Cards and Runes
Cards and runes are single-use pickups with a wide variety of effects. They take up the same slot as pills.
Runes and special cards are unlocked by completing challenges.
In the base game, there are 32 cards and 8 runes.
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth adds
Get out of Jail Free Card,
? Card, the
Blank Rune, and two non-card consumables:
Dice Shard and
Emergency Contact.
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth † adds the Ace cards,
Holy Card, and
Black Rune, for a total of 39 cards and 10 runes.
- Booster Pack #1 also added three other Magic: The Gathering cards:
Huge Growth,
Ancient Recall, and
Era Walk.
- Booster Pack #1 also added three other Magic: The Gathering cards:
The Binding of Isaac: Repentance adds Reversed Major Arcana Cards, the
Queen of Hearts, the
Wild Card,
Rune Shards, Soul Stones, as well as the
Cracked Key, for a grand total of 66 cards, 28 runes and 3 other consumables.
Cards
Major Arcana Cards
When on the ground, these cards look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 - The Fool | 5.300.1 | ![]() |
Where journey begins | Teleports Isaac to the starting room of the current floor. |
I - The Magician | 5.300.2 | ![]() |
May you never miss your goal | ![]() ![]() |
II - The High Priestess | 5.300.3 | ![]() |
Mother is watching you | Mom's dismembered leg stomps on the enemy with the most health, dealing 300 damage and destroying obstacles in the area. If used in an empty room or during the ![]() ![]() |
III - The Empress | 5.300.4 | ![]() |
May your rage bring power | Triggers the ![]() |
IV - The Emperor | 5.300.5 | ![]() |
Challenge me! | Teleports Isaac into the ![]() |
V - The Hierophant | 5.300.6 | ![]() |
Two prayers for the lost | Spawns 2 ![]() |
VI - The Lovers | 5.300.7 | ![]() |
May you prosper and be in good health | Spawns 2 full ![]() |
VII - The Chariot | 5.300.8 | ![]() |
May nothing stand before you | Gives invulnerability and +0.28 speed for six seconds, removing the ability to shoot tears and replacing it with the ability to deal contact damage to enemies. |
VIII - Justice | 5.300.9 | ![]() |
May your future become balanced | Drops a random type of Heart, ![]() ![]() |
IX - The Hermit | 5.300.10 | ![]() |
May you see what life has to offer | Teleports Isaac to the ![]() |
X - Wheel of Fortune | 5.300.11 | ![]() |
Spin the wheel of destiny | Spawns a ![]() ![]() |
XI - Strength | 5.300.12 | ![]() |
May your power bring rage | Grants the effects of ![]() |
XII - The Hanged Man | 5.300.13 | ![]() |
May you find enlightenment | Grants flight for the duration of the room. |
XIII - Death | 5.300.14 | ![]() |
Lay waste to all that oppose you | Triggers ![]() |
XIV - Temperance | 5.300.15 | ![]() |
May you be pure in heart | Creates a ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XV - The Devil | 5.300.16 | ![]() |
Revel in the power of darkness | Triggers ![]() |
XVI - The Tower | 5.300.17 | ![]() |
Destruction brings creation | Spawns 6 ![]() |
XVII - The Stars | 5.300.18 | ![]() |
May you find what you desire | Teleports Isaac to the ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XVIII - The Moon | 5.300.19 | ![]() |
May you find all you have lost | Teleports Isaac to the ![]() |
XIX - The Sun | 5.300.20 | ![]() |
May the light heal and enlighten you | Restores Isaac to full health, deals 100 damage to all enemies in the room, and reveals the map for the current floor, except for the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XX - Judgement | 5.300.21 | ![]() |
Judge lest ye be judged | Spawns a ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XXI - The World | 5.300.22 | ![]() |
Open your eyes and see | Reveals the entire floor, except for the ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Reversed Major Arcana Cards
These cards share the same names as their counterparts (barring the question marks at the end of their names), but have the sprite upside-down, a different message, the narrator sound clip reversed, and give different effects.
When on the ground, these cards look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 - The Fool? | 5.300.56 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Let go and move on | Drops all hearts, trinkets, and pickups Isaac currently possesses on the floor, leaving Isaac at half a heart. Pickups may be dropped as items such as ![]() ![]() |
I - The Magician? | 5.300.57 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May no harm come to you | Grants a repelling blue aura for one minute that strongly pushes enemies and projectiles away from Isaac. |
II - The High Priestess? | 5.300.58 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Run | ![]() ![]() |
III - The Empress? | 5.300.59 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May your love bring protection | Grants 2 temporary Red Heart Containers, +1.5 Fire Rate, and -0.1 Speed for one minute, along with ![]() |
IV - The Emperor? | 5.300.60 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May you find a worthy opponent | Teleports Isaac into an extra ![]() |
V - The Hierophant? | 5.300.61 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Two prayers for the forgotten | Spawns 2 ![]() |
VI - The Lovers? | 5.300.62 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May your heart shatter to pieces | Creates a random item from the current room's item pool. Turns one Red Heart Container or two ![]() |
VII - The Chariot? | 5.300.63 | ![]() |
![]() |
May nothing walk past you | Isaac becomes an invincible statue with 4× fire rate for 10 seconds. The statue can be nudged slightly by moving and is affected by knockback. |
VIII - Justice? | 5.300.64 | ![]() |
![]() |
May your sins come back to torment you | Creates 2 to 4 ![]() |
IX - The Hermit? | 5.300.65 | ![]() |
![]() |
May you see the value of all things in life | Turns items, trinkets, and pickups in the room into Coins, matching their normal shop price. If there is nothing to sell, drops a ![]() |
X - Wheel of Fortune? | 5.300.66 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Throw the dice of fate | Invokes a random ![]() |
XI - Strength? | 5.300.67 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May you break their resolve | All enemies in the room are weakened, becoming slightly slower and taking double damage from all sources. Affected enemies also have their damage reduced to half a heart. The effect lasts up to one minute, or until the room is left. |
XII - The Hanged Man? | 5.300.68 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May your greed know no bounds | Isaac turns visually into ![]() |
XIII - Death? | 5.300.69 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May life spring forth from the fallen | Creates a friendly ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XIV - Temperance? | 5.300.70 | ![]() |
![]() |
May your hunger be satiated | Forces Isaac to eat 5 random Pills in quick succession. Eaten pill types become identified. |
XV - The Devil? | 5.300.71 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Bask in the light of your mercy | Invokes ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XVI - The Tower? | 5.300.72 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Creation brings destruction | Creates 7 clusters of random rocks and other obstacles. Spawned clusters will often contain tinted rocks, with the possibility of finding more than one in the same room. The pathways between exits can't be blocked. |
XVII - The Stars? | 5.300.73 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May your loss bring fortune | Removes Isaac's oldest passive item (ignoring starting items) and creates 2 random item pedestals from the current room's item pool. Does nothing if Isaac has no items. |
XVIII - The Moon? | 5.300.74 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May you remember lost memories | Teleports Isaac to the ![]() ![]() |
XIX - The Sun? | 5.300.75 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May the darkness swallow all around you | Gain ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
XX - Judgement? | 5.300.76 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
May you redeem those found wanting | Spawns a ![]() |
XXI - The World? | 5.300.77 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Step into the abyss | Creates a trap door which always leads to a ![]() |
Playing Cards
When on the ground, these cards look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 of Clubs | 5.300.23 | ![]() |
Always available | Item multiplier | Doubles Isaac's ![]() If he has no bombs, gives him 2 instead. |
2 of Diamonds | 5.300.24 | ![]() |
Always available | Item multiplier | Doubles Isaac's ![]() If he has no coins, gives him 2 instead. |
2 of Spades | 5.300.25 | ![]() |
Always available | Item multiplier | Doubles Isaac's ![]() If he has no keys, gives him 2 instead. |
2 of Hearts | 5.300.26 | ![]() |
Always available | Item multiplier | Doubles Isaac's current number of ![]() If Isaac only has empty Red Heart containers, he is healed for 1 Red Heart. |
![]() |
5.300.27 | ![]() |
![]() |
Convert all | Turns all pickups, trinkets and chests in the room into ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.28 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Convert all | Turns all pickups, trinkets and chests in the room into ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.29 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Convert all | Turns all pickups, trinkets and chests in the room into ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.30 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Convert all | Turns all pickups, trinkets and chests in the room into hearts.![]() |
Joker | 5.300.31 | ![]() |
Always available | ??? | Teleports Isaac to the ![]() ![]() |
Suicide King | 5.300.46 | ![]() |
![]() |
A true ending? | Kills Isaac and spawns lots of Pickups, items, and/or Chests in the same room. |
![]() |
5.300.79 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
<3 | Drops 1-20 full ![]() |
Magic: The Gathering Cards
When on the ground, these cards look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chaos Card | 5.300.42 | ![]() |
![]() |
??? | Throws the card in the direction Isaac is moving, which opens doors, breaks obstacles, and instantly kills any enemy in its path. |
![]() |
5.300.52 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Become immense! | ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.53 | ![]() |
![]() |
Draw 3 cards | Spawns 3 random cards. |
![]() |
5.300.54 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Savor the moment | For the current room, enemies are slowed, Isaac's speed is increased by 0.50, and his shot speed is decreased by 1.00. |
Credit Card
When on the ground, this card looks like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Credit Card | 5.300.43 | ![]() |
![]() |
Charge it! | Makes all pickups and items that cost money or health in the room free. |
Other Playing Cards
When on the ground, these cards look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rules Card | 5.300.44 | ![]() |
![]() |
??? | Displays a cryptic statement on the screen, similar to a ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.48 | ![]() |
Always available | Double active | When used, copies the effect of Isaac's currently held activated collectible. |
Card Against Humanity
When on the ground, this card looks like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A Card Against Humanity | 5.300.45 | ![]() |
![]() |
Something stinks... | Covers the entire room with ![]() |
Monopoly Card
When on the ground, this card looks like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Get out of Jail Free Card | 5.300.47 | ![]() |
![]() |
Open Sesame | Upon use, opens all doors in the current room, exactly like ![]() |
Holy Card
When on the ground, this card looks like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Holy Card | 5.300.51 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
You feel protected | ![]() ![]() |
Uno Card
When on the ground, this card looks like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wild Card | 5.300.80 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Again | Copies the effect of the most recently used Pill, Card, Rune, Soul Stone, or activated item. |
Runes
Left Pointing Runes
When on the ground, these runes look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hagalaz | 5.300.32 | ![]() |
![]() |
Destruction | Destroys all breakable obstacles in the room. Does not affect Key Blocks. |
Jera | 5.300.33 | ![]() |
![]() |
Abundance | Duplicates all pickups and chests in the room. Cannot clone other Jera runes and trinkets. |
Ehwaz | 5.300.34 | ![]() |
![]() |
Passage | Creates a trapdoor leading to the next floor. Has an estimated 1/12 (8%) chance to create a trapdoor leading to a ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Dagaz | 5.300.35 | ![]() |
![]() |
Purity | Removes any Curses from the current floor and grants a ![]() ![]() |
Right Pointing Runes
When on the ground, these runes look like:
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ansuz | 5.300.36 | ![]() |
![]() |
Vision | Reveals the whole map, including the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Perthro | 5.300.37 | ![]() |
![]() |
Change | Rerolls all item pedestals in the room (the same effect as ![]() |
Berkano | 5.300.38 | ![]() |
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Companionship | Spawns 3 friendly Blue Flies and 3 friendly Blue Spiders. |
Algiz | 5.300.39 | ![]() |
![]() |
Resistance | ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.40 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
??? | Grants a random rune effect and has a 25% chance to drop another Blank Rune on the ground upon use. ![]() ![]() |
Other Runes
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
5.300.41 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Void | Deals 40 damage to all enemies in the room. Consumes all pickups in the room and turns them into Blue Flies and Spiders. Consumes all pedestal items in the room and turns them into random stat upgrades. |
![]() |
5.300.55 | ![]() |
Always available | It still glows faintly | Activates a random rune effect that's weaker than normal. Only spawns when less than 6 different runes have been unlocked. |
Soul Stones
Soul Stones are all unlocked by beating both Hush and
Boss Rush as their respective tainted character. They count as runes for the purposes of
Clear Rune and
Rune Bag and can spawn anywhere a rune can.
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Soul of Isaac | 5.300.81 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Reroll... or not | Rerolls all items in the room, but they cycle back to the original item after one second, repeating. If more uses are stacked, an additional item per use will be cycled through. |
Soul of Magdalene | 5.300.82 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Give me your love! | Surrounds Isaac with a bubbling red aura for the current room. All enemies killed drop ![]() |
Soul of Cain | 5.300.83 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Opens the unopenable | Opens all doors in the room and creates a ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Soul of Judas | 5.300.84 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Right behind you | Increases Isaac's speed and makes him invulnerable for 3 seconds and allows him to pass through enemies. Damages all enemies and destroys all projectiles Isaac ran through when the effect ends, and grants a temporary Damage bonus for each enemy and projectile hit. |
Soul of ??? | 5.300.85 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chemical warfare | Causes 8 poison farts that leave lingering brown creep, then plants a trail of 7 ![]() |
Soul of Eve | 5.300.86 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Your very own murder | 14 ![]() |
Soul of Samson | 5.300.87 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Slay a thousand | Isaac turns berserk for 10 seconds, replacing his tears with a melee jawbone club and gaining +0.4 Speed, some Tears, and +3 flat Damage. |
Soul of Azazel | 5.300.88 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Demon rage! | Activates ![]() |
Soul of Lazarus | 5.300.89 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Life after death | Isaac dies, and is immediately revived at half a Heart in the same room, with some invincibility time. The soul stone is automatically used upon taking fatal damage. |
Soul of Eden | 5.300.90 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Embrace chaos | Rerolls all pickups, trinkets, and items in the room. The rerolled items use random pools, as if ![]() |
Soul of the Lost | 5.300.91 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Leave your body behind | Turns Isaac into a ghost for the current room as if he touched the ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Soul of Lilith | 5.300.92 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Motherhood | Grants one permanent familiar from the Baby Shop pool. Can give familiars that Isaac already has. |
Soul of the Keeper | 5.300.93 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
$$$ | Drops 1-25 random Coins on the ground. |
Soul of Apollyon | 5.300.94 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Bringer of calamity | Spawns 15 random locusts. |
Soul of the Forgotten | 5.300.95 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Skeletal protector | Spawns ![]() |
Soul of Bethany | 5.300.96 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Friends from beyond | Spawns 6 ![]() |
Soul of Jacob and Esau | 5.300.97 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Bound by blood | Spawns ![]() |
Other
These are items other than cards and runes (and pills) that take up the consumable slot. When on the ground, each of these items are uniquely identifiable by their respective icon. These consumables cannot be replicated by either
Blank Card or
Clear Rune, and
Tarot Cloth has no effect on them, but the
D1 will always duplicate these into themselves.
Name | ID | Icon | Unlock method | Message | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
5.300.49 | ![]() |
Always available | D6 + D20 | Upon use, invokes the effects of ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.50 | ![]() |
Always available | Help from above | When used, will cause two ![]() |
![]() |
5.300.78 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
??? | Creates a room adjacent to a viable wall, like ![]() |
Probabilities
Cards that spawn as random ones, i.e. with a sub-type of 0, have the following probabilities:
- Any tarot card (1-22) - 66.66%
- A specific tarot card - 3.03%
- Any reverse tarot card (56-77) - 11.22%
- A specific reverse tarot card - 0.51%
- Any face card (23-31) - 7.74%
- A specific face card (23-31) - 0.86%
- Queen of Hearts (79) - 0.86% (same as a specific face card)
- Any special card (42-54) - 3.51%
- A specific special card - 0.27%
- Cracked Key (78) - 0.27% (same as a specific special card)
- Wild Card (80) - 0.27% (same as a specific special card)
- Any rune (32-41) - 3.60%
- A specific rune - 0.36%
- Any soul stone (81-97) - 5.95%
- A specific soul stone - 0.35%
- Rune shard (55) - 0.00% (never spawns on a fully completed save file, chosen only as a replacement otherwise)
Notes
The game counts runes as cards for the purposes of
Blank Card, and
Tarot Cloth.
Even though runes no longer count as cards as of Repentance,
Little Baggy still prevents new runes from appearing except through forced drops (such as from
Mom's Ring or
Clear Rune). Runes that already existed prior to picking up Little Baggy will not be converted.
Starter Deck does not prevent runes/soul stones from generating, will sometimes turn pills into either, and allows holding two of them.
- Runes will be replaced with cards if no runes are unlocked.
However, items that normally spawn runes (e.g.
Rune Bag or
Clear Rune) can spawn Rune Shards before any runes are unlocked.
- If alternate versions of consumables have been unlocked (for example,
Charged Keys or
Mega Chests), any cards that can spawn that type of consumables (for example, Ace of Spades or
VIII - Justice?) have a chance of being replaced with those rarer consumables.
Key Rings are the only exception to this.
If
Tarot Cloth is held, and the currently held card has Tarot Cloth effects, the card will flash, indicating that it will be amplified by Tarot Cloth.
Using any teleport cards while inside of
The Beast fight will simply move Isaac instantly to a different spot in the same room. This also includes the Joker card.
Unlockable Achievements
- The Necronomicon - Use
XIII - Death 4 times.
Huge Growth - Increase in size 5 times in a single run via
Magic Mushroom, "One makes you larger" pills,
XI - Strength, etc..
In-game footage
Trivia
- The appearance of the tarot cards seems to be based on the Universal Tarot of Marseille deck produced by Lo Scarabeo, most clearly seen with the card backs as well as the splash image that appears when using The Sun.
- The runes and their names ingame are based on the Elder Futhark alphabet system and its reconstructed Proto-Germanic names. In popular culture, runes often signify that something is in some way magical.
- Ancient Recall, Era Walk, Huge Growth, and Chaos Card are all based on cards from Magic: The Gathering.
- A NULL card with ID 0 exists, revealed by the "giveitem k0" Debug Console command. It can't be acquired or used in any way.
Many cards were given new unique back sprites in Booster Pack #5, some originating from Antibirth.
The Reverse Tarot Cards refer to tarot card readings, where a reversed card has a contrary meaning to its upright variant.
Voiceovers
Major Arcana Cards
Tarot Card | Voiceover | Voiceover (Reverse) |
---|---|---|
0 - The Fool | ||
I - The Magician | ||
II - The High Priestess | ||
III - The Empress | ||
IV - The Emperor | ||
V - The Hierophant | ||
VI - The Lovers | ||
VII - The Chariot | ||
VIII - Justice | ||
IX - The Hermit | ||
X - Wheel of Fortune | ||
XI - Strength | ||
XII - The Hanged Man | ||
XIII - Death | ||
XIV - Temperance | ||
XV - The Devil | ||
XVI - The Tower | ||
XVII - The Stars | ||
XVIII - The Moon | ||
XIX - The Sun | ||
XX - Judgement | ||
XXI - The World |
Playing Cards
Card | Voiceover |
---|---|
2 of Clubs | |
2 of Diamonds | |
2 of Spades | |
2 of Hearts | |
Ace of Clubs | |
Ace of Diamonds | |
Ace of Spades | |
Ace of Hearts | |
Joker | |
Suicide King | |
Queen of Hearts |
Runes and Soul Stones
Rune or Soul Stone | Voiceover |
---|---|
Hagalaz | |
Jera | |
Ehwaz | |
Dagaz | |
Ansuz | |
Perthro | |
Berkano | |
Algiz | |
Black Rune | |
Rune Shard | |
Soul of Isaac | |
Soul of Magdalene | |
Soul of Cain | |
Soul of Judas | |
Soul of ??? | |
Soul of Eve | |
Soul of Samson | |
Soul of Azazel | |
Soul of Lazarus | |
Soul of Eden | |
Soul of the Lost | |
Soul of Lilith | |
Soul of the Keeper | |
Soul of Apollyon | |
Soul of the Forgotten | |
Soul of Bethany | |
Soul of Jacob and Esau |
Other cards and consumables
Consumable | Voiceover |
---|---|
Chaos Card | |
Huge Growth | |
Ancient Recall | |
Era Walk | |
Credit Card | |
Rules Card | |
A Card Against Humanity | |
Get out of Jail Free Card | |
? Card | |
Dice Shard | |
Emergency Contact | |
Holy Card | |
Wild Card | |
Cracked Key |
Bugs
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Any blue flies, blue spiders, ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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