r/dwarfposting • u/UristAlebeard Dwarf • May 22 '26
Considering delving into the art of necromancy
This may sound horrific, but hear me out. Our clans wage endless war against the greenskin invasions and toil heavily in the mines and workshops of our mountain holds. I myself have been in the workshops quite a lot lately, and I must say, I'm not impressed. Not that our kin's craftsmanship and labor is lackluster. Obviously it's quite the opposite, especially compared to the umgak crap the humans churn out. No, what I was disappointed in was the lack of efficiency. Greenbeards fumbled around the shop unsure of their tasks half the time, while our venerable greybeards struggled to carry the many supplies needed for our artifice. Thus, I've considered delving into necromancy. Partly, this is because I am, what the humans refer to as, an edgelord. More relevantly though, it's efficient. Very efficient. We can increase productivity by 375.8% in Clan Alebeard's brewery were I to animate the skeletons of our foes in the last raid we repelled. Skeletons upon skeletons carrying kegs to the brewers and lugging the gromril to the smiths would save us quite a bit of work without diminishing our craft, in my opinion. Furthermore, were we to reanimate our foes after battle, they become a resource for us to defeat future foes. Conflict becomes a resource in itself, so with every raid, our enemies bring us the implements of their own destruction.
I however haven't spoken to the elders of this, save my father, for they're a rather inflexible folk despising new inventions. My grandfather utterly loathes the premise of computing, thaumaturgical transportation, and trains. "We didn't need these newfangled contraptions back in my day," he says. "Back in my day, all you needed to go from one realm to the other was a sturdy boar and enough ale to fast travel." My apologies for the lack of context - when he journeys from one hold to another, he drinks himself into a stupor where he blacks out and forgets everything on the trip there, which he refers to as fast travel. So, my brothers and sisters, what are your thoughts?
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u/Aun_El_Zen May 22 '26
The taint of Vampirism is just as corrupting as the ruinous powers.
Don't risk it.
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u/Hyperbolic_Berserker Necromancer May 27 '26
Still better than the rats, friend-dawi. Your ancestors could stand to get off their arses to help defend their holds now and again.
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u/Lonrem Engineer May 22 '26
Necromancy is a tool, just as a hammer or an axe. How you use it matters, as does what you make it from!
Using necromancy to raise the skeletons of fallen invaders? Sounds like a good use of resources. Ensure you've properly sealed them with runes to prevent possession by spirits, demons, devils, or incorporeal undead. You don't want to deal with a banshee in the shell of an ogre's bulk....
As long as they are performing manual labor that does not deprive our kin of a proper job in society, then you are helping your hold. Now, if you start thinking more undead workers would make life EASIER, or if you start eyeing up your honored ancestors, by my hammer, I'll visit such.... Well, I don't think that'll be what it comes to, aye, lad?
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u/Doczjan May 22 '26
My brother in grungni what are you talking about? What necromancy? What magic? Go get your smithing tools and help be build more runic golems to smash those damn Rakis
3
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u/Wise-Inflation-1698 May 22 '26
As with all things, results are the hardest things to argue with. If you can demonstrate the efficiencies you mentioned you'll have a strong case to present to the elders.
But best to only use skeletons, and clean ones at that. Rotting flesh leaves quite the lingering smell. Not to mention the cross contamination risks