The much feared crawling claw is frequently employed as a guardian by those mages and priests who have learned the secret of its creation.

No single description of a crawling claw is possible as they are not uniform in appearance. Since claws are the animated remains of hands or paws of living creatures, they are apt to be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

Combat: When a claw detects a potential victim, it leaps to the attack. Although it may not appear to be capable of such a feat, its great strength enables it to do so. The maximum distance a claw can leap is 15 feet.

Once a claw lands on its victim, it attacks in one of two ways. If the victim is wearing metal armor, the claw delivers a powerful blow. Against those who are not armored (or only wearing leather) the claw can employ its great strength in a crushing grip.

In some cases, a claw may be instructed to attempt to strangle or gouge out the eyes of a victim. In any such case, the StoryMaster (SM) should consider all aspects of the situation and discuss, before-hand with the victim, how much, if any, damage is done.

Claws are immune to any form of death magic or raise dead spells, although a resurrection spell renders them immobile for a number of minutes equal to the level of the caster. Claws have the same resistance to charm, sleep, and hold spells that undead do, but claws are not subject to turning, control undead spells, or damage by holy water. Cold-based spells make claws brittle.

Society/Habitat: Crawling claws are nothing more than the animated hands and paws of once-living creatures. As such, they have no culture or society to speak of. Despite this, crawling claws do have a limited ability to communicate with each other. This takes the form of a basic telepathic link between all the claws of a single "batch". Whenever one claw finds a victim, all of the others in the area who were made at the same time move in to help it.

In addition, claws that have been instructed to do so can act in concert with each other to move large objects. The SM should use five pounds per claw as a reasonable limit to the weight that can be moved.

Ecology: Crawling claws can be created by any mage or priest who has knowledge of the techniques required to do so. To begin with, the creator must assemble the severed limbs that are to be animated. The maximum number of claws that can be created at any one time is equal to the level of the person enchanting them. The hands (or paws) can be either fresh, skeletal, or at any stage of decomposition in between.

Claws can be controlled in one of two ways: directly or via programming/instruction. The manner of a claw's control must be specified when it is created and cannot be changed thereafter. All of the claws in a particular batch must be controlled in the same manner.

Programmed claws are given a single, brief instruction that they attempt to carry out to the best of their ability. The maximum length of the programming, in words, is 15 plus the level of the creator. This programming sets the conditions under which the claw attacks. A sample command might be: Kill anyone except me who opens this chest.

Directly controlled claws are manipulated by the thoughts of their creator. The mental effort of controlling claws is quite tiring and cannot be maintained for more than three consecutive minutes without a one minute rest. Further, the range of such control is limited to 10 feet plus 5 feet per level of the creator. A person controlling claws cannot undertake spellcasting or any other activity. Injury to a controller does not break his control unless unconsciousness results. If direct control is broken for some reason, the claws continue to follow the last orders they were given.

NOTE: this monster can be used as a magic weapon by a Mage or Priest, however if you intend to use it in such a manner make sure you include it amoung the weapons listed on your registration.