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 Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 4:10 pm
1.1: Table of Contents
1.2: History of Necromancy
1.3: Algols: the Undead
1.4: How Necromancy works
1.5: FAQ
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 4:15 pm
A Brief History of Necromancy and the Undead
In-character:
Three thousand years ago, necromancy was different. Those who studied the black art could raise the dead from the grave and command them (or some of them, at least). A necromancer named Scorpio became outraged at her colleagues' callous treatment of the dead and set out to change the way the craft worked.
Through hard work and arcane studies, Scorpio figured out how to gather up all of the "dead magic" together and store it in a box. She buried the box at the deepest point in the ocean, where no one could ever find it. It was this act that turned Scorpio into a Sign.
The sealing away of necromancy has had two major effects on the world (other than creating a goddess):
1. It is now impossible to raise the dead without Scorpio's aid;
2. All undead have free will and cannot be magically controlled by their creator.
Out-of-Character:
We started making cosplays of undead characters and some characters based on undead; when people started playing them as actual undead, we acknowledged them as a breed, like the alcors.
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 4:18 pm
What are Algols, and what is necromancy?Algols: undead. Stars that should be dead but inexplicably are not. Necromancy: the school of magic dealing with the undead, chiefly with raising the dead. (Technically, the historical definition of necromancy was speaking with the dead (necros = dead, -mancy = divination), but we're using the modern definition here; at the moment we don't have any rules for speaking with the actual dead, though if we do, we may put those rules here...) Algols: the UndeadAlgols are Stars that should be dead but are not. For the most part, they are once-living Stars who were raised from the dead, but there are some stars who were born as Algols, with the same abilities and weaknesses as their undead parents. Algols are like Alcors (shapeshifters) in that both may be any other breed--just as there are some Alcors that are Lyra, there are some Algols that are Lyra. All subtypes of Algols have certain strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. In GeneralStrengths: cannot die of old age
Weaknesses: may be killed in other ways; usually disliked by their neighbors
Algols can: breed and bear children. All of them can! Why? Because we said so Because we want them to! Because this is the B/C, we're here to have fun!
Algols cannot: create other Algols unless they have the gift of necromancy. Ghosts: the incorporeal dead Strengths: they can move through physical objects, physical objects move through them
Weaknesses: they cannot interact with physical objects unless the item in question is emotionally connected to them (such as something they valued in life or were buried with).
Ghosts can: breed and bear children! No one's sure why. Probably that whole "emotionally attached" thing....
Ghosts cannot: kill people.
Ghosts can die if: they are exorcised; more on that later Vampires: undead that feed on the blood or lifeforce of other Stars Strengths: strong, fast...most lore associated with most kinds of vampires all over the world are fair game here.
Weaknesses: usually numerous. Again, most lore associated with most kinds of vampires are weaknesses here as well.
Vampires can: glitter, if you really want them to, according to Geyser
Vampires cannot: Glitter, according to other members of staff. I am being overruled here. Vampires cannot create other vampires by biting them (in this world). See the FAQ for elaboration!
Vampires can die if: depends on the lore you are using; stakes usually work quite nicely. Sunlight works on most vampires as well. Mummies: the preserved dead Strengths: They're cool. They're mysterious. They're usually Egyptian. Mummies are smarter than they were in life and have the ability to track down anyone who disturbed their resting place.
Weaknesses: usually brittle; can only really survive in the environment they were originally buried in, but start to break down (rot, get infections, etc.) once they leave their literal comfort zone. More likely to lose random body parts.
Mummies can: think, eat, breathe, bear children, whatever. No matter how many organs they are actually missing. Yes, they can be total Einstein- or Hawkings-level geniuses with no actual brains. Get replacement parts for most body parts.
Mummies cannot: survive for very long outside of their native environment, get replacements for heads.
Mummies can die if: they fall apart completely, such as decay, rot, total destruction of body Undead: the unpreserved dead Strengths: they are the all-purpose metaphor Largely immune to pain.
Weaknesses: usually smelly, often considered more disturbing than other kinds of undead. Less glamorous. More likely to lose random body parts.
Undead can: dance. With style! Also replace most body parts
Undead cannot: create other undead through bites; be cured of zombieism, or replace their heads/spine
Undead can die if: their central nervous system (spine/head) is compromised Skeletons: the skeletal dead Strengths: great bone structure; may be more difficult to injure due to the gap between bones (depending on the individual)
Weaknesses: have the same strengths as bone
Skeletons can: do things that require organs they no longer have (such as muscle, brain, eyes, ears, etc.), replace any of their bones. They can replace skulls with other objects, though not with other Stars' skulls.
Skeletons cannot: switch body parts with each other
Skeletons can die if: they are completely destroyed (such as being crushed or eaten)
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 4:54 pm
How to become a Necromancer
In-character:
Ask Scorpio nicely. If she thinks you are worthy, then she will give you the gift.
Out-of-character:
Become a Scorpio elder, then apply.
How to become an Algol
In-character:
Ask Scorpio or a necromancer nicely. Alternatively become a necromancer and turn yourself into an Algol.
Out-of-character:
We are working on that; we already know that it will incur a very long breeding cool-down for both the necromancer and their subject.
How to get rid of Algols
In-character:
Kill them.
In the case of ghosts, an exorcism is required; that requires an Elder of Scorpio asking her to remove the ghost. She may not grant the request, depending on the circumstance (so if the living are being total jerks, she's going to side with the dead).
Out-of-character:
I think it's safe to say Algols are here to stay; if you don't want to interact with them, then don't interact with them. If you receive a first-generation character with Algol-looks or who are stated to be an Algol, you may decide that they are not an Algol, so long as you come up with an explanation for their undead features (such as jewelry, a scar, non-bloodsucking fangs, etc.).
Example: a raffle based around vampires, where the title of the thread and the thread itself refers to them as vampires. Some people may turn their characters into vampires, some may decide not to. Once this decision is made, it cannot be unmade.
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 5:04 pm
FAQ
My character's backstory is that they turned someone into a vampire/was bitten by a vampire. How does that work now?
Your backstory will still work perfectly as long as they were not turned in this world (had to happen before they Fell). Many spaces in Dreamspace have contagious vampirism; this place does not.
What type of Algol is my character?
Depends on a few factors. If your character is a custom/bribe/cosplay, then whatever you say they are. If your character was won from an event, whatever the colorist said they were. If the character comes from a breeding, whatever their parent was/whatever fits best.
Example: Aineias's mothers were a skeleton and a mummy; Aineias did not inherit any exposed bones, so she is a mummy.
What is the difference between a skeleton, a mummy, and a zombie?
Mummies are easy--they show signs of preservation (such as bandages).
Zombies and skeletons are a little trickier. We don't currently have anyone who is totally skeletal; we do have several characters who have one or two exposed bones, and some of them are identified as zombies and some as skeletons.
To be a skeleton, at least one bone must be exposed! However, you may decide to make that character a zombie instead; that is totally fine.
Can we custom Algols?
Elf says yes! Same goes for Alcors.
How does any of this work, scientifically?
It doesn't. Hooray!
Are exposed guts okay?
Most colorists really, really do not like exposed guts. If the colorist says no, then the answer is no.
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 5:09 pm
Examples of Vampires:
Examples of Ghosts:
Examples of Mummies:
Examples of Zombies:
Examples of Skeletons:
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 5:10 pm
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Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 5:12 pm
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