Necromancers. Sickly ponies bathed in cloaks of darkness, bringing ruin to all who fall under their shadow, terror to those who meet their gaze. Ripping the dead from the grave and conscripting them to their army of evil and conquest. Woe to the towns that dare draw their interest.
Such are the legends.
This is a story about one of the kindest ponies I know.
---
Now with a sequel, From Dusk to Night.
Beta Reader Special Thanks:
Blissey1
Clever Pun
Japanese Teeth
Pannic
Meta Four
Sereg
Connelly
Invidlord
Jezendar
TerribleTransit
Chapters (21)
Looking good i love the amount of detail you gave. Ill deffinently be looking for the next chapter.
i.imgur.com/SECzdPX.jpg
Ponies + necromancy = awesome.
I really want to see what comes next!
2964569>>2967092
Thanks. I plan to have it up by the weekend after BronyCon.
nice always love when necromancers are in stories lol
I like how you wrote 'Necromancer' instead of some silly pun like "Necromancer"
Looks like a classic small town in distress story so far, but hopefully the necromancer will make things more interesting.
>>critfist
Um...aren't they exactly the same?
Perpahps you meant "Neighcromancer?"
... So she's a white necromancer? Interesting... (Most are insane.)
i like it not some megalomanic necriomancer who for some reason must conquer equestria
3163579
Or... is she?!
Seriously, though, happy to deliver.
Great story so far. I like the characterisation on Dusky Down: definitely not naïve, but not too cynical either. The only point of criticism I have is that I got a bit Lost In Medias Res, with zero information on where Dusky was trying to go and why. But hey, the story's only just begun, so there's plenty of time to clear that up later.
One thing that annoys me is the following: Thinking that 1. Necromancy requires a horn. 2. That people (Or whatever species.) thinks that it's evil and spooky! Necromancy is not anything, it's a blank paper and you got the pencils, it's not evil, the user are.
Now, I think most of this whole 'Evil' thing comes from raising the dead, it's just a corpse people! Nothing more nothing less, maybe i'm alone about feeling this way but I know that when something dies very little can actually return the soul to the body before it's too far away, necromancy being one of them but a small slip-up could merge both souls into one body causing both of them to go insane (Or one of them being destroyed or suppressed under the superior force of the other.)
3264929
I'm glad to see such a passionate response. What I have in store for the future may address a few of those points.
3282065 Yeah... I kind of have studied this topic for longer then some people on this website have been alive.
Human tag in your near future.
3296524
Or changeling.
That aside, I particularly enjoyed this chapter. Finally, a "villainous archetype" isn't all that villainous. I had wanted to play a lawful good necromancer, but the GM shot me down. Perhaps this story could... sway his opinion.
Either way, glad to see this continue. Eagerly awaiting more!
3299649 'White' Necromancers (For the lack of a better term.) are those that you don't know if they're a necromancer or not unless they actually tell you, they're just like anyone else really, most necromancers go insane however when dealing with rituals so to say it like this: 1/10.
3299651
Yeah, it was a tad bit of a silly idea, but I thought it might have been an interesting character to explore: Someone with good intentions, who slowly slipping to madness, but fights himself to stay virtuous.
3299666 I guess, and by the way this post number is '32 99 666' IT'S A SIGN!
3299668
Clearly.
Or perhaps just an unusually apt coincidence.
3299676 What a party pooper you are.
I'll watch you sleep tonight.
<(<¤>_<¤>)>
3299680
Oh my. Time to get out my trashbag window-shields.
(Turns and looks at dog) Number one, raise the shields.
3299686 You and I both knows that won't keep me and Lilith away.
3299687
<.< Oh god, she's on your side? >.>
Welp, I guess I got no chance then.
Also, dear author, I apologize about filling up your comments section with this pointless banter. Forgive me?
3299692 Eyyup, I mean Lilith, declining stalking someone and / or watching them sleep?
Don't be silly.
3299692
Since it started on topic and you weren't overshadowing anyone else, yeah, I think I can.
Most people think that necromancers are just insane, evil sorcerers, but their is something sad about them. It's a yearning for company that can talk back, but most people think them evil and shun them. So they have the next best thing: zombies. Anyway, great work!
3347873 True words my friend, true words.
I see foreshadowing here...
I absolutely love stories that involve ponies or other beings who prove that Dark is not Evil. So misunderstood more often than not that I just can't help but sympathize with their plight. This story is no exception - and Ivory's color palette reflects what I usually imagine when thinking up ideas for such scenarios, which helps me identify in some way.
This was good. You do a wonderful job of portraying your characters.
When was it mentioned that highway ponies were turning up dead?
When I first saw how short each chapter was for this fic I though it would be a bit of a letdown. Cliffhanger after cliffhanger. Luckily, I was proven wrong. Kuroi, you have a way with words that grabs the reader's attention and holds them to it, your representation of character is well versed, and inherent within the story, and for that I thank you. I bid you to keep on with this superb piece of work so as to improve upon yourself as a writer and to continue to enthrall your readers, as your audience will most assuredly grow.
P.S. Congratulations on your 120th like, I am happy to contribute.
3363682
Thanks for taking a chance with me and I'm glad you found it worth your time!
3347873>>3352583>>3360415
And thank you, everyone, for your kind words. I'm happy I could deliver.
3361870
See the dialogue in the paragraph previous to your quote.
Hm what kind of journey...
Hopefully she takes Ivory out to see the world with her, with no angry mob chasing them.
Adventure arc?
Sqweee
3421283
I second that sqweee.
AAAAAAAAAWWWWWW YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Seriously though, great chapter! Looking forward to Ivory and Dusky's quest against the bandits.
3421576
Thirded.
I've always believed that most subjects in science, medicine, magic or whatever are inherently neutral. Even if it seems dark or immoral, it can usually be used for some good purpose. That said, necromancy is harder to defend than eugenics. Not just the disrespect and desecration of bodies, but there's usually some implication of trapped souls, preventing spirits from reaching the afterlife, stuff like that.
It's substantially easier to defend in Equestria, though still damned difficult. Her Cutie Mark is for necromancy. She really doesn't have a choice.
3421816 fourthed
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.
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Oh wait
3423461
It still counts.
I'm really really confused.
3425471
Would you mind elaborating?
3425920 It felt like suddenly the main character was blaze, then not and back again, almost like you were playing Starcraft and just blindly skipping around the map.
The plot thickens
Keep up the great work
, I'll be patiently waiting for the next chapter. 