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Message: <blockquote data-quote="random user" data-source="post: 1539873" data-attributes="member: 16581">Doesn't raise dead have a material component of diamonds worth at least 5000gp?Using the basic conversion of $40-50 per gp mentioned in the building an inn thread, you're looking at $200-$250k per raise dead (and more for anything better).  Even if you don't want to convert it to modern day prices (or feel the conversion rate is inaccurate) 5000gp gets you a "grand house" which is probably at least $200k (unless you live in Palo Alto in which case it's $1.4m).Your average peasent isn't going to be able to afford that.  Even the moderately well off aren't going to be raising dead often.I think assassinations of people up to moderate stature would take place as normal.  It's only once you get to Duke's, kings, etc that the thought of raising the dead is going to be an option.Even then, I would create a history around it, or perhaps just a fable.There was a kingdom where everyone loved the king.  But a neighboring kingdom was jealous and sent assassins to kill the beloved king.  They were able to succeed, but the kingdom loved him so they used the royal treasury to pay for a ressurection for the king.  The 10,000gp was a small price to pay for having the king back.Wroth with anger, the neighboring kingdom ordered assassinations of the kings friends, advisors, and family.  The king, remembering the fealty of his folk in bringing him back to life, ordered that resurrections be made to those assassinated because they died as a direct result of the decision to bring him back.Soon however, the royal treasury was mostly depleted, as while the kingdom had been a prosperous kingdom, the practice of paying for resurrections added up.  People began to resent that they were being taxed to bring back priviledged people, while the poor people's friends were left without recourse.The king had to come to the realization -- enough was enough.  If they king continued to pay for ressurections it would bleed his kingdom dry.  The dead would have to stay dead.  But it was too late.  With much of the treasury gone, the neighboring kingdom made war upon him and he did not have enough gold to defend his kingdom.  The neighboring kingdom had been content with just killing a king, but ended up with both the kings life as well as his kingdom.Hrm, ok, well, that fable could have been told better, but it's late at night and I'm too tired to polish it tonight.But basically the cost of ressurecting people is this sort slippery slope in which assassinations can be used to bleed a kingdom or household.  People have realized that it's better off for everyone if they agree that you aren't going to generally ressurect people because then you are just expensively staving off the inevitable.And sure, one person who gets assassinated can take care not to be put into a situation where he can be assassinated again, but then the assassin can just turn to a family member etc and basically bleed him dry.  It's very hard to prevent deaths for everyone you care for.And in the eyes of most peasents, using their taxes to (in their mind) frivously raise a member of royalty is going to cause unrest.  Of course, if it's not done too often, it will probably just be some grumbling.  But do it often enough and there is a good chance you're going to have to opress them more or give them some circuses.In any event, I think that even if the spell exists and isn't modified, I don't think it would have a huge impact on the game world.Now, greater teleport, on the other hand... but perhaps that's best left for another thread.</blockquote>

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