Necromancy Spells
by Mark DeVries
In necromancy the concept of good and evil is absent. Or rather, it has no meaning for the magic. It is perfectly possible to use necromantic powers for good. It is just the view of outsiders that abhor the very thought of using the power of the soul for magic that causes necromancy to be synonymous with the blackest of evil throughout the greater galaxy. There is however a similar distinction in those regions where necromancy can be and is practiced. That between hallowed and un-hallowed. As there is necromancy to use the power contained within the soul there is an opposite ability to protect the souls from such tampering. In a great many souls this is done by priests who in specific rituals 'bless' a soul, or a corpse, or a grave, and thereby protect it against necromancy. Of course such blessings wear off as time passes and there are reversed rituals to shatter the blessing, turning previously hallowed into unhallowed ground. When encountering necromancy is a distinct possibility the vestis do well to investigate the means of obtaining a blessing in that particular part of the greater galaxy. Necromancers can deal swiftly with the unprepared.
Nearly all necromancy depends on the willpower attribute, and many of the permanent effects require constant rechecks of that attribute to continue (or resist) the effect. Fear and belief being integral parts of the necromantic powers allow only those of strong will to use and resist this magic.
Additional necromantic spells:
Ghoul herding. (willpower) Quantity rating: 1 Difficulty level: 1 Creation Time: 1 moment (regardless of the number of ghouls) Range: - Duration: special Power Requirement: 0 (special)
A mostly dead creature that can be called from the graves. It is fast and strong but difficult to control and only runs in packs. It eats meat and is violent but a coward, especially for fire.
To raise a ghoul the necromancer must find a cemetary that is no longer holy ground, or "walk" one to claim it. Performing sacrifices in a cemetry also helps. Only those who have in spilled blood can be raised as ghouls. This means that the graves of soldiers, murderers but also of butchers can be used to raise a ghouls. The effects of this spilled blood is spreading as the holiness of a grave fades over time. Casting the spell succesfully once binds a ghoul. To bind a second ghoul the spell must be cast successfully twice, and so on.
Raising a ghoul is easy, but controlling it is harder. The necromancer must make a willpower check against the size of the pack he wishes to control. If he fails then he must make another check. If she fails again then all the ghouls break free and can not be controlled again. Otherwise only the number of ghouls that the first check failed by escape control and return to their burroughs. Additionally ghouls require fresh meat daily, or be allowed to go hunting.
Ghoul (creature) Strength: 14, Endurance: 14, Agility: 8, Coordination: 6, Intelligence: 4 Wits: 1, Willpower: 1.
Ghouls resemble a cross of dogs and humans. The can walk upright for short distances but prefer to go on all fours. Their fingers end in long sharp nails and a scratch by them often causes nasty infections. Ghouls do not speak but have some understanding of normal language, though their lack of intelligence means they are not up to anything more complicated than 'Go away' or 'kill'. Ghouls can stand the daylight for short time but are nearly blind. They prefer to hide in tunnels Ghouls are very strong but are essentially cowards, unless in large packs. They especially fear fire and are unlikely to attack somebody who carries a torch. They do not use weapons or tools but their claws and teeth are quite formidable.
Zombie raising. (willpower) Quantity rating: 1 Difficulty level: 1 Creation Time: 1 moment Range: - Duration: 3 to 10 days typically before the zombie falls apart. Power Requirement: special
Raising a zombie is similar to raising a ghoul, but other than that these are two entirely different beasts. A zombie is very very dead and nothing can trick anybody into believing otherwise, you see, and smell it. Zombies are incredibly strong, mindless and totally obedient. A zombie is raised, given an order and it will, assuming it understands the orders, obey it. Because it does not attempt to preserve itself it can give all its strength to whatever it does. And because it is already dead it does not matter if it tears tendons or breaks bones. It won't feel pain and even if it is chopped to pieces those will still attempt to obey the order that has been given to the zombie.
To raise a zombie the necromancer must find a grave. Unholy ground makes raising zombies easier but is no requirement. A circle round the grave must be walked by the necromancer, then traced with some fluid. Water is acceptable though blood allows for stronger or older zombies to be raised (especially if the necromancer is willing to spend her own blood). The later is necessary if the cemetry is recently blessed. After closing the circle the necromancer must link the grave, the dead and herself with an ointment and then offer a death. Usually a chicken or rabbit is killed. This is sufficient for the recently dead. For stronger, or older, zombies bigger deaths are needed. Killing more in one blow has a cumulative effect (killing 2 rabbits will allow 3 to 4 zombies to be raised). To raise really old zombies, a centure or more, it requires a human life to be ended.
Risen from the grave the zombie hungers for blood and will try to attack the necromancer, unless a willpower check is succesfully made. This will set the level of control over the zombie and allows the necromancer to give it an order. If it understands the order it will attempt to obey. (Intelligence is a function of age and strength of the zombie, and of the skill of the necromancer). After completing its order it will wait, unless the order was included to return afterwards. A new willpower check must be made to give it another order
Zombie (creature) Strength: 18, Endurance: 18, Agility: 1, Coordination: 1, Intelligence: *, Wits: 1, Willpower: 1. * when raised the zombie has most of the memories and intelligence of the dead person. This will quickly fade and after only a few days all trace of intelligence is gone.
Zombies immediately start to rot and loose strength and endurance at a steady rate. After a few days they are useless. Because they are not inherently evil they can, and will go out in the sunlight though they do not like to do so. People tend to notice a zombie and will in general take steps to see them stopped. To destroy a zombie either the body must be totally destroyed, burned to ash is the easiest. Or the spell that binds it must be broken.
Spectre raising. Quantity rating: 1 Difficulty level: 1 Creation Time: 15 minutes Range: 1-10 meter (from the grave) Duration: - Power Requirement: special
This is the third type of undead that can be raised. In many respects it is the easiest to do for a necromancer but it has a limited usefullness. In itself a spectre is nothing but a ghostly apparition without form or substance. People will experience a profound fear in its presence and the more sensitive can perhaps detect a dim light. In this form the spectre is nothing but a stronger version of the lingering ghosts that can be found in some graves. To create a true spectre the necromancer must imbue it with strength and substance. This does not chance the essential nature of it, but allows all to be aware of its presence. Then it is merely a matter of fear and belief that the spectre can harm its victim that gives the spectre the power to actually do so. The more mana the necromancer transfers into the spectre the greater its willpower. This mana requirement is cumulative (a willpower of 1 requires 1 mana, a willpower of 2 requires 2 more mana and so on). The necromancer must make a willpower check against the spectre even as she is transfering mana into it.
The spectre is, unlike other undead, not bodily and can only be raised from unholy graves that have a lingering soul or ghost in them. The spectre can not move out of the graveyard, and unless it has gained power over its victim it can't even move very far from its grave.
Spectre (creature) Strength: *, Endurance: -, Agility: -, Coordination: -, Intelligence: 3, Wits: 2, Willpower: ** * this is three times the amount by which the victim fails the willpower check. ** this is determined when the necromancer creates the spectre.
A spectre looks like the typical ghost. It has a certain solidity though that is mostly illusion. The more the opponent believes in the spectre the more damage it can do. Each moment a victim must make a willpowercheck against the spectre. If he succeeds by 3 or less the spectre does no damage but the fear for it increases. Apply a -1 willpower modifier to the following checks. If the victim fails the check a -2 fear modifier is applied to subsequent checks and the spectre gets a strength three times the amount by which the check was failed, this stength is used for a bare handed attack on the spectre's victim. When a victim has a fear penalty from the spectre then it will follow even if the victim flees. It will never cross a stream or enter hallowed ground and it is unlikely to leave the graveyard on which it was raised. Spells: Fear
Wraith binding. Quantity rating: 4 Difficulty level: 6 Creation Time: 1 day Range: - Duration: - Power Requirement: special
An experienced and powerfull necromancer may attempt to create a wraith from a captive soul. This means supplying it with an etheral body so it is firmly bound to the world and can not leave it. Souls thus bound have an intense hatred for the necromancer who bound them but he will generally be unavailable for revenge. Instead wraith take out their anger on whatever living person they can get their claws on. They either destroy that unlucky soul, or more frequently attempt to turn it into a lesser wraith under their control.
Wraith creation is a dangerous business. The necromancer must catch the soul of an evil person at the moment of death. The captured soul is given extensive powers and will attempt to use them against the necromancer. If he is protected the intense hatred will be aimed at all the living. If the binding fails the soul will escape. If the person was not so evil then the necromancer will lose a lot of power and quite likely be serious or even critically hurt.
Wraith (creature) Strength: 2+*, Endurance: 3+*, Agility: 1+*, Coordination: 2+*, Intelligence: 4+*, Wits: 3+*, Willpower: 6+* *: the necromancer may increase the abilities of a Wraith by spending mana to improve its body. It takes 1 mana to improve 2 points. It takes 2 more mana to improve an additional 2 points and so on. Every time the Wraith's ability is improved the necromancer must make a skill check and a willpower check against the Wraith. If skill check fails by more than 4 points the Wraith dissipates. If the willpower check fails by more than 4 points the Wraith will attack the necromancer. Wraith have extensive magical powers, as long as they are near the place they are bound to but wraith can be bound to all kinds of physical objects, and are drawn to those objects. They can cause intense fear in their victim, and have an icy grip that chills the heart. Many have control over the air and wind around them and can cause localised vortices. They also can paralyse their victim and bind their souls, if given enough time undisturbed. Very strong Wraiths can attempt to cause the 'Haunting' magical effect on a victim.
spells: Fear, Death's Chill, Vortex, Haunting, Soul bind, Soul link, Whithering touch.
The greatest weaknesses of wraiths are that they have no power at all during daylight and can be burned, even destroyed, by fire. They can not easily cross running water and will rarely venture onto holy ground.
Lich binding. (willpower) Quantity rating: 5 Difficulty level: 8 Creation Time: 1 day Range: - Duration: - Power Requirement: special
This is also a soul that is bound to the world, but this one is bound to some remains of its own mortal body, usually a skull or the ribcage. Anything that provides an enclosure of sorts. The Lich can not move but within its range it is a dangerous thing to encounter. It can either attempt to trap another soul in its place, so it can escape. Or it will destroy its victim to increase its power Ancient Lichs are very, very, dangerous and hiding a Lich somewhere is the necromantic equivalence of a landmine. Creating a Lich is relatively straightforward. It requires a soul and its corpse that has been almost completely decayed. A ritual that must be repeated six times then binds the soul to a part of the corpse. During this ritual the necromancer must make constant skill and willpower checks to prevent the soul from escaping, though he gets a +4 bonus for having bound the soul. Each pass of the ritual requires 3 successfull skill checks. Two consecutive fails will shatter the ritual and starting the ritual with a failure will cause the entire binding to fizzle. The amount of power released in the backlash depends on how badly the necromancer failed and how many rituals were completed. If the lich is successfully bound then it can not harm the necromancer who bound it but it will still attempt to. The bones, and the Lich contained in it can be brought by the necromancer to any place and burried there. The Lich will be unable to move and attack any living creature that comes within its range, though young Lichs may be content with small animals and let humans pass until they have increased in abilities. It is wise however not to count on that possibility.
Lich (creature) Strength: -, Endurance: -, Agility: -, Coordination: -, Intelligence: 4+*, Wits: 3+*, Willpower: 6+* *: Newsly created Lichs have no age or power bonus. As the Lich drains strength from victims it increases some abilities.
The power of a lich increases nearer to its focus object, though it can not itself damage that. The only two ways to disable a lich is to drain its power or to shatter its focus. To drain all the lich's power is a difficult thing to do with ancient lichs. It still is easier than destroy its focus as that requires to go near it where the lich's powers are greatest. Its primary weakness is that it can not regenerate its power. Strength spend in casting a spell is lost, unless it can trap a hapless victim.
Spells: Fear, Haunting, Death's chill, Whithering touch, death's breath, soul bind Paralysis and whithering winds. The skill level of each of these spells starts at 4 and increases depending on the age of the Lich according to the following table: age 1-3 year: +1, age 4-9: +2, age 10-27: +3, age 28-81: +4, age 82-243: +5, age 244+ : +6. Millenia old Liches gain additional magical powers. The skill of individual Liches may vary depending on the number of kills it made.
Swamplight binding. (willpower) Quantity rating: 1 Difficulty level: 1 Creation Time: 1 moment Range: - Duration: - Power Requirement: 0
The dead can be cursed to haunt unhallowed places, trying to trap other (living) victims to the same fate. Usually swamplights are found in places of decay, like ancient graveyards, ruins and swamps. The cursed souls manifest themselves as greenish dancing lights that mesmerise their victim and make it step into a deadly trap. The victim is then held captive while the body rots and after time another dancing light appears. Swamplights have no other weapon and are relatively harmless, though the traveller encountering them must make constant willpower checks to resist their lure. If she fails the victim will forget where she is going and be tempted to follow those pretty lights. She is spellbound but many things may snap her out of her trance and break the hold the swamplights have over their intended victim. Necromancers have long used the mesmerising powers of the swamplights to trap victims. It is possible to bind one of these souls to another object than their original home. A wand is often used, but when bound to such objects the swamplight quickly loses power, unless it is stored in a place similar to its original home.
Swamplight (creature) Strength: -, Endurance: -, Agility: -, Coordination: -, Intelligence: , Wits: -, Willpower: 4
Every moment all who can see a swamplight must make a willpower check. If they fail the become trapped by the swamplight's hypnotic powers and start to move towards a deadly trap nearby. Once trapped a victim can not break free by himself, though others may help. Anything that momentarily distracts the victim in fact will help him shake of the effect, though a -1 lingering affects penalty is applied to further willpower checks against Swamplights.