Necromancy v.s. Thanatotic Science

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Introduction: Dynamic vs Static Magic

Why is the article being written?

Excellent question, the answer isn't so simple, but here goes. Since the birth of the game, over twenty-one years ago, the art of necromancy has fascinated one or more of the characters and they're players. Now we have come to a place were defining necromancy becomes absolutely necessary.

Why you ask? Because necromancy like all the mystical arts evolves. Originally, White Wolf conceived of a linear set of powers, a clan discipline for the Giovanni clan of vampires. In the 2nd edition, it evolved for the first time. Suddenly, necromancy was defined as being a static form of magic, as well as a discipline. I use the word "static" to differentiate the two distinct, but parallel ways in which the human race and its correspondent supernatural cousins use the building blocks of creation, magical force.

Static Magic

Static magic is a systematic and unchanging. The student who learns this method of bending reality to their will does so by learning paths of magic which are quick and dirty recipes for dealing with situations immediately. Paths have five stages or powers, which begin with a level one effect and max out at level five. The first steps on a mystical path are usually sensory effects or cheap trick, essentially cantrips. While level five effects are so powerful that they can easily be defined as miracles.

The other half of static magic, rituals, are slow and usually complicated recipes with step by step instructions that must be cast precisely the same way, each and every time. Rituals require considerably more time, a quiet place to cast, considerable concentration and physical ingredients. Time is the key factor in figuring out whether something should be a path power or a ritual. The effects of rituals are longer lasting, more complicated and in some instances more powerful that equally ranked path powers.

Necromancy in its static form can in theory be learned and practiced by anyone

Dynamic Magic

Dynamic magic is technically free-form and if it can be conceived of, it can be cast. Those who use dynamic magick, are usually called mages and they differ from static magicians in that they can reach out and alter reality to fit their will through the auspices of an avatar. In short, a avatar is a shard of divinity that permits the mage to directly affect the tapestry of reality. While casting time is still a factor in dynamic magick, all spells can be cast more quickly or slowly as required by the mage. The faster a mage casts a spell, the more prone the caster is to making a critical mistake, but casting time can be lessened with greater difficulty and potential risk.

Dynamic magick comes with one other variable, paradox. Paradox is the price that mages pay for the direct influence they have over reality. While there are several important factors in casting dynamic magick, the most important factor is the prevailing paradigm. At its most basic, paradigm the prevailing world view. Humanity is ever a herd animal and when responding to alterations of reality, they cling to a consensus. Magick it seems is distinctly democratic. Individual mages have their own paradigm that they may share with their fellows or as individuals, they can be the only believer in a personalized paradigm.

Necromancy as a form of dynamic magick cannot be learned and practiced by just anyone. Only the awakened may learn dynamic necromancy.

What is Necromancy?

According to Dictionary.com the following definition describes necromancy.

Word Origin and History for Necromancy

The word is a noun (n.)

c.1300, nygromauncy, "divination by communication with the dead," from Old French nigromancie "magic, necromancy, witchcraft, sorcery," from Medieval Latin nigromantia (13c.), from Latin necromantia "divination from an exhumed corpse," from Greek nekromanteia, from nekros "dead body" (see necro- ) + manteia "divination, oracle," from manteuesthai "to prophesy," from mantis "prophet" (see mania ). Spelling influenced in Medieval Latin by niger "black," on notion of "black arts." Modern spelling is a mid-16c. correction.

Related words: Necromantic.

What is Thanatotic Science?

According to Merriam-Webster.com the following definitions, collectively, describes thanatotic science.

Thanatotic

of or belonging to Thanatos

Science

a system or method reconciling practical ends with scientific laws

Thanatotic + Science

a system or method of reconciling practical ends with the scientific laws that pertain to Thanatos (death)

What is the difference between Necromancy and Thanatotic Science

Now we get down to the meat of the discussion.

Necromancy is the ancient practice of death related magics which includes, but is not limited to: divination, summoning, warding, sacrifice, cursing, enervation and evocation via the powers of death.

Throughout history, necromancy has existed in countless cultures, perhaps all of them. In some it served as a function of religion and in others it lay outside of sanctioned spirituality. In general, previous to the birth of monotheism, necromancy was utilized by two distinct classes of wonder-worker. The priest as a agent of the gods, could utilize necromancy to aid the dead in their journey to the next world and in some cases could curse the living and the dead with the authority of the gods.

Magicians on the other hand, acted as free agents who could perform any number of miracles for a price. Chief among these miracles was opening up communications between the world of the living and the dead. As such, the dead were believed to lie outside of time and could see the past, present and future equally. Thus the dead could and did warn their living descendants of impending calamities and future opportunities by which the family could profit. Based on culture and point of view, necromancers could do other equally miraculous things. Through intercession with the spirits of the dead, the living could also curse their enemies or enchant a prospective sexual partner. As time passed, other darker miracles came to be the province of necromancy and the wise necromancer learned not only how to summon the dead, but how to ward against their intrusion and when to make bribes to the dead in the form of living sacrifices.

After the advent of monotheism, necromancy took on a much darker cast and was demonized along with the remnants of previous religions. The spread of monotheism wiped out those religions that granted necromantic powers to its priesthoods and in the same action eliminated any sanctioned use of necromancy, making the lay necromancer not only a criminal of the worst sort, but also creating a black-market for necromantic services that had no legitimate practitioners. This situation remained the norm from the fall of the Western Roman empire into the twenty-first century. Ironically, during this period, most necromancers came from the ranks of the clergy or would be clergy. It became ideal for the necromancer to be a defrocked priest and preferable a demon-worshiper. These were the circumstances in western civilization.

In other parts of the world, especially those isolated or distant lands where native mysticism or religion remained untouched or untarnished by monotheism, necromancy remained a staple of local society. The criminality of being a necromancer depended upon what the individual practitioner did with their art. Destructive or vindictive behavior created fear, while socially approved necromantic practices brought the individual authority and respect.

As our discussion pertains primarily to wester civilization, I will henceforth discuss necromancy from the European point of view.

From the medieval era to the beginning of the nineteenth century, necromancy remained an illicit art that only attracted the depraved, immoral or insane. While this is not entirely true, it was the prevailing world-view and as such there was no crime worse than being a necromancer. With the turn of the nineteenth century, western society as a whole began to search for mystical connections outside of religion. The occult revival allowed the necromancer to join the ranks of legitimate occultists once more. But the same rationality of thought that created society's questioning of faith, and a need for the occult, also created a desire for knowledge of what lay beyond the veil of death. Among all the magicians, only the necromancer could answer these questions and so the phenomenon of spiritualism was born. But alongside and parallel to this faith in mediums and necromancers arose a scientific need to explain the mysteries of death. The primary seeks after these secrets were doctors, morticians and psychologists.