Necrolyte Necrolytes are binders of souls who command the black powers that hold control over the earth . Linked into the dominions of the lower planes , Necrolytes have power over all things dark and evil , including the raising of fallen warriors to create armies of the undead . Through ceremonies , they learn to warp the essence of shadow to use for their advantage . It seems like there isn ' t much information about the necrolytes , but what is known is that the necrolytes stem from the Eredar race : The first necrolyte , Satiel , is a man ' ari eredar who Sargeras gave to , a scythe that grows in power as it draws souls from its victims . Background . " " Do you have the courage to seize what you desire ? Are you willing to do whatever you must to achieve your goals ? " - Pagatha Soulbinder " Within the Twisting Nether , an orc named Gul ' dan discovered that the spirits of the dead do linger on , floating on the astral winds between the worlds . He knew then that these spirits of the dead would be a useful tool for anyone who could bind them to his will . In pursuit of furthering magical resources , he opened a new school of magical discipline that became known as Necromancy , the study of magic involving the dead . Young - lings were trained in the arcane mysteries of life and death and these warlocks became known as necrolytes . According to Justin Parker though , warlocks have overlapping abilities with necromancers but pursue a discipline different from them . However , the definition of a necromancer is a practitioner of necromancy . If warlocks have necromantic abilities ( the abilities of necromancers ) and practice necromancy , they are necromancers ( practitioners of necromancy ) . Slaughtering of Necrolytes . " The necrolytes have served their purpose . Now they shall have a new one , an even greater one . Gather our implements . We shall make a sacrifice . " - Gul ' dan " That is the good thing about necromancers — we never let anything go to waste . " - Gul ' dan Unfortunately for the necrolytes , the rise of Orgrim Doomhammer was a precursor to their downfall . After Doomhammer spared Gul ' dan ' s life , Gul ' dan promised to create a host of undead riders capable of using magic . The necrolytes weren ' t up to the task , which frustrated Gul ' dan . He did nevertheless see potential in them , but not while they were among the living . Gul ' dan plunged a dagger into Rakmar ' s chest first , wrenching it about to create a hole . Then he reached into it and removed Rakmar ' s heart . Then he cast a spell , his magic enveloping the organ and trapping Rakmar ' s spirit within . The magic surged up , reshaping the heart , shrinking it and hardening it and granting it an unnatural luster . Gul ' dan glanced up and noticed that Cho ' gall had murdered several more necrolytes , preserving their hearts and souls in the same manner . Gul ' dan laughed as he rose and stalked toward the remaining warlocks , licking the blood from his tusks as he approached . . . Gul ' dan went on to create the death knights . Each newly - risen death knight was given a jeweled truncheon through which it could better focus its powers . Into these jewels were infused the raw , necromantic powers of the freshly slain necrolytes . Necrolytes are not gone for good though : There are still warlocks practicing their sinister death magics . Soulbinding . Soulbinding is the practice of necrolytes . To act as a magnet to bind these lost souls to themselves , they must sacrifice a portion of their soul . Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of life and the energies of life , most commonly known as nature magic , promote growth and renewal in all things . Energies can be so chaotic however that they manifest as violent entities , pure fel magic given form to lash out at all life . To fuel fel magic — the ways of the warlock — but an insignificant sacrifice - - a living fish or two , a few strands of seaweed - - is required .