Dolinare

As yet another letter is returned by the courier pigeon, unanswered, Haila sighs, sounding depressed to say the least. It's been years...not a single reply. She looks sadly at the setting sun, brushing a lock of hair away from her own face. She leans against the railing of the balcony, staring at the dying light as it sunk below the tops of the buildings around her. A thought kept repeating itself, as she reflected on the sad, scared little girl she had once known all those years ago.

"All the wishing in the world won't change fate...whatever happened to you, Sylva, I hope you've found peace finally. One way or another."

13 minutes ago, The Templar said:

A curvaceous cleric sips a nice mug of covfefe as she silently reads. By the end, she'd tilt her head in confusion, "Umm.. I knew two of these, but what do the rest mean?" After a long sip, she'd take a copy home with her to study.

Haila would read the long scroll that Aila brought home, sitting down to discuss its contents. With, of course, nightgowns and coffee by the fire. And puppies. Can't forget the puppies.

"Seems the secrets are finally out there for the world to know, Mayilu. Hopefully this won't mean too much trouble for the Grove here."

Lovely little Mart. Simple, elegant, and quite nice.

MC Name:

Dolinare

Character's Name:

Junidth Walai

Character's Age:

344

Character's Race:

High Elf

What magic(s) will you be learning?:

Transfiguration

Teacher's MC Name:

Fury_Fire

Teacher's RP Name:

Lefkos Amethil

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

None.

Do you agree to keep the MT updated on the status of your magic app by using the Magic List Errors topic?:

Yes

Are you aware that if this magic is undergoing an activity trial and fails said trial, that you will lose the magic?:

Yes

Have you applied for this magic on this character before, and had it denied? If so, link the app:

I have not.

1 minute ago, GrimReaper98 said:

It wouldn't be enforced and it'll happen, I assure you

I wouldn't be so sure, personally. I've seen worse punishments for lesser violations of rules, so I don't think either of us could say it wouldn't be enforced.

8 minutes ago, GrimReaper98 said:

This has the potential to be abused and I cannot trust people on lotc not doing so to get back at people who 'PK'd' them.

Like it's definitely neat but it just has the potential to spill **** all over the floor

I can't help but disagree, personally. There's a clear redline that states that the reincarnated soul retains no concrete memories of its former life. Maybe it would remember a vague feeling of being harmed or something similar, but the faces, names, and details of any memories it retains are erased. Anyone using this lore to try and get revenge would definitely be metagaming, no question about it, and should face the possibility of punishment for such.

As someone with some obvious interest in lore pertaining to souls, Aeriel and Ascended, this is something I can really get behind. It really does fit with Aeriel's theme as the Caretaker of Souls - I've always thought the Archaengul to be at least partially benevolent to those souls who aren't completely beyond help. This makes a lot of sense with both the established lore of Aeriel and the role-play surrounding it. Full support from me.

"The Far Glade..." Haila shakes her head, as she wakes from her sleep. "I shudder to think of the challenges that lay ahead, in seeking it out."

Jondead's character has recently been connected, and will be my first student.

Welcome to the Ascended.

MC Name: 

Dolinare

Character's Name:

Haila

Character's Age:

224

Character's Race:

Ascended (Elf)

Link to your accepted MA:

Link

What magic(s) will you be teaching?:

Rapture Ascended and Demi-Ascended

Summarise the Lore of this magic(s):

The Ascended are the chosen of Aeriel, given a connection to the Archaengul via an ember placed within their soul during the connection ritual. Such individuals can then use a number of abilities in order to combat those considered tainted by Aeriel. These abilities revolve around the use of soulfire, conjured by the Ascended through their ember. Soulfire is used to harm dark beings, and exists in two variants - Rapture and Ruin. Rapture flame incapacitates impure beings, rendering them  unconscious when subject to it. Ruin flame destroys such beings instead, with its more destructive properties.

Write up a lesson that your character would give to a student:

Within the quiet halls of the library, Haila would sit across from her student. With a patient gaze, she looks upon the younger Ascended, and begins to speak. "Today, you'll learn how to summon your inner flame, and conjure your soulfire. Yours is of Rapture, the sort that renders those tainted beings unconscious. So that you may do with them what you deem necessary." Holding out her palm, Haila continues. "Soulfire can be created anywhere along your body, but most choose to create it somewhere on their hand. It's easier to manipulate toward your intended purpose with it, that way. First, you'll need to calm yourself, focus your connection with Aeriel. You'll feel your ember beginning to respond." As she speaks, her breathing slows, and a warm red glow starts to appear just under the skin of her palm. "When it grows strong enough, it will ignite into a flame." A scarlet red flame appears in the palm of her hand, no more than a finger's width across. "Yours will be small, at first - and you won't be able to maintain it for long. But given time and practice, you'll be able to expand that flame - the most powerful Ascended can coat their whole bodies with it." To demonstrate, her own flame engulfs her full hand, for a few seconds - before she closes her fist and extinguishes it. A soft glow persists in her eyes, and she smiles at her student. "Now, you try."

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

No.

Do you agree to keep the MT updated on the status of your magic app by using the Magic List Errors topic?:

Yes.

Have you applied to teach this magic on this character before, and had it denied? If so, link the app:

I have not.

A sheet of finely-crafted parchment is posted across the notice boards of all major cities and nations. In well-penned, easily-legible writing, it reads as follows.

Descendants!

Hope is not all lost! Though the wrath of Gazardiel threatens all that we have worked to build, the relentless force that he commands is far from unstoppable - and on this day they felt the pain of this world striking back, saying in one loud and clear voice, "We shall not go quietly into the night!" On this day within the city of Halstaig, the Justiciar Ballaton was defeated by the hands of mere mortals, using the determination and endurance that we as Descendants hold so precious - and for good reason.

Through the steel of sword, and the fires of alchemy, Ballaton was brought to the edge of his newfound mortality - these things can die! Though difficult to bring down they may be, these Justiciars do bleed, and they do feel pain; through this we know that while powerful they may be, these creatures are tethered to life just as any other, and with enough determination they will meet their end!

To those who would combat these Justiciars, a few words of advice:

Flasks of alchemical flame hold devastating effects against the Justiciars. If it were not for a source of water nearby, this creature likely would have burned until naught was left but ash.

Powerful defensive magic was demonstrated from the Justiciar Ballaton, creating a sphere-like shield that blocked physical attacks from entering. It is not, however, invulnerable, and can be broken, given enough effort and focus from an attacker.

Though Ballaton was brought nearly to the edge of his life, he managed to escape using powerful magic - that which had the effect of an explosion, severely wounding and nearly killing those close enough to it. Be wary of any attempts to channel magic, should a Justiciar be cornered. In addition, a Justiciar is never unarmed - with little effort, Ballaton summoned a sword to his hand, with which to fight.

Aengulic beings such as the Justiciars hold no dominion over the Void, and so it remains the type of magic most likely to harm them. Deific magic has little to no effect on these things.

Remember, Descendants - though times are grim, Gazardiel's new beginning has not been set in stone. This is our world, and we decide our fate! Give in not to this foul being's temptations and lies, and we shall prevail!

Reading the announcement, Haila sighs in relief, much of the stress of the situation of today's events lifting from her mind. She caresses her infant son Luthais and relaxes in her bedroom.

"At least some people have a brain...good to know we're not fully abandoned out there."

Hey guys, I just realized that I forgot about this thread. A player has been selected to play the new character, and so I won't be taking further applications for this. Thanks for the interest from everyone who inquired!

I've always liked Zach, I've always liked his RP and he seems to have very good knowledge of lore and magic. +1 from me!

Greetings, LOTC!

Recently, my most played character has started carrying a child, and will be giving birth very soon here, on the 21^st of August. While the new character won't be immediately playable of course, I still have an interest in someone playing as them, as I've done the whole "playing as your own character's child" thing before, and I'd rather avoid that moving forward in the future.

The child is between Haila Walai (my character) and Laerean Sylvaeri (Zindran), two Ascended. Haila is half High Elf, and half Adunian. Laerean is half High Elf, and half Wood Elf. They would be raised among the Ascended, though not automatically considered part of the Order if the character decides they don't want to be. I have the idea in my head that the character will most likely be a boy, but if the one who ends up playing them wants something else, we can discuss this for sure. No name has been decided upon yet, though that will happen relatively soon.

If this sounds like a character you might be interested in playing once they become playable, please let me know! Reply here, send me a forum message, or message me through Skype or Discord - my contact details for those can be found on my profile.

I look forward to hearing from any interested persons!

9 minutes ago, HazelWazel said:

Sophia Alexandra Markwardt nods her head lightly to Haila, picking off some stained blood upon her outfit

"Personally, I had enough of that city the moment some man tried to fight me for a body of Sif- that frost mother.. And the final nail? Was when one of those spooks in the city tried to hurt my daughter.. She was only 4."

Haila's face further twists into a scowl, a flash of dark emotion overcoming her in this moment of horrid revelation. "That they would have the gall to hurt even a defenseless child...none of them deserve mercy. And the Verisian government deserves no quarter, for simply allowing this to continue."

Walking past the notice-board within Tal Ardoth's halls, Haila's otherwise undisturbed day would be given quite the wake-up call. Her attention focused upon the most recently posted parchment, Haila's expression slowly transitions from curiosity, to shock, to utter disgust and anger.

"I've never understood the backwards logic of those who rule. If the prince governs in the name of his people, he's doing them a true disservice - though it'd be far more likely that he simply doesn't care, or perhaps even has some ulterior motive for turning a blind eye to the dark beings."

Haila then looks to her fellow Ascended, seeing if they have anything to say.

MC Name:

·         Dolinare

Character's Name:

·         Haila Zhreniar Walai

Character's Age:

·         Around 270

Character's Race:

·         Half-Elf, Half-Adunian

What magic(s) you will be learning:

·         Ascended [Rapture]

Teacher's MC Name:

·         Scarlet_Sage_Ravondir

Teacher's RP Name:

·         Ravondir Torena

Any magic(s) you are dropping due to this app:

·         None.

Agreement of keeping the MT updated on the status of your magic app by using the Magic List Errors topic:

·         I agree to do this.

Any magic(s) applied for previously on this character:

·         No prior magic applications on this character.

Faiz is absolut a good ET

+

Memeing aside, I think he'd make a great choice!

Though present at the declaration of war, Haila felt out-of-place among her new allies. She elected to remain silent, standing just apart from the group, her expression remaining neutral as thoughts and worries raced through her head. Once the body was taken away, she quietly returned to her home.

I'm looking to apply here, actually. This looks quite interesting to me.

Minecraft Username: Dolinare (previously RejectedSonnet)

Character I'm applying for: Lilian Atreides

I'll send you the details for my Skype. I do rather like the idea of the virtues this family holds. Doing this would also give me new avenues of RP and server lore to explore that I've had little to no reason to delve into before.

Given Name: Haila

True Name (MC Name): Dolinare

(Skype Name): Account name "RejectedSonnet", display  name "Dolinare"

Race? Part elf.

Doth ye aspire the path of The Knight, The Mechanist or The Magician? Knight.

Doth ye solemnly swear to protect your Crimson Heart brethren? Yes I do.

Out-Of-Character Information

Minecraft Account Name: RejectedSonnet
How old are you?: 19 years
Time-Zone: Pacific Standard Time (GMT - 7)
Have you read, understood and agreed to the rules?: Yes, I understand and agree to the rules.
What previous experience have you had in role-playing?: I have been role-playing for quite some time now, through various mediums such as chatroom-based RP, game RP, and tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. The full list is a little long; this is just a summary.
How did you hear about the the Lord of the Craft?: A friend of mine, Minecraft name TrooperX40, told me about the server, and I looked it up. It seemed quite intriguing.
Link any applications that you have previously made for the server: None.
Have you posted this application on the Minecraft Forum? If not, then please do so (link above): Click here
Have you read the Elven lore, and shall you ensure you make use of it and follow it in your biography?: Yes.

Definitions

Role-playing: Role play is the art of creating and developing a character, and stepping into the shoes of that persona. It is the immersive act of thinking from the perspective of another person entirely, putting aside your own identity to take on the identity of someone removed from yourself.
Meta-gaming: Meta-gaming is, in the context of a role play, the use of information by a character that was not acquired by that character, especially to that character's advantage. The knowledge of the player and the character are separate things, and it is best to keep it that way.
Power-emoting: Power-emoting is the practice of wording the actions of one's characters in such a way that the recipient of those actions can do nothing to change them. For example, emoting, "I kill the man in front of me" is power-emoting, since I have simply given this man a death sentence, and any attempt to circumnavigate that on the part of the target would be perceived as more power-emoting. A good way to avoid this is by wording actions differently. "I attempt to kill the man in front of me" is a far better way to emote the same action, while adding only one word.

In-Character Information:

Full Name: Junidth Eryl Walai
Current Age: 122 years
Sub-race (if any): High elf

Past / History (I know this is long. Sorry if that's an issue; I sometimes go a little overboard.):

Junidth was born to a relatively well-off family in Haelun'or, being the second daughter of her parents. Though there were benefits to having some wealth in the High Elf society, there was one thing about Junidth that kept her from being truly happy: her albinism.

Junidth's strange appearance made her kind look upon her with, at best, uncomfortable curiosity, and at worst outright contempt. She was often seen as lesser, tainted, or something similar, since she lacked the bronzed skin and blonde hair that her family almost universally had. Many were put off by her piercing red gaze, and others shunned her simply because she was different.

Because of this, Junidth grew up relatively alone, not having any real friends to call her own save for the servants who would always keep her company. She was content in her solitude, not needing to bother with other people.

That changed when her family expressed interest in a rather successful local tailor, by the name of Yuselt. He was not opposed to developing relations with them, however he was reluctant to make any real deals, since he did not see anything of theirs that he wanted. However, one day while visiting the home, Yuselt saw Junidth wandering the halls, and his interest was piqued.

He made an offer to her family, one they could not refuse. Not a week afterward, Junidth found herself being suddenly whisked away from her home for the last time, taken to Yuselt's home. There she was hastily dressed in a formal gown, and taken into a room filled with many people. She was lead down an aisle between rows of seats, toward an altar where Yuselt and a priest stood. On the spot, the priest "affirmed the vows of this newly wedded couple".

Junidth's forced marriage was only made worse when she found that the legal documents used to join them together were specifically designed that should she ever leave the marriage, she would be criminally punished. Junidth could only sit by in horror as her quiet life was ripped away from her.

Her new life consisted of but three things she was expected to do: look pretty, obey her husband, and be silent unless spoken to. Junidth quickly found that trying to do anything else only earned Yuselt's wrath, where he would verbally and physically abuse her. At first it was a simple irritated snap. Then it was an insult. It soon turned to red-faced screaming. Before long it became slaps, pushes, hair grabs. At the peak of his anger, Yuselt would often beat Junidth to unconsciousness, ignoring or perhaps even encouraging her screams.

It wasn't long before her continued treatment became too much for Junidth to bear. She searched for any escape she could find, but she saw only two real ways out of this: her death, or her husband's. She knew that her family would never allow the contract that kept a steady cash flow coming their way to end, and she could not simply leave the marriage, for she would be punished and returned to her husband.

However, she could not simply kill Yuselt. That would lead to things far worse than the contract's, or her husband's, punishments. So Junidth contemplated over and over that which she felt she had no choice but to do.

When Yuselt took her on a business trip, Junidth searched desperately for a moment of privacy in which to take her own life, but none came. Despair flooded her, and she thought it would never end. However, just when she thought that her hopes had been dashed forever, she saw the chance that would likely never come again.

On clear, starry night, Junidth heard the sounds of Yuselt leaving the tent. She was, for once, alone, as he thought she was asleep. Quickly she got up, and searched desperately for something with which to do the deed. She found nothing suitable that would make it happen fast enough, and so she took a look outside the tent. Her heart skipped two beats when she spied the sheer cliff that was not even fifty yards away.

She stole over to its edge...but right before she dove off the edge, she hesitated. Was this really the only way to do this? Did she have no other choice? As her thoughts conflicted with themselves, she heard a voice next to her that made her jump out of her skin.

"You know, I've never seen you in the moonlight. It makes you look alluring." Turning, she saw Yuselt standing beside her, gazing at her. There was a pause. "It is a shame we are not having this meeting at night. You would be quite distracting to my business partners' ambitions." With that, a cold wave of anger froze Junidth on the spot. The one time he had the mind to say something nice, to compliment her, and he could think only of how it would benefit him. Her gaze remained as neutral as she could manage, while he walked closer. He made a move to reach around Junidth's body...

To this day, Junidth is not sure what exactly happened. She might have stepped aside, she might have pushed him...all she knew with any certainty is that in that moment, she was looking down the cliff with an expression of shock fixed upon her face as she watched Yuselt free-fall toward the canyon below.

When later asked what had happened, Junidth told the escort that Yuselt had simply slipped and fallen from the cliff's edge. The tears streaming down her cheeks and her shaking voice made it easy for them to believe her, as any wife would be distraught at the sudden death of her husband.

However, they were wrong.

The tears and stammering were not in grieving. They conveyed something deeper: her sudden, new-found happiness.

For the first time in her life, Junidth was free, truly free to live her life as she saw fit.

Ambitions for the Future:

Junidth's plans for the future largely involve reclaiming the life she once had. This involves a number of things, but primarily she focuses on getting a source of income, independent of the family to which she has cut ties. She also wishes to explore and develop the latent magical ability she has discovered within herself, but still has no idea how to channel or control.

Personality:

Junidth is a kind person, but very cautious and slow to trust. Her experiences with comparative strangers has made her difficult to approach, but if one can display undeniable evidence of honesty then she becomes much more open. She has an inherent dislike of the way high elves hold themselves above other beings, and treats it as a sort of bigotry that she takes every opportunity to fix, trying to educate those ignorant enough to see only the differences between themselves and another.

Skills:

Despite her rather troubled younger life, Junidth was well-educated. Being tutored by a private instructor, she learned all the basics quite easily, and hungered for more. She was then given higher education, something her older sister never bothered with. She focused her attention on learning the intricacies of business, especially the marketing and negotiating aspects of the process. At the same time, she did not abandon her body, and trained in basic exercises to keep a degree of athleticism and dexterity in the process.

As of late, Junidth has discovered that she has the spark that makes magic possible, but she still knows not how to use it, and that is one of her goals to learn.

Appearance:

Junidth is an albino, a rare thing for High Elves. Her skin is extremely pale, and quite sensitive to exposure to sunlight. Her hair is totally white, and quite long, reaching down to the middle of her back, and covering all but the tips of her rather long ears. Her eyes are bright red, and often described as frighteningly piercing.

Her garb varies depending on the occasion, but should she have nothing special going on she will most often wear a strapless, neckless red dress, with gold trim and detached sleeves. The skirt has a parting down the middle, making mobility in it much easier than usual, while still keeping a good degree of modesty.

Any other details you wish to share about your character:

Junidth was originally created for a different setting. However, after reading the lore on high elves and their attitudes toward other races, I felt it would be relatively easy and appropriate to make some changes to her story to accommodate the new setting.

Open-Response-Questions
____

1. As you walk through the deep forests you hear the sound of whispering and snickering. Upon inspection you realize that a group of High Elves are mocking a small Wood Elf child. How do you react?

Answer:

Taking a relaxing stroll through the woods near her home, Junidth is lost in thought. It takes her a moment to notice a strange sound: laughing and hushed voices. She moves toward the sound and comes to a clearing, where three High Elves are surrounding a young Wood Elf child. He is crying, and Junidth can hear what they're saying. "Dirty freak." "Leaf-skin." "Why don't you go marry a tree?"

After a short moment to calm herself from the outrageous display in front of her, Junidth steps forward and clears her throat. The other elves turn to look at her. One of them sneers. "Oh look, another freak. Here to whine at us?" Junidth sighs. "Your words are harsh. There is no reason to be so cruel to such a young child before he has the chance to know the true nature of this world." This makes the target of her words pause, which Junidth uses to continue. "You use this boy's misery to somehow raise yourself above him, but by doing so you fall lower than a worm. If you wish to retain any dignity, I suggest you walk away."

There's a short silence before one of the High Elves speaks up. "She has a point. Better to save our words for one who truly deserves them." A reluctant nod from the other two, and they walk off in silence. The boy smiles weakly at Junidth, nodding in thanks before running off. Satisfied, Junidth continues her walk.

2. Whilst wandering through the Elven forests you come across a frail old man with a walking stick. He collapses in front of you, falling to the ground with a sharp thud. Out of his pocket falls a small pouch of gold coins, which hits the ground and splits open spreading coins across the pathway. The man lies there, defenseless - what do you do?

Answer:

On another one of her relaxing walks through the forest, Junidth happens to be passing nearby a small human village. There aren't many people who live there, but she knows them to be a friendly community, and sometimes pays a visit there. While passing by the village, she sees an elder man who lives in the village, one who she knows tends to keep to himself for the most part. As she smiles and nods in greeting, he does the same, but is cut short when his foot catches on a rock buried in the path, and he falls to the ground with a cry of pain, coins spilling from his purse.

For a moment, Junidth can't help but stare at the glittering currency. Since cutting ties to her family, she's had to start from scratch financially, and so despite her conscience screaming at her the temptation to simply take they money and leave is strong. However, a groan of pain snaps her out of her stupor and brings her back to reality. She couldn't simply take something like that. It would plague her forever.

Bending down, Junidth grasps the man's shoulders, and lifts him up onto his feet. He's shaking, and has a bloody nose, but it able to stand up under his own power, mostly. "Are you alright?" she says, and he nods shakily. "Y-yes, I should be f-fine..." Junidth frowns. "I'm not entirely sure. Let's take you to your village." He nods again. "That s-sounds like a good idea..."

Having forgotten completely about the coins on the ground, Junidth helps the old man limp back to the village, not leaving his side until she knows he's in good hands.

3. Whilst traversing the Elven Woodlands, you come across a small clearing in which a colored carriage sits. A trader stands outside of it and calls you over, telling you of his wares. He points out that his carriage sells just about everything, and that he's willing for you to haggle for a price. What does your character do? (Please include:- item, haggling for prices and the discussion involved).

Answer:

A well-enunciated, loud voice calls Junidth out of her thoughts as she travels along. "Ho there, traveler! Care to see something interesting?" She looks to the source, and sees a carriage with a man standing outside. His words pique her interest, and she goes over to him. She listens as he explains what he was talking about. "I am a traveling merchant, and my main sources of income are travelers much like yourself. I have a wide selection of items available, though my specialty lies more with trinkets than basic supplies. Would you care to see if anything is of interest to you? If an item is a little out of your price range I am willing to lower its selling value." Junidth thinks over the merchant's offer. She isn't in immediate need of anything that she could think of, but her array of personal possessions has diminished greatly since Yuselt's death. Deciding to give herself a little something, she smiles and says, "I'd love to." With a big grin on his face the merchant takes out a large number of boxes from his carriage, opening each one in turn.

Most of the items that he shows to Junidth are well-made, but not particularly eye-catching. Deciding that she'd rather not carry around something unwieldy, she asks to see the man's jewelry. He nods and brings out a large box with several layered shelves in it. She looks through the many glittering pieces, admiring their quality, but soon a particular item stands out and she cannot draw her attention away: a golden brooch with an emerald embedded in the center. She takes it out of the box, her eyes glued to it. Something about the brooch reminds her of something...and then she remembers. In the days when she actually had some semblance of happiness, she would often spend a lot of time with a particular human named Brielt. She was one of the maids at her home, and after her duties she would often visit Junidth's room, where they would spend time talking. Her friendship with the girl was cut short when she found out that Brielt had taken a bad fall from a stair, and died. Tears came to her eyes as she remembered the girl's golden blonde hair, and the dark green eyes. That's what had drawn her to the brooch.

She blinked away the tears and asked the merchant how much it would cost. Upon hearing the price, her heart sank. It was more than double what she was able to spare for any trinket. "I...I am sorry. I simply cannot afford to pay that much. She sighed, and began to put the brooch back when she heard him speak again. "I did say I was willing to lower the price, did I not? How much can you afford?" She mentioned her limit, and he tapped his chin, thinking. "That would be a slight loss on the brooch..." He smiles. "But I can see that it has touched you somehow, and happiness is worth all the gold in the world. You have a deal." With an uplifted heart, Junidth retrieved her coin-purse, and handed over the designated amount. "Thank you so much, sir. This means more than you know." With a wise smile, he replies, "Oh, I believe I do know, miss." Barely able to focus on the exchange any more, Junidth bids the merchant farewell before continuing on with her travels.

Author's note:

I'd like to thank Ben for pointing out what was needed in the open-response questions. It wasn't terribly clear what the purpose of them was, and your explanation really helped.

I also didn't include the price of the item on Question 3 because I couldn't find the wiki page that had the currency, or the expected prices for things of that manner. If I missed it entirely then I apologize.