| chrisno |
After reading the judges' comments on the winners, I'm pretty sure that my item would have been sloughed off as a spell-in-a-can, but I thought it was such a cool and useful spell-in-a-can.
Patron's stone
This plain round onyx is often found mounted in a decorative leather cuff to keep it held firmly against the skin of its wearer, such as on the wrist. While the wearer is alive, the stone has no effect other than radiating a mild necromantic aura. The death of the wearer triggers its function. A number of rounds (d20) after passing, the onyx heats up and raises the corpse as per an Animate Dead spell. The corpse does its best to obey a simple statement determined at the time of the stone's creation. If the stone loses contact with the corpse, the effect ends, it cools rapidly, and its one-time magic is lost.
Some high-level adventurers craft such items for themselves with the instructions, "Return home at night, unseen," where servants can undertake resurrection arrangements. But more frequently the pearl is part of the agreement between patrons and low-level adventurers, to ensure that any items loaned to the party make it back to the patron one way or the other. Recent reports also tell that similar items are being used increasingly amongst conscripts at war, ensuring that they continue to fight the enemy despite mortal wounds.
Note that the necromantic energies of the device radiate evil, and can prove problematic for characters dependent on unsullied connections to good energy.
Moderate necromancy; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, Animate Dead; Price 18,750 gp
Fortunately, I was inspired after not being selected, and already have an even cooler second item at the ready for next year.