The Big Names of Necromancy

Ancient and feared, the magic branch of necromancy is potentially the most dangerous and destructive of them all, and as such the practice is strictly regulated or even banned in most cultures. Despite the taboo, lone mages either choose or are forced by necessity to make use of necromancy. The rush of power from successful necromancy is addicting but will eventually consume its user as they fall deeper into the art, meaning the only necromancers who are long-lived are the most powerful and strong willed. The most infamous and fearsome necromancers are known simply as the Big Four, and each are credited with inventing their respective branch of the field.
Often referred to as the Grandfather of Necromancy, Lorgren is the first mortal to ever successfully resurrect another being. The story goes that Lorgren was a dwarf cast out from his clan and forced to become a vagrant. After years of loneliness, he supposedly had a dream that revealed to him the secrets of undeath. Upon waking he killed the first traveler he encountered and raised them into an undead thrall. Since then he has revived untold thousands to serve him, occasionally exhuming entire graveyards and cemeteries. His strongest claim to fame is his development of the famous high level spells Resurrection and True Resurrection. It is also said that he naturally has the greatest skill of resurrection, being the only one capable of raising more than one corpse at a time without compromising their power or losing control of them. One attempt has been made to end Lorgren, but as it is historically referred to as the Suicide War, one can surmise it was not successful.
The Skeleton King. This name alone is enough to get a reaction from many. Originally named Malkoran, he had heard of how ancient beings had transformed themselves into undead and sought to do so himself. After centuries of research and preparation, he successfully became the first true lich and the only one to have not lost any physical or mental abilities in the transformation. Nothing else is known about Malkoran, but stories say he was apprenticed to Lorgren himself and went on to become involved in the Third Dragon War. Regardless of the truth of his past, at the current time he seems to be isolating himself from the greater world. Perhaps he is uninterested in current affairs, or maybe his time is consumed by his work. A handful of adventuring parties have put him in their crosshairs, but none have managed to track him down.
Ignatius the Black Flame is just as much a concept as he is a person. Worshipped by sorcerers in dark corners of the world, the Fire That Casts No Shadow is the only being to ever wield "blackflame", a power that deteriorates and destroys the soul itself. A creature killed by this magic does not enter the cycle of reincarnation; what it is and was ceases to be at the fundamental level. This has made the Black Flame perhaps the greatest danger among the big necromancers as he is actively hostile towards most and has the potential to permanently kill otherwise immortal beings. It is rumored that he wanders the Silverlands, seeking sorcerers and training them in his art, but his ultimate goal is unknown.
While she is not feared as a great monster like her peers, Vontera the Soul Weaver is just as dangerous and significant to the school of necromancy as they are. Vontera is the inventor of soul transposition - the art of enchanting a weapon not with regular spell magic but with the essence of a soul. Weapons that undergo this process are extremely potent, but a soul bound to a weapon retains its sentience. This self-awareness can be problematic, as when one tries to use the weapon their will must overpower that of the weapon or end up falling under its control instead. Vontera is said to have been fascinated with enchantment when she was young but was disappointed by the limitations of the art. She began experimenting with different kinds of magic before eventually concluding that it would be best to use souls as they were the purest source of magic available - a fact she had learned from fiends during her studies. Unlike most necromancers, she can be found relatively easily by those who seek her out and she is more than happy to make them a weapon - for a price.

Type

Secret, Occult