This spell only works on a corpse that has neither previously been animated and is currently in its Dead timer. It will pull the character’s spirit back to reanimate its former body. The resulting zombie will then follow the caster’s commands as if a Control Undead spell had been cast upon it.
Note that this spell must be cast within the five-minute period between a character’s death and the point where the spirit heads to the Earth Circle for Resurrection.
This spell will not affect a living target, although it will remove a living person’s Spell Shield or Reflect Spell.
The zombie uses none of the Skills that the character has. It inflicts base damage with its Weapons. It cannot cast spells nor converse (although it may be commanded to parrot a particular phrase given it by the caster).
If the newly created zombie has no Weapon, then it will be able to attack with “Claws” (Short sword-sized Weapons red in color) doing two points of damage each. The caster must provide the physical representations for the Claws.
The zombie created will have half the Body Points the target had in life (including enhancements such as the Hardy Skill), as well as any armor that is left on the corpse. Any missing limbs will also be temporarily regenerated for the duration of this spell.
The zombie is considered Undead in every way and has the standard immunities and vulnerabilities of Undead. The zombie will have no metabolism and will be affected by Undead specific spells such as Turn Undead and Sanctuary.
The creature’s visual appearance does not change immediately, but the target will move slowly, shambling along, as a zombie should. A zombie fights with normal speed but cannot move fast enough to chase anyone who runs away.
If the creature is struck by a Life spell, the Create Undead effect ends immediately, and the target is returned to life at one Body Point with no further effects. If they are reduced to zero Body Points, or the spell duration expires, then the creature falls dead and begins a new 5-minute Death Countdown. In either case or after Resurrection, if returned to life, the creature will have no knowledge of their time spent as Undead.
The ten-minute spell duration cannot be extended by any means, even by Formal Magic.