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View Full Version : Alternate name for Necromancers



SilverLeaf167
2012-03-22, 05:06 AM
Animator.
A touch of Illusion helps.

Ashtagon
2012-03-22, 05:38 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlFjNVTiI1c

TheCountAlucard
2012-03-22, 05:39 AM
Umm, okay? :smallconfused:

I'll admit, I'm not seeing a point to this. :smallsigh:

Elemental
2012-03-22, 05:45 AM
I'm assuming that this is because the word Necromancer has nothing to do with animation of dead corpses?

Well, anyway...
Perhaps a generic term? If necromancy is frowned upon, but not actually illegal, in the realm they live in, they might call themselves Gray Wizards or Veil Masters.
Something to confuse the masses into thinking they're just creepy Practitioners of the Arcane Art.

An alternate name can be very setting specific.

SilverLeaf167
2012-03-22, 05:50 AM
Umm, okay? :smallconfused:

I'll admit, I'm not seeing a point to this. :smallsigh:
There isn't a point.
It's just one of those meaningless threads centered around a pun.

Studoku
2012-03-22, 06:28 AM
Post-mortem Communications.

Vizzerdrix
2012-03-22, 08:57 AM
Carcase Re-purposing Specialist.

Flesh Recycling Technician.

Corpseomancer.

Ostiomancer (Maybe for one that specializes in skeletons?)

Lawyer

Ravens_cry
2012-03-22, 09:05 AM
Corpse-smith
Necrolurgical engineer
Corpse crafter
Bone dancer
Ostiothurgist
Unless your character runs seances, etymology forces me to not use -mancer and -mancy suffixes, as common as it may be.

Lhurgyof
2012-03-22, 09:06 AM
With a little fluff, Voodoo priest would work.

Wulfram
2012-03-22, 09:37 AM
Environmentally friendly undertaker.

Slipperychicken
2012-03-22, 10:06 AM
Life-giver

Magician

Wizard

Corpsotologist

Pro-Life Pro-Not-Death Caster

Pro-Unlife Spellcaster

Historically, the names used for the different dnd schools of magic (and spellcasters) were pretty much interchangeable. "Conjurer", "Enchanter", "Sorcerer", "Warlock", "Witch", "Diviner", and "Magician" meant basically the same thing, and any of them could raise the dead.

QuidEst
2012-03-22, 10:45 AM
"What's up, Bone Daddy?"
Pretty fast way to get yourself necro'd, though. XP

dsmiles
2012-03-22, 10:45 AM
Bob. I've always kind of liked Bob. (Or Tim, though he was clearly an evoker or a generalist.)

Oracle_Hunter
2012-03-22, 10:46 AM
Unnecessary Comic Link (http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-10-19) :smalltongue:

nedz
2012-03-22, 11:14 AM
Vivomancer - for Necromancers who like to spin:smallsmile:

endoperez
2012-03-22, 11:39 AM
Ashtagon realized the meaning, at least.

As I see it, the point wasn't a pun on re-animate, or to seek out alternative names. The point was that necromancers (as summoners / zombie-makers) are making inanimate objects move, like professional animators do. Think Disney. Think Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Or, for the 1st-level guys, think of someone who just pirated this great software and is now using the automated features to put a badly-animated fire over the enemy. :D

DontEatRawHagis
2012-03-22, 12:41 PM
I had a group of Mages known as Reclaimers, who could talk to the dead.

Cespenar
2012-03-22, 01:22 PM
Deathbender. :smalltongue:

Malimar
2012-03-22, 04:07 PM
I'm in favor of replacing the -mancy in all non-divination-related magics with -urgy, on the reasoning given by tvtropes (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Analysis/Whatevermancy), among other places.

So, necrourgy.

Apologies for attempting to derail this comedy thread with a serious suggestion.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-22, 04:37 PM
I'm in favor of replacing the -mancy in all non-divination-related magics with -urgy, on the reasoning given by tvtropes (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Analysis/Whatevermancy), among other places.

So, necrourgy.

Apologies for attempting to derail this comedy thread with a serious suggestion.
No, thank you.
It's one of my pet peeves as well, as you can hopefully see by some of my contributions.

Eskil
2012-03-22, 06:01 PM
I'm in favor of replacing the -mancy in all non-divination-related magics with -urgy, on the reasoning given by tvtropes (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Analysis/Whatevermancy), among other places.

So, necrourgy.


I would insert a "t" between the "o" and the "u".

Necroturgy

Slightly easier to pronounce as one word.

Rorrik
2012-03-22, 08:14 PM
Postmortem Employment Specialist

Organic Recycler

Population Preservationist

TheCountAlucard
2012-03-22, 08:55 PM
No, thank you.
It's one of my pet peeves as well, as you can hopefully see by some of my contributions.Humorously enough, I was complaining about this exact thing the other day.

Ulysses WkAmil
2012-03-22, 09:42 PM
Un-killer? Slapdash Cleric? (Only body not soul) Analogical Guy-who-makes-weighted-dies-so-people-can-cheat? (cheat death) Guy who murders death? Death Wizard?

Hiro Protagonest
2012-03-22, 09:46 PM
Necrosopher.

Dimers
2012-03-22, 11:32 PM
Corpse-smith
Necrolurgical engineer
Corpse crafter
Bone dancer
Ostiothurgist
Unless your character runs seances, etymology forces me to not use -mancer and -mancy suffixes, as common as it may be.

"Necroturgist" and "viviturgist" are certainly the most etymologically sound.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-23, 12:18 AM
"Necroturgist" and "viviturgist" are certainly the most etymologically sound.
"Living worker" sounds like another term for a vivisectionist, perhaps of a magical kind, replacing, in part anyway, scalpel for spells.
Creepier than any necroturgist in my opinion. The dead are dead, their bodies food for worms. But to do something like that to the living, that's a special kind of creepy.

TheCountAlucard
2012-03-23, 12:39 AM
"Living worker" sounds like another term for a vivisectionist, perhaps of a magical kind, replacing, in part anyway, scalpel for spells.
Creepier than any necroturgist in my opinion. The dead are dead, their bodies food for worms. But to do something like that to the living, that's a special kind of creepy.I once ended up with my PC vivisected after being captured by a particularly nasty villain. The guy who did it was, in fact, using magic - both to facilitate the operation sans scalpel and to keep my character alive, conscious, and not the least bit numb through the whole thing.

Afterward, he closed said PC up, without leaving so much as a scar.

Not pleasant; my character got locked into a frigid black metal coffin afterward, with only the insane wails of dead gods to keep him company, and he preferred that to any more time on the operating table, thank you very much. :smalltongue:

dsmiles
2012-03-23, 05:07 AM
"Living Impaired Rights Activist"

Aidan305
2012-03-23, 05:38 AM
I've always been partial to Thanatomancy myself. Makes it sound cool..

Dimers
2012-03-23, 06:51 AM
"Living worker" sounds like another term for a vivisectionist, perhaps of a magical kind, replacing, in part anyway, scalpel for spells.
Creepier than any necroturgist in my opinion. The dead are dead, their bodies food for worms. But to do something like that to the living, that's a special kind of creepy.

"Viviturgist" would be "life worker", which could just as easily be read as "a person who works with life energies".

QuidEst
2012-03-23, 12:21 PM
Heh… "Thanoturgy". It's pretty close to "thaumaturgy", which is magic in general.

That gives you "thanoturge" or "thanoturgist" for a necromancer.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-23, 12:45 PM
"Viviturgist" would be "life worker", which could just as easily be read as "a person who works with life energies".
Which could just as easily be a healer as someone who animates dead bodies.
Having the two be conflated makes a certain degree of sense to be honest.
@Aidan305:


<rant on>
But the suffix -mancy refers to divination. Thantos was the Greek personification of death. So, assuming you don't mean the Marvel character, it basically would mean finding things out by talking to the Grim Reaper.
<rant off/>

nedz
2012-03-23, 03:21 PM
Necronancy - timewarp anyone ?

KicktheCAN
2012-03-23, 03:33 PM
I would insert a "t" between the "o" and the "u".

Necroturgy

Slightly easier to pronounce as one word.

Personally I just drop the "o". Then you get a Necrurge (Necrurgy).

Dimers
2012-03-23, 03:52 PM
Which could just as easily be a healer as someone who animates dead bodies.
Having the two be conflated makes a certain degree of sense to be honest.
[/CENTER]

Particularly given that all healing spells in D&D used to be Necromancy school (grognard grognard grumble grouse gripe, that's the way it should be, and you darn kids get off my lawn).

Ravens_cry
2012-03-23, 04:13 PM
Particularly given that all healing spells in D&D used to be Necromancy school (grognard grognard grumble grouse gripe, that's the way it should be, and you darn kids get off my lawn).
And I agree. You're manipulating life energies either way, the question is what kind.

Aidan305
2012-03-23, 04:55 PM
@Aidan305:


<rant on>
But the suffix -mancy refers to divination. Thantos was the Greek personification of death. So, assuming you don't mean the Marvel character, it basically would mean finding things out by talking to the Grim Reaper.
<rant off/>
Eyup. Perfect for those Divine necromancers out there.
But given the abuse of the term "Necromancy" in D&D, I feel Thanatomancy would be just as accurate, if not more so (See the aforementioned clerics of Death).

Also, I like the sound of the word.

Elemental
2012-03-23, 04:57 PM
And I agree. You're manipulating life energies either way, the question is what kind.

Makes it easy to disguise who you are.
Wear a white robe and let people stumble over etymology for several weeks, and then turn up with your undead army, which you purchased all the components for in town with no one the wiser.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-23, 05:16 PM
Eyup. Perfect for those Divine necromancers out there.
But given the abuse of the term "Necromancy" in D&D, I feel Thanatomancy would be just as accurate, if not more so (See the aforementioned clerics of Death).

Also, I like the sound of the word.
Eh, gods of death who approved of necromancy never made much sense to me.
"Yes, escape my domain with my blessing. Wait, what?"
I agree it sounds cool, it's just, etymology. I can't forget the etymology.

QuidEst
2012-03-23, 05:30 PM
Eh, gods of death who approved of necromancy never made much sense to me.
"Yes, escape my domain with my blessing. Wait, what?"
I agree it sounds cool, it's just, etymology. I can't forget the etymology.

Eh, it can be more of a "Go forth from my domain with my blessing and recruit more people. Forcefully." :smallamused:

Trekkin
2012-03-23, 07:34 PM
Eh, gods of death who approved of necromancy never made much sense to me.
"Yes, escape my domain with my blessing. Wait, what?"


Alternatively,

"See you later."

Really, most cheating of death in fantasy tends to be temporary, at least in the fantasy of which I'm aware.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-23, 07:46 PM
Eh, it can be more of a "Go forth from my domain with my blessing and recruit more people. Forcefully." :smallamused:
Yes, but that isn't what Post-Consumer Waste Specialists do. Oh, the more evil might kill someone for "parts", but even then they are animating them after so it's a wash.

Rorrik
2012-03-23, 08:19 PM
Eh, gods of death who approved of necromancy never made much sense to me.
"Yes, escape my domain with my blessing. Wait, what?"
I agree it sounds cool, it's just, etymology. I can't forget the etymology.

Most undead, though, don't take the soul away from the god of death, just the corpse he has no use for. That corpse will deteriorate and be of no use to him, but if made undead, it can wreak havoc in his name. Though I see your point in the sense that the realm of dead is being decreased, unless you count the undead as part of that realm.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-23, 09:25 PM
With many intelligent created undead, like ghosts, mummies, liches, and vampires, you most certainly are taking a soul from Deaths realm.
Others less so, but it is still a significant portion.

Slipperychicken
2012-03-24, 04:58 PM
Eh, gods of death who approved of necromancy never made much sense to me.
"Yes, escape my domain with my blessing. Wait, what?"
I agree it sounds cool, it's just, etymology. I can't forget the etymology.

It's more like:
"Go forth, annex life to death. Add their souls to my dark domain".

Hiro Protagonest
2012-03-24, 05:55 PM
Eh, gods of death who approved of necromancy never made much sense to me.
"Yes, escape my domain with my blessing. Wait, what?"
I agree it sounds cool, it's just, etymology. I can't forget the etymology.

I see it as "I will handpick some of my servants and give them powers to do stuff".

Traab
2012-03-24, 09:05 PM
Recyclergist.

Hewhopervertsthenaturalordermancer

AslanCross
2012-03-25, 07:00 PM
Taking a cue from Magic: The Gathering...

Stitchers (Those who specialize in alchemical reanimation) and
Ghoulcallers (Those who use necrotic energy)

TechnoScrabble
2012-03-27, 11:30 AM
Undeadifyers.

Zombificators.

Vampirators.

Plaguemasters.

Michael Jackson.

wormwood
2012-03-28, 08:07 AM
I would call him West... Herbert West.

Mewtarthio
2012-03-30, 11:46 AM
Eyup. Perfect for those Divine necromancers out there.
But given the abuse of the term "Necromancy" in D&D, I feel Thanatomancy would be just as accurate, if not more so (See the aforementioned clerics of Death).

Also, I like the sound of the word.

Thanatomancy sounds a bit cumbersome to me. How about (Applied) Thanatology?

Ravens_cry
2012-03-30, 03:36 PM
I see it as "I will handpick some of my servants and give them powers to do stuff".
Stuff which is just as antithetical to Death as Life is.
The way I imagine it is Death as zero, and life as Positive Numbers, and Undeath as Negative Numbers.

SilverLeaf167
2012-03-31, 12:34 AM
Stuff which is just as antithetical to Death as Life is.
The way I imagine it is Death as zero, and life as Positive Numbers, and Undeath as Negative Numbers.
I actually thought of this whole Death-Necromancy relation when designing my setting and, just like you guys, decided it was silly.
In fact, the god of Undeath used to be simply the god of Night, son of the god of Death. However, he got tired of his boring domain and decided to rebel against his father by stealing and animating his dear souls and allowing others to do so.

So yeah, Death and Undeath really don't get along.

Dimers
2012-03-31, 08:50 AM
I actually thought of this whole Death-Necromancy relation when designing my setting and, just like you guys, decided it was silly.
In fact, the god of Undeath used to be simply the god of Night, son of the god of Death. However, he got tired of his boring domain and decided to rebel against his father by stealing and animating his dear souls and allowing others to do so.

So yeah, Death and Undeath really don't get along.

I dig that. :smallsmile: Never really thought about having separate deities for Death and Undeath ... despite Faerun having different gods for Death, The Dead, and Murder.

Ravens_cry
2012-03-31, 08:59 AM
Pathfinders default setting does it, with Pharasma (http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Pharasma) and Urgathoa (http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/Urgathoa). Both are goddesses interestingly enough.

Madara
2012-03-31, 09:26 AM
Which is why I like playing a Necromancer in Eberron. :smallsmile:

Lurker Tax(I think it applies to this thread):

The Body Repo man
Body programmer
Mercorpus(Two latin words merged= Renter of Bodies)
Vitexente (Two latin words merged= Life Weaver)

NNescio
2012-03-31, 07:29 PM
Cat Romancer. :smalltongue:

Rorrik
2012-04-01, 04:47 PM
So yeah, Death and Undeath really don't get along.

Hmm, I do have a setting where there are those who believe the god of death creates the undead, others who believe there are no undead, and those who believe that the undead are a result of the god of death's hold weakening on his realm as people turn away from worshiping him. I prefer the last.

Eakin
2012-04-01, 08:01 PM
Well, the Dresden Files had ectomancers who dealt with spirits and ghosts and the like, along with the more traditional horde 'o zombie necromancers. You could crib that.

Ravens_cry
2012-04-01, 11:33 PM
Well, the Dresden Files had ectomancers who dealt with spirits and ghosts and the like, along with the more traditional horde 'o zombie necromancers. You could crib that.
So you preform divination with the outside?

Jergmo
2012-04-03, 02:42 PM
With many intelligent created undead, like ghosts, mummies, liches, and vampires, you most certainly are taking a soul from Deaths realm.
Others less so, but it is still a significant portion.

This can easily be refluffed. In my campaign setting I've gone with certain Eastern spiritual beliefs - two separate spirits, ki and ka. Ka being the body spirit (very significant in Egyptian mythology). Intelligent undead (sans liches) are created via perverting the ka spirit.

SgtCarnage92
2012-04-12, 09:50 PM
Carnurgy: "Meat (Flesh) Magic" Could fit for one who works with corporeal undead.

Kish
2012-04-13, 08:31 AM
In the EverQuest setting, as far as I could tell, death as such is always presented as a benign-to-neutral force.

One of the deities used to be the Goddess of Healing, until she decided to try to cure death, and accidentally created the undead. Now, she's the evil goddess of the undead, treated by all the gods (even the other evil gods) as a Cthulhoid monstrosity.

shadow_archmagi
2012-04-14, 03:23 PM
The trouble with urgy is that when attached to latin/greek roots it just sounds like throwing up. GEURGY

Mancy might make less sense etymologically, but from an aesthetic sense it's a lot classier.

Donald
2012-04-14, 06:02 PM
Resurrectionist.