D&D 5E Resurrecting dead from millenia?

[Reynard]

Petrification is another way to preserve someone in a not-dead state for hundreds of years, though they must have been alive when they were turned to stone to get around the resurrection time limits this way.

I was going to suggest the same thing. I don't know the 5e rules off the top of my head but I do not recall a time limit from earlier editions. It makes a nice "Captain America" origin too, which I will be using in an upcoming Eberron game.

 

[77IM]

The cleric's "Divine Intervention" ability might be able to modify the time-range of true resurrection.

 

[Eltab]

If the Pharaoh (other high-ranking - or egomaniacal / paranoid - official) was mummified with the correct additional magic rituals, he could be resurrected at an unknown future later date, in time of dire need.

Consider: bring back Rameses the Great to fend off a barbarian invasion, or Imhotep (inventor of the bureaucratic form of Government and architect of first pyramids) to design a capital city whose glory and grandeur rivals the Palace of Versailles.

 

[Voi_D_ragon]

I would put it beyond the power of even a standard wish since true resurrection is already a 9th level spell limited to 200 years old. The magic required would generally be beyond that of mere mortals.

Mere *ninth level spell casting* mortals.

 

[Caliban]

In my home campaign, I've ruled that if you die while wearing a Ring of Mind Shielding and your soul stays in the ring, you can be raised/ressurrected as long as your body is intact enough for the spell (and the ring is on the corpse).

Ring of Mind Shielding
Requires Attunement

While wearing this ring, you are immune to magic that allows other creatures to read your thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know your Alignment, or know your creature type. Creatures can telepathically communicate with you only if you allow it.

You can use an action to cause the ring to become Invisible until you use another action to make it visible, until you remove the ring, or until you die.

If you die while wearing the ring, your soul enters it, unless it already houses a soul. You can remain in the ring or depart for the afterlife. As long as your soul is in the ring, you can telepathically communicate with any creature wearing it. A wearer can't prevent this telepathic Communication.

 

[Oofta]

In my home campaign, I've ruled that if you die while wearing a Ring of Mind Shielding and your soul stays in the ring, you can be raised/ressurrected as long as your body is intact enough for the spell (and the ring is on the corpse).

I could also see a ring being picked up by someone and having the soul convince that person to find the body of the soul trapped inside. Could make for an interesting plot hook/side campaign.

 

[Mad_Jack]

I'm thinking that if you put in the leg work to find the soul and convince it to come back, a custom ritual that includes the casting of a Wish used for the purpose of upgrading the casting of a True Resurrection might be a powerful enough combo to bring them back.
Especially if it's being done by the bad guy or some npc as a plot-related thing.
But I've always been big on using the casting of a Wish (or several) as a prerequisite for other shenanigans.

 

[Bacon Bits]

The true resurrection spell only works for creatures less than 200 years old or less and assumes you have access to the body and that the creature is willing and able to return to life.

True resurrection doesn't require the body. It will create one if it isn't present as long as you speak the creature's name. Doesn't help with breaking the 200 year deadline, however.

The only official way is for living clerics/wizards to have been casting gentle repose on the corpse every 10-day, thus resetting clock that the dead one may be raised/resurrected within.

Maybe a wish spell could work.

Anything beyond that - special rituals, artifacts/magic items, divine boons, etc. – is up to you as DM.

Yeah Gentle Repose is the only really incontrovertible way to do it.

Depending on reading, Sequester works, as well, since it stops time. It depends on if the DM says that time also stops for inanimate objects as well, and whether or not the DM rules that the body's age or some other condition is what prevents resurrection. Also potentially Imprisonment, depending on if the DM allows it to target a corpse. Flesh to Stone might also be used to preserve a body, but, again, it's subject to DM approval.