Necromancy
Aptly described as a blight upon the land leaving both the living and the dead in its wake, necromancy is the union of the magical powers of life and the divine. This perversion of nature and gains its user a terrible influence over flesh. At the end of the day all necromancers seek knowledge - that of immortality. Through the control of the body they may find the secret of an eternal life. How they reach that goal differs wildly.
While technically necromancy is the blending of two types of mana and should follow the rules of, or lack thereof, sorcery it is known as the only form of magic which is abhorrent to the Divines. Practitioners are promised a painful torturous afterlife by the Faith. Users of the dark magic agree with them, a rare occasion indeed.
Types of Necromancers
How you define a necromancer vastly varies by who you're speaking with. Any magic user may attempt to cast a school of necromancy spell as it's just an advanced form of sorcery, but very few people do. Throughout history there are at any one time less than a hundred active necromancers. Part of that lies in the desire to avoid the subject and the other is that they tend to take care of themselves. The first attempt of the art is usually their last and no one is the wiser about what magical catastrophe caused their death.
Most necromancers certainly think of themselves in various flavors of the art; the world does not. They see little difference between a quiet hermit in a lone tower experimenting away on the corpse of a wolf and a classically evil overlord marching their undead horde against the countryside.
Types of Necromancers
How you define a necromancer vastly varies by who you're speaking with. Any magic user may attempt to cast a school of necromancy spell as it's just an advanced form of sorcery, but very few people do. Throughout history there are at any one time less than a hundred active necromancers. Part of that lies in the desire to avoid the subject and the other is that they tend to take care of themselves. The first attempt of the art is usually their last and no one is the wiser about what magical catastrophe caused their death.
Most necromancers certainly think of themselves in various flavors of the art; the world does not. They see little difference between a quiet hermit in a lone tower experimenting away on the corpse of a wolf and a classically evil overlord marching their undead horde against the countryside.
Corrupted
No one, even necromancers, doubt that there exists a corruption within all necromancy; however, there are those that take that corruption and embrace it with joy. Often the Corrupted appear monstrous in form, with bodies nearly in a state of undeath or modified with the flesh of beasts. They rarely remain hidden for long and are the most commonly known necromancer. After all someone amassing a large following of the undead is easy when you have no compunction against walking into a homestead and converting the family. For the mage it unfortunately makes them an easy target.
While they quickly rise to power they're also quickly put down which is why if you stumble across a very old Corrupted you should step lightly and with great reverence. Lichs, necrolords, the vampiric tainted, and all fully transmogrified beings fall under this category.
The Delivered while not a united group mostly view them much like the commoner does, people to be put down. If the Philosophers were to use a word it would be pity. They see the Corrupted as people who attempted to take the Journey and lost themselves to their own vices. While they are willing to work with a Corrupted necromancer they do so with great caution.
The Delivered
Likely the fewest in number of the three established types of necromancer are the Delivered. These are people who walked the other paths and found a disgust with themselves. They cast off most of their power and plead to be let back within the embrace of the Divines. How they find themselves seeking redemption is deeply personal; however, frequently a loved one is injured or their frustration with the Journey peaks and they crawl back. Delivered exist mostly as solitary people, often finding comfort in separating themselves from society. Routinely their past tortures them.
The Corrupted would mock a Delivered as weak, unable to do what they must in order to survive. Meanwhile the Philosopher rarely takes issue with their decision. Perhaps they wonder in the back of their mind if they too will find the task too great.
The Philosophers
The near scientific study of necromancy is conducted by the Philosophers. They believe that there is a path along the Journey that will free them from the Divine order, giving to them an immortality which is denied simply at the command of the gods. Recognizing that the Corrupted fail to maintain a grip on reality and become filled with their uncontrolled darkest thoughts they seek a balance. They also ask why they should sacrifice their bodies and gain the terrible visage so often seen on immortal necromancers. The Philosophers like to consider themselves as intelligent researchers, stoically toiling away lest they fall.
The Philosophers know that none of them have ever completed the Journey.
The Corrupted see no difference between themselves and a Philosopher, after all they're both students of necromancy. To a Delivered they may or may not sit on the sidelines during an encounter, but they recognize that the path a Philosopher walks is easily lost in the darkness.
Magic
If sorcery is against the natural order then necromancy crosses that threshold and nails the door shut behind it. The backlash for the untrained is several orders higher in both chance and brutality. At the same time the soul forever remains scarred even from a single indiscretion.
A small practice of necromancy is the usage of the acid splash or poison spray spell and may only get you looked at curiously by non-priests or novice mages. Realize that any seasoned guard or person of the faith can spot out obvious necromancy and some devout priests can even detect the lingering taint upon a person. The heavy hitters of the practice such as raising the dead or monstrously altering yourself to a visible level is obvious to all of what you are. Necromancers should expect to get hunted down if they're discovered practicing their craft.
Necromancer Feat
Philosopher's Coil
Must be a Necromancer
Combat Maneuver
Seeing past the wrongness of the world comes naturally to the trained mind of a necromancer. They may imbue their school of necromancy spells by further turning the nature of life mana on its head. The player may invoke the Philosopher's Coil after the roll to hit or save but before the outcome is determined.
You may use a number of maneuvers equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
Type Bonus Damage Increase Cantrips 1d4 - Damage Spells 1d6 1d6 at Level 5, 11, and 17 Spell Save DC - 1d4 at Level 5
Philosopher's Coil
Must be a Necromancer
Combat Maneuver
Seeing past the wrongness of the world comes naturally to the trained mind of a necromancer. They may imbue their school of necromancy spells by further turning the nature of life mana on its head. The player may invoke the Philosopher's Coil after the roll to hit or save but before the outcome is determined.
You may use a number of maneuvers equal to your proficiency bonus per long rest.
| Type | Bonus Damage | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Cantrips | 1d4 | - |
| Damage Spells | 1d6 | 1d6 at Level 5, 11, and 17 |
| Spell Save DC | - | 1d4 at Level 5 |
Manifestation
Necromantic spell effects frequently appear in sickly tones of muted green and yellow. When applied to oneself as a benefit the body may mutate for the duration. Examples of observed mutations include an eye which bulges and appears pussy, your sword arm swelling with great growing purplish veins and sallow skin, or your toenails becoming thick gnarled claws. Spells which use blood find that it quickly coagulates and smells of disease.
Contents
Table of Contents
Type
Metaphysical, Arcane
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