The Anti-Forces, Undead, and the Shadow Realm

As discussed elsewhere, there is another side of reality, a dark mirror to the creative energies of the Cosmos. Each of the realms of existence - the physical, the mental, and the spiritual - have a corresponding anti-force, which is primarily found where there is a lack or a loss in the world. Hence, shadow can be a gate to the dark reality, where the positive energy of light cannot be felt. Likewise, the anti-forces can be felt in death, when the spirit and some of the mind have departed, leaving behind a gap in reality. And as once-living things rot, there is a similar, physical, hole created. Thus, the anti-forces are felt naturally in the world, and this is part of the balance, although it can still be dangerous for those exposed to this darkness. Worse are those beings who seek power from the anti-forces; there is much they can offer, but this power is inherently dangerous and corrupting.

On Tainted Magic
Anyone with at least 1 point of anti-trait is considered Tainted; anyone who has more of an anti-Trait than the corresponding positive trait is Corrupted. By the same token, derived attributes can be tainted or corrupted; anyone who has at least 1 anti-Spirit produces Tainted Ka; 1 point of anti-Mind is enough to have Tainted Stability. In most cases, these do not prevent the use of abilities or magics, although some deities may object to their servants being Tainted. On the other hand, there are some powers that require Tainted Ka or Stability, and there are even a few that require Corruption.

Anticratic Lore
The Anticratic Lore skill can be used for knowledge of the anti-cosmos and associated magics, undead, etc. It can also be used to start down the path of tainted magics.

Necromancy
Necromancy is the study of the magical implications of death. In Rhean, this is bound up with the study of the anti-cosmos, due to its presence in dying or dead beings. As with Anticratic Lore, any mage can learn the non-magical side of this skill, but most of the actual abilities require the mage to be Tainted. This has caused Necromancers to be even more feared and despised than other mages. Of course, most mages consider themselves to be above the common man anyways, so this is not much of a deterrent in itself.

Rules for Undead
An undead being is one that was once alive, but has since died and had some part of its being replaced by the anti-forces. This may be any or all of Body, Mind, or Spirit. Different forms of undead have different traits corrupted. If Body is replaced, the being becomes a void, a dark shadow, such as a wraith. If Mind is replaced, the creature loses all memory of its former life, although it may still know certain destructive things, such as how to fight. If Spirit has been corrupted, the creature has its own will replaced by the desire to destroy and feed upon the living, and will lack all sympathy for anything in its past, even if it can remember and act upon them. In any case, corruption invariably spreads between areas, and even if the being has not completely lost all of a particular positive realm, they are still tainted and influenced by the anti-force. All of the anti-forces grow by corrupting their counterparts, and this manifests in any so tainted.
Different degrees of taint are possible (see also Damage). An important concept is that a living being may contain some anti-force. An undead creature is only created if a being dies while having a higher anti-trait than the corresponding trait (note, however, that death can provide points to an anti-trait, so anyone who is close is in danger). The amount of anti-trait relative to the positive trait determines the nature of the undead. For example, a creature that still has some Mind may keep some memories, even if they are dim and overshadowed by dark thoughts and desires. Undead generally continue to corrupt, as they are unable to gain any positive traits (since they are not alive), but find it very easy to gain anti-traits.

Undead types

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