Notes

RESURRECTION RULESET
Resurrection, as mentioned before, poses some challenges for 5e games and Dungeon Masters who
aim for a realistic and dark theme. This is why Dungeon Masters often resort to homebrew solutions,
and resurrection spells are among the most frequently banned spells. My goal is not only to address
this issue but also to create a new rule set that delves into the themes of resurrection with the depth
and weight they deserve. This rule-set not only introduces innovations to standard resurrection
spells but also offers new and darker methods. To help you understand what to expect, let’s discuss
the principles around which we built this rule set.


Revivify Is An Exception
The souls of the deceased reach the
Gate of Vidar, the final threshold
before crossing into the afterlife, within
a minute of their death. Once they cross
the threshold, the God of Death "Daynore"
is very stingy about letting souls go, but if souls
are summoned back to the body before
reaching his domain, scholars call it the
“little death”. Therefore, revivify spell is not
considered a form of true resurrection, and
it is not affected by the complications that
come with resurrection.


Resurrection Is Risky
The success of a resurrection ritual should
never be guaranteed. The caster performing
the spell must overcome various challenges
and make some preparations and
sacrifices. Even when everything is done
correctly, there is still a need for a bit of
luck. If a resurrection ritual fails, the soul
being attempted to bring back may be lost
irreversibly.
Furthermore, if a character walks this path
multiple times, each resurrection becomes
more challenging than the previous one.
The expertise of the person performing the
resurrection ritual plays a crucial role here.


There Are Complications
Almost always unexpected things
occur when performing a resurrection
rite. Sometimes, a stowaway takes the
opportunity, sometimes the revived person
undergoes significant personality changes,
and even sometimes they may lose their
sanity. Even if none of these happen,
disrupting the natural order invokes the
wrath of the gods. For this reason, we have
prepared an extensive complications table.
Those who wish to bring back a loved one
must be prepared to face many challenges.


Different Methods Exist
We have written many new resurrection
methods with unique effects and
requirements. Especially the eldritch
and costly ones sometimes do not even
require the person performing them to be
a caster. A cleric, by following the proper
procedures, can mitigate the consequences
of this blasphemy against death, but there
are also other methods available for those
desperate enough. We have prepared many
new rituals, especially for those who are
willing to take the risk of making deals
with dark entities.