Dead Man's Tell

1st-level divination (ritual) (Druid,Pale Master,Warlock,Wizard)

  • Casting Time: 1 minute
  • Range: Touch
  • Components: V, M (one part of a criminal’s corpse, which must be flexible in some way)
  • Duration: Until dispelled

You imbue a body part taken from a criminal’s corpse--such as a hand, finger, or head--with divinatory powers that cause it to react. Choose one of the categories of things it can detect and react to below. When something that falls within the chosen category or selected subcategories comes within 30 feet of the body part that has become the dead man’s tell item, it activates. You can choose one of the following categories to activate the dead man’s tell item:

  • Alignment. Choose one of the following alignments: good, evil, lawful, or chaotic. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of a creature that has such an alignment.

  • Consecration/Desecration. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of a place or object that has been magically consecrated or desecrated (as with the hallow spell).

  • Creature. Select one or more types of creatures from the following list: aberrations, beasts, constructs, dragons, elementals, fey, fiends, giants, monstrosities, oozes, plants, or undead. You can also choose one or more races of humanoids (such as humans or goblins). You can choose as many or as few of these types as you like. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of one of the chosen creature types.

  • Disease. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of an object or creature that carries a disease with which it can infect other creatures.

  • Magic. Choose magic items, spell casting, scrying attempts, or general magical effects. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of one of the chosen effects.

  • Poison. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of poison or poisonous creatures.

  • Secret Door. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of a secret door.

  • Trap. The dead man’s tell item activates when it is within 30 feet of a hidden trap or disguised pit or snare.

The first time the dead man’s tell item detects one or more of the chosen category or subcategories of subjects within 30 feet, it activates. When activated, the item violently spasms for one round; a hand clenches, a finger jerks, jaws chatter, and the like. The dead man’s tell item does not indicate the power or location of the subject it has detected, merely its presence within 30 feet at the time of its activation. After being activated, the spell ends, and the body part rapidly decays and desiccates, unable to be used for this spell again.

A creature is not detected by the dead man’s tell item if it is separated from it by 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt, or if it is protected by an effect that prevents divination (such as a nondetection spell).

The same spellcaster cannot have multiple dead man’s tell items affected with this spell at once. When you cast the dead man’s tell spell again, any previous casting of this spell ends immediately.