This page is a suplemental set of rules for a FANTASY game. If you somehow ended up here doing a search for "real" occult information, your in the wrong place. If this is the case, you sould not only not waist your time reading any further, you might want to consider doing some public service to get out of the funk youve gotten yourself into.

Autopsy - Character has good enough understanding of the processes of life and death as such that he may examine a dead body and determine the cause of its death. The odds of determining depend greatly upon the knowledge the GM has about the true cause of death. Any character can tell a person who died from having his skull crushed in. A person skilled in autopsy can tell if poisons, diseases, famine, or a host of other factors were involved. Characters performing an autopsy also skilled in Healing, Herbalism, Toxacology or other applicable skills will have a greater chance of discovering conditions applicable to those arts. Autopsies are long, often taking several hours to conduct properly. Good autopsies can also tell a bit about the dead's life and often other clues about the situation of the person before death.

Sacred Burial - Character at this rank is knowledgeable and capable of performing various death rituals that consecrate the body to a number of powers and forces, thus granting them safer passage to their proper fate as well as sanctifying the remains such that they may never be used or raised as undead. These types of ceremonies differ greatly from religion to religion, yet a skilled necromancer will know many of them. Most ceremonies take between and hour and two. Corpses consecrated in such a way are made safe from the magic of other necromancers, mages, clerics, other undead and infernal beings. The game mechanics of this protection will be simplified to state that only exceptionally potent users of undead magics will be capable of thwarting the necromancers protections on a properly laid to rest body.

Undead Lore - Character's at this rank are knowledgeable about undead and are privy to information about them that normal characters are not. They will recognize all common forms of undead, and are allowed to make rolls against their necromancy skill to identify and gain accurate and specific information about less common and rare undead creatures. Specifics like strengths, weaknesses, powers, intellect, method of creation, habits, etc. can easily be gained for most common creatures, and rolled for with more unusual ones.

Guards and Wards- At this rank the Necromancer learns a number of methods which may be employed to keep undead at bay. Most are simple bobbles, symbols and other sorts of markings which can provide some fortification vs. the undead. All manner of methods may be thought up, and it is ultimately a collaboration between player and GM to work out details. Such wards and other protections generally prevent only a particular type of action by undead of a particular type. The making of a necklace to ward off a vampire biting ones neck, and placing a mystic symbol on the door of a building to keep zombies from entering it are reasonable uses. Making a necklace that prevents a vampire from attacking you or a mystic symbol that keeps zombies from tearing down a building piece by piece is another thing all together. Such guards and wards are generally simple to circumnavigate for any undead with intelligence or cunning. At best they are an ace in the hole that can buy extra time through surprise and inconvenience. Furthermore, such wards seem to never work for more than one encounter. Making such wards and guards can range from tens of minutes to hours based upon what is being made. All manner of materials may be needed to create these guards, though they are generally relatively common and cheap. ( PS a student of necromancy of Lawful Good alignment may use this rank to make holy water and holy symbols)

Turn the Undead- A student of necromancy at this rank can utilize an invocation in addition to one of may "holy symbols" learned of as a part of guards and wards to repel undead and force them into retreat. Invoking such invocation, the necromancer expends a number of STR points of his choice that return at a rate of 1 per day. The necromancer may turn undead as described in the players hand book as a good cleric at a level equal to the number of STR points he expended.

Create Ghouls- At this rank the necromancer learns the secret of the creation of ghouls. This method is actually remarkably simple, and theory has it that the first ghouls were "created" quite by accident among cannibalistic people. The details for their creation are below and should only be read by necromancers of this rank. A ghoul created in such manner will be of the normal dumb but cunning sort with a pack mentality that are normally found in game. They have no particular like or dislike of the necromancer who facilitated their creation. They will however just as quickly target him as an enemy just as easily as any other who would stumble upon them. This is the creation method ( A humanoid who subsists upon a diet of bone marrow from other humanoids for several days prior must die of blood loss. After the death unconsecrated burial in an earthen mass grave or with another corpse may result in the rising of a ghoul. )

Recall Spirits- At this rank, the Necromancer becomes proficient in some simple yet powerful rituals to bring forth spiritual entities which have a metaphysical connection to a item the necromancer has in his/her possession, or to manifest at a place where the necromancer is. The Necromancer in no way chooses what comes forth, rather he chooses an item or a place, and pulls forth whatever is there or connected to it. Most rituals require an hour or more time to glean results and drains 4 points of STR which return at a rate of 1 per day. Spirits of all kinds can be recalled, and often manifest in a number of ways ( spirits, ghosts, wraiths, specters, etc) based upon the circumstances of a persons death, and religious/spiritual alignments. Most spirits however have passed on completely through the vaults of oblivion and can not be recalled at all. Only those who are still for some reason "snagged' onto this world are made manifest. In most cases a simple spiritual manifestation can be counted upon. Though the necromancer is remarkably good at bring forth spirits, he has no inherent influence upon them, nor any real ability to send them back. Normal spirits tend to leave on their own as soon as they can, more malevolent spirits may linger or even become stuck and do great harm.

Create Zombies- At this rank the necromancer has learned the art of creating zombies. The most important thing needed for this is a corpse that is not more than a year dead. A necromancer must also have a safe place at which to perform a ritual prepared with several tools which cost around 150 gold (of which only about a gold piece worth are expended in the ritual which need to be replenished). Performing the ancient ritual upon the corpse lures a particular type of spirit into the corpse and traps it there. The making of a zombie in this way is only an hour feat. The making of a zombie and dominating the spirit within is a three hour process. The making of a zombie is very draining of the necromancer who looses 8 pts of STR and CON which return at a rate of 1 per 2 hours. Successfully making the zombie requires a necromancy roll. Successfully dominating it requires another roll. Those not dominated are freewilled (but not very intelligent). Those dominated are controlled but not particularly loyal ( they have been known to fight for their freedom if a necromancer presents an opportunity of great weakness). Zombie intellect is limited to things like stop, wait, follow, attack, hide, hold this, push that, etc.

Magics of Necromancy - At this level of knowledge the necromancer has a vast enough understanding where he utilize ancient necromantic invocations. Simply uttering these spells is generally all it takes. However the understanding of the full significance and complexity of that invocation is needed to open the necessary connection. Only a person with at least this rank of Necromancy has a vast enough understanding to be open these connections. There are many many invocations that may be used, though they are secrets guarded well. Some may only be invoked by particular sorts of being or person. Listed below are a few simple invocations that may be invoke by anyone with this rank of Necromancy, and are considered to be "common knowledge" in arcane literature. Others than these must be found, purchased or bargained for.

• Ruin- By means of this incantation which has a casting time of 2, a necromancer may in part disintegrate a single undead of his choice within 100 ft and in his line of sight. Only undead of mostly flesh are affected, thus skeletal undead are immune to this effect. This incantation inflicts upon the target as many D8 of damage the necromancer chooses, but costs him one point of CON per D8 of damage rolled. CON lost in this manner is recovered at a rate of 1 per day.
• Rotting Curse- By means of this invocation the necromancer inflicts a single opponent ( save against illness allowed) which he can see, no more than 200 ft away, with a rotting disease. Inflicting the rotting illness upon another costs nothing save for becoming inflicted with it as well. Invoking the rotting curse can only be done when healthy. The rotting curse varies a great deal from casting to casting and is occasionally fatal. Regardless of the seriousness of the illness, most suffer no effects for at least a day
• Drain- This invocation with a casting time of 3 effects all natural living things within 10 foot of the caster. Each living thing in the area suffers 1 HP of damage from it's very life being drained out. Casting drain is simple enough for the caster save for the fact that being the center of the effect he suffers 2 HPs of draining loss. Any hit Points lost in this manner may not be recovered by magic, but only by natural healing methods ( healing and herbalism do not aid that healing in that there are no wounds to tend to).

Bind- Among the Necromancer's most potent knowledge is that of binding undead to his will. Binding an undead can be a complicated matter. Odds of success are based upon the mental resistance of the target undead and if it is free willed, intelligent or already controlled in one manner or another by somebody else. The process of binding an undead requires the exertion of dominance by means of special incantations. First to bind an undead, the necromancer must accurately know what it is he/she is binding ( there are some more unusual undead that may be unknown or mistaken for a more common sort). Secondly a skill check must be rolled to assure that the necromancer recalls the exact binding invocation at that time for that undead ( this may get a nice bonus if the necromancer has foreknowledge and studies up for the task). Using the binding incantation has a casting time of 7. It costs the caster 1 point of CON for every 4 points of INT the undead has. Odds of success are 20 out 20, less one for each point of INT the undead has. Undead controlled by another are 2 harder to control and free willed ones are 5 harder. A bound undead does not become the binders life long servant. Instead, a bound undead can be kept from harming those ( including the necromancer himself) whom the necromancer desires in addition to forcing it into one task that is within the mental ability of the undead to comprehend and which has a definite objective with a reasonable time projection which the undead can set about doing. After completion of the task, the undead is freed of the binding.

Mummification- A necromancer at this rank has learned the ancient rites of mummification which empowers the dead with a means of eternal life. The mummification ritual is very similar to that used by the ancient Egyptians in the real world. Preparing a body for mummification is nearly a month of work and required near 500 gold worth of rare chemicals, materials, implements and other assorted items, all of which are consumed or made tainted as such can not be used again. The mummification process is completed by invoking a magical ritual which completes the mummy's creation. Performing the ancient and powerful ritual drains the casters STR by 8 returning at a rate of 1 per month. The mummy created will maintain it's intelligence from life, but will have been greatly corrupted to evil by either the ceremony or it's experience "in the here after". In addition to it's former knowledge, it will have risen with some arcane imparted knowledge of the old dark gods. Mummies begin their existence relatively powerful, and only get more potent as time goes on. Mummies are however bound only to live within the burial complex in which they were created. Mummies are completely freewilled, and are known for their paranoia concerning their creators.

Flesh Golem- At this rank the necromancer has partially learned the great secret of necromancy, resurrection. The necromancer at this point may in fact build a human body from parts of dead one and then give them life. This restoration of "life" is only partial. Though the body is made alive, needing food, breath, etc. ( yes it's really alive not undead) it's mind and spirit are no more. For this a human spirit is summoned and trapped within, giving the body control. A dead body in good shape, or several parts, each in good condition are needed to build the flesh golem. Even intact single bodies must be dissected to re-begin their vital functions as such they often look patchwork. Body pieces used in a flesh golem may be no more than 2 days dead when the initial preparatory steeps are taken. Preparing the body and actually raising the golem is a full time effort for 3 months. It requires a full laboratory and the expenditure of several hundred gold worth of chemicals and materials. Successful completion is determined by a necromancy roll. Once a flesh golem is raised, it must remain restful for several months as it heals. Unlike a flesh golem created as an automaton by a priest, this construct is a real human being again. As it is raised, the spirit with is "born" into flesh again and has the understanding of an infant. For all practical purposes the golem is a body of the builders design with a new born infants mind which will develop as any child's mind normally would.

Vampirism- At this rank the necromancer has gleaned enough insight to have unraveled the mystery of the origin of vampires. The Necromancer may guide another ( the necromancer must be present throughout guiding the other, not simply telling or writing instructions), or perform the act himself if vampirism is sought. The curse of vampirism is known to result from only one act. A would be vampire must lay waste to a church or temple of a good deity and within the most sacred place perform a specific blasphemous ritual. During the enactment of this right, religious icons have been known to cry blood. After all is done, the tears of blood are to be drunk. On the next day, the performer of this ritual will die and rise again as a vampire. Vampires of this type are the only real "master" vampires. Though they do not begin their unlives remarkably powerful, they have the potential to grow remarkably so. Vampires of this type are completely free willed and can never be controlled. The powers and abilities of a vampire of this sort vary greatly and should be designed as the GM sees fit.

Resurrection- At this masterful rank of necromancy, the character has achieved such profound understanding of the processes of life and death that he may in fact reverse the process of death and restore life to the dead. A person to be resurrected in such a way must have died in a manner leaving a corpse in tact ( fatally injured is fine, partially eaten is not). The body must be no more than 4 days dead when resurrection efforts are begun. Conditions afflicting the body during the time of death ( often the cause of that death) will still be a factor upon resurrection and may again slay the poor guy again soon after his resurrection. Fatal injuries will be repaired by the necromancer resurrecting the dead at a stabilized -8 HPs. The process of resurrection is a two day affair which involves physiological repair and preparation of the corpse, chemical treatments and targeted reactions which stimulate bodily function as well as magical invocation which returns the spirit as well as taking care of several biological factors. Performing such ritual costs the caster about 400 gold pieces worth of materials and chemicals which are consumed, as well as a permanent point of Strength for the casting. There are rumored methods around the strength loss. Chance of success depends on three rolls. First a Necromancers necromancy skill at a -4 penalty, secondly a percentage roll by the GM to determine any long term lameness of the subject as a result of unhealed injure or bad repair, as well as any psychological effects based upon the dead's "here after" experience ( roll is highly at the GMs discretion based upon how bad the subjects fatal injuries were, etc.). Lastly the dead characters resurrection survival roll.