A Monster from Nightwick Abbey

My players are obviously encouraged not to read this entry.  I was going to wait till it showed up in play, but I've grown impatient so here it is a tad early.

The Piteous Worm

No. Enc.: 1 (1)

Alignment: Chaotic

Movement: 120' (40')

Armor Class: 3 [16] <18>

Hit Dice: 4+5

Attacks: 1

Damage: 1d8

Save: F5

Morale: 7

Hoard Class: None

XP: 290

The Piteous Worm, for there is only one, is a creature greatly feared by any who seek to wrest treasure from the dungeons beneath Nightwick Abbey.  The few educated men and women who have encountered it, assuming they are not maddened by their experience, believe the creature to be the result of failed magical experimentation.  The exact nature of this experimentation is not precisely known.

The piteous Worm appears as a 10' long caterpillar like creature.  It glows with an eerie green light from within it's body and illuminates the area around it as though it was a magical weapon.  This luminance reveals the interior structure of the creature.  Each of it's segments contains what appears to be a human ribcage, such that their are ten of these strung along it's spine.  Its head, though outwardly that of a caterpillar, appears to be fashioned around a human skull, and its feet are a litany of human hands.

The creature constantly screams as though in agony.  Because of this and the light it casts, it never gains surprise.  Any hirelings or monsters who hear its characteristic wail must immediately make a Morale Check or flee in the opposite direction.  The Piteous Worm's body is extremely hot, and any person striking it must Save vs. Paralysis or watch their weapon melt upon contact with it's skin.  Any weapon dissolved in this way deals no damage to the creature.  Magic weapons are immune to this effect.  Any creature standing within melee range of the Piteous Worm takes an automatic 1d4 points of damage from the immense heat it gives off, and the creature can project this as an intense beam originating from it's head.  This beam requires a roll to hit, but the victim must Save vs. Death or perish instantly.  Reports claim the Piteous Worm may only use this once per day, but few have been around it long enough to make sure.  If the Piteous Worm uses this power, it cannot deal automatic damage for 3d6 rounds, though its internal heat is still enough to melt nonmagical weapons.