Evensong

Hi!
I'm writing a modern/horror novel where one of my characters is a necromancer. At the moment it's my own take on the "lore" or whatever it should be called, but I want to know more on the subject. If anyone knows anything on necromancy or has any good links, it would be muchly appreciated... and will get cookies.

northerain

you should try the necroscope series by brian lumley(for inspiration), otherwise just do a search on the web, its pretty easy to find out about it

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Richmix

I can tell you just about anything you need to know about mythological demons or undead creatures. Since that's what necromancy is mainly concerned with, that info might be useful to you. Just PM me and ask.

As for necromancy itself, if you're interested in fact, good luck. It's a technique of divination that involves communication with dead spirits, usually to tell the future. Its theologies assume that spirits are not bound to any particular space or time and can therefore travel through either as if it were merely air. By communicating with these spirits, they can tell the future (or the past). This, of course, is practical necromancy. If you want to get into fantasy and horror, it gets trickier.

I'm not sure if this is exactly correct, but from everything I've read (and everything I expect anyone else to be able to read), it's as close as I can get.

There are nine circles of necromantic magics. These circles represent the stages from which men pass from life to death. In order to properly attain the necessary "power" to summon a spirit back to Earth, a necromancer must prepare himself to go beyond these circles. He or she will do so by undergoing a sort of purifying ritual, in which the necromancer will often wear clothing stolen from a corpse and meditate on death. The eatings of dog tissue, black bread, and unfermented grape juice are also common to invoke in the spirit a pagan god, decay, and lifelessness. When the necromancer reaches a state where he or she is put beyond the nine circle of life/death, he or she can work the actual ritualistic magicks.

This is where all the scary stuff can happen. A necromancer cannot summon the dead alone because they do not exist in the same state as the dead spirits (they are in a 10th circle if you will, whereas the spirits are bound in the 9th of unrest). In this 10th circle, it is said that spirits and demons reign supreme. Note the words "reign supreme". The necromancer has little or no power here, and so the spirit is at great risk for either possession or aggression. In this state, the necromancer hopes to earn the trust of a demon or devil by promising it payment for its services. In return, the demon or devil will summon a spirit (or multiple spirits) from the 9th circle back to the circle of the living. Consider these circles as planes of existence, if you will. In this respect, the necromancer is both nearly barren of power and topped full of it at the same time.

When the spell is completed, the necromancer will either be possessed by a demon, trapped in the 10th circle (leaving a dead body), or perfectly fine (as the spell is intended to result). If successful, the devil/demon will conjur to the living sphere the spirits that the necromancer requested. These spirits can be used for either divination or to inhabit the empty shells of corpses to do the bidding of the necromancer. Note that when the spirit enters a body, it becomes bound to the physical plane. An unbound spirit cannot harm anyone's body or mind (only a demon can pull that little trick). However, if the spirit enters a body, it is still lifeless and weak. It is only as strong as the body that carries it. Spirits summoned by a necromancer cannot possess people, either, or at least they can't without the help of a demon/devil. The reason is simple: only demons or devils can influence a person's spirit. So basically, you can use the summoned spirits as fortune tellers or scary-as-hell fighting dummies which, of course, can't die.

When the necromancer is done with his or her use of the spirit, he or she again invokes the spell to return to the 10th circle. Here, the necromancer is again put at great risk, but it is necessary to consult with the devil or demon that the necromancer owes his or her debt to. The devil pulls the spirit(s) back to the 9th circle, takes the debt from the necromancer (which is more often than not a piece of his soul), and sends the necromancer back to the circle of the living. *Poof*, done, demon's happy, necromancer's happy, and ghost is back home.

<Insert scary story with undead guys here>. You can modify the facts all you want. Make 'em strong, flying, glowie eyes, whatever. That's all the information I have on this topic. Hope it helps.

Cora Windover

there is an interesting take on the "necromantic" idea in the books by Garth Nix: Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen are the three novels... he has a whole thing with nine bells and nine levels of death, describes each one..... and the Abhorsen person is the opposite of a necromancer - someone who puts the dead to rest. He has a very interesting and detailed idea, not tomention wonderful writing =^..^=

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spirituous

I would suggest reading the researching the Anita Blake Novels by Laurell K. Hamilton; Anita is an animator also called a necromancer. :]

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WelderX

I know a little bit on this subject, if Im wrong please correct me.

In order for a necromancer to do a spell, invocation, or whatever you want to call it he or she must focus a certain amount of negative energy on their focus, negative energy can be fueled by physical pain, such as the necromancer cutting himself. Another way the necromancer acheives negative energy is by focusing pure hate into the focus, the focus has to be an object of death essence such as skin, hair, bones, or any other part of the imposed target.

Other things about Necromancers:
They do not fear death because they understand the cosmic balance between life and death instead of running from it they embrace death with open arms and they fully understand that one day they will day and they do not fear it at all.

There is a common misconception that Necromancy is evil and is often called black magic or the dark arts. Necromancy in itself cannot be evil only the person that wields it, it is possible to have a Necromancer that is not evil at all. So the choice of whether your character will be evil or not is entirely up to you.

I hope I helped