[center][url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_2412017]Intro[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_32545840]Lore[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_32545841]Breed Standards[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_32545843]Elite Registry |[/url] & [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_32545844]||[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_32545847]Banners & Buttons[/url] | [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017#post_32545849]Pinglists & Credits[/url][/center]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/txhTdZO.png[/img][/center]
[left][img]https://i.ibb.co/ZK7ySYM/Necro-Theine.png[/img][/left]
[center][size=2]Snakebite Adopt by [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/adopt/2565930#post_2565930]Theine[/url][/size][/center]
[center][color=maroon]"We, the left hand, the sinister, say unto you to look to the Mother. She who sets our path and guides our claws. Let Her love fester beneath your skin and Her breath bubble in your lungs. Listen. Her crooning rides the winds howling off the wastes. In all things honor Her, in all ways fear Her, and let your bodies be the vector for Her Plague."[/color][/center]
[right][i][color=maroon]~~High Necromancer Kishna[/color][/i][/right]
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[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/jhy03p7/Origins.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]There are no royal bloodlines in the Plaguelands. To rule one must command with strength, and respect is earned through survival. However, if there were an analog of nobility in Plagubringer's wastes it is well represented by the Necromancers.
Serving triple roles as advisors, infectionists, and priests, Necromancers are regarded as aspects of the Plaguebringer's Will personified. To have one serve a clan is recognized as a great honor and a sign of Her favor. Those outside the Plaguelands can be confused by the title, as Plaguebringer's enmity toward zombies and those that deal with them is well known. However, Mother's first servants do not take their name from its contemporary usage, but instead choose to reclaim the word's original root, as found in necrosis, to describe the mastery and manipulation of flesh-killing disease.
Necromancers earn their title by meditating for twenty-three days and nights on the Rotrock Rim without aid or succor. Prestige is gained by choosing a perch closer to the Wyrmwound, but this also increases the risk of failure. Successful dragons choose a symbol of Necromantic rank and a familiar and thereby earn the title of Necromancer.
True Necromancers can infect with a touch, as well as pull disease from the body at will. Dragons that can infect but not cure are known as Necroservus and often serve accomplished Necromancers. Failed Necromancers, or Ghouls, are riddled with plague, slowly dying, and are thought to embody Plaguebringer's displeasure. Some Plague dragons believe that She sends them into disobedient clans to bring down suffering and annihilation. A Ghoul's fate is death unless a Necromancer succeeds in neutralizing the plague within them, a far from certain outcome.
Outside of the traditional hierarchy exist the Wraiths, dragons who did not pass the trial by their own merits and so forfeit their claim to a title. They do not possess the abilities of a Necromancer, nor the cursed fate of a Ghoul, instead existing in the nebulous space between success and failure. And then there are the traitors, the Lich. These renegades have sold their soul to the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=6]Shade[/url] and the Necromantic Council have sworn to hunt them down to the ends of Sornieth if need be.[/color]
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[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/8zW2Xsn/Trials.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]Necromancers face three trials to earn their mantle.[/color]
[LIST]
[*][color=maroon]The first is the Trial of Infection. Plaguebringer must acknowledge their ambition by touching their flesh with plague. If no plague develops after thirteen days, the dragon is considered unworthy and fails.[/color]
[*][color=maroon]The second is the Trial of Survival. Dragons prove their strength by fighting the plague and keeping it from consuming them whole by any means necessary. If they are successful the plague is suppressed and goes dormant, appearing on their skin as a series of slashing stripes across the spine and the edges of their wings.[/color]
[*][color=maroon]The final test is the Trial of Contagion. By the dawn of the twenty-fourth day the dragon must prove its dominion of the plague by both passing it on to another being through touch and calling it back again. Control of disease is a divine gift and the true Necromancer should be able to spread and cure it with ease. If a dragon can spread the disease but not dampen it, they are given the inferior title of Necroservus, and are usually bound to an accomplished Necromancer as their servant.[/color]
[/LIST]
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[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/YWLrvgH/Eye-Lore.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]A dragon's [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017/61#post_33880079]eyes[/url] are more than just pigment and sight; they are a symbol of the divine, an outward mark of their magical heritage and inward glimpse into their soul. And while a dragon's eyes can't tell you everything about their lives and personalities, they can hint at what is normally hidden. The following eye characteristics should be considered guidelines, not hard rules, of what you can expect based on the eyes of a Necromancer or its variants.[/color]
[LIST]
[*][color=maroon][b]Uncommon eyes[/b]: Dragons with uncommon eyes tend to be open and easily influenced by the magical energies in their environment. Magic casters find that they have a wealth of power at their disposal if their surroundings match their element, but they can also be severely limited in lands that are foreign to their birth place. Due to their openness, dragons with uncommon eyes are especially suited to the first trial of infection. Their bodies readily accept Mother's Blessing and within days they find themselves riddled with plague. Given this early advantage, uncommon-eyed dragons typically have more time to fight off the plague and learn to control it, though their ability to do so is no greater or less than a common-eyed dragon.[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Unusual eyes[/b]: Dragons with unusual eyes have depths in magical ability that can be hard to fathom. Their powers run deep, as their bodies serve as a reservoir they can draw on even when external resources run thin. Unfortunately, their endurance can also make them reckless. Unusual-eyed dragons might overextend themselves if they're not familiar with their own limits. If these dragons are touched by Mother's Blessing in the first trial they soon find that they can overcome the plague through sheer force of will. They beat back the sickness limb from limb, organ by organ, until it lies dormant within them, ready to be called upon. While it is rare for an unusual-eyed dragon to fail the second trial, they have no guarantees in passing the third.[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Rare eyes[/b]: Dragons with rare eyes are masters of transmutation. Some have command of several elements while others utilize their birth element in ingeniously clever ways, such as making fire run like water or wind carry the currents of lightning. While their strength and ability vary by individual, rare-eyed dragons are infallibly clever, sometimes too clever for their own good. With their ability to contort and transform their magic, dragons with rare eyes find the Trial of Contagion to be intuitive (if not easy) and are likely to pass, assuming they make it that far.[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Faceted eyes[/b]: Dragons with faceted eyes see the world through a myriad of lenses, with each image providing one version of the truth. They see reality as complex and filled with potential, both paradoxical and inherently consistent. They are experts at quickly taking in stimuli, whether it be visual or abstract, and combining it into a single whole. As Necromancers they excel in the role of counselor or diplomat because they can synthesize diverse perspectives and use them to create a guiding path forward. If a common-eyed dragon emerges from the trials with faceted eyes it can indicate a fracturing of the psyche. Strain and stress may have disrupted the dragon’s sense of self, leading to harmful or irrational behavior. Some of these dragons will descend into madness while others learn to rebuild their disrupted mental pathways into a type of clairvoyance, emerging as respected seers.[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Multi-gaze[/b]: While faceted-eyed dragons combine versions of reality into a single whole, a multi-gaze dragon can hold several points of view simultaneously even if they are conflicting. They are hungry for experiences, facts, and knowledge, and will consume them indiscriminately, seeking to turn each new tidbit into another facet of themselves. Their ravenous appetites and disquieting appearance may see them expelled from their home clans, especially [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017/44#post_33579626]in flights that do not appreciate the raw potential that they represent[/url]. Necromancers with multi-gaze can often call forth a near limitless variety of plague, though the sheer breadth of their ability means it's almost impossible for them to master any one strain. Common-eyed dragons that manifest multi-gaze as a result of their trials are said to have fully embraced the doctrines of evolution, adaptation, and unending consumption that represents Plague Flight. They make fanatical priests and zealous warriors, relentless and fearsome to behold.[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Primal[/b]: Natural-born prodigies, dragons with primal eyes can command the raw essence of their element and their power is often staggering. Hatchlings born with primal eyes are viewed as inherently gifted and destined for great things. In the Plaguelands these hatchlings are almost always encouraged to attempt the Necromantic Trials, and some of the most powerful Necromancers and devastating Ghouls have emerged from their ranks. Necroservus with primal eyes are rare, as these dragons tend to either succeed or fail spectacularly. In any case, primal-eyed dragons that undertake the Trials invariably emerge with the following specialties based on their birth element:
[indent][color=maroon][b][emoji=earth rune size=1] Earth[/b] – Earth-born gravitate toward plague that afflicts the bones and the structural integrity of the dragon, such as bone rot, crippling pain, wasting illnesses, and devastation of ligaments and tendons. Earth Necromancers specialize in returning strength to weakened dragons, and bolstering their immune systems.
[b][emoji=fire rune size=1] Fire[/b] – Fire-born are especially gifted in bestowing fever and delirium. The most powerful can cause blood to boil in the veins. Fire Necromancers are experts at burning pathogens from the body and searing away infection. Often their cures can be more painful than the original affliction.
[b][emoji=wind rune size=1] Wind[/b] – Wind-born are masters of contagion. The creatures they touch are overcome with fits of sneezing and coughing, and inevitably infect all around them. Wind Necromancers are also capable of dispersing miasma and sickness-causing vapors, even in the Plaguelands.
[b][emoji=water rune size=1] Water[/b] – Water-born have a special purview for blood-borne illnesses, which can also be passed on to offspring in the womb. They cause disorders such as hemophilia, which sentences the unfortunate to a death by a thousand cuts. Water Necromancers make some of the best healers, able to revert plagues spread by even the most powerful Ghoul.
[b][emoji=shadow rune size=1] Shadow[/b] – Shadow-born are inherently gifted in diseases that dull the senses, especially those that take away sight. They are also some of the few that form symbiosis with fungi, such as Cordyceps, and wield their spores to devastating effect. Shadow Necromancers are severely limited in their ability to heal, though even the least talented can offer a near-complete relief from pain.
[b][emoji=ice rune size=1] Ice[/b] – Ice-born are capable of shutting down a dragon’s immune system, allowing infections to run riot. In addition they can carry a myriad of plagues in stasis within their bodies. While Ice Necromancers’ destructive powers are unparalleled, it comes at the cost of their ability to heal, which is much lower than average. However, they are able to stop the progression of a disease (if not fully cure it) and lower fevers.
[b][emoji=lightning rune size=1] Lightning[/b] – Lightning-born are adept at causing neurological disorders, such as convulsions, seizures, uncontrolled trembling, and loss of limb, organ, or brain function. Lightning Necromancers are some of the few that can cure madness, though this treatment can result in a personality change in the afflicted.
[b][emoji=light rune size=1] Light[/b] – Light-born specialize in illnesses resembling radiation poisoning. The afflicted creature will begin to lose teeth and fur or scales, and in the long term cancers and tumors will develop in their tissues. Light Necromancers are especially good at removing fungal infections and, ironically, curing the cancer that they cause.
[b][emoji=nature rune size=1] Nature[/b] – Unsurprisingly, nature-born specialize in plant-based diseases, though that is not the extent of their power. They can also turn a victim’s immune system against itself, resulting in severe allergic reactions and leaving them susceptible to other plagues and infections. Nature Necromancers are skilled in getting the body to draw on its natural reserves to heal itself, and in curing reproductive and genetic diseases.
[b][emoji=plague rune size=1] Plague[/b] – Plague-born often cause the most horror in their victims, as they prefer flesh-based diseases such as rot, leprosy, weeping sores and buboes. Plague Necromancers are capable of causing mutations in dragons, which can lead to both beneficial and detrimental effects.
[b][emoji=arcane rune size=1] Arcane[/b] – Natural experimenters, arcane-born are fascinated by unnatural diseases, such as those that effect the spirit, the mind, or a victim’s magical ability. Arcane Necromancers are one of the few that can restore a dragon’s magic, or cure mood disorders such as depression.[/color]
[/indent]
[*][color=maroon][b]Glowing eyes[/b]: No dragon is born with glowing eyes. They are the result of some mortal crisis – some personal catastrophe – that brought the dragon to the edge of death, and then saw them refuse to fall. Instead, the dragon survives by breaking through physical and magical limitations to forge a link with their element, one so strong that it manifests as a visible light that emanates from the dragon’s core. While some dragons obtain glowing eyes as a result of traumatic events early in life, many more receive them due to the stresses and deprivations of the Necromantic Trials themselves; often succeeding when they should have failed. Others become ‘twice-touched by Mother’ as Necromancers or Necroservi in the service of their clans, performing some great cure or curse that should have been beyond their limits. Regardless of when they were earned, glowing eyes are a symbol of considerable strength, purpose, and power, rivaled only by primal eyes in the respect they bring. They are a sign that, even beyond the Trials, these dragons have risked death to achieve greatness.
(Glowing Eye lore developed by [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=191160]EssayOfThougths[/url] – Read more [url=http://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017/52#post_33707715]here[/url])
[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Dark Sclera[/b]: A dragon's eyes are a symbol of their elemental magic, so it is jarring indeed to see that holy color surrounded by the blackness of the Shade. Distrusted, shunned, persecuted, dragons that develop Dark Sclera are often doomed to a life of loneliness and forced flight. Not even Necromancers can escape that taint, although unlike their untested brethren they can rise above it. Despite intense research and magical inquiry, it is not entirely clear why a dragon develops Dark Sclera, though rumor and hearsay abound. If a Necromancer, Necroservus, or Wraith develop Dark Sclera during their Trials it is often whispered that they entered into a heretical alliance with the Shade to save themselves and succeed. A Ghoul is twice-damned, the Dark Sclera pointed to as both the reason for their failure and Mother's judgement of their betrayal. But despite the added burden of social persecution, Dark Sclera brings many gifts as well. A dragon so benighted can see beyond the normal light spectrum, experiencing colors, sub-colors, and ultra-colors that defy their ability to describe. One who has undergone the trials receives an additional gift: the ability to see disease and infection, both the location in the body as well as its virility. It's a tempting gift to any Necromancer, so when one of long-standing suddenly develops a darkened gaze it brings with it inevitable suspicion, and 'Lich' might be whispered behind the dragon's back. (Dark Sclera lore developed by [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=191160]EssayOfThougths[/url] and [url=http://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=27733]Yuubi[/url])[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Swirl[/b]: Swirl-eyed dragons exist in two states: a dormant stationary state and an active swirling state. When active, the spiral of the dragon's eye rotates and they are able to observe and process a preternatural level of information about the world around them. In Necromancers and their variants, the effect often manifests as the ability to perceive a body's inherent weaknesses, susceptibilities, and latent disease states before symptoms even appear. The ability is not without price, for the more often a dragon activates their sight, the faster their control over it erodes. In later stages a dragon completely loses the ability to deactivate their gaze, leaving them in a state that is out of sync with time and space. They are no longer able to perceive reality as it is, and are instead lost to the exponential possibilities of the future. Like a disease, swirl eyes are contagious and can be transferred when a dragon touches another with magic. As a result, swirl eyes are an almost insurmountable liability in Necromancers. Instead it is Necroservi that benefit most from the eye-type, often using it in service of their Necromancer, who in turn can help them maintain control. Swirl eyes in Ghouls are truly terrifying. Already unstable, Ghouls with swirl eyes quickly lose control and fall into insanity. However that does not stop unscrupulous Necromancers forcing the condition on captive Ghouls, wanting the power the ability grants without suffering its detriments. (Swirl lore inspired by [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=141769]Delotha[/url] and [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=lair&tab=userpage&id=156806]Turboblaze[/url])[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Goat[/b]: Goat eyes are a physical manifestation of an unusual neurology, one that can separate the goat-eyed individual from the dragons around them and leave them a stranger in their own clan. Like the monotone Fae that struggles to communicate with dragons lacking an emotive crest, the goat-eyed dragon finds it difficult to read social situations or respond to appropriate cues. Interestingly, this disconnect disappears when interacting with Beastclan, or the animals of Sornieth's wildlands. Goat-eyed dragons tend to feel most at home in lonely, wild places, or the villages of Centaur and Talonok. Others learn how to adapt their unique mindset to dragon society and make a place for themselves in the odd nooks and crannies of their communities. The primary distinction of goat-eyed Necromancers and their variants is their heavy reliance on their familiar, both to do their work and in getting by in day-to-day life. Goat-eyed Necromancers are the least likely to follow the unwritten expectation that they take a Plague familiar after their Trials, instead choosing an animal or Beastclan most attuned to their personality and needs. Much can be inferred about a goat-eyed Necromancer simply by knowing their familiar. (Goat lore inspired by [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=393759]DancingDemonz[/url] and [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=470967]Lunaralight[/url])[/color]
[*][color=maroon][b]Innocent[/b]: For Innocent eyed individuals some symptoms of the second Trial linger past the 23rd day. Developing during the Trial of Survival, Innocent eyes are the visible symptom of a special strain of Mother’s Plague that attacks the optic nerve. In affected dragons, excess tears are produced - the fluid viscous and cloudy - giving the eye a magnified appearance with a watery sheen. Left untreated, the membrane of the eye becomes inflamed and begins to deteriorate, eventually leading to blindness. This is quite different from what is known as Innocent eyes outside of the Trials, which in most cases is simply large eyes. Innocent eyes as it applies to the variants is most common in Ghouls and the disease is expressed in them to the most devasting effect. Already deadly, Innocent eyed Ghouls become devastating, their Plague literally dripping from them with their tears. Protecting yourself from an Innocent eyed Ghoul is effectively impossible. Curiously, Necromancers and Servus with Innocent eyes almost universally resist or outright refuse treatment. They give a range of excuses, from ‘the tears feel right, they are a gift from Mother as much as my stripes,’ to ‘they are a symbol of Mother’s virulency, found in me just as much as in Her most dangerous Ghouls.’ All variants can recall the exact moment that they contracted the disease, as if it were tied to a sudden epiphany or revelation. Are these dragons privy to secrete truths or hidden knowledge? Why do they resist treatment so vehemently, desperate to keep their eyes even unto blindness? If these questions have answers, the Innocent eyed dragon seems determined to keep its secrets. (Innocent lore inspired by [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=view&tab=userpage&id=408680]Drakessis[/url])[/color]
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[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/gtJgBGD/Symbols.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]Necromantic symbols can be represented by skins or apparel, but must in some way confer an air of 'nobility' to the dragon. Symbols also suggest the role your Necromancer will perform in your clan. These are largely left up to the player's interpretation, but some examples are below.[i] Note: Because crowns typically signify rulership, they are not recommended as necromantic symbols, with some exceptions (i.e. Crown of Bones). [/i]
[LIST]
[*][color=maroon][b]Blades[/b], [i]represented by Cutlasses, Katanas, Valkyrie Blade, Broadswords, Rapiers, and Cleavers:[/i] A symbol of purification, nobility, transition, protection, aggression, strength, and ability. Necromancers bearing blades can be expected to take on a more active role in their clan. They wield their powers of contagion on the battlefield and in defense of their allies. Often they represent Plaguebringer's desire to conquer and expand and they will urge their clan leaders to push Her plague into new territories.[/color]
[center][item=Swashbuckler's Cutlass] [item=Katana] [item=Valkyrie Blade] [item=Filigree Rapier] [item=Cleaver][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Armor[/b], [i]represented by all armor sets, pyrite pauldrons, glaciarguard platemail, and steampunk wing armor:[/i] A symbol of defense, indefatigability, resolution, tenacity, stoicism, retribution, and loyalty. Necromancers wearing armor are holy knights, often serving on behalf of the Necromantic Council to hunt down the condemned who have transgressed against Mother. Charlatans masquerading as Necromancers, unholy necromancers who raise the undead, feral Ghouls, and Lichs are all considered their prey. Necromancers wearing armor will serve without question, and will destroy whatever enemy they are pointed towards.[/color]
[center][item=ornate platinum gorget] [item=ebony filigree breastplate] [item=crane's tail guard] [item=tar-trap grimplate] [item=ivory scale wingplates][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Bones[/b], [i]represented by Crown of Bones, Skeletal Chimes, Birdskulls, etc:[/i] A symbol of death, truth, enlightenment, austerity, and divination. Necromancers bearing bones often serve as shamans to their clans. They foretell the tides of dominance, dates of future plague outbreaks, and can interpret the will of the Plaguebringer through signs and omens.[/color]
[center][item=Crown Of Bones] [item=Skeletal Chimes] [item=Bleak Birdskull Legband] [item=White Raven Armor] [item=Red Birdskull wingpiece]
[*][color=maroon][b]Cloaks[/b],[i] represented by Capes, Cowls, Banners, Shrouds, and Guises[/i]: A symbol of authority, deception, sacrifice, uniformity, devotion, and service. Necromancers bearing cloaks often serve as priests to their clans. They are first and foremost disciples of Plaguebringer and will insist that her tenets and decrees are followed to the letter. They guide the day-to-day spiritual practices of the clan and ensure all members are baptized with the latest plague.[/color]
[center][item=Deadpan Jester's Cape] [item=Haunting Amber Nightshroud] [item=Twice-Dyed Cowl] [item=Furious Banner] [item=Spectre Guise][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Jewels and Jewelry[/b], [i]represented by Bloodstone or Crystalcourt Cascades, Amulets, Pendants, Lockets, and all Teardrop, Flourish, and Seraph apparel[/i]: A symbol of privilege, divinity, blessing, and right to rule. Necromancers bearing jewelry are often the most accomplished of the Necromancers and leaders among their own kind. A Necromancer who takes jewels or jewelry as their symbol will be under intense scrutiny from the larger Necromantic community and must have the skills or arrogance to carry it off. Jewelry symbology is also conflated with color and gemstone symbology.[/color]
[center][item=Darksteel Amulet of Necromancy] [item=Diamond Talonclasp Pendant] [item=Golden Seraph Necklace] [item=Bloodstone Cascades] [item=Morganite Flourish Tail Drape][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Masks[/b], [i]represented by all masks, Lion Headdresses, Birdskulls, Plague Doctors Masks, Wolf Capes, and Cranial Hornhelm[/i]: A symbol of disguise, becoming, guidance, possession, transformation, and legitimacy. Necromancers bearing masks see themselves as instruments of the Plaguebringer and the hand that enacts her will. They are counselors to their clans, ensuring that every important decision is in accordance with Plaguebringer's desires. In some cases these Necromancers are shadow rulers, controlling the clan in secret through a figurehead.[/color]
[center][item=Poisonous Woodmask] [item=Wild Headdress] [item=White Plague Doctor Mask] [item=Sunsong Face Mask] [item=Regal Masque][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Tools[/b], [i]represented by Bloodshard Chains, Grasps, Animal Apparel, Ice Picks, and Wing Fans:[/i] A symbol of self-actualization, determination, progress, action, manipulation, creativity, and resourcefulness. Necromancers bearing tools are forward-thinking and ambitious. They are seldom content with what is, instead urging their clan and leaders toward what could be. Where many Necromancers are bogged down by tradition and dogma, these individuals readily embrace Mother's doctrine of evolution, urging all around them to become [i]more[/i].[/color]
[center][item=Bloodshard Chains] [item=Bewitching Ruby Grasp] [item=Rattle snake] [item=Ice Pick] [item=Viper's Wing Fans][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Lamps[/b], [i]represented by Riot Hazebeacon, Sage Lanterns, Flame Candles, Delver's Lamps, Cindersphere Baubles, and Steampunk Tail Baubles:[/i] A symbol of learning, openness, bravery, exploration, humility, evenhandedness, and wisdom. Necromancers bearing lamps often forgo the traditional role of noble advisor and are more often solitary. Instead of worldly power they seek personal enlightenment, and to guide others along that path. Unlike their sigil-bearing counterparts who seek to spread Plague gospel through domination, these Necromancers are content with a more peaceful missionary role, or that of a solitary sage who leaves others to come to them. In a group that defines itself through its command and nobility, the humble, lamp-bearing Necromancer is a rare creature indeed.[/color]
[center][item=Riot Hazebeacon] [item=Mystic Sage Lantern] [item=Solar Flame Candles] [item=Amber Delver's Lamp] [item=Bronze Steampunk Tail Bauble][/center]
[*][color=maroon][b]Sigils[/b], [i]represented by Staffs, Plague Tome, Infectionist's Sash, Infectionist's Emblem, Runaway Rotclaw, Contaminated Halo, Standard of the Plaguebringer, etc[/i]: A symbol of plague and Plaguebringer's will, power, and control. These Necromancers are most often found outside the Plaguelands, bearing plague and plague gospel to other flights. They serve as ambassadors, diplomats, and counselors to those dragons that are sympathetic to Plaguebringer's doctrine. Sometimes they are welcomed in; sometimes they make their own welcome. Within the Plaguelands, Necromancers often wear sigils along with other Necromantic symbols in order to reinforce their status and their role, either because their position in the clan is still shaky or because subtlety just isn't their thing.[/color]
[center][item=Plague Tome] [item=Infectionist's Sash] [item=Standard Of The Plaguebringer] [item=Runaway Rotclaw] [item=Contaminated Halo][/center]
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[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/z577mgw/Familiars.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]Necromancers traditionally have a plague-themed familiar. The more obvious the plague-theme, the more distinguished the familiar. Highly esteemed or especially talented Necromancers will often have plague holiday familiars, while Nercroservus or Ghouls usually have the more common beastclans native to plague as their familiar. That being said, only Necroservus, Ghouls and lower-level Necromancers are limited in their choice of familiar. A high level Necromancer can have any plague-themed familiar they desire, from the lowest to the highest. However, all rules are made to be broken and some Necromancers that originate from outside the Plaguelands find familiars from their native Flights who are willing to join them in their cause.[/color]
[LIST]
[*][color=maroon][b]Highest-level familiars[/b]:[/color]
[center][item=Bone Fiend] [item=Deadland Disciple] [item=Fungusbearing Phony] [item=Graveyard Guardian] [item=Plague Sprite] [item=blight nymph][item=Wave Sweeper] [item=Enduring Goblin] [item=spirit of plague] [item=Undying Featherback] [item=Contaminated Ambassador] [item=Lithetail Assassin] [item=contagion gem guardian][/center]
[*][b][color=maroon]Mid-level familiars[/b]:[/color]
[center][item=Driftwood Baron] [item=Webwing Alpha] [item=Yellow-Throated Sparrowmouse] [item=Basilisk] [item=Clown Charger] [item=Centaur Archer] [item=Serthis Alchemist] [item=Aspen Gall Dryad] [item=White Rot Deer] [item=Parasitic Fungus] [item=Fungalhoof Qiriq] [item=Murkbottom Gull] [item=Brown River Flight] [item=Giant White Toridae] [item=Longneck Gladiator] [item=Flamescale Venomcaster] [item=Flamescale Spearman] [item=Ultramel Amphithere] [item=Poultrygeist] [item=Auburn Woolly Walrus] [item=Maren Warlock] [item=Hooded Dodo] [item=Infestation Hound] [item=Heartred Croaker] [item=Mossy Cerdae] [item=Scythe Kamaitachi] [item=Sentinel Mith] [item=Roving Lionsnake] [item=Condorwing Champion][item=Rat King] [item=Fanfin Noggle] [item=Spiral Capricat][/center]
[*][b][color=maroon]Low-level familiars[/b]:[/color]
[center][item=Fungi Sage] [item=Five-Toed Pilco] [item=Deepmine Aardvark] [item=Noxious Coralclimber] [item=Raptorik Ringmaster] [item=Charcoal Sprangyroo] [item=Double-Tailed Warcat] [item=Armored Duskflapper] [item=Parda] [item=Almandine Sturgeon] [item=Cardinal Hippogriff] [item= Shellion] [item=Carrioncorn] [item=Chimera] [item=Greybeak Reaper] [item=Mimic Buttersnake] [item=Radioactive Slime] [item=Scarlet Serpenta] [item=Tar-Trooper Slarg] [item=Venomblade Assassin] [item=Fanrat] [item=Steelhound] [item=Sentry Squawker] [item=Blotched Quetzeel] [item=Buff Laced Cockatrice] [item=Pinpush Mirror Doll] [item=Four-Eyed Phylactery] [item=Battered Vase][/color][/center]
[*][b][color=maroon]Examples of Non-Plague familiars converted to the cause[/b]:
[center][item=ghostly rat lord] [item=ancient fungus] [item=death seeker] [item=hydra scorpion] [item=corpse cleaner] [item=Venomous Toridae] [item=spined cobra] [item=Nochnyr] [item=janustrap] [item=Dunewind Manticore] [item=Malevolent Spirit] [item=tatterwing carcass] [item=Ashspine Widow] [item=Bengal Chimera] [item=Ashen Bicorn Whale] [item=Autumn Sphinx] [item=Melon Squirmscoot] [item=Boran Alpha] [item=Sable Feathercroak] [item=Vigorous Goblet][/color][/center]
[/LIST]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/Y2xHdL5/Necro-Adopt-Viperfishy.png[/img][/center]
"We, the left hand, the sinister, say unto you to look to the Mother. She who sets our path and guides our claws. Let Her love fester beneath your skin and Her breath bubble in your lungs. Listen. Her crooning rides the winds howling off the wastes. In all things honor Her, in all ways fear Her, and let your bodies be the vector for Her Plague."
~~High Necromancer Kishna
There are no royal bloodlines in the Plaguelands. To rule one must command with strength, and respect is earned through survival. However, if there were an analog of nobility in Plagubringer's wastes it is well represented by the Necromancers.
Serving triple roles as advisors, infectionists, and priests, Necromancers are regarded as aspects of the Plaguebringer's Will personified. To have one serve a clan is recognized as a great honor and a sign of Her favor. Those outside the Plaguelands can be confused by the title, as Plaguebringer's enmity toward zombies and those that deal with them is well known. However, Mother's first servants do not take their name from its contemporary usage, but instead choose to reclaim the word's original root, as found in necrosis, to describe the mastery and manipulation of flesh-killing disease.
Necromancers earn their title by meditating for twenty-three days and nights on the Rotrock Rim without aid or succor. Prestige is gained by choosing a perch closer to the Wyrmwound, but this also increases the risk of failure. Successful dragons choose a symbol of Necromantic rank and a familiar and thereby earn the title of Necromancer.
True Necromancers can infect with a touch, as well as pull disease from the body at will. Dragons that can infect but not cure are known as Necroservus and often serve accomplished Necromancers. Failed Necromancers, or Ghouls, are riddled with plague, slowly dying, and are thought to embody Plaguebringer's displeasure. Some Plague dragons believe that She sends them into disobedient clans to bring down suffering and annihilation. A Ghoul's fate is death unless a Necromancer succeeds in neutralizing the plague within them, a far from certain outcome.
Outside of the traditional hierarchy exist the Wraiths, dragons who did not pass the trial by their own merits and so forfeit their claim to a title. They do not possess the abilities of a Necromancer, nor the cursed fate of a Ghoul, instead existing in the nebulous space between success and failure. And then there are the traitors, the Lich. These renegades have sold their soul to the Shade and the Necromantic Council have sworn to hunt them down to the ends of Sornieth if need be.
Necromancers face three trials to earn their mantle.
- The first is the Trial of Infection. Plaguebringer must acknowledge their ambition by touching their flesh with plague. If no plague develops after thirteen days, the dragon is considered unworthy and fails.
- The second is the Trial of Survival. Dragons prove their strength by fighting the plague and keeping it from consuming them whole by any means necessary. If they are successful the plague is suppressed and goes dormant, appearing on their skin as a series of slashing stripes across the spine and the edges of their wings.
- The final test is the Trial of Contagion. By the dawn of the twenty-fourth day the dragon must prove its dominion of the plague by both passing it on to another being through touch and calling it back again. Control of disease is a divine gift and the true Necromancer should be able to spread and cure it with ease. If a dragon can spread the disease but not dampen it, they are given the inferior title of Necroservus, and are usually bound to an accomplished Necromancer as their servant.
A dragon's eyes are more than just pigment and sight; they are a symbol of the divine, an outward mark of their magical heritage and inward glimpse into their soul. And while a dragon's eyes can't tell you everything about their lives and personalities, they can hint at what is normally hidden. The following eye characteristics should be considered guidelines, not hard rules, of what you can expect based on the eyes of a Necromancer or its variants.
- Uncommon eyes: Dragons with uncommon eyes tend to be open and easily influenced by the magical energies in their environment. Magic casters find that they have a wealth of power at their disposal if their surroundings match their element, but they can also be severely limited in lands that are foreign to their birth place. Due to their openness, dragons with uncommon eyes are especially suited to the first trial of infection. Their bodies readily accept Mother's Blessing and within days they find themselves riddled with plague. Given this early advantage, uncommon-eyed dragons typically have more time to fight off the plague and learn to control it, though their ability to do so is no greater or less than a common-eyed dragon.
- Unusual eyes: Dragons with unusual eyes have depths in magical ability that can be hard to fathom. Their powers run deep, as their bodies serve as a reservoir they can draw on even when external resources run thin. Unfortunately, their endurance can also make them reckless. Unusual-eyed dragons might overextend themselves if they're not familiar with their own limits. If these dragons are touched by Mother's Blessing in the first trial they soon find that they can overcome the plague through sheer force of will. They beat back the sickness limb from limb, organ by organ, until it lies dormant within them, ready to be called upon. While it is rare for an unusual-eyed dragon to fail the second trial, they have no guarantees in passing the third.
- Rare eyes: Dragons with rare eyes are masters of transmutation. Some have command of several elements while others utilize their birth element in ingeniously clever ways, such as making fire run like water or wind carry the currents of lightning. While their strength and ability vary by individual, rare-eyed dragons are infallibly clever, sometimes too clever for their own good. With their ability to contort and transform their magic, dragons with rare eyes find the Trial of Contagion to be intuitive (if not easy) and are likely to pass, assuming they make it that far.
- Faceted eyes: Dragons with faceted eyes see the world through a myriad of lenses, with each image providing one version of the truth. They see reality as complex and filled with potential, both paradoxical and inherently consistent. They are experts at quickly taking in stimuli, whether it be visual or abstract, and combining it into a single whole. As Necromancers they excel in the role of counselor or diplomat because they can synthesize diverse perspectives and use them to create a guiding path forward. If a common-eyed dragon emerges from the trials with faceted eyes it can indicate a fracturing of the psyche. Strain and stress may have disrupted the dragon’s sense of self, leading to harmful or irrational behavior. Some of these dragons will descend into madness while others learn to rebuild their disrupted mental pathways into a type of clairvoyance, emerging as respected seers.
- Multi-gaze: While faceted-eyed dragons combine versions of reality into a single whole, a multi-gaze dragon can hold several points of view simultaneously even if they are conflicting. They are hungry for experiences, facts, and knowledge, and will consume them indiscriminately, seeking to turn each new tidbit into another facet of themselves. Their ravenous appetites and disquieting appearance may see them expelled from their home clans, especially in flights that do not appreciate the raw potential that they represent. Necromancers with multi-gaze can often call forth a near limitless variety of plague, though the sheer breadth of their ability means it's almost impossible for them to master any one strain. Common-eyed dragons that manifest multi-gaze as a result of their trials are said to have fully embraced the doctrines of evolution, adaptation, and unending consumption that represents Plague Flight. They make fanatical priests and zealous warriors, relentless and fearsome to behold.
- Primal: Natural-born prodigies, dragons with primal eyes can command the raw essence of their element and their power is often staggering. Hatchlings born with primal eyes are viewed as inherently gifted and destined for great things. In the Plaguelands these hatchlings are almost always encouraged to attempt the Necromantic Trials, and some of the most powerful Necromancers and devastating Ghouls have emerged from their ranks. Necroservus with primal eyes are rare, as these dragons tend to either succeed or fail spectacularly. In any case, primal-eyed dragons that undertake the Trials invariably emerge with the following specialties based on their birth element:
Earth – Earth-born gravitate toward plague that afflicts the bones and the structural integrity of the dragon, such as bone rot, crippling pain, wasting illnesses, and devastation of ligaments and tendons. Earth Necromancers specialize in returning strength to weakened dragons, and bolstering their immune systems.
Fire – Fire-born are especially gifted in bestowing fever and delirium. The most powerful can cause blood to boil in the veins. Fire Necromancers are experts at burning pathogens from the body and searing away infection. Often their cures can be more painful than the original affliction.
Wind – Wind-born are masters of contagion. The creatures they touch are overcome with fits of sneezing and coughing, and inevitably infect all around them. Wind Necromancers are also capable of dispersing miasma and sickness-causing vapors, even in the Plaguelands.
Water – Water-born have a special purview for blood-borne illnesses, which can also be passed on to offspring in the womb. They cause disorders such as hemophilia, which sentences the unfortunate to a death by a thousand cuts. Water Necromancers make some of the best healers, able to revert plagues spread by even the most powerful Ghoul.
Shadow – Shadow-born are inherently gifted in diseases that dull the senses, especially those that take away sight. They are also some of the few that form symbiosis with fungi, such as Cordyceps, and wield their spores to devastating effect. Shadow Necromancers are severely limited in their ability to heal, though even the least talented can offer a near-complete relief from pain.
Ice – Ice-born are capable of shutting down a dragon’s immune system, allowing infections to run riot. In addition they can carry a myriad of plagues in stasis within their bodies. While Ice Necromancers’ destructive powers are unparalleled, it comes at the cost of their ability to heal, which is much lower than average. However, they are able to stop the progression of a disease (if not fully cure it) and lower fevers.
Lightning – Lightning-born are adept at causing neurological disorders, such as convulsions, seizures, uncontrolled trembling, and loss of limb, organ, or brain function. Lightning Necromancers are some of the few that can cure madness, though this treatment can result in a personality change in the afflicted.
Light – Light-born specialize in illnesses resembling radiation poisoning. The afflicted creature will begin to lose teeth and fur or scales, and in the long term cancers and tumors will develop in their tissues. Light Necromancers are especially good at removing fungal infections and, ironically, curing the cancer that they cause.
Nature – Unsurprisingly, nature-born specialize in plant-based diseases, though that is not the extent of their power. They can also turn a victim’s immune system against itself, resulting in severe allergic reactions and leaving them susceptible to other plagues and infections. Nature Necromancers are skilled in getting the body to draw on its natural reserves to heal itself, and in curing reproductive and genetic diseases.
Plague – Plague-born often cause the most horror in their victims, as they prefer flesh-based diseases such as rot, leprosy, weeping sores and buboes. Plague Necromancers are capable of causing mutations in dragons, which can lead to both beneficial and detrimental effects.
Arcane – Natural experimenters, arcane-born are fascinated by unnatural diseases, such as those that effect the spirit, the mind, or a victim’s magical ability. Arcane Necromancers are one of the few that can restore a dragon’s magic, or cure mood disorders such as depression.
- Glowing eyes: No dragon is born with glowing eyes. They are the result of some mortal crisis – some personal catastrophe – that brought the dragon to the edge of death, and then saw them refuse to fall. Instead, the dragon survives by breaking through physical and magical limitations to forge a link with their element, one so strong that it manifests as a visible light that emanates from the dragon’s core. While some dragons obtain glowing eyes as a result of traumatic events early in life, many more receive them due to the stresses and deprivations of the Necromantic Trials themselves; often succeeding when they should have failed. Others become ‘twice-touched by Mother’ as Necromancers or Necroservi in the service of their clans, performing some great cure or curse that should have been beyond their limits. Regardless of when they were earned, glowing eyes are a symbol of considerable strength, purpose, and power, rivaled only by primal eyes in the respect they bring. They are a sign that, even beyond the Trials, these dragons have risked death to achieve greatness.
(Glowing Eye lore developed by EssayOfThougths – Read more here)
- Dark Sclera: A dragon's eyes are a symbol of their elemental magic, so it is jarring indeed to see that holy color surrounded by the blackness of the Shade. Distrusted, shunned, persecuted, dragons that develop Dark Sclera are often doomed to a life of loneliness and forced flight. Not even Necromancers can escape that taint, although unlike their untested brethren they can rise above it. Despite intense research and magical inquiry, it is not entirely clear why a dragon develops Dark Sclera, though rumor and hearsay abound. If a Necromancer, Necroservus, or Wraith develop Dark Sclera during their Trials it is often whispered that they entered into a heretical alliance with the Shade to save themselves and succeed. A Ghoul is twice-damned, the Dark Sclera pointed to as both the reason for their failure and Mother's judgement of their betrayal. But despite the added burden of social persecution, Dark Sclera brings many gifts as well. A dragon so benighted can see beyond the normal light spectrum, experiencing colors, sub-colors, and ultra-colors that defy their ability to describe. One who has undergone the trials receives an additional gift: the ability to see disease and infection, both the location in the body as well as its virility. It's a tempting gift to any Necromancer, so when one of long-standing suddenly develops a darkened gaze it brings with it inevitable suspicion, and 'Lich' might be whispered behind the dragon's back. (Dark Sclera lore developed by EssayOfThougths and Yuubi)
- Swirl: Swirl-eyed dragons exist in two states: a dormant stationary state and an active swirling state. When active, the spiral of the dragon's eye rotates and they are able to observe and process a preternatural level of information about the world around them. In Necromancers and their variants, the effect often manifests as the ability to perceive a body's inherent weaknesses, susceptibilities, and latent disease states before symptoms even appear. The ability is not without price, for the more often a dragon activates their sight, the faster their control over it erodes. In later stages a dragon completely loses the ability to deactivate their gaze, leaving them in a state that is out of sync with time and space. They are no longer able to perceive reality as it is, and are instead lost to the exponential possibilities of the future. Like a disease, swirl eyes are contagious and can be transferred when a dragon touches another with magic. As a result, swirl eyes are an almost insurmountable liability in Necromancers. Instead it is Necroservi that benefit most from the eye-type, often using it in service of their Necromancer, who in turn can help them maintain control. Swirl eyes in Ghouls are truly terrifying. Already unstable, Ghouls with swirl eyes quickly lose control and fall into insanity. However that does not stop unscrupulous Necromancers forcing the condition on captive Ghouls, wanting the power the ability grants without suffering its detriments. (Swirl lore inspired by Delotha and Turboblaze)
- Goat: Goat eyes are a physical manifestation of an unusual neurology, one that can separate the goat-eyed individual from the dragons around them and leave them a stranger in their own clan. Like the monotone Fae that struggles to communicate with dragons lacking an emotive crest, the goat-eyed dragon finds it difficult to read social situations or respond to appropriate cues. Interestingly, this disconnect disappears when interacting with Beastclan, or the animals of Sornieth's wildlands. Goat-eyed dragons tend to feel most at home in lonely, wild places, or the villages of Centaur and Talonok. Others learn how to adapt their unique mindset to dragon society and make a place for themselves in the odd nooks and crannies of their communities. The primary distinction of goat-eyed Necromancers and their variants is their heavy reliance on their familiar, both to do their work and in getting by in day-to-day life. Goat-eyed Necromancers are the least likely to follow the unwritten expectation that they take a Plague familiar after their Trials, instead choosing an animal or Beastclan most attuned to their personality and needs. Much can be inferred about a goat-eyed Necromancer simply by knowing their familiar. (Goat lore inspired by DancingDemonz and Lunaralight)
- Innocent: For Innocent eyed individuals some symptoms of the second Trial linger past the 23rd day. Developing during the Trial of Survival, Innocent eyes are the visible symptom of a special strain of Mother’s Plague that attacks the optic nerve. In affected dragons, excess tears are produced - the fluid viscous and cloudy - giving the eye a magnified appearance with a watery sheen. Left untreated, the membrane of the eye becomes inflamed and begins to deteriorate, eventually leading to blindness. This is quite different from what is known as Innocent eyes outside of the Trials, which in most cases is simply large eyes. Innocent eyes as it applies to the variants is most common in Ghouls and the disease is expressed in them to the most devasting effect. Already deadly, Innocent eyed Ghouls become devastating, their Plague literally dripping from them with their tears. Protecting yourself from an Innocent eyed Ghoul is effectively impossible. Curiously, Necromancers and Servus with Innocent eyes almost universally resist or outright refuse treatment. They give a range of excuses, from ‘the tears feel right, they are a gift from Mother as much as my stripes,’ to ‘they are a symbol of Mother’s virulency, found in me just as much as in Her most dangerous Ghouls.’ All variants can recall the exact moment that they contracted the disease, as if it were tied to a sudden epiphany or revelation. Are these dragons privy to secrete truths or hidden knowledge? Why do they resist treatment so vehemently, desperate to keep their eyes even unto blindness? If these questions have answers, the Innocent eyed dragon seems determined to keep its secrets. (Innocent lore inspired by Drakessis)
Necromantic symbols can be represented by skins or apparel, but must in some way confer an air of 'nobility' to the dragon. Symbols also suggest the role your Necromancer will perform in your clan. These are largely left up to the player's interpretation, but some examples are below. Note: Because crowns typically signify rulership, they are not recommended as necromantic symbols, with some exceptions (i.e. Crown of Bones).
- Blades, represented by Cutlasses, Katanas, Valkyrie Blade, Broadswords, Rapiers, and Cleavers: A symbol of purification, nobility, transition, protection, aggression, strength, and ability. Necromancers bearing blades can be expected to take on a more active role in their clan. They wield their powers of contagion on the battlefield and in defense of their allies. Often they represent Plaguebringer's desire to conquer and expand and they will urge their clan leaders to push Her plague into new territories.
- Armor, represented by all armor sets, pyrite pauldrons, glaciarguard platemail, and steampunk wing armor: A symbol of defense, indefatigability, resolution, tenacity, stoicism, retribution, and loyalty. Necromancers wearing armor are holy knights, often serving on behalf of the Necromantic Council to hunt down the condemned who have transgressed against Mother. Charlatans masquerading as Necromancers, unholy necromancers who raise the undead, feral Ghouls, and Lichs are all considered their prey. Necromancers wearing armor will serve without question, and will destroy whatever enemy they are pointed towards.
- Bones, represented by Crown of Bones, Skeletal Chimes, Birdskulls, etc: A symbol of death, truth, enlightenment, austerity, and divination. Necromancers bearing bones often serve as shamans to their clans. They foretell the tides of dominance, dates of future plague outbreaks, and can interpret the will of the Plaguebringer through signs and omens.
- Cloaks, represented by Capes, Cowls, Banners, Shrouds, and Guises: A symbol of authority, deception, sacrifice, uniformity, devotion, and service. Necromancers bearing cloaks often serve as priests to their clans. They are first and foremost disciples of Plaguebringer and will insist that her tenets and decrees are followed to the letter. They guide the day-to-day spiritual practices of the clan and ensure all members are baptized with the latest plague.
- Jewels and Jewelry, represented by Bloodstone or Crystalcourt Cascades, Amulets, Pendants, Lockets, and all Teardrop, Flourish, and Seraph apparel: A symbol of privilege, divinity, blessing, and right to rule. Necromancers bearing jewelry are often the most accomplished of the Necromancers and leaders among their own kind. A Necromancer who takes jewels or jewelry as their symbol will be under intense scrutiny from the larger Necromantic community and must have the skills or arrogance to carry it off. Jewelry symbology is also conflated with color and gemstone symbology.
- Masks, represented by all masks, Lion Headdresses, Birdskulls, Plague Doctors Masks, Wolf Capes, and Cranial Hornhelm: A symbol of disguise, becoming, guidance, possession, transformation, and legitimacy. Necromancers bearing masks see themselves as instruments of the Plaguebringer and the hand that enacts her will. They are counselors to their clans, ensuring that every important decision is in accordance with Plaguebringer's desires. In some cases these Necromancers are shadow rulers, controlling the clan in secret through a figurehead.
- Tools, represented by Bloodshard Chains, Grasps, Animal Apparel, Ice Picks, and Wing Fans: A symbol of self-actualization, determination, progress, action, manipulation, creativity, and resourcefulness. Necromancers bearing tools are forward-thinking and ambitious. They are seldom content with what is, instead urging their clan and leaders toward what could be. Where many Necromancers are bogged down by tradition and dogma, these individuals readily embrace Mother's doctrine of evolution, urging all around them to become more.
- Lamps, represented by Riot Hazebeacon, Sage Lanterns, Flame Candles, Delver's Lamps, Cindersphere Baubles, and Steampunk Tail Baubles: A symbol of learning, openness, bravery, exploration, humility, evenhandedness, and wisdom. Necromancers bearing lamps often forgo the traditional role of noble advisor and are more often solitary. Instead of worldly power they seek personal enlightenment, and to guide others along that path. Unlike their sigil-bearing counterparts who seek to spread Plague gospel through domination, these Necromancers are content with a more peaceful missionary role, or that of a solitary sage who leaves others to come to them. In a group that defines itself through its command and nobility, the humble, lamp-bearing Necromancer is a rare creature indeed.
- Sigils, represented by Staffs, Plague Tome, Infectionist's Sash, Infectionist's Emblem, Runaway Rotclaw, Contaminated Halo, Standard of the Plaguebringer, etc: A symbol of plague and Plaguebringer's will, power, and control. These Necromancers are most often found outside the Plaguelands, bearing plague and plague gospel to other flights. They serve as ambassadors, diplomats, and counselors to those dragons that are sympathetic to Plaguebringer's doctrine. Sometimes they are welcomed in; sometimes they make their own welcome. Within the Plaguelands, Necromancers often wear sigils along with other Necromantic symbols in order to reinforce their status and their role, either because their position in the clan is still shaky or because subtlety just isn't their thing.
Necromancers traditionally have a plague-themed familiar. The more obvious the plague-theme, the more distinguished the familiar. Highly esteemed or especially talented Necromancers will often have plague holiday familiars, while Nercroservus or Ghouls usually have the more common beastclans native to plague as their familiar. That being said, only Necroservus, Ghouls and lower-level Necromancers are limited in their choice of familiar. A high level Necromancer can have any plague-themed familiar they desire, from the lowest to the highest. However, all rules are made to be broken and some Necromancers that originate from outside the Plaguelands find familiars from their native Flights who are willing to join them in their cause.
- Highest-level familiars:
- Mid-level familiars:
- Low-level familiars:
- Examples of Non-Plague familiars converted to the cause:
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[color=maroon]The Necromancer and its variants are recognized by the stripes of plague that stitch their spines and wing membranes. In Necromancers, Necroservi, Wraiths and Neutralized Ghouls the plague is dormant, while in Ghouls the plague is rampant and in the midst of infecting their entire bodies. As a result, the signifier between the variants is the color of the primary gene, running from greenish beige in Necromancers to the most virulent blood-red in Ghouls.[/color]
[center][img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/f702c13eaaa91b2b294dcc65b44769d2/tumblr_inline_o23f45WMiU1r3lvtf_500.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/nn6zNdK/Necro-A.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]http://flightrising.com/rendern/350/212201/21220012_350.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon][b]Primary:[/b] Caramel - Latte | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple
[b]Secondary:[/b] Sanguine - Maroon | Current, Daub, Stripes, Striation, Clouded, Safari
[b]Tertiary:[/b] Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
*There is slightly more leeway in the tert color, and ideally contrast should be achieved with the secondary.
[b]Breed:[/b] All modern breeds (Ancients in development)[/color]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/z9OJqBf.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Caramel ~ Sand ~ Tan ~ Beige ~ Stone ~ Taupe ~ Slate ~ Driftwood ~ Latte[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/bBz1hRk.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/WxIvuBf.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/L232y5i.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/f702c13eaaa91b2b294dcc65b44769d2/tumblr_inline_o23f45WMiU1r3lvtf_500.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/mCyjZqL/Servus-A.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/FH4pgCk/Servus-Updated.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]In terms of appearance, Necroservi are almost identical to Necromancers, since surviving the second trial leaves them with the same blood thylacine markings. The only difference lies in the shade of their primary, which is generally darker with undertones of red and brown. They are most easily identified by a combination of their familiar, their necromantic symbol, and the fact that they are almost always in the company of a higher ranked Necromancer. They can act as a scribe, messenger, companion, assistant, body servant, or menial servant as their Necromancer requires. In rare cases they become friends or mates of their Necromancer.[/color]
[color=maroon][b]Primary:[/b] Dirt - Soil | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple
*The primary is slightly darker in Necroservi, indicating a higher contamination level
[b]Secondary:[/b] Sanguine - Maroon | Current, Daub, Stripes, Striation, Clouded, Safari
*Same as Necromancer
[b]Tertiary:[/b] Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
*Same as Necromancer
[b]Breed:[/b] All modern breeds (Ancients in development)[/color]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/wneoMIf.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Dirt ~ Clay ~ Sable ~ Umber ~ Soil[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/s1wQUnW.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/XxNSRMz.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/f702c13eaaa91b2b294dcc65b44769d2/tumblr_inline_o23f45WMiU1r3lvtf_500.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/8zbffjm/Ghouls-A.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/6f8Ee7U.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]Ghouls have failed to contain the plague in the second trial and as a result are condemned to a slow death by decay. Most are too ashamed to return to their original clans and so wander the land, spreading their contagion to any clan foolish enough to harbor them. Plague clans are well aware of what they are and are the least likely to shelter them, while other Flights are more apt to be taken unaware. However, Plague clans that pride themselves on their ability to resist Plaguebringer's diseases might take Ghouls in as status symbols or in a rare display of mercy.[/color]
[color=maroon][b]Primary Colors:[/b] Crimson - Maroon | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple, Slime
*On this spectrum the darker and more uniform the coloring the higher the Ghouls contamination level. An XXX Blood is the most dangerous of the Ghouls.
[b]Secondary Colors:[/b] Sanguine - Maroon | Saturn, Clouded, Safari, Sludge
[b]Tertiary Colors:[/b] Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
[b]Breed:[/b] All modern breeds (Ancients in development)[/color]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/awTreGj.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Crimson ~ Garnet ~ Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/bryjNPD.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/1Db1L1g.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/f702c13eaaa91b2b294dcc65b44769d2/tumblr_inline_o23f45WMiU1r3lvtf_500.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/zfQbrKS/Neut-A.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]http://flightrising.com/dgen/preview/dragon?age=1&body=124&bodygene=1&breed=11&element=2&gender=0&tert=124&tertgene=11&winggene=15&wings=124&auth=87a842dd04ee622064d113b823be14ebce6b31a4&dummyext=prev.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]If all three of a Ghoul's genes are tarnish it means that its virulency has been neutralized. They are no longer walking harbinger's of doom, though ingesting their meat or their blood is almost immediately fatal. Only a Necromancer can remove a Ghoul's virulency, however the effort can fail and the Necromancer puts their clan as well as themselves at risk by attempting it. If successfully neutralized, a Ghoul is no longer susceptible to diseases and will often serve its Necromancer for life.[/color]
[color=maroon][b]Primary:[/b] Tarnish | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple, Slime
[b]Secondary:[/b] Tarnish | Saturn, Clouded, Safari, Sludge
[b]Tertiary:[/b] Tarnish | Thylacine
[b]Breed:[/b] All modern breeds (Ancients in development)[/color]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/c5jRn88.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Tarnish[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/RLdSnsm.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Tarnish[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/nqo1AVG.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Tarnish[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/f702c13eaaa91b2b294dcc65b44769d2/tumblr_inline_o23f45WMiU1r3lvtf_500.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/4TVbjKc/Wraiths-A.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/MugoqQM.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]A dragon becomes a Wraith if they fail to pass the trials on their own merits, or if they somehow manage to avoid becoming a Ghoul after failing. Sometimes they are healed by a Necromancer who witnesses them succumbing and decides to intercede before it's too late. Sometimes they manage to beat back the infection but not before the time limit on the 23rd day. Regardless of the cause, while Wraiths escape the death sentence of their brethren, they are instead condemned to a limbo existence where they cannot cure or infect, but still bear the physical marks of Mother's Trials and the infamy that comes with them. Most Wraiths fade into obscurity, however recent rumors suggest that they might possess hidden abilities. Some Necromancers claim that channeling their power through a Wraith magnifies and refines it, allowing them to perform feats that had previously been beyond their abilities. The Necromantic Council is investigating these rumors.[/color]
[center][color=maroon][size=2]The Wraith variant was originally conceived by @/TheCell[/size][/color][/center]
[color=maroon][b]Primary:[/b] Hickory - Tomato | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple
*Ideal iri for a Wraith should have a gradient between green/brown and red, to highlight its ambiguous position between a Servus and a Ghoul
[b]Secondary:[/b] Sanguine - Maroon | Current, Daub, Stripes, Striation, Clouded, Safari
*Same as Necromancer
[b]Tertiary:[/b] Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
*Same as Necromancer
[b]Breed[/b]: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)[/color]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/yOKVeL6.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Hickory ~ Ginger ~ Brown ~ Chocolate ~ Auburn ~ Copper ~ Rust ~ Tomato[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/8QuzcoA.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/JjKxImm.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]http://78.media.tumblr.com/f702c13eaaa91b2b294dcc65b44769d2/tumblr_inline_o23f45WMiU1r3lvtf_500.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/z8J4qEO.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/K3ogJ0i.png[/img][/center]
[color=maroon]A Necromancer seduced by the power of the [url=https://flightrising.com/main.php?p=wiki&article=6]Shade[/url] becomes a Lich. Their wings and markings darken as the Shade devour the magical energies of Mother’s Blessing and their original primary color begins to show through. Nothing comes without price, however, and the more the Necromancer relies on the Shade’s power, the faster they are devoured. A Lich with all three colors in the black range is in danger of becoming a hollow shell as the Shade depletes their magical energy, their life force, and finally begins to consume their soul. More Lich lore can be found [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/drs/2412017/155#post_43495473]here[/url].[/color]
[center][color=maroon][size=2]The Lich variant was originally conceived by @/Delotha[/size][/color][/center]
[color=maroon][b]Primary:[/b] All Colors | Iridescent, Ripple, Savanna, Speckle
*Ideal colors should match or complement any tints found in the secondary
[b]Secondary:[/b] Coal - Midnight | Freckle, Hypnotic, Morph, Rosette, Safari, Stripes
[b]Tertiary:[/b] Oilslick - Midnight | Thylacine
[b]Breed[/b]: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)[/color]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/4UEHKVn.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/05gfdfP.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Coal ~ Oilslick ~ Black ~ Obsidian ~ Eldritch ~ Midnight[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://imgur.com/jZbZrsZ.png[/img][/center]
[indent][color=maroon][i]Oilslick ~ Black ~ Obsidian ~ Eldritch ~ Midnight[/i][/color][/indent]
[center][img]https://i.ibb.co/pZH9FM5/Necro-Flag-Sommer-Bee-Large.png[/img]
[size=2]By [url=https://www1.flightrising.com/forums/adopt/2644399#post_2644399]SommerBee[/url][/size][/center]
The Necromancer and its variants are recognized by the stripes of plague that stitch their spines and wing membranes. In Necromancers, Necroservi, Wraiths and Neutralized Ghouls the plague is dormant, while in Ghouls the plague is rampant and in the midst of infecting their entire bodies. As a result, the signifier between the variants is the color of the primary gene, running from greenish beige in Necromancers to the most virulent blood-red in Ghouls.
Primary: Caramel - Latte | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple
Secondary: Sanguine - Maroon | Current, Daub, Stripes, Striation, Clouded, Safari
Tertiary: Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
*There is slightly more leeway in the tert color, and ideally contrast should be achieved with the secondary.
Breed: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)
Caramel ~ Sand ~ Tan ~ Beige ~ Stone ~ Taupe ~ Slate ~ Driftwood ~ Latte
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry
In terms of appearance, Necroservi are almost identical to Necromancers, since surviving the second trial leaves them with the same blood thylacine markings. The only difference lies in the shade of their primary, which is generally darker with undertones of red and brown. They are most easily identified by a combination of their familiar, their necromantic symbol, and the fact that they are almost always in the company of a higher ranked Necromancer. They can act as a scribe, messenger, companion, assistant, body servant, or menial servant as their Necromancer requires. In rare cases they become friends or mates of their Necromancer.
Primary: Dirt - Soil | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple
*The primary is slightly darker in Necroservi, indicating a higher contamination level
Secondary: Sanguine - Maroon | Current, Daub, Stripes, Striation, Clouded, Safari
*Same as Necromancer
Tertiary: Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
*Same as Necromancer
Breed: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)
Dirt ~ Clay ~ Sable ~ Umber ~ Soil
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry
Ghouls have failed to contain the plague in the second trial and as a result are condemned to a slow death by decay. Most are too ashamed to return to their original clans and so wander the land, spreading their contagion to any clan foolish enough to harbor them. Plague clans are well aware of what they are and are the least likely to shelter them, while other Flights are more apt to be taken unaware. However, Plague clans that pride themselves on their ability to resist Plaguebringer's diseases might take Ghouls in as status symbols or in a rare display of mercy.
Primary Colors: Crimson - Maroon | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple, Slime
*On this spectrum the darker and more uniform the coloring the higher the Ghouls contamination level. An XXX Blood is the most dangerous of the Ghouls.
Secondary Colors: Sanguine - Maroon | Saturn, Clouded, Safari, Sludge
Tertiary Colors: Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
Breed: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)
Crimson ~ Garnet ~ Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry
If all three of a Ghoul's genes are tarnish it means that its virulency has been neutralized. They are no longer walking harbinger's of doom, though ingesting their meat or their blood is almost immediately fatal. Only a Necromancer can remove a Ghoul's virulency, however the effort can fail and the Necromancer puts their clan as well as themselves at risk by attempting it. If successfully neutralized, a Ghoul is no longer susceptible to diseases and will often serve its Necromancer for life.
Primary: Tarnish | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple, Slime
Secondary: Tarnish | Saturn, Clouded, Safari, Sludge
Tertiary: Tarnish | Thylacine
Breed: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)
Tarnish
Tarnish
Tarnish
A dragon becomes a Wraith if they fail to pass the trials on their own merits, or if they somehow manage to avoid becoming a Ghoul after failing. Sometimes they are healed by a Necromancer who witnesses them succumbing and decides to intercede before it's too late. Sometimes they manage to beat back the infection but not before the time limit on the 23rd day. Regardless of the cause, while Wraiths escape the death sentence of their brethren, they are instead condemned to a limbo existence where they cannot cure or infect, but still bear the physical marks of Mother's Trials and the infamy that comes with them. Most Wraiths fade into obscurity, however recent rumors suggest that they might possess hidden abilities. Some Necromancers claim that channeling their power through a Wraith magnifies and refines it, allowing them to perform feats that had previously been beyond their abilities. The Necromantic Council is investigating these rumors.
The Wraith variant was originally conceived by @/TheCell
Primary: Hickory - Tomato | Iridescent, Leopard, Ripple
*Ideal iri for a Wraith should have a gradient between green/brown and red, to highlight its ambiguous position between a Servus and a Ghoul
Secondary: Sanguine - Maroon | Current, Daub, Stripes, Striation, Clouded, Safari
*Same as Necromancer
Tertiary: Sanguine - Berry | Thylacine
*Same as Necromancer
Breed: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)
Hickory ~ Ginger ~ Brown ~ Chocolate ~ Auburn ~ Copper ~ Rust ~ Tomato
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon
Sanguine ~ Blood ~ Maroon ~ Berry
A Necromancer seduced by the power of the Shade becomes a Lich. Their wings and markings darken as the Shade devour the magical energies of Mother’s Blessing and their original primary color begins to show through. Nothing comes without price, however, and the more the Necromancer relies on the Shade’s power, the faster they are devoured. A Lich with all three colors in the black range is in danger of becoming a hollow shell as the Shade depletes their magical energy, their life force, and finally begins to consume their soul. More Lich lore can be found here.
The Lich variant was originally conceived by @/Delotha
Primary: All Colors | Iridescent, Ripple, Savanna, Speckle
*Ideal colors should match or complement any tints found in the secondary
Secondary: Coal - Midnight | Freckle, Hypnotic, Morph, Rosette, Safari, Stripes
Tertiary: Oilslick - Midnight | Thylacine
Breed: All modern breeds (Ancients in development)
Coal ~ Oilslick ~ Black ~ Obsidian ~ Eldritch ~ Midnight
Oilslick ~ Black ~ Obsidian ~ Eldritch ~ Midnight
19:45
