Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
He's about 6', and depending on time period his build can range from 'lean but sturdy' to 'unhealthily thin'. As I'm mostly playing him in a pre-movie canon environment, he tends to be somewhere between the two ends, thin but in decent shape, but far from a muscle-man.
2. How old is he?
Born in 537 AD, and my default time period for playing him is the early to mid '90s, so I normally say 1457, give or take.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
When he's upright, his posture's good. Head high, back straight, etc. When he's seated working on reading or some other small task, he can end up hunched over or slouched against cushions.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
His physical health is good, save for a tendency to get injured in fights. He has some old injuries that cause occasional problems, though, including knee problems left over from having his legs shattered in the Inquisition, and a little shrapnel in his hip from working as a combat medic in WWI.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
Tends to project a sense of purpose, especially when walking, fighting, or doing magic. The badass longcoat and personal wind machine tend to add to this impression. He's not especially graceful, but when he's in a defensive mode, or a fight mode, he tends to move quickly and fluidly, and his agility isn't half bad.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
You know, I think that's sort of subjective. He thinks of himself as average-looking and a bit scruffy. I have heard people say everything about Nic Cage (the actor who plays him) from 'OMG HOT' to 'sort of repulsive' (harsh, lol), so...yeah. I think he's cute, but for play purposes the basic idea is 'reasonably attractive but not about to stop traffic'.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Relatively fair-skinned, although that impression is marred somewhat by the constant scruff. Most of his scars are on his legs and torso, but there are some on his neck that are mostly hidden by hair, and maybe a couple small lines on his chin that you can't see for the stubble.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Light brown, tends to be a little above shoulder-length, but long enough to make some people in the modern era decide he's some sort of hippie. At a decent length, it's sort of wavy and untamable. When he cuts it short, it goes curlier and sometimes falls into ringlets, which he doesn't much like. Thanks to the immortality spell, there's no gray.
9. What color are his eyes?
Blue. Very blue. When I'm trying to draw attention to them, I'll use more adjectives, but the basic idea is: blue.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
Lots of scars. The ones that are most likely to show in a normal state of dress are a large and deep one on his arm and the few that are on his neck. If he for some reason takes any of his rings off, there are shallow grooves in his fingers where they've sat for centuries.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
Shoulders, lower back, upper legs. He's prone to mild headaches, too, so if he's tense he can be seen rubbing his temples and looking longsuffering.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
300-year-old rawhide trenchcoat! He tends to go for earthtones and styles that went out before the second World War. He chooses sturdy, long-wearing fabrics, wools and leather, and the rings are the majority of his jewelry (that and that odd sun-shaped pin he wears on his coat). He likes hats, but he tends to buy one and wear it until it develops holes.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
Yes, and yes. If you try to dress him up, he complains and looks awkward, but in his normal dress, he's content and at ease.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
Technically, he's never not on the job. On occasion, he will wear jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers, but ONLY if he's doing housework, mechanics, or dirty repair jobs, and he acts as though he's not comfortable in them.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
Boxers, for the most part. Very plain, solid-color ones.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
A smooth baritone. If he's tired, injured, or emotionally unsteady, it can develop a rough, hoarse edge.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
Normally, slow and even. He very rarely stammers, although occasionally he'll pause midsentence to consider his wording or draw out emphasis.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
His current default is American English, with no real distinct regional accent. He can switch between accents and dialects pretty fluently, though, if he feels he needs to blend in.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
He has been fluent in dozens of languages, but he really only holds on to what he needs most at any given time in whatever part of the world he lives in. English, Spanish, French, Welsh, Gaelic, Cantonese, and Arabic are usually a safe bet, but he can probably also do Japanese, Greek, Yoruba, Quechua...mostly I leave this open, because he can also do translation spells to fill in the gaps, and he's been literally all over the world, so he can fake a lot of languages and dialects. If I'm in a position where it seems godmode-y to have him speak the language, I won't, but if it feels appropriate and reasonable I might add to or subtract from the above list.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
When he's having nightmares about the Inquisition, he will occasionally start speaking (yelling) in Spanish. Sometimes he swears in other languages without thinking about it, especially Welsh, but otherwise he mostly only switches deliberately.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
He's good at delivering short speeches, and thinking on his feet.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
He can be eloquent and sometimes too verbose when trying to make a point. It's his nature to want to explain, educate, and share information, and people who are prone to feeling talked down to might easily get irritated by him. He's never trying to condescend, though. He's just a little pedantic. If he's extremely startled, aroused, or otherwise upset, his speaking style may become more disjointed and hesitant.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
The canon source says that sorcerers are capable of using the entirety of their brain while the majority of the population uses only about 10%. That 10% myth is a misconception, but in order to keep with the basic premise of 'sorcery brain' vs 'ordinary brain' while not perpetuating biology fail, I generally just go with the concept that sorcerers tend to be extremely intelligent, often genius-level (but there may be some additional spiritual 'oomph' required). So, extremely book-smart with at least enough street-smart to get by intact in Manhattan.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
He prefers quiet time to make long-term plans so he can consider all the ramifications, but he's capable of split-second decision making. They just aren't always good decisions.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
Ethics, long-term ramifications, and fairness tend to be topmost in his mind, so he tends to idealism. He's very interested in balancing his needs and perspective with the needs and feelings of those around him. So he can be very tactful and kind, but he's also practical enough to compromise and, you know, do taxes and calculate his gas mileage or whatever.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Oh, what kind hasn't he had? He has several degrees, probably mostly in history and literature, although his primary interest has always been magic. He learned to read at 12, and his apprenticeship to Merlin was pretty comprehensive, but along the way he's also been involved with great thinkers in areas of knowledge from philosophy and theology to science, math, and technology. He's interested in everything, and he's had the time to learn a lot.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
Magic, magical ethics, and magical artifacts primarily. He's also very capable in combat magic. He's good enough at healing to attend to his own wounds, but it's not his primary focus and the more complicated physical damage is, the less likely he is to be able to repair it.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
He's an introvert, but he needs company to give him feedback and keep him in line. He does best with one or two other people, close friends/family/lovers, to care for and be cared by.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Mood-swingy, melancholy, and driven. If he weren't genuinely kind and ethical, he could be a real asshole. He's a little too prone to self-pity, although he generally doesn't whine at people, but he takes grief and stress poorly.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
He tends to be a little defensive, but willing to adapt, wary but not paranoid. Intellectually, he's always enthusiastic about new challenges, but when his life, sanity, or quest may be on the line, he's reserved and tests the waters a long time before jumping in.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
React. He prefers to play defense whenever possible, particularly when the odds against him are not good.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
Fight. He's had to do a lot of it. But he's not above flight if it's more practical or if he has someone to protect thereby.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
He's a bit turned off by scatological humor, but crude sexual humor can get a laugh out of him, and he's hard to squick completely that way. He's not immune to puns or dark humor, but he tends to default either to complex intellectual stuff or crude double-entendres. Conservative pranks are tolerable, but if there's any danger for injury, or if the prankster is misusing magic, he won't think it's funny.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
Mmmmaybe? He's certainly prone to guilt and depression, and there's a certain degree of cognitive dissonance in the way he approaches his quest and the events that led to it. He's never been officially diagnosed or medicated, though, and he's a little skeptical of psychiatry. He deals with things largely by distracting himself.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
Um. Okay. Let me take this chronologically; some is canon, some is headcanon or fanon, and the majority of it assumes the reader has basic knowledge of the movie.
When he was 12, a sudden wildfire destroyed his home and killed his family (father, stepmother, 1 older sister, 2 younger half-sisters). The shock and trauma opened a window in his mind, such that for weeks, as he recovered from injury in a nearby monastery, he was viewing time, particularly his own lifeline, in a nonlinear fashion, with past and present and future all jumbled up. Merlin discovered him within a few months and was able to close that window. Balthazar's memories of this are hazy, but his devotion to Merlin was sealed through that event.
In 739 AD, when he was a little over 200 years old (the immortality spell had been cast some time ago), he and Veronica gave up on resisting their feelings for one another. It had been a long time coming; probably over a century. Shortly after they settled on one another, Horvath betrayed them and Merlin. In 740 AD, in the fall, Morgana attacked Merlin's keep, resulting in his death and Veronica's imprisonment. Balthazar lost his father figure, his lover, and his best friend in one blow, and without the quest to sustain him, he might not have continued.
In the late 1400s, he had a handful of female students, mostly of Jewish descent, in Spain. He had taken them on to protect them, but Horvath had discovered his location and was able to use the Inquisition to capture Balthazar. All but one of the girls were killed (she was able to rescue him), and Balthazar was tortured. The guilt and anguish lingers.
In the early 20th century, he took on a bright clairvoyant student named Stuart Prentiss. The boy was interested in philosophy and theology and grew into a staunch pacifist. Unfortunately, the logical extension of this philosophy lead to Stuart refusing to fight when Horvath caught up to him in 1928, and he was killed. Shortly thereafter, Balthazar caught up with Horvath and imprisoned him in the Grimhold. Despite the victory, he feels guilty about the loss of his apprentice, and has not taken students since.
14. What does he fear?
His own failings. Humanity's capacity for thoughtless cruelty. Freeing Veronica only to have her no longer want him. Not succeeding in freeing Veronica and watching the world fall apart. The well-suppressed darkness and anger and bitterness in himself.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
Varies daily. Sometimes he dreams of getting Veronica back and giving her the normal life she always said she wanted. Children, a home, maybe pets. Other days he just wants it all to end, and to not have to think about it any more. But those are bad days. Ultimately, he wants to be understood and wanted by someone who won't leave or be lost. Stability.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
While he's never, in the course of his quest, done anything the average person would find egregiously immoral, he started out the first century or so by hunting down Morganians and killing them when he could (by the rules of challenge and fair fight, not assassination). He's not proud of this, and the longer he lives the less he cares about individual Morganians wandering about, provided they're not actively trying to take over the world. He's close-mouthed about his own misdeeds, especially to students and colleagues.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
His mother died when he was two, but his father remarried within a year or so, needing companionship and help to keep up the household. Balthazar's stepmother was kind and loving to both him and his older sister, and overall the family relationship was very harmonious. As the only son in the household, he was the apple of his father's eye, and they were very close.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
He loved all his siblings, but he wasn't as close to his older sister as to the younger ones, possibly just because of the age gap, or some sort of low level sibling rivalry. He was fondest of the baby girl of the family, and tried to rescue her first when the fire hit their home. It tore him up that he was ultimately unable to save any of them.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
No other known blood relatives. At the time Merlin adopted him, it's possible he had cousins, but he never spent much time with them.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
Merlin was undoubtedly the greatest influence in Balthazar's life. At the time they met, he was desperately in need of guidance and protection, and, while Merlin may or may not have looked on him as a son, Balthazar's devotion to him was very filial, and absolute. In later years, he's begun to look back on some of Merlin's actions and teachings and question them, which is extremely uncomfortable for him.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
His best friend was always Maxim Horvath, growing up, and they met through Merlin. Horvath was the older apprentice, and at first he didn't like sharing his master's attention with Balthazar. Balthazar tended to be a people-pleaser at the age of 12, though, so he made it his young life's work to win Horvath over. It worked. They had a very close and loving relationship for a long time, until the falling out over Veronica, and Horvath's betrayal. To a significant degree, Balthazar blames himself, but at the same time he can't forgive or deny Horvath's subsequent actions, which have been pretty heinous. There's no one else he would have called his best friend, although there have been colleagues and students he was close to.
6. Does he have other close friends?
At the moment, no.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
He wants to make that connection, but he tends to reach out and then find the people he's reaching out to aren't capable of understanding his world view, because he's been around so long and so unpleasantly. It's a struggle for him, and he's stopped trying very hard.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Equal.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
More or less single, although he still hopes to see Veronica again. He has never been married.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
This is sort of oddly phrased. He considers himself in a position where he should be faithful to Veronica, but the length of time she's been unavailable is extreme, and the celibacy and loneliness have been pretty torturous.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
His first crush was probably some sweet little prepubescent girl on a neighboring farm while he was still at home. There was a blonde that lived at the Keep, possibly a serving girl, older than him, and tiny but a bit aggressive. That was his first kiss, and he was a little shaken up by it. There were a number of lovers before Veronica, but she was his heart's desire.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
Honor, strength, courage, moral fiber. Someone who can make him laugh and shake him out of himself when he's too serious or being too intellectual. As far as physical characteristics, he likes the eyes, the mouth, and the hands more than any more overtly sexual body parts.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
No biological descendents, but he would dearly love to have at least one. He has adopted once, a son, in the 1500s, in South America.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
Boy, does he! He and Horvath are bitter rivals, because over the centuries they've both done things to one another that they found unforgivable. Pretty much any Morganian knows of Balthazar, however, and while most of them will avoid him when possible, or at least band together in small groups for safety (he has a reputation), there are few to none that would be unwilling to harm or kill him.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the
Kinsey scale?
He's Veronicasexual. Seriously, though, I play him as a 2 on the Kinsey scale, but there's no canon evidence for him ever being interested in anyone but Veronica; he goes so far as to describe her as 'the only woman I have ever loved'. So, hell, a person could just as realistically play him as asexual but deeply attached to Veronica specifically for any number of reasons. Or as a Kinsey 5 who just happened to form such a strong bond with Veronica he doesn't pursue men at the moment. So, yeah. I don't have any well-defined justification for the 2 there other than it's easiest to play.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
He lives like a monk; this is not because he dislikes sex, or feels it is unimportant, but because emotion and sexuality are so deeply intertwined for him. It's hard to let his guard down, once he does he tends to become very attached, and he knows he has a responsibility he can't abandon, so there are a ton of mental barriers. And ultimately, celibacy is a form of penance for him since to his mind it's his relationship with Veronica that screwed things up to the point of them becoming separated for centuries. It's a convoluted and painful set of feelings and ideas that he's more or less trapped himself in.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Turn-ons: Intelligence, valor, loyalty, tenderness. On the physical front, visual or sensory contrasts: dark fabric/hair against pale skin (or light fabric against dark skin), cold hands and warm kisses, rough treatment contrasted with affectionate talk.
Turn-offs: Cruelty, condescension, indifference (he responds to passion with passion, and if he feels he's just a one-night stand or a pity date, he's not especially enthusiastic).
Uh...I dunno, he leaves his clothes on the floor? After so long without a romantic partner, I picture him as reacting to sexual contact with intense emotion, maybe even so intense he has to back off to take a break the first time, or at least move slow.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (
zodiac of
choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
His Western zodiac sign is Cancer. This was a pretty arbitrary choice based on the fact that I wanted his birthday to be in June. But now that I look it up, yeah, it fits him pretty well.
His Chinese zodiac sign, as far as I can calculate, is the Snake. It fits less well, but some sources mention 'magician' as a good career for a snake, and describes them as possessive lovers, so sure, why not?
His Celtic astrology sign is apparently
the Oak. It works okay, except for the optimism part. Maybe he was optimistic as a kid.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Spiritual, but not religious, particularly not in the sense that he follows any one religion. He's visited and learned from holy people and shamans all over the world, so his views tend toward universalism, and the belief that all religions have elements of ultimate truth, but none have a monopoly on it. He's more likely to celebrate pagan and Judeo-Christian holidays, but he's not especially observant. Acknowledgment of truth and reality beyond the mundane physical world is very important to him, but he doesn't do a lot of praying or meditating.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
His personal code is very strict, and he has double standards. The Merlinian philosophy espouses the idea of sorcerer as servant of humanity and the world as a whole, and his understanding of the implications is pretty austere. He will not accept payment for magical services (he will sell artifacts if they're not too dangerous), and if he's given a reward he can't use, he'll often donate it to charity. He aims for his behavior to be professional beyond reproach, but if he has a student that falls short, his scoldings tend to be limited to quiet lectures and discussions rather than yelling or punishment. And after so long struggling through the practical world, he tends to be willing to compromise for the sake of getting along with others. For him to abandon his standards for his own behavior would take severe duress; possibly the life of an innocent being at stake, or his own quest.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
By and large he's pretty tolerant of any belief system that's not Morganian. With Morganians, he can be verbally nasty, and he's willing to be violent, but usually lets them strike the first blow.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
He's a little uncomfortable around religious Catholics, including priests, nuns, etc. This is due to his experience with the Inquisition, and he tries not to hold every Catholic ever responsible, but the trauma was so intense it's hard to let go of it.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
Thanks to some very long-term investments, he's got more than he'll ever need. There are six overseas bank accounts, two American ones, and some items caches in various places all over the world. This is a guy who drives a '35 Rolls Royce Phantom. He's not hurting for cash.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
Nebulous. He was born a farmer's son, and he identifies more with blue-collar types, but he's had to blend in to societies all over the world, various classes and strata, and he's good at blending. Ultimately, he thinks of himself as a pretender when he gets into the higher classes, though, and every now and again he'll protest about something being above his station.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
He owns the building the Arcana Cabana is in. There's a basement, a ground floor, an upper apartment in which he lives, and an attic. The basement and attic are mostly for storage and practical things like the washing machine and hot water heater. The ground floor is the shop, and the way he stores things makes it seem to hold more stuff than it should be able to fit. It's labyrinthine, and dusty, and cluttered as hell, but due to multilayered warding he's been building up since he bought the place in 1888, it's also very difficult to surprise him in it, and some malevolent forces can be completely repelled from entering. It's less his castle than his base of operations.
The upstairs apartment is fairly spartan, by contrast. He has a number of books and herbs, a jumble of furniture that's a mix of antique and thrift, and a few photo albums. It tends to be a little dingy and depressing, because he doesn't go in much for decorating, and he mostly just cleans when he's too down or anxious to do anything better.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
Books, a few scientific journals and other appropriate periodicals, charities, his car (which is not finicky but does require maintenance), and memberships to museums and cultural facilities. He likes gardens and animal sanctuaries in particular.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
He's done a number of things to earn money in his lifetime, from working as a stablehand, to bricklaying, farming, teaching, fishing, working as a court or independent musician, falconry, etc. Ostensibly, his current income is all from the running of the shop, and he does make a modest amount that way, but he's not really trying to earn enough to live off of at the current time. It's more of a diversion than a job.
Sorcery and guarding the Grimhold are his vocation, but he doesn't earn money for that.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
Other than magic, he's primarily interested in literature and music. He likes visual arts and theater occasionally, but it doesn't have the hold on him that music does. Every now and again, he'll take in a baseball game. He's fond of animals, and will sometimes volunteer or attend humane society events, but he doesn't keep pets often, because they die and the short lifespan of domestic animals tends to remind him how long his own has been. He has been known to do a few practical artisan crafts like leatherwork or wood carving, but he doesn't consider himself to be especially skilled or talented.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
Under normal circumstances, he has a pretty regular eating schedule, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When he's busy or depressed, he'll forget to eat entirely, sometimes for more than a day. He likes to have meals and groceries delivered when he can, because when he goes out he wants it to be for pleasure, not for errands.
He's extremely not-picky about what he eats. Having been all over the world, he's had to adjust to various types of cuisine and survival food. If it's not rotten, he'll try it. His favorites tend to be the kinds of things he grew up eating: rabbit stew, venison, brown bread, turnips. These are comfort foods. He's extremely partial to strawberries, with pleasant psychological associations as well as a fondness for the taste. He also likes orange juice.
As far as alcohol, in the early years of his quest, he had a little trouble with maintenance drinking, but he caught it before it grew into an unbreakable habit, and complete drunkenness has been rare for him since he can't let his guard down so fully. (On that note, he has tried opium and a few other drugs once or twice and regretted it afterwards because he can't indulge like that regularly and the few hours of relief just make things feel worse when he's back in his usual frame of mind). Currently, he drinks maybe once every couple weeks, and only to excess after a crisis.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Electric blue, forest green, turquoise, white, russet. If asked, he'll tell you his favorite color is green, but his magic tends to glow blue or white.
2. Smell? Leather, old paper, dust.
3. Time of day? Dusk.
4. Season? Autumn. Late autumn when the bursts of color are fading to brown and there's frost everywhere, creeping into Winter.
5. Book? Not sure. I imagine him as being partial to a lot of C.S. Lewis' work, and probably Tolkien, as well.
6. Music? Secular medieval or Renaissance tunes, U2. Also some of the music that was incorporated into the film soundtrack, except of course it wasn't written at the time I tend to play him, so I can't say he's fond of it, just that I associate with him. I think he'd like 'Phoenix Burn'.
7. Place? Wales, or elsewhere in the British Isles.
8. Substance? Like, element? Air and lightning.
9. Plant? Oak and birch trees, heather, Forget-me-nots.
10. Animal? Falcon, owl, or wren.
Lol, after a month of working on this...
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