Death magics have been around for as long as humans have grasped the concept of using magic of any form. Even the most basic division of magics must include a segment for that which is known as Necromancy. Though Necromancy currently has a functional etymology to it, this was not always the case. In the medieval ages, "Necromancy" was called "Nigromancy", meaning "Black Magic" (interpreted as that which harms the person). Later on, as "Nigromancy" came to be altered into "Necromancy" through Greek and Italian influences, the art gained a new face. Now, instead of simply being an art of injuring the human, it came to also be associated with graves, graveyards, spirits, and primarily of channelling dead spirits like a medium and working with The Angel of Death and heavily influenced by Catholicism and ritual myth or superstitious beliefs about bodies of the dead. These associations, however, are clearly tainted by the early overwhelming dominance of Christian and Catholic thought, which turned the art into an "evil" sacrilege. As such, the beauty of the original Necromancies had been temporarily lost. As time has progressed and information may now be more freely shared across the internet, the new breed of Necromancer is capable of once again delving into the secrets of death and of illness, as before. There is a quote floating around on the internet which fully expresses this new freedom by reflecting on past oppression: "Once there was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time is called the Dark Ages." Now that information can be freely spread, trends in the use of death magic can be seen and formed into a new and pure art of death magic once more with the creeds and cantrips left at the door. In contrast to the Healer, the Necromancer embraces those powers which kill, decay, and decrepidate, and attempts to put them to use. This power goes by many names, but primarily among true Necromancers as Death Essence. It is the power which kills, harms, and causes decay, and that which is of foremost interest to the practitioner of these death magics. The Necromancer runs into a dilemma while using these essences, however. Regardless how one may try, the fact of the matter is that even Necromancers are living breathing human beings. As such, not even the seasoned practitioner can escape the baneful effects that these energies have on the body. Advanced aging, hair loss, sallow skin, and a gaunt complexion are all traits which are associated (in varying degrees) with the seasoned practitioner. Though the effects may only manifest as internal pains, as well, the fact is that to gain power in this art requires that suffering be present. The Necromancer's sacrifice for power is often scorned or considered madness, but for the practitioner it is worth the pain. To gather a sufficient sum of energy, the pain of the Necromancer's own suffering is channelled into a Necromantic Curse, or into a Servitor Summoning. These two components are the basis of every Necromantic spell. Traditionally, the entire art of Necromancy has been broken down into these two branches. The most infamous aspect of necromancy, without doubt, is the creation of phantasmals and undeads. The less flashy but more used aspect is the direct application of the death essences in curses, the imbuement of fetishes, and the decrepitation of organic entities. Addressing the problem of personal decrepidation, however, there rose a spin-off skill of necromancy: vampiric magic.
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Vampiric Magick
