I am working on exploring a bit more about the "non-evil" aspects of Necromancy. Necromancy, in my opinion, isn't only about animating undead servants and ability draining peasants for the heck of it, Necromancy is also about the spirits of the dead and about the secrets they hold. Necromancy is also about arcane spellcasters trying to duplicate the power of life, the power of the Gods. Alot of aspects of Necromancy are, in my opinion, not properly described or explored. Anyways, I have a few spells presented below that I have made, might post a few more I have depending on the feedback. Especially the Spirit Lore spell was one that I was in doubt about when it comes to mechanics.
Secrets of the Grave
Necromancy
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Circle centered on caster
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Secrets of the Grave gives the caster information about any corpses within a 60 ft. circle around him. On the first round of the spell, the caster knows exactly how many corpses are within the area of effect as well as their exact location. After the first round, the caster can spend additional time studying an individual corpse within the area of effect. The amount of information gained about the corpse depends on the amount of time spent studying the corpse.
1st round: The amount of time the target corpse has
been dead as well as the race of the target.
2nd round: The age that the target had when it died, the sex of the target and the general occupation of the target (warrior, peasant, blacksmith, priest, adventurer, etc. No information is given about which classes the target had as well as the level the target had in life. For example, a druid will be detected as having been a druid when it was alive, but the spell will not reveal if the druid has levels in other classes than druid or his character level).
3rd round: The appearance the target had when it was alive (height and weight as well as eye, hair and skin colour. The image the caster gets of the target is sufficiently detailed for the caster to mimic the appearance of the target with an illusion spell, but the image doesn't provide the caster with any information about the mannerism or behaviour of the target).
4th round: The cause of death (this piece of information is very general. The caster will know what killed the target, if it was disease, old age, a weapon or a spell. The caster will not know which disease, which weapon or which spell killed the target).
There are many different situations in which a Necromancer uses Secrets of the Grave. Some Necromancers use it to gain a general opinion of a village before they settle down, since the spell reveals what kind of people have lived there, what they normally die of. A village in which many people die from disease or from injuries may not be the best place to settle down. Other Necromancers use the spell when they are looking for a specific corpse in a graveyard.
Knowledge of the Dead
Necromancy
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Effect: Transfers knowledge from one skull to the caster
Duration: One day
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Knowledge of the Dead allows the caster to temporarily learn a skill from a dead creature. The caster must have the skull of the target creature for the spell to work. It doesn't matter if the skull is attached to the body or not. The skull must be from a creature that hasn't been dead for ten years or more. It doesn't matter which state of decomposition the skull is in, since it isn't the skull itself that provides the knowledge but the lingering imprint of the deceased spirit that is attached to the skull. The caster chooses one skill. When the spell is cast, he immediately gains as many ranks in the chosen skill as the owner of the skull had when he was alive. If the owner of skull didn't have the chosen skill, the spell doesn t work. Only skills that have Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as their key ability can be learnt through this spell. The caster can never gain more ranks in a skill than his character level plus three. If a 5th level character casts Knowledge of the Dead on a skull of a creature that had 30 ranks in Knowledge (Arcana), the caster will still only gain 8 ranks in the skill for the duration of the spell, since he simply doesn t have the capacity to know more about the subject. The ranks gained through this spell don t stack with any ranks the character already has in the chosen skill. If a character has 5 ranks in a skill and casts Knowledge of the Dead on the skull of a creature that had 8 ranks in the chosen skill, the casters ranks in the skill will become 8, not 13. It is though possible for the caster to gain a small amount of added knowledge from casting the spell on a creature that had less ranks in the skill than himself. If the character casts Knowledge of the Dead on skull with less ranks than himself, but with 5 ranks or more, he gains a +2 synergy bonus to the chosen skill. For example, if a caster has 15 ranks in Spellcraft and he casts Knowledge of the Dead on a skull with 8 ranks in Spellcraft, he gains the +2 synergy bonus to the skill for the duration of the spell.
Only the skill ranks of the affected skull will be transferred to the caster, Ability Score modifiers and racial bonuses to the skill are not transferred. If the character casts Knowledge of the Dead on a creature that had 8 ranks in Listen, a +5 modifier to the skill from high Wisdom and a +6 racial bonus to the skill, the caster will still only gain 8 ranks in Listen (but he will add his own Wisdom modifier to the skill).
Some Necromancers have been known to carry several skulls of especially wise creatures with them to have access to their skills when they are required. Such skulls often have Preservation cast on them for the sake of convenience and hygiene.
Focus: The affected skull
Preservation
Necromancy
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One touched object of up to 100 lb./level
Duration: One day/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
Preservation is similar to Gentle Repose in some ways, it causes the affected object to become odourless, but it doesn t completely stop decomposition. Any object affected by Preservation will only decompose at half of the normal rate. This doesn't affect the amount of time that can pass before an affected creature can be brought back to life using Raise Dead. The affected object will not give of any odour for the duration of spell, which means that it won't attract flies and maggots as well as predators like wolves and lions.
The spell can also be used on food rations to double their durability. Some adventurers have been known to use it on their food when they are cooking to prevent the natural wildlife from being attracted to the scent. Any creature affected by the spell can not be detected by a creature with the Scent ability (unless the creature has other means than Scent to detect the character).
Preservation can be made permanent by using the Permanency spell. It costs 250 XP to make Preservation permanent.
Spirit Lore
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 week
Range: Self
Effect: Caster discerns arcane secrets from the dead
Duration: Instantaneous or 1d4+1 weeks
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Spirit Lore allows the Necromancer to summon forth the spirits of the dead to learn some of their ancient lore. The spell is taxing on the caster though and it requires a great amount of preparation.
To begin with, the caster must locate a place where the spirits in the area possess such arcane lore. Any location where mighty spellcasters lie buried will be sufficient. The tomb of an archmage, a battlefield littered with the bones of dead warlocks or a ruined wizard’s tower; all are good examples of viable locations. The spirits present must possess the lore that the spellcaster seeks; otherwise the entire ritual will be in vain.
The spellcaster then begins to draw the symbols of spirit binding upon the floor of the location he chose. These symbols are drawn in chalk and powdered silver. These symbols protect the caster from the more wrathful spirits. Incense and black candles are lit and placed around in the symbols to draw the attention of the present spirits. Finally, the blood of a chicken or turkey is spilled on the floor so that the spirits can feed of the energy and thus be appeased. Once these rituals have been performed and the spell has been cast, the spirits will be present and willing to teach the caster.
The caster can either ask the spirits to teach him a spell or an arcane feat.
If the caster asks the spirits to teach him a spell, he gives them the name of the spell that he wishes to learn. The spirits will then seek the knowledge of that spell and grant it to the caster once they have located it. The probability of success depends upon the level of the spell.
Level of Spell Probability of Success
0. Level (Cantrip) 90%
1st Level 80%
2nd Level 70%
3rd Level 60%
4th Level 50%
5th Level 40%
6th Level 35%
7th Level 30%
8th Level 25%
9th Level 20%
If the spell is from the Necromancy school, the probability increases by 10%. If the spell is located by the spirits, they will whisper their acquired knowledge into the caster. The caster can then write the spell down directly into his spellbook.
If the caster needs a very rare spell, a spell that was never known by more than a few mages, the caster needs to locate the tomb of a spellcaster he knew to have that spell in his repertoire. Such spirits often require special gifts to grant a rare spell. If the spell is especially powerful, the spirit might even demand to be ressurected or brought back to life in some other way. Locating the tomb of such a spellcaster can be a quest in itself.
It is also possible for the caster to locate the tomb of a specialist wizard. Talking to a specialist wizard will increase the chance of learning a spell from his school of specialisation by 10%, but it will be impossible to learn spells from the wizards barred schools.
Each time a specific tomb has been used for Spirit Lore, the chance for locating a spell in that tomb by the caster is decreased by 5%. It is though possible for the caster to make bargains with the local spirits to appease them, this will keep the probability from decreasing. Often, spirits will ask for greater and greater sacrifices from the caster. Some might ask for the caster to offer material offerings, others might ask the caster to performs tasks or quests. Some might even ask the caster to avenge their deaths. It all depends on the imagination of the DM.
The caster can also ask the spirits to assist him in crafting a magical item. After having performed the ritual described above, the caster can ask the spirits to guide his hand in the crafting process. There is a 75% chance that this version of the spell will work. The caster asks the spirits to imbue him with the knowledge of a single Item Creation feat. For a duration of 1d4+1 weeks, the spirits will stay with the caster and help him in the crafting process; effectively giving him the benefit of an Item Creation feat he normally doesn’t posses for that duration.
Material Components: The various components are listed in the spell itself. The cost of the material components is 1000 gp.
Secrets of the Grave
Necromancy
Level: Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Circle centered on caster
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Secrets of the Grave gives the caster information about any corpses within a 60 ft. circle around him. On the first round of the spell, the caster knows exactly how many corpses are within the area of effect as well as their exact location. After the first round, the caster can spend additional time studying an individual corpse within the area of effect. The amount of information gained about the corpse depends on the amount of time spent studying the corpse.
1st round: The amount of time the target corpse has
been dead as well as the race of the target.
2nd round: The age that the target had when it died, the sex of the target and the general occupation of the target (warrior, peasant, blacksmith, priest, adventurer, etc. No information is given about which classes the target had as well as the level the target had in life. For example, a druid will be detected as having been a druid when it was alive, but the spell will not reveal if the druid has levels in other classes than druid or his character level).
3rd round: The appearance the target had when it was alive (height and weight as well as eye, hair and skin colour. The image the caster gets of the target is sufficiently detailed for the caster to mimic the appearance of the target with an illusion spell, but the image doesn't provide the caster with any information about the mannerism or behaviour of the target).
4th round: The cause of death (this piece of information is very general. The caster will know what killed the target, if it was disease, old age, a weapon or a spell. The caster will not know which disease, which weapon or which spell killed the target).
There are many different situations in which a Necromancer uses Secrets of the Grave. Some Necromancers use it to gain a general opinion of a village before they settle down, since the spell reveals what kind of people have lived there, what they normally die of. A village in which many people die from disease or from injuries may not be the best place to settle down. Other Necromancers use the spell when they are looking for a specific corpse in a graveyard.
Knowledge of the Dead
Necromancy
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Effect: Transfers knowledge from one skull to the caster
Duration: One day
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Knowledge of the Dead allows the caster to temporarily learn a skill from a dead creature. The caster must have the skull of the target creature for the spell to work. It doesn't matter if the skull is attached to the body or not. The skull must be from a creature that hasn't been dead for ten years or more. It doesn't matter which state of decomposition the skull is in, since it isn't the skull itself that provides the knowledge but the lingering imprint of the deceased spirit that is attached to the skull. The caster chooses one skill. When the spell is cast, he immediately gains as many ranks in the chosen skill as the owner of the skull had when he was alive. If the owner of skull didn't have the chosen skill, the spell doesn t work. Only skills that have Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as their key ability can be learnt through this spell. The caster can never gain more ranks in a skill than his character level plus three. If a 5th level character casts Knowledge of the Dead on a skull of a creature that had 30 ranks in Knowledge (Arcana), the caster will still only gain 8 ranks in the skill for the duration of the spell, since he simply doesn t have the capacity to know more about the subject. The ranks gained through this spell don t stack with any ranks the character already has in the chosen skill. If a character has 5 ranks in a skill and casts Knowledge of the Dead on the skull of a creature that had 8 ranks in the chosen skill, the casters ranks in the skill will become 8, not 13. It is though possible for the caster to gain a small amount of added knowledge from casting the spell on a creature that had less ranks in the skill than himself. If the character casts Knowledge of the Dead on skull with less ranks than himself, but with 5 ranks or more, he gains a +2 synergy bonus to the chosen skill. For example, if a caster has 15 ranks in Spellcraft and he casts Knowledge of the Dead on a skull with 8 ranks in Spellcraft, he gains the +2 synergy bonus to the skill for the duration of the spell.
Only the skill ranks of the affected skull will be transferred to the caster, Ability Score modifiers and racial bonuses to the skill are not transferred. If the character casts Knowledge of the Dead on a creature that had 8 ranks in Listen, a +5 modifier to the skill from high Wisdom and a +6 racial bonus to the skill, the caster will still only gain 8 ranks in Listen (but he will add his own Wisdom modifier to the skill).
Some Necromancers have been known to carry several skulls of especially wise creatures with them to have access to their skills when they are required. Such skulls often have Preservation cast on them for the sake of convenience and hygiene.
Focus: The affected skull
Preservation
Necromancy
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Rgr 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One touched object of up to 100 lb./level
Duration: One day/level
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
Preservation is similar to Gentle Repose in some ways, it causes the affected object to become odourless, but it doesn t completely stop decomposition. Any object affected by Preservation will only decompose at half of the normal rate. This doesn't affect the amount of time that can pass before an affected creature can be brought back to life using Raise Dead. The affected object will not give of any odour for the duration of spell, which means that it won't attract flies and maggots as well as predators like wolves and lions.
The spell can also be used on food rations to double their durability. Some adventurers have been known to use it on their food when they are cooking to prevent the natural wildlife from being attracted to the scent. Any creature affected by the spell can not be detected by a creature with the Scent ability (unless the creature has other means than Scent to detect the character).
Preservation can be made permanent by using the Permanency spell. It costs 250 XP to make Preservation permanent.
Spirit Lore
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 week
Range: Self
Effect: Caster discerns arcane secrets from the dead
Duration: Instantaneous or 1d4+1 weeks
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Spirit Lore allows the Necromancer to summon forth the spirits of the dead to learn some of their ancient lore. The spell is taxing on the caster though and it requires a great amount of preparation.
To begin with, the caster must locate a place where the spirits in the area possess such arcane lore. Any location where mighty spellcasters lie buried will be sufficient. The tomb of an archmage, a battlefield littered with the bones of dead warlocks or a ruined wizard’s tower; all are good examples of viable locations. The spirits present must possess the lore that the spellcaster seeks; otherwise the entire ritual will be in vain.
The spellcaster then begins to draw the symbols of spirit binding upon the floor of the location he chose. These symbols are drawn in chalk and powdered silver. These symbols protect the caster from the more wrathful spirits. Incense and black candles are lit and placed around in the symbols to draw the attention of the present spirits. Finally, the blood of a chicken or turkey is spilled on the floor so that the spirits can feed of the energy and thus be appeased. Once these rituals have been performed and the spell has been cast, the spirits will be present and willing to teach the caster.
The caster can either ask the spirits to teach him a spell or an arcane feat.
If the caster asks the spirits to teach him a spell, he gives them the name of the spell that he wishes to learn. The spirits will then seek the knowledge of that spell and grant it to the caster once they have located it. The probability of success depends upon the level of the spell.
Level of Spell Probability of Success
0. Level (Cantrip) 90%
1st Level 80%
2nd Level 70%
3rd Level 60%
4th Level 50%
5th Level 40%
6th Level 35%
7th Level 30%
8th Level 25%
9th Level 20%
If the spell is from the Necromancy school, the probability increases by 10%. If the spell is located by the spirits, they will whisper their acquired knowledge into the caster. The caster can then write the spell down directly into his spellbook.
If the caster needs a very rare spell, a spell that was never known by more than a few mages, the caster needs to locate the tomb of a spellcaster he knew to have that spell in his repertoire. Such spirits often require special gifts to grant a rare spell. If the spell is especially powerful, the spirit might even demand to be ressurected or brought back to life in some other way. Locating the tomb of such a spellcaster can be a quest in itself.
It is also possible for the caster to locate the tomb of a specialist wizard. Talking to a specialist wizard will increase the chance of learning a spell from his school of specialisation by 10%, but it will be impossible to learn spells from the wizards barred schools.
Each time a specific tomb has been used for Spirit Lore, the chance for locating a spell in that tomb by the caster is decreased by 5%. It is though possible for the caster to make bargains with the local spirits to appease them, this will keep the probability from decreasing. Often, spirits will ask for greater and greater sacrifices from the caster. Some might ask for the caster to offer material offerings, others might ask the caster to performs tasks or quests. Some might even ask the caster to avenge their deaths. It all depends on the imagination of the DM.
The caster can also ask the spirits to assist him in crafting a magical item. After having performed the ritual described above, the caster can ask the spirits to guide his hand in the crafting process. There is a 75% chance that this version of the spell will work. The caster asks the spirits to imbue him with the knowledge of a single Item Creation feat. For a duration of 1d4+1 weeks, the spirits will stay with the caster and help him in the crafting process; effectively giving him the benefit of an Item Creation feat he normally doesn’t posses for that duration.
Material Components: The various components are listed in the spell itself. The cost of the material components is 1000 gp.
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