Necromancy

We... we never thought we would be illegal. Well, yes, technically it's our profession that is illegal and not us, but we cannot simply stop being necromancers. You might see it as just a job, but for us it's as momentous as a person's dying words or last breath, and that it something few of us would abandon.

— taken from an unnamed Necromancer

Career

Qualifications

There are only three qualifications a person has to do to become a necromancer. 

1. Go through the five levels of Necromancy (to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch death)
2. An applicant needs to have a mentor's stamp of approval
3. They must have had a near-death experience

Career Progression

An apprentice goes through the five holy books, learning death and seeing death as it exists in their area. At the end of their apprenticeship, they must drink an exilir (prepared by their mentor) to go through their near-death experience.

A journeyman (of any gender), travels about their country of origin and beyond to learn how others live with death and their personal rites. Their final test is to bring another person/being back from the dead.

If they pass that test, then they can become a teacher that mentors others who are interested. As there aren't that many people interested in being a necromancer, age is not considered when taking an apprentice.

Payment & Reimbursement

Payment is in items that are no longer alive, such as preserved organic items, bones, in some extreme fresh bodies. Necromancers can receive payment for healing mortal wounds through a mixture of personal energy and items that help the focus. As they perform death rites, death rituals, and can sometimes heal disease/illness. They're also supposed to have bed and food while they help.

Other Benefits

As this is now illegal, there are no benefits to being recognized as a necromancer. However, being recognized by others allows for death rites to be performed for free, self-healing can be done, and there is a little bit of continuous self-healing occurring.

Perception

Purpose

Originally, this one role filled the purpose of healers and priests at a time when numbers were low. As communities grew, the roles were filled by people who chose to focus on specific areas of knowledge over others.

Social Status

In the beginning, Necromancers were liked. Then came war and pestilence, and they were tolerated. Now, after being declared illegal and they are hated. It has been a long road, with many saying now that there is yet more to climb.

Demographics

Very few beings are in this job, and before they become illegal, there was maybe 1 per 500 beings (urban) and 1 per several settlements (rural).

History

Necromancers will split into different topics/focus

• dead - giving death rites, dealing with ghosts, comforting those who have lost loved ones, etc. 
• injured - healing minor injuries, trying to heal major injuries, keeping illness at bay for as long as possible.
• illness/diseased - looking into what causes illness, working hard against plagues, teaching about hygiene that they know of.

Things were fine, they were in great use during wars, fell into lesser use in peacetime (since most are traveling, it's more luck to get a necromancer when a person is injured and needs healing). Thanks to Lirit, necromancers were banned. The healers and ill/disease-focused ones changed their names and have striven to change colors, signs, etc. to show "I am not the illegal job person here"

Operations

Tools

vials for near-death experiences (however, the potion is made by the master when needed) nightshade robes with stitching done by the person as they were an apprentice/journeyman - the stitches show what they've learned, they are kept tidy and clean (as possible -after a long night of work they might be bloody and dirt-covered). Underneath the robes there are shorts and sleeveless shirts. Boots that stand up to traveling & digging up beings

Materials

bandages, needles, wire (of some kind), shovels, salt for some rites, coin for other rites, bag to carry all this in, cobwebs (great for slowing bleeding), candles, incense

Workplace

They travel in pairs, going from village to village to see if any death rites are needed to be given, or if healing is needed.

Provided Services

Death rites, death rituals, healing, help with illness and disease

Dangers & Hazards

Catching illness/disease that they cannot remove, overextending themselves in healing and becoming "worn thin" [fatigue, loss of appetite, easy to be sick, insomenia]
When illegal, they can be caught, brought before the local leader/city, and doing the hemp fandango. [If one can help the other out, they will do so, if however the pair are caught together, good luck]

Alternative Names

Deaders

Demand

small demand (not a time of war)

Legality

Not legal - some necromancers have "changed sides" and gone to focus on healing (but still do their death rites, etc. if they judge the situation to need to them).

Famous in the Field

• Necromistress Lirit Willow