A Sacrifice/Bargain to Raise the Dead

[MonkeyDragon]

I don't think raising people from the dead should be just cash. There should always be consequences!

Ditto that, and when I started my newest campaign, I didn't want raising the dead to be like paying a parking ticket. However, I also didn't want to limit my player's access to that magic, because I would rather encourage them to stick with characters they've developed.

What I decided was that any time someone is brought back from the dead, they must agree to perform a favor for their god (or god of their alignment, if they don't have a specific patron) in return for being allowed to go back. In my case, the favor isn't meant to be a trick. It's a task that is possible for the PC to complete (possibly needing help), and they have a year and a day to get it done.

In the OPs case, I LOVE the idea of the possessed PC wreaking havoc, and the bargains of hunting vampires or making sacrifices. The only thing I would be cautious with is trying not to screw with the party TOO much, or they might shy away from making such attempts in the future, and it's a great roleplaying opportunity.

 

[Dykstrav]

On a side note, I personally like what you (Stoat that is) did with the bargain in the first place. I don't think raising people from the dead should be just cash. There should always be consequences!

Not only does the idea of finding and killing an undead make narrative sense, it's pure RPG gold. Instead of just being something bad that happens or a challenge to overcome, it's a hook that leads to further adventures. Consider the poster XPed for this idea.

Furthermore, I would stick to the idea of having the "death penalty" in place until they complete the quest. Three milestones is typically six encounters, so it's totally do-able as a side trek. It'd be worth approximately half a level's worth of adventuring, I'm sure.