Oblivion Mod:Order of the Dragon/About Corpses I
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Volume One: Body Procurement
The art of necromancy is only illegal in the province of Morrowind, but few inhabitants of the Empire have an unbiased opinion about our art. Therefore, the procurement of bodies for experimental purposes is often not easy.
In Cyrodiil, some necromancers who have faithfully served the Empire are left the corpses of criminals and traitors for legitimate use. Thus, those who hold such a post always have a fresh supply of mostly young, vigorous and intact corpses.
In Morrowind the prohibition of necromancy would have made its exercise impossible were it not for the fortunate circumstance of slavery. While the temple examines obvious signs of necromancy, such as hastily emptied graves and ashes that are stolen from their ash pits, a prudent and discreet necromancer can thrive in Morrowind simply by taking a slave from time to time. One will, as a rule, assume that the slave fled or died in the Ashlands.
In Black Marsh, there are virtually no suitable corpses because of rapid decay. In addition, there lurk diseases, Argonian tribes, and other difficulties. I only know a few Sload-necromancers who are working successfully in Black Marsh, and even they remain near the coast.
In the forests of Elsweyr, there are similar problems as Black Marsh; the deserts preserve corpses over the centuries, however, so that hardly any preparation work is required. Khajiit are often buried under just small stone tombs that are easy to find and expose. The Khajiit are remarkably indifferent about the excavation of graves. It is said that you can buy anything that your heart desires in the port city Senchal. In relation to the acquisition of fresh corpses, this is certainly true.
Only a few Bosmer perform the rites of Arkay at funerals. The more primitive Bosmer still practice cannibalism on their enemies, reducing the number of available bodies. As you would expect from such a backward people, they face necromancy in a completely intolerant manner, against all reason. Many of the necromancers who practice our Arts in Valenwood itself are 'one with the trees'.
Summerset Isle is even worse in some respects. Some of those born in the respected noble and educated Altmer families may even study the dead in all honesty. However, their studies seem to focus on finding ways to extend their lives even further, and not the more practical applications of our art. Necromancers of other races in Summerset can count on the worst penalties if they get caught.
In Hammerfell, where the cult of Arkay has the most followers, the dead are almost always treated by the Arkay's law. There are exceptions for large battles or in remote areas where death comes far away from pesky priests. Fortunately, the procurement of corpses is possible thanks to the difficult terrain and the creatures in the deserts and mountains of Hammerfell; however, these are usually in poor condition and require special attention in the preparation.
The newly-formed province of Orsinium represents a special opportunity. It is well-known that Orc corpses are most sought-after because of the durability of their skin and the strength of their bones. If King Gortwog listens to the voice of reason, we could offer our art to the defense of this young nation in exchange for the disposal of dead Orcs. A mutually beneficial agreement, as the Orcs will surely discover. To this end, a delegation has been sent to Orsinium, but we cannot yet know the state of these negotiations.
In my country of Highrock, tradition going back to the witch kings and nomadic horsemen requires that the dead be cremated. This is practiced almost exclusively in the North; in the South, burials in tombs or in the cemeteries of cities are predominant. There are still many bodies that can be fetched from the battlefields of Breton wars and the lawless times that followed. There are even rumors according to which King Gothryd will eventually adopt the Imperial custom of providing the bodies of criminals for necromantic studies free of charge; this is intended to deter the bandits and pirates, which still threaten the Iliac Bay.
In Skyrim, some necromancers can act without restriction thanks to the cold climate and the isolated terrain. Unfortunately, however, there are only Nord bodies frozen or killed in battle. Although the cold acts as a preservative, it is difficult because of the snow to find these corpses. Studies on how to discover corpses magically would be invaluable for the necromancer in Skyrim.
The Sload are the most famous necromancers, but little is known about their home region of Thras. In Tamriel, the Sload practice necromancy only on other races. We do not know if this applies also to Thras. If so, that would explain the amount of slaves who were purchased by Sload merchants in the city of Tear and the rumors of Sload airships transporting bodies from Senchal.
Because of all these difficulties, many necromancers create their own body stock. I prefer to work with dead people who died of natural causes, but sometimes a more expedient method is required in order to promote the study of our art.
The art of Necromancy can be practiced on animals, but such experiments rarely produce interesting results. The ability of the servant to follow directions seems to be related to the intelligence of the property in context during his lifetime. While the resurrection of a dead man, elf, or human animal can produce a useful servant, animal corpses can make guard dogs at best. Often a reawakened animal cannot distinguish between its master and the rest of the living, and many amateurs have been ripped apart by animal servants they had created. Let such stories be a lesson to you!