Blood Spilled Anew Spell
Blood Spilled Anew is a third-party legacy necromancy spell from Crime and Punishment (Atlas Games, 2003). It enchants bloodstained evidence from a murder so that the old stain begins to bleed again when the creature who struck the killing blow comes close.
At a Glance
| School | Necromancy |
|---|---|
| Original level | Cleric 1 |
| Casting Time | 1 action |
| Components | V, S |
| Range | Touch |
| Target | One bloodstained object or corpse |
| Duration | 24 hours |
| Saving Throw | None |
| Spell Resistance | No |
| Source | Crime and Punishment, Keith Baker, Atlas Games, 2003 |
Blood Spilled Anew by Edition
5.5e / 2024 — No Direct Official Equivalent
There is no official 2024 spell named Blood Spilled Anew. The legacy murder-evidence reaction should not be presented as core modern D&D.
5e / 2014 — No Direct Official Equivalent
The 2014 spell list also has no direct equivalent. Modern divination or necromancy can provide other forms of evidence, but none reproduces this exact bloodstain reaction as a core spell.
Pathfinder 1e — Third-Party Conversion Only
The spell can be adapted to PF1e terminology, but it is not a core Pathfinder spell and should remain clearly labelled as third-party material.
Its reaction should be treated as magical evidence linked to the killing blow, not as a universal truth detector.
Original d20 Rules
Choose an object stained with blood during a murder: a weapon used in the attack, bloodied clothing, or the corpse of the victim.
For the next 24 hours, if the enchanted evidence comes within 6 feet of the creature who struck the killing blow, fresh blood flows from the original stain.
The flow stops as soon as that creature moves beyond 6 feet.
What Changed?
- The spell is now clearly identified as legacy third-party material.
- No invented 5e/2014 or 5.5e/2024 version is supplied.
- The 6-foot trigger and 24-hour duration are preserved.
- The effect is framed as supernatural evidence, not an infallible replacement for investigation or judgement.
- Outdated language around other peoples and legal customs has been removed.
What the Spell Actually Proves
Under its original wording, the spell reacts to the creature who struck the killing blow. That is not always the same as proving murder in a legal or moral sense.
A dominated guard, executioner, duellist, battlefield combatant, coerced captive, creature acting in self-defence, or person tricked into delivering the final blow can all complicate what the reaction means. The spell identifies a magical connection to the fatal act; investigators still need context.
Using Blood Spilled Anew in Play
The spell is most useful when investigators have several suspects and physical evidence from the killing. Because its reaction is visible to bystanders, it can create a dramatic confrontation rather than a private clue.
It also creates good counterplay: evidence can be stolen, destroyed, substituted, hidden, magically altered, or brought close to a suspect without their knowledge. The spell can therefore move an investigation forward without ending it automatically.
Related Investigation Magic
Source and Provenance
Source: Crime and Punishment
Author: Keith Baker
Publisher: Atlas Games
Published: 2003
This page preserves the spell as legacy third-party d20 material and does not present it as an official spell from later editions.
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