Essence of Death

Essence of Death
Toxin Rank 5
Delivery: Ingestion
Onset Time: 1 phase
Resilience DC: 15
Effect:
  •  1 Dose: The target becomes Nauseated and occasionally vomits a foul black goo.
  •  2 Doses: The nausea worsens and the vomiting becomes more frequent. The target's life aura is no longer significant to Lifesense, effectively rendering the target invisible to Lifesense.
  •  3 or More Doses: The target's life force is completely snuffed out. It momentarily dies and then rises back up as a mindless zombie.
Metabolism: Doses remain in the body for 1d4 phases.
Components: Extract from the marrow of mindless undead humanoids that have been animate for at least a decade.
Brew Time: None
Creation: None
"There’s something wrong with the air around it. Like it knows you’re alive and resents you for it."
——Serin Blackert, Grave Robber

Description

Essence of Death is a dark, viscous fluid with a color somewhere between ink and dried blood. Its foul odor clings to the nostrils, reminiscent of rot and old grave soil. The substance carries a subtle necromantic aura, enough to be detected by basic divinations or arcane scrutiny. It is highly dangerous when consumed, as it disrupts the flow of life energy and erodes the soul’s tether to the body. It is a poor tool for assassination as the flavor is practically impossible to mask in food.

Lore

Essence of Death is not crafted—it forms. Deep within the bones of the long-walking dead, a dark sludge slowly builds, congealing in marrow channels like pitch in old wood. This substance, foul and slick, seeps into existence over years of animation, absorbing the necromantic residue that sustains the undead shell. It is said that once a creature has endured a decade or more in such a state, the essence becomes thick enough to extract directly, requiring no more than careful tools and a strong stomach.

This natural accumulation is one reason among many why the consumption of undead flesh—whether by beast, blighted creature, or misguided survivor—is considered extremely dangerous. Essence of Death resists digestion and corrupts the life force of those who ingest it, warping aura and soul alike. In rare but horrifying cases, scavengers have risen days later as mindless undead, unburied and unbidden.

Among alchemists, Essence of Death is both a curiosity and a taboo. Its uses are potent but often reviled, and few handle it without protective wards or a clear escape plan. In necromantic circles, however, it holds greater fascination—as a substance born not from life, but against it.

Some field notes describe patches of earth where Essence-tainted marrow was spilled as "sour" to plant life, and disturbingly quiet, as if even the worms avoid the soil.