Board Thread:Dark Souls/@comment-28511573-20160602071718/@comment-26894987-20160615124444

I've always taken it as that that sack is part of some sort of execution, and that's why that corpse dies there.

My theory is that the Stray Demon serves as an excutioner in the undead asylum and at some certain point of time, all undead sent to the asylum would be dumped there and be killed over and over until they turn hollow. That's also how those armless hollows (they have no weapon, so they are not guards) in the hallway end up that location; they were knocked through the bars and revived there, and that's why they are not in their cells.

Well, these hollows don't have to be excuted in that room. They could have been challengers who have failed the test. But again it is that corpse with sack on the head that lead me think it as some sort of excution. Maybe they decide there are too many prisoners to keep, or maybe they are trying to pick the most sturdy ones in that way. (As we can see through the game, most undead can apparently die only once before they die permenantly or turn hollow.)