Necromancy & Undead

## Necromancy and Undead

As discussed in the previous Wiki Page, *Magic, a Clarification*Necromancy is the potent combination of Spirit Magic and Shadow Magic, or Shadow Magic bending and using Spirit Magic. Spirit Magic can also be called *Spiritmancy*.

It is popularised by the Necromancers of the Scourge, but has also been present in the Warcraft Univserse through the Warlocks of the Orcish Horde, Trolls serving their Loa Masters, and dark minions of the Old Gods and Void.

It is important to note Warlocks alone cannot use Necromancy, rather those who have, simply have learned how to be both Warlock and Necromancer.

## The Process of Necromancy

The Process of Necromancy can be summarised down to a few key stages. Binding, Bending and Empowering.

Often Necromancers will perfect the method, creating a simple spell which can be cast easily and quickly, to raise as many Undead as possible in a short amount of time. But there are drawbacks to summoning many at a time, which we will discuss.

### Binding

Binding is the process of returning a spirit to it's corpse, or to any object rather. It is however far easier to return a spirit to it's own corpse rather than a foreign object. Thus this is typically the norm. However it is possible to bind a spirit to a *different* corpse, hence why the First Generation of Death Knights were Orc Spirits raised in Human Bodies.

The Binding process can vary in difficulty depending on the spirit's strength. More powerful entities may require more complicated rituals. The Common spirit however can often be binded rather quickly.

Once you have your spirit, and your object (the corpse) you may bind the two together. However a corpse is made of many different parts. One does not wish to bind the spirit to an easily breakable part of the corpse such as a rib bone, arm or leg. So the spirit is usually bound to the Skull and/or Spine. In this way, any undead should be killable by destroying either or both, depending on which one holds the undead's spirit. Some Necromancers only bind to the spine, as it is usually well protected at the Undead's rear, and beheading the Undead won't kill it. Others attempt both, as the spine is not as strong as the skull.

It is also possible, but impractical, to bind a spirit to an object that the undead carries. Such as the Truncheons of the First Generation Death Knights. This means the Death Knights are virtually invulnerable until the Truncheon is destroyed. This practice is uncommon within the Scourge, as such an object may be easily stolen from the Undead. It also makes it far more difficult to create the Undead in question.

### Bending

Bending is the process of bending a spirit to the caster's own will. This process vary's in difficulty based on the spirit's willpower. Bending for the most part, is instantanious and easy, but it has been demonstrated that Paladins take far longer to bend.

Necromancers of the Scourge rely on the powers of the Lich King to will-bend. This is how a group of necromancers may raise an army in a short time, as the power needed to raise the corpses is dependent on the necromancer's connection to the Lich King. It also means all Scourge are will bounded to the will of the Scourge, of the Lich King,  and not the will of the necromancer that raised them.

Other Necromancers such as Orcs and Trolls will of course bend their undead to their will, or choose not to bend at all, if the spirit in question is actually willing and loyal already as was true with the First Generation Death Knights.

### Empowering (& Marking)

This process takes place in conjunction with Binding. Raise an Undead and you have a corpse that can follow orders, but it is still a corpse. Weak.

For this reason Necromancers may empower their undead to have enhanced strength, sight, smell, hearing. To give them unholy powers, and stronger bodies.

This is where a necromancer needs to make a decision. Raise many, weak, undead. Or a few more powerful undead. The Scourge decided it was best to maintain a large, infinite army, that was then lead by more powerful, Death Knights.

Empowerment is what seperates a Death Knight from a common undead. What seperates Sylvanas and her banshees from other ghosts, and what seperates the Liches from other Necromancers.

Marking is the process of branding an Undead with a particular magical signature. It is well hidden, and is bound to the Undead's will. When the Undead's will is freed like that of the Forsaken, the marker is broken along with it. This ensures Undead may distinguish between friend and foe, Scourge and Forsaken.

Many have attempted to replicate the marking process of the Scourge, so they may walk among the Scourge as if one of them. But all attempts thus far have failed.

## Types of Undead (And how to defeat them)

### Zombies, Skeletons, Ghouls, Harvestors, Forsaken

These are the most pathetic form of Undead there are. They are made when the Necromancers valued mass swarms to overwhelm enemies. For this reason no single undead is powerful on their own, perhaps even weaker than the living they are fighting. But like all Undead they lack emotion, fear, logic. They strike like animals, hunting any that is living.

Their spirits are bound to their spines and heads, destroying or shattering either will kill the Undead.

### Abominations

These Undead were inspired by the Ogres of wars past. By sewing several corpses together, and binding together their spirits. They created an Undead that was bigger and stronger than most.

All their necrotic energy is bound to their large, rear, spine. It was made thick and large to prevent it breaking easily. It also makes the Abominations extremely difficult to kill.

Slaying an Abomination one on one is virtually impossible. Their strength is enough to crush you in your own armor, and your speed, although faster, would rarely be enough to navigate behind it to strike it's critical weakness, before it could turn around.

Abominations are therfore best slain in a group of perhaps 3. Similar to the tactics used to take down Ogres, nets, chains, and other things to keep the Abomination from turning around are essential. Spears are highly useful but will not damage the Abomination, as it's fleshy body exists only to absorb damage.

Kill one by having one distracting it from the front with a spear user, who is skilled enough to jab the Abomination and get it's attention, and fast enough to avoid it's strikes. Have another two people at least, attempting to then strike it's rear.  Heavy Axes, Hammers and Maces work best for shattering the large, thick spine.

This all has to be done, presumably while other Undead attempt to attack you, and perhaps other Abominations are also around. If you meet those conditions it may be better to run.

### Shades and Banshees

These spirits are Undead who are not bound to any body, but are just Will-Bent to serve, or perhaps willing spirits. They have no spine to destroy, so they can only be damaged directly through spirit magic or another magic that can utalise spirit magic such as Holy Magic.

Other ways include utalising a Shade Stone which is an enchanted object that makes a spirit's energy physical enough to attack with regular weapons.

Once you are able to attack the spirit, you simply have to hit it as much as you can. It does not matter where you strike, as regular weak points such as the Head, are irrelevent to a spirit.

### Oozes and Slimes

Extremely weak Undead who are often the byproduct of experimentation. The Scourge believed they could create a plague which could be sentient and hunt it's victims. These oozes were the result. They are made usually of a mix of Plague and Acid, or just an acidic plague.

They will attempt to cover their victims in their ooze and kill them.

The only way to kill these Undead is to crush them completely, or destabalise their body enough so that they shatter on their own. Since the spirit of the ooze is bound to the liquid itself, breaking the liquid up enough will kill the Undead.

### Death Knights

The most powerful of all Undead, Death Knights. These are people empowered with intense, strong, dark magic.

Like all undead however, they can be killed by destroying whatever their spirit is bound to. Commonly the spine. But other examples are possible such as Unholy Truncheons.