Deathless Minion

Spell — see Magic and Spellcasting for the rules and the Spell Index for the full list.

This spell is considered contraband in Sair.

Arcane 2, Divine 2 Type: necromancy

Range: 45’ Duration: 1 hour

This spell raises the bones or body of a dead target as an undead skeleton or zombie that follows the caster’s spoken commands. An animated skeleton can be created only from a mostly intact skeleton; a zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. Animated skeletons have HD equal to the Baseline HD such monsters have in life; for skeletons of humans or demi-humans, this means one HD, regardless of the character level of the deceased. Zombies have one more HD than monsters’ Baseline HD but suffer a -2 penalty to initiative.

The caster can give verbal orders to his deathless minion when he first animates it and thereafter anytime it is in line of sight on his initiative. Complex or extensive orders require the caster to expend action in lieu of moving, but simple orders (“protect me!”) do not require an action. Orders can be given in any language the caster speaks. The deathless minion will mindlessly obey whatever orders it is given to the best of its (limited) ability. It cannot accomplish tasks that require abstract thought or higher reasoning. If it completes all of its orders, or for whatever reason is physically unable to obey its orders, the deathless minion will simply remain stationary until it receives new orders. The deathless minion acts on its own initiative each round.

Unlike animate undead, the HD of the skeleton or zombie created are not limited by caster level. However, a deathless minion lasts for just one hour, after which it crumbles to dust.