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Speak with Deadite
School necromancy; Level cleric/oracle 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, warpriest 4, witch 4
Components V, S, DF/M (a sliver of bone from a slain undead)
Casting Time 10 minutes
Range 10 ft.
Target one mostly intact corpse
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
Source Charles W. Plemons III
With this dangerous spell, you tap into an outer fringe of the multiverse, where deadite spirits writhe in endless mockery and nonsense. You call forth one of these spirits to momentarily possess a corpse and answer your questions—but their answers are often cruel jokes, taunting riddles, or confusing rhymes. They are gleefully unhinged but can provide occasional bits of insight.
The spell fails if the corpse has been subject to a speak with dead or speak with deadite spell within the last week. You can cast this spell on a corpse that has been deceased for any amount of time, but the body must be mostly intact to be able to respond. A damaged corpse must at least have a mouth in order to speak at all.
The corpse animates, jerks upright, and begins cackling, sneering, or making inappropriate gestures. For the duration, you may ask one question per 5 caster levels (minimum 1). The base chance for a true (but still likely cryptic and rarely direct) answer is 40% + 2% per caster level (maximum 80%) adjusted by the Modifier Table below (all modifiers cumulative). The dice are rolled by the GM for each question, and you do not know the results.
Modifier Table
| Condition | Answer Modifier | Disturbance Modifier |
|---|
| Corpse died recently or violently | +10% | +10% |
| Corpse was previously undead | +5% | +5% |
| Answer was not known by corpse | -20% | +20% |
| Answer would reveal a major secret | -25% | +25% |
| Spell used on this corpse before | -10% | +10% |
| Spell cast by you within last week | -20% (per casting) | +20% (per casting) |
| Spell cast within consecrate or hallow effect | -10% | +10% |
| Spell cast within desecrate or unhallow effect | +10% | +10% |
| Caster asks question in rhyme | +5% per rhyme (max +15%) | +5% per rhyme (max +15%) |
| Caster is chaotic-aligned | +5% | +5% |
| Caster is good-aligned | -5% | +5% |
| Caster is evil-aligned | +5% | +5% |
| Caster is lawful-aligned | -5% | +5% |
| Caster is intoxicated by alcohol or substance | +10% | +10% |
Multiple questions about the same topic by the same caster, even with different corpses or castings of this spell, use the same dice result as the first attempt and yield the same answer each time.
Each time the spell is cast, the DM secretly rolls d% with a base chance for a disturbance equal to 25% adjusted by the Modifier Table (maximum 80%). If a disturbance occurs, the DM secretly rolls a 1d8 and consults the Disturbance Table. Disturbances last for 24 hours.
Disturbance Table
| d8 | Disturbance |
|---|
| 1 | Mocking Echo – The deadite's voice haunts you, snarking at everyone you meet. You take a -4 penalty on Diplomacy and Bluff checks as your words are occasionally overridden by ghostly interjections. "Tell her you love her. No, wait! Tell her about the worms!" NPC attitudes toward you are reduced by one step for every 10 minutes in which they are in your presence. |
| 2 | Flicker of the Flesh – Your facial features subtly distort and twitch, as if trying to smile independently of your emotions. Take a -2 penalty on Disguise and all Charisma-based skill check and ability checks except Intimidate (gain a +2 bonus to that). Whenever you cast a spell with a verbal component, roll 1d10; on a 1, the spell fails and is lost. |
| 3 | Unwholesome Chill – An unnatural cold clings to you. Living creatures who touch you (or are touched) feel clammy skin and get goosebumps. You only regain 75% of hit points from any natural or magical healing but gain a +2 bonus on saves vs. fire. |
| 4 | Reflected Presence – Mirrors, still water, and polished metal surfaces show your face shifting into the deadite you just contacted, whispering secrets to you (and sometimes to others). You take a -2 penalty on Will saves due to the creeping doubt of your own identity and spells that prevent mental influence and control, such as protection from evil, do not provide that effect to you. |
| 5 | Poltergeist – Once per hour, a random item in your possession (but not one worn or held in hand) is removed and hidden requiring a DC 20 Perception (by you and conscious allies) to notice as it happens. Finding it later requires a DC 25 Perception if in the right vicinity. |
| 6 | Gremlins – Deadite spirits physically annoy and distract you by tying your shoelaces together, unbuckling straps, tapping on the shoulder, and otherwise making a nuisance of themselves. You take a -2 penalty on Initiative checks and whenever you cast a spell with a material component, roll 1d10; on a 1, the spell fails and is lost. |
| 7 | Spasms – Your body reacts violently to exposure to deadite spirits causing you to shake and spasm. Take a -2 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks, ability checks, and ranged attack rolls and whenever you cast a spell with a divine focus or material component, roll 1d10; on a 1, the spell fails and is lost. |
| 8 | Major Disturbance – The deadites gain a foothold in your world due to your actions and manifest 1d3 days later. This manifestation is in a manner deemed appropriate by the DM but could include the body animating as some form of undead, the area becoming affected by a haunt, swarms of vermin gathering and rampaging, trees animating as per animate object, and so on. Dangers brought on by major disturbances remain until slain or put to rest. Visions of the deadites' atrocities plague the caster preventing the ability to rest and recover spells until the manifestation is put down. |
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