| The uninitiated have always tried to understand the deep secrets of the Necromancers, but have rarely ever brushed past the surface. Even the nature of the spellbooks the Necromancers use have been shrouded in mystery, with information frequently found lacking or entirely wrong. However, some facts have breached the veils of secrecy, and a general knowledge of each book has been acquired.
Blood Magic:
The first of the Necromancies to be discovered were Blood Magic, and they are often the simplest. The magic of blood is physical in nature, and beyond dealing with its namesake, it also involves spells that affect the body of the recipient. No known Blood Magic has ever been found to be beneficial in nature, despite efforts by many Philosophers as well as the Redeemed. Blood Magic can only be used to kill or injure, or create things that assist in killing or injuring. Almost all spells from the Blood Magic book have red coloration, and while most believe them to be disgusting or profane, the gods themselves generally do not. Blood magic is flashy or 'loud' in fashion, never using a subtle effect when an obvious one could fit.
Corruption:
In contrast to Blood Magic, Corruption magic is about subtle changes. Though Corruption spells may indeed have obvious visible effects at times, the havok they wreak is of a nuanced sort. Through intense study, Necromancers have found that Corruption need not always be detrimental, that they can invoke corruptive effects on themselves that aid them in their work. Often the misconception is that Corruption magic must work against the mind, whereas Blood Magic must instead attack the body, but those fools later find out to their great dismay that this need not be the case. Corruption magic has proven adept at the creation of diseases or pathogens. While the cities and governments still abhor the use of Corruption magic, some of it is difficult to detect and none of it is frowned upon in any active way by the divinities themselves.
Transcendental Necromancy:
Usually shortened to spells of Transcendence by those who are familiar with the Art, Transcendence contains both the goals of the Great Work of the Philosophers as well as the lure to power for the Perverse. Spells that fall into this category are those that make the Necromancer something more (or less, depending on who you ask) than human (or Elven, S'Kra, or whatever race the Necromancer happens to be). The spells in this field involve personal mutations that are of aid to the Necromancer and strike terror into those that behold him or her, or preternatural abilities that surpass mere mortality, but also draw forth the potential of the mighty wrath of the Divine.
Animation:
Though its name is innocuous enough, Animation is the art of granting artificial (or false, depending on who you ask) life to that which is dead, and imbuing it with power. The spells Necromancers cast to raise the dead as their minions as well as grant them power belong in the Animation field. Regardless of how it is used, the gods view the creation of life as their territory, and Forsake those who tread here too heavily.
Synthetic Creation:
All forms of mana share the ability to conjure energy and matter, something that the Necromancers are not above exploiting. Synthetic Creation focuses on the creation of inanimate and unnatural forces and material. Stories tell of Necromancers flaying the skin off their victims with a glance, or conjuring flesh-eating acid to wash a prized skeleton clean of its mortal detritus.
Synthetic Creation sees special attention at the hands of the Philosophers. While their scientific studies progressed, false starts or simple expediency led them to create magic that was either useless for the Great Work, but still useful to them personally, or magic that aided their experiments.
While still frowned on by society, these necromancies do not directly incur divine wrath.
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