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Near the small and remote town of Wingby, just by the edge of the forest, a young man, a local lumberjack, has been found by two hikers. He was unconscious and in the brink of death. No apparent cause for his injuries has been found, though the doctors do attribute at least some of them to asphyxiation. Rushed to the hospital, he was quickly stabilized. But when interrogated, he remained barely coherent, insisting that “the forest” had attacked him while he worked. In his deliriums, he also mentioned having seen a man camping in the distance, way deeper inside the area. Police remain uncertain about the identity of the camper or their alive or dead status, but what they do know is that this is no ordinary incident... and they do have your number. That is the reason you all are here today, staring at the edge of the forest, ready and set for some action. What is this? This is a test run for a one-shot Monster of the Week campaign. I’m trying the format out, hoping it will lead to a relatively fast and enthrilling narrative type RP. For this one, I’m using a pre-made scenario, included in the Tome of Mysteries book. The system is pretty simple, though definitely a bit more complex than the last (and first) one I ran. In short, each player (aiming for 3 to 4) will be part of a group of monster hunters whose aim is to discover and kill the titular Monster of the Week. We will be playing over this thread, with a Discord server to help organize things (mostly at the character creation stage). Spectators are welcome, but you should be able to follow the story just by reading the thread. Content note While I don’t intend the scenarios to be unnecessarily bloody or gutty (hell knows I don’t like that), this is a narrative mystery/horror game, so death and violence will still happen with varying levels of graphicalness. Sexual violence of any kind will not. If you feel uncomfortable at any stage, for any reason, tell me (either in the thread, by PM or in Discord) and I’ll hold on descriptions, or change whatever plot thing is needed. This is a chill narrative game, and players having a good time is the most important thing. As a player: I’m not setting hard lines on content (besides the Something Awful content lines, which are to be observed at all times; if you do something to get yourself permabanned, that IS definitely on you!). But, please, don’t be a ghoul: keep the narrative relatively family-friendly, remember this is cooperative and not pvp, and be generally respectful of the other people playing the game. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask the other players if something is OK to do! I don’t expect to have to come down hard on this, but if needed, I absolutely will. The Characters We will be using the basic archetypes to build characters around. Those do work like classes: you pick one, and build your character around it. All characters have different stat spreads they can take on the same array of skills: Charm (mainly charisma, used for convincing people), Cool (oddly named; this influences how good you are in physical, but non-combat, action), Sharp (mainly Perception; how good you are at figuring mysteries out), Tough (your combat skills), and Weird (magic aptitude). Bonus and Malus on those will add or detract to your rolls, so try and choose your stats according to your style of play! Character sheets are pretty self-explanatory, but ask any questions away.
The Expert: Supernatural-wise, you have Been There, Done That. While not a professional monster hunter, you may as well be a very experienced amateur. You are sharp and know your way around the monsters. The Flake: Other people might think you are a bit odd. But you definitely know your way around mysteries, and how to spot a pattern when you see one. And there are definitely a lot of them around. The Initiate: You belong to an ancient organization intent on keeping the world safe. Hopefully, at least. But that means you have a lot of connections to help you around. The Monstrous: You are a human turned into some sort of monster. How that happened is up to you, as is playing up to your human side, or your monster side. The Mundane: You aren’t too sure how you ended up hunting monsters, and the others mostly think you’re cute and innocent. But eh, may as well enjoy the ride, right? The Professional: Not to be confused with the Expert; the Professional’s monster hunting is a job. They’re definitely good at it, but it’s still a job. At least coolness comes with the territory here. The Spooky: You are weird. You have magical powers the rest can’t even dream of, but you’ve also paid a price for them. Things can turn out very good for you… or really, really bad. The Wronged: You are looking for vengeance, and you don’t care much about the means. You are here to make monsters hurt. Since this is a quick game, we won’t be rolling with the full “Make your history connect with everyone else’s characters” routine; instead, you may pick just one of the lines in the History section of your sheet to apply to either yourself or someone else. This part will be done after all the characters have been created and introduced, though, so there is still time. Using Basic Actions Every turn, apart from the normal every day actions like moving, looking at something or talking with someone, each player has access to a variety of basic moves (reference sheet here) they can roll to use: ”The rulebook” posted:• Act Under Pressure, used for any difficult or dangerous action that isn't covered by another move. [Rolls on Cool] Every one of those basic moves are rolls on 2d6. On 10+, the move succeeds without reservations, leading to a positive outcome. On a 7 to 9, it’s a partial success, and it may come with a price to pay or another string attached. Under 7, the roll fails, with all its consequences. Your character’s status will also give them bonuses or maluses to each type of roll. In addition to those, individual characters also have Expert moves they can roll for and use to help the group achieve their objectives. Those are detailed in the individual character sheets. Using Magic Magic does not work on a given spellbook for each character; instead, you describe what you intend to do, and roll for it. You may be asked to do something first, like gathering ingredients or meditating. General options for Magic are given below, with the caveat that some characters may have extra options. All of them roll on Weird. ”The rulebook” posted:• Inflict harm (1-harm ignore-armour magic obvious) Those are intended to be user-grade spells; if you intend to invoke a magical nuke or something unreasonable for a single person to achieve, you’ll instead be asked to use Big Magic. Big Magic moves are not defined, so you can go nuts here, but bear in mind they will come with its own set of requisites and penalties, very probably on the heavier side of both. Luck and Hurt Character sheets have two markers: Luck and Hurt. Luck can be used to autopass a roll. Some of the characters may have limitations on how much luck they have, or suffer penalties for using it up, but otherwise, it’s a “pass this roll” point. Luck may refill thorough story events, but it’s unlikely we’ll last that long. Hurt is hitpoints. Over 3 wounds, the character will get worse with time if they are not stabilized or healed somehow. 6 wounds, and the character is dead. Countdown The game includes a Countdown mechanic. The naming convention is a bit odd, going from Morning to Midnight while not really being correlated to real day times. But the gist of it is that there are six different stages, increasing in severity, and intended to happen at regular intervals. An example from the rulebook: ”The rulebook” posted:• Day: Marie [a ghost] traps the Hadleys [a family] in the house. This is intended to be “the story if no one intervened”. The presence of the characters will probably help avoid most of the bad results, depending on their actions. But, most importantly, I am using the countdown as, well, a countdown. Every week (we’ll decide on a day) things will go down one stage, and even if the worst effects are prevented by the actions of the players, the severity of the situation will still increase somehow. We start on a Day stage; if the game reaches Midnight stage, the story is over. This means we will be working on a hard time limit of five weeks. I’ll accommodate this limit if it’s too short or too long, if the game moves too slowly to make it reasonable, or if someone is going to be unavailable or a particular week has downtime due to being a holiday or such, but this is roughly the idea and the pace I’ll aim to keep. The players
Maerlyn posted:Connor Reynolds, the Professional (he/him) Ignatius M. Meen posted:Character concept/outline is generally done (even though it's got a couple minuscule holes in it, I'm pretty sure the idea gets across as it is as to why it won't take much to fill 'em). Cloacamazing! posted:Henry "Faust" Vernon, Expert (he/him) SporkChan posted:Randy Newman (no relation), The Mundane Junpei posted:Nia Silva, she/her, The Spooky WindwardAway posted:Simon Montrose, The Wronged (he/him) Shellception fucked around with this message at 10:05 on Jan 5, 2024 |
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Dec 20, 2023 14:07
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Yes I am playing in this game, character to be determined (I'm interested in The Monstrous but I'm flexible). Edit: I'll be The Professional 
Maerlyn fucked around with this message at 04:52 on Dec 27, 2023 |
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Dec 20, 2023 14:15
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I'm playing as a Flake. I love the theming of the different character roles, especially Mundanes (big Xander from BtVS vibes). Character sheet's done after getting help recognizing that I'd slightly written myself into an unnecessary corner. Ignatius M. Meen fucked around with this message at 21:49 on Dec 20, 2023 |
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Dec 20, 2023 20:41
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Also a note: while this is a 3-4 player adventure, I don't mind having a 5th signup if anyone else is enticed and wants to jump in. Game should be pretty resilient since I can adjust the difficulty, and the mystery is still there to be figured out.
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Dec 20, 2023 22:53
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I've read about the system thanks to the SA-provided FATAL and Friends guides. I'd be down.
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Dec 21, 2023 01:43
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Henry "Faust" Vernon, Expert (he/him) Henry Vernon, Faust for his friends and fellow pursuers of the unknown, most definitely not Faust to his mom, siblings and librarian aunt, has been fascinated with the occult from a very young age. This fascination only grew alongside him, and when he got involved in a supernatural event that caused him to experience actual magic for the first time, there was no more stopping him. Faust came out of this ordeal mostly unscathed (well, after his stay at the hospital) and with a newfound zeal to learn about and master the occult. He also almost came out of the ordeal with a girlfriend, except that she got her own girlfriend first and it was very awkward. It has been a few years since that time. Faust has furthered his knowledge and his collection of occult items. He has finished college and gotten a job at an antique bookstore, the owner of which is roughly as eccentric as he is (although Mr Martol's obsession is tea instead of the supernatural) and doesn't mind his employee grabbing most of the weird stuff nobody's buying anyway. Aside from that, Faust has gotten a bit older, a bit less awkward and a little bit less virginal. At least, he doesn't qualify as a sacrifice for a volcano god anymore. He still wears black trenchcoats embroidered with mystical symbols, keeps his hair long and his beard longer. His beloved poodle and familiar, Mephistopheles, has also gotten a bit older and fatter, spending most of his days napping in the bookstore. During his free time, Faust goes out and searches places with supernatural rumors attached to them. Most of the time they turn out to be duds. Sometimes, though... Charm: -1 Cool: 0 Sharp: 2 Tough: -1 Weird: 2 Moves: Preparedness, Dark Past Haven: Mystical Library, Protection Spells, Armory Gear: Blessed Knife, Magical Dagger, Juju Bag
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Dec 21, 2023 21:16
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Nia Silva, she/her, The Spooky What's something better than a phony psychic? A phony psychic with some real psychic abilities. Nia's always been a bit... off. Her dad was never in the picture, and her mom and her did their best to live, mom holding down two jobs, washing dishes and working a store that sold crystals, tarot cards and the like. Nia at first started doing readings as a preteen, a way to pitch in, draw in some customers, maybe get them to buy something. But eventually, you spend enough time looking into black crystal balls... something looks back. Something that speaks to her, telling her to keep going. Nia's mom passed away, but Nia keeps the store alive. She tries to use her powers to help people, give them closure. And she's into investigating the supernatural, as a way to understand whatever it is that speaks to her. Charm: 1 (Gotta know how to sweet-talk a customer into getting a reading) Cool: 0 (okay physically) Sharp: 1 (She knows a few things) Tough: -1 (She'd rather let her powers do the talking) Weird: 2 (She's Magic.) Moves: Telepathy (the better to cold and hot read with), Hunches (She's got a gut feeling), The Big Whammy (Her powers do the fighting for her.) Gear: 9mm, big knife Dark Side Tags: Greed for power, poor impulse control, addiction (They feel good. And she helps people with problems, so it's the right thing to do, to use them!)
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Dec 22, 2023 07:30
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I'll join if there's room! Will post character sheet tomorrow 
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Dec 23, 2023 00:27
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Ooo tis there room
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Dec 23, 2023 00:34
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Hmmm 3 to 4, looks like you've got plenty. I hope it goes well though and there are future games
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Dec 23, 2023 00:34
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Tea Party Crasher posted:Hmmm 3 to 4, looks like you've got plenty. I hope it goes well though and there are future games Yeah, I can flex slightly more and accomodate up to 6 in a 4 player game, but I think more will be too much chaos for everyone involved. I DO intend on running more campaigns if this works, tho, so I'll be sure to tell you if you are interested!
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Dec 23, 2023 00:38
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Simon Montrose, The Wronged (he/him)  Image sources: Picrew and Niji AI Some speculate he's sworn a vow of silence. Others claim that a monster cursed him to never speak again. Or perhaps he's merely traumatised from his harrowing encounters. Whatever the reason, Simon is mute. But despite his lack of words, he makes one thing crystal clear: his thirst for vengeance. At the age of only six years old, Simon survived a monster attack in which both of his parents were killed. A kindhearted neighbour took him in, providing everything she could to raise the young boy as her own. But when he'd barely reached his teenage years, another monster incident took his adoptive mum away from him, leaving him alone yet again. He became aloof and withdrawn, speaking no more, but he also focused intensely on strength training. His commitment, years later, has grown him into an athletic young man capable of using all sorts of weapons, including his fists. He's hellbent on retribution for the deaths of everyone he's loved, and he'll stop at nothing to prevent those monsters from hurting anyone else again. Simon's preferred tools of the trade are a pair of small but deadly daggers, shaped aptly for slicing even the thickest of monster hides. He prefers close combat in monster fights, bearing various scars as proof of his recklessness. However, in a pinch he will improvise, using anything at his disposal as a makeshift weapon. He doesn't interact much with others, but when he does, he can usually get the meaning across by gesturing. Unfortunately, he's impulsive when it comes to monster hunts, and he doesn't always stop to listen to advice or plan out his next move. Charm: 0 (poor social skills) Cool: 0 (easily distracted from the task at hand sometimes) Sharp: +1 (knows how to track his prey, but can be rash) Tough: +2 (well-versed in combat, particularly melee) Weird: 0 (not magical at all) WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 14:59 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Dec 24, 2023 15:20
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Character concept/outline is generally done (even though it's got a couple minuscule holes in it, I'm pretty sure the idea gets across as it is as to why it won't take much to fill 'em). Hendrick McAlister, the Flake (he/him/whatever) You see a dark-haired man with a bushy beard, large coat, and glasses that are missing one of the lenses. His eyes bore into yours as he says: "The scrap of newspaper that blew into my face after the explosion made the first time I saw beyond the veil mentioned Connor's first name. The name of the street I was on at the time was the same as Randy's last name. The name of the next county where the wizard tried using his magic shared the first, the last, and two more letters inbetween with Henry's middle name. The first name of the landlord of the wizard's hideout was an obvious derivative of Nia's last name. The first person who I ran into when trying to reach the wizard's hideout was also named Simon. And when I rearranged the letters in the wizard's name, your agency's name was a nearly perfect fit. It took me so long to put it together but it was unmistakable when I did how this has to go. The fates are clear that I have to work with all of you." You realize there's no way he will take no for an answer. You're also not sure what he's all got in that coat of his. Maybe it'd be better for someone else to find out the hard way, and heck, maybe that weird focus of his will help you solve mysteries..? Charm: 1 (likes people and cares about trying to minimize the downsides of his weirdness) Cool: -1 (doesn't get out a lot and struggles with "getting into position" instead of finding a good one from the start; has some issues reading people and being read in the heat of the moment so has trouble helping rather than getting in the way) Sharp: 2 (reads everything he can, has flashes of insight that lead to the greater Pattern on how everything fits together to define pasts, presents, and futures) Tough: 0 (has decent common sense understanding of how to use his magnum and knives that make up a bit for his lack of serious physical and active handling training) Weird: 1 (has learned ways to tap into his unconscious mind to cause Pattern nudging that meet his current needs, sort of a bit like willing the dealer to bust in blackjack and then seeing it happen) He's got the power to Connect the Dots on various aspects of whatever he's working on, Net Friends who often provide plenty of help with information or breaking into secured technology, and is also plenty Sneaky for making sure anything he can hit unaware goes down fast. Ignatius M. Meen fucked around with this message at 22:21 on Jan 1, 2024 |
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Dec 25, 2023 03:50
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Connor Reynolds, the Professional (he/him) As an employee of the DPRC (Department of Paranormal Research and Containment), Connor feels as though he had seen and done it all, with the calm demeanor to match. Is he simply another grunt ground under the government boot? Maybe, but at least the pay is good. Connor has been working in Wingby off and on for years - one benefit of working for the DPRC is being assigned to multiple locales but Wingby seems to have cyclical supernatural issues. He's also met a handful of wannabe monster hunters who he has gotten to know somewhat begrudgingly - he's just waiting for the moment when the hunters will become the hunted and he'll have to step in and save the day yet again. Stats: Charm -1 (he's not here to win any popularity contests and it probably shows) Cool 2 (ready to put his life on the line at a moment's notice) Sharp 1 Tough 1 Weird 0 (he hunts magic users, why would he dabble himself?) (I'll finish this later, I saved in a hurry) Maerlyn fucked around with this message at 09:47 on Dec 27, 2023 |
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Dec 27, 2023 04:46
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Ok, we're kicking the prologue live in a bit, so we can flesh out the last "how does everyone connect to everyone else" questions before actually starting. Small format note: If there is something you want to say out of character, put it in italics. I may tell you to roll for stuff, but if you are taking an action that requires a roll, feel free to take it in the same post. Actions and rolls should be bolded. We are using Orokos for rolls, link your results. Shellception fucked around with this message at 12:15 on Jan 1, 2024 |
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Jan 1, 2024 12:13
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It’s a chill winter morning, and as the van bumps over every pothole of the badly paved road, making your tools clink and bounce in complaint and you all bump against each other, you can’t help but feel that it’s way, way too early to care about the world. There is not much conversation going on, and a couple snores can occasionally be overheard. You all belong to the Paranormal Events Investigation Squad, a not-exactly-official guvernamental body. It started in the 60s as one of the many, many amateur UFO research groups, mostly filled with astronomy nerds, Star Trek fans and conspiracy nuts in roughly equal parts. But somehow, over the years, it grew in number, and its scope widened to include a vast sway of the supernatural. A couple resounding sucesses, particularly The Great Bigfoot Scare of 1994, caught the eye of the more secret side of a particular government agency, and after some negotiations, the group was given semi-official status. Which means you aren’t officially recognized anywhere, nor get any funding at all, but you’re now a group of a couple hundred people (give or take) spanning several countries, working on call and getting paid by accepted contracts. As long as you don’t talk too much. But, well, you aren’t exclusive, so it’s a bit like a hobby, and it beats having an office job, right? This particular call has come from the Sheriff’s Office, filtered through the appropiate secret channels, of course. Most people don’t believe in magic anyway, and the few ones who call demanding an exorcist are usually dealt with pretty fast, so it usually takes some rerouting for a call to reach your organization. To the outside world, you are a makeshift mercenary group, the kind of people that police send over when they don’t want to risk “real” agents. The case report was surprisingly short: Matthew Parsons, a lumberjack, was found unconscious near the woods. Medical inspection found heavy signs of asphyxiation, leading to mild brain damage, but no physical scars or rope marks were found that could explain the symptoms, and any underlying medical conditions were also quickly ruled out as the cause. He is currently recovering in the nearest hospital, but you do have access to the whole transcript of his very brief interview with the Police, in which he kept insisting that “the forest attacked him”. He wasn’t found coherent enough to be interviewed further. More pressingly, he insisted on having seen signs of someone else’s presence in the forest at the same time, probably a camper. This second person remains missing and unidentified, and they are the highest priority objective you have right now. As the van crosses the sleepy town up to the outskirts, you see the figure of Chief Harris, the police officer in charge, sitting on a cafe table with a steamy mug in front. She gazes at the approaching van and waves at you all curtly as Simon stops it to a halt. --- Game questions (to be answered by all of you): - How did you end up in the Squad? How long have you been there? - Have you ever gone on call with any of your partners? - Did you know any of them before joining, or did you meet up in the field? - Do you have prior monster hunting experience, or is this your first job? Shellception fucked around with this message at 13:11 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Jan 1, 2024 13:16
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Shellception posted:Game questions (to be answered by all of you): - Hendrick pretty much walked into the Squad's main office and rattled off various facts of the case he was fated to work right after the description in his backstory as the report was coming in. So, not long at all, but it wasn't like he was going to get turned away with that level of uncanny insight. - Nope! He started on his way over to the Squad's office the second he solved the constant puzzle of the relevant signs he'd need for what he was fated to do next with himself. - It's plausible at least Connor knows him, but he doesn't know them beyond names and a few additional signs he doesn't have context for. - Prior experience was the son of a state governor who fooled around with magic and became addicted to using it to twist everyone around his finger and kill anyone who tried to resist; case was handled first by finding a way to break the spells the son had woven and prevent their reapplication on the people who would be the most inconvenient for him, then tracking down his hiding place and calling in the location with (unbeknownst to Hendrick at the time) one of the DPRC's private interagency emergency numbers. He succeeded in the one thing he cared about, making sure a dangerous magic user was taken care of without casualties, but didn't really pay much attention to the vice director's peeved reaction to having his meeting interrupted by some rando who came up with a number that shouldn't be reachable by putting together numbers from expiration dates at a grocery store. What effect this might have on Connor's future relationship with him is a mystery...
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Jan 1, 2024 15:22
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Shellception posted:Game questions (to be answered by all of you): I ran into the Squad as I was following up on a rumor about magickal sightings a couple years back. The crew kicked me out and Connor chewed me out pretty bad for heading there on my own without backup, but we did get to talking after the mission. I ended up joining officially a few months later and have been on a couple missions since. Magickally gifted people with enough common sense to accept that "Stay back, DO NOT MOVE, leave this to the professionals, kid!" are in great demand apparently. This was less than a year after my first real supernatural encounter, which also involved a really angry man with a gun. I was actually just terrified. I mean, Connor is a professional no poo poo guy, and I can respect that. I met Nia at an auction where both of us were trying to find interesting occult stuff. We also frequent each others stores. Naturally I was psyched when I learned about her supernatural abilities. I ended up introducing her to the Squad, since she wants to help people. Haven't really met Hendrick before, but he did know my middle name. Simon is... Well, I'm gonna be honest here, the guy freaks me out. He's intense, and by that I mean intensely angry. I know of him, I've heard the stories, but in general I try to stay away from him and he seems to feel the same. Not psyched about working with him on this one.
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Jan 1, 2024 18:59
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Shellception posted:Game questions (to be answered by all of you): -Randy was helping out on a 'ghost hunting' TikTok channel, hoping to score points with his goth teens when a real ghost showed up. The TikTok'r was killed, and Randy ran off in a panic. When Randy ran back a few moments later with an improvised weapon, the threat had already been handled by the Squad. They tried to get rid of him, but he wouldn't take no for an answer and ended up sticking around. Initially assigned to desk duties, Randy has now gotten approval for a field mission and is rarin' to go. -This is Randy's first field experience. Some of the other members may have been part of that initial team that saved him, and some may have talked to him on the phone while he was doing analysis stuff, but no one has been in the field with him yet. -Randy was not aware of the true existence of supernatural until very recently. He would not have met or spent any time with any of these people before. -Randy has seen, and run from, one monster before. He has read many reports, but still has trouble believing any of this is really real.
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Jan 1, 2024 22:11
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Shellception posted:Game questions (to be answered by all of you): Simon was tracking down a particularly aggressive pack of ghouls who had taken up residence on the outskirts of town when he met Nia. Ordinarily, as a loner he wouldn't have paid heed to anyone else, but this time it was different: Nia could hear his thoughts. Although Simon doesn't believe in fortune telling, Nia's skill in magical combat earned his respect, and he sees her as a competent fighter. And not that he'd ever admit it, but sometimes it's nice to have someone to talk to. When Nia told Simon she'd joined the Squad, he contemplated for a while before ultimately deciding it would benefit him to join, too. Faust is someone Simon has never worked with directly before, nor does he have any particular desire to. They don't really have much in common, and they have vastly different methods of hunting monsters. Simon's habit of rushing into contracts headfirst, fueled by the burning desire to punch the poo poo out of monsters, is arguably not everyone's cup of tea. Sometimes Connor surprises Simon with how much poo poo he puts up with. Perhaps he mostly tolerates Simon because owning a van is a perk, but that tolerance is often tested when Simon is behind the wheel. There has been more than one occasion on which Connor took the keys, and for frankly justifiable reasons. The two met on a job where Simon was the designated driver, and they still cross paths every so often — this assignment is no exception. As Hendrick mostly seems to mind his own business, Simon hasn't interacted with him at all. They've never worked together before, and beyond spotting each other occasionally at HQ (it's hard to mistake Hendrick for anyone else), they aren't acquainted. Simon has never seen Randy before. He seems like he's new, inexperienced, and probably a liability. Rumour has it that Randy went on an amateur ghost hunt gone wrong, and Simon already has doubts that the agency made the right decision to put the guy on a real case. WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 00:30 on Jan 2, 2024 |
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Jan 1, 2024 23:55
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Shellception posted:Game questions (to be answered by all of you): Faust introduced Nia to the Squad, as stated after they met at an auction. For Nia it ended up being a bust on the buying things front-lot of scams trying to use 'dark history' to drum up some extra money on plain items. But she did meet him, so it wasn't all bad. Nia thinks Faust is kind of a try-hard, and alternates between using his nickname with parodic levels of gravitas and drama, or just calling him Henry. But still, she appreciates his know-how, given her own powers at this point rely more on instinct. Simon came later, in that ghoul event. Nia recognized that underneath the mutism, Simon was brave, kind, and had a strong sense of justice. Nia told Simon about the Squad when Faust formally invited her, leading to him joining. Randy and Nia did meet at that fateful ghost event, even being the woman who calmed him down and told him the threat had been handled. Once he started badgering the group, it was Nia who took pity on him and offered him a job. She's surprised to see Randy for the first time in a while, having not been aware that he'd been allowed in the field. But she is happy for him! Hendrick both freaks Nia out but also is intrigued by him. She legitimately cannot tell if he's psychic like her, just insanely lucky, or insane, period. Even with her powers, tarot cards are mostly just a medium for her to give advice on a situation. But Hendrick's whole "the universe has guided me through every 5th word on this newspaper page" stuff is something else. Once Nia figures out his Deal, she hopes she'll be done with him. Connor... scares her, but that's just first impressions. She doesn't know anything more about him.
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Jan 2, 2024 01:39
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Shellception posted:Game questions (to be answered by all of you): Connor has been a part of the Squad for a few years, sent by DPRC whenever something seemed to be popping up...to be frank the first few people sent didn't report back to HQ a couple weeks into the mission but no one knows why or what happened to them, and if anyone at DPRC knows they are not saying. Connor should have been nervous that he was next to be assigned but he considers himself nearly unflappable and to date everything has gone smoothly...or as smoothly as can be expected in this business. Connor has passing familiarity with the other members of the team. Hendrick is intense to put it mildly...Connor has never worked with him but he keeps appearing while Connor is working and peppering everyone with questions or thoughts/observations, claiming he's received information from unusual sources and from Connor's background checks Hendrick is on a lot of Internet forums devoted to supernatural phenomenon. Connor is dismissive of him mostly but sometimes his ideas are solid. Connor has worked with Henry (Faust) on a previous mission. He mostly has a good head on his shoulders but can act rashly. He is probably the one Connor feels "closest" to which is saying something, kind of like a mentor/mentee relationship, but Connor strictly calls him Henry. Connor is aware DPRC has a file on Henry but so far it seems to just be observational in nature (Connor has not made Henry aware of this, it's probably best to not freak him out needlessly and Connor doesn't even know what information DCPS is keeping, there seems to be a mild interest in him though). Other than his involvement in the case where a social media influencer was killed, Connor doesn't know Randy well, only having seen him around town here and there. Connor and Simon have worked together a few times and he usually is the one driving the team around. Connor is not phased by much but that kid is troubled and is gonna get himself killed someday. No amount of chastising Connor does seems to get through to him. Simon is just too rash for his own good, but it's understandable with how much loss he's been through. Nia is somewhat on the same level as Randy in terms of Connor's familiarity with her, he's seen her around town but she seems to keep a wide berth from him which sometimes makes Connor feel suspicious... The DPRC is VERY interested in Nia to the extent that Connor has been asked to share any insights or information she reveals or Connor sees firsthand. Their purpose is unclear but so far they just seem interested in Connor keeping an eye on her.
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Jan 2, 2024 14:28
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Current stage: Day // Next Stage: Wednesday 10th January, 3 pm US Central/10 pm EU With a couple efficient (if nowhere near delicate) maneouvers, Simon parks the van in the nearest empty space and opens the doors. Slowly, you all untangle yourselves and your equipment from the depths of the vehicle and make your way out into the chill morning air. This early in the morning, the streets are deserted, except for the police chief patiently watching you all get back on your feet. The cafe occupies a corner of a wide, round public square with some small trees and benches around. It's easy to imagine it as a place where kids get out to play and elder people chitchat the days away; definitely a calm place. Behind the row of houses at the far end, you all can see the shadows of far bigger trees, still not fully illuminated by the nascent sun. The forest is probably not further away than ten minutes by foot or so. The police chief looks to be in her early 40s, and definitely not too happy to be out in the cold, but she keeps her composture as she waves you around to sit, eagerly clinging to the warm, steamy mug.  Chief Harris: "You are the city boys, right? And you're here on time. Great. Please, take a seat" she gestures vaguely to the chairs around. "I believe you already know the basics of the case, but if I can help you, feel free to ask anything" --- No need for rolls at this stage, unless you want to do something that particularly requires them; just talking doesn't need a roll. Neither, by the way, does finding small stuff you may conceivably have around, like a pen, notepad or a lighter. Hendrick (Iggy) needs to roll his start of mystery power.
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Jan 2, 2024 19:34
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"Any new developments that haven't made it into the case files yet?", Faust suggests, pulling out the professional looking notebook for mundane notes. It's still black at least.
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Jan 2, 2024 21:26
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"Let's just skip any "how do you do"s and pleasantries and get down to business." Connor pulls a map of Wingby out of his back pocket and unfolds it, placing it on the cafe table. "Where was this lumberjack found? We're going to want to explore the area - is it accessible?" -------- Hope that isn't stepping on any Meen toes!
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Jan 2, 2024 21:40
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She looks at Faust and Connor appreciatively. You do feel that, despite the inconvenience, she can identify professional behaviour. And appreciates it. "Not much new" she notes. "We have been trying to identify the person this man saw inside the forest, but we haven't got too far. No disappearances. Not even from among the known homeless and wanderer people" She makes a small thoughful pause. "We are starting to believe they may not even exist. It may be an hallucination. From... you know. Whatever hit Matt" She grimaces. "Regardless, it does need checking" She takes a look at Connor's map and points to a pretty well defined zone. "Over here. It's almost out of the forest, still inside the outer zone, but not by the city side. There is not much there but a couple fields" Another pause. "And, you know" she looks at you all, thoughtfully, like she's evaluating your reactions. "Matt wa... is a lumberjack. He knows the forest. And that's way off the usual path"
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Jan 2, 2024 22:24
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Slinking in at the back of the group as they're summoned by the chief of police, Simon slouches into a chair and waits for her to debrief them. At the casual term of "city boys", Simon steals a glance at Nia, wondering if Harris has overlooked her, or if she simply doesn't care. Simon straightens up to listen as his companions fire off a round of questions. A lumberjack, probably not lost in the forest, he observes. More likely running from someone... or something. He tilts his head in intrigue. Scratches, bite wounds, something else? How was he injured? he gestures to ask Harris. WindwardAway fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Jan 3, 2024 |
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Jan 3, 2024 01:46
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Randy parks his sedan next to the van, showing far more care for the lines than Simon did. He walks around back to the popped trunk and gets out a beat up old golf bag which he slings around his shoulder, before approaching the group. "Hey folks, sorry I'm late. Ol' Simon here made a few turns the family car couldn't quite keep up with," he gently pats Simon's shoulder a few times. "Nice driving though slugger, didn't think your old van would make that turn back by Exit 27 at the speed you were going." Looking around Randy notices the chief of police for what appears to be the first time, "Oh! I mean, uh... Simon is a safe and responsible driver, of course! Always follows the posted traffic signs."
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Jan 3, 2024 03:15
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The rest of the group's made solid strides on serious questions, so Nia decides to play the part of the empathic one. "How is Matt? Is he expected to recover, or is there any sort of lingering damage?" She notes the location Harris pointed to on the map. Getting a look at where he was found, would probably help her get a bead on what they were up against. "Where did Matt live? If this is a mundane attack, maybe looking at his house will give us some insight into motive. Like, a jealous ex, or someone else with a grudge."
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Jan 3, 2024 03:41
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Shellception posted:She takes a look at Connor's map and points to a pretty well defined zone. What would he be doing over in that area if it's off the regular path? "Seems like before we go to the forest maybe we should go talk to Matt, if he's conscious and able to talk. Also the hikers that found him, do we have any information about them/if they observed anything in particular where Matt was found?"
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Jan 3, 2024 04:48
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Shellception posted:[snip] Hendrick stands near one of the chairs, listening to the Chief and the others, and silently asks the universe for aid, as it had done before, in having the power to ask the right questions at the right time, even if he may not need it right this second. But the universe did not respond. When he first learned of his abilities, he learned also that he could, every so often, request a favor from the universe, and that as long as he was careful not to ask too often that his life would be preserved for future service. He had a picture of his mother in his wallet; he had to ask for a favor near the start of his first encounter and shortly after noticed an edge of the picture had slightly torn. A year after it was over, and before he started this adventure, he noticed that the tear appeared to be gone. This was just the way things worked. And that was also why his lips slightly trembled. The silence of the universe was deafening. It meant that whatever was going on, the universe did not want to give Hendrick an advantage unless he was willing to risk himself. With no small amount of uncertainty, he requested a favor from the universe in this matter, and as it did he felt both the chill of the grave upon his neck and the rush of confident understanding he'd experienced before. He dug out the photo and grimaced as the tear had reappeared and enlarged. He hoped desperately this was not a sign of how difficult the coming days would be. Luck point spent to change roll to 12. e: As for an aspect of the current situation, I would like to know about any conspiracies connected to the forest this happened just outside of. Ignatius M. Meen fucked around with this message at 05:36 on Jan 3, 2024 |
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Jan 3, 2024 05:30
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WindwardAway posted:Scratches, bite wounds, something else? How was he injured? he gestures to ask Harris. Harris notices your head movement and follows it to Nia, but her expression doesn't change. She doesn't seem to care about the misgendering. Probably has been "one of the boys" for long enough that she doesn't really see a problem with it. As soon as you start gesturing, she tilts her head to one side, looking equal parts confused and concentrated. She knows what you are trying to do, but she isn't following. "Are you ok?" She asks. You nod. "Oh. Sorry. Hm... no, he wasn't bitten. He had a broken nose and some scratches and other superficial wounds on his face and arms. But doctors think that was due to tree branches hitting him as he ran" Maerlyn posted:What would he be doing over in that area if it's off the regular path? "We don't know. But we think he was running away. From something... or someone? Maybe? He certainly seemed terrified when he came by" Her expression seems to indicate that she isn't putting much credit into that particular explanation. "And yes, he is conscious, but he's over in the city. Even if the doctors let you in, it's at least a hour and change each way. And the hikers... they pretty much saw a body in the distance and came running up to us. Not even checking if he was still alive" she scoffs. "We interrogated them, but they didn't have anything interesting to say" She pauses and thoughtfully blows over her coffee mug. A small cloud of steam covers her face briefly. "We can try and contact the hospital by phone. From the HQ. Official channels, you know" There is the slightest hint of derision in how she pronounces official. "That may be the fastest way" Junpei posted:"How is Matt? Is he expected to recover, or is there any sort of lingering damage?" "He's recovering. Doctors hope the damage won't be permanent, but it is still too early to tell." She makes a small pause and her voice softens a bit away from the cold, official tone. "Thank you for asking. Oh, and he doesn't live that far away. I can lead you there" She checks her watch. "Karla is probably taking the girls to school right now, but she may be back soon" SporkChan posted:"Oh! I mean, uh... Simon is a safe and responsible driver, of course! Always follows the posted traffic signs." She looks at Simon, but says nothing. For now, at least. You can't quite make up her expression, but you'd swear she sneaked a glance at the van's license plates. Shellception fucked around with this message at 09:19 on Jan 3, 2024 |
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Jan 3, 2024 08:25
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Ignatius M. Meen posted:Luck point spent to change roll to 12. e: As for an aspect of the current situation, I would like to know about any conspiracies connected to the forest this happened just outside of. It's a very old, very dense forest - legends abound. Some speak of fey creatures that will lead you astray from your path and into a ditch, just for the fun of it, as such are fairies. Some speak of werewolves, though, in all fairness, there hasn't been a single (mundane) wolf alive there in several centuries. Some say the old, natural caves in the steep cliffs by the outer edge of the forest sing when the wind hits them in just the right way, and if you are near them when they do, you will go insane. There are a few ruins scattered around it. They are mostly old abandoned lumberjack camps, but there is very little that remains of them: some say they are proof of witches that live inside the forest and charm the unsuspecting travellers, who are then never seen again. There is also another different ruin roughly in the middle of the forest, one with a fair more sinister story behind: that of a wood processing factory project that was started in the 50s, but never finished, as it burned down while it was being built, killing some of the construction workers who got trapped inside the unfinished building. If you were to ask the townpeople, they'd tell you to steer clear from it, as if anything in the whole forest can be called haunted, the burned factory is definitely it.
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Jan 3, 2024 09:01
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Simon purses his lips at the chief's response. Tree branches, eh? he scoffs. Maybe someone should've asked the lumberjack instead. But he keeps this thought to himself, and tries to piece together the other information they have so far. The hospital is too far a drive, but maybe a phone call and a visit to Matt's wife are worth a shot. As Randy bursts in with a not-so-subtle remark on Simon's driving skills, the younger man stiffens visibly in front of Harris. Hopefully she'll let it slide, especially if nothing was caught on camera. No evidence, no crime, right?
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Jan 3, 2024 09:48
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"I'm guessing they already checked after his wild story, but did he have any signs of drugs or alcohol in his system? Past history of substance abuse? Mental disorders?" It's never drugs, but protocol requires that these things are covered before the investigation starts. Personally, Faust has tested a decent variety of psychedelic substances in his quest to thin the veil, but nothing that hit hard enough for him to scream about trees attacking him. Okay, other than the time he took a really bad shroom with some friends and watched Ferngully.
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Jan 3, 2024 09:49
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Cloacamazing! posted:"I'm guessing they already checked after his wild story, but did he have any signs of drugs or alcohol in his system? Past history of substance abuse? Mental disorders?" "They did find alcohol. He is a lumberjack, after all. He probably had a couple shots to warm himself up in the morning" she smirks. "On the other hand, I've never known them to get drunk while at work. The ones who do, they don't stay in the job for long, you know? It leads to missing fingers. If you are lucky. No other drugs, and no known mental disorders, though I'm told a psych evaluation is on the cards after this" She stops, taking another sip of coffee. She looks like she just thought of something. "Actually. You know what's odd? He didn't have his axe with him" she notes. "He swears he was out getting some bits of lumber for home, not officially working, it was a Sunday after all... so he didn't take the heavier equipment, just an axe. His wife testified to that. But it was nowhere to be found, nowhere near him anyway"
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Jan 3, 2024 11:13
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Randy notices the interaction of the chief to his comment about Simon's driving, but it doesn't worry him. Cops are on their side, after all! Randy glances over at the map spread out on the table, "You say he was chopping trees for his home? Where is his house, maybe we can find some clues in the nearby forest. Also, how far away from his home was he found?"
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Jan 3, 2024 15:29
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Hendrick felt the knowledge of the universe enter his mind and smiled. Then he turned to the group with a more serious and intent look on his face. "The universe has told me of the things that relate to the forest; fairies, werewolves (he nods in Nia's direction), and singing caves, but there are two specific things it told me about that I think are our likeliest bets." He turns to Harris. "I'm guessing this Matt was running in a straight line or as straight as he could manage. There's supposed to be an old wood factory in this forest, if we drew a line matching the direction Matt ran in and where he was found, would that end up nearby the factory by any chance? Or does it perhaps intersect one of the old lumberjack camps also in the area?"
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Jan 3, 2024 15:38
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SporkChan posted:"You say he was chopping trees for his home? Where is his house, maybe we can find some clues in the nearby forest. Also, how far away from his home was he found?" The officer takes a look at the map. "Over there" she points to a specific street that doesn't look to be too far away from where you are. "But, as I said, she may not be home still from school. And, in any case, it'd probably be better if I went with you. She is... not taking it well. You know" She takes a grave look at all of you before continuing. "The nearest section of forest to his house is just a couple streets away from it" she says. "But the usual forest paths are here and here" She traces two lines on the map with a ballpoint pen, not bothering to ask for permission. "We can't know exactly where he went, but he probably took the southernmost, the one closer to home. Easier to go back with a handful of lumber from there" Ignatius M. Meen posted:"I'm guessing this Matt was running in a straight line or as straight as he could manage. There's supposed to be an old wood factory in this forest, if we drew a line matching the direction Matt ran in and where he was found, would that end up nearby the factory by any chance? Or does it perhaps intersect one of the old lumberjack camps also in the area?" She looks at Hendrick like he just grew two heads, but recomposes quickly. "We only have a guess as to where he came from, seeing where we think he went in. You go into the forest to do a job, you don't wander around, you know. You get some lumber and head back home" She takes a look at the map again. "I can't even tell you where the camps are, frankly. They're old relics, and most of them are overgrown, you only find them by walking over them. Not a terrain where one would go looking for trees, though. And as per the factory, it's here, but..." Pause again as she draws another circle in the map, a bit close and to the south of the center of the forest. She seems to be evaluating her words very carefully. "... I tell you, there is no chance in hell he went anywhere near it. Not if he had anything to say in the matter" A longer pause follows. Officer Harris carefully puts down her mug and gets up, and you have a feeling she wants the conversation to be over now. "We should get moving. Time is passing, and there might be someone inside that forest that probably shouldn't be there, one way or another" she says, buttoning up her jacket. "Where to?" Shellception fucked around with this message at 17:13 on Jan 3, 2024 |
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Jan 3, 2024 17:04
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"Shall we head to the forest, take a look around and see if we see anything amiss, clues and the like? We can follow you if you'll take us to where Matt was found, then possibly see his wife or speak to him? I could see if I can call in a favor from DPRC if needed." Connor turns to Simon. "Think you can avoid driving recklessly right behind a Sheriff or should I drive?"
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Jan 3, 2024 17:27
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