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Drifting Pollen female Member

Lady of War

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Hello!

I'm Pollen, hope you're not allergic. I like writing a myriad of characters in all kinds of genres, so I'm pretty much down for anything roleplay-wise.

Come talk with me if you want! I'm friendly.

Most Recent Posts

In From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting) → 3 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Anne Mayer
Nieve — Mages' Guild

So it all came down to quid pro quo in the end? That wasn't exactly unexpected, but... Anne let out a quiet sigh, rubbing at her temple in frustration. She had important objectives here, couldn't they see that? The last thing she needed was to get caught up serving some second-rate royal's machinations, especially if it might bring her into conflict with other political factions in the capital.

On the other hand... Her whole group was low on money, without stable accommodations, and completely unknown to the people here. Getting paid, forging connections, and building up trust and support might well be exactly the first steps they needed to accomplish their greater goals. Surely the rest of her companions knew this as well, and would be working hard to make good first impressions. She couldn't imagine how much trouble it'd be if they ended up branded as criminal elements or something like that... Actually, she was getting a bad feeling now, so maybe she shouldn't think about it too much.

"It's a fair offer, though if we're being legitimately hired then I'd prefer an agreement in writing." She turned briefly to the Berserker. "You're okay with it too, Fran?" It was one thing to accept the Princess's tasks, but Anne would likely need some extra muscle when it came to seeing them through.

"Also," she went on, turning her attention back to the others once Fran had given her answer, "before we go anywhere or get sent off on any errands, I have something else you might be interested in, Serena." From her black coat, she pulled out the small box she'd been given back in the cave outside Aventon. "You're an expert in magic, right? I got these off one of the Raven Herald commanders, but I haven't been able to identify their functions up until now." The container popped open, the emblem, jewel, and vial still nestled safely within. Anne wasn't sure if they had any true value, but the Princess seemed better-equipped than anyone she'd met to give her some clear answers on the matter.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@VitaVitaAR@Rezod92
In World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Witch

Level 1 (4/10 EXP)
Location: Meridi-at-Han
Word Count: 1295 (3 exp gained)


Those bugs had proven cleverer than the Witch had given them credit for. She’d thought they’d be distressed—what with their sacred big top burning down and their patrons placed in harm’s way—but no such scruples weighed down the good critters of the Grimm Troupe. A ruined tent could simply be remade, and what did a few dead civilians matter to a circus that could pull up roots and be gone from the city within a day?

All that truly mattered were the performers, and the source of their dark power. The Troupe clearly recognized this fact, and the Witch almost admired the cold-hearted purpose with which they acted upon it. If only it hadn’t put her in such a vexing situation, torn between a goal that was slipping out of reach and the fresh temptations of a disaster in the making.

Even without her nose for trouble, she could hardly have missed the three enormous beasts clambering over the plateau’s edge with mayhem on their minds. All those pretty, colorful buildings, about to be knocked over like toys by an oversized monkey—the Witch had to cover her mouth at the thought, unable to suppress her laughter. Oh, all the precious things she’d be able to loot from the wake of their rampages, all the fantastic materials she might scavenge from their corpses! It very nearly made her forget that pretty red lantern entirely, and throw herself straight into the oncoming chaos.

…Unfortunately for everyone, she was a little too greedy for that. Whyever, she asked herself, should a spot of inconvenient timing keep her from having both of the things she wanted? The bulk of the Grimm Troupe seemed to have been distracted by the monsters, and the presence of a few guards around her goal only made it all the more tempting to the Witch. If she moved quickly, before the rest of the bugs took notice, she could come out of this with both the lantern in hand and some more loyal servants to throw into the wider battle.

Under cover of smoke, she crept once again into the thick of the wagons. It would be difficult to pass entirely unseen, but not many of the remaining Troupe members would be able to tell her apart from any other fleeing audience member, and their indifference here became a double-edged sword. None of them sought to assist or entertain her now, for why would they care? The show was over, and the hive would likely soon be leaving down.

So it was that she limped out of the murk into the view of the lantern’s three guardians, her cheeks stained by soot and her breath as ragged as her garb. “H… Help…” She reached one arm pathetically out towards them, as though to beseech their aid.

The ruse was broken in a moment, as her gesture revealed the wand in her grip just in time for her to finish casting her spell. A fireball slammed straight into the nearest of the cloaked guardians, and the Witch’s pleading expression instantly dissolved into the wicked smile of a well-practiced murderess.

It fell again a moment later, when she saw that her target had not fallen howling in agony. In fact, it was still on its feet, and prowling towards her unhindered by the fire raging across its clothes. The Witch’s bright blue eyes went wide, and she had just enough time to spit out a decidedly non-magical curse word before the creature raised its scarlet torch and sent a flame of its own hurtling back her way.

The sorceress threw herself to one side, scrambling like a rat across the paving stones. It should have been enough to avoid the burning projectile, had the damned thing not curved about in midair and smashed itself against her regardless. The impact sent a shock reverberating through her energy shield, the edge of her barrier briefly outlined where it had stopped the attack mere inches from her fragile form.

The guardian raised its torch for another attack, but with its focus on the Witch it failed to see the shadow rushing at it through the smoke. The zombie burst forth with rotten arms outstretched and barreled straight into its enemy, its sheer momentum taking them both to the ground in a tangle of flailing limbs. Within moments, the two were tearing at one another in a mad frenzy of aggression, flecks of blood and chunks of flaming cloth scattered this way and that around their battle.

The Witch’s wand flicked this way and that, a translucent bolt of pure kinetic energy let loose with every motion. Each strike met its mark and briefly staggered its target, but with two shadowy opponents bearing down on her at once she couldn’t keep either fully at bay. A fresh fireball crackled her way, and exploded against the side of a wagon as the girl ducked behind it to catch her breath.

What foul luck, that I’d end up against creatures too rude to scream as they burn. Trying to bring them down with fire would just be a waste of mana, and her standard attacks weren’t powerful enough to bring them down. To make matters worse, she had at best a minute before that stick-thin ringleader showed up with reinforcements to put an end to her for good. The Witch’s smile grew wider, not out of happiness but out of pure spite and desperation. If she couldn’t have her way here, then she’d just have to set it all alight, and make do with the satisfaction of ruining those who’d stood against her.

As the wagon shook with a fresh impact, she raced out into the open with her wand already alight. Flames swirled, converged, and flew through the air in the blink of an eye—but not towards either of the two guardian shadows. Instead the killing light bore down on the wrought-iron wagon and its veil of black cloth, aimed dead-center for where she knew the lantern rested.

It did not find its mark. Acting upon a duty that took precedence over their own lives, both of the cloaked defenders threw themselves into the spell’s path and took its full impact upon their own forms. Once again, their bodies withstood the fire’s loving caress, but this time the Witch was ready. Before either enemy could recover, she struck each one with a fresh kinetic attack, pressing her narrow-won advantage without a moment’s pause.

At that moment, the wheels on the iron wagon began to turn. Even the Grimmsteed understood the importance of protecting the Nightmare Lantern, and after such a close call it wasn’t going to stick around to see how the fight turned out. With all its scuttling strength, it dragged its precious cargo away from the fiery clash and into the city streets, where it might find refuge from all the madness and chaos unfolding at every turn.

The Witch was in no position to follow. Her opponents were on their feet again, and now oversized worms had spilled out from their guts, writhing and twisting in the air. The sorceress warily backed away, wand at the ready—but her grin seemed calmer now, more self-assured. Even if her prize had escaped her this time, she no longer had immediate cause to fear for her life.

Her zombie shambled up to her side, strands of torn-up wormflesh dangling from its ravaged form. A half-second’s casting later, and another rose to join it, torn from the body of the first guardian like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The Witch stood back, nodding in approval, and let them advance in tandem to finish the bloody work she had begun.

Four would do nicely, to start with.
In From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Anne Mayer
Nieve — Mages' Guild

For once—for once in her life, thank goodness—the whole ordeal turned out to be much easier than Anne had expected. Compared to the painful and invasive procedures she’d grown used to after her full-body modification, Serena’s ‘tests’ were a complete cakewalk, barely more than a cursory once-over. In fact, the Princess was nothing but calm and reasonable the entire time, which quickly dispelled any lingering doubts left by Anne’s first impression of the woman.

The Knight remained calm and cooperative while her prosthetic was studied, though she carefully avoided any mention of the military-grade strike system and various secret weapons folded away inside its intricate design. There was no need to spook the young royal any more than she rightfully had been by the revelation before her eyes.

“…Terrifying.” Anne didn’t elaborate any further, but it was clear from her tone that she agreed with Serena’s impressions. If the Princess hadn’t already been confident in what she’d deduced, the hollowness in the Knight’s green gaze would serve as confirmation enough. Don’t pry any further. You don’t want to know. Perhaps, clever as she was, Serena thought she could imagine the full potential of what she’d seen. Anne had thought so too, once, before the light of a dozen systems’ worth of planet-killing warheads had been reflected simultaneously in her eyes.

Horrors like that didn’t belong in any universe, least of all one so peaceful as this.

That knowledge only made the risks of Anne’s approach stand out all the more starkly in her mind. Based on what she knew of its capabilities, this kingdom wouldn’t be able to replicate any of the technology in her prosthetic or her coat—but that was discounting the field of magic, which she still knew so little about. If the wrong person managed to reproduce even a fraction of their functionality, it could completely upend the balance of power on this continent… And even if they couldn’t, the mere possibility would surely be enticing to some. In this bustling city, with its high walls and watchful guards, Anne would need to tread more carefully than ever before.

In the meantime, she intended to make full use of her new connection. “Lady Remilia is right, of course,” the Knight began as she got to her feet. “We’ll need to stay here long enough to help deal with the threat we’ve been warning you about. However… I made a promise back in Aventon that we would protect the people there. If we end up in Nieve for some time, I’m worried about what might happen to the town.” She lowered her head. “While of course I won’t abandon the capital either, it would do a lot for my peace of mind if you could see to Aventon’s protection.”

@Izurich@FujiwaraPhoenix@Rezod92
In World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Witch

Level 1 (2/10 EXP)
Location: Meridi-at-Han
Word Count: 1098 (2 exp gained)


Had she stepped upon an anthill? Insects were milling about every which way the Witch looked, fixed upon the countless tasks their traveling show demanded of them. Bug musicians and bug bouncers, bug jugglers and bug charlatans, a whole hive dressed up in pretty little masks and their trademark crimson garb. Such a novel sight it was that dozens of gawking onlookers—people who’d normally recoil in disgust from a single innocent spider—found themselves drawn like moths to the scarlet flames, to the promise of magic and mystery.

They’d have their fill soon enough, if the Witch got her way. She hadn’t come here for songs, nor for entertainment, and certainly not to have her fate guessed at by some stinking overgrown larva. The scent of power, rich and dark, took her on a winding path through the stalls and carts, skirting around the patter of footsteps and the glow of red-hued torches. All the way past the big top and its ropes she crept, to the deep shadows beyond and the shrouded cart the bugs had hidden away there.

Closer, closer, as near as she dared. Near enough to catch just a glimpse of the hive’s secret treasure, the source of all their forbidden power. As its wicked light played across her features, the Witch’s eyes lit up with naked avarice, a sapphire blue to match the nightmare lantern’s dull red. She truly hadn’t the foggiest idea what that thing was or where it had come from—but she knew well enough that she wanted it, and would soon have it, no matter how many bodies she had to burn to get there.

She was within a heartbeat of stepping forward, of raising her wand, when the abrupt buzz of insects gave her pause. With a flash of irritation, she tore her gaze away from her prize to follow the bugbat swarm, the lone creature flitting past her, and then finally the slim and handsome fellow who had crept up in her shadow. She stared him down, sapphire against scarlet, with a smile as joyful as the dead.

“How do you do?” This one was rather polite, for a bug. Did he practice his manners, while he scuttled about and stalked people through the dark? The Witch found it oddly charming, enough that it nearly offset her urge to incinerate him there and then.

Fortunately she wasn’t entirely bereft of self-restraint, and knew a losing battle when she saw one. Turn this bug to ash, and others would notice, bringing the whole nest down on her head. Could she slaughter that many, that fast, without the city guard noticing?

She blinked at the bug-man, a picture of coquettish innocence. “Of course! I don’t know how I possibly wandered so far astray. Ah, there’s the tent, better be on my way now.” She sauntered past him, back towards the big top like just another good little stooge. A glance over her shoulder confirmed her cloaked companion still followed silently behind, loyal as a corpse could ever be.

“…I’m really looking forward to the show.”


The big top was packed nearly to the brim, a hundred or more souls all told. All chattering, murmuring, shifting and shuffling, faces half-hidden in the gloom.

Amidst this sea of souls, not even the sharpest eyes could pick out the slight and dark-haired girl who happily hummed along to the Grimm Troupe’s tune. She’d moved some distance from her zombie, and acted much like anyone else present for the show, blue eyes wide-open and fixed upon the dancers and their torches. Perhaps her smile was a little too wide, but surely that was mere amazement, appreciation for the exquisite and uncanny performance.

She couldn’t help herself. A fire-dance, of all things! Even if it hadn’t been her true purpose in coming here, the wildness and excitement in the tent had seeped into her very soul. Who could blame her, who could blame anyone, for wanting to join in the show?

A single swish of her wand, and another light entered the festival. With so many little fires blazing all at once, few would notice that one more had suddenly appeared, even as it shot like an arrow straight for the top of the tent. Surely it was just part of the performance, another flashy trick conjured up by the marvelous artists of the anthill circus! By the time anyone stopped and did a double-take, it would likely already be too late.

The fireball burst in the air, a flower of roiling heat. In the gloom of the big top the flash was blinding, a curtain ripped aside to reveal the naked sun. A chorus of screams rang out, first in sheer surprise, then in dawning horror as two hundred blinking eyes found themselves staring at the fire—a real fire, this time.

Oops! Clumsy me...

By some tragic accident, the roof had been set ablaze. Not a bright pinprick, but a misshapen circle of hungrily devouring flames, spreading wider and wider by the heartbeat. Could they be stopped? Would they yet be quenched? It hardly mattered: one look would be enough to plunge the unsuspecting audience into chaos and panic. Arms shoved, feet stamped, bodies squirmed against each other, screams at shouts warring for dominance in air now thick with smoke. All were bugs now, the civilized people of Meridi-at-Han skittering like ants under a spyglass. Mindless and pathetic things, deserving of their sorry fate.

All but one. One who’d already been moving the moment she’d let her gift fly, who’d known to avert her eyes and had paid no heed to the blast. As everything went to hell, the Witch slipped through to the edge of the audience and flicked again her wand, summoning this time a nigh-invisible kinetic attack to spear clean through the outside of the tent.

“Quickly, this way!”

On cue, a cloaked figure barreled into the fabric wall, tearing wide the hole made by its master. The minor spell had set this point as the zombie’s target, and now it led the charge to safety. Out! Out! Into the open air! A stream of people all spilling through at once, with the arsonist concealed safely amidst their number.

Poor bugs. They’d all have their spindly little hands full, cleaning up this enormous mess. None of them would have time to watch the wagons, nor mind their weevil steeds. There might not even be anyone left to keep an eye on their precious lantern.

Ah well, not to worry. It would soon be in very good hands.
In From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Anne Mayer
Nieve — Embassy

When Bren left the room, the Knight finally allowed herself an audible sigh of relief. Things had been hairy for a little while there at the start, but somehow they'd gotten their plan back on track. Now she just needed to keep an eye on Remilia, and there would definitely be no more unexpected deviations.

...Riiiight. Even if she told herself that, Anne couldn't quite believe it. If experience had taught her one thing, it was that there would always, always be some crazy complication at the last minute that threw all her efforts into disarray. Grateful as she was to have a moment here to catch her breath, she wasn't about to let her guard down until she was absolutely certain the city would be safe.

As the seconds ticked by, her tired eyes drifted back towards Fran. The Berserker was hard to read, but Anne got the feeling she'd been a bit uncomfortable with the minister's request, even if she'd ultimately gone along with it out of necessity. While Remilia wormed herself free and floated into a more comfortable position, the Knight approached Fran and offered a gentle smile of reassurance.

"Just stick close to me, alright? I won't let them do anything to hurt you." It seemed a little silly to say out loud: the Servant was probably the strongest out of the entire party in a fight. If things took a turn for the worse, she could easily handle herself on her own—and yet Anne was determined all the same.

I'll protect them all. Not just Nieve, but her companions as well, the ones who'd stuck together all this way.

Even as she affirmed it to herself, Bren Halmir reentered the office, and the look on his face told Anne everything she needed to know. There would be no more waiting and resting: the inevitable complication had arrived, and the three of them were surely in for it now. As they followed the man to their next destination, the Knight could only steel herself for what was to come—and quietly hope that she'd be able to keep her word.

Nieve — Mages' Guild

...Of all the things she'd been expecting, a princess hadn't been high on the list.

Was this a good thing? It made enough sense not to be an obvious trap, and might even let them leapfrog a couple of steps closer to their overall goal. All the same, the Knight couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling churning inside her. Maybe it was the all-too-fresh memory of her last encounter with a princess—which had ended in a duel to the death atop an exploding warship—or maybe it was the fact this one had already set off a minor detonation within moments of Anne's arrival. No matter how honest her intentions, could this woman really be trusted with examining them up close?

Fortunately Remilia took point this time, and bought her attendant a couple of seconds to gather her composure. "Anne Mayer," she introduced herself, with a simple bow. "I'm a Knight currently in Lady Remilia's service." A vast oversimplification, but she was happy to leave it without elaboration and let the vampiress move things along. If Remilia wanted to be the one drawing the attention of a powerful and unpredictable royal, she was more than welcome to it.

@FujiwaraPhoenix@Izurich@Rezod92
In World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Witch

Level 1 (0/10 EXP)
Location: Meridi-at-Han
Word Count: 844 (2 exp gained)

The city shone so brightly, like a jewel amidst the wildlands. Every wall, every edifice, was a fresh tableau of brilliant colors to bewitch the unwary eye. Any one of them alone could have been called a work of art, and taken together they became something overwhelming, a thousand-hued kaleidoscope that might leave travelers dizzy and gasping for breath beneath the unrelenting sun. This was a place of wonder, a place of luster: dancers and flowers in the streets, music and crowds and exotic scents, a dozen fresh pleasures whichever way one turned. No shadow could exist here, no place untouched by the light, for Meridi-at-Han did not permit such things.

One could be forgiven for being taken in by this illusion, so impressive was the facade.

The truth was, shadows never really went away. They just hid themselves out of sight in cracks and dark corners, down tiny back-alleys and hidden passageways. There were markets where the merchants traded meat and bone and gristle, and would shoot you dark looks if you ever asked where it all came from. There were dim and smoke-filled rooms where figures half obscured would haggle over prices, where stolen and forbidden goods could change hands a dozen times in the span of an hour. Weapons, poisons, tomes imbued with dark and malicious magics: in such shadowed places one could find the heart's every wicked desire. Even the great Meridi-at-Han could not but tolerate the vermin scurrying about its crannies, so long as all remained safely out of sight, away from the naive eyes of its numberless citizens and guests.

So it was that things most foul could find their way, time and time again, into the heart of the rainbow city. How else to explain the presence of that slight young woman, who slipped silently through the bustling crowds like a black fish through riverbed murk? Here was a shadow, sickly pale and dark of hair, entirely at odds with the beautiful metropolis all around her.

She should have stood out like a rook among songbirds, but very few gazes lingered on her for long. After all, who'd ever want to waste their time looking at such a strange and gloomy little thing, when an array of vibrant views awaited at every other angle? Maybe a few would turn their heads her way out of sheer curiosity, only to quickly avert their eyes as a chill crawled down their spines. Many would look instead to the looming figure that shambled a half-dozen paces behind her, covered from head to toe by a dirty and ragged cloak. A vile stench oozed out from underneath its hood, and the crowds parted in disgust before it, seeking refuge in the safety of their sweet incense odors.

The Witch didn't much mind the smell. It seemed a pleasant thing to her, a reassuring reminder of what she was and would one day become. She raised her head a little and took a long sniff at the air, breathed in the sweetness and the rot alike. Something else was there too, a foreign and intriguing scent that tickled at the inside of her skull.

A slow smile crept across the girl's lips. "So there are nightmares even in a place like this." Gaudy Meridi-at-Han, so confident in its own glory, even while horror festered in broad daylight upon its streets. Now that she knew, the Witch couldn't not go and take a look—the taste of darkness was irresistible to her. The fact that it might be dangerous, that horror and death might await her down this path, only made the lure all the more tantalizing in her eyes.

"Come. Let's see if this leads me somewhere interesting."

Her quiet footsteps turned a sharp corner, and the cloaked figure followed behind her like a dog. She didn't need to stop and ask for directions; intuition led her on as surely as any compass. Just as she'd wormed her way into the shadows of this towering city, so too did the Witch slither easily into the Grimm Troupe's waiting audience, close enough to get a clear look at what had piqued her curiosity.

...A circus? Her blue eyes widened in surprise. Why would anyone pitch a circus tent here, of all places? This entire town was nothing but an oversized big top, the colors stripped off the tent and layered over the countless buildings. Dancers and acrobats walked the streets, and the rest of the people did a fine job playing the part of trained animals. So much joy, so much life... And all of it so dull. She could only hope these new arrivals would put on a better show.

Perhaps she ought to give them a little help? The thought made her smile again, and hum a soft tune to herself as she slowly ambled among the gathering spectators. Her gaze roved this way and that in search of an opportunity—a way to slip unnoticed among those wagons, where she could poke about the Troupe's dark secrets as she pleased.
In From Realms Beyond — An Isekai Crossover RP (Now Accepting) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Anne Mayer
Nieve — Embassy

So Remilia could be diplomatic after all? It would've been a lot easier if she'd been that way from the start, but Anne wasn't about to complain. The Knight inclined her head in quiet agreement with the others, glad that everyone finally seemed to be on the same page.

"Our side has nothing to lose by cooperating with you here. The larger situation aside, we all gain from better establishing our trust and credibility." Even as she spouted these perfectly rational justifications, Anne's satisfaction showed on her face. Finally, they'd made a connection in the political scene! Now they just needed to secure funding, logistical support, reliable sources of information... Maybe she was getting a little ahead of herself here, but she already felt much more in her element than she had since being stranded out in the countryside.

Most importantly, her warning would probably get passed on now. Nieve would be able to bring its formidable defenses to bear, and possibly drive back the coming storm without any need for the Otherworlders to get their hands dirty.

Following up on her acquiescence to Bren's requests, Anne filled him in on the merchant caravan, naming Syldon Hest and some of the more prominent traders along with the approximate time they'd been let through the gates into the city. That ought to be enough for the minister and his flunkies to track down any eyewitness accounts they needed, assuming their 'tests' didn't yield conclusive evidence.

@PKMNB0Y@Izurich@Rezod92
In World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Ok, in that case, your witch is good to go. I'll look forward to writing with you! Go ahead and port the sheet over to the characters tab. Would you like an invite to the discord server?


Thanks, and yes please!
In World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
In World of Light: the Endless Now (The Ultimate Smash Bros Crossover) → 4 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Welcome, Pollen! That sheet looks really good, basically a perfect application. I just wanted to double-check, the zombies she makes aren't capable of infection or anything, are they? Oh, and one quick note: in the World of Light, corpses eventually disintegrate into ash, essentially despawning after enough time passes. Items can still be harvested from them before they do, and they could still be zombified before then too, so it really doesn't change anything about your sheet, but I thought I'd mention it.


That’s good to know! Also there’s no need to worry, the zombies don’t infect people or turn others into zombies. They’re basically just animate flesh-golems. There are certain spells that can alter their behaviour or add effects to their attacks, but she doesn’t have any of those unlocked at this stage.
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