I have a world with two necromancer factions waring over a continent. Here's a write-up I never posted to Bay12 before:
But perhaps it is worth noting how this stagnant decadence came to be. The first necromancer, a dwarf named Thoekut Medtoblerteth, was a classic case of selling ones soul in fear of losing it. The mountainhomes thwarted his plans, destroyed his towers and slew his apprentices several times, but he used guise, lies and bribery to live on right under their noses. He spent the past three hundred years quietly writing all kinds of books, but mostly boring stuff.
Independently, Iyathi Thaebomeco came to become overlord of a necromancer guild. His upcomings are interestesting. For a start, his name is in elven tongue. I have not the slightest clue how that happened, as there are no elves on this continent. He is a hoary marmot man, an intelligent wilderness creature from the high mountains. Literally as far away from any elves as possible. Anyways, he had contact to dwarves before and sometimes worked for food. When his interest in mathematics grew, the city Craftsbeached took him in as a scholar (year 80). He discovered and improved geometry to extends previously unfathomed.
Unfortunately, during his studies, Iyathi discovered a billion slab engraved with beautiful font spelling out great insights into life and death. This slab, Bonegrave, was the divine gift Thoekut received and carelessly left in the city. Iyathi didn't think too much of it and lived on his life. Eight years after moving to the city, and despite some debt, he managed to finish his thesis and also wrote an introductory manual, resulting in prestige and even the rank of military commander. Ten more years passed before people noticed his supernatural knowledge on longevity and mortality.
Forced to flee, Iyathi founded the Seals of Domination and spent the next three years building a tower of his own, using the help of reanimated animal men. He gradually took in more and more people of all species (well, he took in one, and that guy took in another two, and so on) and taught them his secrets (and also mathematics). He also wrote several guidelines and rule books to cope with the growing society (e.g. "Boltflags within reason" and "Time spent with rules").
It wasn't until almost twohundred years later they started waging open war against other civilisations, and nobody knows for sure what provoked this change in relations. Maybe the living grew fearful and striked first? Perhaps the newer necromancers had fury and unretributed violence to dish out? Or could Thoekuts trickery and the prior warfare lead by his former apprentices have something to do with it? Whatever the cause, it prompted Iyathi to write more books such as "Journey into extinction", "Boltflags: A new approach" and "Introduction to bereavment".
Around year 300, he hadn't written any more guidebooks or laws, but wandered the world more than ever, reanimating many people in such a way they retain as many of their memories as possible. One can only guess what the overlords heart weighs at this point, but one thing is certain: Whatever the southern continent is, Iyathi is its ruler.
There is another noteworthy necromancer faction, though. Olin Kėrarudib lived a peaceful early life, married at age 18, divorced thirty years later, married after ten more, survived a cave dragon attack (!) and thus was drafted for military (at the tender age of 78 no less). In year 191 (aged 105) he became mayor of his home hillocks Sectvessels, which was home to sects, unsurprisingly. They devoured a lot of livestock. (Again, there were no elven civilisations on this continent.)
Olin kept fighting but in 223, (that's at the very young age of 137) he became depressed about death and still kept waring. Around this time, a lot of necromancer towers started popping up, and in 232, he joined one. Fifty years later, he abandoned the tower and returned to the hillocks and their army and kept fighting those same bandit forts.
It wasn't until another thirty years later (year 319) he founded the Rough Paints. And rough he is, judging by his extensive military experience. His writings romanticise Sectvessels as a mountain hall, and they are "full of force" as they tell of battles and the cave dragon attack. He did write not one but two books called "Principles of the tower" and "Tower principles and practises" respectively so he is taking organised leadership somewhat serious. His lawfulness made him immune to corruption too. But he also recruited, and I quote, "capable and connected lieutenant"s.
Despite all of his reanimating, being in the army, and countless battles, he only raked in five kills during his existence. Clearly, he is more of a commander than a frontliner, and he hardly does anything directly anymore.In summary, the necromancers spend their eternal life waring over ideology. On one hand, theory-oriented and rule-focused Seals of Dominating, on the other hand results-oriented and discipline-focused Rough Paints.
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Topic: What's going on in your legends? (Read 8953 times)