The Ashen Path
From FFa2Wiki
Title: Necromancer
Origin: Invocation
Attribute: Spiritual
School: Restoration
Effects: Blood, Death, Disease, Life, Poison, Profane, Sacred, Spirit
Also called Necromancy, followers of this path communicate with the dead, and gain some degree of control over life and death. Many people distrust the use of this Path, as there are many legends of those who have been corrupted by the power of necromancy, and have raised armies of the undead or have transformed themselves into abominations.
Most who follow the Ashen Path are decent folk, acting as healers and tending to the sick and injured. Unfortunately, the temptation to use Necromancy to deal with opponents is often too great. The Ashen Path seems to be a seductive path, offering power that few can resist. Compound that with the natural aversion people have to necromancers, and it is an open invitation for those who walk this path to turn to the dead for company, and to find contempt for the sorcerer's living compatriots.
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Form Benefits
By tapping into the Underworld, the character may sacrifice Health to aid in casting. For every point of Health the character sacrifices to cast the Spell, they gains an Additional Success on the Casting Roll. The character may sacrifice an amount of Health up to the character's Might.
The Path of Ashes is more effective when used against either living targets, or the creatures of the underworld. When casting a spell against a living or Undead target, the character may sacrifice two Health to reduce the Casting Time and the Difficulty of the Spell by the character's Might.
Death Speech
At Growth 1, the Necromancer can spend 1 Essence as a Free Action to be able to hear the voices of the Underworld. The creatures of the Underworld are heard clearly by the Necromancer, and the Necromancer can in turn speak with the dead. This benefit remains for the Scene, but can be ended early as a Free Action.
Death Sight
At Growth 3, the Necromancer can spend 2 Essence as a Free Action to be able to see the Shallows of the Underworld. The Necromancer may choose to activate Death Speech at the same time without Essence Cost. The creatures of the Underworld are able to see the Necromancer at the same time. This benefit remains for the Scene, but can be ended early as a Free Action. In addition, when using a Spell with the Spell Effect of Death, Life, Profane, or Sacred, the Effect Potency is equal to the Spell Potency, rather than half Spell Potency.
Death Touch
At Growth 5, the Necromancer can spend 3 Essence as an Instant Action to be able to touch and interact with the Shallows of the Underworld. The Necromancer may choose to activate Death Sight and Death Speech at the same time without Essence Cost. The creatures and objects of the Underworld can touch and harm the Necromancer at the same time. This benefit remains for the Scene, but can be ended early as an Instant Action. Objects which exist in the Underworld but do not in the physical world can block and interrupt the Necromancer - however the Necromancer can use them as an advantage - climbing a staircase in the Underworld to get to the second floor of a building whose staircase has long since rotted away, for example.
Death Shroud
At Growth 7, the Necromancer can spend 4 Essence and step into the Shallows physically, or can take an object or creature grasped using Death Touch and pull them into Creation as an Action. Alternatively, if the Necromancer is in the Shallows, they may use this benefit to step back into Creation. While in the Shallows, the character may use Death Touch, Death Sight, and Death Speech to interact with Creation. This benefit may be activated as an Active Defence by increasing the Essence Cost by one. If the attacker does not get as many Successes on the attack roll as the character's Might, the attack misses as the character passes through the veil. If the attack has enough Successes, the opponent strike the character, who then passes through.
Botch Condition
The Path of Ashes uses energy from the Underworld. This tainted essence acts as a disease on the living. A careless necromancer risks serious harm to themselves and to the target of the Spell. If the Spell gains more Successes than the caster's Might, the character and all targets risk the Touch of Death, and must make a Death Save with a Difficulty equal to the number of Successes the Spell exceeded the caster's might. Those who fail suffers the Touch of Death affliction with a Potency equal to the Essence Cost of the Spell.
NOTE: It is possible for a very successful spell to inflict Touch of Death as the maximum potency of any spell is twice the caster's Might. This botch condition is an example of 'channeling too much hostile energy'.
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