Necromancy, a (not so) dark art prevalent in the Renegades Epic
Necromancy makes even those in the occult cringe, given its association with dark magic. But that’s not the case in the Renegades Epic.
Necromancy may be a taboo topic, and in some cases, one that’s outright evil. When I first thought of adding it to the Renegades Epic, my memories drifted back to the Necromancers in the Gateway Trilogy and Gateway Trackers.
In it, they were bent on reversing the Gateways and gaining control over the spirits trapped in the aether. From there, they wished to bend spirits to their will and use them for their own sick experiments.
Yet when I read Windhaven Witches by Carissa Andrews in the spring of 2021, the main character, Autumn, was, you guessed it, a Necromancer. But she was more than tame compared to the Necromancers seen in E.E. Holmes’ instant classic, as I call it.
At that point, Necromancy was coming to the Renegades Epic, and I had an idea of where I’d pinpoint it initially.
Necromancy ritual in the Epic had its roots in Harry Potter
You may recall the chapter Flesh, Blood, and Bone in the graveyard scene, right? Hey, Harry Potter had a significant impact on the Epic, and you can see it clearly with Necromancy. Let me give you some insight into how it’s done in my twisted worlds.
The Necromancer can only perform the ritual if they have three items:
- Flesh of an ally
- Blood of an enemy
- Bone of a neutral
Yeah, straight out of Harry Potter lore, for the most part. Necromancers, since they’re reviving a dead ally, may use their own flesh if no one else is around. But, if someone with a stronger bond to the deceased is nearby, it’s best that they step in and provide their own flesh – often, a pinky will do.
Then, the Necromancer must take an enemy’s blood. They can use their own if, under any circumstance, they could consider themselves an enemy. If not, they’d better hope one’s in the vicinity or else their deceased friend’s Resurrection Window closes and they’re gone forever.
Finally, they need human bones. But the bones must not come from a friend or foe. Hopefully, they’re in a graveyard and not afraid to dig up some random body if they’re desperate. Yeah, no one’s body’s safe if a Necromancer wants to bring someone back to life badly enough.
It’s a rare thing as you may’ve guessed…
For one, there are only three known Necromancers in five of the six series in the Renegades Epic, and they share an eternal bond. If you’ve been reading from the Compendium for a while, you know exactly who they are.
Yeah, the Three Sisters are more than physical manifestations of their Higher States. These girls can bring back the dead or even restore an individual trapped in that ‘less than a ghost’ state to their body if the conditions are correct – again, think Harry Potter.
Still, it’s not always easy to use an ally’s flesh, an enemy’s blood, and a neutral’s bone. The former is the only one that’s available, but they also can’t be cutting off their fingers left and right now, can they? That said, it’s a rarer than rare occurrence in the Epic.
Necromancers have one more special trick up their sleeves
These girls are also adept at one thing: Self-Resurrection. They can, under certain circumstances, should they get killed, acquire the necessary ingredients to pull off a Self-Resurrection ritual.
If they invoke enough energy to manipulate the right objects, mix them together, and have their body nearby, or at least pieces of it, they can bring themselves back to life. However, there’s a downside. The longer they’re out, the more rest their body requires, or else they’ll flatline, and that’ll be it. Unless they find a way to Resurrect themselves again.
So, our Necromancers are versatile ladies, able to communicate with their Higher States, bring the dead back from beyond the brink, and they’re a trio of kick-ass Spirit Masters. And if you cross them and they end up taking your life away, you may not be lucky enough for them to give you a second chance. Unless they’re in a good mood, that is. Want to see some good-old Necromancy in action?
