Necromancy

In the Cycle of Life And Death, a very delicate balance of the positive and negative energies is maintained to keep the Timewheel turning, lest the universe is destroyed. The art of using the souls of the dead and their negative energies for arcane feats is called Necromancy, and agents who perform it are called Necromancers. This practice is as powerful as it is dangerous, for the unregulated usage of the negative energies in the realm of the living can cause severely harmful side-effects. For this reason, Necromancy is frowned upon by most societies, as well as most deities in search of preserving the balance.

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History

The negative energies of the souls of the dead have been used for arcane rituals since the early Age of Dawn, once magic was discovered. The First Children, the deities that roamed the land during this age, were not fond of the practice, and promptly stopped anyone attempting such rituals.
After the First Stirring and the diaspora of the deities, the Age of Heroes and the period of chaos that came with it opened a path free of policing for practitioners of the arcane. However, due to the negative side-effects the abuse of necromancy has on the surroundings of those who use it, it was not long after that most communities banned the practice.

Mechanics

When a soul leaves the body, the negative energies it contains return to the flow of souls of the Cycle of Life And Death for its recycling. This transition can be interrupted through arcane rituals, and the negative energies harnessed and used in very powerful spells. Since negative energy is the source of aging and a byproduct of death, it can be assumed that most of these purposes will be damaging for the living.
If wielded correctly, the energy can even be used to open a channel to the Plane of Death, through which the user might gain access to the consciousness of the dead, their memories, or even their souls.

Uses

Pure Negative Energy

Since negative energy has detrimental effects on any living individual, concentrated, pure doses of it can be applied to inflict harm or weakness on a target. This can range from raw damage, to a diminishing of their abilities, or even death.

Communion with the Dead

Concentrated negative energy can be used to open a small gateway, creating a bridge between the Plane of Death and the material world. This can allow the passage of souls into our realm, which can be interacted with, most commonly as a means to acquire information.

Raising of the Dead

The most common conception, and most negative use of necromancy, is the usage of negative energy to possess the body of the dead and force them to rise and follow the commands of the caster. This is the most chastised of all necromantic practices, not only because the moral implications of using a body without permission are very complex, but because it also causes the most severe side-effects on the nearby areas.

Lichdom

See article: Lichdom

Side effects

Since negative energy is in constant decay unless purified by the Cycle of Life And Death, its prolonged stay on the world of the living can cause a myriad of negative effects on the surroundings. These negative effects can be classified in four degrees consequence within their range:

Minor

The effects of positive energy in the surroundings are diminished or downright canceled. I.E.: wounds not sealing properly, food festering more quickly, crops not growing.

Major

The flow of negative energy surpasses the flow of positive energy, causing increasingly negative effects on all nearby living things. I.E.: diseases, stillborn children, rapid aging.

Lethal

The flow of negative energy completely obliterates the presence of positive energy, immediately ending all life in its range. People and animals will die on the spot, trees will loose their leaves and their bark will grey out, and the grass and crops will wither to dark, almost burned leaves.

Anti-Life Zone

The flow of energies has been completely disrupted in this place. Positive energy cannot exist within, rapidly killing anything that approaches. The only way to fix this kind of damage is to apply high concentrations of positive energy, more likely than not through divine blessings.