"Welcome, fellow mages, to our little gathering of magically inclined individuals," Lyra says, her voice dripping with wit. "I'm Lyra, a mage with a... let's say, 'fascination' with the darker side of magic. Necromancy, to be specific. Although, I'm not sure why I was chosen to come up here. I mean, it's not like I'm the wisest or most powerful mage among us... unless, of course, you count my ability to talk for hours on end as a form of dark magic." The room chuckles.
"I love being a mage," Lyra says with a grin. "I mean, who needs to turn into a tree like our druid friends? Although, I'm sure being stuck in tree form has its... rooting interests." The room chuckles.
"And who needs to make deals with dangerous creatures and demons like our warlock acquaintances? I'm sure it's just a matter of time before they realize they're just pawns in a game of infernal chess." The room laughs.
Scanning the room lost in laugher, without waiting for them to finish Lrya cuts in.
"And those priests? Probably the worse of them— hypocrites!!!" She says with a grin om her face. "hate them. They stink"
Like a speaker turned up to the highest level, the roars increases. Silent with a smile, Lyra basks in the rowdy room. Lyra's grin widens.
"Of course, I know these are just stereotypes, and we all know there are amazing druids, warlocks, and priests out there doing incredible work. But let's be real, folks... mages are still the leading edge of innovation in the magical world." The room applauds, with some good-natured laughter and cheers.
"I mean, who else is pushing the boundaries of magical theory and practice? Who else is experimenting with new spells, new techniques, and new applications of magic? It's us, folks... the mages. And I'm proud to be a part of this community."
"Now, before we dive into the meat of our discussion, let's establish some ground rules. Let's keep our discussion respectful, avoid personal attacks, and focus on sharing our knowledge and experiences. With that said, let's get started."
"Now that we've got our ground rules established, let's dive into the world of necromancy," Lyra says, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Necromancy, the study of life and death, is often misunderstood by both mortals and practitioners. It encompasses a wide range of practices, from raising the dead to communicating with spirits, and even exploring the mysteries of immortality and the soul."
She pauses, surveying the room before continuing, "Necromancy, the manipulation of death and the dead, is a complex and often misunderstood branch of magic. It's a field that requires great care, great respect, and great power."
She pauses again, surveying the room before continuing, "As we gather here today, I want to ask you all a question. What does the future of necromancy hold? Will we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, or will we be held back by fear, prejudice, and misunderstanding? What role will necromancy play in shaping the world of magic, and beyond?"
**"
As Norris sat among the gathering of necromancers, he felt a sense of excitement and belonging. The discussion had been ongoing about the future of necromancy from different sub study of necromancy. Now the topic has been turned to that of 'Constructs', artificial beings formed when a dead object is infused with vitality with the right techniques. Norris's eyes focused as this might be his future direction.
A gaunt figure spoke up, "Constructs are the key to unlocking necromancy's true potential. Imagine an army of undead warriors, tailored to specific tasks."
An elf countered, "But what about the ethics? Are we creating sentient beings or just automatons?"
The room fell into a heated debate, with some arguing for constructs' potential and others expressing moral concerns. Norris watched, eager to explore constructs further.
It struck a chord within him, as he had been vaguely exploring similar ideas. The concept of using constructs instead of relying on undead creatures made perfect sense.
"I have dedicated my life to unlocking the secrets of the soul," A necromancer declared, his voice dripping with pride. "My ultimate goal is to create a soul from the warp itself, to master the power of the gods in a mortal body."
He paused, surveying the room with a confident gaze. "Even the gods need a lot of energy to create a soul. But me a mortal, does the same? I'd be talked about for generations to come and I might very well be alive by then."
The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on the necromancer. Norris watched him, intrigued by the scope of his ambition.
The necromancer smiled, clearly pleased with himself. "And now, I present to you my latest creation: an artificial soul, imbued with the essence of life itself."
He gestured to a humanoid figure standing beside him, its eyes glowing with a soft, ethereal light. "Say hello," he commanded.
"Hello," the artificial being replied in a flat, monotone voice.
The necromancer beamed with pride. "And what did I do this morning?" he asked.
The artificial responded without tact, "You woke up late and were in a hurry, forgetting to spray your cologne."
The necromancer's face turned bright red with embarrassment, and he snarled, "Shut up, you insolent creature!" He raised his hand, ready to dispel the artificial being.
But to everyone's surprise, the being begged, "Please don't kill me! I don't want to die!"
The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on the necromancer and his creation. They watched with some amused, some indifferent, and most of them looking at the creature with the urge to dissect it. Norris stepped forward, his voice calm and steady. "I'll take it."
The necromancer raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Feeling compassionate, are we?" he asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Norris nodded. "Yes, the fear of death shows that it's a life, and it's the culmination of your research. I'm sure it has unique properties that make it valuable. I'll pay equal knowledge with some my research about the soul and some of my unique spells. Of course you'd have to add some little goods."
The necromancer's smile widened, and he nodded. "Very well, you may have it. I'm sure you'll find it... enlightening."
As the necromancer handed over the artificial being, Lyra seized the opportunity to steer the conversation back on track. "Now that we've seen the potential of Artificial Soul Technology, let's discuss its implications for the future of necromancy."
The room erupted into a lively debate, with Norris listening intently, his mind racing with the possibilities.
The artificial being's responses mimicked those of a living soul, recalling specific details and sharing them in a flat, monotone voice. Like an AI simulating human conversations, the artificial soul was programmed to learn and adapt, blurring the lines between living and artificial consciousness.
The other necromancers might view Artificial Soul Technology as redundant, but Norris recognized its potential. He envisioned AI-powered constructs that could easily solve complex situations and making decisions without the need for instructions.
"The artificial soul is rather enlightening, but that's it. It has not much specific use. The cost for the creating a construct that uses artificial soul can be used to create 10 construct than are produced the traditional way by sealing a soul in them. This is a rather uneconomical situation", An Elderly male elf with innate elegance and arrogance replied though everyone can see his elderly visage is just a disguise.
"My Kael's work is not to be spat upon by the likes of you, long-eared mongrel," the necromancer hissed, his eyes turning serpentine as he unleashed a heavy, unsettling pressure that made most of the participants mildly uncomfortable.
Kael's dragon-like might and serpentine eyes revealed his true nature: a Dragon The participants exchanged wary glances, but not too much as they knew it would be taken care of. A heavier, more oppressive pressure settled upon Kael, its weight feeling almost divine, like death itself manifesting on a higher plane. Norris was awed, recognizing the unmistakable signature of a legendary necromancer.
Kael and the Elven man, quickly apologized with forced cheer, trying to downplay the tension. The legendary mage merely harrumphed, before withdrawing his attention, leaving an unsettling silence in his wake.
Lyra once again seized the opportunity to steer the conversation back on track. "Corporeal undead are a mystery in the necromancy circle. They are rituals for creating them, summoning them, releasing them, banishing them but why are they formed?. Obsession anchors the soul or soul like structure. We can't say for sure. Could it be hiding a deeper secret. Let's listen to those studying..."
Norris's mind drifted, Lyra's voice becoming distant as he began thinking. His mind raced with the implications of Artificial Soul Technology. He brainstormed ways to protect his mind and connect his assets, conceiving a "Necromantic Network Shield" to safeguard his thoughts and link his constructs and resources.
Mastering this technology and creating the shield could unlock his true potential, paving the way to legendary status. Norris's excitement and purpose grew, but as a computer expert in his former life.... he thinks he is an expert, he knew realizing his vision would require vast resources. Becoming a noble once again became a top priority, with the impending war offering the perfect opportunity to amass resources and establish a noble's domain.
Norris having finalized his thought, joined the gathering. He actively answered questions he had studied while using his imagination to give ideas of progress. The necromancers, pleased with the exchange, shared their expertise with Norris. He devoured the knowledge, his mind racing with the possibilities of AI-powered constructs and the secrets of vital constructs. After Norris was sure he'd left a good impression on them with his favourability risen above a certain gauge he thought was enough he asked his major reason for being here.
Norris asked, "How can I use ambient energy more effectively as a variable to enhance my spells?"
The response was met with a casual tone. "You connect with the echo," one of the mages replied. "You use your astral body to connect with the echo and resonate with your surroundings."
The mages continued their discussion, barely acknowledging Norris's question. Norris, however, was grateful for the clarification, and he mentally filed away the new information.
Lyra once again brought up one of her soul stirring topics. "Undead manipulation one of the bread and butter of necromancy is becoming stale and easy to counter. How do you think we can better create one instead of just summoning them."
A lot of Ideas were shared as this being a popular topic ensured that almost all necromancer had studied them. Some were about optimizing the ritual. Others were about adding better bones creating abominations. Norris shared one of his ideas, "What about using metal to augment and evolve undead bones?"
The necromancers exchanged intrigued glances. Norris's question sparked a flurry of discussion. "We had fallen into inertia thinking," one of them admitted, "but this...this could be the key to unlocking new possibilities for our craft. Why use only natural components when there are a lot of materials that can augment them."
The necromancers began brainstorming, bringing forth novel solutions and ideas. Norris listened intently, taking mental notes of the concepts presented. He gave his own feedback, offering suggestions and building upon the ideas discussed. The conversation flowed freely, with the group exploring new avenues and possibilities.