Author |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2021 : 15:44:16
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Dark Mirror (1357 DR) R A Salvatore Tharman, farmer near the River Surbrin south of Mithril Hall, 30+ years old Rico Pengallen, smithy and warrior, of the village of Pengallen 15 miles south east of the River Surbrin. Prideful Pengallen village, a cluster of a dozen one story farm houses surrounded by a wall. Pengallen has an inn run by the barkeep Aganis, a two story building against the village wall, also serves as trading post and other functions Drizzts scimitar icingdeath glows a bluish white light only when the air is cold Twinkle glows blue whenever danger is near Nojheim, goblin, intelligent, enslaved to Rico, captured by orcs that raided Pengallen. Ultimately killed by Rico Aganis, barrel shaped, thick bearded, oft smiling Jak Timberline, older man, thinning grey hair, wizened face. Lives in Pengallen. Pengallen is not an independent community, it comes under the protection and influence of nearby larger cities like Silverymoon and Mithril Hall Silverymoon, the Moorgate on the western side of the city. |
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions Candlekeep Archive Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 1 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 2 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 3 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 4 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 5 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 6 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 7 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 8 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 9
Alternate Realms Site |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 03 Mar 2021 : 16:18:30
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quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison
A short novelette by RAS appears to be a fight scene followed by some Twilight Movie level of brooding and soul searching.
I was rereading something yesterday and I noticed that the good guy was getting all criticals. In a three on one battle, one enemy killed another with a critical miss that turned into a critical hit on another of the enemies. The good guy then killed each of the remaining enemies with a single thrust to the chest. I believe the levels were good guy level 7, bad guys were probably a level 5 leader and two level 3 soldiers. Nice thing is that the fight only took about a page and a half including dialog. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2021 : 00:25:06
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I am interested in seeing what you pick out. I have found lots of contradictory stuff in there. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6662 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2021 : 00:39:45
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quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Not much lore in the last two novelettes.
Grandfathers Toys was a missing person novel, showing off Galvin (from Red Magic) and his druid abilities as he tries to find a missing girl. Not an excellent book, not filled with lore either, but going fairly well until it mentions a sea elf city of Mercia just off the Dragon Reach that make mechanical machines to harvest kelp etc. Why would a sea elf create a mechanical sea crab to harvest kelp when such a creature would operate poorly underwater (they'd be better off doing it themselves), and they build these sea crabs with controls inside and make them air tight (which would be mostly useless to aquatic elves).
The Curse of Tegea is very divine focused. A duke cast a spell in the time of troubles and was transformed into a hideous beast, he then cursed Tegea and cut it off from the gods. However, Adon's spells work after a fashion so its not clear how the curse works. Spells work but talking to deities dont (and i hate talking to deities, especially when Adon claims Mystra told him that Midnight is just an avatar and is nothing more than a memory now). I think i might make the curse just a wild magic area rather than a divine barrier, works better (even though Adon claims Mystra's clerics can cast spells in wild magic areas). Lord GOrgias being trapped in a mirror fragment seems like a decent opportunity to introduce a nasty item with a fell sentience and a recurring villain if he ever escapes his imprisonment.
It's a massive magical undertaking to bar any sort of magic from operating in an area. I think you have it right in that there are leftovers from the ToT floating through Tegea in the form of random wild/dead magic zones. It's got nothing to do with the Duke, but he thinks his "curse" caused it.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6662 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2021 : 00:57:17
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quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison Well, it's a long way from the Western Heartlands to Cormyr, especially when that land was forested wilderness at the time.
It's not. It's just still in a recovery phase following the fall of Ebenfar. There are just no big realms controlling the area; it's small farms, agricultural collectives (villages), outlaw holds, petty lordlings (most of whom are little better than bandits themselves) and a few settlements that have pretensions about being "cities". But river and caravan trade continues and with Ebenfar gone, the "floodgates" open and trade increases significantly over the decades. It's that trade that both Ashar and Azoun want to control/protect and brings them into conflict.
And in trying to follow your thread, I can't work out what the "15 years" reference is to. Care to illuminate me?
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2021 : 01:19:48
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Valashar was founded in 361 DR. Azoun and his army fought them in 376 DR. It was in response to me saying it took 15 years before Azoun got angry enough to do something about Valashar taxing merchants.
Edit: Oh, and if the history of the Darkhold as delineated in the Secrets of the Darkhold DMs Guild product is accurate (Ed was listed as being involved in that product so it is possible it could be canon), there was a Giant Emperor in the Darkhold up until around 400 DR. That could be a significant power in the area. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Edited by - TheIriaeban on 05 Mar 2021 01:43:40 |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6662 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2021 : 03:22:57
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quote: Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Valashar was founded in 361 DR. Azoun and his army fought them in 376 DR. It was in response to me saying it took 15 years before Azoun got angry enough to do something about Valashar taxing merchants.
Edit: Oh, and if the history of the Darkhold as delineated in the Secrets of the Darkhold DMs Guild product is accurate (Ed was listed as being involved in that product so it is possible it could be canon), there was a Giant Emperor in the Darkhold up until around 400 DR. That could be a significant power in the area.
Valashar was founded in 321 DR.
And Ed provided the Pereghost backstory and advice re the geography of the region to the developers of that product, not the history part.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 05 Mar 2021 03:25:04 |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 05 Mar 2021 : 15:20:13
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quote: Originally posted by George Krashos
quote: Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Valashar was founded in 361 DR. Azoun and his army fought them in 376 DR. It was in response to me saying it took 15 years before Azoun got angry enough to do something about Valashar taxing merchants.
Edit: Oh, and if the history of the Darkhold as delineated in the Secrets of the Darkhold DMs Guild product is accurate (Ed was listed as being involved in that product so it is possible it could be canon), there was a Giant Emperor in the Darkhold up until around 400 DR. That could be a significant power in the area.
Valashar was founded in 321 DR.
And Ed provided the Pereghost backstory and advice re the geography of the region to the developers of that product, not the history part.
-- George Krashos
So, the notes in the FR Wiki, which specifically mentions you, is incorrect? https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Valashar_(kingdom)
And THANK YOU for that clarification. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6662 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2021 : 00:29:31
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quote: Originally posted by TheIriaeban
quote: Originally posted by George Krashos
quote: Originally posted by TheIriaeban
Valashar was founded in 361 DR. Azoun and his army fought them in 376 DR. It was in response to me saying it took 15 years before Azoun got angry enough to do something about Valashar taxing merchants.
Edit: Oh, and if the history of the Darkhold as delineated in the Secrets of the Darkhold DMs Guild product is accurate (Ed was listed as being involved in that product so it is possible it could be canon), there was a Giant Emperor in the Darkhold up until around 400 DR. That could be a significant power in the area.
Valashar was founded in 321 DR.
And Ed provided the Pereghost backstory and advice re the geography of the region to the developers of that product, not the history part.
-- George Krashos
So, the notes in the FR Wiki, which specifically mentions you, is incorrect? https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Valashar_(kingdom)
And THANK YOU for that clarification.
Well, as a fan I can do what I want - and have - but as a scholar of the Realms, I don't like to invalidate the dates in GHotR unless I have to absolutely do so. But in checking my "home timeline", I can see I did absolutely that - I have gone with the 361 DR founding date.
And delving back further, I can see that the last draft GHotR timeline that we handed in went with the 361 DR date. Someone after that went back and looked at Lands of Intrigue obviously (and Demihuman Deities as well, p.164) and added in the 321 DR date again. On top of that they added in in an anomalous 356 DR date as well which is ... plain wrong and clearly given the "35 years" reference, someone struggling to tie it all in. No idea who that might have been at TSR although Kim Mohan (who did a great job) was our editor.
So in a nutshell, yes, you are right. 361 and 376 are THE dates and the 321 and 356 in GHotR should be consigned to the historical dust bin.
And in relation to the 15 years bit, the 361 DR reference makes it clear that it's sorting out its neighbours first before expanding north - hence the Meiritin reference. It should also be noted that when Valashar was founded Shoon VII was still in power - a far more subtle and calculating individual than his successor Shaani in 367 DR who was very expansionistic and clearly gave Ashar the "green light" in 376 DR; and then was too weak to do much about Crown Prince Azoun's marauding foray into Shoon lands, Alexander the Great style.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 06 Mar 2021 00:30:34 |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2021 : 02:49:50
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quote: Originally posted by George Krashos Well, as a fan I can do what I want - and have - but as a scholar of the Realms, I don't like to invalidate the dates in GHotR unless I have to absolutely do so. But in checking my "home timeline", I can see I did absolutely that - I have gone with the 361 DR founding date.
And delving back further, I can see that the last draft GHotR timeline that we handed in went with the 361 DR date. Someone after that went back and looked at Lands of Intrigue obviously (and Demihuman Deities as well, p.164) and added in the 321 DR date again. On top of that they added in in an anomalous 356 DR date as well which is ... plain wrong and clearly given the "35 years" reference, someone struggling to tie it all in. No idea who that might have been at TSR although Kim Mohan (who did a great job) was our editor.
So in a nutshell, yes, you are right. 361 and 376 are THE dates and the 321 and 356 in GHotR should be consigned to the historical dust bin.
And in relation to the 15 years bit, the 361 DR reference makes it clear that it's sorting out its neighbours first before expanding north - hence the Meiritin reference. It should also be noted that when Valashar was founded Shoon VII was still in power - a far more subtle and calculating individual than his successor Shaani in 367 DR who was very expansionistic and clearly gave Ashar the "green light" in 376 DR; and then was too weak to do much about Crown Prince Azoun's marauding foray into Shoon lands, Alexander the Great style.
-- George Krashos
I hit the same thing when I was assembling my timeline. That caused a lot of confusion until I found the Wiki note. Thank you again for your clarification.
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"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2021 : 12:11:32
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I'm glad that's clarified as that confused the hell out of me for a while.
The more I read about the shadevar in cryot of the shadowking the more I think they are not the same as the shadevar of myth and legend
The creature in the book is human sized, humanoid, stronger and faster and regenerates all wounds but is in now way comparable to a creature born before the world itself that required azuth to personally trap them in the shadows tar and fire them into the cosmos.
The legends itself around the shadevar dont make sense either which makes me think they could be explained by corruption over time and with other legends.
So the legend of the shadevar is that there were 13 of them. Born before shar and selune etc etc. They were around millennia ago and enslaved by bhaal but even he could not control them forever. In the end azuth himself trapped them in the shadows tar and fired them into the cosmos.
Now this doesnt work. Bhaal didn't exist millennia ago, he was still in netheril right up until its fall and probably went south to calimshan before heading back up to this region, and this is all after he achieved demigod status.
Azuth also didn't exist until after the fall of netheril, so neither of them could be around millennia ago. Which means if the legend is taken literally then azuth got rid of them around -339 DR by hurling them into the cosmos, but 300 years later they were back and crashing into the high moor as that's where the shadowstar fell to transform verraketh.
There is no way the shadevar in the book is powerful enough to challenge bhaal or azuth.
So here's my thought. The shadevar are detailed in the malebdar, it's an encyclopedia, but it was written by many authors over many centuries and I doubt verraketh allowed it to be written while he was alive (containing secrets about his best stuff) which means it was written after the events, probably by everard farseer, hence his love of the book.
The authors confused the pets of verraketh with the shadevar of legend which they probably heard of from netherese migrants. It cant be a coincidence that shadovar and shadevar are similar words and that there are 13 shadevar and 13 sons of telemont tanthul.
So these shadevar were just monsters created by verraketh, possibly out of his own children and time corrupted the tales |
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions Candlekeep Archive Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 1 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 2 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 3 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 4 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 5 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 6 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 7 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 8 Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 9
Alternate Realms Site |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 06 Mar 2021 : 16:08:54
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quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison So here's my thought. The shadevar are detailed in the malebdar, it's an encyclopedia, but it was written by many authors over many centuries and I doubt verraketh allowed it to be written while he was alive (containing secrets about his best stuff) which means it was written after the events, probably by everard farseer, hence his love of the book.
The authors confused the pets of verraketh with the shadevar of legend which they probably heard of from netherese migrants. It cant be a coincidence that shadovar and shadevar are similar words and that there are 13 shadevar and 13 sons of telemont tanthul.
So these shadevar were just monsters created by verraketh, possibly out of his own children and time corrupted the tales
That works if you exclude Everard Farseer. He supposedly died long before Cormyrian expats founded the cities of the Chionthar. If the Shadowking conquered those very same cities, the two couldn't have been contemporaries.
Edit: Removed the misremembered Abbey reference in the original posting. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Edited by - TheIriaeban on 06 Mar 2021 18:04:04 |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3740 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2021 : 15:51:52
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I believe you mean Talek Telembar (I couldn't find the name Tarek in a search of Crypt of the Shadowking). If you are referring to Talek, you will find out more about him as you read both Crypt of the Shadowking and Curse of the Shadowmage. I don't want to spoil it for you. |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2021 : 16:18:52
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quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Spoil away, I'm reading it for the lore, not the experience. I dont recall much more being revealed in the crypt novels so perhaps it's in the next one but I'm a good few novels away from that
I would recommend readding both novels and all the short stories together. You get a comprehensive view of the lore from the region and there are lots of ties between them you might not remember if you space them apart. |
-- http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2021 : 17:11:27
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quote: Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison
Spoil away, I'm reading it for the lore, not the experience. I dont recall much more being revealed in the crypt novels so perhaps it's in the next one but I'm a good few novels away from that
I would recommend readding both novels and all the short stories together. You get a comprehensive view of the lore from the region and there are lots of ties between them you might not remember if you space them apart.
Ok, now you got me worried on what I could be missing. The FR Wiki entries for Iriaebor, Sunset Vale, and Sunset Mountains doesn't mention any of the short stories. Do you have easy access to a list of them that you could provide? |
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6361 Posts |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2021 : 01:08:35
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quote: Originally posted by Gary Dallison
One in realms of valour featuring tyveris
Yep, I think I found them:
Realms of Valor: Tyveris Realms of Infamy: Ravendas Reamls of Magic: Morhion
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"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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