Elias listens intently, his brow furrowing deeper with each word. "Slavery through deception…" he murmurs, his voice tinged with both sympathy and frustration. "That is a cruel chain to bear, Thetis."
He glances at the others before fixing his gaze back on her. "You warn us to stay away from them, but we may not have that choice. If they are a threat to others—not just to you—then turning away is not an option." His fingers tighten slightly around his staff. "But perhaps there is a way to break the hold they have on you. If they have bound you through deception, then there must be a way to unravel their lies."
He takes a careful step forward, lowering his voice just enough to be gentle. "Do you know how they did it? What holds you in their grasp?"
After reading the wall Wood says, looks like the scribbles of bored guards on duty in the cellar. He moves toward the opening in the south, shining his light down the passageway.
Tarysaa stands quietly; leaning on her staff - taking in the conversation between Elias and the creature named Thetis. Her mind is shifting through all she studied at universtity and with the Harpells in a hope it might lead to answers.
"It's... it's something of mine that they have," Thetis admits after a long hesitation. "I shouldn't tell you about it, since you could use it too... But I told you not to get involved, for your own safety, and yet you insist on trying to help me..." a delicate hand of the girl reaches out to seek Elias's "I want to trust you. It's my mantle, soft as silk, beautiful as the foam of the sea waves... My mantle is not simply a piece of clothing - it contains my soul! If it were destroyed or torn, I would no longer be able to live - literally! I would face a slow but inexorable death. I would not see tomorrow."
"It was the one of them called Bytwoeff" Tethis continues, bitter and close to tears. "When I first met him, he looked like a sea elf... graceful, handsome, charming, funny... It seemed too good to be true! And in fact, it wasn't true! The Lords from Below can change their appearance as easily as they breathe. He seduced me. He stole my trust. Then, one bad day, I discovered that he had stolen my mantle! Evidently, among the thousand confidences I had made to him in my naivety, there must have been that of the nature of the object. From that moment, he had me in his grasp. And he brought me here, so that I could become his slave... and everyone else's to boot".
As she recovers from the emotion of having confided her painful past, the girl listens carefully to the description of Mival and frowns: "Mival? Yes, perhaps at the beginning he said that was his name... But you must not trust him. Why would 'Mival' come seeking the Lords from Below, you say?" her lips twist in disgust "Because he's one of them! The first time he came here, days ago, it was to join them. He even took a new name, now he calls himself 'Blossom'. He lives with them regularly. He's become one of the Lords from Below in every way. I mean - he's always been like them. You can't become like them. He can transform, too. But I mean he's become a member of the gang in every way."
Meanwhile, Tarysaa has plenty of time to ponder her own knowledge... helped in this by the additional information the girl has provided about herself. And indeed, in a treatise of the Harpells she had read notes in bulk that, however, now make sense! The girl must actually be...
...A Nereid! An aquatic fey characterized, in fact, by its peculiar bond with its mantle, the destruction of which causes its progressive debilitation, culminating in death within an hour.
Oh, and the note ended with that enigmatic warning not to accept a kiss from such a creature... Who knows why? Oh, Harpells...
Elias listens intently, his grip tightening slightly on Thetis’ delicate hand as she confesses her plight. "Your mantle… They have bound your very soul to their whims." His voice is solemn, laced with both anger and resolve.
He takes a steady breath, nodding slowly. "Bytwoeff—no, ‘Mival’—or should I say ‘Blossom’... If he was the one who took it, then there must be a way to get it back. And if we can break his hold over you, perhaps we can weaken the Lords from Below as well."
His gaze sharpens. "You say they can change their forms with ease… That means deception is their greatest weapon. But even the best illusion unravels when the truth is revealed. Tell me, Thetis—do you know where Blossom keeps your mantle? Do they guard it closely, or do they believe you too broken to fight for it?"
There’s a determined fire in his eyes now, and he glances at Ardana and the others. "We came here searching for answers, but we may have found something more important—a way to strike at the heart of these deceivers."
Tarysaa, looking almost sleepy eyed as she rakes her brain; suddenly gasps and stands upright. She glides forward and lightly places a hand on Elias' arm. "Pardon me, Thetis. I must needs speak to Elias for a moment." Taryssa will move a few feet away with Elias in tow before leaning to whisper in his ear.
"Be on your guard, Elias. The mention of 'her mantle' brought memories to the fore. I believe Thetis is a nereid. The nereid are a race of aquatic fey related to the tritons. Like the nymphs who live in coves and streams - and the dryads who live in the trees or the oreads who dwell in the mountains -- nereids are fey who are bound to the seas and oceans. They have a reputation for beguiling sailors and luring them to their deaths. Sweet kisses as they sink to the bottom of the waters."
Tarysaa gives one last pat of Elias' shoulder, "Just be extra cautious around her."
Elias allows himself to be pulled aside, his brow furrowing as Tarysaa quietly shares her insight. His eyes flicker back to Thetis, who still stands in the water, the glow of the enchanted light casting rippling reflections across her delicate features.
He crosses his arms, listening intently before exhaling through his nose. "A nereid…" he murmurs, the revelation settling into place. "Of course. Her mantle isn't just symbolic—it is her essence. Without it, she’s utterly powerless." He strokes his chin thoughtfully, glancing back at Tarysaa with a hint of admiration. "I should’ve realized it sooner. That’s sharp thinking, Tarysaa."
His voice lowers slightly. "Your caution is warranted. A nereid is still a fey, bound to the shifting tides of their own nature. They’re not inherently malevolent, but they can be fickle, self-serving… even dangerous when desperate." He glances toward Thetis again, who watches them with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
"Still, I don’t believe she’s lying about her plight. The Lords from Below stole something vital from her, and if they truly hold her life in their hands, that makes her just as much a victim as anyone else ensnared by their deceptions." He sighs. "But you’re right—we need to be cautious. If she’s leading us into something, we’ll need to stay one step ahead."
He nods to Tarysaa, his expression appreciative. "Let’s keep our wits about us. If she’s hiding something, we’ll find out soon enough."
Wood listens as Thetis talks, his face turning red, Mival? One of the them, whomever them are? Impossible! I've known that boy for years. He's a good kid, a little too curious at times maybe but, no. I don't...can't believe it.
In fact, Woodrow has known Mival for a long time... Is it possible that the boy managed to fool everyone for so long? Including when he was a newborn? Because he was a newborn, when he was born to his mother Tarsakh Flower... All this does not seem to make much sense.
"Impossible, you say?" Thetis nervously taps her foot in the water, splashing herself and, to some extent, those around her. "If you wait here, I could go to Blossom (oh, yes, 'Mivalk', if you prefer) and ask him to speak to you. Then you would be free to be fooled by his words, if you really wanted to. But I would have to give him a good reason, for him to agree to speak with you..."
"And I have to go alone!" she wags a warning finger. "I am supposed to prevent uninvited strangers from entering their area, so if they see you, I would be in trouble. And you know they could be fatal trouble..."
Elias studies Thetis closely, his brow furrowed in thought. He considers her words carefully before speaking, his voice measured.
"If Mival—Blossom—is truly one of them now, then yes, speaking with him could be valuable. But… what if he is ensnared just as you are? You were deceived, trapped, and forced into servitude. Could the same not be true for him?" His gaze softens for a moment before sharpening again.
"Besides, if we send you in now to announce us, we lose the one advantage we currently have—the element of surprise. They may not know we’re here yet, and I’d rather not give them time to prepare for us. If we are to meet this 'Blossom,' it must be on our terms, not theirs."
He looks toward the others, weighing their reactions before returning his attention to Thetis. "Unless there’s a way to do this without immediately alerting them to our presence, I’d rather hold our position and gather more information first."
((11 insight - Elias is trying to determine if she's being sincere or if he feels it's a trap))
"Call me simple, but if they can change shape how do we know that the one who looks like the boy is the boy, and not just using the likeness for some reason?"
Elias nods at Koran’s words, his expression growing more serious.
"A very good point, Koran. We have only Thetis’s word that Mival and ‘Blossom’ are one and the same, and if these Lords from Below can change their form at will, then we cannot assume anyone is who they appear to be." He folds his arms, deep in thought.
"Even if Mival was once an innocent boy, that doesn’t mean he remains one now. And if he is truly one of them, he could be using that form to manipulate us. Or worse—he may be trying to lure us into a trap."
Elias glances at Thetis again, his voice gentle but firm. "You’ve warned us not to trust them, and yet you ask us to trust you. Can you tell us, with certainty, that the one called Blossom is truly Mival, and not just a deception?"
Ardana follows the conversation, looking from one to the other as truths, if truths they be, are revealed. She is not a talker, chosing to lead by example more often then not. But for all the talk of Mival, the most important information they can get from Thetis has not been asked.
Thetis, can you describe the layout of this place? Where are the passages, the rooms. Is this but the first layer of the dungeons beneath the keep, or are there more beneath? Where are the Lords, how many are there, and what are their powers?
We need to make a plan, Ardana says to her compatriots, and for that we need specifics.
Tethis shakes her head at Elias's suggestion that Mival was ensnared: "Mival came alone, so I don't think he was 'influenced'... He's one of them, I tell you. He can shapeshift like them. He came looking for them. And now he lives with them, under the name 'Blossom'. He's one of them."
"That's right, if I go ask Blossom to meet you, the Lords from Below will know you're here," she shrugs. "But I wouldn't know how to avoid it. And it's true, any of them could come in Blossom's place, taking the form of the one you know as 'Mival'. If they thought it would be useful to their purposes, they could do so. And no, I don't know much about this place... I'm only here to serve them, as I've already told you. And I can't betray them openly, revealing too many details about them and the area of the dungeon where they live... if they found out, nothing could save me. Suffice it to say that the most direct way to reach them would be this one," she points toward the narrowest passage, the 5'-wide one, "but it's precisely this path that I must protect... If I let you pass without 'announcing' you... imagine what could happen to me. I know, however, that in this dungeon ruined by flood and time, there are possibilities of passage that were not initially foreseen (even if I don't know them in detail, not having explored). It is very likely that there is a way to reach the Lords from Below following a less direct path".
[[ OOC: Elias for now sees no reason to doubt Tethis ]]
Elias listens intently to Thetis’s words, his expression unreadable as he processes the implications. He exchanges glances with the others before responding.
"I understand your predicament, Thetis. You are bound by their power and cannot openly defy them. I don’t wish to put you in danger." He gestures toward the narrow passage. "But neither do I wish to blindly walk into their waiting arms, announced and expected. If there are other passages—unintended, undiscovered—then that is the route we should seek."
He turns to the group. "We should search for an alternate way through. If this dungeon has suffered the ravages of time and flood, then cracks, collapsed walls, or hidden tunnels may exist that will allow us to approach unseen." He then casts a glance at Wood, who had been studying the walls earlier. "Wood, have you found anything that might suggest such a path?
((Natural 20 investigation roll - total 24 as Elias begins searching for other passages of a less obvious nature))
((OOC Wood rolled perception check earlier, 15, didn't notice anything.)) Wood listens to conversation shaking his head no as the water nymph talks about how Mival came willingly, No, that can't be. Perhaps one of these lords you work for captured him some time ago and have been coming and going with Mival's face but no, the young man I know would not do this, not to his mother. Elias's direct question manages to center Wood somewhat, nothing but the poetic poses of some bored guards. I will have another look about the chamber.
In this room, even after careful research, the only other path remains the solemn 10' corridor paved in marble.
Tethis, meanwhile, perhaps heartened by the fact that the party seems determined both to help her and not to put her in danger, has returned to the carefree girl she was at the beginning and is hopping in the water while singing cheerful nursery rhymes.
"Deception as the primary tool." The elf sighs. "Paranoia is the natural consequence. How much is good and how much is too paranoid? If any who have not been in our sight the entire time could be one of Them, well, there's one here who hasn't always been in our sight . . .. One we seem to be choosing to trust. Again, paranoia might be appropriate. But how much?"
Elias folds his arms, deep in thought, before speaking again.
"If there are other passages, we need to find them. But blindly searching through this place could take time we don’t have. A more subtle approach might be best." He glances at his companions, his gaze lingering on those who might have the skills for such a task.
"Are any of us capable of moving unseen? If someone could slip ahead without being detected, we might be able to locate an alternate route without alerting the Lords from Below to our presence. A scouting mission could give us the advantage we need."
His eyes move between each of his companions, waiting to see if any of them are willing—or capable—of taking on such a task.
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Elias listens intently, his brow furrowing deeper with each word. "Slavery through deception…" he murmurs, his voice tinged with both sympathy and frustration. "That is a cruel chain to bear, Thetis."
He glances at the others before fixing his gaze back on her. "You warn us to stay away from them, but we may not have that choice. If they are a threat to others—not just to you—then turning away is not an option." His fingers tighten slightly around his staff. "But perhaps there is a way to break the hold they have on you. If they have bound you through deception, then there must be a way to unravel their lies."
He takes a careful step forward, lowering his voice just enough to be gentle. "Do you know how they did it? What holds you in their grasp?"
After reading the wall Wood says, looks like the scribbles of bored guards on duty in the cellar. He moves toward the opening in the south, shining his light down the passageway.
I want to help free you from the Lords, Thetis, if it is possible I will accomplish this. But we also came on another mission, to find a young boy.
Ardana earnestly and honestly describes Mival and what they know about his disappearance.
Have you seen Mival? Why would Mival come seeking the Lords?
Tarysaa stands quietly; leaning on her staff - taking in the conversation between Elias and the creature named Thetis. Her mind is shifting through all she studied at universtity and with the Harpells in a hope it might lead to answers.
Arcana: 22
History: 19
"It's... it's something of mine that they have," Thetis admits after a long hesitation. "I shouldn't tell you about it, since you could use it too... But I told you not to get involved, for your own safety, and yet you insist on trying to help me..." a delicate hand of the girl reaches out to seek Elias's "I want to trust you. It's my mantle, soft as silk, beautiful as the foam of the sea waves... My mantle is not simply a piece of clothing - it contains my soul! If it were destroyed or torn, I would no longer be able to live - literally! I would face a slow but inexorable death. I would not see tomorrow."
"It was the one of them called Bytwoeff" Tethis continues, bitter and close to tears. "When I first met him, he looked like a sea elf... graceful, handsome, charming, funny... It seemed too good to be true! And in fact, it wasn't true! The Lords from Below can change their appearance as easily as they breathe. He seduced me. He stole my trust. Then, one bad day, I discovered that he had stolen my mantle! Evidently, among the thousand confidences I had made to him in my naivety, there must have been that of the nature of the object. From that moment, he had me in his grasp. And he brought me here, so that I could become his slave... and everyone else's to boot".
As she recovers from the emotion of having confided her painful past, the girl listens carefully to the description of Mival and frowns: "Mival? Yes, perhaps at the beginning he said that was his name... But you must not trust him. Why would 'Mival' come seeking the Lords from Below, you say?" her lips twist in disgust "Because he's one of them! The first time he came here, days ago, it was to join them. He even took a new name, now he calls himself 'Blossom'. He lives with them regularly. He's become one of the Lords from Below in every way. I mean - he's always been like them. You can't become like them. He can transform, too. But I mean he's become a member of the gang in every way."
Meanwhile, Tarysaa has plenty of time to ponder her own knowledge... helped in this by the additional information the girl has provided about herself. And indeed, in a treatise of the Harpells she had read notes in bulk that, however, now make sense! The girl must actually be...
...A Nereid! An aquatic fey characterized, in fact, by its peculiar bond with its mantle, the destruction of which causes its progressive debilitation, culminating in death within an hour.
Oh, and the note ended with that enigmatic warning not to accept a kiss from such a creature... Who knows why? Oh, Harpells...
Elias listens intently, his grip tightening slightly on Thetis’ delicate hand as she confesses her plight. "Your mantle… They have bound your very soul to their whims." His voice is solemn, laced with both anger and resolve.
He takes a steady breath, nodding slowly. "Bytwoeff—no, ‘Mival’—or should I say ‘Blossom’... If he was the one who took it, then there must be a way to get it back. And if we can break his hold over you, perhaps we can weaken the Lords from Below as well."
His gaze sharpens. "You say they can change their forms with ease… That means deception is their greatest weapon. But even the best illusion unravels when the truth is revealed. Tell me, Thetis—do you know where Blossom keeps your mantle? Do they guard it closely, or do they believe you too broken to fight for it?"
There’s a determined fire in his eyes now, and he glances at Ardana and the others. "We came here searching for answers, but we may have found something more important—a way to strike at the heart of these deceivers."
Tarysaa, looking almost sleepy eyed as she rakes her brain; suddenly gasps and stands upright. She glides forward and lightly places a hand on Elias' arm. "Pardon me, Thetis. I must needs speak to Elias for a moment." Taryssa will move a few feet away with Elias in tow before leaning to whisper in his ear.
"Be on your guard, Elias. The mention of 'her mantle' brought memories to the fore. I believe Thetis is a nereid. The nereid are a race of aquatic fey related to the tritons. Like the nymphs who live in coves and streams - and the dryads who live in the trees or the oreads who dwell in the mountains -- nereids are fey who are bound to the seas and oceans. They have a reputation for beguiling sailors and luring them to their deaths. Sweet kisses as they sink to the bottom of the waters."
Tarysaa gives one last pat of Elias' shoulder, "Just be extra cautious around her."
Elias allows himself to be pulled aside, his brow furrowing as Tarysaa quietly shares her insight. His eyes flicker back to Thetis, who still stands in the water, the glow of the enchanted light casting rippling reflections across her delicate features.
He crosses his arms, listening intently before exhaling through his nose. "A nereid…" he murmurs, the revelation settling into place. "Of course. Her mantle isn't just symbolic—it is her essence. Without it, she’s utterly powerless." He strokes his chin thoughtfully, glancing back at Tarysaa with a hint of admiration. "I should’ve realized it sooner. That’s sharp thinking, Tarysaa."
His voice lowers slightly. "Your caution is warranted. A nereid is still a fey, bound to the shifting tides of their own nature. They’re not inherently malevolent, but they can be fickle, self-serving… even dangerous when desperate." He glances toward Thetis again, who watches them with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
"Still, I don’t believe she’s lying about her plight. The Lords from Below stole something vital from her, and if they truly hold her life in their hands, that makes her just as much a victim as anyone else ensnared by their deceptions." He sighs. "But you’re right—we need to be cautious. If she’s leading us into something, we’ll need to stay one step ahead."
He nods to Tarysaa, his expression appreciative. "Let’s keep our wits about us. If she’s hiding something, we’ll find out soon enough."
Wood listens as Thetis talks, his face turning red, Mival? One of the them, whomever them are? Impossible! I've known that boy for years. He's a good kid, a little too curious at times maybe but, no. I don't...can't believe it.
In fact, Woodrow has known Mival for a long time... Is it possible that the boy managed to fool everyone for so long? Including when he was a newborn? Because he was a newborn, when he was born to his mother Tarsakh Flower... All this does not seem to make much sense.
"Impossible, you say?" Thetis nervously taps her foot in the water, splashing herself and, to some extent, those around her. "If you wait here, I could go to Blossom (oh, yes, 'Mivalk', if you prefer) and ask him to speak to you. Then you would be free to be fooled by his words, if you really wanted to. But I would have to give him a good reason, for him to agree to speak with you..."
"And I have to go alone!" she wags a warning finger. "I am supposed to prevent uninvited strangers from entering their area, so if they see you, I would be in trouble. And you know they could be fatal trouble..."
Elias studies Thetis closely, his brow furrowed in thought. He considers her words carefully before speaking, his voice measured.
"If Mival—Blossom—is truly one of them now, then yes, speaking with him could be valuable. But… what if he is ensnared just as you are? You were deceived, trapped, and forced into servitude. Could the same not be true for him?" His gaze softens for a moment before sharpening again.
"Besides, if we send you in now to announce us, we lose the one advantage we currently have—the element of surprise. They may not know we’re here yet, and I’d rather not give them time to prepare for us. If we are to meet this 'Blossom,' it must be on our terms, not theirs."
He looks toward the others, weighing their reactions before returning his attention to Thetis. "Unless there’s a way to do this without immediately alerting them to our presence, I’d rather hold our position and gather more information first."
((11 insight - Elias is trying to determine if she's being sincere or if he feels it's a trap))
"Call me simple, but if they can change shape how do we know that the one who looks like the boy is the boy, and not just using the likeness for some reason?"
Elias nods at Koran’s words, his expression growing more serious.
"A very good point, Koran. We have only Thetis’s word that Mival and ‘Blossom’ are one and the same, and if these Lords from Below can change their form at will, then we cannot assume anyone is who they appear to be." He folds his arms, deep in thought.
"Even if Mival was once an innocent boy, that doesn’t mean he remains one now. And if he is truly one of them, he could be using that form to manipulate us. Or worse—he may be trying to lure us into a trap."
Elias glances at Thetis again, his voice gentle but firm. "You’ve warned us not to trust them, and yet you ask us to trust you. Can you tell us, with certainty, that the one called Blossom is truly Mival, and not just a deception?"
Ardana follows the conversation, looking from one to the other as truths, if truths they be, are revealed. She is not a talker, chosing to lead by example more often then not. But for all the talk of Mival, the most important information they can get from Thetis has not been asked.
Thetis, can you describe the layout of this place? Where are the passages, the rooms. Is this but the first layer of the dungeons beneath the keep, or are there more beneath? Where are the Lords, how many are there, and what are their powers?
We need to make a plan, Ardana says to her compatriots, and for that we need specifics.
Tethis shakes her head at Elias's suggestion that Mival was ensnared: "Mival came alone, so I don't think he was 'influenced'... He's one of them, I tell you. He can shapeshift like them. He came looking for them. And now he lives with them, under the name 'Blossom'. He's one of them."
"That's right, if I go ask Blossom to meet you, the Lords from Below will know you're here," she shrugs. "But I wouldn't know how to avoid it. And it's true, any of them could come in Blossom's place, taking the form of the one you know as 'Mival'. If they thought it would be useful to their purposes, they could do so. And no, I don't know much about this place... I'm only here to serve them, as I've already told you. And I can't betray them openly, revealing too many details about them and the area of the dungeon where they live... if they found out, nothing could save me. Suffice it to say that the most direct way to reach them would be this one," she points toward the narrowest passage, the 5'-wide one, "but it's precisely this path that I must protect... If I let you pass without 'announcing' you... imagine what could happen to me. I know, however, that in this dungeon ruined by flood and time, there are possibilities of passage that were not initially foreseen (even if I don't know them in detail, not having explored). It is very likely that there is a way to reach the Lords from Below following a less direct path".
[[ OOC: Elias for now sees no reason to doubt Tethis ]]
Elias listens intently to Thetis’s words, his expression unreadable as he processes the implications. He exchanges glances with the others before responding.
"I understand your predicament, Thetis. You are bound by their power and cannot openly defy them. I don’t wish to put you in danger." He gestures toward the narrow passage. "But neither do I wish to blindly walk into their waiting arms, announced and expected. If there are other passages—unintended, undiscovered—then that is the route we should seek."
He turns to the group. "We should search for an alternate way through. If this dungeon has suffered the ravages of time and flood, then cracks, collapsed walls, or hidden tunnels may exist that will allow us to approach unseen." He then casts a glance at Wood, who had been studying the walls earlier. "Wood, have you found anything that might suggest such a path?
((Natural 20 investigation roll - total 24 as Elias begins searching for other passages of a less obvious nature))
((OOC Wood rolled perception check earlier, 15, didn't notice anything.)) Wood listens to conversation shaking his head no as the water nymph talks about how Mival came willingly, No, that can't be. Perhaps one of these lords you work for captured him some time ago and have been coming and going with Mival's face but no, the young man I know would not do this, not to his mother. Elias's direct question manages to center Wood somewhat, nothing but the poetic poses of some bored guards. I will have another look about the chamber.
In this room, even after careful research, the only other path remains the solemn 10' corridor paved in marble.
Tethis, meanwhile, perhaps heartened by the fact that the party seems determined both to help her and not to put her in danger, has returned to the carefree girl she was at the beginning and is hopping in the water while singing cheerful nursery rhymes.
"Deception as the primary tool." The elf sighs. "Paranoia is the natural consequence. How much is good and how much is too paranoid? If any who have not been in our sight the entire time could be one of Them, well, there's one here who hasn't always been in our sight . . .. One we seem to be choosing to trust. Again, paranoia might be appropriate. But how much?"
Elias folds his arms, deep in thought, before speaking again.
"If there are other passages, we need to find them. But blindly searching through this place could take time we don’t have. A more subtle approach might be best." He glances at his companions, his gaze lingering on those who might have the skills for such a task.
"Are any of us capable of moving unseen? If someone could slip ahead without being detected, we might be able to locate an alternate route without alerting the Lords from Below to our presence. A scouting mission could give us the advantage we need."
His eyes move between each of his companions, waiting to see if any of them are willing—or capable—of taking on such a task.