Necromancy: The Driving Force behind Mortal History; a Perspective.
As my reader may well know, there is significant academic bias against the practice of Necromancy and the impact this practice has had on the history of the mortal races. Although the coming of Lyras represents a change in this narrative it would be remiss if the rest of history was not given a thorough re-examination in the same vein. The focus of this paper will be to show that Necromancy has shaped mortal history far before Lyras and while she may remain the most infamous Lich known to modern times, she is not the only instance of this occurring nor the most important.
-The Fallen Prince-
To progress forward through the span of known history we must start at the beginning. While the apocryphal Fallen Prince of the Elves is the first recorded myth we must regard any information about him as baseless speculation. Zamidren Book states in the Undying Threat, “I surmise that many of the names he is known by are actually curses and other assorted vulgarities in the languages of ancient Elven and ancient Dwarven.” Zamidren goes on to state the dwarves have myths of their own and speaks of an ancient battle between necromantic forces and the living. Details on the event are sparse and the purpose of this paper is historical fact where it can be acquired.
-Sidhlot SilverVeil-
The first recorded instance of a Necromancer is an Elf known as Sidhlot SilverVeil. Timelines show that Sidhlot’s rebellion against Morganae came only 30 years after the revolt which won the enslaved Wind Elves their freedom from the Dwarves of Iron Clan in 2650 BL. It can be surmised that Sidhlot was a contemporary of Morganae and participated in the revolt. The first recorded necromantic feat of power Sidhlot performed was the corruption of the remaining Iron Clan Dwarves into what is now referred to as Dark Dwarves in 2557 BL. This major use of necromantic power, a scant 37 years after the creation of the Mountain Elf Clan, can indicate several things about the origins of Sidhlot’s powers. Such an act is replicated only twice in known history (see Sithsia and the Dragon Priests later in this text) which implies an inherent difficulty. If we take other examples of powerful Necromancers throughout history we can see that all of them had to take some time in their early life to develop their skills. This leaves Sidhlot as either having practiced Necromancy since birth and was a youthful prodigy or Sidhlot is significantly older than has been previously guessed. This would provide him the time needed to become strong enough to perform the act of transformation. The later path leads to speculation about the connection between Sidhlot and the Fallen Prince but that is outside the scope of this work. Sidhlot is also the oldest being to claim the title of Necrolord and may be involved in the origination of the term.
While there is a date for the founding of the Bone Elf clan in 2600 BL there are no written records of their early teachings and organizations. Sidhlot led the Bone Elves so we can assume Necromancy had a heavy influence, which bears out in later writings about the clan and common knowledge places him as their leader to this day. Sidhlot and his clan disappear from history until 250 AV where Sidhlot is blamed for the murder of Mountain Elf princess Anloralhe. This event causes the shutting down of the gondola and complete isolation of the Ilithi province for the next century. An Ambassador by the name of Catrayth arrives in Zoluren around 350 AV and talks ensued to begin operation of the gondola to resume trade and travel. Shortly after, another man came forward claiming to be the same individual using the similar name of Catraith. In truth this second man was Sidhlot in disguise, attempting once again to alter the course of history. This time he was revealed and, as my reader is likely aware, travel to Ilithi re-opened. Sidhlot appears again during the Sorrow War beginning in 359 AV. Sorrow himself displayed necromantic abilities and here we can again assume Sidhlot’s influence.
-Queen Morganae Sunderstone-
Morganae Sunderstone was born to Tivhiri the leader of the Wind Elf Clan. She later founded the Mountain Elf Clan in 2650 BL and rules her people to this day. She remains active and when seen by outsiders appears to be in good health. As my readers well know, the most common path to immortality remains Necromancy, specifically the Rite of Defiance. This spell is easily used by the lay Necromancer and the extent of Morganae’s powers are entirely unknown. The influence of Necromancy in her affairs may be heavy indeed, as evidenced by several political upheavals and turn arounds in the long years of Morganae’s reign. The Elven-Human War began in 1015 BL yet the Mountain Elves withdraw from the war nine years later in 1004 BL. Emperor Arcadius moves the capital of the Seven Star Empire to the clan home Elamiri in 485 BL. This causes a period of civil unrest and attempted assassinations. After his reign begins the next Emperor immediately orders the return of the Empire’s capital to Throne City. Trade sanctions are placed against the Morganae herself by the Empire in 478 BL as well as being “ordered to cease her political meddling.” These sanctions remain in place until 389 BL and result in the Elven Delegation voting to remove the Mountain Elf contingent from the Empire in 438 BL. The alliance with Corik in 238 BL during the Resistance War is their only activity of note in scholarly timelines until the gondola incident outlined above. Morganae’s immortal youth and obvious use of Necromantic magic allows her to meddle in politics to a degree unrivaled by any who have not had her three millennia life span.
-Sithsia, the Forest of Night, the Bloodworm Comet and the Zaulfung Stones-
The human known only as Sithsia’s first mention in the histories is when she enters Lord Ellington’s service as a mage in 480 BL. The book “Forest of Night” by Asha Viriki details the events and so do not need repeating here. It remains an indisputable fact that Sithsia created the Forest of Night in 448 BL as a result of those events. This feat of necromantic power and corruption of living beings is the second instance in known history to rival Sidhlot’s creation of the Dark Dwarves; the other being the works of the Dragon Priests.
Somewhat later Sithsia is centrally involved in the events beginning in 408 BL with the appearance of the Bloodworm Comet. This appearance of the Bloodworm comet is linked to the creation of the Zaulfung stones. The comet has appeared several times throughout history, and each time seemed to preside over an event of demonic manifestation. After appearing in 846 BL the Emperor of the Seven Star Empire Chezarek was killed after a well-documented case of demonic summoning in 841 BL. It appeared again in the night sky to herald the arrival of Lyras in 393 AV.
Sithsia was a part of Farn’s company, a cadre of mages formed by Empress Merthamone of the Seven Star Empire directly. This company created the Zaulfung stones in 400 AV in an act where nearly all of them perished. These stones were made to contain the demon known as Maelshyve, whom was freed from them in recent years. Learned readers will know that to touch the demonic is exceedingly necromantic and so again we see another example of Sithsia’s extreme power. However Sithia’s most famous appearance may be when she appeared to the Empress Dzree of the Dragon Priest Empire in 4 BL to deliver her prophecy of death. The Empire’s decline after the prophecy came to pass was swift.
-High Priestess Dzree, Empress of the Dragon Priest Empire-
A great deal has been written about Dzree. We could not come close to doing the subject justice within the scope of this paper. I shall present the bare facts and let them speak for themselves. We do not know her date of birth but she rose to power in 205 BL when her predecessor High Priest Sh’kial is killed. She turns the Dragon Priests into a force capable of forming an empire under her dictatorship. Shard is razed to the ground in 198 BL. Crossing falls in 193 BL. Riverhaven falls in 190 BL. Therenborough is conquered in 187 BL.
The story of the empire’s fight with Highhold is where we have the most heavily documented case of Dzree’s use of necromancy. The Adan’f breeding ground, referred to as the Dark Hand, was created in 195 BL. Its creation destroyed and blighted the land around it. This results in Highhold’s fall in 158 BL. Lambache D'Remilliard writes in On Necromancy, “After two abysmal failures, the Dragon Priests attempted something relatively less daring. Based upon the tales of Hav'roth and Peri'el converting lizards into S'Kra Mur, the Priests felt they could accomplish the same task. Using a race of lizards that originally inhabited the lands about Shard, the Priests once again used 'dark' magics to warp these creatures into their current form. The Adan'f were born.”
The area later grew out of control and even consumed its masters after the fall of the empire. The Dark Hand was pushed back by the Emerald Knights in the time of Ferdahl Alec. The Hand has been kept at bay by Corik’s Wall as well as the Shadow Clan, which was established in 20 AV. The Adan’f are hardly the first time the Dragon Priests used Necromancy on such a huge scale. The first was the creation of the Whistling Woods, where they turned a breed of insects into beasts that devoured everything in their path. Their second experiment was a race summoned from another plane, Fae known as Frostweavers. Both of these remain a threat to this day.
-Conclusion-
There is a bevy of those declaring themselves Necrolords in modern times. Archrost, who once prevented clerics from calling upon the power of resurrection. Velmix Strawn who sold his soul for demonic power. Sirolarn Tirof-Sorvendig whom used necromantic poison to ensure his rule over Zoluren. Sura Ravenblades, known as Lord Sorrow, who brought war to an entire continent. Lasarhhtha Oshu’Erhhsk the Bone Dancer. Xerasyth the body master and the author’s teacher. <REDACTED> whom we all know as the Triumphant and of course Lyras Maorgwelder, the Devourer.
Lyras used demonic power alongside Risen, who were stronger than most adventurers, in that war. For all of her power, her expression of that power was mundane and lacked the skill the true masters of our path have shown in the past. Let us look back and learn the lessons that history has to teach us.
~Necrolord Xzean Faelrlyn
"If I take death into my life, acknowledge it, and face it squarely, I will free myself from the anxiety of death and the pettiness of life - and only then will I be free to become myself." ~ Martin Heidegger
