[Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Ladki96 » Sat Mar 24, 2018 8:49 pm

Liu Bei along with his brothers rush to Lu Bu's aid. Wenchang and the cavalry accompany them, leaving the rest of the rearguard behind.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Kivutar » Sun Mar 25, 2018 12:09 am

Dewang looks calmly at a the charging rebels, then turns and studies their own troops. His eyes linger over their clothes and armour.

He takes one last look, then closes his eyes and focuses. Breathing deeply, he holds out one hand, and slowly, tiny forms begin to take shape. A full infantry company appears in his hand, perfect to the tiniest detail.

Turning to Baozi, he simply asks "Where?"

Baozi's eyes widen in astonishment, but quickly he looks away and scans the battlefield. He points towards the woods to the east of the fighting. "In the edge of the trees, as if they're about to fall on the rebels' flank in an ambush," he says.

Dewang nods and closes his hand, and something moves suspiciously in the trees. There is a glint of metal. Some twigs snap, and a soldier or two pokes their head between branches. The corner of someone's brightly coloured battle-gown is twisted around a shrub.

Dewang turns back to Baozi. "Is that obvious enough?"
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun May 20, 2018 3:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes."

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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby CarrieVS » Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:58 am

Baozi smiles, "That will do nicely."

With the Colonel and his Captains riding to General Lu's rescue, it falls to him to take charge of the foot. They do not have anything like the numbers that would be required to turn the tide, even with De Wang's illusory additions to their force - who will only be effective as a threat, and will be revealed for what they truly are if the enemy should come to blows with them - so the rearguard must try to buy both embattled forces the opportunity to retreat in good order.

He orders one of their three companies of infantry and archers - Colonel Liu's company, that normally form their centre and march alongside the cavalry - to to follow the leaders' charge and support them, under the command of one of their Lieutenants. Meanwhile, he has the other two companies advance together, eastwards, to reinforce General Zou's left where the rebels threaten to encircle him.

Baozi cannot of course lead them from the front or challenge the enemy leaders as Yunchang or Yide would do. He is armed, as he was at the earlier battle, but now as then it is little more than a symbolic gesture: a warrior needs much more than merely to be able to handle a sword, and it would be an irresponsible decision to put himself in the Captains' place. He remains where he can see the battle unfolding.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Kivutar » Wed Mar 28, 2018 4:00 am

Dewang watches the armies clashing and glances at his illusions again. He can't be sure how much they're helping -

He stops and narrows his eyes, turning his inmost senses towards the flow of chi in and around the battlefield.

There is someone else here.

With a surge of psychic energy, Dewang pushes against the enemy and feels him falter. The other magician is back in a moment, though, and Dewang feels the icy tendrils curling around his mind.

No. That won't do. He lashes out with a ferocity that startles even him, fighting back with every ounce of his strength. He hears a half-strangled sob, and isn't sure if it's the man across the battlefield, echoing in his mind, or himself.

The resistance gives way. The other mage is gone - perhaps not physically, but he isn't here any more, not in Dewang's mind, not manipulating the soldiers' chi, not anywhere he can do harm.

Dewang slumps over the neck of his horse.
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun May 20, 2018 3:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby CarrieVS » Fri Mar 30, 2018 2:21 am

Following behind the bulk of the rearguard's troops as they hurry to hold the line on the left, Baozi directs their manoeuvres to try and make the best use of their meagre numbers. Even so, and even with the false threat of ambush from Dewang's illusory company preventing the rebels from pressing as hard as they might, they will only be able to hold for so long.

He looks over to the right of the field and sees the cavalry led by the officers carving a wedge into the massed rebels. The remainder of the infantry plug the gap and hold the line as he had ordered, to prevent the rescuers being trapped. However, the enemy press them harder there, and Baozi can see they are suffering under the onslaught. But they hold, and with fresh instructions are able to recover somewhat. All the while, General Lu and his cavalry are scattering rebels at every turn and Colonel Liu's bold charge meets with success, while closer to, General Zou's force at least hold their own.

The two Generals are now able to keep order in their ranks as they retreat, along with the various divisions of the rearguard, and the army withdraws without having suffered very great losses. They retire some ten miles, and finally the exhausted troops are allowed to make camp. The officers must discuss what is to be done.

“They are many and we but few,” says Liu Bei. “We can only beat them by superior strategy.”
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Kivutar » Fri Mar 30, 2018 3:23 am

The world is swimming in front of Dewang's eyes as he finally stumbles into his tent. Once inside, he collapses, but as soon as he closes his eyes he realizes that he won't sleep.

It was too much like -

He hears a soft noise outside, and sees a shadow cast against the ground.

"Come inside," he mumbles, and a head pokes around the corner. It's the Xian girl, what was her name? Jingyi, it was Jingyi.

He tries to sit up. "Miss Xian? Is something wrong? Are the children -"

"They're fine," she whispers, and gives him a peculiar look.

"Can I -" He breaks off as she kneels beside him.

"What happened?" she asks quietly.

"I'm all right," he manages. "Not a scratch."

Jingyi shakes her head. "You're hurt." A cool hand touches his forehead, and he looks at her more carefully. She's just an ordinary-looking girl, skinnier and tireder than usual. Her chi patterns -

He stops dead. This girl is different.

How old is she? Sixteen? She drops her eyes shyly, sensing the examination.

No wonder you knew, he thinks. I will have a lot to say to you.

"I'll be all right," he says aloud, and she puts her hand on his forehead again. The touch comforts him strangely. She's doing something, perhaps without even knowing it. "Can you sleep now?" she asks.

Dewang nods, drifting off quickly now. He doesn't even hear her footsteps as she tiptoes out.

Perhaps I can teach her, is the last thought he remembers.

Perhaps I can teach all of them.
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun May 20, 2018 3:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes."

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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Ladki96 » Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:51 pm

"Yes, it doesn't seem as if charging directly will work here. Perhaps an ambush instead. Lure them in with a smaller army, make them think they'll win easily, then pin them in place with hidden surrounding forces. We can deal with them in that way."

let's get the obligatory 'and they do this' stuff for the battle movin /o/
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Scarik » Mon Apr 02, 2018 3:41 am

Zou Jing is leery of another pitched battle and favors taking a defensive position.

Lu Bu, naturally, favors the opposite and suggests that night attack with their cavalry is the way.

Liu Bei sees merit in Wei Yan's plan but seeks other voices, "Mao Xu's tactics foiled the rebel advantage and made our withdrawal a success with few casualties against such numbers. I say we see what he thinks and base our strategy on it."

Zou Jing has some idea of Baozi's military skill but Lu Bu does not. He seems intrigued that Liu Bei has such faith in the small scholar.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby CarrieVS » Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:12 pm

Baozi flushes pink and doesn't raise his eyes from the floor, but he is smiling. The presence of the generals is somewhat daunting, especially after Colonel Liu's words of praise, but the subject of discussion is something he understands well - and now he has proved his abilities, to himself just as much as to his employer.

"It would not have been so cheap without Quartermaster Dewang's sorcery," he insists. And of course the bravery of the warriors, but that goes without saying. Dewang had looked utterly exhausted after the battle; whether it was merely the effort of maintaining the illusion so long or he had played some other role, Baozi is not sure.

He doesn't need pause to consider: he has been thinking of little else but what the army might do next since they had got clear of the rebel host, and going over how he might say it, too. "We need to act quickly and decisively. If we take the defensive, they will either march on Qingji, considering us little threat, and we will have failed, or they will attack and wear us down slowly. Even if we slay four rebels for every soldier we lose, they will gain by the exchange: we might delay them that way, long enough for Qingji to be relieved, but at a terrible cost.

"Surprising them by night might answer, but the risk is very high. I would rather see us act in daylight, when the broken country will be less of a hindrance and might be used to our advantage instead, and with our whole force: we are so far outnumbered that every man will count." General Lu might possibly succeed: his skill with cavalry is renowned, but privately Baozi doubts he has given much consideration to any possibility other than charging in with his horsemen.

"I agree with Captain Wenchang, that the best chance for us is to lure them into an ambush. If we can lead them into a place where their larger force will be constrained by the hills and woods and cannot surround us again, we can use the same terrain to hide our soldiers and to fall on them from higher ground when they are not expecting it. The trap will have to be baited, and the bait must be a credible threat so that they will attack in numbers, but must fall back as though realising the odds are hopeless - but in good order to turn and fight at the right moment. The rest of the army might be divided, to attack them from all sides at once."


Sorry for being turble, Scarik
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Last edited by CarrieVS on Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Scarik » Tue Apr 03, 2018 1:15 am

Liu Bei is pleased but says nothing at first as he is not a general. It is Lu Bu who speaks up,

"This Mao Xu has a mind more intricate than a crossbow!" He exclaims, "Xuande's eye for talent is unmatched to find such a jewel among the stones of Youzhou."

Liu Bei bows his head, "We do only what we can for the Son of Heaven, General Lu, as you yourself do."

Seeing the consensus General Zou commands it to be done. It is decided to split the army into four parts. As Baozi's superior, Liu Bei volunteers for the dangerous position at the front where he will advance and then immediately signal a retreat once the rebels are in place.

When the enemy comes after him Liu Bei's force will divide in two and file around Zou Jing's rear force while to one side will be Zhang Fei and to the other Guan Yu each with half the infantry and archers. They will fall upon the rebels from both sides and when they break Lu Bu and Wei Yan will charge out with the cavalry to cut off any chance at stemming the rout.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Kivutar » Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:08 am

The next morning, amid the bustle of the camp, Dewang is just trying to figure out exactly where he should be when he happens across Wenchang. They are face to face; impossible to avoid him.

Even if he wanted to.

Dewang opens his mouth, hesitates, and closes it again.

“What is it?” Wenchang says gruffly.

“Nothing,” says Dewang warily, then pauses. He can’t leave it at that, can he? “I… I saw you yesterday, in the battle. You were…”

No, none of those adjectives are going to end well.

“I’m glad you’re all right,” he finishes lamely.

Wenchang, surprised and a little touched, wonders what to say. “Oh, ah.” He clears his throat. “Apparently thanks in no small part to your illusions, I heard.”

Before he can stop himself, Dewang smiles. “I’m glad I could help.”

He thinks for a moment. Can he tell Wenchang about the protective spell? No, that would seem strange… But he can’t remain silent. “Would you be offended if - if I took measures to help you? To keep you safe again.” He tries to meet Wenchang’s eyes.

Wenchang blinks. “Safe again? How much did you strain yourself yesterday? Illusions, and now this?”

“As much as I could,” Dewang stammers. “But that was the army. This is you.”

“What do you mean? What did you do?” Wenchang asks curiously. Dewang’s sorcery had always been an interesting topic in their conversations before, though he had always maintained a slight air of mystery, talking in riddles.

Dewang takes a deep breath. “A great many things, actually. It doesn’t matter. But one of them was for you, when you were in single combat.”

“Against Hua Tangyi? You did that?”

“No, I didn’t!” Dewang amends hastily. “You did it, all of it. It was only to keep stray blows and arrows away from you.”

“But you did help. It did feel somewhat easy.” Wenchang furrows his brows. “Thank you. But why, if I may ask?” Though there was no longer a chill air between them, they certainly weren't old friends as before, something he had come to regret at times despite himself.

And there it is, the question Dewang cannot answer. “Because -” because I love you “- if you had lost things might have gone badly -” I love you “- and if you’d been hurt we’d be short a captain, and even I know that the results of the champions’ fights are important -” I love you “- and I couldn’t bear it if we lost you when I could have done something -”

He stops himself there in disgust. “I’m babbling,” he says, aloud, and takes a step back.

“You aren't.” Wenchang is quick to reassure. “I - I just had no idea. I'm grateful, truly. You're… certainly more charitable than I have been. Forgive me.”

“Forgive you?” Dewang laughs weakly. “What for? I - I only want to help you, if you will allow it.”

“Of course I do! I would be foolish to reject your help. I uh.” Wenchang hesitates. “Perhaps you would join me after the battle? And Zhang Fei!” He is quick to add. “We are going to drink to the victory.”

“I would be delighted,” says Dewang softly.

He already is.



All da thumbs for Lads!
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun May 20, 2018 3:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Then the LORD said to me, "Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes."

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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Kivutar » Fri Apr 13, 2018 1:41 am

Despite the fact that they are about to engage the enemy, Dewang feels better than he has in days. He makes his way to the camp headquarters, keeping his eyes open for Baozi.

The weather is good and clear today. Perhaps Baozi will want him to create fog to cover their ambush, although the woods should be cover enough and that might be too obvious. There are a few clouds in the sky, and a frisky breeze blowing -

He pauses. It is blowing from the direction of the enemy. Suddenly nervous, he closes his eyes and focuses... yes, there he is, almost certainly the same sorcerer from yesterday. The Yellow Scarf does not seem to be doing anything else, either; he feels a singleminded focus behind the wind.

The woods are not dry, but it has not rained for days and the underbrush is dry enough to burn. Suddenly, he smells smoke. It must be all around him. His lungs are burning, and he almost doubles over coughing, only to open his eyes.

There is no smoke, not even the slightest haze. The woods are not burning yet. He runs the last few steps blindly, almost crashing into Baozi.

"Fire!" he gasps, and when Baozi starts and looks round, he shakes his head. "Not now- but the wind- it's him, understand?"

There is a red glow on Baozi's face, and Dewang turns around to see a horse standing placidly. The cart behind it contains several bundles of arrows, and as he watches the feathers begin to smoulder. He closes his eyes and shakes his head, then turns back to Baozi.

"They want to burn us," he says, willing his voice not to shake. There is a scream, and he sees a roof crashing in front of him, embers spraying.

The breeze is cool on his face for a moment, as the shadow of a small cloud passes over them. He looks up. It is not so hard. He can do something about this. "I'll stop him," he tells Baozi, firmly - he thinks his friend might be speaking, but he can't hear - and sits heavily on the ground.

Breathe in. Breathe out. The clouds pass over quickly, in the wind. He can feel the water chi cycling above them, and pulls it down. There are more clouds now. The morning becomes dark, and the wind loses its steadiness and comes in gusts.

He feels the first drop on his hand, and the second on his face. In seconds the rain is falling all around him, cool but not chilly. The blades of grass are dripping, and the brown of the shrubs darkens. The horse turns to look at him for the first time, then goes back to its chewing, barely noticing the shower.

Dewang rises slowly to his feet.



So I double posted, sue me :P
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun May 20, 2018 3:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby CarrieVS » Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:39 pm

Baozi has to step back to avoid Dewang running right into him. He looks utterly panicked, and talks of fire: there is no fire, but Dewang manages a brief, stumbling explanation.

The wind has indeed turned to blow towards them, and if "him" is a sorcerer belonging to the rebels, and is responsible for the change, then it can only be for one reason. Even if it is only the natural weather, the use of fire may well occur to the rebel leaders as a stratagem. This could be disastrous.

He must try, and quickly, to come up with a counter to this deadly stroke, but more immediately, his friend is acting as though he is at least half out of his senses.

"Dewang, are you well?" he asks. What a foolish question, but he can think of no better. It doesn't seem to matter anyway, for Dewang does not appear to hear him.

"I'll stop him," he insists, and then all but collapses to the ground. Baozi stands over him, unsure what to do, but within minutes he notices that their shadows have vanished, and looks up to see the shy now thickly clouded, as raindrops begin to fall. Soon it's raining hard enough to drench the vegetation, and Dewang stands up, looking less frantic.

The rain won't make it any easier to fight, and with the wind in their faces they will have the worst of it, but there will be no attack by fire now. "Dewang," Baozi says, amazed, "you are a marvel. What would we do without you?"




The two armies have not yet come to blows - and if all goes well, they barely will, until the trap is sprung. Instead, it is a battle of wit and will between Baozi and the commander of the rebels, and strangely private, almost as though this broken country was nothing but a weiqi board. Baozi places his stones methodically as ever, and even begins to enjoy himself.

Colonel Liu's army are hopelessly outnumbered, so they must gain a position of enough advantage to make this feint convincing. Yet not so much to actually have a chance, were they to attack if earnest, lest the rebel chief not dare to order a pursuit, or his troops lose heart.

So far all is well: the rebels hold their position and a leader can be seen riding along their line, stopping, gesticulating, receiving cheers and salutes from the massed ranks: evidently giving a speech of encouragement. He smiles: for what he has in mind their confidence is all to the good, provided their soldiers are well prepared and their position is perfect.

The rebels begin to shout and beat their spears, starting in the centre and rippling outwards. The sound carries over the gap between the armies as more of the rebels take up the chant: "The firmament has fallen!" But it will take more than that to disarray the Imperial army. The trap is laid and now the bait is in the perfect position; the leaders know the plan, and the men trust in their officers and hold their lines.

The rebel advances, trusting now to his sheer weight of numbers, to pin the impudent little force between his flanks and crush it. If they are not left free to retreat then all is lost. Baozi scans the approaching army and the land around. He sees it! The chink in the armour, the false eye in the group of stones, the weakness overlooked.

He points it out, gives the final instructions, and then the yellow river bursts its banks and a flood of men pour after their outnumbered foes, whose flight is now scarcely an act. They could not be called back now even if their commander realised the deception.
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Ladki96 » Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:06 pm

Wei Yan vs. Hua Ren

The plan successfully put into action by Baozi, the rebels are swarmed on both sides. Wenchang rides alongside the Colonel to cut off all chances of the rebels escaping. They are quickly separated, and Wenchang gets to work playing his part.

Soon enough Wenchang spots one of the enemy leaders hacking away at a distance, but at least two enemy units are between them, fighting busily. He spurs his horse into the crowd, cutting down every rebel in his way.

As Wenchang emerges from the chaos on the other side, the general spots him and rides off in the opposite direction. Wenchang furiously chases after him and closing in, yells out, “Need to go change your coat? I can smell the piss from here!”

The leader halts and turns back in rage. They meet in the middle and Wenchang raises the bloodied dadao, but he easily parries it. “Never have I seen such a large fool before!”

“And never have I seen such an egoist, who laughs before the battle is over,” replies Wenchang as he closes in and runs his foe through, and withdrawing his blade, silences his gasp.

The battle is a success ^^
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Re: [Fate RP] Romance of the Three Kingdoms: CE184

Postby Kivutar » Mon Apr 16, 2018 10:08 pm

Calmer now, Dewang can't help but smile at Baozi's praise. Nothing else seems to be needed, and he watches their men moving into place.

Baozi's ability to predict the enemy is uncanny; Dewang is a little awestruck. Everything falls into place, and he sees Wenchang charging, cutting off the enemy's retreat. He feels a little anxious, as he always does when Wenchang fights.

He chides himself as he watches the massive cavalry captain slicing through the rebels. Why should he worry? Wenchang is ferocious as a tiger, brave as a bear. The rebels scatter in front of him. And the other officers too, he realizes. They are winning.

The other sorcerer is panicked, fleeing. Dewang can vaguely sense where he is, feel echoes of his fear.

Suddenly, he is furious. The man is on the other side of all this chaos, and he may even get away. Seeing a column of soldiers entering the turmoil to his left, Dewang shouts for them to follow him.

He doesn't have time to be surprised when they actually respond, nearly a hundred of them. He charges blindly forward towards the magician, and the soldiers enthusiastically cut their way through the Yellow Scarves.

They catch up near the edge of the forest. A paltry few bodyguards cluster around the magician in his yellow robe, and Dewang's soldiers encircle them, spears pointed inwards. The rebels are cornered, and the magician waves his men aside and steps forward to face Dewang. He is a little older, and his fleshy face is impassive.

Dewang storms out to meet him, not noticing how quickly the ring of soldiers moves aside to let him pass. "Do you remember me?" he asks aloud, and behind his voice there is all the wind and sun and mist and struggle of the past few days. He looks the man directly in the eyes, and catches a glimpse of faintly reflected firelight.

To his complete shock, the man drops onto his knees and bows. "Yes, I do. Master."

Dewang stops dead, feeling unaccountably foolish. "Er, good." He pauses for a moment, thinking what to do next. A fight, whether physical or psychic, he would have been ready for, but this...

"Who are you?" he tries.

"Your servant is Xing Shi," answers the sorcerer, which tells Dewang absolutely nothing.

"No, not that name," he says.

"I am also known as Shénqí De Míngzì," says Xing Shi, which is no more helpful. There is a heartbeat's pause, which feels like an eternity to Dewang.

"Very well," he says. "No need for you to kneel there, in the mud. If you come with us quietly, you will not be harmed." He steps back, and lets his soldiers take custody of Xing Shi and his followers, trying to avoid looking anyone in the eye. Some of the soldiers glance at him nervously, others look respectful.

By the time they return to the action, the fight is not quite over but the battle certainly is. When things quiet down, and the victory is complete, he turns his prisoner over to Liu Bei.

He sighs happily. That was unsettling, but it is over. And Wenchang has asked to drink with him tonight.
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Last edited by Kivutar on Sun May 20, 2018 3:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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