LE Joinable Necromancer Covens?

[LightReading]

Firstly, I'd like to apologize in advance: this is probably a much larger topic than a new member has any business posting. And it's not like I've been sitting on this for any length of time or anything, I only just thought of it two days ago and wondered if/how such a thing would work out. At the very least, a brief Google search didn't return anything.

 

I guess this isn't really a request thread, since I can't reasonably expect anyone to go through with it. I'm more wondering about the quality of, or practicality of, the idea itself. Is there anything you'd change, such as to make it easier to design or to make the gameplay more interesting overall? Is it actually a terrible idea, or would it negatively affect some other aspect of the game? That sort of thing.

 

I mean, it goes without saying that I'd love to see something like this happen, if someone or a group of someones would be willing to do so. Or maybe if something of this sort already exists and I'm just bad at search functions, that'd be super. But, this thread is about the idea itself, so even if no one wants to make it I'd enjoy talking about it.

 

Anyways,

 

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The crux of the idea is that necromancy, while not technically being illegal, is still frowned upon in polite society, and so aspiring necromancers tend to relocate to the wilderness so they can conduct their crimes against humanity in peace. As such, if the Dragonborn also wanted to study necromancy for any reason, they'd have to go out and find these people who know things about it and either ask them or loot their corpses for books. And, if necromancer covens exist, then it would also be pretty cool if the player could end up as a leader of their own...

 

That one in-game book about a necro debating the merits of their 'mancy with the Mage's Guild points out that the various "schools" of magic aren't hard-and-fast, and more like guidelines that get shuffled around every now and then. Also, that necromancy isn't so much a separate school of magic as it is a list of things that are generally bad ideas (the 'dark arts' or 'black arts'). So, I'm not thinking about making a "school of necromancy", more like enabling a playstyle or even world flavor that the base game doesn't do a very good job of. If anything, if I knew anything about modding (or could invest the time to learn) I probably wouldn't even add any new spells at all. I'd add a a whole lot of other stuff, mind you, but not new spells. No, this one is more about the midnight rituals, human sacrifices, gathering up a small party of cultists to raid a nearby village for fresh parts and new "recruits", kidnapping a few random civilians and letting some NPC adventurer "rescue" them so you can see how your new contagious exploding zombie curse works on said village, that sort of thing.

 

Main Mechanics (subject to change)

 

• Necromancy skill tree: This, IMO, would be the most important part of legitimizing necromancy as a playstyle rather than it being a single line of spells, even if no new spells are added or even anything else at all. But instead of just adding a skill tree to the character menu (which would raise the question of why the player character didn't know about or couldn't use it ahead of time), I think the skill tree would be accessed by opening a "Necromancer's Grimoire", which the player finds either on a necro's corpse or somewhere in their fort. Thus, the implication is that you're reading the book to learn how to better utilize the necromancy you already know, and that this is more an informal collection of knowledge united by a common theme of being forbidden rather than an official, formalized "school" like the others. Ranks in this skill tree would be gained by creating undead (either with spells or by using a ritual altar below) or whenever an undead you control deals damage, and the skill perks mostly affect the quantity and quality of your raised dead and allow you to make new kinds with the ritual altar.

 

• The main skill perks I'm imagining are (Undead Legion [0/20/40/60/80 requirement, max 5 ranks]: increases the number of zombies or skeletons that can be raised by +1 for each point, and stacks with the Twin Souls perk under Conjuration), (Skeleton Warrior [25 requirement]: allows the creation of Skeleton Warriors at a ritual altar. Their level is equal to 1/4th the player's Necromancy skill, and they have Heavy Armor, Block, Two-Handed, and One-Handed as class skills equal to 1/2 the Necromancy skill), (Skeleton Thief [50 requirement]: as per the Warrior, but with Archery, Light Armor, Sneak, and Lockpicking), (Skeleton Mage [75 requirement]: as previous, but with Destruction, Conjuration, Restoration, and Alteration), (Skeletal Lich [100 requirement]: a creatable NPC follower, not a "summoned" minion like the others. It has the same skills as the Mage, but also has the Lich template. Its level is equal to 1/2 the player's Necromancy skill, and its skills are equal to the player's Necromancy skill. A Skeletal Lich probably doesn't need to have the Necromancy skill itself, since it'd be of no real use without the perks), then a separate "branch" of the tree that affects raised dead, such as (Call of the Grave: your undead automatically capture black souls for you when they kill humans), and other things that generally give the player more stuff to do with undead minions. Perhaps a skill that lets zombies raise something it kills as another zombie (capping at 1-2 per zombie) for that authentic Zombie Apocalypse feel? Or maybe even (Augment Drain [0-2 ranks]: drain spells [and drain effects, for weapon enchantments] do 20%/50% more damage), with a skill after it that gives a Drain Life effect to your undead minions and applies the boosted effect to them? Stuff like that, not stat increases like the Dark Souls and Necromancy perks under Conjuration, but side benefits that make zombies (and skeletons) more... bombastic. Though, maybe a bit overpowered, all things considered.

 

• Ritual Altars: Either found out in the open or as one you personally own, the altar is more about the "feel" of being a necromancer more than anything else. Human bodies are put on it, Black Soul Gems are put in it (working concept, may change), and either a follower or a permanent summoned minion pops out. Mostly different types of skeleton, and what types can be created are determined by skill perks. As of right now, I'm thinking Skeleton Warrior, Skeleton Thief, Skeleton Mage, and Skeletal Lich, with the Lich also requiring a phylactery which itself requires a separate perk to create and use. The way I'm thinking of it right now, ritual altars and the skill tree are inextricably linked. If that ends up being problematic or there are just better ideas, the whole thing could of course be binned for a better system. Side note, there'd need to be some way to transport a corpse to an altar quickly and conveniently. Maybe a "corpse cart" that you hitch to a horse and you can order it to follow you? Or maybe you can order certain NPCs (like cultists) to go out and collect bodies for you from a nearby graveyard or town?

 

• Becoming or Creating a Lich: The Lich is the pinnacle of necromancy in nearly every work of fiction, and Elder Scrolls is no exception. At least, they aren't enemies in Skyrim (unless you count the Dragon Priests), but they were in Oblivion. I'm mainly imagining this as an alternative to vampirism if the player wants to be undead, and to have mechanics that would work well with how I'm looking at necromancy so far. Naturally, if any of the stuff in the Skill Tree or Ritual Altars sections changes, then the Lich's properties would also change to work better with them. The main thing is that becoming/creating a Lich requires a phylactery, which you can neither create nor use without the appropriate perk in the necromancy tree (the "can't use" clause allows for phylacteries to be found as loot). Liches probably wouldn't be attacked on sight, but none of their abilities are remotely law-friendly so acting like a lich in public would only end in a massacre. The main abilities I'm thinking of are (Levitate: the Lich levitates, as per a Dragon Priest or Vampire Lord. Toggleable power, cannot use weapons except staves while levitating), (Soul Vault: the Lich can capture black souls without a Black Soul Gem. When a black soul is trapped but no empty BSG is in the inventory, an item named "Black Soul" is generated that has all the functionality of a filled Black Soul Gem. Black Souls cannot be dropped or traded, and are not found as loot. This is mainly to give an easy source of souls for Altar use or any skills/spells that cost filled BSGs, or just for enchanting), (Create Skeleton [Warrior, Thief, Mage]: as per the Ritual Altar function and accompanying skill perks, except the Lich is able to do so anywhere and anytime as a power or spell. They'd still need an altar and spare phylactery to create another Lich, though. These particular abilities are unlocked if the matching skill perk is, of course), and, naturally, a flag for the player being undead much like vampirism. IMO, I don't think vampires or werewolves should be able to become Liches or vice versa, but that's a possible topic of debate if anyone would like. Overall, I'm kind of imagining the Lich as being something resembling the Ideal Masters of the Soul Cairn, or somewhat related to what that one necromancer in the Azura's Star / Black Star questline was trying to do.

 

• Necromancer Covens: I'm actually thinking of these more as hostile factions, with an option for the player to start one themselves if they're interested. This is also the part I wouldn't expect to see if a mod like this were to be made, since it'd require by far the most work and isn't really a part of the other stuff. Anyways, the player takes up the role of Master Necromancer, either builds a base or claims one from some other coven, then goes a-recruitn' to bring in prospective cultists. The overall feel would be something like the Dark Brotherhood, except more wizardy and you get to tell the Cultists what to do. Raid towns, gather supplies (Black Soul Gems in particular, for Skeleton or Phylactery creation), attack rival Covens, become follower for the player, create Skeletons/Zombies (for base defense against Adventurers), "would you like to become a vampire" (if the player is a vampire), "how are your studies progressing" (get a rough idea of what level that cultist is), infiltrate a town (the Cultist poses as a normal civilian in the town, does shenanigans to make attacking the town safer/easier or brings in new recruits more often), or asking if the (Master) Cultist wants to become a Lich (gives the Cultist the Lich template if they go through with the Ritual). A player's base would also occasionally be attacked by Stendarr teams, the occasional adventurer (level varying wildly), Guard raids if the player attacked any one nearby town a little too frequently, and sometimes Dawnguard squads if the player either is a vampire or has one living in the base. Creating a base or modifying an existing one would be like Homesteads or upgrading a house, where you add new rooms, facilities, and defenses like traps for various nefarious purposes.

 

And that's... well, I can't really say "that's all", since this thread is a fair bit larger than most of the others I saw in this board, but that's the end of it at least. I'm unfortunately playing on PS4 since I don't have a gaming PC, so I'm mostly hoping to see some discussion of the idea more than expecting to ever see it happen. Please, feel free to add any thoughts of your own!

[KelenkenImperator]

Skyrim Nexus:

 

Undeath: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/40607

Undeath - Classical Lichdom: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/84937

Undeath - Immersive Lichdom: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/60783

 

Many of your ideas are found in these mods that work together. But not the part for coven and cultist. But a mod that allows the creation of a guild and recruitment could solve the problem. (in part at least)

 

 

Also, there are other mods for necromancy such as True Necromancy. (for exemple) But I'm not sure that these mods works without conflict with the Undeath's mods.

 

Sorry if my english speak is not very good / broken, this is not my native language. (I'm Belgian)

Edited September 8, 2018 by KelenkenImperator

[Snbrggsgmailcom]

Your idea is just amazing, and although some of these mods do exist tacking on the joining of a in-depth necromancy guild, or forming your own with an intricate questline would be the cherry on top.