Old Lore I actually never looked into

[McDeath]

Here's an example (albeit it was asked on DF and someone beat me to the issue #32) Still; I had wondered this before and it wasn't all that difficult to look up.

I hate mice, rats, voles, etc. Moles are ok.

I don't know the spell in the original entry:

CRAWLING CLAW
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-20
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 10”
HIT DICE: 2-4 Hit Points
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: All possible (guardians)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4 blow, 1-6 grip
(on unarmored target only)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magic weapons
have only normal weapon effects
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Immune to all
mind-related and polymorph spells
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (e.g. human hand)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
ATTACK/DEFENSE MODES: Nil

Crawling Claws are said to have been
the invention of the necromancer Nulathoe, who devised a series of spells whereby small parts of once-living bodies could be almost perfectly preserved, and (once animated) controlled. Nulathoe’s arts were too crude to be practical in controlling organs of any complexity, and at his death only their most useful application—the control of hands or paws—survived, through his two apprentices.

Creation of a claw requires an intact human hand, or a claw (which must be from a creature existing entirely upon the Prime Material Plane), either freshly severed or in skeletal form. Creation is usually a cooperative effort, and is begun with application of Nulathoe's Ninemen (a 5th-level Magic-User spell involving the fresh blood of an animal of the same biological class as that of the claw and the destruction of a moonstone of not less than 77 gp value, which is powdered and sprinkled over the claw) or a similar spell researched by the magic user concerned. This serves to preserve the claw, protect it against decay and corrosion, and strengthen its joints with magical bonds. Within four turns after casting the Ninemen, an Animate Dead spell must be cast upon the claw.

Claws are controlled either directly or by ‘programming’ (see below) and cannot be changed from one method of control to the other after the final incantation is made. This spell either names the controller, who must be a Magic User or Cleric involved in the creation, or (in the case of ‘programming’) contains a command stating (in 24 words or less) what action the claws are to take. This operates in the same way that a Magic Mouth spell can be set to speak when a certain condition is met—i.e. “a bearded man in black and silver approaches the altar.” Direct control, on the other hand, is enacted by concentrated force of the will. This cannot be maintained for more than three consecutive turns without a 1-turn rest, and must be exercised within a (1” + ½”/level of controller) range. It is imperfect, precluding actions requiring manual precision. Ongoing control obviously prohibits spellcasting on the controller’s part, although control can be maintained by an individual who suffers injury unless unconsciousness or loss of over half total HP occurs. Claws will continue to enact their last command if their (direct) controller withdraws control or is slain.

Claws move in the manner their name describes, scuttling upon their fingertips. They can grip with crushing force, and leap for short distances (up to 1½”) to strike or clutch. They may be commanded to seek specific targets (e.g. jewelry, throat, eyes) and can drag small objects (or in groups, larger items such as spears or swords), but cannot lift or wield them. Large numbers of Claws are needed to shift objects of any weight. Claws cannot be turned, but a Resurrection spell will render them immobile. Note that neither Death nor Raise Dead spells have any effect. Edged weapons do them half damage; magical weapons have only normal weapon effects. Cold makes Claws more brittle, so that one pip is added to each die of damage they take. Claws are commonly used as guardians, lying within chests, atop or amidst the treasure. They can sense vibrations and temperature differences, and locate targets accordingly when not under direct control. Claws created together have a (very) limited form of intercommunication; when one Claw has located a target, all of the other Claws will move towards its location.

NuLathoe's Ninemen
(Necromancy)
Level: 5
Range: Touch
Components: V, S, M
Duration: Permanent
Casting Time: 5
Area of Effect: 1 corpse of size L or smaller
Saving Throw: None

This spell protects a dead body against normal decay, magically strengthening the joints and repelling disease and rot. The spell does not heal wounds or reverse damage inflicted on the body in its living or dead state. If the body is later brought back from the dead (with raise dead, resurrection, or a similar spell), only the time elapsed between the death and casting of the ninemen (pronounced nin-EM-en) counts for determining success. This spell can only be cast on bodies that were once alive and now are dead. It has no effect on undead. Also, while under the effects of the ninemen, the body cannot become undead or be animated using the animate dead spell. The material components of this spell are a small amount of blood and a moonstone worth at least 50 gp. The moonstone is crushed and sprinkled over the body.

Forgotten Realms Fandom
Crawling Claw Wiki
Giant in the Playground take on it
The Thieves Guild

[Halaster Blackcloak]

I love finding lost tidbits of lost lore. I have a bunch of notes here and there so I can find them again!