Necromantic Theorems
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
Necromantic Theorems
by
King Talon Skyfire
September, 2006
Necromancy continues to be a powder keg amongst the nations, orders, and guilds of Sosaria. What is the dividing line? Progressives and liberals view necromancy simply as a school of magic no less legitimate than magery and the other arcane practices. Moderates see necromancy as a tool to be wielded, with the good and evil of the practice being determined by the wielder. Those on the far-right of the debate, such as the Kingdom of Sanctus, view necromancy as inherently evil. My latest work will focus on several philosophical questions and historical points concerning this hotly debated topic.
After spending many sleepless nights reading ancient tomes in the great libraries of the realm, I have stumbled upon information that will expand the debate on necromancy.
Most know of the Avatar; the heroic champion of the Virtues and savior of Britannia. For the sake of redundancy, I will not recount the history of the Avatar. However, there exists a direct connection between the Avatar and the practice of Necromancy.
The Avatar and his eight companions once combated an evil man by the name of Batlin. Batlin attempted to open the Black Gate for the Guardian to enter Britannia. He was ultimately thwarted and fled to Serpents Isle. While here, Batlin attempted to harness the power of the Great Etheral Void for himself. For his betrayal, the Guardian disintegrated Batlin. It is also worth noting that Batlin cast the first Armageddon spell, which wrought untold havoc upon Sosaria.
Following this, the Avatar was seized by the Guardian and swept off to the little known Facet of Pagan. The facet of Pagan was a world that was already conquered and enslaved by the Guardian. The denizens of this facet were forced to worship four entities known as the Titans. Each Titan had control over a specific elemental sphere. Hydros controlled water, Stratos controlled Air, Pyros controlled Fire, and Lithos controlled Earth.
In order to escape the facet of Pagan, the Avatar was made to master the ways of all four titans to ultimately become the fifth Titan, which was the Titan of Ether. It is important to note that in the facet of Pagan, necromancy was a school of magic that fell under Lithos, the Titan of Earth. In order to escape Pagan, the Avatar had to master necromancy. The Necromantic Lexicon in Pagan was slightly different than the one we currently know in the rest of Sosaria. I will briefly list the spells, words of power, and their effects as stated by the ancient tomes
1. Open Ground- “Des Por Ylem.” This spell was used to create fissures in the earth in order for passage, the retrieval of remains, or the breaching of walls. 2. Death Speak-“Kal Wis Corp.” Not dissimilar from the practice of Spirit Speak. This spell returned the spirit to the body momentarily for the duration of a conversation. 3. Mask of Death- “Quas Corp.” Simply put, this spell changed the user into a lich. 4. Rock Flesh- “Rel Sanct Ylem.” A spell which hardened the flesh into stone. 5. Summon Dead-“Kal Corp Zen.” This spell summoned undead warriors whom attacked anyone who did not have the power of necromancy. A prime example of the evils of necromancy. 6. Grant Peace-“In Vas Corp.” This spell returned the animated dead to their previous lifeless state. If employed on the living, this ability would severe the targets connection with the life force, commonly resulting in immediate death. 7. Withstand Death-“Vas An Corp.” This spell would allow the user to reanimate after being slain. 8. Create Golem-“In Ort Ylem Xen.” This spell would create an earthen golem to do the necromancer’s bidding. 9. Call Quake-“Kal Vas Ylem Por.” Identical to the earthquake spell performed by mages of Sosaria. In the facet of Pagan, it was classified as a necromantic ability.
It should be known that I have not attempted to verify if these spells will work in our world of Sosaria. In the pursuit of scholarly knowledge, I may have inadvertently opened a whole knew branch of Sosarian Necromancy. However, it can be theorized that these spells will not work on our facets. Necromancers in our realm draw their power from the void, while those in Pagan drew their power from the Earth Titan, Lithos.
What of the reagents involved in Pagan Necromancy? The scrolls list blood, dirt, bone, wood, blackmoor, and executioner’s hood as the major components of Pagan Necromancy.
What questions are revealed by this new evidence concerning our Avatar? There are many to consider. Some view the Avatar as the infallible champion of Virtue. Does the Avatar’s usage of necromancy make it acceptable in contemporary society? The answer requires deep reflection by the individual reader. I am of a mind to say no. I abide by the discussion in my previous work, “Treatise on Necromancy.” The spells contained in the Sosarian Necromantic Lexicon are too dangerous to be used.
Was the Avatar truly infallible? I think not. I do not presume to know the thoughts of the Avatar, but I would surmise that he made the choice to do evil in an effort to do a greater good by liberating the facet of Pagan and returning to protect Britannia.
What of this facet of Pagan? Will it ever be revealed to the rest of Sosaria? We can only wait and see. The only references to Pagan are in the ancient scrolls from which this information was obtained. However, there are those of us old enough to remember when the facets of Ilshenar, Malas, and the Lost Lands were unheard of. Perhaps through scholarly research we can find a path to Pagan, or perhaps the innumerable other facets of our world that we know nothing of.
Does necromancy have a future as an unstigmatized magical school? This is a debate that will continue for some time. The universal acceptance of necromancy will be determined by the actions of the necromancers themselves. They must prove that their practice is beneficial to society and not a threat. The practice cannot be completely eradicated due to the secretive nature of most practioners, much to the chagrin of their opponents.
Does the use of necromancy corrupt the soul? Opponents will argue that the Avatar escaped his necromantic practice unscathed. Others will argue that his super human status steeled his will against the taint of necromancy. I tend to agree with the later argument. The Avatar’s commitment to Virtue and good helped to shield his being from the adverse effects of necromantic practice. Why do I agree? Look at the corrupted lands outside of the city of Umbra, The state of the land cannot be explained by any natural event. Soil samples taken in the land detect no traces of a fire. The recent events surrounding the Tree Fellows may also provide evidence of the corrupting influence of necromancy on living beings.
In conclusion, the main question of necromancy must be considered again. Is necromancy itself evil, or are the intent and actions of the wielder the determining factor? Due to the innate harmful effects of every spell in the necromantic lexicon, I argue that necromancy itself is evil and will ultimately corrupt the soul. I have found no evidence nor met a practioner who was completely immune to the after effects of necromantic indulgence. Perhaps such a person, other than the Avatar, does exist and has found a way to use necromancy for good and benevolent purposes. Until then, the realm will continue to be divided along philosophical and ethical lines.
-Lord Talon Skyfire King of Sanctus