Necromancy using these rules is not a Tradition per se ... rather it is a set of skills and beliefs... an attitude, if you will. Necromancers are drawn from ALL Traditions in the Sixth World, just as all magical belief-systems and folklores ALL hold their own practitioners of Death Magics. But, as a Necromancer grows in power and understanding of their own magics, they have less and less in common with those untouched by the cold hand of their Mistress and MORE in common with other necromantic magicians of other Traditions. Necromancy, whenever it is described, is reported to be fraught with extraordinary difficulty and danger. Magics that, even when practiced for the best and most altruistic of reasons, mark the soul and promise to suck the necromancer into the depths to be ruled and used, and almost invariably destroyed, by the dark forces that he sought to master. The challenge for the Gamemaster designing a systematic treatment of the Realms of Death and its Magics is to as accurately as possible reflect both the traditional views of Necromancy with not only a minimum of new rules systems, but with attention to maintaining the SPIRIT of Shadowrun's game mechanics and unique approach to the blending of Cyberpunk and Sorcery. So as not to bore those who couldn't care less about game design theory, detailed notes on the reasoning behind the various choices made in the supplement are quarantined away in their own section [See Design Notes]. For the folks that just want to USE it... on with the show...
Mechanics-wise, my take on Necromancy in Shadowrun is handled with the simple expedient of a new Set of General Magical Skills with their own Concentrations and Specializations, and a new Category of spells to be used in conjunction with the new skills. To handle the new spells and skills, a few additional Attributes either directly equivalent to already used FASA mechanics or directly parallel to existing mechanics & attributes are introduced. That's it. No major revisions (the new spells are even designed according to FASA's Spell Design rules from The Grimoire), NO published rules are contradicted, and, in fact, the issue of whether ghosts (et al) are actually the souls of the deceased or astral echoes created by the dying, while addressed, is never clearly answered -- it's a decision each GM can make for themselves without altering anything at all in this supplement. Along with the game effects of the practice of Necromancy and the skills and spells used in it, I've included a selection of an expanded selection of ghosts and spirits and guidelines for designing others (including some new Spirit Powers), rules for making Necromancer Characters (both PC and NPC), and effects that a usage of Necromancy and a "Metaplane Of The Dead" can have in a Campaign (With some plot ideas, NPC's to use as examples, Necromancy-related organizations, and a few surprises)
Prev | Next | Out | Introduction | Background | Mechanics | Sourcebook