In the mythology of Yggdrasil, necromancy is one of the worst crimes that can be committed. This class in conjunction with the Grey Guardian illustrate this. It will come with a host of Necromancy wyrds, a new Necromancer skill, and a new magic item, the Bound Bracelet. It has been a lot of fun to write up. Hope you enjoy.

The Bound Necromancers

Despite Beli’s admonition against disturbing the dead for any purpose, necromancy has been an ever present threat on Yggdrasil. Mortals are born with the aptitude, and wether they like it or not, begin to show signs of the skill by the time they are teenagers. Some are able to hide the ability all their lives. Some are slain by their friends and family. Some embrace their power and use it to their own aims and some are bound by the Order.

Your family always knew you were a little off. Something about the eyes or perhaps the quiet way you had about yourself. Then a Grey Guardian darkened your door and did… something. Gold was exchanged with your da and a bracelet was put on your arm. Now you live a life of adventure you never wanted.

The Bound Necromancer has been forced into this life at a young age and finds themselves facing unconscionable evil on a regular basis. They have been trained by someone who fears and disdains them to be a living weapon against the unliving.

• You begin with a bound bracelet that is bound to another player who is playing a Grey Guardian, or you may create a Grey Guardian and play two characters at once.

Stock: Any Human
Abilities: Distribute 8 points between will and health. Neither may be lower than two or greater than six.
Skills: Necromancer 3, Arcanist 3, Enchanter 3, Ritualist 2, Scholar 2
Trait: Touched by the Dead
Weapons: None
Armor: None

Traits

Eyes of the Dead

Necromancers see more than other mortals. They can see the signs of spirits, denote the difference in a footprint between the living and the unquiet dead, and see the invisible lines of corruption. But they must also take care, for that which is seen with the Eyes of the Dead cannot be unseen.

Unbound Necromancer

You are free at last from that which kept your power in check, but this act now fills you with the blind belief that you can reshape Yggdrasil by your will alone. Your confidence in yourself, your abilities, and the unquiet dead you command is unshakeable. It makes you a formidable opponent as you will not back down, but also makes you susceptible to foolish mistakes that wiser heads would avoid.

Level 1

Bound Necromancer: Bound Necromancers have the ability to invoke necromantic incantations. Necromantic incantations follow the same rules as Wyrds found in Yggdrasil MGZ Issue 01. You begin knowing Death Ward, Rest Thyself, and Decay. You may not wield any weapons nor wear armor or use shields. You are bound.

Level 2

Urgent Need: The trauma of your condition means you can draw upon the corrupting influence of the dead in times of stress. You may use the Necromancer skill in place of any skill or ability. Of course, failure brings an additional twist on top of the standard result. The game master chooses from the Wyrd Corruption twists found in Yggdrasil MGZ 01 or invents their own. The result leaves a permanent effect.

Pilfering Touch: Your training has taught you to draw energy from the unquiet dead with a touch. On a successful Health vs Nature test, you touch your target, draining 1 hit point per your level and grant it to yourself or allies. Failure brings an additional twist on top of the standard result. The game master chooses from the Wyrd Corruption twists found in Yggdrasil MGZ 01 or invents their own. The result leaves a permanent effect.

Level 3

You receive a new wyrd or ritual from your Grey Guardian. If it is another player, they get to choose what you learn. If not, the Game Master decides.

Binder: The mindless dead quaver in your presence. Increase your Precedence for the purposes of binding by one. Combine this bonus with other bonuses from spells, invocations, and magical items.

Blind Loyalty: Your faith in your Grey Guardian is unshakeable when they are by your side. While within their presence you do not suffer the effects of the Afraid condition. This changes the moment you are no longer within sight of your Guardian.

Level 4

Filled Vessel: You are immune to the possession ability of any unquiet dead or Horror. If they attempt to possess you they suffer a -1D to their next test or conflict roll.

Captivating Memory: Once per Phase, when facing the unquiet dead, you may summon to their mind a pleasant memory that gives them pause. They suffer a -1D to their next test or conflict roll.

Level 5

You receive a new wyrd or ritual from your Grey Guardian. If it is another player, they get to choose what you learn. If not, the Game Master decides.

Bound Servant: You have bound a spirit to your soul for the remainder of your life. When you finally find release, they will travel with you to the Prison where you will both be judged. Select a character from the list of Regular Folks in the Scholar’s manual. Your prisoner provides you +1D help on any of the listed skills.

Spirit Shield: When in physical danger, you instinctually surround yourself with a swirl of unquiet spirts to protect you. It operates as a Shield providing +2D to the Defend  action and can absorb two points of damage before being destroyed. It does not take up a slot and has no impact on the recovery from exhaustion.

Level 6

Symbiosis: If helping your Grey Guardian in any roll, you provide +2D when you help instead of +1D.

Life Sink: When casting the spell Necrotic Wave or using their Pilfering Touch ability, you are granted +1s. However, such power is not easily contained. If you fail in your roll, you suffer a temporary affliction on top of any other consequences.

• You appear and smell like a corpse for the remainder of the phase.
• Your eyes become solid black and crackle with white energy shocking all those you touch for 1D6 turns.
• You are surrounded by madly cackling, visible spirits for the remainder of the phase.

Level 7

You receive a new wyrd or ritual from your Grey Guardian. If it is another player, they get to choose what you learn. If not, the Game Master decides.

Spirit Vision: You ignore factors from dim light and darkness and can even read in darkness. You now see with the eyes of the dead, though they now glow with a ghostly light at all times.

The Red Mist: You are wrapped in an aura of power. A near perceptible aura of red mist fills the space around you, touching the souls of those that are near. Increase your Precedence and Might by one.

Level 8

Moribund: You are closer to death than you are to life. Change one Nature descriptor to Draining, Binding, or Destroying. You may use this benefit to replace a lost Nature.

Mastery: Increase your rating cap for Necromancer, Lore Master, or Philosopher from 6 to 7. You may advance the chosen skill to rating 7 with six passed tests and five failed.

Level 9

Heroic Ability: Chose Necromancer, Lore Master, or Ritualist. The chosen skill becomes “heroic.” When rolling  this skill, 3-6 indicates a success (rather than the standard 4-6).

Grave Nature: You have grown deeply connected to the unquiet dead and no mortal restraints can hold you. They pass through you as if you yourself were a spirit. You no longer age as mortals do, physically aging a single year for each decade. This unnatural health grants you a +1s to recovery from illness and injury.

Level 10

Touch of Peace: Your power and influence over the unquiet dead is at the mortal pinnacle. Any time you act to send the restless spirit of the undead on their long journey to the Prison, you gain a +2s on your rolls.

Unbound Necromancer: You have broken your binding bracelet and are finally free from your Grey Guardian. You are now hunted by the Order and have a new enemy. Name them. Change one trait to Unbound Necromancer (L3). You are also now free to use any Necromancer incantation or ritual you desire to learn for your new life.