Mortalitasi

## Overview

caption The Mortalitasi are a group of mages, normally of noble blood, in Nevarra who wield considerable political power and influence as well as powerful Necromancy magic. Popularly referred to as “Death Mages”, they are responsible for the mummification of the bodies of Nevarran elite. As well as the upkeep of the tombs of the mummified dead. They protect the crypts from the spirits and demons that inevitably come through the weakened Veil and send them back to whence they came.

## Background

The Mortalitasi Order was founded by a Tevinter mage named Vitus Fabria, who was the personal advisor to Caspar Pentaghast—the first royal Pentaghast. According to Nevarran belief, when a soul of the dead crosses the Fade, it displaces a spirit. Based on that, the Mortalitasi believe that mummifying corpses provides a safe host for the displaced Fade spirits. The Mortalitasi draw wisps rather than intelligent spirits across the Veil. This school of thought is prominent in modern-day Nevarra, but viewed as barbaric by other nations in Thedas.

The Mortalitasi are linked to the royal family by blood, and it is common for Nevarran nobility to employ members of this order as advisers. The order studies death extensively, and its members are known to practice necromancy. It is not yet known if it is in the order's power to decide which corpse would have the honor to be preserved in the Grand Necropolis, a city preserved for the dead, but many suspect that the Overseer has the final say.

Even though Mortalitasi are well-respected within the kingdom, mages outside Nevarra fear them and there are beliefs that they are actually a death cult performing macabre rituals in the Grand Necropolis.

It is said Mortalitasi can rule through a weak King. The current King is a problem for the Mortalitasi to attempt to puppeteer, his ties to Orlais strengthening his bonds outside Nevarra but weakening them inside. The current Overseer calls for a new King - potentially one they can control.

## Recruitment

It comes at no surprise that a great portion of the Mortalitasi stems from the nobility of Nevarra. Van Markhams and Pentaghast are two of the most prominent Houses in the order of Death Mages. A significant number of Nevarran elite send their children with magic to the Mortalitasi. However, they cannot accept every mage given to them. The mages deemed less than exceptional are refused, forcing them to one of the Circles. Mortalitasi truly pick and choose their mages from both the Nevarran Circles and those given to them by noble houses. The Cumberland Circle offers them the “cream of the crop” since the College attracts some of the most talented mages in Thedas.

Their hand selection of Circle mages causes some tension between Circle and Mortalitasi. They pick the best mages who have the potential in Necromancy and the related school of Entropy. To add to the problems, the mages they refuse tend to be weak. Whether it’s in terms of their magic or mental resolve or lack of entropic talent, they normally end up failing a Harrowing or not being a mage of note in their respective Circle. The Mortalitasi are sometimes seen as thieves to higher ranked Circle members, taking the best and replacing it with the worst.

Mortalitasi take anybody who proves to be exceptional in death magic. That includes apostates - to the Chantry’s chagrin- should they meet the criteria. Apostates tend to prefer the Mortalitasi order over the Circle, especially due to the fact no Templars run rampant.

## Ranks of the Mortalitasi

* Overseer

There is only one Overseer at a time, sometimes called a High Overseer. They are the figurehead of the order and seemingly control it. They wield the political and influential power of the order solely. They permit research, travel, and anything that will wholly effect the Mortalitasi. The most recent Overseer Izak Pentaghast.

* Crypt Sentinel

This is a rare title and role. They have a limited number and are hand picked by the Overseer to guard select crypts and tombs in the Necropolis. Trained for years, the Crypt Sentinel are even revered amongst the Mortalitasi themselves. Often considered the best they have. Their training comes from the previous Sentinels and nobody else.

* Morasartem

A Senior Member of the Mortalitasi. They often research the more experimental and dangerous subject matters. These members are considered to be the wisest and some of the more intelligent of the mages. Age giving them insight and experience, they are heavily valued.

* Morsperitum

If comparing the Mortalitasi to a Circle, these would be considered the Enchanters. A member who is adept in their magic and has passed the trials. Morsperitum are the largest group of Mortalitasi. These are the ones who tend to take apprentices under their wing and officially undertake the duties of a Mortalitasi.

* Novitiate

Like the name implies, this rank of the order are initiates. They are the children or unpassed mages. Apprentices is another word used for them. They receive training and guidance from the Morasartem and Morsperitum ranks.

## Customs

The garments of the Mortalitasi Order vary in the Necropolis. Dark colors are abundant. However, when the Death Mages are performing their duties they dress in grey. Those duties include funerals, combat, rites, and anything that involves outsiders seeing their state of dress. Like other mages, they wear robes and carry staffs but these tend to be of more extravagant and better quality than their Circle counterparts. Every Mortalitasi is granted those things regardless of surnames. An easy way to tell which rank a Mortalitasi is, is by looking at their robes and staff. The material of the staff is of more expensive and better quality the higher ranked the Mortalitasi is.

In times of war it is the Mortalitasi who are the greatest asset to Nevarra. They can and have raised the dead to fight alongside the army of Nevarra, striking fear into foes of all types. Darkspawn during the Blights and dead soldiers on the battlefield. These mages can turn the tide of battle and considered to be what can end a war for a tide of undead can unnerve the greatest of soldiers. This asset is one of the reasons Nevarra has not been conquered for a long time. They are a deterrent, though no nation (like Orlais) would admit that.

To sustain the high level of magic the Mortalitasi cover themselves over the years in magical runes. Each rune is different depending on the mage and must be earned through tests. One will choose for runes that protect him against possessions while performing elaborate summonings, while the other prefer to have his magic circles, literally at hand. All runes are black and tend to glow when used. This old practice is frowned upon as it was introduced in the earliest of days but never faded from tradition.

## Rituals

Among the Mortalitasi, interacting with a spirit is a serious, even intimate undertaking.

* The Summoning

Trials the Novitiates go through involve reanimating dead creatures. They start small with things like rats or birds than work upwards towards the bigger animals like dogs. This is done under the watch of Morsperitum to keep hazards and injuries from happening. It is not always spirits summoned into these beings but occasionally demons, resulting in injuries and failures even under the watchful eye of their superiors.

The Novitiates last trial before entering the ranks of the Morsperirtum is similar to the Harrowing of a Circle. The mage in question must best a demon essentially. As Mortalitasi work much closer with spirits and the Fade than Circle mages, it is absolutely imperative they pass this. Similar to the Harrowing, this can result in possession if the mage does not have a strong resolve. A key element in being a Mortalitasi. Those who fail this final test before becoming a Morsperitum are killed. You get one chance and one chance only. As might be expected the pass rate for a Novitiate is far higher than their counterparts in the Circles. The Mortalitasi have far more experience with demons, both theoretical and practical.

* Vale ad Animam [translation: Farewell to Souls] - The Rite of Death

All bodies are mummified unless their isn’t a body to mummify.
The mummification is always done by two Mortalitasi, preferable by at least one mage from the deceased respective family. In the process organs are removed and given a separate urn to prevent maggots from being drawn to the body. Any open wound is closed, and the remains of the body is wrapped together in cloth.
Once the mummification process is completed the two Mortalitasi who prepared the body escort it to the funeral chamber. There the family (and only the family - no outsiders are allowed in the family Crypt) watch as the body is put into the coffin. The mages then inscribe the coffin with “death runes” which seal the coffin, protecting it from outside trauma. The body acts as the vessel for the soul of the dead after all. A third Mortalitasi sings a song that is a eulogy for the soul who has passed, the song composed by a specialised mage in the Order and a member of the family. Until this song is completed the death rite cannot be performed. The coffin is then levitated by the three mages into the crypt and laid to rest. The crypt is then left open for a day for the family to have personal time with the deceased. A Crypt Sentinel always stands guard.

## The Mage-Templar War

Nevarra and its Mortalitasi were not safe from the war that originated in Kirkwall. For it caught fire everywhere! The most extreme of the Templar Order took their chance to strike at the Mortalitasi, mages not governed by Templars and barely regulated by the Chantry. Sword Templars gathered numbers and marched upon the Necropolis. Having received word from citizens and nobles alike of the Templars marching on them, an army greeting theirs. Before the ranks of Templars stood Nevarran nobles and their personal arsenal of soldiers, sects of the Nevarran army, commoners, and the reanimated corpses - corpses that were, fittingly, the dead who had fallen during the war in Nevarra City, both mage and Templar alike.

The armies of Nevarra stood ready to protect the unleashed mages. Not just because their children occupied their ranks but because without the Mortalitasi their dead would be lost forever and spirits and souls and demons would run rampant,spirits of great numbers displaced from the Fade. Their beliefs wouldn’t allow this act of violence to stand. The Overseer Izak Pentaghast stood in the front of the protective army and attempted to broker peace. Only no peace could be founded.

The Necropolis is not without its safeguards. During its foundation Ages they incorporated a defense system to keep them from becoming a focal point of Templar attention. It is not known how that protection was created but it resides within the pillars outside the Grand Entrance to the Necropolis as well as within the door (similar pillars mark all of the official - and unofficial - entrances to the Necropolis). Whenever a Templar attempts to use their lyrium fuelled anti magic abilities the pillars emit a sound which makes every Templar in attendance scream in pain, their brains all but becoming scrambled by a high pitched sound. Many retreated but those who were closest to the Necropolis suffered the greatest. These pillars are littered inside of the Necropolis in case a Templar tries to use their abilities inside.

Remaining too close, or continuing to try to attack the Mortalitasi, ended up with painful side effects beyond a crippling headache. Blood leaked from their eyes like endless streams of tears and it did not cease there. The same thing happened from their ears and nose. Some died from the injuries that they sustained. The Overseer Izak Pentaghast could not explain this defense to the Chantry and its Seekers when they came back weeks later asking questions. Simply that it must be dwarven in origin but it saved many lives that day. The truth is that during the building of the Necropolis the Tevinters who remained to continue to teach the Nevarrans death magic used their dwarven allies to help build the city of the dead.

The Mortalitasi received no true punishment for this. Instead they were given their first metaphorical collar since their foundation in the Glory Age! Seekers were dispatched to check on the famed order of Death Mages. Normally free of restrictions or prying eyes, things changed because of the skirmish with the Sword Templars. Some say it's for the better of the order and many more disagree. All of Nevarra stand with the Mortalitasi, their shield from a massacre of an entire nation.

## Spells

The Mortalitasi possess a range of spells and abilities. Some are strictly unique to their order.

* Horror - Learned in the foundation days of the order by Tevinter. The caster forces a target to cower in fear

by unleashing spirits of fear that terrify all enemies in an area.

* Despair

* Horror inflicts deeper terror unto the enemy

* Terror - What would be achieved at Mastery

* Enemies struck by Horror cower in place and cannot react to attacks