When a creature bound by your magic dies, its shadow does not fade with its body.
For a brief moment, the corpse lies still—then the light around it bends unnaturally inward. The creature’s shadow peels itself free from the corpse, stretching and tearing like wet ink across the ground before rising upright. Hollow eyes ignite within the darkness as the shadow exhales a sound like a final breath drawn backward.
The body remains dead.
What rises is the echo that refused to follow it.
When a valid creature dies while under the effect of Arise (or within 1 round of death, at the DM’s discretion), the caster must immediately make a Spellcasting Ability Check to bind the departing soul’s shadow.
Roll:d20 + spellcasting ability modifier
DC:20
On a Success
The creature’s shadow successfully manifests as a Shadow under your control, acting normally according to the spell’s rules.
On a Failure
The shadow tears loose and dissipates into necromantic residue. The corpse cannot be targeted again by Arise or similar shadow-binding magic.
On a Natural 1
The shadow manifests briefly, then turns hostile for 1 round before collapsing into nothingness.
On a Natural 20
The shadow rises empowered:
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It gains advantage on its first attack
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It has +2 temporary hit points
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It emits an aura of supernatural dread until the end of its first turn
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