Necromancer inspirations modern fiction

[Duke Malagigi]

"Necro" is ancient Greek for death or corpse while "mancy" is ancient Greek for divination. Classical necromancy would have dealt strictly with speaking to dead or mystical attempts at forensic pathology. From that humble origin fictional necromancy could be extended to magical healing, undead creation/destruction, genetic manipulation, biorganic shields and causing harm to the living.

Examples of classical necromancer models in fiction include Dana Scully from the X-Files, Alison Mundy from Afterlife, Melinda Gordon from Ghost Whisperer and the forensic investigators from CSI and its spinoffs. While they couldn't be called wizards by any stretch of the word charcters based off of them would make interesting necromancers.

By modern fiction I mean any form of fiction withing the last 300 to 400 years. Who else would you consider good necromancer matieral? I'm saying Dr. Gregory House. Any other ideas are welcome.

[bosssmiley]

"Tru Calling", "Bones", "Dead Speaker" (or whatever it's called), "CSI" (as you mentioned) - all good contemporary necromancy stories.

You might want to look at the Amethyst College material published for the WFRP RPG too. Necromancers, but not as we know 'em. :smallwink:

There's this book (http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC02657815&id=25lDvKU-vGwC&dq=necromancy&as_brr=1) by the father of the woman who wrote "Frankenstein".

[Matthew]

Saladin is described as a Necromancer in the Middle English Richard Coeur De Lyon. Of course, the chief magic I recall him performing is the summoning of a Fiendish War Horse, so draw what conclusions you like from that. In short, use of magic came to be seen as trafficing(sp?) with Demons, so was generally considered to be evil associated.

I think that some modern works have run with that idea.

[Murderous Hobo]

Neuromancer by William Gibson.

The AI created a world were dead people could live on. It's also got a flat-line construct which is a computer that holds -by lack of any other word- the soul of a hacker.

It's not exactly digging up a body and putting its bones together with metal wires before resurrecting it, but it gets there.

[Dausuul]

In the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Sauron assumed the guise of "the Necromancer" when he took up residence in Dol Guldur, when he was not yet ready to return to Mordor and declare himself openly. There's not much record of his doings while he was there (about all we know is that he captured Thrain son of Thror and took the last of the dwarf-rings from him, and that Gandalf infiltrated Dol Guldur to discover the Necromancer's identity); however, the Ringwraiths are a pretty good example of undead-making.

[TheElfLord]

In the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Sauron assumed the guise of "the Necromancer" when he took up residence in Dol Guldur, when he was not yet ready to return to Mordor and declare himself openly. There's not much record of his doings while he was there (about all we know is that he captured Thrain son of Thror and took the last of the dwarf-rings from him and that Gandalf infiltrated Dol Guldur to discover the Necromancer's identity); however, the Ringwraiths are a pretty good example of undead-making.

The Nazgul aren't really undead, as none of them died as part of the creation process.

What about the main character from Medium?

[horseboy]

Well, it's not fiction, but those scientists in Australia that are trying to clone the Tasmanian Dog back from extinction.

[Rex Blunder]

I was reading the autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini (renaissance-era artist and madman) recently, and he talked about attending a necromantic ceremony in which thousands of demons were conjured up in the Coliseum in Rome. I think that falls within the 300-400 year limit - barely.

[Duke Malagigi]

The Nazgul aren't really undead, as none of them died as part of the creation process.

What about the main character from Medium?

Yes, she counts.

[Duke Malagigi]

Well, it's not fiction, but those scientists in Australia that are trying to clone the Tasmanian Dog back from extinction.

While not fictional they would also count as necromancer material.