When Lord Eames and Denis Bradley, the two men charged with finding a consensus on how to address the legacy of the Troubles, issue their findings next summer, sources say they may shock a swathe of the Northern Ireland public.
The report by the group led by the former Church of Ireland primate and former vice-chairman of the North's Policing Board is expected to delve into areas well beyond the immediate needs of relatives of victims of the Troubles and could refer to the roles of the two governments, the political parties, the police and security services among others.
It is understood members of the group have seen elements of the reports into security force-paramilitary collusion by former London police chief John Stevens and were taken aback by some of its contents.
The group may well base its report on the need for all parties to the conflict to agree a mechanism whereby all sides can tell their "truth". This could involve admissions from the state and its security agencies as well as from paramilitary groups regarding their actions during the Troubles.
Other parties to the conflict, including the churches, professional and business bodies and the media, may also be encouraged to examine their roles in an effort to confront the legacy of violence in a manner which is as all-encompassing as possible.
Sources have suggested the report will try to engender an atmosphere as well as a mechanism whereby people can come into the open to talk of their situation. Group members are convinced the "real story" of the Troubles and the roles of state agencies and paramilitary groups have yet to be fully told. They say they are seeking to place a moral obligation on participants to tell of their own involvement.
A new form of "solemn covenant" could be drawn up whereby all parties to the conflict declare they will never again be prepared to kill others for political or security motives.
This could be linked to a general idea that a means of saying sorry could be formulated to help enable victims and survivors to move on.
The group believes a radical approach to truth recovery is needed and that proposals to allocate more funds to victims' groups or to build memorials will fall far short of what is required.
It is understood forum members accept that that all participants, from the state to the paramilitaries, must move in concert.
Accepting the difficulties in trying to encourage such a move, the group appears to believe that the real dangers lie not in attempting something radical, but in shying away from it.
Such an approach is laden with difficulties, sources admit. The state and its agencies keep records of their actions, whereas proscribed organisations do not - a deficiency which could hamper efforts to create a level playing field for all participants.
Other difficulties centre on the unequal approach to victims' needs. Some groups receive state recognition and funding while others receive little or nothing. Significant differences also exist either side of the Border.
A police Historical Enquiries Team (HET) is examining more than 2,000 unsolved killings in the North, but there is no equivalent in the Republic.
The final report could contain a suggestion that paramilitary groups be encouraged to conduct "internal investigations" in a manner parallel to the actions of the HET which would uncover the truth about some acts of violence.
Surprisingly, it is understood the group has heard few calls for judicial inquiries into aspects of the Troubles, perhaps reflecting a preference for other means of uncovering the truth.