The Clawed Hand

The Clawed Hand is the nickname of a tramp that lives in and around the village of Eschbach. Continually grumpy and always begging, he doesn't reaaly bother with anyone. Most of the inhabitants of Eschbach knows him to see, and avoid him if possible, but are generally pleasent enough to him when encountered.
A number of years ago, the man who became the Clawed Hand worked as a woodsman for the village of Eschbach, and quite a skilled one at that. When felling a treeone day hm & his team made a fatal mistake. Unbeknownst to them, a group of goblins had made their way to this region fleeing from the purges that regularly take place in the Central Massif. Now, the goblins had took up residence in the trees around this old beech tree that the woodsmen sought, and had carved a face into one side high up. This appeared to be some sort of religious purpose on the goblins part. When they were finished the goblins rushed them throwing everything into chaos. The Clawed Hand had his right arm, somehow, trapped below the beech tree.
The goblins were eventually friuven off, and the local community soon hunted them down where possible. Thoiugh saying that, they had to deal with the woodsman & his injuries before finishing up everything else. The rest of the woodsmen helped out initially, and when back in Eschbach they found that his arm from the elbow down to be partially crushed as well as the lower half of his hand. The set of bones from his wrist to the tip of his pinkie finger were damaged that bad, itled to that part of his hand being removed completely. The rest of his hand was a complete mess in itself but could be saved. 
Permanent nerve, muscle & bone damage caused his hand to stick regularly in a clawed position for hours to days at a time. Fluid buildup occurred too, making the hand appear bigger & aided in making it look even more clawed.
The damage meant that he couldn't work any more as his hand was of no use, so he was forced to live in a dingy dirty hovel, and he couldn't fully look after himself properly. Others do help were possible, but with him being a proud working man he turns many away not wanting to appear weak in the eyes of the community. Where he cans he helps out and sometimes forced to beg when on hard times.
Children are warned not to bother him as he has a had a temper since that fateful day. They are told that he will crush their heads with his claw if they do, and he'll take them back to his hovel to eat them as further punishment. He does take a bit of perverse joy out of this as it keeps the local children from bothering him. And the parents of kids generally slip him a bit of food, necessary items, and a little bit of cash when he puts such children in line, by playing up to expectations.

"He's grumpy old bugger that one, and thats coming from me, haha. To be expected I suppose, hasn't been able to work in so long, and with tht injury playing up when it's cold. Ah well, still part of our communty and we got to look after him. Keep your children away from him if can. After all, that's why he gets so worked up. Can't stand them himself. So be a good lad and run on and carry out your work. I'll have a word with him to watch out and everyone is happy."
Bjorn, member of the Council of Three in Eschbach talking to a Journeyman Carpenter.