the_griffons_saddlebag

Oil of Reanimation

Added 2025-06-30 15:28:17 +0000 UTC

Potion, uncommon

You can rub this oil onto a dead humanoid over the course of 1 minute. When you do, the corpse magically reanimates as a skeleton or zombie (GM's discretion). The undead follows your verbal instructions to the best of its ability (no action required by you); you decide what action it will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. The creature is under your control for 24 hours, after which it stops obeying any command you've given it.

A living creature that drinks the oil immediately retches and must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, if the creature dies at any point within the next 30 days, it automatically reanimates as a zombie under no one's control after 1 hour of being dead.

"So, you entered my workshop, grabbed the first thing you saw, and drank it?"

"…yes, my liege."

"You weren't given any pause—at all—by the skeletal decoration?

"…no, my liege."

The necromancer scrunched up his eyes and massaged his brow. He sighed and raised his staff.

"Well, at least I'll have the pleasure of killing you twice for this."