The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist Fjord in −514 DR and was originally known as Fjord's animation. The spell was one of the ones listed in the Tome of the Unicorn. This spell was also inscribed within the Kelemvorite relic the Testament of Vraer. All versions of animate dead required verbal and somatic components, but the material components varied. The earliest version required a bit of human flesh, a drop of blood, and a bone shard or a pinch of powdered bone. The second version changed it to a bit of flesh of the type of creature being animated.[9]The third incarnation did away with the flesh, blood, and bone and instead required a black onyx gem worth at least 25 gp be placed in the mouth or eye socket of each corpse. Casting this version of animate dead consumed most of the gem, leaving a worthless, charred, empty shell behind. The fifth version brought back the drop of blood, the piece of flesh, and the pinch of bone dust as material components.