Rhys Valentin

Racial tension handsomely disguised as social justice.

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Rhys Valentin
Posts: 262
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 5:06 pm
Topics: 19
Race: Wick
Location: Vienda
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Writer: Muse
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Mon Jul 09, 2018 12:01 am

Rhys Valentin

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Name: Rhys (pron. "Reese") Valentin
Race: Wick (half human, raised galdor)
Birthday: Vortas 40, 2691
Age: 28
FC: Jamie Campbell Bower

Place of Origin: Elmonton, Anaxas
Current Location: Vienda, Anaxas
Occupation:
Seventen Special Enforcement Sergeant (SES, 4 Snaps), Investigator Division
Patrol Division Inspector-Liaison (4 Snaps)

Physical Description

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Rhys is anything but delicate—he would be tall for a galdor if he really was one. Instead, he is lanky and lithely muscled, for the young man occupies his body as if he is barely able to keep it from moving on without him, as if any lapse in concentration would find him acting on some whim. His human heritage has given him height, but not bulk, and so at almost 5'10", he's intimidating only to galdori. His strawberry blond hair is long and—what’s the phrase?—fashionably untamed, although he makes an effort to tidy up when meeting with superiors and often pulls the chin-length unruly strands back into a small ponytail when necessary.

Rhys has pale blue, almond-shaped eyes, a clear complexion on a face that whispers of aristocratic heritage, and yet tends to tan slowly instead of burn in the sun. He is usually clean-shaven, though if a particular case keeps him occupied for days at a time, he may sport a bit of sleepless stubble. Handsome in a way that has gotten him in trouble more than once in the past, Rhys has no qualms with his looks and takes care to keep himself in very above average physical condition for a galdor, especially as a Seventen. One could claim he overcompensates for a less than intimidating field with a stronger bicep and a much harder punch than his full-blooded, uniformed galdori peers. He has consistently outshined almost all of his so-called peers with his physical prowess, and while his magical abilities surpass other wicks because of his education and focus, they still tend to pale in comparison to a galdor of his level of training and focus.

He dresses well and is aware of how to curate a wardrobe that keeps up with the times when not dressed in his tailored, sashed green uniform, but he also knows he looks rather dashing in it. When not on duty, Rhys prefers earth toned clothing that somehow reminds him of his backwater home, and while he's never on the cutting edge of fashion, the wick dresses as any middle class galdor would, if not with an occasionally more expensive cravat or a keenly seasonal belt buckle. A bit of flair never hurt anyone and Rhys is quick to look nice whenever he can afford to spare the coin. Leftovers of his somewhat wild Brunnhold youth include a few non-standard piercings that have gifted him with reprimand and a few unsavory comments about whether he's a spoke or a Seventen, and so, off duty Rhys is often quite a different sight from on duty Rhys.


Personality

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Rhys is content to fit within the expected norms of galdori society because he's been raised within them, unaware that he's a human's scandalous bastard raised by a needy galdor who was desperate for an heir and felt little remorse about rape. He is confident, comfortable with his status as a superior creature, and yet not cruel about it unless the situation finds him desperate and cornered and disarmed from his wits. The Seventen has always moved through life with an inherent sense of privilege that he has no idea is tenuous and dangerous should the truth of his parentage ever become known to himself or his superiors. He is intensely curious, ruthlessly persistent, and always all-in when it comes to doing what he considers the right thing at the right time (and also sometimes the wrong thing at the right time, too), even if he is a flawed creature when it comes to making that moral decision on more than one occasion.

He's poor at sleeping, occasionally has to be reminded to grab a meal, and is known for disappearing into books for a house too many whenever he has a moment to spare. He can come across as aloof despite his smile, for despite his interests in being social, Rhys has always found himself relegated to the outside of most social groups, be it because of his uniform or because of his perceived magical inferiority. He keeps his friends close and spoiled with his sense of humor, coarse language and useless facts, has a protective streak that has only grown more disciplined and perfected with the earning of his Third snap, and is easily tempted by just one more of anything—a drink, a kiss, a bowl of noodles, a jogged lap around Kingsway Market, or a good fist in the face of a criminal—so long as he perceives it was his idea first (and it probably was). If it wasn't, perhaps, instead, he's just as likely to charm those he's with into believing he came up with it after all, for the kind of magical guile he's come to enjoy with his skills in Perceptive Conversation is so very hard to deny.

Rhys has had to develop a thick skin as an inferior sorcerer, for while his magic abilities are nothing to be ignored after over a decade of galdori education, he's never been the head of his magical class. His magic is a last resort instead of a first flash—he knows it's not his strength and so he often relies on different tactics than his Seventen peers. Instead, he's much more of the thoughtful, abstract thinker, the sarcastic humorist, and the broody creature, or the hard hitter when foiled. He internalizes too much, thinks too long over things, and tends to end up in mental loops that require a good kick in the pants to knock him out of. As such, he often stumbles onto the right direction not because he's looking for it so much as his mind has worked it out while his mouth was still moving and his feet end up on the right path before he sees clearly. This has caused an occasional humorous moment among his fellow Investigators and Rhys often finds himself tangled up in the punchlines of another Seventen's joke or tale from their misadventures on the street.

All that aside, however, Rhys possesses and underlying soft sort of kindness that is thickly coated by a strong sense of duty. He is aware that he has crushed all of his father's plans for his only son by choosing to pursue a career in uniform, but feels very deeply that pursuing social justice, keeping the peace, and stewarding the lower races is his calling as a galdor. He has absolutely no idea that he isn't one, after all.

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GALDORI OPINIONS
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Rhys believes himself called to be a steward of his galdori heritage, called to care for his kind by shepherding the lower races. He is not convinced that the current methods of the Anaxi government who keeps him fed and gives him his employment are entirely effective, but believes it is the job of the Seventen to do the good work and fight the good fight, even though he is by no means ignorant of what is going on around him. He is perhaps a little disillusioned, and yet is very aware that the Resistance is not a force that needs to rise to power instead. He has no interest in losing his status as a galdor, and cannot imagine a world in which "his people" are not in charge, as the mona has so clearly allowed them to prove themselves superiorly equipped to be so. He has no idea that he is conditioned to see the world in certain ways so much as jaded by the wear of its rough edges upon the internal workings of his soul.

He isn't afraid or intimidated by humans or wicks, able to approach them in conversation without the sense of fear or ignorant hatred often instilled in his galdori peers. He also is not contemptuous, for his sense of stewardship over the lower races is not built on a lust for power so much as a desire for balance and a perception of necessity. He longs to see an Anaxas in which the races work together instead of further divide each other, but he doesn't believe that anarchy and chaos are the way to accomplish those things, and he has been taught that those are what the Resistance stands for. Far too much of an intellectual, Rhys hopes that one day a peace of the mind can be found without violence, but until then, he is more than willing to protect his kind with force if necessary. A jadedness hounds him, whispers in his sleep, and makes his restless mind itch for truth that even his education and careeer seem unable to scratch. There is more and he senses it, but the wick doesn’t have a clue of how to pursue it.

Rhys has a very casual opinion of passives as well, having grown up on a plantation far from what could be considered civilized society. His father's plantation employed several passives and the Seventen doesn't see them as dangerous so much as people who need protected from both themselves and the outside world. Humans are what he sees as the biggest threat, and yet he is aware that they have been handed a very short stick. Wicks, strange creatures he is curious about but has been raised to view as deceptive and degenerate, are people he perhaps gives the widest berth, finding their culture alien but interesting, troublesome but not entirely as harmful to the way of life he has been trained to protect as the human-led (but all-race participatory) Resistance.

He is unsure of the best course of action, but Rhys is still quite selfishly comfortable with what he perceives as the status quo.
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ISTP: The Virtuoso
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ISTPs love to explore with their hands and their eyes, touching and examining the world around them with cool rationalism and spirited curiosity. They explore ideas through creating, troubleshooting, trial and error and first-hand experience. ISTPs’ decisions stem from a sense of practical realism, and at their heart is a strong sense of direct fairness, a "do unto others" attitude, which really helps to explain many of ISTPs’ puzzling traits. Instead of being overly cautious though, avoiding stepping on toes in order to avoid having their toes stepped on, ISTPs are likely to go too far, accepting likewise retaliation, good or bad, as fair play.

Friendly but very private, calm but suddenly spontaneous, extremely curious but unable to stay focused on formal studies, ISTP personalities can be a challenge to predict, even by their friends and loved ones. ISTPs can seem very loyal and steady for a while, but they tend to build up a store of impulsive energy that explodes without warning, taking their interests in bold new directions.

The biggest issue ISTPs are likely to face is that they often act too soon, taking for granted their permissive nature and assuming that others are the same. They’ll be the first to tell an insensitive joke, get overly involved in someone else’s project, roughhouse and play around, or suddenly change their plans because something more interesting came up. ISTPs will come to learn that many other personality types have much more firmly drawn lines on rules and acceptable behavior than they do – they don’t want to hear an insensitive joke, and certainly wouldn’t tell one back, and they wouldn’t want to engage in horseplay, even with a willing party. If a situation is already emotionally charged, violating these boundaries can backfire tremendously.

ISTPs have a particular difficulty in predicting emotions, but this is just a natural extension of their fairness, given how difficult it is to gauge ISTPs’ emotions and motivations. However, their tendency to explore their relationships through their actions rather than through empathy can lead to some very frustrating situations. People with the ISTP personality type struggle with boundaries and guidelines, preferring the freedom to move about and color outside the lines if they need to.

Backstory

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THE PROLOGUE
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Elmonton was always somewhat of a backwater farm town in Brayde County, Anaxas. Beautiful, rolling fields, plentiful game, and the best damn sunsets on the south side of the Arova according to the old plantation gollies who own most of the land in town, including Rhys' father, Theodore Valantin. Theo was a romantic sort—a poor student as a young man, a dreamer who preferred poetry to magic. He was the galdor child who couldn't sit still, who needed to work with his hands, who loved the outdoors so long as it wasn't the Field of Practical Application. While he seemed to find a place in Living Conversation, the Valentin heir spent most of his time in Brunnhold homesick for the fields of indigo in Elmonton his great grandfather began generations ago.

Theodore graduated without a prospect for marriage, far too inept of a socialite and too much in love with earth and plants to ever attract a fiancée to bring home to the plantation. Instead, Theo took over immediately for his aging parents, allowing his two siblings to move on with their lives—his sister a socialite and his brother a musician in the Viendan Symphony Orchestra. He immediately turned the small plantation into a thriving indigo farm, focusing on the cultivation and perfection of the Brunnhold strain of indigo, the dye used to color both the school's prestigious uniforms as well as the Seventen's, quickly making a profit.

Unfortunately for the post-graduate Valentin, plantation life remained a lonely one. As the Valentin estate grew, Theodore began to take on additional staff: a mix of humans from the surrounding township and nomadic wicks who passed through the area, neither of which entirely appealed to Theo. Some became seasonal workers, coming to Elmonton and the Valentin plantation for harvest and and some became permanent workers living on his estate for processing, packaging, and shipping.

What the now late 30-something Theo didn't expect was just how alluring at least one of the young humans he'd taken on as a full-time employee could ever become in his mind. Whether it was the wear of time, the desperation of bachelorhood, or the subtle effects of a racial lack of concern for those he considered less than himself, Theodore Valentin began to make his misguided interests known Yelenn. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed human was so very uncomfortably the most beautiful creature Theo had ever seen and while he did his galdor-bred best to keep his attentions from her, focusing instead on researching rarer strains of indigo and other dyes with which to grow and improve his plantation, every processing season, their paths were forced to cross more often than was probably necessary, let alone desired.

Eventually, status and power and desire got the better of the bachelor and he justified, conversed, obsessed, and finally forced his way into more than friendly relations with the young human. Yelenn was several years his younger and honestly had no quarter to resist the galdor's advances, let alone tell anyone about their encounters as they became more frequent.

Their sexual relationship was obviously both a forbidden and unwelcome one, and unfortunately the Valentin plantation owner at least had the benefit of the his status and intellectual aloofness to cover for his transgressions. It was unlikely that there were any emotional attachments to their rather physical complications, and if he had feelings at all other than lascivious ones of personal satisfaction, Theo would most likely never admit even to this day. The clandestine lack of mutual passion of their affair that could never become anything at all honest still produced an unexpected heir.

Despite all the warnings of her fellow workers, Yelenn kept her pregnancy in secret, almost rebelliously undaunted by the scandal that grew inside her. Whether it was in hopes of bettering her status or genuine, whether it was all a ploy for the Resistance or actual, needful attraction, however, neither of the two ever discussed such matters.

Rhys' mother did what she could to hide the evidence of her child's father, especially since within the well-paid human employees on the plantation children were more than permitted to happen, if only in the hopes of creating more workers in the future. But, by the Autumn of 2691, the young human near the end of her pregnancy revealed the truth to Theodore just a handful of weeks before she was due, willing to accept the consequences and desperate for some sense of direction. She'd been more or less ostracized by her fellow employees for the jent's bastard she'd conceived the spring prior, Yelenn had nowhere else to turn. Theodore, to his only small credit, didn't hesitate to take in the woman who was about to birth his child. Perhaps, as he neared his fortieth birthday, he simply realized he needed an heir and this was his only, if not utterly unorthodox, opportunity.

To say that he cared for the human woman would have been an understatement, but she was provided for and comfortable, hidden away in Theo's house like the dirty secret she was.
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BIRTH & CHILDHOOD
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Rhys was born on the very last day of Vortas 2691, without any particular fanfare within the Valentin estate: a small, loud, colicy babe. Yelenn was forbidden to rejoin her kind, the human family and friends she'd worked alongside with since her own childhood, and instead was held captive in Theodore's home to care for the illegitimate child he'd forced upon her. She'd kept him, wanted him, and in her own way despite his heritage loved the boy, but being trapped in the house of the creature that had all but assaulted her for his life to even begin was pure cruelty. Something changed in the galdor plantation owner upon laying eyes on what could possibly be his only child for the rest of his life, and over the course of the winter season, he made sure to change out his entire staff—sending his household servants and plantation workers far away from Elmonton with whatever sum of money they wanted in order to keep the secret of the fair-haired babe's parentage.

Upon hiring new staff, everyone was told that Rhys was his heir and that the boy's mother had died in childbirth, admittedly a rarity among galdori but understandable given Elmonton's relative isolation. Yelenn, his wet-nurse and caretaker, was treated at least a little better than a servant behind closed doors and no one knew the difference, even if she felt like an animal trapped in a cage instead, far too much of a free, wild creature to truly live as Theodore expected. His love for the boy kept Yelenn around reluctantly, but little of the passion that had made the child remained, perhaps for the better. By the time young Rhys was weaned and toddling, however, two years had come and gone and Theodore's patience with the human woman had grown thin.

He offered the young human her freedom, but for a price: Rhys would remain in Elmonton and be raised as his heir and son. Raised as a galdor. It was with great reluctance that Yelenn agreed, regretting her damning decision to keep the child in the first place.

Rhys was raised as a galdor, Theo sparing no expense for tutors and never once telling the rowdy, lanky boy of his mixed heritage. Not once. Not ever. The boy was mostly left to himself however, for even if his father wanted an heir, by the Good Lady, he had no idea what to do with a child. Climbing trees, wandering the fields and the woods, swimming in the pond, and chasing the small town's children who may have secretly known more about his heritage than he ever would. Dirty, rambunctious, but thoughtful and curious, Rhys was not raised as a typical galdor, but told he was one nonetheless.

By the time his son was ready for his testing at Brunnhold, the Valentin estate was profitable again and a household name among the uniform companies in Vienda.

Completely ignorant of being anything other than a young galdor, Rhys took his entrance exam with a bold confidence, unfazed by his score of an even 3, a dismal score for many galdor, but an impressive (and horrifying) one had anyone known he was a wick instead. With the parenting part of his life complete, Theo kissed his son and smiled wistfully at the boy before sending him off to Brunnhold with the highest wishes he would return and take over the family business.
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SCHOOL YEARS
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Rhys was an energetic child, struggling to sit still and never quite good at keeping his hands to himself. He took well to sports and outdoor activities, was taller than his peers of the same form, and spent far too much time in some sort of disciplinary situation that required him to clean erasers, wash blackboards, scrub floors, or write apologies for hours at a time.

Never a bully, the not-galdor blond boy was simply too active for his own good and by his fifth year at Brunnhold, Rhys was encouraged to pursue the Seventen as an outlet for both his curious nature as well as his physical strength. He was a social creature, easily making friends and quickly falling into the carousing crowd, enjoying parties and pub crawls, falling into the kind of trouble a proper wick would not have been made to feel so guilty for. The young man found himself always on the fringes of things, ever the outsider even when life of the party, and while this confused him, he chose to pour what was left of himself into his studies.

An excellent student save for proving himself a weak sorcerer, Rhys chose to pursue Perceptive magic as well as train vigorously for the Seventen. His quick wit and ever-present restless curiosity led him to lean toward the Investigative Division, and by the time he graduated at 20, he had been accepted to continue his training in Numbrey, much to the horror and chagrin of his father, Theodore, who had been waiting for ten years in Elmonton for his son to return and take over the farm.
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ADULTHOOD TO PRESENT
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Rhys soared through basic training in Numbrey, impressing his teachers with his physical abilities, which often surpassed his galdori peers. Taller, stronger, the young galdor who still has no idea he's a wick had come to accept he wasn't a powerful sorcerer, though his affinity for Perceptive Conversation had kept him acceptable enough. His field may not have been the most intimidating among the Recruits upon his graduation from Seventen Training in Numbrey, but his magic and his strength were nothing to be taken lightly, either.

While a trainee, Rhys was often pointed in the direction of the Patrol Division, and while he could admit he found chroven interesting creatures, the idea of simply dealing with the daily drama of Anaxi life didn't at all appeal to him. Instead, much to the disagreement of his superior officers, the young blond threw himself at the Investigative Division again and again, desperate to catch the eye of someone with three or more snaps. He passed the intellectually rigorous testing after much hard work and studying and blew through the physical requirements. While he skated the edge of the Investigative requirements in terms of magical prowess, he made it through by the skin of his straight, white teeth.

Five years have gone by and Rhys has worked his way through the Investigative ranks by filing papers artfully and stepping up into danger where others have not, willing to bodily and mentally put himself into harms way in order to pursue a case when necessary and more than willing to fill out that form in triplicate when it isn't. His insatiable curiosity has given him opportunities to crack strange cases and pursue dusty leads, mostly because of his out-of-the-box style of thinking, doing, and ignoring rules as it suits him.

Has he caught the eye of his superiors yet? Well, he's eager to find out.

For now, he's content to wear his well-dyed uniform and ruthlessly sniff out the Resistance who threatens the stability of the Anaxi way of life he's grown so comfortable in, completely ignorant of his heritage.

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CURRENTLY
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As of 2718, Rhys has married his childhood sweetheart, Charity (née D'Arthe) Valentin, but to say that such a union made their lives easier would be an understatement. Together (and wiith others), they have managed to stir a vipers' nest of trouble in the form of a galdor-run drug ring, one that has entangled itself deep into Anaxi society and appears to have very strong political figures as support. Charity's own father, the Co-Captain of the Patrol Division of the Seventen, Damen D'Arthe has proven himself involved and more than willing to protect his interests with violence.

Rhys has since transferred from the Investigative Division after his beating (by the drug ring and Damen personally) in Vortas 2718 to the Patrol Division as of Bethas 2719 with the specific interest of keeping tabs on his father-in-law and other officers of the Seventen he is sure have been corrupted.


Aptitude Skills

Mental
Good
Physical
Expert
Social
Good

Focus Skills

Combat

Combat (Unarmed): Expert
Combat (Bludgeoning Weapons): Beginner

Linguistics

Estuan: Fluent
Monite: Fluent
Tek: Conversational

Magic

Magic (Perceptive): Intermediate
Magic (Living): Elementary

Professional

Professional (Seventen: Inspector): Expert



Career and Income

Occupation

As a Seventen Patrol Sergent (4 snaps), Rhys does far more paperwork than he'd prefer to do on a daily basis, though he does see a fair amount of time out and about all of Anaxas on chroveback, tracking and busting the drug trade (both the Vein and the Drain), following leads on suspicious activity, and snuffing out the sparks of the human Resistance whenever possible.

As a former Special Enforcement Sergent for the Investigative Division, Rhys often serves as a liaison between the Patrol and Investigative Divisions at beck and call of either Divsions' Captains. Strategy, observation, and a stronger follow-up than the average Patrol Squad Sergeant, Rhys' position keeps him very busy and often in the line of danger.

Income: Average

As an only child, Rhys stands to inherit the Valentin plantation in Elmonton, but the truth is, he doesn't want it. Nor does it really amount to all that much by galdori standards, considering it's just an indigo plantation to most folks, but the Brunnhold strain of indigo that is used to dye both the prestigious school's uniforms as well as the uniforms of the Seventen.

His income as a Sergeant is plenty comfortable enough, and while he chooses not to live luxuriously by any means, he doesn't exactly keep money around very well. If he spends too much on a night off in the pubs, well, that's probably his most extravagant of choices.



Housing and Inventory

Housing: Painted Ladies, the Dives

After his beating in Achtus, Rhys moved into a well-aged row house in the Painted Ladies area of the Dives, a house Charity purchased to keep them safe in. While his Kingsway Market flat address is what still exists on the public records, he no longer lives there. He and his wife have put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into their current home and they both work very hard to mostly keep their location secret.

The row house is three stories and has a small back garden. It's most redeeming feature is the rooftop garden and small gazebo looking over the back yards of their entire section of the Ladies.

Inventory

Clothing
  • Four sets of decent clothing: a dark brown coat, an indigo-dyed coat, 3 shirts, an indigo-dyed vest, 2 pair of brown trousers, 1 pair of indigo-dyed trousers, undergarments, and a pair of leather boots.
  • Three Seventen Uniforms
  • Saber, standard-issue and scabbard
  • Seventen baton



Personal Effects
  • One set of toiletries: soap, a comb, razor, toothbrush, toothpaste
  • One flask for water
  • Two sets of eating utensils
  • Tinderbox
  • Seventen Investigator's manual and handbook
  • Jynx — A one-eyed charcoal grey female Bastian Osta rescued from the alley behind his apartment that could care less if he existed except when there is food or sitting involved.



Goals

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Short Term Goals:
Keep his secret.

Keep Charity safe.

Destroy the galdor-run drug ring and break open the corruption within the galdori government like some infected wound, exposing it for all of Anaxas to see clearly.

Probably murdering Damen D'Arthe, if not the other galdori he once called his peers in Brunnhold who are a part of the opiates ring known as the Order of the Pendulum.

If he also gets to break into the Oculus and fuck up their plans, too, well, that's great. He's fine with that, no matter how unrelated those secrets are

OOC Goals:
Rhys will eventually discover the secret of his heritage, which will probably not be pleasant.

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