Dead Thrall doesn't work?

[DEADication]

So I used Dead Thrall on Orchendor, but now Dead Thrall just shoots a ball and does nothing. Am I doing something wrong or have I completely forgotten how this spell works? The corpse isn't there anymore so I must have it right? Why is Dead Thrall doing nothing now? I literally haven't used it on any other corpse yet no one is showing up to fight for me.

[mikaeliby]

When used it makes the dead NPC rise in a blue light and then follow you as any follower right away. Some NPC:S can´t be enthralled, but it should work on Orchendor. Does it work for you on other NPC:S?

[R4ndomG4mer]

From the UESP:

"Any humanoid level 40 or below may be reanimated to become a permanent minion. However, there are some considerations which might guide your decision in choosing a minion since the thrall is permanent and can be raised again if killed during combat. Note that some leveled NPCs may become unusable once you reach level 40, as they keep leveling while risen as a thrall, which may make the Dead Thrall spell ineffective if the thrall happens to die in combat and you attempt to raise them again. For this reason, you may select a thrall that has a level cap at or below level 40."

link: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Dead_Thrall

[DEADication]

Originally posted by mikaeliby:

When used it makes the dead NPC rise in a blue light and then follow you as any follower right away. Some NPC:S can´t be enthralled, but it should work on Orchendor. Does it work for you on other NPC:S?

Nope. All it does is shoot a projectile. I aim it at the ground as I would to summon an atronach or thrall, and avoid targeting other corpses when trying to bring Orchendor back.

My only solution at this juncture is to use console command to make him appear, kill him, then use aforementioned application of Dead Thrall to make him into one.

I need to keep an eye on him as well. The way I see it, it's just a permanent version of Reanimate Dead, but it doesn't summon them from out of nowhere if I should lose sight of them. Given that explanation, am I using this spell correctly or am I missing something?

[R4ndomG4mer]

Well there's your problem, shooting the spell at the ground. You have to use it ON the corpse you wish to resurrect.

[DEADication]

Originally posted by R4ndomG4mer:

Well there's your problem, shooting the spell at the ground. You have to use it ON the corpse you wish to resurrect.

LOL I completely forgot how this spell worked. I don't know why I thought it would be like the other thrall spells that summon them into existence. I somehow thought Dead Thrall worked the same way. Case closed.