<strong>The Neck of Uter</strong><br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Kana</span><br/><br/>Geokinesis revealed nothing new about the walls.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Giselle</span><br/><br/>Oh, Giselle was an expert on pillars and columns all right, their architectural styles and motifs... the engineering behind decorative and load-bearing structures... and most importantly right now, the difference between an inanimate pillar of stone and a very much alive creature mimicking a column in order to lure unsuspecting maidens within tentacle-reach. Yes, this specimen was none other than a<strong>Roper</strong>, an aberration which took advantage of its uncanny resemblance to a pillar or stalagmite to hide itself in stony surroundings such as this one. The tiger's eye gem was no doubt its actual eye and there was a toothy maw hidden somewhere below that too. Giselle's talented memory further allowed her to recall that its rocky hide was tough as... rock, and immune to electricity and resistant to cold and magic but oddly enough vulnerable to fire. And last but not least, it could lash out with up to six tentacle-like strands that sapped away at the strength of their victims.<br/><br/>Unfortunately none of Giselle's companions enjoyed the bard's knowledge, which presented her with a private dilemma: she could go the selfish way and get the drop on the Roper<em>(surprise round!)</em>, but leaving the others unaware of the threat and perhaps unable to respond in time, or she could make some loud, attention-grabbing warning, and sacrifice her own advantage but in turn negate the Roper's element of surprise over her companions.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Alanna</span><br/><br/>There was no secret message intended in the carvings as far as Alanna could tell, but the relative poses and positions of the women taking tentacles up their holes were faithful to the geometry of the chamber... And tracing the directions of the engraved tentacles back to their point of origin, in the centre of the room, they would have come from the pillar! Clearly there was something special about this column of rock...