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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 9045770" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p><h2 style="text-align: center">Twisted Mirth…we have come to bargain. - 6/15/2023</h2><p></p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth was chortling in the most sinister way, as she moved around the cave, her fingers searching for items scattered amongst what I would have called charitably, junk. The hag took out a black iron whistle and blew on it, but whatever shrill note it played, was on the distant edge of perception. From behind large sections of junk, emerged the elf woman and the human male that the night hag used as servants. They each were covering their ears from pain as they looked up at the hag with fear.</p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth had work to do and wasn’t interested in abusing her servants. First, she gathered a metal sieve with a sickly purple plant growing in it with roots trailing through and below it. She wrapped the roots into a ball and deposited it on top and handed the bundle into the arms of the mute elf girl servant. The elf looked fearfully at it, and the hag, gulping nervously, as she was handed more esoteric items: A metal basin, with a bucket below it, an hourglass, large battered cup that looked like a chalice, several bundles of herbs, a hatchet, a broom, and what appeared to be a large dagger, which if I were to wield it, would be more like a sword. The elf struggled to keep it all in her arms, and the fear of dropping anything was clear on her quivering face.</p><p></p><p>Next, she called over the hapless male human, who I recalled was last being used as a stool. He shuffled over and the hag pointed downwards next to the steaming cauldron and knelt down on all fours and waited. With no effort, Twisted Mirth lifted the metal cauldron and deposited it on the back of the and to our horror, the man grimaced in pain at the sound of sizzling flesh, and the smell of the seared flesh, made me want to retch.</p><p></p><p>In response, Adrissa pulled on my arm and pointed at the two slaves reminding me, “We said we would free them!”</p><p></p><p>“Bothered by a little sizzle?” The hag mocked the girl. “Serves them right for breaking the deal they agreed to. But nothing can…kill them.” She smiled as she bent to ruffle the man’s hair and then moved to pet the elf’s cheek with a wicked smile. “Pain is what they deserve, for the disrespect. But it all gets better after a moment. They can’t get out of their punishment by dying. Oh no no no…But I do remember your interest in them. The conditions for their freedom are tied to our work tonight. If everyone else does what was agreed to, they will be free as well. Come.” The hag then grabbing a wool scarf, stained with green ichor, and full of holes and a floppy pink leather hat, exited her cave.</p><p></p><p>I and the others followed, warily. A pair of banderhobbs had bounded ahead in the snow as the behest of the hag, while her servants stayed closely behind. I winced looking at them; both were in rags, and clearly were suffering in the cold as neither had shoes nor covering for their hands. Their skin was swiftly turning white in the deathly cold air, and while I been told they could not die, it was clear that neither was protected from pain.</p><p></p><p>“Remind me to ask what the penalties are breaking this deal,” Doxx said to Rosa as we trudged behind her.</p><p></p><p>“Best thought there dearie, is not to break it to start with,” Rosa replied.</p><p></p><p>“Myrai, are you…” The Blade started to say to me quietly.</p><p></p><p>“No. I’m not. I am very certain that nothing will go as we want,” I hissed under my breath. “I might have changed the deal a little, but I am sure that this isn’t going to make anything easier on us.” Adrissa hung close to me, shivering in the cold. Or in fear, but this weird ‘grandmother’ of a figure of a hag, was clearly having an effect on her, cowing her to silence in between bouts of bravery.</p><p></p><p>The warforged, Sage and Bookshelf walked behind us all, saying nothing as they resolutely marched through the snow, If they felt cold or fear it wasn’t apparent on their steely faces.</p><p></p><p>We fortunately did not have to march far in the snow, as we came down the hill into a gully that protected it from the wind. While there were some stunted trees and bushes on the edges, the center was clear of vegetation. But on one side was a lump of snow, about neck high. The hag approached it, and took the broom from the freezing elf, and used it to brush away the snow and revealing a stone table. The hag took all the items from the woman, and thrust the broom into her arms, cackling at her, “Clear off the ritual stone and be quick about it! If we had the time, I’d make you use your tongue instead!”</p><p></p><p>The elf wasted no time clearing off the stone, and indeed I suspected the broom was enchanted to help her. She was moving quickly, probably to get a sense of warmth into her, but the center of the gully was being cleared faster than I thought it should have. But I had little time to wonder, as a watched her uncover a stone set into the earth, at least ten paces across. It was inset with worn grooves and carved channels that formed three circles on the stone. I couldn’t tell if the deep grooves were runes, arcane marks or just decorative. And it wasn’t long before it was all cleared.</p><p></p><p>“Bring the hatchet girl!” the hag instructed as Twisted Mirth then led the man with the cauldron on his back to the center of the circle. Once there, it seemed to take the giant hag no effort to lift and place the cauldron near the center. The man wheezed in relief from his burden lifted, as the elf woman handed the hatchet to the hag and gave a look of pity to the man. He glanced up at Mirth, and he extended an arm to the hag as he squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth, all to avoid seeing the hag bring down the hatchel on the man’s arm, severing it cleanly from his torso.</p><p></p><p>My drop dropped in shock, and I covered my open mouth in horror, as Adrissa screamed, all to the chuckles of the hag. She tossed the arm down in the center of the circle, and then chopped again at the…same arm? I watched with morbid fascination as the arm was cut away cleanly, only to be quickly replaced by another one that quickly sprouted from his body. As I looked at the pile of arms in the center, I realized that in my vision, they were no longer flesh and bone, but some type of hard wood.</p><p></p><p>“That is a foul hatchet,” Sage remarked with distaste.</p><p></p><p>“She certainly has quite an array of strange tools,” Bookshelf acknowledged, nodding in agreement.</p><p></p><p>The hag, having cut enough wood, spat on the pile, and they erupted in purple flames, as she easily lifted and placed the cauldron on the eldritch bonfire, which despite it being lugged in the winter like snow, was already bubbling at a boil. The elf and human male, while clearly tempted by the flames to warm their bones, retreated to the edge of the circle and knelt clinging each other for warmth. Rosa, not caring what the hag might say, took and draped a blanket around the pair.</p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth didn’t object at all, her eyes focused on stirring the cauldron with the stick that was coated in thick grime. She then gave a knowing smile, and turned and beckoned to us, “Come. Now we shall make our bargain. All the things you and I want shall be spoken, and the penalties enumerated. But to make it a fair bargain, we must do this with one party at a time citing what they want and the other one stating what they want. One for one.”</p><p></p><p>“The penalties?” Sage asked evenly.</p><p></p><p>“Ah…they come first, so there is no surprise. For this one, the penalty is servitude for a dozen years and a day. And that applies to me as well. And I can guarantee, I will not be the one to break this deal.” There was a look of disgust that crossed her face as she briefly considered the outcome of that. “Also, neither party can hurt the other while the deal is in force. So, if no one objects, we all spit in the cauldron and negotiate the next term. If you don’t agree, we will continue until we do. But we only have until a turn of the hourglass to complete the ritual, which can only be done once a turning of the moon of Mabar.”</p><p></p><p>“How long is that?” Doxx asked Rosa.</p><p></p><p>“About a month,” Rosa replied.</p><p></p><p>“So, we get one shot at this?” Doxx said rolling her eyes.</p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth said nothing and smiled, when Bookshelf said, “Then we are done with terms, we each spit three times and the deal is sealed. Well let’s get this started.”</p><p></p><p>“We all spit into the cauldron to start it. GIRL turn over the hourglass when we spit, or I will turn you into a timepiece as a replacement!” The hag shouted, and the elf jumped and scampered the table and placed her hands on the hourglass and watched.</p><p></p><p>“Now, spit!” and the hag quickly spat a dart of black goo from her mouth into the bubbly liquid which started to froth. We all looked at each other and each of us spat into the bubbling morass, at which the elf flipped the timepiece, and the sands began.</p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth then started, “To avoid a fate of servitude for a dozen years and a day, between Great Auntie Twisted Mirth, and the band of…hmm…adventurers that share their expectorant here, a bargain equally matched will be made.”</p><p></p><p>“You wish the Master Key to be rebuilt! I possess the rod; you possess the gems. Surrender the gems, the true name of Teiazaam, and the blood of an aasimar, but not her life, and I will construct it.”</p><p></p><p>We all stood nodding. I was relieved that she called out my life wasn’t needed here without having to argue about it. But it was now apparent that Mirth had very little interest in us beyond tools. She was chasing something far more important to her, revenge. The Blade was the first, and we all followed with our own spit, causing the waters in the cauldron to start to glow in a color best described as a mottled mauve.</p><p></p><p>“You were to train us to use how to use the key,” Bookshelf started before Twisted Mirth cut them off with a bony waggling finger.</p><p></p><p>“--I said <strong><em>one</em></strong> of you. Who?” The hag stated, as she then crossed her arms watching.</p><p></p><p>We looked at each other and before we could even discuss it, Bookshelf replied. “Me. Teach me how to use the Master Key.”</p><p></p><p>“I will give you that knowledge, although it may take a day or two for it to make any sense. Agreed?”</p><p></p><p>We all nodded, and spat into the cauldron, causing it to froth a bit more, and the glow to grow.</p><p></p><p>“You will set free the woman and the man there!” Adrissa said angrily.</p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth rolled her eyes, “Yes, yes, that was a given and need not be part of this. But since you require it, I require something of you. I require you to assist me with preparing the key, Adrissa.” She and the rest of us were taking a back. I pushed her behind me and was about to call it off, when the hag continued, “I do not require your life, or even for you to come to harm. I need you to put things where I tell you.”</p><p></p><p>Adrissa straightened up and came from around me. “Fine. I’ll do it.”</p><p></p><p>Twisted Mirth smiled and spat again into the cauldron, as did we all, causing it to glow brighter still, as the cauldron was nearing a roiling boil.</p><p></p><p>“I then require you to…oh what’s a pithy phrase. O…mete justice on the one who stole from me, and is helping the overlord break his bonds—“Mirth started.</p><p></p><p>“—We can’t, because you can’t tell us who it is.” Rosa pointed out.</p><p></p><p>The hag smiled widely showing her cracked and rotten teeth, “Ah yes, but I can tell you who can, and where that person is. Your friend Melisandre—”</p><p></p><p>“She’s not a friend!” Doxx barked at the hag.</p><p></p><p>“She is more of one than I, little changeling,” the night hag said as it leveled a steely gaze at Doxx. “And she can be found in…Denning.” Doxx’s jaw dropped, and we all looked at each other in surprise.</p><p></p><p>“Denning,” I said, wondering if this was just the beginning of rude surprises. “When and how did she sodding get there?”</p><p></p><p>“Best you ask when you see her. Do you agree or not? Time is flowing away.” The hag said pointedly.</p><p></p><p>“Fine,” Doxx said and spat into the cauldron as the rest of us did as well.</p><p></p><p>“Anything else?” Twisted Mirth asked, looking at each of us. I just wanted to get this over with, and really couldn’t think of move to add, and it was clear the others had the same mindset. “Good!” And she quickly spat three times in succession into the cauldron.</p><p></p><p>We all started working our mouths to come up with the last bit of spittle to fulfill the contract. It seemed that this was the time for my throat to suddenly go dry. It took me a moment to work some up as I was the last to deliver my trio into the cauldron. When the last bit dribbled into the pot, the color changed to a glowing swirl of blue and yellow. Twisted barked at the elf girl, “Now! Bring the cup!” I groaned inwardly, as the elf ran to the stone table and grabbed the battered chalice, and ran to the hag, eager to be rid of it. Twisted Mirth took it and dipped the cup into the liquid and with a pinky extended she sipped from its contents. She savored it and then passed it to The Blade.</p><p></p><p>The Blade looked at it is frowning, and took a quick sip, and handed it to Sage. As he did so, he blanched at whatever he tasted, as did Sage. And so, the chalice went to each one of us in turn, and each one’s face soured at the contents. Finally, I was the last to receive it and I looked at the contents trying to steel myself for whatever nauseating assault I was going to expect to suffer. I closed my eyes and put the chalice to my lips and quickly sipped.</p><p></p><p>While the others were nauseated, I felt my stomach cramp in pain as whatever I swallowed hit bottom. The pain spread from my bely to and down my limbs, causing them to twitch violently. The hag took the chalice from me, as I collapsed on my knees gasping for air. I was barely aware of the hag mockingly patting me on the back sounding like a caring parent, “There, there, it’s all over now. Aasimars don’t like their medicine it seems,” she then cackled, as I pushed her hand away from me, causing her to howl in laughter. Adrissa quickly came to my side and tried to comfort me, as the hag immersed herself in the sound of my agony. She wiped the tears of joy from her eyes and sighed, “Well the bargain is done then. Time to reforge the Master Key.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 9045770, member: 6971069"] [HEADING=1][CENTER]Twisted Mirth…we have come to bargain. - 6/15/2023[/CENTER][/HEADING] Twisted Mirth was chortling in the most sinister way, as she moved around the cave, her fingers searching for items scattered amongst what I would have called charitably, junk. The hag took out a black iron whistle and blew on it, but whatever shrill note it played, was on the distant edge of perception. From behind large sections of junk, emerged the elf woman and the human male that the night hag used as servants. They each were covering their ears from pain as they looked up at the hag with fear. Twisted Mirth had work to do and wasn’t interested in abusing her servants. First, she gathered a metal sieve with a sickly purple plant growing in it with roots trailing through and below it. She wrapped the roots into a ball and deposited it on top and handed the bundle into the arms of the mute elf girl servant. The elf looked fearfully at it, and the hag, gulping nervously, as she was handed more esoteric items: A metal basin, with a bucket below it, an hourglass, large battered cup that looked like a chalice, several bundles of herbs, a hatchet, a broom, and what appeared to be a large dagger, which if I were to wield it, would be more like a sword. The elf struggled to keep it all in her arms, and the fear of dropping anything was clear on her quivering face. Next, she called over the hapless male human, who I recalled was last being used as a stool. He shuffled over and the hag pointed downwards next to the steaming cauldron and knelt down on all fours and waited. With no effort, Twisted Mirth lifted the metal cauldron and deposited it on the back of the and to our horror, the man grimaced in pain at the sound of sizzling flesh, and the smell of the seared flesh, made me want to retch. In response, Adrissa pulled on my arm and pointed at the two slaves reminding me, “We said we would free them!” “Bothered by a little sizzle?” The hag mocked the girl. “Serves them right for breaking the deal they agreed to. But nothing can…kill them.” She smiled as she bent to ruffle the man’s hair and then moved to pet the elf’s cheek with a wicked smile. “Pain is what they deserve, for the disrespect. But it all gets better after a moment. They can’t get out of their punishment by dying. Oh no no no…But I do remember your interest in them. The conditions for their freedom are tied to our work tonight. If everyone else does what was agreed to, they will be free as well. Come.” The hag then grabbing a wool scarf, stained with green ichor, and full of holes and a floppy pink leather hat, exited her cave. I and the others followed, warily. A pair of banderhobbs had bounded ahead in the snow as the behest of the hag, while her servants stayed closely behind. I winced looking at them; both were in rags, and clearly were suffering in the cold as neither had shoes nor covering for their hands. Their skin was swiftly turning white in the deathly cold air, and while I been told they could not die, it was clear that neither was protected from pain. “Remind me to ask what the penalties are breaking this deal,” Doxx said to Rosa as we trudged behind her. “Best thought there dearie, is not to break it to start with,” Rosa replied. “Myrai, are you…” The Blade started to say to me quietly. “No. I’m not. I am very certain that nothing will go as we want,” I hissed under my breath. “I might have changed the deal a little, but I am sure that this isn’t going to make anything easier on us.” Adrissa hung close to me, shivering in the cold. Or in fear, but this weird ‘grandmother’ of a figure of a hag, was clearly having an effect on her, cowing her to silence in between bouts of bravery. The warforged, Sage and Bookshelf walked behind us all, saying nothing as they resolutely marched through the snow, If they felt cold or fear it wasn’t apparent on their steely faces. We fortunately did not have to march far in the snow, as we came down the hill into a gully that protected it from the wind. While there were some stunted trees and bushes on the edges, the center was clear of vegetation. But on one side was a lump of snow, about neck high. The hag approached it, and took the broom from the freezing elf, and used it to brush away the snow and revealing a stone table. The hag took all the items from the woman, and thrust the broom into her arms, cackling at her, “Clear off the ritual stone and be quick about it! If we had the time, I’d make you use your tongue instead!” The elf wasted no time clearing off the stone, and indeed I suspected the broom was enchanted to help her. She was moving quickly, probably to get a sense of warmth into her, but the center of the gully was being cleared faster than I thought it should have. But I had little time to wonder, as a watched her uncover a stone set into the earth, at least ten paces across. It was inset with worn grooves and carved channels that formed three circles on the stone. I couldn’t tell if the deep grooves were runes, arcane marks or just decorative. And it wasn’t long before it was all cleared. “Bring the hatchet girl!” the hag instructed as Twisted Mirth then led the man with the cauldron on his back to the center of the circle. Once there, it seemed to take the giant hag no effort to lift and place the cauldron near the center. The man wheezed in relief from his burden lifted, as the elf woman handed the hatchet to the hag and gave a look of pity to the man. He glanced up at Mirth, and he extended an arm to the hag as he squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth, all to avoid seeing the hag bring down the hatchel on the man’s arm, severing it cleanly from his torso. My drop dropped in shock, and I covered my open mouth in horror, as Adrissa screamed, all to the chuckles of the hag. She tossed the arm down in the center of the circle, and then chopped again at the…same arm? I watched with morbid fascination as the arm was cut away cleanly, only to be quickly replaced by another one that quickly sprouted from his body. As I looked at the pile of arms in the center, I realized that in my vision, they were no longer flesh and bone, but some type of hard wood. “That is a foul hatchet,” Sage remarked with distaste. “She certainly has quite an array of strange tools,” Bookshelf acknowledged, nodding in agreement. The hag, having cut enough wood, spat on the pile, and they erupted in purple flames, as she easily lifted and placed the cauldron on the eldritch bonfire, which despite it being lugged in the winter like snow, was already bubbling at a boil. The elf and human male, while clearly tempted by the flames to warm their bones, retreated to the edge of the circle and knelt clinging each other for warmth. Rosa, not caring what the hag might say, took and draped a blanket around the pair. Twisted Mirth didn’t object at all, her eyes focused on stirring the cauldron with the stick that was coated in thick grime. She then gave a knowing smile, and turned and beckoned to us, “Come. Now we shall make our bargain. All the things you and I want shall be spoken, and the penalties enumerated. But to make it a fair bargain, we must do this with one party at a time citing what they want and the other one stating what they want. One for one.” “The penalties?” Sage asked evenly. “Ah…they come first, so there is no surprise. For this one, the penalty is servitude for a dozen years and a day. And that applies to me as well. And I can guarantee, I will not be the one to break this deal.” There was a look of disgust that crossed her face as she briefly considered the outcome of that. “Also, neither party can hurt the other while the deal is in force. So, if no one objects, we all spit in the cauldron and negotiate the next term. If you don’t agree, we will continue until we do. But we only have until a turn of the hourglass to complete the ritual, which can only be done once a turning of the moon of Mabar.” “How long is that?” Doxx asked Rosa. “About a month,” Rosa replied. “So, we get one shot at this?” Doxx said rolling her eyes. Twisted Mirth said nothing and smiled, when Bookshelf said, “Then we are done with terms, we each spit three times and the deal is sealed. Well let’s get this started.” “We all spit into the cauldron to start it. GIRL turn over the hourglass when we spit, or I will turn you into a timepiece as a replacement!” The hag shouted, and the elf jumped and scampered the table and placed her hands on the hourglass and watched. “Now, spit!” and the hag quickly spat a dart of black goo from her mouth into the bubbly liquid which started to froth. We all looked at each other and each of us spat into the bubbling morass, at which the elf flipped the timepiece, and the sands began. Twisted Mirth then started, “To avoid a fate of servitude for a dozen years and a day, between Great Auntie Twisted Mirth, and the band of…hmm…adventurers that share their expectorant here, a bargain equally matched will be made.” “You wish the Master Key to be rebuilt! I possess the rod; you possess the gems. Surrender the gems, the true name of Teiazaam, and the blood of an aasimar, but not her life, and I will construct it.” We all stood nodding. I was relieved that she called out my life wasn’t needed here without having to argue about it. But it was now apparent that Mirth had very little interest in us beyond tools. She was chasing something far more important to her, revenge. The Blade was the first, and we all followed with our own spit, causing the waters in the cauldron to start to glow in a color best described as a mottled mauve. “You were to train us to use how to use the key,” Bookshelf started before Twisted Mirth cut them off with a bony waggling finger. “--I said [B][I]one[/I][/B] of you. Who?” The hag stated, as she then crossed her arms watching. We looked at each other and before we could even discuss it, Bookshelf replied. “Me. Teach me how to use the Master Key.” “I will give you that knowledge, although it may take a day or two for it to make any sense. Agreed?” We all nodded, and spat into the cauldron, causing it to froth a bit more, and the glow to grow. “You will set free the woman and the man there!” Adrissa said angrily. Twisted Mirth rolled her eyes, “Yes, yes, that was a given and need not be part of this. But since you require it, I require something of you. I require you to assist me with preparing the key, Adrissa.” She and the rest of us were taking a back. I pushed her behind me and was about to call it off, when the hag continued, “I do not require your life, or even for you to come to harm. I need you to put things where I tell you.” Adrissa straightened up and came from around me. “Fine. I’ll do it.” Twisted Mirth smiled and spat again into the cauldron, as did we all, causing it to glow brighter still, as the cauldron was nearing a roiling boil. “I then require you to…oh what’s a pithy phrase. O…mete justice on the one who stole from me, and is helping the overlord break his bonds—“Mirth started. “—We can’t, because you can’t tell us who it is.” Rosa pointed out. The hag smiled widely showing her cracked and rotten teeth, “Ah yes, but I can tell you who can, and where that person is. Your friend Melisandre—” “She’s not a friend!” Doxx barked at the hag. “She is more of one than I, little changeling,” the night hag said as it leveled a steely gaze at Doxx. “And she can be found in…Denning.” Doxx’s jaw dropped, and we all looked at each other in surprise. “Denning,” I said, wondering if this was just the beginning of rude surprises. “When and how did she sodding get there?” “Best you ask when you see her. Do you agree or not? Time is flowing away.” The hag said pointedly. “Fine,” Doxx said and spat into the cauldron as the rest of us did as well. “Anything else?” Twisted Mirth asked, looking at each of us. I just wanted to get this over with, and really couldn’t think of move to add, and it was clear the others had the same mindset. “Good!” And she quickly spat three times in succession into the cauldron. We all started working our mouths to come up with the last bit of spittle to fulfill the contract. It seemed that this was the time for my throat to suddenly go dry. It took me a moment to work some up as I was the last to deliver my trio into the cauldron. When the last bit dribbled into the pot, the color changed to a glowing swirl of blue and yellow. Twisted barked at the elf girl, “Now! Bring the cup!” I groaned inwardly, as the elf ran to the stone table and grabbed the battered chalice, and ran to the hag, eager to be rid of it. Twisted Mirth took it and dipped the cup into the liquid and with a pinky extended she sipped from its contents. She savored it and then passed it to The Blade. The Blade looked at it is frowning, and took a quick sip, and handed it to Sage. As he did so, he blanched at whatever he tasted, as did Sage. And so, the chalice went to each one of us in turn, and each one’s face soured at the contents. Finally, I was the last to receive it and I looked at the contents trying to steel myself for whatever nauseating assault I was going to expect to suffer. I closed my eyes and put the chalice to my lips and quickly sipped. While the others were nauseated, I felt my stomach cramp in pain as whatever I swallowed hit bottom. The pain spread from my bely to and down my limbs, causing them to twitch violently. The hag took the chalice from me, as I collapsed on my knees gasping for air. I was barely aware of the hag mockingly patting me on the back sounding like a caring parent, “There, there, it’s all over now. Aasimars don’t like their medicine it seems,” she then cackled, as I pushed her hand away from me, causing her to howl in laughter. Adrissa quickly came to my side and tried to comfort me, as the hag immersed herself in the sound of my agony. She wiped the tears of joy from her eyes and sighed, “Well the bargain is done then. Time to reforge the Master Key.” [/QUOTE]
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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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