The Necromancer is a priest dedicated to healing the rifts between the recently departed and those they left behind. As such he has a both unique understanding of, and many powers over, the dead. The history of the Necromancers is long and bloody and is detailed in the Legends of the Necromancers.
| Ability Requirements: | Intelligence 9, Wisdom 9 |
| Prime Requisites: | Intelligence and Wisdom |
| Races Allowed: | All |
The Necromancer is an example of a priest designed for a specific mythos, and is always of Lawful Good alignment. Should he change alignment, either deliberately or inadvertently, then he permanently loses all special powers, and from then on progresses as a cleric of equal level.
For the purposes of character creation the Necromancer is viewed as a standard cleric. Use the cleric tables when determining hit dice, weapon and non-weapon proficiencies, saving throws, experience levels, race level restrictions, and spell levels. A Necromancer who has a Wisdom and Intelligence of 16 or more gains a 10% bonus to experience points earned.
As with a cleric, a Necromancer may use any type of armour and use any shield. They are similarly limited to using blunt or bludgeoning weapons, and may use any magical item normally usable by a cleric including clerical scrolls, some wands and rods, most potions and rings, armour and shields, and magical weapons normally usable by clerics.
Can turn undead and cast spells from the Necromantic sphere (only) as if a cleric of one level higher. The Necromancer gains access to spells and spell levels as appropriate with adjustments for wisdom. For example, a first level Necromancer would have access to a second 1st level Necromantic spell, and a fourth level Necromancer would be able to cast an additional 2nd and one 3rd level Necromantic spell (adjusted for wisdom). All other spells are cast as if a cleric of equal level.
Can grant rest to undead. The effect of this ability manifests itself in the much the same way as an evil cleric (of equal level) binding undead to their will, the difference being that the undead are freed from the slavery of the original animate dead spell, and they choose to provide aid to the Necromancer. Some undead (those who were not affected) prefer to remain in their evil state. Those that aid the Necromancer will assist until they are either destroyed or the current battle or task is completed. They then return back to the land of the dead, and are forever granted rest, or even oblivion. A Necromancer will never seek to keep an undead under his control as this would be the ultimate evil act for this character class. DM's note that a Necromancer may only turn undead or grant rest once during an encounter, never both.
A Necromancer may use their own variant of the animate dead spell, which functions in the same manner as the 3rd level priest spell except as detailed below, as a Lawful Good act. The spell in effect grants the ability for the dead to either exact revenge, or repent for their sins. Once a Necromancer has completed the immediate task with the undead, they must dismiss the undead back to the land of the dead. This is the variation on the animate dead spell which allows the caster to simply 'unanimate' the undead summoning by his calling automatically and without failure. An undead creature animated by a Necromancer cannot be bound to the will of an evil priest, but may be destroyed with a standard turn undead ability, but at one level higher, i.e. either a zombie or ghoul.
Dying curse. All Necromancers have placed upon themselves a powerful dying curse, which has effectively stopped assassins from targeting them. The curse strikes whomever slays the Necromancer and it's effects should be agreed by the DM and player.
DM's option. The Necromancer may know a clerical version of spells from the wizard Necromantic sphere of spells, up to 8th level, which would only be accessible using the Lost Necromancers' Amulet.
Although the Necromancers never were a particularly powerful order in terms of priestly ability, (their greatest priest, ever, was level 14), they did command tremendous wealth. The people lavished money on them to contact the recently departed in order to lessen the pain of death.
This tremendous wealth meant that even the most lowly of Necromancers often had items of great power, a fact that did not escape the notice of the evil priests of the realm. Such objects are very easily recognisable carrying a highly stylised skull symbol, with glowing purple eyes made from costly gems. The most powerful devices also have a snake on them depicting the mortality of man.
Almost anyone can use these items (with one or two exceptions), and because Necromancers are generally low level priests (1-3) the objects always tell you what they can do, how to use them and their limitations.
About 800 years ago almost half of all the Necromancers were assassinated in a single night of carnage. Evil priests together with hired assassins slaughtered the Necromancers and took many of their magical items. Fortunately priests from other orders and adventurers came to their aid, the evil priests were driven from the land and much reclaimed. Only one object of power was permanently lost, but unfortunately this was the second greatest object ever produced for the Necromancers.
Over a period of time some items recaptured from the evil Priests proved to have been terribly corrupted, made dangerous and indeed useless to the Necromancers. The gems glowed a hideous green light and with one particular ring the snake writhed. The power of the ring had been to raise dead but could now only be used to cast finger of death. All such objects were (and still are) handed over to lawful wizards or priests to be destroyed.
Today a Necromancer will always be accompanied by bodyguards and live in a fortified home or temple. Since that night 800 years ago they have placed upon themselves a powerful dying curse. Until recently Necromancers always make a very public point of giving away any powerful items that turn up to high level priests of other Lawful orders. The only objects that Necromancers now commission are those that will turn undead as a 10th or higher level priest, protection from undead, speak with dead and certain types of weapons and armour.
Unfortunately high level Necromancers, who today generally only reach up to 4th level, are still the targets for evil priests. This is because their most powerful device, a talisman of considerable power and now known as the Lost Necromancers' Amulet, able some say to raise the dead and command spells of much higher level than that normally possible, has never turned up. The Necromancers will all tell the same story that their greatest priest went out to do battle with a huge dragon about 790 years ago. The priest was never seen again, but then again neither was the dragon.
The time has however come for the Necromancers to fight back against the rising forces of darkness.
Necromancer's Ring (1,000 XP).
This ring is usable by clerics (not druids) only. It is set with a costly gem crafted into an abstract skull symbol. Once per day the ring allows the wearer to speak with dead as if as a priest of 10th level.
Necromancer's Shield (1,500 XP).
This shield is usable by any class that may use shields. This shield +1 is fashioned in an abstract skull design, and absorbs sunlight. Once per day the shield can be used to cast sunlight strike. If used against an undead creature this causes 1d8+1 damage plus additional burn damage of 1d6. If used against a living creature then only the burn damage is effective. The strike is actually a beam of pure sunlight, and affects creatures who are affected by sunlight, although the burst is so brief that they receive a +3 bonus to their saving throw. The light may also blind a living creature for 1d4 rounds, although they do receive a saving throw vs. spells to avoid this effect.
Lost Necromancers' Amulet (10,000 XP).
This item is only usable by a Necromancer. This is the greatest magical item ever produced for the Necromancers and will be found along with the remains of a huge dragon. The Amulet is a holy symbol to the Necromancers and has the following powers:
