Next
Chapter One
Fall into Darkness
Next
Chapter One
Fall into Darkness
From an old Necromantic scroll
(author unknown)
"For a period of nine days prior
to the operation you will eat
only unleavened bread and drink
only wine without spirit.
Your attire should be gray in
color and this time is to be spent
in solitude. "(editors note : wine without spirit refers
to wine which has turned, the alcohol
content replaced with vinegar, which
thins the blood and pales the complexion.
Add to this, weight loss from improper diet.
The effect is one of creating an affinity with
the dead by taking on the appearance
of the dead.)It has been my general experience that those who spent a great deal of time
and energy in the practice of various magic's, are either chronically unemployed
social misfits or wealthy to the point of boredom. Those with a good career, and
a loving family will have to confine their necromantic practice to the RPG arena.
Taking months off at a time to go wander around old ruins is a luxury
in this day and age.It reminds me of the old "born, not made argument", which for all I know is still
going on. For there are those of us who grew up playing with dead things. Drawn
to solitude through no circumstantial cause, and fascinated by the symbols of death.
All of the aforementioned also causing much consternation as elders were driven to
their wits end trying to deal with such a troubled child.
There are also many troubled, deluded, outcast, children who grow up to be troubled,
deluded, outcast, adults, all for very natural reasons. It is in this crowd that the spiritually
gifted usually find themselves consigned for a period of time. The beauty of nature being,
that most things set in motion are compelled to their conclusion regardless of knowledge,
desire or opposition. On some levels there is an on going process of refinement. Folding
and separating things into compatible groups. The path of the Necromancer can move
from wholesome to unwholesome, and continue to drift till they encounter a new set of
rules. It doesn't take any great perception to realize that Death and the dead, are not
bound by the rules that Man creates to govern society.
As the path of the Necromancer is a path of seeking knowledge, it will take one through
some very dark and twisted places. The ability to protect oneself is of primary importance.
Charged amulets and rune engraved weapons work very well in fiction but are of no practical
value in reality. Self knowledge is a good starting point in this endeavor. Nature arms the tiger
with claws but gives wings to the dove. Stealth and guile often triumph over physical strength,
though no avenue should be ignored. Basic survival skills have also come in handy. One should
be aquatinted with how to survive under any conditions. This removes potential physical barriers
to discovery from ones path. A Necromancer will come under attack from the living if not the
dead as well.
Summoning monstrous entities to frighten off ones enemies is a somewhat appealing practice
to the young. One soon realizes that this is an energy trap. It brings no great benefit and requires
a great deal of time and attention. But first and foremost, it only works against those of frail
constitution of mind and spirit, hence, not really a worthy opponent in the first place. Still it is
a practice many will pursue, if for no other reason than, "to see if they can."
Fear can be a powerful ally in authenticating ones experiences. Fear felt in the body tends to
turn off the mind and focus ones attention. One of the great debates regarding Necromantic
operations is, "are you communicating with a specter of supernatural origin or are you
communicating with your own mind via hallucination." A group sitting in the living room playing
a Oui-ja board are most likely talking to themselves through the board. The constant activity of
the waking mind can and does block out subtle ethereal energies. Ones own mind must stop talking
before it can hear anything else.
Fear is the mind killer but it takes real fear to stop the mind and real fear is only felt when in the
presence of something really fearful. If one continues to follow the path in spite of their fear,
one becomes accustomed to the presence of hyper-physical agencies enough to recapture their
mind and their own thoughts enough to have a meaningful dialogue. It is in the quiet, lonely, cold
and dark places that one finds their fear along side of what they fear.
The study of fear by itself would most likely fill many volumes. Once described to me as a flight
or fight mechanism, yet personally I haven't found it useful for either. Rage and anger might be
the inverse polarity of fear and definitely work much better. Some drugs and even inevitable death
block fear. Fright as an instinctual reaction can prevent us from allowing the door to the great
darkness to open. Self defeating as that door may lead to the very font of physical rejuvenation.
Next