Chuul

Also known as chu'ulothis, these large, armor-plated, crustacean predators lurk beneath the surface of pools, mires, and ponds, waiting to snatch up prey with their massive claws before paralyzing them with their tentacles. At that point, they begin to feed, eating their quarry alive.

Chuuls can live in fresh or saltwater, and indeed are found in aquatic environs the world over—even in the subterranean oceans and lakes of the Darklands. While chuuls are good swimmers, they prefer terrestrial prey. Their preferred method of hunting is by lunging out of the water, paralyzing their victims with their poison-coated tentacles, then gleefully dragging their twitching food into the water to drown if they cannot simply eat such morsels alive. Chuuls that dwell aboveground prefer to dine on lizardfolk, while those swimming the subterranean lakes of the Darklands readily eat anything but xulgaths, whose flavor and stink they find off-putting.

Chuuls are capable of speech and reason, but these creatures rarely speak with those outside their species except to taunt their food. Before it begins consuming its prey, a chuul often speaks in a gurgling, nearly incomprehensible dialect about how it will enjoy feasting on the creature's flesh. Perhaps chuuls believe that insults and degradation lead to more tender and tastier food, but the truth will likely never be known; almost all chuuls stubbornly refuse any meaningful conversation, even when imprisoned and compelled by treats or pain.

It is unknown if a chuul society exists beyond their frenzied mating season. Chuuls' intellects seem devoted only toward eating, causing psychological pain to sentient creatures, decorating their lairs with mementos of their favorite meals and victories, and breeding.

**Recall Knowledge - Aberration (Occultism)**: DC 23

**Unspecific Lore**: DC 21

**Specific Lore**: DC 18

## ChuulCreature 7

CELargeAberrationAmphibious

**Source** *Bestiary pg. 64*

Perception +15; darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 30 feet

**Languages** Aklo, Common; (or Undercommon, for Darklands variants)

**Skills** Athletics +17, Nature +13, Stealth +14, Survival +13

Str +6, Dex +3, Con +4, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha -1

**AC** 28; Fort +18, Ref +15, Will +12

**HP** 100; **Immunities** poison

**Attack of Opportunity**

**Speed** 30 feet; swim 25 feet

**Melee**  claws +19 [+14/+9] (reach 10 feet), **Damage** 2d8+9 bludgeoning plus Grab**Constrict**  1d8+9 bludgeoning, DC 25 (grabbed by claws only)**Mandibles**  **Requirement** A creature is grabbed and paralyzed by the chuul’s tentacles. **Effect** The creature takes 3d6 piercing damage.**Paralytic Venom** (incapacitation, poison) **Saving Throw** DC 25 Fortitude; **Maximum Duration** 6 rounds; **Stage 1** paralyzed (1 round).**Tentacle Transfer**  **Requirement** The chuul has a creature grabbed. **Effect** The chuul transfers the grabbed creature from its claws to its tentacles, or vice versa. A creature is exposed to the chuul’s paralytic venom when transferred into the tentacles and at the start of each of the chuul’s turns if it remains grabbed by the tentacles.

### Chuul Treasure

While chuuls are uninterested in money, gems, tools, or magic of any kind, they have a nearly compulsive need to collect trophies of their victories, perchance to savor the memories of the kill and the meat. What treasure they have are typically such mementos.