Potion of Greater Undeath

This potion is a cataclysm waiting to happen. The effects are far reaching and frightening for any mortal. Few, if any, necromancers have ever attempted its creation, and it has never been made use of in written history. It is unknown if this potion is actually capable of the devastation it promises, or simply an elaborate ruse by powerful necromancers. It is suchly rumored to be colorless, odorless, and tasteless, only presenting at the moment that the city begins to die, at which time it is often too late.
*Note: As of 6ed, this poison has been deployed twice, once in Northern Doskara, and once in Silheimia. It is in no way falsified, though only its effects were noted, its creation cannot be verified, cause I'm not stupid enough to get near a lich. ES*

5e Rulings
Activation, damage and DC are equivalent with Poxmaker's Draught.
1 in 20 that die by this affliction rise as wights.
1 in 20 rise as dissimortuums, the body reforming into a mask which emits a siren call drawing those yet unafflicted to their position and claiming their body as their own until it can be modified to be acceptable to the necromancer.
The remainder rise as zombies.
1L per square kilometre
5L irrevocably contaminates a water supply, this effect cannot be stopped except by a wish spell

Manufacturing process

*Note: I had these notes handed to me by a terrified looking adventurer as payment for healing his allies. To hear tell, thirty of them went in there, I healed two, the third adventurer was the one with the notes, and he came in with his best friend slung over his shoulder... Unfortunately he was true dead, soul destroyed and all. So when I say not to mess with this stuff, don't do it. ES"

The first step in preparing this potion is to acquire your reactor. It is recommended to use a cleric of a life domain, they're hardier and often survive the process better. Then, prepare the calcified heart, soaking it in the blood of an infant afflicted by a Potion of Undeath. Unfortunately, the potion doesn't take, leaving them with permanent scarring. In claiming the city, it is best to identify these infants and drain them or keep them as cultists. The blood should be fresh. Then, have your minions tie down the cleric and use a life sustaining concoction, personal preference to Effervescent of False Death.

Carve the heart out and replace it with the mummy lord's heart, if your patient dies it is effectively useless, hence life sustaining substances. You should be familiar with reattaching body parts already. Close the patient back up.

Though not necessary, it is useful to place the patient at a wall, with arms spread. An incision should be made in each arm, inserting tubing, whether copper, iron or intestinal. Through one, the Potion of Undeath should be drained into the victim, the other should connect to the container for the unicorn blood. This should be done simultaneously.

At this time, the patient will most likely begin screaming. This is normal, the heart will keep the patient alive until such time as they are no longer necessary. The body is currently undergoing changes, A gag may be necessary, if only to reduce irritation while working. Through their mouth the distillate of Iotronan Bloodroot should be dribbled. This will serve to both quiet the patient and provide a necessary factor in the purification of the potion.

The subject will need to remain in this state for a year and a day. During this time, a regurgitative effect will be seen on the containers inserted into the arms, the potion being filtered, then returned to the original vessel and refluxed through the venous structure of the patient. It will go from clear to blood red, then purple, then blue and finally return to clear, the unicorn blood should reflux with the same solution. When it has clarified, the patient should have completed the process of purification.

At this point it is necessary to perform surgery again. In this case, the chest cavity should be opened up again, and the outgoing vessels removed from the heart. From there, pour the fluid from the heart into a container until it begins to congeal and turn lightly green. At this juncture it is necessary to add the Death Knight Ashes, this will react with the congealed liquid atop, forming small stones and dropping to the bottom of the flask, pour the liquid off into a storage container, that is the necessary component. This should produce roughly 1 Litre of the solution.

The Calcified Mummy Lord's heart can be reclaimed, all else should be disposed of. The corpse itself will be toxic and if resurrected, will most likely be maddened by the pain, dying shortly thereafter in horrifying agony. Disposal in this case may consist of returning the corpse to the adventuring party from which it was taken.

Item type

Consumable, Magical

Subtype / Model

Potion of Undeath

Rarity

Legendary

Weight

1 kg per L

Base Price

20,000 gp per L

Raw materials & Components

Base: Potion of Undeath 5L
Calcified Mummy Lord's Heart
Distillate of Iotronan Bloodroot
Ashes of a Death Knight, Killed by holy fire
A Living Cleric of a Good Aligned God, Capable of casting 5th level spells
Unicorn Blood, 5L