The Red Hand

Hatred and fear

Content warning: Descriptions of violence, including against children.

Another one? This is the third in a week. I wish they'd be more discreet about it.

— A city guard, upon the discovery of a 'displayed' Koushan Mai body

Whilst Koushan Mai worship is punishable by death in Caillah, Serukis has no such law. For some, this is an oversight, and one that they need to rectify by taking the law into their own hands.
This group is known as the Red Hand.

The Red Hand

The Red Hand are not an organised group. In general, they hold no meetings and have no leader. Instead, they are united by a hatred and distrust of the Koushan Mai people. In some towns, however, the Red Hand are a more formal and overt presence, with elected leaders and occasional meetings.
No one is sure when the Red Hand first began to appear in Seruic society, just that it happened after the law against Koushan Mai worship was passed in Caillah.
When interacting with Koushan Mai, members of the Red Hand tend to cover their faces to hide their identity. This is more to protect themselves from potential social censure than fear of legal consequences.

Messages and Murder

This is our land!

— Carved into the chest of a Koushan Mai victim

The goal of the Red Hand is the eradication of the Koushan Mai from Serukis. They believe that Serukis is their land and that the Koushan Mai are invaders - although the Koushan Mai are actually the natives of northern Caia.
Members of the Red Hand will often follow people they have identified as Koushan Mai and wait for them to do something that can be construed as worship. Whether it is actually an act of worship is irrelevant; this is merely an excuse for them to pass judgement. This judgement is usually fatal.
Some members of the Red Hand do not bother to stick to their farce of judgement and punishment. These members will often kill Koushan Mai on sight.
Often, a bloody handprint is left at the scene of these crimes as a calling card. This is intended as a warning for other Koushan Mai in the area to get out of town.
Crimes against Koushan Mai - including murder, rape and assault - are not often investigated in Serukis. If they are investigated, arrests are not often made. The Red Hand use this fact to operate without fear of punishment.
In some cases, guards have been known to walk past an attack in progress without acknowledging it.

by Noupload

Notable Killings

Woman and Baby

One hot afternoon, outside of Hope's Fall, a young Koushan Mai woman was found with her throat slit under a tree and a bloody handprint across her face. A newborn baby was hanging from the branch above her head, its umbilical cord fashioned into a noose.
Upon further investigation, it was found that the afterbirth was still inside the woman's body, meaning that the killer had waited until just after she had given birth - and possibly even aided her. A bowl of water and a cloth was found nearby.

The Children in the Fountain

One misty morning, citizens of Ash River awoke to find the mutilated bodies of five young Koushan Mai children in the town fountain.
Public outcry caused this incident to be investigated. However, no arrests were made, despite several witnesses coming forward to report bragging in the local tavern.

I'm not ashamed of who I am, but I fear for my children if I don't hide it.

— A Koushan Mai mother