Welcome to the Halmae (updated 2/27/07)

[spyscribe]

Part the One-Hundred-First
In which: we examine many relics, and polish none of them.

Although the party is not particularly eager to leave Master Genichi alone to face the coming Inquisitors, they also find that swaying him from that course of action is not going to be an easy task. Reluctantly, the party agrees that protecting the relics must be their first priority.

Besides, the shrine is open to the elements, and Eva—even in Benedic’s borrowed cloak—is starting to turn slightly blue.

Sending Hatsumi and Satsuki to prepare for their journey to the Vale, Master Genichi leads the party to a small, square building adjacent to the shrine. The structure has only one room, adorned with a large holy symbol of Kettenek on the wall opposite the door, and furnished with two pedestals. On one is a flat, rounded stone, almost like a skipping stone. The other holds a rock which is vaguely cubical, but covered in sharp crags and angles.

“Great, more rocks,” Lira mutters to Eva as she casts a quick detect magic and scans the stones. Eva manages not to giggle.

Master Genichi explains that the two items are known as the Coin of Rikitaru and the Infinite Mountains. When they look closely at the Infinite Mountains, the party finds that it’s actually a sort of map. They can make out the monastery, the path that leads to the Lake of Exalted Heights, and the Vale of the Holy Spring almost as though they are using a crystal ball. They try to see if they can make out individual people—wondering if leaving the relic behind would allow the Inquisitors to track them through the mountains—but if such a level of detail is possible to discern, no one in the party is skilled enough to see it.

Anvil is busy examining the other rock. “What does this do?” he demands.

Lira shrugs, “I’m not going to touch something that radiates abjuration like that, but go ahead.”

Anvil ignores her. “Master Genichi--” he begins…

But Master Genichi has turned away from the party and is standing by the holy symbol on the back wall. The party falls silent as he chants softly under his breath and traces a figure on the wall with his finger.

Before him, the holy symbol parts down the middle and slides away to reveal a set of stone stairs descending into the rock below. Master Genichi turns to the party and gestures down the stairs. “If you would follow me.”

The party does.

(Note: Don’t we sound nice and obedient? In truth, I have to admit we spent about twenty minutes after Master Genichi had revealed the door dithering around the magic items, trying to see people in the mountains—hey, it’s not often we get to use our scry skills—debating whether we should take these obviously decoy Kettenite relics with us, ultimately deciding not to, and then finally following Master Genichi down the stairs. However, since none of this has turned out to have any relevance to anything, imagine that we did the sensible thing, and just followed the plot.)

###

The stairs lead down a narrow stone passage and into another chamber. This one has three pedestals against the far wall—separated from the foot of the stairs by a shallow pool of water. The water covers the entire floor, except for a dry dais near the entrance, where the party clusters.

Lira and Anvil still have detect magic spells active and quickly notice strong magical auras of multiple types radiating from a goblet, vial, and… Lira blinks… yes, a stick resting on the podiums. Also, the water in the pool radiates strongly of abjuration. Lira eyes it warily. “Master Genichi…”

The old monk anticipates her question. “Only Alirrians and those who worship no god above any other should cross the pool.”

Lira and Eva both carefully step back from the edge of the dais.

Reyu smirks a bit as she, Thatch, and Kiara step cautiously out into the shin-deep water and approach the pedestals with Master Genichi.

Master Genichi removes a stone goblet from the first pedestal. “This is the Goblet of Oo’gha-li.”

“What’s it do?” Thatch cannot stop himself from asking.

Master Genichi smiles. “Holy water drunk from the goblet is infused with the healing essence of our Lady. This here,” he says, reaching for a small glass vial on the second pedestal containing a small amount of liquid, “is the Vial of Infinite Blessings. It contains water from the Vale of the Holy Spring. It is quite precious; though in times of need it can bring foresight and knowledge to Our Lady’s chosen Daughters. I placed but a small drop in the tub upstairs…”

Eva, still on the far side of the room swallows. “Powerful stuff,” she mutters to Lira.

Master Genichi, meanwhile, has moved on to the last of the three relics, a simple, dead stick. “This is the Finger of Bai’li-gul. It is attuned to our Lady’s love of green and growing things. It grants any priest who bears it access to that aspect of her power.”

The party members carefully pack up the relics and retreat back up the stairs where they find Satsumi at Hatsuki have not yet left.

Master Genichi sighs. “Satsumi…”

“I made you lunch, grandfather,” she interrupts him. “You need me here with you—”

Master Genichi is gentle, but firm. “I need you to go with Hatsumi and warn the others that the Inquisitors are coming, and that they have discovered our secret.”

Satsumi’s chin juts out stubbornly. “You should not be here alone.”

He gives her a gentle squeeze around the shoulders. “I will not be alone. Alirria will be with me.” Master Genichi beckons to Hatsuki, who receives a final embrace as well, and then walks them both to the main gates of the monastery. The party stands behind as he watches the two children go, waiting in silence until they disappear up the path to the Vale of the Holy Spring.

At last, Master Genichi closes the gates and turns to the party. His expression is hard to read, a mixture of sadness and determination, resignation and regret. But all he says is, “We should not let Satsumi’s preparations go to waste. There are preparations you should make before your departure. Let us discuss them over lunch.”

 

[spyscribe]

Part the One-Hundred-Second
In which: bridges are burned (figuratively) and cut (literally).

Over lunch, the party members attempt to brainstorm how they can depart the monastery without being detected by the Inquisitors. They also try to convince Master Genichi to go with them.

Master Genichi steadfastly maintains that he would only slow the party down, and that speed is of the essence in their situation.

“I have a spell that might help,” Annika suggests. “Floating disk. It’s on scroll now, but if I take today to scribe it in my spell-book I’ll be able to memorize it every day for however long it takes us to get to the Vale.”

(This genius insight was brought to you by Jo, from jonrog1’s story hour, who we were lucky enough to have guest-starring as Annika this session.)

Reyu quickly calculates in her head. “If your spell carried Master Genichi, he wouldn’t leave tracks, but… there are still more of us than whose tracks I can conceal behind us.”

“Except,” Annika points out, “you don’t have to cover Kiara, because she can fly, and Benedic can help too, so that’s one, two…”

“What I want to know,” announces Benedic loudly after several minutes of discussion of the merits of pass without trace and whether Reyu can ask Paws to follow the rest of the group off the trail and thereby not reveal who exactly is leaving a lot of tracks away from the monastery, “is why we’re spending all this time worrying about sneaking out of here, and not letting the Inquisitors know we’re involved in the first place. There’s a really simple solution.”

Lira turns to the ranger. “What? Are you saying we should stay here, wait until the Inquisitors show up, and then kill them all?”

(In case you were wondering, that would be Ross, also of Drunk Southern Girls… fame playing Benedic. Score!)

“It’s not that hard.” Benedic responds. He pushes aside several plates and begins laying out chopsticks by way of illustration. “We dig a trench in the snow here, and put some people with flaming arrows on top of the main house there, and then, we can get a bunch of sharpened stakes, sink ‘em in the ground, and piss on them…”

Euro takes a flying leap off of Lira’s shoulder and begins nosing around the table, checking out the preparations. His voice filters back into Lira’s head, Oh yeah, we can take ‘em Boss.

But Master Genichi shakes his head. “We have maintained this place since long before the Sovereignty. We have kept whatever…” he gestures to the holy symbols of Kettenek scattered about the dining room, “trappings… have been necessary to maintain our faith. The stewardship of this site has been in my family for generations. I will not abandon my post, and I cannot ask that you aid me in its defense.”

“But surely,” Reyu points out, “the important site is the Vale itself. The monastery is… secondary to the spring.”

“Besides,” Lira adds, “not that I doubt your resolve, but it is quite likely the Inquisitors will have access to magics that could force you to betray us.”

Master Genichi is unruffled. “My will is strong… and they will have to take me alive.”

There is a respectful pause until Annika looks up and says, “Umm… not necessarily.”

Anvil quickly realizes what Annika refers to. “She’s right. Speak with dead is beyond my abilities, but not greatly so.”

“Is Evil the Wench that powerful?” Thatch asks.

(Player Note: if NPCs refuse to give us their name, we will come up with one for them.)

“There’s no way of telling,” Annika allows, “but if she isn’t, they would only have to bring his head to someone who was.”

“So we would have a head start.”

(There’s a groan from the other end of the table, followed by the unmistakable clink, clink of a nickel finding its way into the Hutt…)

“You could try…” Annika turns to Master Genichi, “before you went down… there’s a way to cut off your own tongue and lower jaw, so your corpse can’t tell them anything.”

“Well, if that’s the issue, why wait until the Inquisitors get here to take his tongue out?”

Master Genichi looks vaguely uncomfortable at the direction the conversation is taking.

Perhaps sensing an opportune moment, Lira leans across the table to the Abbot. “Master Genichi,” she says softly, “Your goddess’ season is one of life. Surely she would not wish for you to sacrifice yours now.”

The table falls silent.

“Think of your granddaughter,” says Reyu. “Surely she is more in need of you than,” she gestures to the walls around them, “these… stones.”

Everyone holds a collective breath, waiting for Master Genichi’s response. At last, he sighs. “If I will not slow your progress in the mountains, and by remaining here I do not aid, but in fact could hinder your cause… then I will assent to your request, and accompany you to the Vale.”

The party springs into action.

###

Annika immediately sets about scribing floating disk into her spellbook, which takes her the rest of the day.

Benedic, denied his plans for setting an ambush, does work with Thatch and the party’s decanter of endless water to create ice-slicks around the monastery. Reyu consults with Master Genichi and then sets two fire traps: one on the building that used to contain the relics, and the other on Master Genichi’s residence.

The others busy themselves as best they can for an early start the next morning, and try to avoid leaving too many footprints in the snow.

###

Anvil and Kiara are on the last watch before dawn when a lone figure arrives at the monastery and quietly slips in through the main gate. Anvil starts, then recognizes Satsuki.

There is a brief flash around his eyes and he calls out to her in his most commanding tone, “Come here.”

Satsuki stops, shakes her head a bit, as though to clear it, but does walk over to the fire where Anvil and Kiara are keeping watch.

“I am not leaving my grandfather behind,” she announces flatly.

“Fine,” Anvil replies. “He is coming with us to the Vale.”

Satsuki looks at him with barely disguised shock.

“Sit down,” Anvil continues. “You must be cold.”

“You convinced him to leave?”

“Yes. It was not easy. He is a stubborn man.”

For an instant, Satsuki looks amused.

Kiara grins and whispers, “I knew you would come back.”

Satsuki blinks, but says nothing.

###

Master Genichi is not pleased to find that Satsuki back at the monastery. “I told you to go to the Vale,” he chides her.

Satsuki refuses to give an inch. “Hatsumi knows the way. I wasn’t going to leave you alone here.”

However, since no one will be remaining behind at the monastery to make a noble stand to the death against the Inquisitors, the question has been rendered moot, and—dispatching Kiara in swallow form to catch up with Hatsumi—the party quickly gets underway.

At Lira’s suggestion, Master Genichi takes a moment as they leave to paint a sign on the door, telling anyone approaching that the monastery has been decimated by plague. No one expects the Inquisitors to be fooled by the device, but to the passing observer, it does present a credible reason for the site to have been deserted.

###

Although the party does cover their tracks as they press on into the mountains, any pretense of concealing their motives has been abandoned. They keep up a grueling pace to make good time and stay ahead of the Inquisitors, but do frequently pause to slick the path behind them using Thatch’s decanter and endless water, or to trigger rock-falls across the path, and any rope bridges they use to traverse mountain crevasses are severed as soon as the party crosses.

Master Genichi watches all of this with an air of silent resignation, knowing that it must be done, but saddened by what it means: that he and his sistren will never pass this way to the Vale of the Holy Spring again.

Sometime on the second day of travel, the party reaches a very put-out looking Hatsumi waiting for them in the center of the path. He falls in quickly with the rest of the travelers, but continues to glare at Satsuki for some time.

 

[Len]

I still think that they will have to polish the relics at some point.

 

[spyscribe]

Part the One-Hundred Third
In which: a trap is sprung.

Around noon on the second day of travel, as the party pauses to rest and eat a hurried lunch, Kiara (in swallow form) flies up above the tree line to see if the Inquisitors are behind them on the path.

When she looks back to the monastery… she sees two thick plumes of black smoke. Reyu’s fire traps have been triggered, and the compound is burning.

She can see one figure lying in the snow inside the walls of the monastery. Three more are making their way up the path towards the Vale. The fifth member of the Inquisitor’s group is nowhere to be seen.

When Kiara relays her findings back to the rest of the group, the party is forced to consider their next move.

Everyone has been pushing to get as far ahead of the Inquisitors as possible. However, they have only managed to gain a little bit of time, and fatigue is setting in. After some debate, it is decided that with only three Inquisitors to contend with, their best course of action is to set an ambush—recover their wind while waiting—and when the remaining Inquisitors arrive, take them out once and for all.

Not only will this protect the monks at the Vale from being followed as they make their escape, it will also help the party’s alibi in case they need to deny that they have been to the monastery. After all, the Inquisitors can hardly inform on them if they are dead.

The decision made, Benedic rolls his eyes. “Finally.”

It takes another day for the party to find an ambush spot that meets Benedic’s ideal criteria. Then, they set their traps, dig into the snow, and wait.

**********

Guardsman, First Class Kiyoshi of the Lord’s Just and Righteous Inquisitorial Guard lets out a silent sigh as the trail opens up before him. The sigh is because even though the path is bounded by a sharp slope leading to a plateau on one side and a narrow gorge on the other, it is at least—Kettenek be praised—flat. The silent is because Kettenek’s unending wrath on the non-believers would be nothing compared to the wrath of the Lady Inquisitor Doroshi-san if she thought he was complaining about their pace.

Doroshi-san is moving forward on pure fury, and while Kiyoshi is not lacking in the fury department himself, he is also sick of slipping on ice-slicks and falling on his ass.

It looks like they’ve just hit another one. He can see Doroshi-san put her foot forward, catch herself, and proceed forward with small, mincing steps so as not to slip on the ice. Kiyoshi has just a second to wonder where the monks managed to get all of this water from when an arrow comes whistling out of the snow bank to his left.

It skewers Doroshi-san in the kidney, and he can see her yell… except that no sound comes out of her mouth. It’s then that Kiyoshi realizes he can’t hear anything from the area immediately in front of him. He just has time to think A silence spell?— before he whirls to see a pile of boulders falling down to cover the trail behind him.

**********

The mountain pass is a slaughter.

Even before the head Inquisitor has time to recover from the arrow lodged in her back, two magic missiles whoosh in from the other side of the chasm. Master Genichi, defying his age and apparent frailty, vaults over the snow-bank where he had been lying in wait, and lands on the path in front of the Inquisitors to unleash a flurry of blows on their leader.

Her guards begin to panic, but any thought of running is cut off by Annika casting web on the boulders that Satsumi and Hatsuki have sent crashing back across the path.

Benedic strikes the head Inquisitor with two more arrows as Thatch comes charging down the path, sword readied. With a mighty blow—which is eerily silent thanks to Anvil’s spell—Thatch punches forward with his blade, sending it through the head inquisitor and gutting the guard immediately behind her.

Anvil jumps down behind the small group, striking the last guard with his long sword.

Eva’s arrow through his throat drops the guard Thatch previously wounded, and the party’s attentions focus on the last member of the column. Reyu and Lira both unleash ranged attacks, and Satsuki leaps into the fray with a series of stunning kicks to his head and back. As Master Genichi comes forward to finish the job Annika suddenly yells, “Don’t kill him!”

The party checks themselves, abruptly realizing that they will want to keep one member of the group alive for questioning. However, Master Genichi, still inside the effect of the silence spell, hears nothing, and as the party frantically looks on, pummels the last Inquisitor into unconsciousness.

 

[Blacklamb]

I love a well executed Ambush =)


Question: How does Anvil feel about killing fellow followers of Ketenek?

I am curious how this was justifyed in his mind?


Blacklamb

 

[Capellan]

I am curious how this was justifyed in his mind?

Extenuating circumstances*.








* specifically, the fact that the Inquisitor was an ass

 

[spyscribe]

Question: How does Anvil feel about killing fellow followers of Ketenek?

I am curious how this was justifyed in his mind?

Man, just wait until you see what he does next update!

(The fact that Madame Doroshi-san had pretty well threatened to have us all arrested and tortured did not win her any points with the group. Even for Anvil, it seems being a follower of Kettenek only gets you so far.)

I'll see if I can get BadMonkeyJeff to pop in here and elaborate.

 

[spyscribe]

Part the One-Hundred Fourth
In which: the party gains unexpected information from unexpected sources.

Searches of the bodies yield several minor potions and scrolls, along with a mirror, wrapped in a leather bundle, which radiates divination and a hint of evocation magic.

Fearing it is a communications device, Lira keeps it wrapped and stowed away in her pack for safekeeping.

Meanwhile, Benedic drags the two dead bodies off the trail and into a copse of evergreens. Hatsumi—who has been tagging along after Benedic every chance he’s had throughout trip—tries to follow. Benedic notices and gently informs the youngster that “not everything is something you need to learn right now.”

Lira, observing the exchange, whispers to Reyu, “What is he doing back there anyway?”

“I believe,” Reyu replies, “he intends to dismember the bodies, burn the pieces, and then scatter the ashes down a mountain crevasse.”

Lira swallows. “Oh.”

The one remaining Inquisitor lies, bound and unconscious, on the side of the trail. “Why is it that you wished this one alive?” Master Genechi asks.

“Because,” says Annika as she begins to cast charm person at the survivor, “he can tell us how much they know.”

Having stabilized their captive, Anvil stations himself behind the prisoner, close at hand, but out of the Inquisitor’s sight.

Everyone else hides, weapons at the ready.

Gently, Annika slaps the Inquisitor awake. He blinks rapidly, disoriented.

“Thank God,” Annika says, holding his attention on her, “I thought you were dead. What happened?”

The guard seems unsteady at first, but he realizes that although he has no idea who this woman is, he somehow trusts her implicitly. “We… we were attacked,” he says. “The monks…”

“What monks?”

“From the Sharpstone Pass. Heretical traitors worshipping one of the godlings. Somehow, they must have been warned. Set traps for us. One killed, the other, he was injured, we had to leave him behind.”

“Heretics!” Exclaims Annika, “What are you going to do?”

“We have… notified our superiors, but it will be at least a week before they can reach us. Please, can you help untie me?”

Annika nods, leaving him for a moment and returning with the dullest knife she can find among their things. She saws ineffectively at his bindings.

“Were you carrying anything valuable, anything that needs to be protected?” she asks.

“The Lady Inquisitor Doroshi-san… she has a mirror. We use it to speak to the others.” He pulls futilely at the ropes around his wrists, but he’s held fast.

Annika shakes her head. “I’m sorry, this knife is no good. I’m going to try something else. Close your eyes.”

“Close my—What?... Who are you?”

“Just for a second, close them.” As the prisoner blinks Annika shoots a beseeching look over his head to Anvil. It’s a look that says, “strike quickly.”

Anvil reaches forward, right hand cloaked in an almost oily-looking black mist. He touches the prisoner’s shoulder. The Inquisitor just has time to jerk around, eyes wide, before he crumbles to the ground, dead.

Benedic comes forward, and drags away the body.

###

The next night at midnight, Anvil rouses the party to celebrate the feast of Kettenek Ascendant, or Mid-Winter.

A few days later, the party encounters the monks and pilgrims on their way back from the Vale. Master Genichi confers with his sistren and then they inform the pilgrims that, due to unfortunate circumstances, the monastery has been closed. A few of the monks continue on to escort the travelers back to civilization.

Alone again, Master Genichi turns to the party. “I cannot thank you enough for what you have done. My sistren and I will take the relics to our fellows in Cauldron. You are, of course, free to go on your way, but I would be honored if you would accompany me to the Vale before we part.”

Reyu bows politely. “The honor… would be ours.”

###

For another day the trail winds upwards. At last, near the top of a great mountain, Master Genichi leads the party to a small valley, sheltered within the peaks. Here, despite the incredible altitude, they find a bowl of green grasses, surrounded by dizzying vistas, and in the center, a perfectly round pool, its border broken only by a small gurgling spring.

Master Genichi kneels at the edge of the water, accompanied by the other monks, and the members of the party. After a moment of silent meditation, he turns to the party. “I cannot pay you for the aid you have rendered, but I can offer you some recompense.”

He gestures to one of the monks, who comes forward, and placing his hands in the water, begins to chant.

As the monk’s voice continues to drone, the surface of the water begins to bubble. Within moments, the water is churning, roiling from within. Foam and froth begin to rise from the surface, slowly at first, but soon a column of water rises out of the pool. As it grows, it begins to take on a shape—the shape of a woman.

She is beautiful. The water that makes up her face is clear and calm. It ripples as she moves, causing her features to shift continuously, leaving one with the impression that she has a face, yet no sense of what it actually looks like. Her body is covered with froth, as if forming a dress around her. Her hair flows, quite literally, down her back, melding seamlessly back into her body.

Thatch’s eyes go wide at the sight. It takes Eva a moment to realize that she has been unconsciously holding her breath.

The figure speaks:

“I thank you for this task that you have done for my children. You should consider it a birthing pain for your greatest trial, which is still far off, for it has not yet begun to begin...”

She then addresses each of the party members in turn.

To Thatch. “…though the seeds of your part in it have been laid, and their fruit is far riper than its season.”

To Eva. “You have already heard my words, child. Remember that you have the choice between flowing in two channels or blowing in one.”

To Lira. “The stream before you splits, child. The rough rapids shall leave you the weed whose seedlings overrun the garden. The stagnant pool shall leave you the flower whose seedlings are doomed to death.”

To Anvil. “Mind your fields well, for you know not all the crops that grow there, and you are fast becoming their hybrid.”

To Reyu. “Your roots have taken well to their new soil, but they must dig deeper yet. Still once more you will be uprooted and planted anew, ere the trial comes to pass.”

To Annika. “I see how deeply you have been wounded, child. Know that the blight of those who cut you so deep has not been fully cured. They fester until their next outbreak, in my brother’s scar, which is not yet healed.”

To Kiara. “I weep for you, my twisted child. For your road home has been long, and the road before you is even longer, and though you walk a thousand thousand miles more, nature’s way shall never find you.”

To Benedic. “A choice will come upon you, between your heart and your love. Choose your love, and witness the breaking of your heart. Choose your heart, and your love will be lost to you forever.”

The figure smiles—or at least appears to—and then, slowly, sinks back down, the form dissolving in the water below. Within moments, the pool is calm, clear, and tranquil once again.

Preoccupied with what they have just learned, the party quietly makes ready to depart. Master Genichi has inspected their maps and indicated a route by which they can reach the Valley of the Center of the Storm overland. Although this route will shorten the distance for the next stage of their journey considerably, it does mean that they will be traveling through the wilds of the Ketkath mountains for some weeks.

While Eva is not relishing the prospect, Benedic seems positively eager to be off. “Don’t worry,” he assures her, then corrects himself. “Well, you’d be a fool if you weren’t worried a bit… but I’ll get all of you through.”

Just as they are about to depart, Reyu notices Master Genichi standing at the edge of the Vale, looking wistfully back towards the spring. Reyu approaches him, and they stand for a few moments in silence.

Master Genichi speaks: “It pains me, to think that I will never see it again.”

Reyu replies in measured tones. “But it will be here, regardless of whether you see it or not.”

Master Genichi looks at her a moment, almost surprised, then nods.

Soon, the monks depart one way, and the party follows their own, and the Vale is deserted once again.

**

As the party disappears over the ridgeline, Benedic’s voice can barely be heard. “My heart, my love… My love, my heart… Feh! Gods.”

 

[Pyske]

Goodness, all those prophesies sound so... depressing.

And I was surprised by the death of the guard, as well. But hadn't he met the group (and Annika) during the ferry trip?

 

[Fajitas]

Goodness, all those prophesies sound so... depressing.

Didn't I mention in her portfolio? Alirria is the goddess of downers.

Seriously, I didn't mean for all the prophesies to come out so doom and gloomish. I didn't really realize that they had until we were actually in the middle of them. But then, I suppose, if the prophecies were that everything was going to be sunshine and kittens for the PCs, it wouldn't be much of a campaign, would it?

And I was surprised by the death of the guard, as well. But hadn't he met the group (and Annika) during the ferry trip?

One of the oddities of this session was that we had guest players of Ross and Jo of Drunk Southern Girls fame playing Benedic and Annika respectively. As a result, the two characters were a tad more... ruthless than they usually are. Questioning and executing the Inquisitor was pretty much their plan. Not that it's clear there was much of a choice, really. Leaving him behind would be a de facto death sentence, and setting him free is just asking for trouble.

I confess, I had forgotten that the guard had already met Annika before when we played this scene, but frankly Jo so utterly controlled and manipulated the conversation, that the poor guard probably would have told her everything *without* the aid of the charm person. It was really one of the most magnificent fast-talks I'd ever seen.