6 (or 7) Ways to Bring Back the Dead

That David Bowers thinks he’s so clever. First, he beats us to ‘blogging the various races. Then, when we think, “Well, that’s that then…” he goes on and does classes! And then, and then! he keeps on going to do professions too.

He thinks he’s so clever. Well, smart guy, what are you going to do after this, huh? How can you get any more detailed than that? You wouldn’t think you could, would you?

Well, here at Blogatelle, we think you could! So, in our attempt to one up Mr. Bowers, we present to you…

The lunatic, the lover, and the poet: So you want to cast Resurrection…

Why resurrection? Because it’s iconic. When you think miracles, bringing the dead back to life is pretty much top of the list. It’s something incredible, something beyond description. It goes beyond our normal understandings of the world, and it’s something only a level 10 or above priest can do. (We’re not counting a paladin’s redemption or … look, priests only.)

So why on earth should you play it straight, just like any other spell? Play it up. Make it your own. Here are no less than six different ways we can think of to role-play raising someone back to life.

Humans

The human priest is almost certainly a priest of the Holy Light, and the humans see themselves in service to it, with monks and abbeys for people who devote their whole life to the Light. So a resurrection for a human priest will probably be a request. /kneel before the dead, and /pray for them. Declare the worth their life has, beg the Light for succour and ask that the Light intervenes, but if it does not, then so be it. Then cast resurrection.

Dwarf

Like a human, a dwarf priest probably follows the Holy Light. But I think a dwarf is likely to have a bit more oomph in their ‘your will be done’ submission to the Light. Stand at the head of the deceased, and draw an axe. /yell your prayer into the night, and beg that from a weapon come healing. Then emote hurling your axe into the deceased… and marvel as it bounces off the stone below him, passing through him completely. Cast resurrection at this time… he is alive again!

Draenei

Once again, the draenei worship the Holy Light. But their version of the faith is more personal, less formal, influenced by close living amongst the Naaru. Unlike the penitent humans or the showy dwarves, beg a moment from your party alone. Find a quiet spot, and kneel. Pray hard. Emote mutterings. And finally, walk back, and smile. Note that, “The Light wants this to happen.” Kneel by the deceased, and lay one hand on their cheek. Say, “Rise and wake. You are not doomed to that other world yet.” And cast resurrection.

Night Elf (edited in by request of Blogatelle)

We’re going to assume that you’re inside a dungeon for this one. It’s the most common scenario for a resurrection anyway. Look at the roof disapprovingly, and pull out a Moonstone to bathe them in moonlight. Then, kneel beside them, emote pulling a silvery sheet over them, and then gently remove it. Cast resurrection. Emote that as you pull off the sheet, they’re alive. Then, insist they carry the Moonstone until ‘they see moonlight again’, or else they’ll die again as quickly as they were brought back.

Blood Elf

I always get in trouble when I opine on Blood Elves, but so be it. I still see the Blood Elves as essentially self-reliant, not a supplicant to a God. It’s the magical mindset. By MY will be done. And so, the chosen priest should kneel next to the deceased, and emote beginning to hum. He lays his hands upon the deceased, and then shouts loudly as he exerts his spiritual might upon their soul, forcing it back into the deceased’s body. When it’s done, the Blood Elf priest collapses backwards, exhausted. Miracles do not come easily.

Troll

A favourite of mine. The troll priest petitions Samedi, the loa of the dead. Not for mercy, but merely that he might take another instead. He walks up to the deceased, and /dances to catch Samedi’s attention. He yells in trollish, “Samedi! Listen to my words. I give you another instead of this one. He’ll go and walk the path you set. Give this one back to me!” Then, you summon a mini-pet you’re not too attached too… and emotes cutting it open and spilling the blood over the deceased. You then never summon that mini-pet again. You’ve sacrificed it for the resurrection spell.

Undead

Finally, the undead priest lays down next to the deceased and (if they have it yet) goes into Shadowform. Somewhere, the Undead priest’s soul is catching the soul of the deceased, and putting it back. When it’s done, they whisper into the dead man’s ears, and cast resurrection.

Who knows what they whispered? Only the priest, and the resurrected.

Only the resurrected. They’d never dare tell anyone else.

Sometimes, they may mutter it in their sleep, while they thrash about in a nightmare.