aga>>, the players must set fire to the area without being caught and kill any sentries who discover them before they alert the other Treants. Burning a Tree with <<Aga>> takes a post action. A Treant will spot the player if the player rolls a Stealth Rating of 9 or Lower. The Treant will act first in combat. With each tree successfully set on fire the Treant's detection rating increases by 1. Stealth rolls may resume on the post after the Treant is defeated. Use of <<Aga>> to burn more trees cannot occur during combat. If a player fails in a stealth attempt they must kill the Treant that spotted them to silence them. Treants spawned in this manner use Loot Minimum stats for the highest level player in the group. With the fires set, the players then confront Ned, the King of Treants, who is less than pleased. "I can feel the stench of death on your soul, human. I believe it is safe to also assume that you caused these fires. Tell me, what is your purpose for coming here? I hope you have more reason than just causing problems." Ned's voice, while calm, holds its own silent rage. The players can attempt to convince the King to surrender. If war or else the player will have to deal more damage. (Optional) Players Attempt to Persuade Ned to Surrender Only one player in the group may attempt this roll. LD modifiers from consumables apply. LD bonuses from the Searching skill and mods do not. An LD result of 15+ is required to succeed. Spoiler After listening to the players' words, he shall raise his hands in defeat. "After seeing you in action with the fire magic you possess, I don't wish to endanger the lives of my people any further. I will withdraw from the war... for now. I can't say that things will stay this way forever. But for now, the Elves have my word that we shall stop our attacks. Leave at once, human. Return to Haela and let her know she has won. I never expected her to use one like you to do her dirty work. Afterwards, do not return to Baobab. You will not be welcomed. My brethren and I are finding it hard enough to gather strength without you destroying more of the forest. With each day that the Elves control the Great Tree and its Cypher Rune, the less energy we have. We have to hibernate for longer and our numbers are dwindling.... We were fighting a losing war. Of course it would come down to this." The players will then leave Baobab, return to Ellesmera to roleplay the <<Elf Victory>> Ending. Players Fail to Persuade Ned or Attempt to Attack Him The Prince of the Treants, Needlethorn, steps forward angrily. "We Treants will not be frightened by a mere human like you. You may have the Elves backing you, but we have been fighting this war for a thousand years. No way would we be driven off by a mere flesh-bags such as yourselves. You aren't even as strong as the Commander of the Elves, Arun. I am the prince of the Treants, and the next in line to become king! None shall stand against me!!!" The players must fight Needlethorn and come out victorious to continue. Spoiler After the death of his son, Ned raises his wooden hand to prevent anymore violence. "Besting you is impossible, it seems, and after seeing you in action with the fire magic you possess, I do not wish to endanger the lives of my people any further. I will withdraw from the war... for now. I can't say that this will stay this way forever. But for now, the Elves have my word that we shall not attack. Leave at once, human. Return to Haela and let her know she has won. I never expected her to use a human to do her dirty work. Afterwards, keep clear of Baobab. I do not wish to see you in my city again. My brethren and I are finding it hard enough to gather strength without you destroying more of the forest. With each day that the Elves control the Cypher Rune, the less energy we have. We have to hibernate for longer and our numbers are dwindling.... We were fighting a losing war. Of course it would come down to this." The players leave Baobab, return to Ellesmera to roleplay the <<Elven Victory>> Ending. Lore Route Upon arrival at Baobab, they can walk in without being halted by any sentries or guards. They may even spot a few other players in the settlement. The players must address Ned and inform him that they have come to forge a peace treaty between the warring nations. Having been close by and managing to speak before the King, the Prince of Baobab, Needlewood, shall reply, "We Treants must return to our homelands. In fact, if you are working with the Elves we have no reason to speak wi-" The Treant that the players spared in the previous quest shall step forward and say, "You... humans... spared... me. Humans... friends... to... treants." The King of the Treants shall raise his hand in silence to both his son and the spared Treant. "The humans seem to have already proved their worth. But, as my son says, I cannot afford to share the land of my mother. It is we Treants who deserve to tend to our mother, not the Elves. It is because of them that The Great Tree is dying. They robbed her of her ability to gather life for the forest when they took the Cypher Rune of Wood a decade ago for their experiments with magic. Now it lies under the Earth in a ruined war camp of the elves. Hrmmmpf. That gives me an idea..." "Retrieve the Cypher Rune from the camp, and return it to me. Afterwards, you will take it back to the roots of The Great Tree and return it to where it belongs. I will know when it has been done. Do this, and you will prove to me that the Elves care enough about the forest. If they allow it, we will coexist with them in the land of my mother. Their camp should be just east of here. Find it, find the underground entrance, and make your way down there." After traveling there, the players will see that that entire camp was destroyed and is now overrun with tree roots that scatter over the rubble of buildings. An LD 14+ roll, as a post action, is required to find the trap door that leads to the secret cavern below. At the bottom, the players will find a seemingly impossible world: an underground cavern has its own artificial sunlight shining down on a field of beautiful flowers and grass. A small pond gathers from springs and rivulets of water pool at the lowest point. Butterflies flap curiously around the room, oblivious to the outer world. In the center of this underground cavern lies a hollow tree with a hole leading inside and down to its roots. As they approach the tree, a wooden figure intercepts them, with spear and stakes in hand. "None shall near the Tree of Mourning! Not while I still have life to give!" From there, the <<Mourning Guard>> attacks. The party as a whole must pick one of the following two options: Spare the Mourning Guard If the players choose to not fight, each must willingly endure two attacks from the guardian. Only then will the Mourning Guard accept that the players mean no harm to its ward and end his attacks. Normal combat rotations are modified for this option, where each player is subjected to an attack on their post. Damage is automatic (treat as automatic hit), but mitigation applies. Thorns and other similar damage-reflecting effects have no effect on the Mourning Guard under this option. If any player attacks the Mourning Guard, proceed with the 'Slay the Mourning Guard' option instead. Spoiler "If you are not here to harm the Tree of Mourning, why have you come?" Once the players explain their purpose, he nods. "The Cypher Rune is what gives the power to the forest. The Great Tree was born from it. They know naught of it, but the Elves' magic also comes from it." The Mourning Guard gestures to the surroundings. "The Cypher Rune gave life to the Tree of Mourning which, in turn, gave life to this cavern. It is the younger sibling to the Great Tree that struggles to sustain the forest above. It even created its own light using this magic. The Cypher Rune even created me to protect it. Take the rune and reunite the fractured spirits of nature, whose separation wrought war. This will end the conflict." The Mourning Guard will walk over to the Tree of Mourning and long branches will sprout from its body to create a ladder down into the hole where the Cypher Rune lies. "This is the last thing I can do for you and the Cypher Rune until I am reborn." As the players retrieve the Cypher Rune, they will climb back and find that the body of the Mourning Guard is nothing more than a husk. Slay the Mourning Guard This option is automatic if any player attacks the Mourning Guard. Spoiler With the Mourning Guard defeated, its body decays into nothingness as its health bar reaches zero. The players move to the edge of the drop, seeing the Cypher Rune glowing brightly and nestled deep in the roots of the Mourning tree. It appears to be about a fifty foot drop. At least one of the players must roleplay retrieving the artifact, requiring at least 1 post action, and then climbing back up. The players will then return to The King of the Treants who will confirm what they gathered was indeed the Cypher Rune. "I see you have managed to retrieve it. Return it to its proper place. Haela should know quite well where it goes. Do so, and I will call off all of my forces and will allow a real representative from the Elves to begin making proper peace treaties so that my people may return to their home and live in harmony with that of the elves." The players shall then be able to roleplay the <<Forest Restored>> Ending. Allies: <<Aga>> A small fire spirit granted to the player(s) by the elves who brought it to life. While it isn't intelligent enough to come up with its own ideas, it follows commands quite well making it a great addition to fighting any wooden opponents or needing to start a fire. Abilities: Blessing of Fire | <<Aga>> makes no attacks, but grants the player it is assigned to 1 Slot of T1 Burn and the RP ability to start fires on command. NPCs: <<Ned, King of the Treants>> A being having existed for over 10,000 years and having presided as the ruler of the treants for a few thousand. Standing at fifty feet tall, none are larger save for the Great Tree itself. His voice carries a deep wisdom and care for the Forest as well as rumbles the ground with every word. Enemies: <<Needlethorn, Prince of the Treants>> A few hundred years old, the Prince of the Treants stands at nine meters tall, towering over all players my a large margin. Many find it hard to believe that he is the son of the Treant King due to his explosive nature. Covered in large thorns, Needlethorn could be a tough opponent for fleshy opponents. HP: 700/700 | DMG: 150 | MIT: 150 | ACC: 3 | Thorns: 35 CAN ONLY BE FOUGHT ON CONFRONTATION ROUTE Abilities: Wooden Body | Needlethorn is not affected by any DoT effects other than Burn and Blight. Treant is also immune to Stun attacks Burning Timber | Should Needethorn be affected with a Burn status effect: its Mitigation shall become 0, its DMG will increase by 100, its Thorn damage will also become 100, and it will take 10 unmitigated damage every turn in addition to the damage from Burn. Shockwave Punch | All attacks from this monster are AoE. <<Mourning Guard>> The Mourning Guard is the being created to protect the Cypher Rune while it rests at the base of the Mourning Tree. While it is only a few years old, it is still quite capable of fighting to protect the tree. Initially hostile when approached, it will hold its attacks if the intruder displays no intent to harm the tree. HP: 550/550 | DMG: 165 | MIT: 125 | ACC: 3 CAN ONLY BE FOUGHT ON THE LORE ROUTE Abilities: Wooden Guard | Reduces all final damage by half. Wooden Body | Not affected by any DoT effects other than Burn and Blight. <<Mourning Guard>> is also immune to Stun. Flammable | Receives double damage from the Burn enhancement and the Wooden Guard ability becomes inactive while <<Mourning Guard>> is suffering from the Burn ailment. Epilogue: Elven Victory (if the players completed the Confrontation Route): Spoiler Upon returning to Ellesmera, the players find both Commander Arun and Haela awaiting them in the throne room. As the party approaches, Haela will be the first to speak. "I presume you bring good news?" As the story of how the Treants surrendered came to light, it is obvious that Haela is uneasy. "I see. Well, the problem with the Treants has ended, if even for a few years. We can take extra time to rebuild and strengthen our numbers. I doubt they shall remain content forever. You have done us a service, and for that we are grateful. Not only have you ended bloodshed for a time, you have also ensured that we remain in control of our home. I must go and begin preparing to shift our focus from battle to recovery. You have my thanks." The Queen shall leave, leaving the player(s) with Commander Arun. "You have done well, single-handedly managing to end a centuries old feud that has brought much death and discontent to the forest. I may see humans in a different light, as a result, no longer believing that all of you seek only to satisfy your endless greed. You proved your honor and selflessness today, displaying the courage of true warriors. Despite the risks, you went out there and faced off against dangerous odds. I couldn't have asked for anything more and will ensure that your names are engraved alongside those of our finest warriors." Arun will present the rewards for the quest and it will effectively end. Forest Restored Ending (if the players completed the Lore Route): Spoiler Upon returning, the players find both Commander Arun and Haela awaiting them in the throne room. As the party approaches, Haela will be the first to speak. "I presume you bring good news?" As the story is explained and the Cypher Rune is produced, Queen Haela nods her approval. "In return for bringing the Rune to its proper place, the Treants will be willing to work with us? This is an unexpected conclusion to our long conflict, but a welcome one. Come, you brought it. You can be the one to return it." Haela steps to a small circular pattern directly in front of the throne which previously appeared to be nothing more than a part of the intricate etchings to the throne room. Before the players follow, Arun pulls them aside. "You have done well. Single-handedly you managed to end a century old war that has brought only death and destruction to our forest. I may see humans in a different light, as a result, no longer believing that all of you seek only to satisfy your endless greed. You proved your honor and selflessness today, displaying the courage of true warriors. Go now, The Queen commands it." Arun mutters an arcane phrase, summoning the Aga will return to him before turning away and leaving the throne room. As the players stand on the platform, Haela will ask, "Ready? Prepare yourself. I remember my first time seeing it with my mother several hundred years ago." She pulls an ornate rapier from the air at her side, thrusting it into a small hole in the floor before twisting it. A clicking sound echoes throughout the room before the platform sinks down into the ground. The group shall slowly descend some distance before anything is visible. Similar to the cavern where they found the Tree of Mourning, an underground cavern is revealed to them. Massive root structures from the Great Tree, above, spread out across the space, as if forming this unusual void. The area is lit by flowers that emit a warm yellow light into the air. Blue butterflies fly about, flitting from plant to plant. "I have been down here several times but I will never get over its beauty." Haela steps lightly through the clearing, careful not to damage the flowers. Butterflies will flutter around the group as they walk to the hollow entrance to the deepest roots of the Great Tree. An intricate staircase awaits them, leading to the setting stone for the rune. "Replace the Cypher Rune and restore the trust between the Elves and the Treants." As the rune is restored, a bright purple light shall shines from it, sending pulses up into the branches of the Great Tree. The area momentarily shudders, like a refreshing chill flying up the massive tree's trunk, before settling still again. Returning to the surface, you find the an increased vibrancy and glow about the landscape, where everything seems brighter and more verdant than before. It as if nature itself has been rejuvenated. Most noticeably, a very large wooden dragon has wrapped itself around the base of the Great Tree, its gaze peering curiously upon them. "Amazing. I had no idea the Cypher Rune had such an impact on the life of the forest itself. We took the Rune a few years ago trying to find some way to defeat the Treants. The Mother Dragon vanished, in her displeasure. It is good to see her returned." Haela returns to the throne room where she presents the players with their rewards and the quest ends. Link to post Share on other sites
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