NECROMANCERS
WHAT IS NECROMANCY AND NECROMANTIC
ENERGY?
▶The Art of Necromancy is a spooky
one of magical practices, the command over the forces of life and death itself.
▶Necromancy is the only magic school
that most people slap an innate morality to. No one thinks of Illusion or
Transmutation magic as being “evil” or “good”, even if you transmute living
beings. Necromantic energy is no more inherently evil than nuclear energy.
▶They fear death, they don’t
understand that death is part of the cycle of life. Life and death are 2 sides
of the same coin.
▶Necromantic energy is a primal force
just like Life or Animatic energy, if not a different aspect of the same primal
energy, which infuses all living things.
▶We can say maybe that Necromantic
energy is what fuels undead and keeps them animate.
▶Necromantic energy is an actual
force of energy that can be manipulated and used to form golems of flesh and
bone. It’s no different than creating a robot with specific commands on what
you wish for it to do.
▶If Life or Necromantic energy is
channeled it is allowed to return back to the universe observed, manipulated,
or even abused, but always returned.
▶The term Necromancy simply refers to
the source of the mages power, in this case a necromancer gets their power from
the Necromantic energy released when something is dying or already dead.
▶One big draw back to Necromantic
energy is that if this energy is not used or stored immediately it fades away
slowly, a Necromancer will generally carry some objects like gems or artifacts
to store this energy, if he doesn’t want to store the energy on its own body
and risking to be corrupted.
WHAT IS A NECROMANCER?
▶They contain knowledge of the world beyond
and understand the paths between the living and the dead.
▶Masters of this tainted field of
magic can conjure festering diseases, harness the shadows into bolts of necromantic
energy, and chill the living with the power of death.
▶Necromancers are not stupid, they
recognize that undead are distasteful to society, but some of them think it's
better to send an undead into a dragon's den than risk a life.
▶They can take the different parts of
the spirit and the body to make something new, a different balance between all
the different parts. Necromancers alters their body, mind, spirit and soul to
redefine that union.
▶Necromancers are sorcerers who
merely observe the ebb and flow of life and death, and use this power to divine
information about the world. Such powers can be used for good also.
▶Necromancers can be obsessed with
survival above all. Most are focused on self-preservation. Others, and these
are often the strongest, most powerful and inventive, are trying to preserve
lovers or friends, or whole nations.
DIFERENT APLICATIONS OF NECROMANCY
▶Some aspects of necromancy that are
not commonly mentioned:
▶Corpse animation: A skilled user can animate dead bodies to fight
for him. He must keep constant concentration to control them. He has to
actually control them rather than just tell them to do something. No soul is
harmed during this process.
▶Soul necromancy: Binding souls to their original body or
another body. So in this instance, it’s not that necromancers are merely
playing around with discarded husks of bodies, it’s an act of enslavement of a
once-living being, towards the necromancer’s personal ends.
▶Spirit and Soul magic: Can be used to torture and damage the spirit
and soul of living or already dead beings. The user is capable of wielding
magic related to possession, allowing the user to wield spells or magical power
that enables one to overtake a target’s body and control them.
▶Flesh and bone constructs creation: There are some parts of the brain
that do not require conscious thought to operate, merely nutrition and electric
impulses, with a bit of Necromantic energy. Gather all the ingredients and you
can create a flesh golem just like a mage can create a stone golem, and golems
always involve the binding and enslaving of elemental spirits, while at least
some undead don't necessarily involve any spirit enslavement at all. That's not
Evil, that's recycling.
▶Communication with the dead: Can be used to communicate with lost souls and
help them find peace, putting spirits to rest, or for asking the dead for aid or
knowledge.
▶Sense for diseases: Even small flu can kill a person if not
treated, it can kill slowly. Necromancers can sense the Necromantic Energy that
an ill (dying) body is slowly releasing, as well as cancers or tumors. They carefully
choose the parts for their Flesh constructs.
▶Necromantic and Life energy manipulation: Necromancers can manipulate these
energies to kill, damage, restore or fortify the living body by draining Life
energy, or derive their power from the caster’s own life force. No one’s soul is
tainted (except, arguably, the necromancer’s). Necromantic energy can also be
used to reconstruct the flesh, even of undead creatures, allowing them to
function again even after the body have been destroyed.
▶Blood manipulation:
·
Necromancers
can alter and manipulate their own blood and also the blood of living beings or
dead bodies beyond its form or motion. Body temperature, pulse rate, the number
of red blood cells, blood composition, increasing physical abilities by
speeding up the transport of nutrients and oxygen via blood to all parts of
their body, improving their energy and power.
·
They
can shape their blood into tendrils to strike enemies from afar or use it to
trap opponents in a prison of blood. Users can concentrate blood into a single
point, and shoot it like a bullet, or sharpen their blood to the point that
they can slice and tear flesh or solidify blood to use it as a sword.
▶Bone manipulation:
·
This
is just Calcium Manipulation. Necromancers can create, shape, move, control,
interact and manipulate bones, a rigid tissue that constitutes part of the
vertebrate skeleton in animals, of oneself and others.
·
Necromancers
can control bare skeletons or entire skeletal systems, including growing,
shaping, manipulating density/weight, creating constructs, etc. For combative
purposes, one can turn bones into spears, strengthening bones to increases
defenses, or positioning bones to defend from incoming attacks. Like Kimimaro
from Naruto.
HOW DO YOU BECOME A NECROMANCER?
▶They must take their craft seriously
and have to long devote to study an art-form often associated with darkness and
horror. They must study, dissect, adapt, coerce, and strengthen the forces of
life and death, just like a doctor doing an autopsy.
▶The study of life and death is
wrought with emotion, so it takes a professional detachment to truly study the
way of the world through careful calculation and observation.
▶Those who practice necromancy risk
being corrupted by the dark magic they wield, that’s why they need training and
studying, since undead can be used without a guarantee that they will
eventually freak out and attack people, as golems created by mages do.
▶They can be granted the ability to
manipulate the necromantic energy by any deity or entity that has the power to
gift it. It can be through worships, bargains or just as a gift.
You can be kidnapped
and obligated to practice it by a group of Necromancers.
NECROMANCY ETHICS
▶Like many things in a game,
interesting play can emerge if necromancy (or any other class or magic) is
treated not as wholly evil, nor as entirely good, this would be just as boring.
▶The ethics of manipulating Elemental
energy to cast a Fireball lies within whether you fire it into a Goblin’s
den or an orphanage. Why should Necromantic energy be treated any differently?
▶Why a Mage is judged only when he
set fire upon an orphanage or caused destruction, and a Necromancer is judged
before doing anything evil? Being a necromancer allows you to wield power,
depending on how you choose to use them, just like a mage.
▶Is necromancy inherently evil?
Perhaps you simply are attracted to the spookiness of working with bone, flesh,
and blood. Maybe you wish to raise an undead army to defend your family and
nation.
▶Being a practitioner of the dark
arts doesn’t mean that you have to be evil. A player can decide what path he
would like to take. For instance, he can become a healer if he desires.
HOW HIGH ELVES SOCIETY (or any
other race) CAN INCORPORATE NECROMANCERS?
▶Give necromancy some useful,
respectable spells. Give the people of Scars of Honor a complex relationship
with death. Perhaps even reshape some Gods to match the philosophy.
▶Sorry if I repeat some of the reasons I described on the Witches posts, that’s not my intention.
▶Due to their blood and bone manipulation skills they can be amazing physiotherapists and doctors.
▶Necromancers can work at maintaining a balance and serve a vital role within their community.
▶They use their powers exclusively to
raise the corpses of fellow serfs who agreed to the procedure
▶Necromancers can bring a group of
undead workers. With every additional undead laborer, the living peasants’
workload grows lighter.
▶Through rules, always avoid an
awkward meeting with someone's undead friend or loved one. Try to animate the
dead of Orcs, goblins, Infernal Demons, etc, instead of your allies.
▶They can have an institution that polices
the use of magic, oversees those who use all magic arts, dark, light and neutral.
▶Necromancy is a school of magic that
alters the living and the dead. This means that one of the best ways to combat
the Undead, is with a Necromancer.
▶You can see Necromancers as
questionable anti-heroes. Just like Venom or Wolverine.
▶Necromancy can be used in a way that
brings comfort and aid to the living, while respecting and honoring those that
have passed on before. Rites would be performed which would eternally bind a
portion of a warrior's soul to his body, so the warrior would rise to defend
his king if anyone disturbs his rest place.