Monster Lairs – Crawling Claw – Church of Hel
Slab
There are many towns where the church handles the role of law enforcement. Such places can often be as cruel as the whims of the gods. The town of Corpolis is one such town. Here, the powerful church of the goddess Hel punishes sinners with particular ruthlessness. Here, all criminals are punished, but murderers are publicly executed in an especially unique way. First, they are brought forth to the church gibbet where they are flogged. They are then chained to the platform and have their hands chopped off by axe. Finally, as the criminals bleed from their own stumps, priests perform a ritual that animates the severed hands which then proceed to strangle their former owners. The animated hands remain on the church grounds, loyally following the orders of its clerics, providing protection as well as other services.
