A Cuggoloth is a large, spherical creature, with many radiating arms. The creature buries itself under well traveled paths, and feeds off of those animals which walk overhead. It is cunning, and often drags dead brush and trees over the path, blocking it, and forcing its prey to stand in one spot.
     The cuggoloth has many armored tentacles, but can only bring 1d4+2 such tentacles into play in any given encounter. If severed, the tentacle retracts, and will regenerate in 1d4 days. Damage done to a tentacle is not subtracted from the creature's total. Each tentacle has its own hit points (50).

     Combat:  The cuggoloth attacks with its tentacles, which erupt from the ground around the targets. Each tentacle is heavily armored, giving it such a low armor class. If they hit, the tentacles release a weak poison, which lowers the prey's strength score by 1 (unless it passes a saving throw vs. poison, with a -2 penalty).
     If it wraps a tentacle around its prey, the cuggoloth attempts to drag the prey underground (a process which takes 4 rounds). They prey may attempt a bend bars roll once every round to break free of the tentacles. On the first through third rounds, the prey is at least partly above ground, and may breathe normally. Afterwards, the prey is underground, and will suffocate in 4 rounds, plus 1/3 of the character's constitution score in rounds. After the prey has suffocated, the cuggoloth drags it in to feed upon it.
     Due to the fact that it is deep underground (some 30'), it is very difficult to find and attack the cuggoloth's body. Spells such as move earth or passwall could open a passage directly to the creature's body. Once reached, a cuggoloth has many hit points, but is easily destroyed if its tentacles are all severed.

     Ecology:  Cuggoloth blood is often used in the making of potions of treasure finding. The creature's poison is often used when creating vorpal swords and nets of entrapment.
     The cuggoloth is content to stay under any path, as long as it feeds at least once a month (prey must be at least the size of a deer). If too long a period of time passes between feedings, the cuggoloth will move on to better hunting grounds.