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Company of the Random Encounter ('complete' 14 Nov 2004)
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<blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1814485" data-attributes="member: 6294"><p><strong>Note: This is proving to be a long recap, so I will post it in two pieces. The adventure took place over two days, so one day per update seems a good idea <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Disturbingly (well, disturbing for the premise of CotRE), this adventure was created from scratch. I wanted to achieve three things:</strong></p><p><strong>1. run a 'city' adventure that wasn't just a dungeon with an urban façade tacked on the front</strong></p><p><strong>2. run a mystery before the PCs reached the level where they could just magic their way to the solution</strong></p><p><strong>3. introduce (or reintroduce) some NPCs who were intended to have important roles in the rest of the campaign. I'll talk about who these were at the end of the second update, but to clarify up front, Seraphina was a new PC, not an NPC.</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>Seraphina Tealeaf is concerned.</p><p></p><p>The young halfling is a tracker, hired by the city of Marikest to find and dispose of dangerous creatures. Of late, that's principally meant elementals. Fire and earth elementals, to be exact. They've long been known to lurk out at the abandoned Brightstone Mines, but for some reason they've been stirred up of late, and have taken to roaming the countryside. Which is rather dangerous for those they roam into.</p><p></p><p>None of this is specifically the reason for Seraphina's concern, however. What is concerning her is two-fold: first, the tracks of the elemental she has been following for the past day are much larger than those she has dealt with in the past. Second; they just vanished. The creature has gone underground, making it very hard for her to track its location.</p><p></p><p>Climbing down from Rufus, her burly riding dog, she examines the elemental's point of entry into the earth. It's fresh: the creature can't be very far away. Not that this is much help, when it could have gone in any direction at all.</p><p></p><p>As she ponders her next move, a group of travellers crests the hill to the south. There are five of them in all, one afoot and four riding on a rickety-looking wagon. Despite the wagon's age, however, the travellers themselves are well-equipped. Seraphina sees the gleam of both weapons and armour amongst them.</p><p></p><p>Which is just as well for the travellers, really, as the earth beside their cart suddenly bulges, then bursts open. The missing elemental rears upward, its stony body reaching nearly eight feet in height.</p><p></p><p>Seraphina shouts a warning, leaping onto Rufus' back as she does so. The travellers react quickly: evidently they are folk used to sudden action. A handsome human near the back of the cart is the first to respond, unleashing magical bolts at the creature.</p><p></p><p>The elemental roars like an avalanche, heavy fists swinging. The spellcaster crumples from a massive blow, even as one of his companions strikes the creature in the side.</p><p></p><p>Seraphina races toward the battle, swinging wide to get a clear shot with her sling. The stone misses its target, passing harmlessly above the melee. One of the travellers pulls the fallen spellcaster out of the elemental's reach, then begins to chant a prayer over the limp form. A third member of the group - a female elf - is shooting arrows at the elemental, while the last two strike at in melee. One of these, the man who was walking beside the wagon, wields a massive greatsword, which he now slams into the creature's side. Earth and stones spray from the force of the impact.</p><p></p><p>Closer now, Seraphina draws her shortsword. The creature is distracted by the adventurers - and adventurers they must be, to be so well-armed and blessed with so many spellcasters. The young halfling is able to charge in before the elemental becomes fully aware of her. Her blade bites deep into its back and - already weakened by the man's massive blow - the creature collapses in a shower of dust and dirt.</p><p></p><p>By the time the elemental is destroyed, the man it felled is already healed and on his feet. None of the others seem to have been harmed. Seraphina greets them, and learns their names. They are members of an adventuring group, and call themselves 'The Company of the Random Encounter' (well, all except the one named Khore, who disdains the term 'adventurer', though he seems to travel in their company). As she sorts through the creature's remains for its quartz-like heart, Seraphina explains her profession to the adventurers. It's hard not to notice their ears prick up at the mention of a reward for slaying the creature, and she suggests they travel back to Marikest with her, to share in the spoils.</p><p></p><p>As they travel northward, the adventurers explain that they are already bound for Marikest. Mantreus - the handsome human spellcaster - has been injured by some vile magic, which even the prayers of their clerics have been unable to heal. They hope that one of the temples in Marikest will be able to assist.</p><p></p><p>This proves a fortunate happenstance, for Seraphina's destination is the Church of Pelor, where she will be rewarded for the elemental's destruction. It's all so convenient, it's like someone designed it that way.</p><p></p><p>A few hours later, the group reaches the Church of Pelor. Seraphina hands over the elemental's heart, and splits the reward with her five new companions. With this done, the group asks about Mantreus' strange wound. After examining it, the Steward of Pelor indicates that it can indeed be healed, but the healing must be performed on ground that has been hallowed or consecrated. He chants a curative prayer, and the ugly wounds disappear.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers start to count out coin, but the priest waves it away, noting that the wound could only be the work of great evil, and healing a wound suffered in battle with such forces was reward enough. The adventurers find this very suspicious.</p><p></p><p>As they are obviously folk of good heart, the Steward continues, he has an offer of employment, provided they promise to be discrete about what they hear. The offer extends to Seraphina as well, and the six agree to listen to what he has to say. And to be discrete, a promise which the Steward might not have accepted so easily, had he known them a little better.</p><p></p><p>The Steward tells them of Margan Talhaus, one of the wealthiest merchants in Marikest, who married into the nobility and is now a member of the city council. It seems Margan's son, Feroden, is missing: a ransom note for 10,000 gold has been received. The note states that the boy will be killed if the town guards are told of his kidnapping. It makes no mention of adventurers, however, and it seems Margan is willing to chance this 'legal loophole' in an effort to get his son back, without the need for a ransom.</p><p></p><p>The group agrees to meet with Margan Talhaus, and the Steward gives them a letter of introduction.</p><p></p><p>The Talhaus family lives in a large estate in Marikest Bluffs, the most opulent of the city's neighbourhoods. Immediately the group shows the letter from the Steward to the Talhaus' butler, they are ushered into a meeting room. Margan Talhaus joins them a few minutes later. He repeats the Steward's story and asks for their assistance, noting that he would be very grateful to anyone who brought his son home safely. He also shows them the ransom note. It's neatly - even formally - written, and gives Margan a week to gather the money. The note was delivered two days earlier.</p><p></p><p>Khore immediately volunteers to assist, and for a wonder none of the others seems inclined to haggle about payment. Possibly they've got some inkling of what Talhaus' gratitude could mean to them: possibly they just feel that Khore's pulled the rug out from under them.</p><p></p><p>For the next half hour, the group quizzes Talhaus about his son's activities and friends. They learn that Feroden had two close companions, both noble-born. They get the youths' names, as well as the names of Feroden's usual haunts: Marikest Races, an inn named the Blind Harper, and Madame Sable's Rose House.</p><p></p><p>After they leave, Khore wonders why a wastrel would spend time at a gardening shop. Mantreus illuminates him,</p><p></p><p>"I'd say 'Rose House' is a euphemism. It'll be a bro... a house of ill repute."</p><p></p><p>"What? We should smite them!"</p><p></p><p>At this, the raven-haired adventurer Valkyre - who has a strange accent - questions Khore's sexuality.</p><p></p><p>The group decides to try the Marikest Races, first.</p><p></p><p>A few quick conversations at the races points them in the direction of Feroden's favourite betting house, but the proprietor can't help them much: </p><p></p><p>"Master Talhaus used to be a regular weekend visitor, but he stopped coming about a month ago. Last time he came, he settled up what he owed me, and that was the last I saw of him." </p><p></p><p>The group moves on to Madam Sable's Rose House, and discover that Mantreus' guess about its true function was a little off the mark. Rather than a bawdy house, the Rose House is a mixture of gypsy fortune teller and overpriced coffee shop. Madame Sable isn't able to offer them any information that seems useful. She hasn't seen Feroden for about a week, and can recall only that the last time he came, he was with one of his friends, and a girl she didn't recognise.</p><p></p><p>On to the Blind Harper, where Ealdswaith the serving girl definitely remembers Feroden: not surprising, given the 'memento' he's left her carrying. For a wonder, the group are fairly compassionate about this, and resolve to see what they can do to make sure the woman and her child will be provided for. Must be Seraphina's influence on them, or something.</p><p></p><p>Though Ealdswaith gives the group all the information she can, it's not much more help: she too has not seen Feroden in over a week "and I think I ain't likely too, neither". Prior to that, he used to visit at least once or twice a week, always in the company of the same two friends.</p><p></p><p>It seems the friends are the best lead the group has, and they call on the first of these immediately: a young man of wealth and good family, named Donal Cruith. Donal, on hearing Feroden's name, laughs sourly.</p><p></p><p>"I haven't seen him for more than a week, and I was seeing less and less of him before that. He and Polas had some 'new place' they were going to, but they never invited me.</p><p></p><p>'Polas' is Polas Vekkener, a cousin and sycophant of one of the most wealthy families in Marikest. He is evasive when the group calls on him, snidely making it clear that he does not feel he need explain himself to common adventuring riff-raff.</p><p></p><p>Or at least, that's what he does until Mantreus changes tack from questions to threats. The sorcerer's easy charm makes it easy for his companions forget that he grew up in the touch city slums: it's not something the quickly cowed Polas is likely to forget. He quickly confesses that he and Feroden had been attending an illegal duelling arena for the past two months.</p><p></p><p>"Feroden met a new girl there, so we went a lot." he stammers, "He was gambling on the matches all the time, too. He did pretty well to start with, but then he started to lose. I know he owes a lot of money from when he bet against the new one-eyed guy they've got fighting there."</p><p></p><p>Remembering the words of his dying father, the Padre is eager to investigate this arena, and in particular to meet this one-eyed fighter. Polas gives them the address, and tells them to arrive no earlier than three hours after dark.</p><p></p><p>Satisfied with what they have learned, Mantreus makes one last threat, and tousles the young noble's hair as he leaves.</p><p></p><p>That night, they arrive at the arena, which is held in an out-of-use warehouse. The door of the building is sturdy, with a viewing slit for those inside. They group knocks, and a guard answers. He grunts when they mention Polas' name, but lets them inside.</p><p></p><p>"First visit, go see the boss." He points up a flight of wooden steps to a small office.</p><p></p><p>The boss turns out to be a well dressed human woman, who gives her name as Sarissa. She's probably in her mid-30s, and would be attractive if it were not for a scar that pulls one corner of her mouth down into a permanent frown. She questions the group's reasons for coming and is clearly not convinced when they dissemble. Seeing this, Khore risks telling her the truth.</p><p></p><p>Sarissa offers them a deal: if they will fight in the arena against a couple of beasts she has purchased, she will let them stay and conduct their investigation. Reluctantly, they agree.</p><p></p><p>The 'beasts' turn out to be a pair of dire wolves, which give the group a very nasty time. Both Khore and Anastria come very close to dying, and almost all of the group is injured by the time the second of the two creatures is slain.</p><p></p><p>Their credentials proved, the group begins their investigation. First, they speak with the chief betting agent at the arena. He isn't as impressed by Mantreus' threats as Polas was, but once they adopt a more conciliatory tone, he confirms that Feroden got into heavy debt - about three thousand gold - but that the last time Feroden came to the arena (about five days before), he had paid the debt in full.</p><p></p><p>Perplexed - gambling debts had seemed like their best lead - the group continues to ask around. They meet Gar and Garran Dudley, a half-orc and gnome gladiatorial team, as well as several other members of the staff.</p><p></p><p>And then a seven foot tall woman with white hair walks in. Mantreus immediately makes a bee-line for her, but his attempts to strike up a conversation are rebuffed by her distant attitude. Any further attempts he might have planned are interrupted by the next fight, in which a dwarven berserker takes on a one-eyed human whose face and arms are wreathed in tattoos.</p><p></p><p>It is a savage battle, with the enraged dwarf throwing himself at the human. The one-eyed man, for his part, fights with almost clockwork precision. He concentrates on defending himself, striking only when the dwarf leaves an opening. Then, as his enemy tires, he takes the offensive, eventually forcing the fatigued dwarf to yield. By the end of the battle, blood soaks every inch of the arena floor.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly, the Padre is not quite so eager to face this one-eyed man.</p><p></p><p>Focussing on their investigation, the group learns that Feroden often spent his time at the arena with a young woman named Ulana. She is not present that evening, but it is suggested they speak to a 'merchant' (smuggler would be a more accurate term) named Barak, with whom both Ulana and Feroden were known to have dealings.</p><p></p><p>Barak proves a charming fellow, and more than happy to answer the group's questions. He confirms that Feroden sometimes bought 'exotic substances' from him, but says he doesn't know anything more. He offers to try and find out, however, if the group are willing to spend a few coins. They are, and agree to meet him at the arena again the next night.</p><p></p><p>The next morning, there's a new ransom note.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Capellan, post: 1814485, member: 6294"] [b]Note: This is proving to be a long recap, so I will post it in two pieces. The adventure took place over two days, so one day per update seems a good idea :) Disturbingly (well, disturbing for the premise of CotRE), this adventure was created from scratch. I wanted to achieve three things: 1. run a 'city' adventure that wasn't just a dungeon with an urban façade tacked on the front 2. run a mystery before the PCs reached the level where they could just magic their way to the solution 3. introduce (or reintroduce) some NPCs who were intended to have important roles in the rest of the campaign. I'll talk about who these were at the end of the second update, but to clarify up front, Seraphina was a new PC, not an NPC.[/b] Seraphina Tealeaf is concerned. The young halfling is a tracker, hired by the city of Marikest to find and dispose of dangerous creatures. Of late, that's principally meant elementals. Fire and earth elementals, to be exact. They've long been known to lurk out at the abandoned Brightstone Mines, but for some reason they've been stirred up of late, and have taken to roaming the countryside. Which is rather dangerous for those they roam into. None of this is specifically the reason for Seraphina's concern, however. What is concerning her is two-fold: first, the tracks of the elemental she has been following for the past day are much larger than those she has dealt with in the past. Second; they just vanished. The creature has gone underground, making it very hard for her to track its location. Climbing down from Rufus, her burly riding dog, she examines the elemental's point of entry into the earth. It's fresh: the creature can't be very far away. Not that this is much help, when it could have gone in any direction at all. As she ponders her next move, a group of travellers crests the hill to the south. There are five of them in all, one afoot and four riding on a rickety-looking wagon. Despite the wagon's age, however, the travellers themselves are well-equipped. Seraphina sees the gleam of both weapons and armour amongst them. Which is just as well for the travellers, really, as the earth beside their cart suddenly bulges, then bursts open. The missing elemental rears upward, its stony body reaching nearly eight feet in height. Seraphina shouts a warning, leaping onto Rufus' back as she does so. The travellers react quickly: evidently they are folk used to sudden action. A handsome human near the back of the cart is the first to respond, unleashing magical bolts at the creature. The elemental roars like an avalanche, heavy fists swinging. The spellcaster crumples from a massive blow, even as one of his companions strikes the creature in the side. Seraphina races toward the battle, swinging wide to get a clear shot with her sling. The stone misses its target, passing harmlessly above the melee. One of the travellers pulls the fallen spellcaster out of the elemental's reach, then begins to chant a prayer over the limp form. A third member of the group - a female elf - is shooting arrows at the elemental, while the last two strike at in melee. One of these, the man who was walking beside the wagon, wields a massive greatsword, which he now slams into the creature's side. Earth and stones spray from the force of the impact. Closer now, Seraphina draws her shortsword. The creature is distracted by the adventurers - and adventurers they must be, to be so well-armed and blessed with so many spellcasters. The young halfling is able to charge in before the elemental becomes fully aware of her. Her blade bites deep into its back and - already weakened by the man's massive blow - the creature collapses in a shower of dust and dirt. By the time the elemental is destroyed, the man it felled is already healed and on his feet. None of the others seem to have been harmed. Seraphina greets them, and learns their names. They are members of an adventuring group, and call themselves 'The Company of the Random Encounter' (well, all except the one named Khore, who disdains the term 'adventurer', though he seems to travel in their company). As she sorts through the creature's remains for its quartz-like heart, Seraphina explains her profession to the adventurers. It's hard not to notice their ears prick up at the mention of a reward for slaying the creature, and she suggests they travel back to Marikest with her, to share in the spoils. As they travel northward, the adventurers explain that they are already bound for Marikest. Mantreus - the handsome human spellcaster - has been injured by some vile magic, which even the prayers of their clerics have been unable to heal. They hope that one of the temples in Marikest will be able to assist. This proves a fortunate happenstance, for Seraphina's destination is the Church of Pelor, where she will be rewarded for the elemental's destruction. It's all so convenient, it's like someone designed it that way. A few hours later, the group reaches the Church of Pelor. Seraphina hands over the elemental's heart, and splits the reward with her five new companions. With this done, the group asks about Mantreus' strange wound. After examining it, the Steward of Pelor indicates that it can indeed be healed, but the healing must be performed on ground that has been hallowed or consecrated. He chants a curative prayer, and the ugly wounds disappear. The adventurers start to count out coin, but the priest waves it away, noting that the wound could only be the work of great evil, and healing a wound suffered in battle with such forces was reward enough. The adventurers find this very suspicious. As they are obviously folk of good heart, the Steward continues, he has an offer of employment, provided they promise to be discrete about what they hear. The offer extends to Seraphina as well, and the six agree to listen to what he has to say. And to be discrete, a promise which the Steward might not have accepted so easily, had he known them a little better. The Steward tells them of Margan Talhaus, one of the wealthiest merchants in Marikest, who married into the nobility and is now a member of the city council. It seems Margan's son, Feroden, is missing: a ransom note for 10,000 gold has been received. The note states that the boy will be killed if the town guards are told of his kidnapping. It makes no mention of adventurers, however, and it seems Margan is willing to chance this 'legal loophole' in an effort to get his son back, without the need for a ransom. The group agrees to meet with Margan Talhaus, and the Steward gives them a letter of introduction. The Talhaus family lives in a large estate in Marikest Bluffs, the most opulent of the city's neighbourhoods. Immediately the group shows the letter from the Steward to the Talhaus' butler, they are ushered into a meeting room. Margan Talhaus joins them a few minutes later. He repeats the Steward's story and asks for their assistance, noting that he would be very grateful to anyone who brought his son home safely. He also shows them the ransom note. It's neatly - even formally - written, and gives Margan a week to gather the money. The note was delivered two days earlier. Khore immediately volunteers to assist, and for a wonder none of the others seems inclined to haggle about payment. Possibly they've got some inkling of what Talhaus' gratitude could mean to them: possibly they just feel that Khore's pulled the rug out from under them. For the next half hour, the group quizzes Talhaus about his son's activities and friends. They learn that Feroden had two close companions, both noble-born. They get the youths' names, as well as the names of Feroden's usual haunts: Marikest Races, an inn named the Blind Harper, and Madame Sable's Rose House. After they leave, Khore wonders why a wastrel would spend time at a gardening shop. Mantreus illuminates him, "I'd say 'Rose House' is a euphemism. It'll be a bro... a house of ill repute." "What? We should smite them!" At this, the raven-haired adventurer Valkyre - who has a strange accent - questions Khore's sexuality. The group decides to try the Marikest Races, first. A few quick conversations at the races points them in the direction of Feroden's favourite betting house, but the proprietor can't help them much: "Master Talhaus used to be a regular weekend visitor, but he stopped coming about a month ago. Last time he came, he settled up what he owed me, and that was the last I saw of him." The group moves on to Madam Sable's Rose House, and discover that Mantreus' guess about its true function was a little off the mark. Rather than a bawdy house, the Rose House is a mixture of gypsy fortune teller and overpriced coffee shop. Madame Sable isn't able to offer them any information that seems useful. She hasn't seen Feroden for about a week, and can recall only that the last time he came, he was with one of his friends, and a girl she didn't recognise. On to the Blind Harper, where Ealdswaith the serving girl definitely remembers Feroden: not surprising, given the 'memento' he's left her carrying. For a wonder, the group are fairly compassionate about this, and resolve to see what they can do to make sure the woman and her child will be provided for. Must be Seraphina's influence on them, or something. Though Ealdswaith gives the group all the information she can, it's not much more help: she too has not seen Feroden in over a week "and I think I ain't likely too, neither". Prior to that, he used to visit at least once or twice a week, always in the company of the same two friends. It seems the friends are the best lead the group has, and they call on the first of these immediately: a young man of wealth and good family, named Donal Cruith. Donal, on hearing Feroden's name, laughs sourly. "I haven't seen him for more than a week, and I was seeing less and less of him before that. He and Polas had some 'new place' they were going to, but they never invited me. 'Polas' is Polas Vekkener, a cousin and sycophant of one of the most wealthy families in Marikest. He is evasive when the group calls on him, snidely making it clear that he does not feel he need explain himself to common adventuring riff-raff. Or at least, that's what he does until Mantreus changes tack from questions to threats. The sorcerer's easy charm makes it easy for his companions forget that he grew up in the touch city slums: it's not something the quickly cowed Polas is likely to forget. He quickly confesses that he and Feroden had been attending an illegal duelling arena for the past two months. "Feroden met a new girl there, so we went a lot." he stammers, "He was gambling on the matches all the time, too. He did pretty well to start with, but then he started to lose. I know he owes a lot of money from when he bet against the new one-eyed guy they've got fighting there." Remembering the words of his dying father, the Padre is eager to investigate this arena, and in particular to meet this one-eyed fighter. Polas gives them the address, and tells them to arrive no earlier than three hours after dark. Satisfied with what they have learned, Mantreus makes one last threat, and tousles the young noble's hair as he leaves. That night, they arrive at the arena, which is held in an out-of-use warehouse. The door of the building is sturdy, with a viewing slit for those inside. They group knocks, and a guard answers. He grunts when they mention Polas' name, but lets them inside. "First visit, go see the boss." He points up a flight of wooden steps to a small office. The boss turns out to be a well dressed human woman, who gives her name as Sarissa. She's probably in her mid-30s, and would be attractive if it were not for a scar that pulls one corner of her mouth down into a permanent frown. She questions the group's reasons for coming and is clearly not convinced when they dissemble. Seeing this, Khore risks telling her the truth. Sarissa offers them a deal: if they will fight in the arena against a couple of beasts she has purchased, she will let them stay and conduct their investigation. Reluctantly, they agree. The 'beasts' turn out to be a pair of dire wolves, which give the group a very nasty time. Both Khore and Anastria come very close to dying, and almost all of the group is injured by the time the second of the two creatures is slain. Their credentials proved, the group begins their investigation. First, they speak with the chief betting agent at the arena. He isn't as impressed by Mantreus' threats as Polas was, but once they adopt a more conciliatory tone, he confirms that Feroden got into heavy debt - about three thousand gold - but that the last time Feroden came to the arena (about five days before), he had paid the debt in full. Perplexed - gambling debts had seemed like their best lead - the group continues to ask around. They meet Gar and Garran Dudley, a half-orc and gnome gladiatorial team, as well as several other members of the staff. And then a seven foot tall woman with white hair walks in. Mantreus immediately makes a bee-line for her, but his attempts to strike up a conversation are rebuffed by her distant attitude. Any further attempts he might have planned are interrupted by the next fight, in which a dwarven berserker takes on a one-eyed human whose face and arms are wreathed in tattoos. It is a savage battle, with the enraged dwarf throwing himself at the human. The one-eyed man, for his part, fights with almost clockwork precision. He concentrates on defending himself, striking only when the dwarf leaves an opening. Then, as his enemy tires, he takes the offensive, eventually forcing the fatigued dwarf to yield. By the end of the battle, blood soaks every inch of the arena floor. Suddenly, the Padre is not quite so eager to face this one-eyed man. Focussing on their investigation, the group learns that Feroden often spent his time at the arena with a young woman named Ulana. She is not present that evening, but it is suggested they speak to a 'merchant' (smuggler would be a more accurate term) named Barak, with whom both Ulana and Feroden were known to have dealings. Barak proves a charming fellow, and more than happy to answer the group's questions. He confirms that Feroden sometimes bought 'exotic substances' from him, but says he doesn't know anything more. He offers to try and find out, however, if the group are willing to spend a few coins. They are, and agree to meet him at the arena again the next night. The next morning, there's a new ransom note. [/QUOTE]
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Company of the Random Encounter ('complete' 14 Nov 2004)
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