Resurrection (spell)

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Resurrection (spell).jpg

Resurrection is a spell that's able to bring deceased creatures back to life, regardless of how long they've been dead. The benefit of the spell to adventurers combating highly dangerous creatures, where a horrific death may come about at any time, is of the highest importance.

Resurrection
Range touch
Duration permanent
Area of Effect 1 creature
Casting Time 4 rounds
Saving Throw none; see text
Level cleric (7th)

Crucially, the spell doesn't require the complete body of the creature to enable the individual's recovery, as the spell raise dead. So long as some reliable parcel of the person can be recovered — a bone, head, hair, fingernails or even bodily fluid — the spell would be able to restore the whole person.

The spell cannot be reversed.

Bodily Effects

The spell can only recreate the dead individual as they were at the time of their last living moment — which means the spell won't restore lost limbs or body parts not there at the end. However, the process of returning health automatically cures diseases, infestations and necrosis, while renderings substances such as poison or acids inert.

Moreover, if the resurrected has been dead for a period of ten years or more, any and all curses, or other magical disorders, are also dispelled. This last isn't so for the more recently dead.

Recovery

Those who are resurrected within five days of their death are restored as though nothing special has transpired. However, for each period progressively doubling that period reduces the resurrected individual by a cumulative 25% of their full hit points and ability stats. Thus a restored creature between 6 and 10 days dead would be left with 75% of their general "health;" those 11 to 20 days dead would have 56% of their health; those between 21 and 40 days dead would have 42% of their health; and so on.

By this calculation, any creature between 224 and 897 years dead would have a mere 1% of their health — but they would be safely alive and able to recover their full health at a pace of one day per 1% of health regained. Thus any cabal bent on restoring a dangerously powerful mage to life, as a means of ultimately returning them to power, would have to take into account this period of rest.


See also,
Constitution
Death's Door (spell)
Reincarnation (spell)
System Shock
Transmogrification (sage ability)