Necromancy (Death)

Necromancy is the magic of death. It is one of the Occult Schools of Magic, of which little is widely known. As such, any book research you are able to do will only reliably inform you of the abilities of the lower levels of the sub-schools, as listed below. Details of more powerful spells may have to be sought from practitioners who know more…

Once you have spent an action altering your magic pool to cast Necromancy you may consider the whole school “unlocked” and can continue spending points as normal.

Please note that example uses are only suggestions, and magical spells can be anything that fits with the specialisation.

Necromancy Alteration allows the manipulation of dead material - where 'dead' specifically means 'was once alive, but now not'. 'Inanimate' does not mean the same as 'dead' - corpses are 'dead', whereas statues are not.

• Novice - You can form basic structures from dead material, and put a light movement force on dead / necrotic material.
  Examples: Magically whittling a bone into shape; rolling a severed head across the floor.
• Apprentice - You can form better structures from dead material, and physically move dead / necrotic material, even against some resistance.
  Examples: Forming a medium defensive barrier out of a pile of skeletons; pull someone suffering necrosis towards you (via whichever part of them is necrotic) from range.

Necromancy Enchantment is a strange thing - Necromantic Spirits seem few and far between (no-one is quite sure why). However, there are various Undead Entities that can be manipulated by Enchantment, such as Zombies and Ghosts. (More details can be found in actions involving such creatures - contact James W if you think your character knows something, but you need clarification.)

• Novice - You may temporarily rise a single corpse that you can see as a Zombie. The Zombie cannot think for itself, and needs your constant instruction if it is to do anything. You also know how to spot hiding Ghosts more easily, and can judge their feelings at a low level.
  Examples: Having a Zombie physically attack something while you watch from a distance; talking to Ghosts.
• Apprentice - You may temporarily rise a single corpse that you can see as a Zombie with higher functionality than at Novice level (but concentration is still required), or alternatively rise several Novice level Zombies simultaneously. You can easily and judge Ghosts, and can also physically move them. You can also, with care, transfer willing Souls / Ghosts into corpses (not necessarily their own) to bring them into being as a Re[REDACTED - contact James W if you think your character knows to what this refers and wish to use it in an action]
  Examples: Having a Zombie guard a box well (not easily distracted); having a small platoon of Novice Zombies attack something while you watch from a distance; forcing a Ghost to follow someone; [REDACTED]

Necromancy Evocation allows the infliction of death onto living cells, either by touch or by blasts of Necromantic Fire. Note that this has a much lower area of effect that other Evocation, but does much more damage at the same level.

• Novice - You can inflict Necrosis over a small patch of flesh by touch only.
• Apprentice - You can inflict Necrosis over a roughly hand-sized portion of flesh by touch, or cast projectile Necrosis at range with Novice level effects.

Necromancy Illusion allows living creatures to be made to appear dead.

• Novice - You can make a creature appear dead to the casual observer, in so far as their breathing appears shallower and they don't seem to blink.
  Examples: Hiding in a pile of corpses without being spotted.
• Apprentice - You can make a creature appear dead to a closer examination, in so far as their breathing appears to have stopped, their eyes glaze over, and their body appears to become slightly rigid.
  Examples: Hiding in the coffin at an open-casket funeral.

Necromancy Protection allows the slowing down or completely pause of the effects of death.

• Novice - You can slow the onset of cell death and necrosis.
  Examples: Slowing the rate at which particularly aggressive necrosis gets any worse.
• Apprentice - You can slow the onset of cell death and necrosis better, and take slightly reduced damage from all sources (the cells of your body are harder to kill).
  Examples: Mostly resisting Necromancy Evocation attacks with only minor scarring; surviving the consequences of running with scissors with only light marks; keeping your severed hand from becoming un-re-attachable for a few hours.