Crawling Hand

With a jolt, this severed hand springs to life, its fingers propelling it forth at great speed like a deformed spider.

Crawling Hand

CR 1/2

XP 200

NE Diminutive undead

Init +0; Senses blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4

Defense

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 size)

hp 9 (1d8+5)

Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +2

Immune undead traits

Offense

Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee claw +5 (1d1+1 plus grab)

Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attack mark quarry, strangle

Statistics

Str 13, Dex 11, Con —, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 14

Base Atk +0; CMB –4 (+0 grapple); CMD 7

Feats Toughness

Skills Climb +9, Perception +4, Stealth +12, Survival +4; Racial Modifiers +4 Survival

Languages Common (can’t speak)

Ecology

Environment any land

Organization solitary or gang (2–5)

Treasure none

Special Abilities

Grab (Ex) A crawling hand can use its grab ability on a creature of up to Medium size.

Some say the origins of the crawling hand lie in the experiments of demented necromancers contracted to construct tiny assassins. Other tales tell of gruesome prosthetics sparked to life by evil magic, which then developed primitive sentience and vengefully strangled their hosts. Regardless, the crawling hand is an efficient killing tool.

When not commanded to kill, the crawling hand remains still and can be handled and transported safely. Typically, owners carry them about in small, velvet-lined boxes. Crawling hands can also be placed as guardians and programmed with contingency commands, such as to hunt down and slay an individual who performs a specific task like violating a shrine, opening a warded door, or breaking the seal of a casket.