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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7300512" data-attributes="member: 6801845">My campaign uses a tweaked version of the Norse mythology where even a god (Baldur) can die, so getting raised from the dead is not always an option.&nbsp; In my cosmology when someone dies their soul goes through the Nifleheim (shadowfell) on their way to their final destination.&nbsp; Once they get to Valhalla/Helheim or whatever their destination is it's difficult if not impossible to retrieve them.So, if someone wants to come back from the dead, they have to hang out in Nifleheim and delay their departure.&nbsp; Problem with that is that as they stay in Nifleheim their soul slowly &quot;evaporates&quot; eventually leaving behind a shell of their previous self in the form of a ghost or shadow.&nbsp; So the longer they linger the less and less they remember of their previous lives until eventually there is little left.So how does this play out in game?&nbsp; Well, people that die and don't make their way to their final resting place risk becoming ghosts.&nbsp; In addition, raise dead merely sends the souls of the caster (and willing allies) to Nifleheim to retrieve the soul of the dead person while their physical bodies appear to be in a coma.&nbsp; It becomes a mini-adventure to retrieve them and may include trying to persuade the soul to return, etc.&nbsp; Other beings might try to stop the PCs, not to mention the possibility that they may bring back a necromantic parasite or two.&nbsp; Oh, and there's always the possibility of an old foe or two showing up as well of course.While raise dead means retrieving the soul from Nifleheim, resurrection would require basically breaking in to and escaping Hel's domain (or Valhalla).&nbsp; Breaking out a mortal might be possible because there's less attention paid to them than a god, but nobody's ever attempted it.&nbsp; Revivify works like normal because the soul hasn't had time to fully transition into Nifleheim.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 7300512, member: 6801845"] My campaign uses a tweaked version of the Norse mythology where even a god (Baldur) can die, so getting raised from the dead is not always an option. In my cosmology when someone dies their soul goes through the Nifleheim (shadowfell) on their way to their final destination. Once they get to Valhalla/Helheim or whatever their destination is it's difficult if not impossible to retrieve them. So, if someone wants to come back from the dead, they have to hang out in Nifleheim and delay their departure. Problem with that is that as they stay in Nifleheim their soul slowly "evaporates" eventually leaving behind a shell of their previous self in the form of a ghost or shadow. So the longer they linger the less and less they remember of their previous lives until eventually there is little left. So how does this play out in game? Well, people that die and don't make their way to their final resting place risk becoming ghosts. In addition, raise dead merely sends the souls of the caster (and willing allies) to Nifleheim to retrieve the soul of the dead person while their physical bodies appear to be in a coma. It becomes a mini-adventure to retrieve them and may include trying to persuade the soul to return, etc. Other beings might try to stop the PCs, not to mention the possibility that they may bring back a necromantic parasite or two. Oh, and there's always the possibility of an old foe or two showing up as well of course. While raise dead means retrieving the soul from Nifleheim, resurrection would require basically breaking in to and escaping Hel's domain (or Valhalla). Breaking out a mortal might be possible because there's less attention paid to them than a god, but nobody's ever attempted it. Revivify works like normal because the soul hasn't had time to fully transition into Nifleheim. [/QUOTE]

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