Necromantic spells banned

[Festivus]

Needless to say, my players keep out.

I need some help fleshing out something that happened in my game. The players found and defeated an evil necromancer in the city who was stealing corpses from the graveyard and turning them into undead minions. The local priest of Kelemvor has insisted that the mages guild no longer allow free access to necromancy school spells without first consulting him and obtaining a permit to read such spells.

The spellcaster in our group feels this is some sort of witch hunt, and that it's an outrage that the mages guild permits such influence over what can be studied (e.g. we police our own). I hinted that there might be something else going on, the general feeling around the guild is that nobody is happy with this either, but they don't know exactly why this external force is being permitted to exert this degree of control.

Here is where I need help. I need to come up with a reason that the guild is going along with this policy, and the nefarious plot behind it's happening. I had an idea for a cult of cyric and doppelgangers to be involved, perhaps impersonating the head of the guild, but that just seems so cliche. Anyone have either any ideas I can use to help flesh this out or pointers to a good political intrigue adventure would be appreciated. My brain is kinda stuck...

 

[delericho]

Here is where I need help. I need to come up with a reason that the guild is going along with this policy, and the nefarious plot behind it's happening. I had an idea for a cult of cyric and doppelgangers to be involved, perhaps impersonating the head of the guild, but that just seems so cliche. Anyone have either any ideas I can use to help flesh this out or pointers to a good political intrigue adventure would be appreciated. My brain is kinda stuck...

The upper echelons within the guild have secretly discovered, in concert with the priests of Kelemvor, that the dead god Myrkul (sp?) inlaid a curse to all necromantic spells, such that those who make use of them heavily become Tainted (per Heroes of Horror).

They're keeping this secret while they try to remove the curse, because they don't want the general public panicking and engaging in a witch-hunt against anyone who is suspected of necromancy. They haven't told the wizarding community at large because, as they say, three men can keep a secret only if two of them are dead.

Whether Myrkul inlaid the curse to bring all necromancers irrevocable to his side, whether he did it to 'poison the wells' when he died, or whether it was in some way a contingency to bring him back from the dead is something I'll leave to you to decide.

 

[painandgreed]

Even if something else is going on, it's still a witch hunt, the only difference is that there are actually some witches. I can think of no reason for the mage guild to go along with the church making demands of them. Cyric and dopplegangers are the least of the issues when divine casters are making demands to control arcane casters. It's going to come down to a power struggle and it doesn't matter who's in control. The only ways I can see them going along with it would be if the clerics reciprocated with consessions or if a higher power (the king) stepped in and demanded it.

Perhaps it's whatever the clerics give up to the mages inorder to review their access to necromancy spells which the imposters really want. Perhaps there's infiltrators in the clerics that are the real villians. Clerics with some sort of trickery domain feat and spells to mask their true alignment and make themselves appear as known good clerics. The church comes in and "cleans up", unimportant cultists are sacrificed, and once everybody thinks things are under control is when the bad guys have won. Only the PCs find the truth and they must figure a way to expose the evilness of the clerics as well as the corruption in the mage guild. ...or just make the mages innocent of it all and make them the good guys in the end if you want to get away from being too cliched.

 

[Ciaran]

Maybe it's just something very simple, like the mages' guild wanting to placate citizens terrified of necromancy who might be prone to riot or otherwise assault the mages? After all, this surrender of freedoms does bear a resemblance to the contemporary political situation, and it's unlikely that there are dopplegangers involved...

 

[Cheiromancer]

I like delericho's idea. Here's a variant of it:

Some scrolls and spellbooks have been found to contain one or more "poisoned glyphs" that taints those who use or prepare the spell. These glyphs are found exclusively in necromantic spells since its tainting function is bound up with necromantic magic; it couldn't be used in other schools of magic, nor could variants be easily developed. Think of it as a computer virus.

It is difficult, even for an expert, to distinguish poisoned glyphs from regular ones, and it is tricky to avoid becoming tainted when you do discover them. It is also difficult to rid oneself of this taint. So the authorities have banned necromantic magic and allow access only to spells that are deemed safe until more effective measures can be discovered.

The effects of the taint are invisible, but it is feared that there is a pre-determined time when it will activate, with horrific consequences.

 

[darthkilmor]

-The kelemvor cleric has some sort of leverage he's using to force the mage guild to do as he says( secret affair, stolen artifact, whatever).

-The kelemvor cleric has been granted powers by his god to restrict the casting of necromatic spells in town and surrounding area, and so if the mages dont want a constant <fizzle>, <fizzle>, they'll tell the priest so he can keep track of whats going on. Mechanically maybe every necro spell has to pass a DC 35 + spell level spellcraft check to actually be cast unless they've been "blessed" by the priest.

-The kelemvor priest isnt actually a cleric at all but a secret avatar of kelemvor and thus can do what he wants. The mages dont know why they're doing what they're told but they are(Domination/etc?).

-The kelemvor cleric isnt actually doing anything and its all a front to placate the public that this sort of this won't happen again. The mages guild "agreed" to prevent any backlash from the public at large.

-The mages guild isnt actually going to do whatever the priest wants and is just blowing smoke up his $%^ to shut him up. "yeah sure, restricted access, you got it. <snicker>".

-The evil necromancer isnt dead, and is in fact the kelemvor priest in question(or a clone of the necromancer that took up clericahood, or whatever works best). Mages guild will abide by any decree from this "priest", because they are already in effect policing their own. Bonus: they can fight him again with some cleric/mystic theurge added in.

-Priest is being controlled by a group of vampires that don't want wizards tossing around any more undead in the area and attracting attention.

 

[Gez]

Print and distribute this to your players:

The Black Arts On Trial
By Hannibal Traven, Archmagister of the Mages Guild

HISTORY​

Necromancy, commonly called the Black Arts, has a history that dates back before recorded time. Virtually all the earliest laws of the land make mention of it as expressly forbidden on pain of death. Independent practitioners of the arts of sorcery, however, continued its study.

The Psijic Order of the Isle of Artaeum, precursor to our own Mages Guild, also forbade its use, not only because it was dangerous, but their belief in the holy and unholy ancestor spirits made it heretical. Again, despite this, we hear many stories of students and masters who ignored this stricture. When Vanus Galerion left Artaeum, he may have disagreed with the Psijics on much, but he also refused to allow Necromancy to be taught in the Guild.

Almost 1100 years have passed since the time of Vanus Galerion, and there have been many archmagisters to lead his guild. The question of Necromancy has continued to be asked. The strictures against it in the Guild have never been lifted, but attitudes about it have shifted back and forth over the years. Some archmagisters have been inclined to ignore it entirely, some have fought very actively against it, and still other archmagisters have been rumored to be Necromancers themselves.

In my new role as Archmagister of the Mages Guild, it is my duty to set policy on this matter. Though I have my own opinions on the Black Arts, I took counsel with two of the most learned mages in the Empire, Magister Voth Karlyss of Corinth and Magister Ulliceta gra-Kogg of Orsinium, and we debated for two days.

What follows are summaries of the salient points of the debate, arguments and counter-arguments, which led to the resolution of the Mages Guild on the subject of Necromancy.

ARGUMENT​

Argument by Master gra-Kogg: Necromancy is poorly understood. We will not make it disappear by ignoring it. As an intellectual institution dedicated to the study of the magickal arts and sciences, we have obligations to the truth. Censoring ourselves in our scholarship is antithetical to our mission of neutrality and objectivity.

Counter-Argument by Master Karlyss: The Mages Guild must balance its quest for knowledge with responsible caution and ethical standards. It is not 'censoring' a student's course of study to have him proceed cautiously and with purity of purpose. It is not limiting a student's freedom to set rules and boundaries - indeed, it is essential.

Argument by Master Karlyss: Necromancy is an anathema throughout the civilized world. To embrace it publicly, the Mages Guild would inspire fear and hostility in the populace at large. Vanus Galerion wanted this institution to be unlike the Psijic Order, which was elitist and separatist. We ignore public opinion at our own risk. We will certainly lose our charters in many places including, very likely, the whole of Morrowind, where sentiment against Necromancy is very strong.

Counter-Argument by Master gra-Kogg: Yes, we should be sensitive to the concerns of the community, but they should not and must not dictate our scholarship. 'Necromancer' to many uneducated persons simply means an evil mage. It is madness to limit our work because of prejudices and half-formed understanding. It is an affront to the purpose of objective study to turn our back on a subject merely because of public opinion.

Argument by Master gra-Kogg: Necromancers are the scourge of Tamriel. Whether operating independently or in concert with the sloads or King of Worms, Mannimarco, they are responsible for many horrors, animated zombies and skeletons and other forms of the undead. To best combat this menace, we must understand the powers of the Necromancer, and we cannot do that by restricting our study of the Black Arts.

Counter-Argument by Master Karlyss: No one is disputing the threat of the Black Arts - in fact, that is the very essence of my argument against the Mages Guild making it a School to be taught to our initiates. We can and should know what our enemy is capable of, but we must be careful not to step into a trap of looking too deep into his ways, and making those ways our own. We do no one any good if by studying the evil ways, we become evil ourselves.

Argument by Master Karlyss: Necromancy is inherently dangerous. One cannot 'dabble' in it. The simplest spell requires the spilling of blood, and immediately begins to corrupt the caster's soul. This is not conjecture, but simple fact. It is irresponsible of the Guild to teach and thereby encourage a sort of magickal study which has proven itself, time and time again, to bring nothing but terror and misery on the practitioner and world.

Counter-Argument by Master gra-Kogg: All Schools of magicka are dangerous to the uninitiated. A simple fireball spell from the School of Destruction can cause great harm when cast by a novice, not only to others but to the mage himself. The School of Mysticism by its very nature forces the practitioner to divorce his mind from logic, to embrace a temporary sort of insanity, which one might argue is very like corrupting one's soul.

Argument by Master gra-Kogg: The Guild already permits some forms of Necromancy. The 'Schools' of magicka are, as we know, artificial constructs, originally formulated by Vanus Galerion to divide and thereby simplify study. They have changed many times throughout the years, but at their heart, every Master knows, they are all linked together. When a student of Conjuration summons a guardian ghost, he is touching on the School of Necromancy. When a student of Enchantment uses a trapped soul, he too may be considered guilty of a Black Art. The School of Mysticism, as I have stated before, has some kinship with Necromancy as well. To state that students may not learn the ways of Necromancy is to stifle common skills in the other, more historically legitimate Schools of the Guild.

Counter-Argument by Master Karlyss: Yes, the Schools are intertwined, but the standard spells of each School have passed the proof of time. We know that a student of Mysticism, properly instructed, will not be permanently harmed by his experience. In many ways, it is a question of extremes - how far we would permit our studies to take us. Necromancy by its nature relies on the practitioner going further into the darkness than is wise, virtually guaranteeing his destruction. It has no place in the Mages Guild.

CONCLUSION​

The risks of studying Necromancy outweigh its usefulness. The Guild does not wish to censor the study of any of its members, but it will not tolerate studies in the Black Arts, except in limited form for the purpose of combating its evil adherents. This may only been done by rare individuals who have proven themselves both highly skilled and highly cautious, and then only with my express permission and supervision.

AFTERWORD​

I regret to acknowledge the truth behind the rumor that Master Ulliceta gra-Kogg was more than an apologist for Necromancy, she was a Necromancer herself. Upon this revelation, the Knights of the Lamp attempted to arrest her at the Guildhouse in Orsinium, but she made good her escape. We have every confidence in the replacement Magister in Orsinium.

Though I disagreed, I respected her logical reasoning enough to include her arguments in this book, and I see no reason to remove them. It is disappointing, however, to see that her interest in 'the truth' was nothing more than a euphemism for her slavery to the Black Arts.

This unfortunate situation merely illustrates how essential it is for Guildmembers to be wary of the lure of Necromancy, and be vigilant to its practitioners' infiltration in our Mages Guild.​

 

[Festivus]

I like delericho's idea. Here's a variant of it:

Some scrolls and spellbooks have been found to contain one or more "poisoned glyphs" that taints those who use or prepare the spell. These glyphs are found exclusively in necromantic spells since its tainting function is bound up with necromantic magic; it couldn't be used in other schools of magic, nor could variants be easily developed. Think of it as a computer virus.

It is difficult, even for an expert, to distinguish poisoned glyphs from regular ones, and it is tricky to avoid becoming tainted when you do discover them. It is also difficult to rid oneself of this taint. So the authorities have banned necromantic magic and allow access only to spells that are deemed safe until more effective measures can be discovered.

The effects of the taint are invisible, but it is feared that there is a pre-determined time when it will activate, with horrific consequences.

I could see using something along the lines of the Necrotic Cysts series of spells for something like this. You read the spell, become infected with a cyst (though you may not know it), that activates with another necromancy spell. Oh the mayhem something like that could cause. Great ideas everyone, keep them coming, I have a couple weeks to prep for this

 

[darthkilmor]

I could see using something along the lines of the Necrotic Cysts series of spells for something like this. You read the spell, become infected with a cyst (though you may not know it), that activates with another necromancy spell. Oh the mayhem something like that could cause. Great ideas everyone, keep them coming, I have a couple weeks to prep for this

A couple weeks?! Why, you'll be stuffed to the ears with ideas by then! So in that vein...
The idea above reminds me of this http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wdn/20060719a, but it is bit different.

A problem I see is that this is just the guild giving access to necromancy spells, assuming that whatever casters there are don't already have them. More of a long term thing than anything really immediate I'd say so you might want to angle for some more long-term plotlines.

so, another idea:
-After the havoc the necromancer caused, Kelemvor gifts this priest with an artifact that will interfere any arcane necromatic spell in a radius around said artifact(maybe 5 mile radius or soemthing?). Maybe animated undead won't be controlled, or a much more powerful undead would show up(hey, thats not a skeleton, thats a nightwalker! Urrrk! ). The priest can put an invisible symbol/mark on a caster that bypasses this effect, and the mage's guild still wants to be able to cast these spells so they're game to play along with him but don't like it and don't tell everyone why. Maybe the guild heads approach the PC's and ask them to recover/destroy this artifact for them. Or they need to recover some rare mcgruffin/spell component for awesome spell to counteract the effect. Naturally high-lvl wizards are too busy so the PC's get to do this retrieving. Bonus: The party cleric(if there is one and he's good?), stops receiving spells/paladin loses powers if they take this quest. And the priest sends a couple paladins to thwart the PC's efforts. ++Bonus: Artifact is damaging the weave in the area and every ?week/3 days/whatever? another school of magic is being affected, end result=huge dead magic zone. (make a list, illusion, abjuration, etc). Priest doesnt care/ believe even in face of evidence of this, +++Bonus: Artifact isnt actually from kelemvor and another god(bane? I dunno my FR-god lore is weak) sent item / is granting priest spells. ++++Bonus: Agents of deceptive deity above(bane or whatever) are trying to thrwart the PC's as well.

 

[Roger]

The guildmaster has a number of deals with merchants who sell spell components, receiving a nice kickback in exchange for a guild discount, while he helps the merchants enforce their monopoly.

One of the merchants violated their agreement by selling a load of components to the defeated evil necromancer.

Now the guildmaster is punishing them by agreeing to restrict necromantic spells. They've got barrels of onyx that they can't sell, and their suppliers are squeezing them to pay up.


Cheers,
Roger