Life as a Living Corpse

The living corpse transformation completely changes the necromancer, with physical, mental, and spiritual consequences. Physically, he retains a semblance of life and may pass for one of the truly living. Not every living corpse looks like a rotting, shuffling dead man. Hermetic spells and magical powers can easily alter the appearance of the host, disguising putrefaction, coloring pallid flesh, and growing lost hair. A living corpse is mentally impaired; at best, he retains many of his memories but not all, a condition that leaves him emotionally temperamental, probably unhinged, and potentially volatile. A living corpse has a single, intensified Personality Trait that overrides his thinking, coloring every decision he makes. Spiritually, a living corpse is lost. The connection that bound soul to spirit is severed, and however a soul and spirit are connected in a living man, they are forever separated in an undead man.

Although it can no longer cast spells, a living corpse has magical powers, many of which copy favorite spells the character could cast during life. A former magus who becomes a living corpse might try participating in Hermetic society. Many wizards are secretive, sanctums are private places, and Temporary Twilights leave scars from Warping. A living corpse may not seem that weird when compared to other, older magi. If he is only seen occasionally, the living corpse might continue to fool his sodales into thinking he is alive. If he is careful, other magi will not