Ah, dear acolyte, welcome to this, the second volume of my advice to you on the skills you will need to succeed in the necromantic arts. This volume will focus upon flesh based constructs, the staple of any necromancers horde.
Once again I harken to my predecessors words, and remind you that although a fresh, fully intact corpse provides the…healthiest minion, you are free to cut and change the flesh as you see fit.
Indeed, some of the most memorable creations I have seen in my time on Tamriel are those that are not intact, but in fact incredibly altered. I have seen Orsimer thralls comprised of the bodies of ten fierce chieftains, the component flesh held together with great iron staples. It was truly a beauty to behold.
How do such creations come about? Why, the skill of the creator, of course. Anatomical and surgical knowledge are essential for any necromancer, and should not be forgotten, no matter how high he or she rises. Infiltrate the houses of healing, learn, perfect your skills, and your servants will thank you for it, repaying your effort tenfold. Do not try and subvert the priests and healers, not yet. Wait. Time is not the foe of the necromancer, and their time will
come. If this is impossible, then practice upon your own flesh. Pain is a great teacher, and soon enough your skill will grow.
An added benefit of infiltrating places of healing, is Restoration magic. Yes, yes, I know, it is
anathema to us. Yet, within its bounds lie the secrets to maintaining your flesh-based servants. It is an effort, to be sure, but, conversely, what use is a house minion with a broken leg? What of the sentimental attachment some of us have with our creations? The ability to restore the flesh, once animated, can only be a boon to the forward thinking necromancer.
Here, I harken back to my own words, in hope you have studied the previous volume, and remind you, budding acolyte, of the benefit of smithing in the maintenance of your creations.
Leather straps will, again, reinforce those areas where you have cut and stitched. Armour is also advisable, for further reinforcement of your servant’s modifications.
Alchemy is also your friend, for many preserving concoctions exist to further prolong the longevity of your servants, though these usually require additional preparation. This, I believe, is how the Dunmer create their bonewalkers, though, having no first hand experience of the process, I can not say for sure. Alchemical preparations during the creation ritual can imbue your servants with debilitating secondary effects. Another method,
a simple means of preserving the flesh, is mummification. I will not go into details here, as the process has been explained at length by my fellows. However, it remains a prime example of how a little non magical preparation can prolong the usefulness of your servants.
“DnD Necromancer” | Illustration courtesy of Entar0178, DeviantArt