All characters start off with a base 10 DC for resurrection. When a character dies, this number increases by 1, depending on how many times the player has been resurrected on a success and failure. These rules do not bypass if a soul is unwilling or unable to be resurrected. For reincarnation, see the page here.
Resurrection Check
If a spell with a casting time of 1 action is used to attempt to restore life (via the Revivify spell or similar effects), no contribution skill checks are allowed. The character casting the spell makes a Rapid Resurrection check, rolling a d20 + their spell casting modifier. Stacking bonus’ (such as guidance) onto this check are permitted.
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- The DC is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone. On a failure, the character’s soul is not lost, but the resurrection fails and increases any future Resurrection checks’ DC by 1.
- No further attempts can be made to restore this character to life until a resurrection spell with a casting time higher than 1 action is done. (See Resurrection Challenge below.)
Resurrection Challenge
If the resurrection check fails, a resurrection challenge is initiated. All resurrection challenges must be logged. Up to 3 player characters may offer to contribute to the ritual via a Contribution Skill Check.
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- The Dungeon Master overseeing this, will ask each to make a skill check based on their form of contribution, with the DC of the check adjusting to how helpful/impactful the Dungeon Maser feels the contribution would be.
- Due to conflict of interest, the overseeing Dungeon Master cannot have their own player character participating in this contribution check.
For example, praying to the god of the devout, fallen character may require an Intelligence (Religion) check at an easy to medium difficulty, where loudly demanding the soul of the fallen to return from the Aether may require a Charisma (Intimidation) check at a very hard or nearly impossible difficulty.
The Contribution Skill Check chart below determines the task difficulty and the minimum DC for the check to be successful.
Task Difficulty | Minimum DC |
Very Easy | 5 |
Easy | 10 |
Medium | 15 |
Hard | 20 |
Very Hard | 25 |
Nearly Impossible | 30 |
After all contributions are completed, the DM then rolls a single, final Resurrection success check with no modifier. The base DC for the final resurrection check is 10, increasing by 1 for each previous successful resurrection the character has undergone (signifying the slow erosion of the soul’s connection to this world). This number is to be tracked by the players.
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- In most cases, #session-log will state the most current DC a player has, unless death had occurred in TRP.
- For each successful contribution skill check, this DC is decreased by 3, whereas each failed contribution skill check increases the DC by 1.
Upon a successful resurrection check, the player’s soul (should it be willing and free) will be returned to the body, and the ritual succeeded.
On a failed check, the soul does not return, and the character is lost.
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- Only the strongest of magical incantations can bypass this resurrection challenge, in the form of the True Resurrection or Wish spells.
- These spells can also restore a character to life who was lost due to a failed resurrection ritual, but do not reset the resurrection count.
- Only the strongest of magical incantations can bypass this resurrection challenge, in the form of the True Resurrection or Wish spells.
Erosion of the Soul Flow Chart
Mortal Realm ⇓ Just Died ⇓
The soul takes about one minute to leave the body and disassociate. Casting a spell like gentle repose stops the progress while revivify returns the body to life.
Border Ethereal ⇓ 1 Minute ⇓
Casting a spell like gentle repose stops the progress of the soul further.
Deep Ethereal ⇓ 5 Days ⇓
Casting a spell like gentle repose stops the progress of the soul further. Before you move on to the Fugue Plane you can be called back to your body with the raise dead spell. Reincarnate may be used, up to 10 days.
Fugue Plane ⇓ 5 Days ⇓
Gentle repose no longer effects the progress of the soul at this point. Here is a place of judgement. If you are faithless your journey ends in 5 days once, you reach the Fugue Plane. Your soul is destroyed, incorporated into the wall. If you are false, you remain here for 5 days tormented by devils and eventually devoured by demons. Time on this plane is static and days feel like years. At any time before you end your time on the Fugue Plane you could take a deal with a devil. If you have faith in a god, you are usurer-ed to the astral plane in 5 days. Reincarnate may be used, up to 10 days.
Astral Plane ⇓ 5 Days ⇓
Before you arrive at the outer planes you can be returned to life with the resurrection spell. During this time most lose all the memories of their past life. These memories float on the astral plane as memory cores and it is these core that are contacted when spells contact the dead or attempt to determine a character’s willingness to returning to life. Reincarnate may be used, up to 10 days.
Outer Planes ⇓ 100 Years ⇓
You become a parishioner. After more than 100 years on the outer planes you either merge with your god, merge with the outer plane in which you reside, or in some rare instances become a powerful enough entity to maintain an independent existence. Before this time, you can be returned to life with wish or true resurrection. After this time, you are lost. You never recall anything about your journey through the afterlife no matter how far your soul gets.
In very rare cases, stronger magic will be needed to return a soul back to the body. These spells can also restore a character to life who was lost due to a failed resurrection ritual but do not reset the character’s resurrection count. There are many powers out there that can even cause these means to fail and eventually death does claim all things.
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- For both cases, the caster and the target both take a 5 DTD debt that must be spent using the relaxation downtime before other activities may be done and the target’s resurrection DC increased by +1.
- In the case of the clone spell, resurrection DC increases by 1, once the clone has matured after 120 DTDs.
Clone
Once the clone matures after 120 DTDs, the body is ready to collect the soul. Should the soul be free and willing, the clone will absorb the soul. The character’s resurrection DC increased by +1 upon successful resurrection.
True Resurrection
The target cannot be dead for more than 200 years and that died for any reason except old age. If the creature’s soul is free and willing, the creature is restored to life with all its hit points.
This spell closes all wounds, neutralizes any poison, cures all diseases, and lifts any curses affecting the creature when it died. The spell replaces damaged or missing organs and limbs. This will also restore an undead, to its non-undead form.
The spell can even provide a new body if the original no longer exists, in which case you must speak the creature’s name. The creature appears in an unoccupied space you choose within 10 feet of the caster.
Wish
Using wish to restore a free and willing soul to a body, will bypass the check. Once casted, the caster must roll a d100 and determine if wish has been lost. There is a 33% this spell casting is lost forever. 1-33 determines if the ability to cast wish forever has been lost.
Using wish to mimic a spell of lower levels, will automatically surpass the check needed and increase the DC by +1. There is no 33% of losing wish when going this route. However, the soul must be willing and free to be resurrected successfully.