Bilyur, despite not understanding the cries, rushes to help the damsel in distress, entering the small room to find another cell. For a split second he doesn't see anything, but then he looks up. Sly shortly follows, along with Eggo Lass (who CAN understand her cries), whilst Xarkris and Techi wait outside, but still at close, hearing distance, since the room is so small. The ones inside find that about 5 feet off the floor, near the roof of the room, there is an elf maiden chained up to the wall. She's in a terrible state, completely malnourished to the point where it looks like her flesh could fall off her bones any minute, and the sagging flesh itself is covered in septic scratch and bite wounds that are completely infected and festering. However, the more medically minded amongst you note that she isn't bleeding, so at least they're not fresh and she's at no immediate risk of blood loss, although that's little comfort when it appears like she's been bound up here for a long while. The golden cuffs holding her ankles and wrists are keeping her in a starfish position, and there's an eerie circle drawn around her, almost like a certain anatomical drawing from a wizard who's name you can't quite put your finger on. The poor girl leans forward as much as she can, a small flash of hope on her face to have somebody come to save her, along with somebody who speaks Elvish, and mutters 'The ghouls kept me chained up here for longer than I can remember. They couldn't paralyse me so this was the next alternative. I don't know why they didn't kill me, instead they just kept torturing me whilst keeping me on the brink of life. Please, release these cuffs to let me down and help me, if even just to pass on, as I fear I'm beyond hope.' Her voice is quivering with fear and sadness; she's clearly been through a lot.
Xarkris moves past Eggo and gets up close to the girl, narrowing his eyes and ignoring the smell of decaying flesh to stare deeply into her. His stature lets his eyes meet hers, and they seem watery. Is that tears, or something else? They seem almost similar to the hollow eyes of gutted fish one might find at a market, at least in this lighting. His view flicks down as he scans the floor around them and notices that below the hanging elf, there are small bits of tissue. A small, splintered bone, a scrap of skin, a strewn clump of hair. They seem to match her skin tone and hair colour so it isn't particularly suspicious, though he is still not certain of her. Something is off about how she is so desperate to be freed due to her awful condition and her grievous wounds, yet is still fully managing to be able to speak in length doesn't sit right with him, and although he can only act off body language, he feels that there's just a big enough slither of doubt around this scenario to prompt him to use his final Divine Sense. Almost immediately an unsettling truth registers in his mind. This is no elf. It is a Fiend, and more specifically, a Maurezhi; the true leader of the ghouls.
“I sense that this ‘elf’ is actually a FIEND….some kind of ghoul!”
Xarkris positions himself so that none of his allies are in his BREATH WEAPON arc and brings forth his fire and blasts it at the Maurezhi. I rolled a 12 for damage. As an action once per short rest, exhale in a 15 ft. cone (DEX DC 12, half damage on success) for 2d6 Fire Damage [6th] 3d6,
Dex Save (with disadvantage since its restrained): 17 and 11 + 3 = 14
Xarkris moves out of the way, Bilyur stepping back to let him stand where he stood, and bathes the disguised fiend in golden flames. It just manages to rock forward and miss the majority of the blast, so it only hits its shoulder, though just Xarkris, with his high perception, notices that they seem fairly resistant to the attack, and a small portion of the burnt flesh has crumbled away to reveal what looks like fresh, pale and ghoulish skin below, as if the beast is wearing a corpse as a disguise. Still, the girl (as most of the party perceives it to be) shrieks, and looks to Eggo with those watery eyes and murmurs 'Why is he doing this to me?' It is odd, however, as you all sense a hint of knowing in the elf's voice, like it is overly desperate to try to keep a façade up now it has been discovered. [Deception: 3 + 5 = 8]
Sly, ever practically minded, believes Xarkris. She steps out of the room to not be so close to whatever this was and waits for what happens next. If the creature was truly restrained, it shouldn't pose too much of a threat.
Bonus Action: Unarmed strike: 15 to hit, 10 damage.
*Stunning Strike: The target must make a constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target is stunned until the start of my next turn. On a success, the target's speed is halved until the start of my next turn, and the next attack made against the target has advantage.
[The Maurezhi is restrained, so if you want to roll the first attack roll again with advantage (since that's the only one that didn't hit) you can]
Bilyur's punches fly into the chained up 'elf' and his second attack leaves the fiend below its corpse disguise stunned [Nat 1], although the actual blows themselves don't leave as effective bruises as Bilyur would have hoped. It tries to get something out of its obscured lips but it is clearly incapable to, at least for the small amount of seconds that pass until the effect wears off. It gives a hoarse cough and suddenly, you all hear a voice in your head. It's an awful voice, one that sounds like a swarm of flies buzzing about a pile of carrion, and it tells you in awkward short bursts that, 'Augh, that hurts. May I say what a clever lot you are. Well done. Though I think you realise that you're missing out. Let me down and I can take away your fears. Your wants. Your insecurities. I can drain away anything you want from yourself. I can leave you a better, stronger person if you just let me go. 300 years I've been kept here. I thought I'd hit the jackpot when adventurers started showing up, but no. They were all too foolish to see the wonderful opportunity being offered to them. Gimme a chance. C'mon.' Concerningly you notice that the Maurezhi is being honest here, or at least to a degree, as it's voice doesn't sound deceitful at all, despite the fact that subterfuge seems to be its forte. [Persuasion: 14 + 2 = 16]
Xarkris positions himself so that none of his allies are in his BREATH WEAPON arc and brings forth his fire and blasts it at the Maurezhi. I rolled a 12 for damage. As an action once per short rest, exhale in a 15 ft. cone (DEX DC 12, half damage on success) for 2d6 Fire Damage [6th] 3d6,
Eggo Lass pauses, curious of the fiend's offerings though naturally skeptical of it, knowing their bargains were generally crafty and detrimental. Not to mention that if this thing was anything like chaotic ghouls then its word would not be worth much. She casts create bonfire near the fiend's head. "Feel the fires of your homeland!" she declares.
After doing so she telepaths, (You may be a tad older but your lack of experience casts doubt on your usefulness. If you want any hope of getting a bargain, best to start telling what you know. Since right now we are not impressed.)
The fiend flinches at the sudden blast of fire near it's restrained form, though when Eggo sends her message, she quickly gets a grimy reply of 'My experience, you say? Honey, I am the most skilled in the planes at this type of therapy. I have cured hundreds of people from ailments plaguing their mind. Even whilst chained up here! But, if you want 'what I know', I have little to share. Being chained for 300 years to a dank wall doesn't offer much connection to the outside world. I do know that the lich is dead however. If he wasn't I would have seen more of him and less of you.'
"A therapist?" remarks Eggo Lass. "How quaint." She telepaths to the others in quick succession, (I have little trust in the fiend though her mannerisms intrigue. Mind if have a little go at probing our... friend?)
"How hardy are your kind?" she asks the fiend, curious how many hit points it may still have. She seeks eldritch guidance as she does so.
Medicine: 4+4+4 = 12 //mainly wondering if it could survive the 2d6 psychic of a Mind Sliver
"So you said you're a therapist? Tell us more about that. What's in it for you?" As she speaks she then waves her wand to cast Detect Thoughts. As the spell takes effect she telepaths to Sly, (Any ideas of how to addle her mind?)
[[ Wondering about possibilities of giving the demon disadvantage on the contested intelligence check part of Detect Thoughts since I anticipate probing deeper after getting the surface thoughts. Currently planning on mind sliver cast prior to the deep probe. Not sure if Xarkris would want to contribute bane or if it makes more sense to keep those spell slots for a combat encounter.
Also, self-reminder: If nothing else, perhaps now we'll figure out how each dungeon seems to be monster-stocked despite adventurers going through. Odds are a paladin would've come through at some point with no hesitation to kill a restrained demon. ]]
For the duration, you can read the thoughts of certain creatures. When you cast the spell and as your action on each turn until the spell ends, you can focus your mind on any one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature you choose has an Intelligence of 3 or lower or doesn’t speak any language, the creature is unaffected.
You initially learn the surface thoughts of the creature—what is most on its mind in that moment. As an action, you can either shift your attention to another creature’s thoughts or attempt to probe deeper into the same creature’s mind. If you probe deeper, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, you gain insight into its reasoning (if any), its emotional state, and something that looms large in its mind (such as something it worries over, loves, or hates). If it succeeds, the spell ends. Either way, the target knows that you are probing into its mind, and unless you shift your attention to another creature’s thoughts, the creature can use its action on its turn to make an Intelligence check contested by your Intelligence check; if it succeeds, the spell ends.
Questions verbally directed at the target creature naturally shape the course of its thoughts, so this spell is particularly effective as part of an interrogation.
The face of the elf the Maurezhi is wearing twists into an intrigued but nervous expression, or as much as it can manage without the rotting flesh tearing where it contorts. 'What do you mean? I'm very resistant, thank you very much!' Despite this very arrogant reply, Eggo gets the feeling that the fiend is on the weaker side when it comes to it's health, especially since it's particularly thin and draped in rotting flesh. However, even though Eggo is fairly confident in her evaluation, and factoring in the 15 damage the Maurezhi has already taken, she still feels it can easily manage a Mind Sliver. The fiend then replies to her question simply with 'Food. I eat all the negative self talk and features that I drain away. That is another reason you should let me down. It means I'm full. Which means I'm less hungry for flesh.' Eggo then casts Detect Thoughts on it, and can sense the unsettling surface thoughts that bubble over the Maurezhi's deeper swamp of knowledge, the flies that hum lazily on the surface buzzing 'Stupid, stupid things...can't just let me down and talk normally...I have one request and that can't even be done...I hope the ghouls didn't stray far...need them close...' Overall it's just cursing your cautiousness and plotting darkly.
Xarkris rises to his full height and stomps to within a few feet of the Maurezhi and demands, “I see NO reason to let you live!”. He raises his axe in a threatening manner and is poised to strike. I rolled an INTIMIDATION a check of 16
Bilyur is glaring at the Maurezhi this entire time. When Eggo and Xarkris both contribute their intimidation, he figures it couldn't hurt to do his own. He shifts into his werebear form and glares at the monster, his eyes turning yellow as he becomes a vicious humanoid black bear.
{{OOC: since I have a -1 to intimidation, I am going to use this as the help action instead of rolling intimidation. The next roll will have advantage.}}
Eggo Lass calls back in Elvish, "Save you from what?" She, like the others, begins heading towards the noise.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 48, 5/23/25, Immaculate Mary
Bilyur, despite not understanding the cries, rushes to help the damsel in distress, entering the small room to find another cell. For a split second he doesn't see anything, but then he looks up. Sly shortly follows, along with Eggo Lass (who CAN understand her cries), whilst Xarkris and Techi wait outside, but still at close, hearing distance, since the room is so small. The ones inside find that about 5 feet off the floor, near the roof of the room, there is an elf maiden chained up to the wall. She's in a terrible state, completely malnourished to the point where it looks like her flesh could fall off her bones any minute, and the sagging flesh itself is covered in septic scratch and bite wounds that are completely infected and festering. However, the more medically minded amongst you note that she isn't bleeding, so at least they're not fresh and she's at no immediate risk of blood loss, although that's little comfort when it appears like she's been bound up here for a long while. The golden cuffs holding her ankles and wrists are keeping her in a starfish position, and there's an eerie circle drawn around her, almost like a certain anatomical drawing from a wizard who's name you can't quite put your finger on. The poor girl leans forward as much as she can, a small flash of hope on her face to have somebody come to save her, along with somebody who speaks Elvish, and mutters 'The ghouls kept me chained up here for longer than I can remember. They couldn't paralyse me so this was the next alternative. I don't know why they didn't kill me, instead they just kept torturing me whilst keeping me on the brink of life. Please, release these cuffs to let me down and help me, if even just to pass on, as I fear I'm beyond hope.' Her voice is quivering with fear and sadness; she's clearly been through a lot.

Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Xarkris walks into the room occupied by the maiden and gets close to her and inspects her.
i rolled a (15,8) + 2 for a 17 PERCEPTION
I rolled a 13 + 2 for a 15 INSIGHT
I use my last DIVINE SENSE slot to determine if the maiden is good or evil.
Xarkris moves past Eggo and gets up close to the girl, narrowing his eyes and ignoring the smell of decaying flesh to stare deeply into her. His stature lets his eyes meet hers, and they seem watery. Is that tears, or something else? They seem almost similar to the hollow eyes of gutted fish one might find at a market, at least in this lighting. His view flicks down as he scans the floor around them and notices that below the hanging elf, there are small bits of tissue. A small, splintered bone, a scrap of skin, a strewn clump of hair. They seem to match her skin tone and hair colour so it isn't particularly suspicious, though he is still not certain of her. Something is off about how she is so desperate to be freed due to her awful condition and her grievous wounds, yet is still fully managing to be able to speak in length doesn't sit right with him, and although he can only act off body language, he feels that there's just a big enough slither of doubt around this scenario to prompt him to use his final Divine Sense. Almost immediately an unsettling truth registers in his mind. This is no elf. It is a Fiend, and more specifically, a Maurezhi; the true leader of the ghouls.

Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Xarkris steps back and readies his shield and axe and hisses, “IMPOSTER!”
Bilyur jumps back upon Xarkris' shout, raising his fists in a defensive guard, palms open. "What do you mean, imposter? Who?"
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
“I sense that this ‘elf’ is actually a FIEND….some kind of ghoul!”
Xarkris positions himself so that none of his allies are in his BREATH WEAPON arc and brings forth his fire and blasts it at the Maurezhi. I rolled a 12 for damage.
As an action once per short rest, exhale in a 15 ft. cone (DEX DC 12, half damage on success) for 2d6 Fire Damage [6th] 3d6,
END TURN
Dex Save (with disadvantage since its restrained): 17 and 11 + 3 = 14
Xarkris moves out of the way, Bilyur stepping back to let him stand where he stood, and bathes the disguised fiend in golden flames. It just manages to rock forward and miss the majority of the blast, so it only hits its shoulder, though just Xarkris, with his high perception, notices that they seem fairly resistant to the attack, and a small portion of the burnt flesh has crumbled away to reveal what looks like fresh, pale and ghoulish skin below, as if the beast is wearing a corpse as a disguise. Still, the girl (as most of the party perceives it to be) shrieks, and looks to Eggo with those watery eyes and murmurs 'Why is he doing this to me?' It is odd, however, as you all sense a hint of knowing in the elf's voice, like it is overly desperate to try to keep a façade up now it has been discovered. [Deception: 3 + 5 = 8]
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Sly, ever practically minded, believes Xarkris. She steps out of the room to not be so close to whatever this was and waits for what happens next. If the creature was truly restrained, it shouldn't pose too much of a threat.
Bilyur Insight: 12
Bilyur barely sees through the monster's facade. "You think you can lie to me?"
Action: Attack 1: Unarmed strike: 10 to hit, 8 damage. Attack 2: Unarmed strike: 22 to hit, 10 damage. Stunning Strike*
Bonus Action: Unarmed strike: 15 to hit, 10 damage.
*Stunning Strike: The target must make a constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target is stunned until the start of my next turn. On a success, the target's speed is halved until the start of my next turn, and the next attack made against the target has advantage.
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
[The Maurezhi is restrained, so if you want to roll the first attack roll again with advantage (since that's the only one that didn't hit) you can]
Bilyur's punches fly into the chained up 'elf' and his second attack leaves the fiend below its corpse disguise stunned [Nat 1], although the actual blows themselves don't leave as effective bruises as Bilyur would have hoped. It tries to get something out of its obscured lips but it is clearly incapable to, at least for the small amount of seconds that pass until the effect wears off. It gives a hoarse cough and suddenly, you all hear a voice in your head. It's an awful voice, one that sounds like a swarm of flies buzzing about a pile of carrion, and it tells you in awkward short bursts that, 'Augh, that hurts. May I say what a clever lot you are. Well done. Though I think you realise that you're missing out. Let me down and I can take away your fears. Your wants. Your insecurities. I can drain away anything you want from yourself. I can leave you a better, stronger person if you just let me go. 300 years I've been kept here. I thought I'd hit the jackpot when adventurers started showing up, but no. They were all too foolish to see the wonderful opportunity being offered to them. Gimme a chance. C'mon.' Concerningly you notice that the Maurezhi is being honest here, or at least to a degree, as it's voice doesn't sound deceitful at all, despite the fact that subterfuge seems to be its forte. [Persuasion: 14 + 2 = 16]
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
I got a Nat 1 rolling again.
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
Are we sixth level?
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-
Woops! Jumped the gun. We are still Level 5. I rolled a 6+5+1. Feel free to subtract one of the die.
My apologies for my error.
Eggo Lass pauses, curious of the fiend's offerings though naturally skeptical of it, knowing their bargains were generally crafty and detrimental. Not to mention that if this thing was anything like chaotic ghouls then its word would not be worth much. She casts create bonfire near the fiend's head. "Feel the fires of your homeland!" she declares.
Intimidation: 11+7 = 18
After doing so she telepaths, (You may be a tad older but your lack of experience casts doubt on your usefulness. If you want any hope of getting a bargain, best to start telling what you know. Since right now we are not impressed.)
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 48, 5/23/25, Immaculate Mary
The fiend flinches at the sudden blast of fire near it's restrained form, though when Eggo sends her message, she quickly gets a grimy reply of 'My experience, you say? Honey, I am the most skilled in the planes at this type of therapy. I have cured hundreds of people from ailments plaguing their mind. Even whilst chained up here! But, if you want 'what I know', I have little to share. Being chained for 300 years to a dank wall doesn't offer much connection to the outside world. I do know that the lich is dead however. If he wasn't I would have seen more of him and less of you.'
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
"A therapist?" remarks Eggo Lass. "How quaint." She telepaths to the others in quick succession, (I have little trust in the fiend though her mannerisms intrigue. Mind if have a little go at probing our... friend?)
"How hardy are your kind?" she asks the fiend, curious how many hit points it may still have. She seeks eldritch guidance as she does so.
Medicine: 4+4+4 = 12
//mainly wondering if it could survive the 2d6 psychic of a Mind Sliver
"So you said you're a therapist? Tell us more about that. What's in it for you?" As she speaks she then waves her wand to cast Detect Thoughts. As the spell takes effect she telepaths to Sly, (Any ideas of how to addle her mind?)
[[
Wondering about possibilities of giving the demon disadvantage on the contested intelligence check part of Detect Thoughts since I anticipate probing deeper after getting the surface thoughts.
Currently planning on mind sliver cast prior to the deep probe. Not sure if Xarkris would want to contribute bane or if it makes more sense to keep those spell slots for a combat encounter.
Also, self-reminder: If nothing else, perhaps now we'll figure out how each dungeon seems to be monster-stocked despite adventurers going through. Odds are a paladin would've come through at some point with no hesitation to kill a restrained demon.
]]
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 48, 5/23/25, Immaculate Mary
The face of the elf the Maurezhi is wearing twists into an intrigued but nervous expression, or as much as it can manage without the rotting flesh tearing where it contorts. 'What do you mean? I'm very resistant, thank you very much!' Despite this very arrogant reply, Eggo gets the feeling that the fiend is on the weaker side when it comes to it's health, especially since it's particularly thin and draped in rotting flesh. However, even though Eggo is fairly confident in her evaluation, and factoring in the 15 damage the Maurezhi has already taken, she still feels it can easily manage a Mind Sliver. The fiend then replies to her question simply with 'Food. I eat all the negative self talk and features that I drain away. That is another reason you should let me down. It means I'm full. Which means I'm less hungry for flesh.' Eggo then casts Detect Thoughts on it, and can sense the unsettling surface thoughts that bubble over the Maurezhi's deeper swamp of knowledge, the flies that hum lazily on the surface buzzing 'Stupid, stupid things...can't just let me down and talk normally...I have one request and that can't even be done...I hope the ghouls didn't stray far...need them close...' Overall it's just cursing your cautiousness and plotting darkly.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Xarkris rises to his full height and stomps to within a few feet of the Maurezhi and demands, “I see NO reason to let you live!”. He raises his axe in a threatening manner and is poised to strike.
I rolled an INTIMIDATION a check of 16
Bilyur is glaring at the Maurezhi this entire time. When Eggo and Xarkris both contribute their intimidation, he figures it couldn't hurt to do his own. He shifts into his werebear form and glares at the monster, his eyes turning yellow as he becomes a vicious humanoid black bear.
{{OOC: since I have a -1 to intimidation, I am going to use this as the help action instead of rolling intimidation. The next roll will have advantage.}}
[A paper drops out of a flash of light and drifts to the ground at your feet] -(extended sig)-