We've talked a lot about the purported dangers of necromancy... the erosion of the aura that constant manipulation of ectoplasm can cause, among other things. But while we've hinted at it, we haven't really gone into the BIG danger: and that's that while a Necromancer is trying to Control and Bind the World of the Dead, the World of the Dead is busily setting its hooks into HIM.
«««Lies and more lies... what happened to Shadowland's vaunted policy of neutrality and search for unbiased information? -- Samael»»»
«««Yadda, yadda, Sammie-boy. Don't make yourself LOOK as stupid as ya no doubt are, considering your choice of topics ta champion... the corrosive effects of ectoplasm on normal auras' well-documented metaphysical fact, kiddo. And as to the corruptive nature of some of the spirit world, frag, Sammie-Boy, the name for the condition of being possessed by or controlled by the Spirits of the Dead came from a Necromancer's own book... they call 'em the "Hellbound". The author of the New Book Of The Dead was pretty deluded too, seeing as he danced around the fact that such spectral domination is inevitable for ALL Necromancers who don't get out or die first. And before ya postal out on me again, I'll explain why: I'm a Shaman... not the best in the 'plex or anything, but I know a bit about spirits. Unlike many spirits, ectoplasmic entities aren't stable. EVER. Even the solidest, most well established ghosts around are pretty much ALWAYS cold, hungry, and lonely. That's the nature of ectoplasmic existence. And here comes a Necromancer, with his aura laced through with ectoplasm damage that a ghost can sink into but filled with the warmth and bounty of life. Okay, maybe SOME ghosts are gonna have the moral whatever to NOT feed on the guy. But some WILL, and that'll damage his aura more, and influence him to provide more food and warmth for the teeming ghosts. And the more food and warmth and company that surround him, the more ghosts are going to flock in around him... and that represents what amounts to a collection of prey species to the bigger, nastier ghosts that feed ON ghosts. And anyone with the brains the spirits gave a doorknob KNOWS what happens when a collection of prey hangs around. Predators follow it. And predators, ghost-wise, tend to be very intelligent spirits... it won't take TOO long for one of them to realize that if you control the Necromancer, you control the food supply. And that, as a dweller in the living world, if you control the necromancer, you can get him to BRING IN new food. Not many predators will pass up an opportunity like that... frag, most suits wouldn't pass up a chance like that even if all they gain is cash, let alone food and magical power. So, now we all know who's pumping an agenda, neh? I admit, I'm what amounts to a ghost hunter a lot of the time, but when GP asked me to do this gig, I promised him I'd be fair, and I take my word seriously. If I were you, bub, I'd stop taking comfort from the crowd of friendly Dead no doubt hovering around you and start seein' 'em as they are: a big fat bullseye taped onto your soul, sayin' "Get yer eats here!" -- Silence»»»
«««What Sammie-Boy? No comments? -- Silence»»»
Necromancers who've succumbed to the domination of the Dead are turned 180° from the "normal" Necromancer. Instead of dominating the Dead, and manipulating them to provide power and advantage for the Necromancer, the Hellbound 'mancer continues to dominate lesser Ghosts, but does so with a different agenda. Now he's working to increase the power of his puppet master. Most often, this tends to involve keeping it well fed with nice fresh ghosts, which turns the Necromancer in short order into a mass murderer, and generally gets him caught and executed, either officially, or unofficially in resisting apprehension. At which point the puppetmaster munches down HIS ghost as well, and wanders off to look for new toys. An inordinate number of Jackal Cults tend to be started by Hellbound Necromancers as well -- yet another reason for their similarity to Wendigo gangs, maybe: in both cases, it's no longer metahuman nature calling the shots, but a non-human entity that considers metahumanity its prey.
«««That's a dangerously broad generalization, Si... Sure, it covers a lot of cases, but some of the Hellbound are less bound than others, and some of their Masters are smarter than to immediately expose their tools. As a rule, keep your eyes on the nature of the Hellbound's Dark Master -- 99% of the time it's an Ichor based entity, rather than an untainted ectoplasmic spirit, so read up on each one's tricks and motivations. That helps immensely when it Hunting time rolls around. -- Veckman»»»
«««Point taken, but nonetheless, the Hellbound condition explains why so often Necromancers take the stupid risks they do, and end up revealing themselves. I never could believe how INCREDIBLY stupid some of these world-devouring schemes were, in terms of unnecessary exposure... the chapter on the Hellbound in the New Book Of The Dead helped explain that. -- Silence»»»
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