Necromancers are the masters of death and the undead. Their power comes
from the evil gods of Norrath, whether through their prayers, or through
arcane rituals designed to attract their patron god's favor. Universally
reviled by non-evil races, they spend much of their time alone, seeking out
the dark mysteries of the beyond..
Arcane
Necromancers control death. They are capable of summoning undead servants to fight for them in battle. They can drain the life, and other forces, out of their opponents, or give a bit of their life to their allies. They are often found using dark rites to convert their own life essence into mana for more spells. Necromancers have a wide arsenal of damaging spells to dispatch their foes, including viscious poisons and diseases. They can also summon corpses, either their own or someone else's.
Heretic, Defiler, Warlock, Arch Lich
Necromancers cannot wear anything more restrictive than cloth, but that does leave the Dark Elves and Humans who worship Innoruuk with the option of cultural chain armor.
Necromancers all have a patron deity, whether they are ferverent believers, or merely paying lip service to gain the powers they are granted. There are only three gods who support necromancy: Bertoxxulous, Cazic-Thule, Innoruuk.
Necromancers begin their apprenticeships running errands for their more powerful masters, and creating their first set of robes and armor. From there, their lives are never-ending quests for more powerful spells, more knowledge of dark secrets, and arcane artifacts.
Necromancers are usually the leaders of any evil society or subculture. Their training is much like any other arcane class, with teachers and masters and apprentices, but the lessons are twisted and thick with evil teachings as well. No society teaches Necromancy without the worship of evil gods. These go hand in hand. Even the least reverent Necromancer will sit through many hours of indoctrination in the beliefs of the dark patron of their school.
Necromancers are often shunned by those outside their own culture. Their practices make them pariahs among good cultures. They are usually unperturbed by this, for two reasons. First, there are many within their own cultures who will work with them, and recognize what a Necromancer can add to a party. Second, they are capable of going it alone, as their dark arts can sustain them quite handily. In a party, they bring a wide variety of abilities. They can deal with undead opponents quite handily, as they have a wide array of spells to damage and control them. They are capable of healing themselves, which means healers can focus on other members of the party. They can infuse other members of their party with mana, which means they can spend less time meditating. The Necromancer himself, with his ability to transform his life essence to mana, will also be meditating less. The Necromancer also adds a good deal of damage, with a powerful pet and many spells to sicken and poison his foes.
All Necromancers are evil. They are commonly Discordant, but they may be either Orderly or Neutral as well, as their society dictates.
Death is your gift. You can give it, or you can take it away. Every living thing is a tool that you can use to further your own ends, and when they stop living, they still have their uses. You are no Cleric, but you are deeply aware of the desires and goals of your god, and you seek to please your god whenever possible. You are not, however, as focused as a Shadow Knight. Necromancers come to the craft just as often for their own personal gains as they do for the advancement of their society or god.
"I can feel your heart beating. I can feel it, here, in my hand. And I can make itstop just so, by closing that hand. Perhaps, in the time your lifeless form spends serving me, you will learn better manners."