Thanatological rituals
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Thanatological rituals are the occult rites and practices through which a Necromancer may utilize the Thanatology skill. These rites largely involve the creation of a corrupt Empathic Transference link or otherwise twisting a formerly living being's life force in some fashion, but also includes things like the simple study of gross anatomy or the various more mundane rites or rituals associated with the Philosophers of the Knife. All Thanatological rituals require the use of a ritual knife (typically a simple worn belt knife) which is specifically designated for this purpose; the use of a ritual knife for any other purpose besides the performance of Thanatological rituals or skinning will render it unusable for other rituals.
The rituals PERFORMed by a Necromancer on corpses are their primary source for learning the Thanatology skill as well as a number of secondary skills. To use a thanatological ritual, PERFORM (ritual) ON (target) -- if the target is yourself, you may leave it out. If the Necromancer is using the Obfuscation spell, rituals will not message other people in the room upon being performed.
Entry
When performed, the Entry ritual will automatically move you into the nearest guildhall using backroads, special mundane rites, and hidden signs or symbols, provided you are close enough to one. There is a long Roundtime for using it, but no cooldown. This ritual does not generate Divine Outrage. It is learned at 1st circle.
Preserve
The Preserve ritual suspends a corpse in an unnatural stasis, allowing it to remain much longer before decaying, though LOOTing will make it decay normally. This ritual is generally used as preparation for other lengthier rituals. Utilization of this ritual successfully will also teach First Aid in addition to Thanatology. This ritual generates a modest amount of Divine Outrage. It is learned at 1st circle.
Harvest
The Harvest ritual allows the gathering of a piece of material from a corpse and requires the use of the Preserve ritual on the corpse first. Utilization of this ritual successfull will also teach skinning in addition to Thanatology. This ritual cannot be performed if the corpse has been SKINned and will prevent skinning of the corpse afterward, but may be used on any formerly living thing to learn Skinning, even if it was not otherwise skinnable. There is presently no use for the materials gathered with this ritual, and they will be destroyed if DROPped. This ritual generates a small amount of Divine Outrage. It is learned at 2nd circle.
Fetish
This ritual turns a piece of harvested material into a fetish. It is not currently live in the game, and its function is presently unknown, though is thought it will relate to permanent Risen.
Cut
The Cut ritual allows you to cut your hand without leaving a wound. This ritually-drawn blood can then act as a component for a number of Blood Magic or Animation spells. This ritual does not generate Divine Outrage. It is learned at 5th circle.
Dissection
The Dissection ritual is purely an educational and training tool performed on corpses which have not yet been SKINned or otherwise ritualized. When used on the corpse of a formerly living being, it teaches a mixture of Thanatology and First Aid. When used on the corpse of a formerly undead being, it teaches pure Thanatology. This ritual does not generate Divine Outrage. It is learned at 10th circle.
Consume Flesh
The Consume ritual allows a corpse to be consumed with various Blood Magic spells in order to heal the Necromancer. This is not actual, literal consumption, but a magical effect that will destroy part or all of the corpse. It may be optionally used with the Preserve ritual but this is not required. This is the only ritual that can be used on a Player Character's corpse. This ritual generates a modest amount of Divine Outrage. It is learned at 15th circle.
Arise
The Arise ritual uses unholy symbols to prepare a corpse to be animated into one of the undead. The corpse in question must have already had the Preserve ritual performed upon it. This generates the largest amount of Divine Outrage of any Thanatological ritual. It is learned at 20th circle.