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Skip Navigation LinksHere There Be Monsters>Playable Origins>Mystic>Necromantist
Necromantist
Zombie Daile is an example Necromantist.
Necromantists specialize in the creation and commanding of the Undead, and often command a dangerous mob of unpleasant servants and have dark powers or cast deathly spells.
In the modern era of the Here There Be Monsters setting Necromantist are classified as Sorcerers due to the dangerous and unstable nature of their abilities, the fact that Undead are intrinsically antithecal to living things, and because Necromantism is almost never subtle and thus violations of the Secrecy Accords are difficult to avoid. Almost all Necromantists are Sanctioned pretty early in their "career", and are increasingly uncommon in first and second world countries.
Necromantists have a terrible and powerful tradition of magic with ancient roots, and a broad array of abilities broken down into three basic categories:
  • Create Undead: Necromantists can create Undead Minions, animated corpses or spirit manifestations associated with ethereal or necrotic forces. Creating Undead Minions takes a long time to do and represents a major investment of time, materials, and mystical resources for a Necromantist, but the perfect loyalty of Undead Minions is the payoff.
  • Necromantic Powers: In addition to summoning Undead, a Necromantist can have Necromantic Powers as well, thematically related to death, decay, weakness, and the manipulation of souls.
    • Raise Undead: The ability to Raise simple animated skeletons, corpses, and zombies is a classic Necromantic Power. This sort of lesser Undead is far weaker and more limited than Undead Minions. The Summon Power is generally used to model such abilities.
    • Command Undead: Necromantists can attempt to command pre-existing Undead. Commanded Undead generally have room for interpretation, and the can often eventually shake off the Necromantist's control. Mind Control is usually used for this type of ability, but a properly defined Summon with "Summoned Creature Inhabits Locale" can be used in some cases.
  • Innate abilities: Like other Magi, Necromantists internalize some of their magic, becoming altered and more capable over time due to their exposure to Supernatural forces.
Necromantists are not required to have abilities from all three categories, or even more than one category; they can if they choose eschew a category of Necromantism. Thus a Necromantist might have only Undead Minions, or Innate abilities, or Necromantic Powers, or any combination thereof. However, a Necromantist that builds their power in all three areas is likely a better balanced and more effective Necromantist than one who has opted to specialize.
RESTRICTIONS
In a Here There Be Monsters campaign, Necromantists have the following restrictions:
  • Undead Minions cannot have more Character Points than the Necromantist's (Base Points + Max Complications + Experience Points).
  • Necromantic Power Active Points cannot exceed the Necromantist's (EGO + ((KS: Necromantic Lore - 10) * 10))
  • Necromantic Powers must Require a Roll using the Necromantic Lore Skill
  • The total Real Cost of Innate abilities cannot exceed the Necromantist's ((Base Points + Max Complications + Experience Points) / 10).
KS: Necromantic Lore
Necromantist must have a Knowledge Skill called Necromantic Lore. In addition to providing information regarding Undead, capabilities, and notable history (which even non-Necromantist can take the skill for) it is also used when a Requires Skill Roll Limitation is taken on an Necromantic Power. This is a Knowledge Skill, thus standard pricing options apply, the Scholar enhancer reduces it's cost, and so forth.
3/1
2/1 		KS: Necromantic Lore: This skill provides information regarding Undead, capabilities, and notable history and is also used by Necromantists for their dark magic.
Undead Minions
Undead Minions are completely under the control of a Necromantist, and are purchased as Followers. Unlike Raised and Commanded Undead whose design is in the hands of the GM, players are expected to be directly and heavily involved in the design of their Undead Minions, though the GM has final approval.
Undead Minions are paid for as Followers in the Contacts & Followers Pool. Undead Minions might be considered to be unique if they are sentient at the GM's discretion, in which case the normal doubling rule (x2 Followers for +5 points) is not allowed. If a Necromantist wants multiple sentient and unique Undead Minions, they must pay for each of them individually.
However, the normal doubling rule of x2 Followers for +5 points does apply to Undead Minions built as Automatons and intended to be interchangeable.
To have an Undead Minion, a character must have unlocked the Mystic Pool and have a KS: Necromantic Lore Skill of at least 12-.
Undead Minions cannot have more Character Points than the Necromantist (Base Points + Max Complications + Experience Points).
Death of a Necromantist
If a Necromantist is killed, the Binding that they have used to chain their Undead Minions to themselves results in them dissipating or becoming inert. However if the Necromantist manages to rise again by some means their servants will also be reconstituted / reactivated and will seek to return to the Necromantist by the most direct means possible.
An Necromantist can empower an Undead Minion to remain animate after their own death if they so choose; to do so the Necromantist must pay an extra 5 character points (treated as an Adder) per Follower that can remain animate after their own demise. This might be done for a variety of reasons, including having a Follower follow a plan of action that will return the Necromantist to life, to guard the Necromantist's body or possessions, and so forth.
"Death" of a Undead Minion
It is assumed that Undead Minions that are destroyed can be replaced, as is (ie, reusing the same character sheet), "off screen" given suitable time and raw materials, and is left to the GM's discretion.
Sample Undead Minions
  • Undying: This type of Undead is created by Binding a freshly deceased (within an hour) sentient or creature. Undying retain the intelligence and abilities they had in life and can pass as living humans in most conditions, making them favored servants. However, they cannot heal themselves and do not bleed, thus if they suffer damage their ability to pass as living is compromised. A Necromantist must have a separate Healing based power to repair a damaged Undying.
  • Flyblown: This type of Undead is similar to an Undying, but are more powerful. They have maggot-based pestilential powers. Hideously disgusting and largely mindless, Flyblown are of limited usefulness, but they excel at sowing death.
  • Carrion Feeders: A disgusting Undead fiend that eats corpses and grows larger and stronger for a time. Possessed of the cunning and intelligence of a hungry wolf, they are not tool users and attack in bestial fashion, but are quite canny and a clutch of them will employ pack tactics.
  • Corpse Golem: An animated construct (mindless Automaton) that is pieced together with body parts from different animals and people.
  • Gland Eater: A corporeal Undead that eats the adrenal glands of humans, which grants them a temporary boost of physical might and dexterity. Malevolently intelligent, Gland Eaters can use tools if they choose to, though they prefer their natural claws and fangs to weapons, and their skin is as hard as plate mail so they eschew armor as well. The can speak, though their distorted mouths and throats grant their speech a horrifying distortion.
  • Strife Wraith: A ghostly incorporeal Undead which is weak and impotent in its default state, but temporarily grows in power with exposure to unpleasant emotions such as fear, hatred, anger, and the like.
  • Soul Sucker: An incorporeal Undead that emanates a fearful aura that incapacitates their victims by sheer terror. They suck the soul out of their paralyzed victims through their eyes and mouth, a process which takes less than half a minute.
Necromantic Powers
Necromantists have the option of taking one or more Necromantic "themed" Powers in their Mystic Pool. They may purchase these powers outright, or put them into an Elemental Control (5e), Unified Power (6e), and / or one Multipower; they may not use a Variable Power Pool for Necromantic Powers. GM's approval is required for all Necromantic Powers, and thematic relevance should be enforced to maintain "flavor" and "concept".
Necromantic Power Design Restrictions
There are a number of restrictions which apply to a Necromantist's Necromantic Powers, as follows.
  • Necromantic Power Active Points cannot exceed the Necromantist's (EGO + ((KS: Undead Lore - 10) * 10))
  • Necromantic Powers must Require a Roll using the Necromantic Lore Skill
  • The following Limitations are inappropriate:
    • Independent
    • Charges
    • No Conscious Control
  • Power Frameworks:
    • Elemental Controls (5e) and Unified Powers (6e) are allowed
    • A Multipower is allowed
Commanded Undead using Mind Control
Necromantists can have one or more Mind Control based Necromantic Powers defined as working against "Undead Minds", and use such abilities to "command" Undead. The standard Mind Control rules apply.
Raised and Commanded Undead using Summon
Necromantists can take one or more Summon based Powers that call Undead in their Mystic Pool. However, unlike Undead Minions, players have no role in the design of Raised and Commanded Undead (unless the GM opts to delegate such authority to them); the GM designs and controls Raised and Commanded Undead and they are potentially antagonistic to the Necromantist that summoned them.
All the standard rules for Summon described in the core rulebook apply to Summons used to Pact Undead, with variance for rules editions allowed for (by default, 6th Edition is assumed). The number of Tasks a Summoned Undead owes a Necromantist applies, and is the primary check on the efficacy of such abilities; GM's and players should read the applicable sections of the rules closely to ensure they understand them fully.
Most of the options presented for Summon are also in effect, though GM discretion applies, and some (such as Specific Being) require more depth and management of background elements to support and might be deemed not worth the effort by individual GM's.
"Undead" as a group is treated as a Limited Group, requiring the following Advantage:
Expanded Effect (Limited Group; +1/2).
A specific sort of Undead such as "Zombie" or "Vampire" is treated as a Very Limited Group, requiring the following Advantage:
Expanded Effect (Very Limited Group; +1/4).
Raised and Commanded Undead Design Restrictions
There are a number of restrictions which apply to a Necromantist's Raised and Commanded Undead, as follows.
  • Raised Undead cannot have more Character Points than the Necromantist's ((Base Points + Max Complications + Experience Points) * 1.5).
  • Commanded Undead that are controlled via use of the Summon Power cannot have more Character Points than the Necromantist's ((Base Points + Max Complications + Experience Points) * 2).
  • Raised and Commanded Undead Summoning Powers must Require a Roll using the Necromantic Lore Skill
  • The following Limitations are inappropriate:
    • Independent
    • Charges
    • No Conscious Control
Innate Abilities
Necromantists sometimes have or develop subtle abilities stemming from their intimate contact with magical forces, purchased in their Mystic Pool. A couple of very common Innate abilities are provided below.
Innate Ability: Supernatural Awareness
Many Necromantists take the Supernatural Awareness Talent or an equivalent ability built up directly using the Detect Power with different modifiers and adders.
Innate Ability: Longevity
Many Necromantists take the Life Support (Longevity) ability to represent extended life spans. GM permission is required.
Necromantism Endurance Reserve
Necromantists may have a Necromantism Endurance Reserve in their Mystic Pool for any Necromantic Powers they may have if they wish, though their Powers may also be bought 0 END if they prefer. However, a limitation is imposed upon the total number of Character Points a Necromantist can spend on their Necromantism Endurance Pool as given below. Character Points within the limit can be spent on either Recovery or Endurance.
Endurance Reserve 5e
5e Scaling Capacity Point Cap = (Total Character Points / 25) {round in the character's favor}
EXAMPLE: Ron Argo has 125 total Character Points; thus he could spend (125/25) = 5 Character Points on a Mystic Endurance Reserve. This could be allocated as 40 END / 1 REC or 10 END / 4 REC or any combination in between with a total Real Cost of 5 or less points.
Endurance Reserve 6e
Check out the House Rule on 6e Endurance Reserves.
6e Scaling Capacity Point Cap = (Total Character Points / 5) {round in the character's favor}
EXAMPLE: Ron Argo has 125 total Character Points; thus he could spend (125/10) = 25 Character Points on a Mystic Endurance Reserve. This could be allocated as any combination of Recovery and Reserve with a total Real Cost of 25 or less points.
Distinctive Features: Magi
An Necromantist should take the following Distinctive Feature Complication. Other Supernaturals can detect the Necromantist from a fair distance, regardless of intervening mundane structures whenever they are using any of their non-Invisible abilities.
Distinctive Features: Magi (Concealable; Extreme Reaction; Detectable Only By Special Abilities; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures); - 5 points
Social Complication: Sorcerer
An Necromantist is considered a Sorcerer and are automatically suspect to the authorities; they have to be very careful to avoid being Sanctioned. To represent this, a Necromantist should take the following Complication at a minimum.
Social Complication: Sorcerer Infrequently, Major; -10 points
Sanctioned
Necromantists that are Sanctioned should take the following Complication.
Sanctioned: Hunters Frequently (Mo Pow; NCI; Harshly Punish); -25 points
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