Necromancy

Necromancy is the dark and mysterious art practiced exclusively by Clan Tarentum.

Minor Tier

As the initiate Necromancers of Tarentum begin to study the dark arts of the Keepers, concepts of life and death begin to have new meaning. All things are connected through the Force, as every Light or Dark Sider knows. But within the mysteries of Necromancy, ties that bind can have a great affect, indeed.

Level One

• Buffer of Life

  With this power, a Necromancer is able to use the Force to buffer his own life energies, and defend himself from the life-negating powers of other Necromancers. In addition, tapping into the powers of the Force with regards to Necromancy, and further powers that part the Shroud and delve into Oblivion, may cause "negative backlash" that may attack the very life force of the Necromancer. The Buffer of Life acts to defend from these backlashes of power and death. All Necromancers of Tarentum are taught this power first, before any other secrets of life and death are delved into.

• Eyes of the Keeper

  This power might be more appropriate called "Senses of the Keeper." However, with this power, the Necromancer is able to detect body signs that can be interpreted for greater information by the educated. A Necromancer can literally hear a person's heartbeat from several meters away; they can detect the smell of perspiration from some distance, or even the smell of infection from someone. They can sense a rise in a person's body heat, or other physical symptoms. This information can be used in a variety of ways by educated and insightful Necromancers; a Necromancer may be able to detect if someone is lying by their physical response to a situation or question, among other things.

• Touch of Tel'Ratha

  With this power, the touch of a Necromancer takes on the cold of the grave, instilling localized hypothermia into the victim wherever they were touched. This is not a normal absence of heat, however, that can be warmed through normal means. It takes several hours for the cold to finally leave the victim. This effect may also be negated within minutes through healing powers of the Light Side of the Force. Dark Side healing powers will not negate the cold sensation, but will allow the affected area to be completely useful once again.

Level Two

• Festering Wounds

  With this power, a Necromancer can cause any current wounds on a victim to become infected and fester. The exact results may depend on the wound itself, but only those wounds touched by the Necromancer while using this power will be so infected. The festering wounds will remain until it is negated by Force healing, or aggressive antibiotics administered for several weeks (if treated early enough). As with any infection, it can cause severe injury and death if not treated quickly, or adequately.

• Last Rites

  The youngest Necromancers of Tarentum may often be charged with taking care of failed experiments for their masters. They may also become morbidly obsessed with death, as does much of their Clan. To avoid the risks associated with rotting and festering corpses, this power allows a Necromancer to speed up the process of decay. Flesh and tissues rapidly break down and become dust that is easily swept away. Only the bones of a corpse are left after this power, which also helps in the future, when a Necromancer may be looking to speed up the decaying process on a chosen corpse servant.

• Paralyzing Touch

  This touch of a Necromancer instills localized paralysis into a victim. The affect will vary by region, but the touched area (and only the touched area) are paralyzed for a specific period of time and are rendered useless. Only Force healing may negate this effect quickly, though the effect itself will likely wear off within a few hours.

• Throbbing Bones

  This power allows the touch of a Necromancer to instill pain in a localized region of bone, located wherever the Necromancer touches or grasps the victim. The pain itself is not debilitating directly, but may be sufficient to distract the victim from concentrating on specific tasks, or even distracting them from adequately defending themselves in a fight. The effect will wear off eventually, after the space of about an hour, unless Force healing is used to speed the process through within about five minutes.

Level Three

• Awaken the Fallen

  The first of the Necromancer's powers capable of raising up the dead, this power animates a corpse, no matter how long the corpse has been deceased. This power provides for basic animation only, infusing the corpse with enough latent energy through the Force that it has basic mobility, is capable of carrying out very simple commands, and the like. Whether the corpse was that of a warrior or a farmer makes little difference; these servants can only carry out the most basic of tasks, such as sweeping and carrying things; and in cases of defending their masters, they are only capable of holding a foe, possibly pinning their arms to their sides. Large numbers of these Fallen in groups may be much more useful and deadly than one or two. The major drawback to the Fallen, even beyond their lack of skill, is their lack of speed.

• Rigor Mortis

  Through their study of life, death, and all things surrounding existence, the Necromancers are intimiately familiar with various side effects of living and death. Rigor Mortis is one of these effects of death that they are able to pass onto living victims. A much more advanced use of a "paralyzing touch, this power overcomes a victim with the effects of rigor mortis. The victim's body slowly grows stiff, and they are eventually unable to move or speak at all. Once the Necromancer's touch has passed on the effects of rigor mortis, the victim will be under the effects of this power only so long as the Necromancer maintains a conscious effort over them. As soon as a Necromancer breaks concentration over holding the victim, they will be released within a few short minutes, as their body finally begins to loosen the muscles holding them, allowing them to come to action once more.

• Stolen Breath

  With nothing more than a kiss to the mouth, a Necromancer is able to steal the "breath" and stamina of a victim. As the Necromancer kisses their victim, the Force is drawn out of the vitim. They soon begin to cough and wheeze as though under the effects of an asthma attack. They are incapable of anything remotely strenuous as they attempt to regain their breath and vigor once more. The Necromancer, however, receives renewed stamina through this power. No matter their physical condition beforehand, the Necromancer is now completely healthy for the duration of this power, and acts as though he is fully rested. For the victim, the effects of "losing their breath" wears off in about ten minutes. The slowly regain their strength throughout this time, and though weakened a bit from the power, they are quickly back to full strength within half an hour. The effects for the Necromancer last the entire half hour, after which time the Necromancer then succumbs to a fatigued state for several minutes, without the asthma attack.

• Touch of the Recluse

  Comparisons are often made between this power of a Necromancer's touch and the bite of a recluse spider. Hence, the name. Touching a victim while drawing on this knowledge allows a Necromancer to infect the victim with a toxin that slowly begins to break down the skin and tissues beneath with necrosis. This process can often be extremely painful for the victim, both physically and mentally. Only Force healing or aggressive medical treatment started immediately can halt the necrosis. The effects of the necrosis vary with body region affected, but only the area actually touched will suffer the effects, at least immediately. It is possible that the infection will spread with time.

Major Tier

The well-practiced Necromancer understands the ties that bind, but also understands that everything connected through the Force, is drawn into Oblivion. What was taken to Oblivion can be brought back, for those who hold the keys to the Shroud. Nothing, not even the dead, is beyond the powers of the experienced Keeper.

Level Four

• Blackhand

  This power is somewhat different from some of the other powers available to the Necromancers of Tarentum. Where other powers are passed through the Necromancer touching an intended victim, this power is activated through a more passive touch. The Necromancer's hand gains a slight, dark hue to it, as if covered in a light coat of dirt or grime. While the Necromancer can touch anyone he wishes without activating this power, anyone who willingly takes the Necromancer's hand receives the ill effects of the Blackhand. The victim of this power is infected with the plague, which slowly begins to spread throughout their body; it generally takes up to three days before symptoms begin to emerge.

• Creeping Death

  Some of the powers available to the Necromancers of Tarentum have a morbid taint to them. This power, while activated through touch, actually requires the Necromancer's blood or bodily fluids to contact the victim's skin to take effect. Most Necromancers make it a practice to cut themselves beforehand, although some do instigate this power through spitting on an intended victim, or otherwise. When the Necromancer's fluids contact the victim's skin, a flesh-eating mold begins to grow and devour their skin. The mold devours skin at the rate of several square centimeters a day. Though the mold is quite aggressive, it can actually be taken care of easily, through washing it from the victim's skin thoroughly, and applying appropriate medications (if done within the first hour of infection). Once past the first hour, though, it can only be healed through the Force.

• Passing of Shade

  This power is named after a mysterious, and often unseen master of Tarentum, Shade. His passing leaves areas of vegetation sucked dry of life and all traces of health. Using this power allows a Necromancer to suck the life from surrounding areas of vegetation and draw it into himself, to increase his overall health and stamina. Strength is drawn from sources of vegetation within a twenty foot radius. If no vegetation is present, no benefits are gained from this power.

• Ray of Sickness

  Activating this power causes a sickly, bone-colored ray of light to shine forth from the Necromancer's fingertips, striking a specific victim. While concentrating, this beam of light causes bouts of sickness and nausea to overcome the victim, forcing them to their knees or stomachs. The victim typically succumbs to the nausea and begins vomitting. This power is only effective so long as the Necromancer is able to maintain concentration over his victim. Removing the victim from his sight, or any other lapse of concentration will end the effect immediately, though it still may take several minutes for the victim to regain their composure.

• Siphon of Life

  With this power, the Necromancer thins the Shroud a bit, and causes a wraithly "siphon" to appear and connect the Necromancer's heart to that of a victim within twenty feet. This siphon draws the life from the victim and returns it it to the Necromancer, helping to increase stamina and strength, but also to heal very minor wounds. The drawback for the victim, however, is that the fatigue and wounds healed on the Keeper are transferred back through the siphon and infect the victim instead. This power cannot heal large wounds, but it can heal small lacerations, burns and otherwise.

Level Five

• Call of the Guardian

  The second power that gives a Necromancer the ability to raise the dead as servants, this ability allows for the corpse servants to be infused with the Force and knowledge enough to become skilled defenders. The risen servants continued to have the abilities of skilled laborers as do the Fallen, but they also "think," in a sense, and focus their efforts on defending whatever person or place they are charged with. They "understand" how to block doors and other portals. They can act for their own defense, as well as the defense of others; they know that if they form a "wall" around their charge, that person is less likely to be harmed. They will use any tools available to themselves to aid in their defense, or that of others. The only drawback with the Guardians, as with lesser risen servants, is that they tend to be limited by speed.

• Compel the Shade

  This power actually helps a Necromancer bypass the Shroud for a very specific purpose. Force spirits can bypass the Shroud to be seen and heard by the living. However, they still exist within Oblivion, and cannot affect or be affected by the living, unless they choose to do so. This power allows a Necromancer to bypass the Shroud to affect the Force spirit, and actually "strike" the Force spirit. Combined with the power of his will, this will allow the Necromancer to force the spirit to do his bidding. The benefit of this power is that the Force spirit cannot assault the Necromancer in return, and must either bow to the will of the Necromancer, or succumb to the wraithly injuries. Most of the more mundane Force spirits will succumb to this power easily. Those Force spirits who were powerful Force-users in life, however, may not be so easy to dominate, and may actually fight back.

• Summon the Soul

  This power offers the Necromancer the ability to instill in one of the Restless (Force spirits), those beyond the Shroud, an irresistible desire to come forth to the Necromancer's location. Necromancers must understand, this power does not provide the ability to command the Restless, only the ability to make them want to come before him. The Force spirit will generally appear before the Necromancer within minutes, depending on how deep within the Oblivion the spirit was. This power calls forth a random spirit, unless the Necromancer holds an item that had previously belonged to the spirit in life.

• The Underlings

  Worlds are littered with the dead of the present, and especially of the past. With this power, the Necromancer is able to call forth the dead to do their bidding, but only partially. The dead crawl forth from their hidden graves partially, their hands and forearms emerging from the earth to catch victims of the Necromancer's wrath in their grip, and drag them under. These temporarily risen corpses are indiscriminate, and will clutch at anyone passing within the area where they rise, with the exception of the Necromancer who called them. The arms are generally skeletal, though in graveyards with fresh corpses, there may be a few that still have flesh about them. They are, though, purely physical, and can be fought off and destroyed if they latch onto someone. The disadvantage, though, is that they come up by the hundreds or thousands, and may drag down a helpless victim before they are able to fight free. Persons dragged under begin to suffer hypoxia, and will be killed within several minutes. Those freed, though, still suffer hypothermia where the corpses grasped them; the cold hands of death draw life from the living with negative effects on the victims.

Level Six

• Armor of Death

  This power actually has two possible uses, neither of which can be used jointly. With this power, the Necromancer can form one of two types of armor around themselves. The first type of armor calls forth either the bones of corpses within the earth, which crawl up and around the Necromancer, and form an effective suit of bone armor that defends against nearly all types of physical attacks. The bone armor does not defend against piercing attacks very well at all, and cannot defend against the blade of a lightsaber. The second type of armor calls forth the Restless to encircle the Necromancer with their wraithly forms. Those viewing the Necromancer can see their ghostly images encircling him. The wraith armor protects the Necromancer from attacks through the Force, but is also able to lessen (but not negate) the damage from the blade of a lightsaber. These types of armor can be shrugged off by the Necromancer, who calls the Restless or corpses to return to their planes of existence, or they may be destroyed with enough damage done to them.

• Cannibalism

  This power has gained some of the more morbid Necromancers of Tarentum a very devilish reputation.Through consuming the flesh of others, the Necromancer is able to draw racial qualities and strengths from the consumed flesh through the Force. The specific advantages gained vary according to the kind of flesh eaten, but an example might be gaining notable strength from eating the flesh of a Wookiee. The drawback, though, is that disadvantages are also gained. A Necromancer gaining the strength of the Wookiee may also take on a temporarily shaggy look to him, as the Force speeds up the growth of his hair. The effects of Cannibalism will last for several hours, or may last indefinitely if the Necromancer continues to use this power and consume more flesh.

• Contagion

  The power of Contagion causes the Necromancer's victim to become something of a "Typhoid Mary." The Necromancer inflicts the victim with a terrible disease that becomes highly contagious to others unable to defend themselves from it, either through the Force of quarantine. This power spreads the disease rapidly among those the initial victim comes in contact with. One oddity of the power, whether intentional or not, is that the victim himself does not actually succumb to the disease, but merely acts as a carrier for it. The power of Contagion seems to grant them immunity to the disease, but only for as long as the power lasts, which can be up to several weeks. After the power has faded, though, the initial victim can then contract the disease from his own victims.

• Drown

  A Necromancer with this power is able to cause a victim's bodily fluids to quickly build up within their lungs. The fluid itself gathers at an unnatural rate. Suction can remove the fluid from the lungs, but during the duration of the power, it simply keeps filling back up. Eventually, the victim will either drown in their own bodily fluids, or must receive aggressive healing measures to combat this. Immersion in bacta is not enough to counter this effect, but is one of the treatments among many that would be necessary. Force healing would be enough to slow the body's fluid buildup.

Level Seven

• Curse of Tel'Ratha

  The dark Master Tel'Ratha was said to have suffered the curse of a rather painful flesh-eating disease that ravaged his body. Over time, the Master was forced to use his dark powers to prolong his life, which included grafting various "stolen" body parts and pieces of flesh from victims to himself, to replace that which was lost to the disease. This power is said to draw on the very life of Tel'Ratha himself, and infect it into another victim. The victim is infected with the very same horrid disease, which begins to work within a few hours, and starts eating away at the victim's flesh and body slowly. Natural or medical healing methods will not work; only the Force can rid a victim of this disease, and even then, it takes much effort from several individuals to heal a person. It generally requires days of effort from the most potent Masters to halt this disease.

• Dehydrate

  This power is very simple in effect. It draws the fluids out of a victim's body somewhat naturally, forcing them to perspire at a ridiculous rate, and eventually leaves them dehydrated and looking like a raisin. No amount of fluid can possibly halt or negate the effect; the body simply continues to perspire unnaturally until the power has been ended, or the victim dies. This power generally lasts while a Necromancer concentrates on their victim's suffering, though they do not need to be within sight to affect their victim; meditative trances used to focus on the victim will suffice. The powers of another Force-user of greater strength than the Necromancer can disrupt this power and negate it.

• Rise of the Favored

  This level of power to raise corpse servants begins to impart impressive abilities upon a Necromancer's servants. The Favored are actually very skilled laborers and warriors. The Favored are capable of carrying out skilled tasks of labor, from acting as craftsmen or pilots. The only limitation is, they must have possessed these skills at some point in their lives; they cannot be taught new skills. The Favored are also skilled warriors, if they possessed any combat skills in life. No matter what their combat ability in life, if they were trained in any weapon, or form of martial art, the Necromancer's arts enhance these skills and make them rather impressive in their capabilities. The Favored are also capable of some forms of sentient and independent thought. They are still subject to the will of the Necromancer, but they are capable of thinking out problems to find a solution, capable of acting for self-preservation (unless they are first acting in defense of their master), and so on.

• The Bridge of Life

  Similar to the power of the "Siphon of Life," the Necromancer "thins" the Shroud, and causes a wraithly siphon to appear between two individuals. The Necromancer controls the flow of health and life between the two individuals. One receives the health and strength from the other, in turning giving up their fatigue and wounds to the other. It is possible to cause the two to take "equal" shares of health and hurt, but this power is generally used by Necromancers to heal an ally at the expense of a bystander or enemy. The only limitation on this power is that the Necromancer himself cannot be one of the two joined by the Bridge.

• The Doom Within (Avasculate)

  "The Doom Within," also known as "Avasculate," is a rather sadistic power used by some of the more aggressive Necromancers of Tarentum. This power causes bodily fluids and the circulatory system tissues to expel violently from the body in a mass of blood and gore. This power will always result in the death of the victim. The power may only be defended/resisted through the Force.

• The Harrowing

  Certain Necromancers of Tarentum are so familiar with the Shroud that parts the living from the dead that they are able to manipulate it on somewhat impressive levels. This power allows a Necromancer to thin the Shroud enough as to allow any within the area to have vague and random glimpses into the plane of the dead. These visions are never "head on." Persons in the area will only catch glimpses past the Shroud out of the corners of their eyes, or as they try and drift off to sleep, and so on. The Restless will sense a thinning of the Shroud, and may often flood the area with their negative emotions in an attempt to break forth, but most Necromancers are smart enough to remain vigilant in keeping the Shroud secure enough not to allow the angry dead to enter the plane of the living.

• The Keeper's Hunger

  The powers of the Necromancer are often used in mysterious ways, or for morbid purposes. This is one such power. The Necromancers of Tarentum have the ability to cause others to hunger for and seek out dead flesh and consume it. Victims of this power will have a morbid fascination with corpses,and have an overwhelming desire to eat their flesh. Victims still understand that this practice is very much taboo, and will often suffer mental duress from such consumption, as well as negative physical effects from it (most victims will immediately vomit, even as they continue to consume dead tissue).

• The Presence of Anubis

  Anubis is rumored to have been a Master of the Dark Side, and a person truly obsessed with death and Oblivion. He is also said to have been a god of the dead, or a lord of the underworld. Whatever the true role of Anubis, he was a person of great power, especially among those of little or no power in life. His presence is rumored to have caused great awe and fear in those who were in his presence. With this power, the Necromancers of Tarentum mimic his power and aura, and all those within fifty feet of them are so overcome by their power and majesty as to either fall to the ground and tremble in fear, or flee in terror outright.

Inner Order

The eldest and darkest of the Keepers understand secrets few others can comprehend, even the Grand Masters. Oblivion has unlocked its secrets, and the currents of life and death are drawn and pushed away at the whim of the eldest. The darkest armies of the Restless heed the commands of these Masters.

Level Eight

• Avascular Mass

  Building upon the sadistic mess that is "The Doom Within," this level of power for the Keeper of Tarentum actually forces the victim to live through the avasculation, and shapes them into a trap of human gore and tissue. The veins of the victim need a place to anchor themselves for this power to work; using this power on a person in open space will result in the same effect as "The Doom Within." However, when the person's gore can anchor to the walls, floor, or ceiling of a room, them become a trap of living tissue and tortured victim. The anchoring walls must be "opposing" for the power to have the correct effect. The expelled tissue can anchor properly to floor and ceiling, opposing walls, or all of them and create a spider web-like trap. The amount of pain a victim undergoes with this effect is great physically, but the mental duress is probably far worse. The most-humane fate for a victim would be to kill them. Only a potent Necromancer or a Master of the Force would be able to undo this power.

• Blackflames

  Wraithly flames with a black hue about them come into creation at the will of the Keeper. These flames can be hurled at intended victims, or can shoot forth from the Keeper's hands. The flames do no physical damage immediately. Instead, they attack the very soul of the victim, who feels intense agony and despair that may ravage the body as well as the mind of the individual. Eventually, the blackflames begin to kill even the tissue of the victim, who begins to suffer necrosis throughout every system of their body. Those who suffer in the blackflames for more than a few minutes will soon find themselves on death's doorstep and be hurled into Oblivion from the wrath of the eldest Keepers.

• Call of the Hungry Dead

  The Restless are nothing, if not rage, passion, and intense emotion. Those who exist in Oblivion know happiness, but find it to be so fleeting an emotion, because they know above all else what they have lost in passing through the Shroud into Oblivion. These Force spirits are drawn by the will of the Keeper, who shapes the essence of their intended victim to act as a beacon of emotion to the Restless. This power acts to thin the Shroud around this victim in such a way that the victim can actually be affected by the Restless. In short order, these angry souls will often attack the very life and soul of the victim, killing them in short minutes, and tearing their immortal soul asunder.

• Finger of Death

  The Keeper can focus his powers over life and death with such potency, that by placing their finger on the chest of a victim, directly over the heart, they are able to instantly snuff out the life of that individual. The victim's body immediately decomposes to ash, and the soul is ready for immediate harvesting or subjugation by the Keeper himself. Nearly all victims who are killed in this manner come back as one of the Restless.

• Fleshcraft

  As masters of manipulating life and death, one of the more fascinating areas of study and power among the Keepers of Tarentum is fleshcrafting. With this power, the Keeper is able to physically manipulate the flesh of a victim, either physically shaping the victim's tissues as if it were clay, or adding in "harvested" tissue and grafting it to the victim's body for a variety of somewhat unique, but definitely morbid purposes. Limited manipulations can be made on yourself by using this power, but it finds most of its use in a Keeper manipulating others, especially their own servants.

• Wail of Doom

  The Keeper is able to draw the powers of the Force and Necromancy into their own vocal chords, and let out such a dreadful wail as is often attributed to the banshee, or other such doomed figures. This wail causes great pain and bodily suffering in those who hear it. It acts upon every nerve and fiber in a person's body, and can only be overcome through the Force. Those people who are deaf, or who are somehow unable to hear the wailing are completely unaffected by it.

• Wall of the Dead

  The Keepers' arsenal of powers have some extremely unique and often morbid powers, but this is perhaps one of the most useful, and least grotesque of the powers available to the Clan of Life and Death (grotesque being a relative term). The Keeper calls forth to those corpses within 100 yards, who uproot themselves from the ground and form a wall of bone and body parts around the Keeper and any allies present. The wall itself can be any shape (circle, rectangle, etc.) but is limited in size; a wall of about 15 feet in height would guard an area of roughly 50' x 50'.

Level Nine

• Bonecraft

• Call the Hordes of Anubis

• Destruction

• Final Retribution

• Kingdom of the Dead

• Shattering

• The Tide of Life

• The Waters of Styx

Level Ten

• Call the Euthanatos

• Circle of Death

• Eyes of Doom

• Gift of the Mad One

• Immortal Curse

• The Quickening

Level Eleven

• Ray of Entropy

• The Touch of Phalanthus

• Wail of the Banshee

• Waves of Death

• Waves of Destruction

Level Twelve

• Soul Typhoon

• Summon the Army of Phalanthus

• Tides of Death

• Tides of Destruction