So I was reading one of the path2e books, and a bit of description in one of them inspired an idea for a modified Resurrect spell, mainly to be used by bad guys, though tempting enough mechanically that an evil party member might be tempted to use this alternative to the standard Resurrect Ritual. Mostly the same as the standard Resurrect spell, but with some listed differences, summarized at the end of the post. I give you, Infernal Resurrection.
Infernal Resurrection Ritual 5
Rare, Healing, Necromancy
Cast: 1 day
Cost: blood diamonds worth a total value of 25 gp x the target's level + a good aligned humanoid sacrificed at the ritual's climax of at least half the target's level, or multiple sacrifices adding to this threshold.
Secondary: 2, at least one of whom must be a devil or demon
Primary Check: Occult (expert); Secondary Checks: Lore (Daemonology), Religion
Range 10 feet; Target(s): 1 dead creature of up to 10th level
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You attempt to call forth the target's soul and return it to its body. This requires the body to be present and relatively intact. The target must have died within the past year. If Pharasma has decided that the target's time has come or the target doesn't wish to return, increase the DC to successfully cast the spell by 5, but you discover this after the successful Occult check and can end the ritual before the sacrifices are made and blood diamonds are consumed.
Critical Success: You resurrect the target. They return to life with full Hit Points and the same spells prepared and points in their pools they had when they died, and still suffering from any long-term debilitations of the old body. The target is bound in powerful binding magics, and is forever under the effects of a Command spell, under the thrall of the Primary Caster. The target is also permanently changed in some way by their exposure to infernal energies, such as a red pallor to their skin, horns, or slitted pupils.
Success: As critical success, except the target returns to life with 1 Hit Point and no spells prepared or points in any pools, and still is affected by any long-term debilitations of the old body. Instead of fully bound by infernal powers, the target is only partially ensnared by them, and makes all Command Will Saves one degree of success better. On top of this, they are temporarily debilitated. The target is clumsy 1, drained 1, and enfeebled 1 for 1 week; these conditions can't be removed or reduced by any means until the week has passed.
Failure: Your attempt is unsuccessful. On top of this, the DC to return this subject, if unwilling, while using this ritual on the target again increases by 5.
Critical Failure: Something has gone horribly wrong - The Devil(s) or Demon(s) who aided your ritual must have tricked you! The body is possessed by a powerful Demon or Devil of at least the target's level, more than likely one that is hostile to you.
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Heightened (6th): You can resurrect a target of up to 12th level, and the base cost is 50 gp. The needed sacrifice increases by 1 level.
Heightened (7th): You can use infernal resurrection even with only a small portion of the body; the ritual creates a new body on a success or critical success. The target must have died within the past decade. The ritual requires four secondary casters of which one must be a devil or demon, each of the secondary casters must be at least half the target's level. The target can be up to 14th level, and the base cost is 75gp. The needed sacrifice increases by 2 levels.
Heightened (8th): As 7th level, but the target can be up to 16th level and the base cost is 100gp. The needed sacrifice increases by 3 levels.
Heightened (9th): You can use infernal resurrection even without the body as long as you know the target's name and have touched a portion of its body at any time. The target must have died within the past century, and it doesn't gain the negative conditions on a success. The ritual requires eight secondary casters, of whom at least 2 must be devils or demons, each of the secondary casters must be at least half the target's level. The target can be up to 18th level, and the base cost is 150gp. The needed sacrifice increases by 4 levels.
Heightened (10th): As 9th level, except it doesn't matter how long ago the target died. The ritual requires 16 secondary casters, at least 4 of whom must be devils or demons, each of the secondary casters must be at least half of the target's level. The target can be up to 20th level, and the ritual's base cost is 250 gp. The needed sacrifice increases by 5 levels.
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As you read through this, you will see it is mostly the same ritual as resurrect. The key differences are:
1. You require at least one devil or demon as a part of the ritual to act as the negotiator with more powerful demonic/devilish forces on behalf of the primary caster. More at higher levels. This gives added value to the Infernal Pact Ritual, as you have to find suitable devils or demons to act as secondary casters, and then either force or negotiate with them to participate in the ritual.
2. The cost in diamonds (now blood diamonds), is notably less. This is because the primary payment is the souls of good aligned creatures, sacrificed at the climax of the ritual. This fits the flavor of demonic rituals, and gives a nice monetary discount in exchange for an action that would be anathema to most parties.
3. You can bring someone back to life against their will, or against the will of Pharasma. Naturally this is a great boon, but hey, it's bad guys doing this anyways, so hardly surprising! No doubt she will be quite angry.
4. It hardly makes sense to trust any powerful or troublesome creature brought back this way entirely. On a critical success the subject is permanently under the influence of a Command spell, cast at 1st level on them, but only orders given by those who participated in the ritual. And naturally, the devils, demons, and primary caster's Commands supersede all others. This effect still lingers on a Success, but less effectively.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this bit of twisted, dark magic! Let me know what you think in the comments below. Thanks.