Dreadbinder

In abandoned towers and forgotten graveyards, the dying arts of a less civilised age still linger. While the elusive Resurrectionists specialise in the art of recovering lost souls to return them to life, and Thanotic Sorcerers have mastered the veil of death, Dreadbinders eschew such methods, instead puppeteering the fallen in a twisted facsimile of life. Widely feared and distrusted, their dark arts find few allies, for the price they pay is grim indeed - but for some, the call of power outweighs any toll.

History & Culture

While the manipulation of life and death energies has manifested in myriad ways across Pannotia's long history, few forms of necromancy carry a reputation so dark as that of Dreadbinding. Its origins trace back to the tumultuous early 800s, through the figure of Wiktoria Różycka. An infamous necromancer steeped into local myth and folklore, Wiktoria's influence would become a shadow upon the east of Ortim, a tale stretching across generations.

Though many details are lost to time, Wiktoria and her consort Nadzieja are believed to have been a necromancer and healer respectively, cast out from their village over disputes long forgotten. In vengeance, Wiktoria unleashed her mastery over the simpler forms of undeath, raising small hordes of mindless husks to plague their valley. But Wiktoria grew dissatisfied with their limitations. They were pitifully weak, their sole saving grace in sheer numbers.

Seeking a more potent servant, the duo delved into forbidden research, twisting the principles of their respective magics into a terrible new art. This work, their great breakthrough, held a method to create a necromantic construct of power enough to rival even the most veteran warriors. But such an innovation came at a terrible cost: the caster had to invest a fragment of their own self, their very animating force, to bind the composite monstrosity together and grant it a semblance of purpose.

These new creations, far more formidable than any husk, they named Revenants. With this new weapon they carved out a domain for themselves, reigning over the valley and its towns for centuries as silent warlords, taking tithes and quashing resistance. Their territory became a shrouded realm, scarce travelled by outsiders, for the rustling of dry leaves and the snapping of twigs ever carried the threat of their undying patrols, and it would remain so for three and a half centuries more.

But power over the dead could not guarantee true immortality. Eventually, Wiktoria Różycka was cut down by a struggle from within - one of her own apprentices betrayed her, caught attempting to steal her personal grimoire and all the power within. The coveted secret to her unnatural vitality died with her, a final mystery taken to the grave. However, her most enduring contribution to the dark arts, the principles of Dreadbinding laid out in her treatise, proved far harder to extinguish. Copies of her work carried by surviving apprentices, hidden by opportunistic cultists, or rediscovered in forgotten ruins, ensured that the knowledge of creating Revenants would continue to surface and plague the world long after its originator returned, at last, to dust.

The cornerstone of Dreadbinding, and the technique that truly sets it apart from common necromancy, lies in the creation of an esoteric, highly complex glyph representing a core piece of their psyche. This glyph is not a universal constant but a deeply personal sigil, developed by the Dreadbinder through a series of sacrificial rituals and wholly unique to each person. This potent glyph must then be inscribed or worked into a physical object of symbolic importance to the prospective Dreadbinder - a family heirloom, the skull of a loved one, a necromantic focus gifted from master to apprentice, the like. This empowered object becomes a ‘runic heart,’ the anchor point and conduit for the Revenant's existence.

The runic heart, charged with the Dreadbinder's personal glyph, acts as a conduit. More than just animating the Revenant with ambient potentia, it holds a shard of the Dreadbinder's own essence, linked to its creator. This forms a perilous symbiotic link - the Revenant's continued existence is directly fueled by their creator’s vitality, and in turn their creator cannot stray far from their new vessel. While this allows for surprising acuity and bestows unnatural resilience upon the creation, it also represents a constant, draining cost tethering the Dreadbinder's fate inextricably to that of their monstrous servant. Pushing the Revenant too hard or having it suffer too much damage can directly weaken or even kill their master, though if they survive its destruction, the runic heart will always find its way back to them.

No two Revenants are truly alike, their forms dictated by the materials available, the specific purpose intended by their creator, and the Dreadbinder's own sense of aesthetic. They are invariably patchworks of the dead, for no single corpse is enough to create such a monstrosity - some might be hulking brutes stitched together from muscular torsos and limbs, others gaunt skeletal figures wreathed in ethereal flame, and some might even be encased in bespoke armour designed to inspire awe or terror. They can be clumsy abominations or possess a chilling grace, but regardless of their specific construction they are always unmistakably creatures born of death, animated by forbidden power and bearing the indelible mark of their master.

Dreadbinding is a near-universally reviled practice, with the gravebound land of Skarna taking perhaps the greatest ire with what they see as a crass and twisted mockery of their own arts. Those engaging in Dreadbinding should take great care with presentation, as the sight of a Revenant made even from technically-legal animal parts can easily draw a great deal of anger, whether or not one is fortunate enough to be in one of the very few places that theoretically permit such abominations even to exist. This risk does not turn away everyone however, and in the underbelly of most cities, at least a few Dreadbinders can be found plying their grim trade.

Curiously, while most cultures and peoples despise - or at best, severely distrust - practitioners of Dreadbinding, thinking Undead tend to have a more nuanced relationship with the craft. Skilled Dreadbinders among the dead even graft new parts onto themselves, though this act is seen as repugnant at best by those outside their craft. Wights who know of Dreadbinding are often quick to make their opinions known, whatever they may be, and Dreadbinders infamously tend to treat Wights as little more than walking spare parts in turn.

Notable People & Places

Wiktoria Różycka - The creator of Dreadbinding, Wiktoria is one of the most infamous necromancers outside of Skarna, and yet, her origin is a mystery. Of the few villages that still stand in the Black Mire, all reject any part in her history. Her past rule over the valley is undeniable; the scars left by centuries of vile magics run deep, and even today, some of her husk soldiers are claimed to wander the deepest reaches. Cruel and vindictive, she held sway from a long-abandoned fort in the heart of the Mire, hoarding tithes and raising the fallen into her service.

Nadzieja Różycka - Though often overshadowed by Wiktoria, without Nadzieja’s contributions Dreadbinding would never have come to exist. It is well-documented that she was trained in the healing arts of the Viridisians, but what caused her to abandon their mission of aid has long since been forgotten. What is well-recorded in the original treatise is her role in the creation of their craft: it was Nadzieja's designs that led to the creation of the runic heart and its terrible, insatiable hunger - and she who trained their first apprentices in doing the same. Whatever extended her partner's life, however, she never partook of it, and died only a few short decades into their petty reign.

The Black Mire - A sprawling valley in southeastern Ortim, the Mire would be little more than a stretch of cold bogland dotted with scant villages were it not for the scars of its past. Few locals welcome outsiders, not least for the fact that as many as not come seeking Wiktoria's secrets, dredging up a history they are forever struggling to leave behind. Even locals do not tread the deepest reaches, lest they find some grasping hand pulling them into the bog.

Andrzej Migdał - The last of Wiktoria's apprentices, Andrzej would ultimately lead to their downfall. He was denied time and again the secret to her prolonged life, and so at last he made an attempt to steal her personal grimoire, which she forever kept on her person. His fingers were not as light as he believed, however, and so ensued a scuffle that would see Wiktoria meet an inglorious end. Andrzej's body was never found, but if he survived, he kept a low profile indeed.

Spells

Revenant Rules

• Revenants have stats equal to the Dreadbinder’s Mystic stat, can only move up to 2 blocks each combat turn, take their turn immediately after the Dreadbinder, and can be targeted like any other ally or enemy. If the Dreadbinder is defeated, they go inert, taking no further action.
• While the Revenant is in combat, the Dreadbinder cannot use skills from any talent outside of Dreadbinding or Lich, and is unable to take attack actions or go more than 20 blocks from the Revenant.
• Dreadbinders can only have a single Revenant at a time.
• When a Revenant is destroyed in combat, the Dreadbinder’s max HP is immediately reduced to 1, as the runic heart disappears and takes their vitality with it. After 24 hours the heart finds its way back to them, restoring their max HP and allowing them to create a new Revenant.
• The Dreadbinder may take a full action to remove the runic heart from their Revenant. This destroys the Revenant, but does not reduce their max HP.
• Creating a new Revenant takes an extensive ritual channeling the power of the runic heart. While not required, this is strongly encouraged to be carried out in-roleplay.
• Revenants may be acted out by another player or an alt account for convenience, so long as they remain within 20 blocks of their Dreadbinder. However, they are not entire characters of their own; they embody a single aspect of their creator's psyche, and their entire existence is consumed by this aspect. They do not need to be acted out this way, though their presence must still be communicated.

Tier One Spells

Name	Description	Cooldown/Cost	Action Type
Undying March	The Dreadbinder has learned to inscribe the initial glyphs of their runic heart, and may create a Revenant to fight for them. The Revenant stands up to 6’6” tall, has 20 HP, and deals 1d8 damage on a successful hit. If the Dreadbinder is a Wight, they may also use the heart’s power to graft new body parts onto their person, either to replace existing ones or to add new features altogether. This does not grant any mechanical benefit, and is purely aesthetic alteration.	N/A	Passive
Vitae Bond	The caster can draw some of their own vitality through the runic heart, granting it to an ally. This costs 4 HP, but heals the ally for 4 HP in turn.	No cooldown	Action
Dead Weight	The caster can lash out with necrotic energies, momentarily siphoning the stamina from a foe. This immediately cancels an enemy’s movement.	Three turns	Reaction

Tier Two Spells

Name	Description	Cooldown/Cost	Action Type
Grave’s Grasp	The caster has grown the complexity of their runic heart, creating a stronger servant. The Revenant can use Grave’s Grasp, lashing out to pull an enemy within emote range up to 5 blocks toward itself. Additionally, the Revenant can reach heights of up to 7’6”, and is increased to 25 HP and 1d10 damage on a hit.	Once per Combat	Free action
Ravenous Strike	The caster can briefly bind an ally's weapon to the runic heart, marking it with dread runes. If their next attack hits, it deals an extra 5 damage, and an ally may be healed for 3HP.	Once per Combat	Action
Runic Aegis	The runic heart projects a permanent defensive ward around the Dreadbinder. So long as the Revenant is present, ranged attacks made against the Dreadbinder will instead target the Revenant, magically redirected in midair.	N/A	Passive

Tier Three Spells

Name	Description	Cooldown/Cost	Action Type
Reaper’s Toll	The caster has perfected their runic heart, and it can hold together horrors of immense power. The Revenant gains the use of Reaper’s Toll, swinging its weapon in an arc before it. This swing deals its regular attack damage plus an additional 1d6 to each target, and can hit up to 3 enemies within 3 blocks, making an attack roll to hit for each one. Additionally, the Revenant can reach heights of up to 8’6”, and is increased to 30 HP, dealing 1d12 damage on hit.	Once per Combat	Action
Enervating Pall	The Dreadbinder’s runic heart acts as a siphon, sapping the vitality of all foes nearby. All enemy rolls within a 5x5 block area centered on the Revenant suffer a -2 penalty to their outcome.	N/A	Passive
Eternal Vigil	A master of necromancy, at this level the caster can near-effortlessly raise and command soulless husks. The Dreadbinder always has a pair of weak husks around them - made either from people or medium-large animal skeletons - which can each take a single hit for their dark master. The first two attacks or abilities used against the Dreadbinder will automatically miss, as a husk takes the hit for them and subsequently expires. No roll is needed, as the intercepting husk is slain automatically, even by non-damaging abilities. Furthermore, while individually too weak to be a threat, these primitive undead can be raised in prodigious quantities wherever corpses abound. This can be used for the raising of large numbers in progressions under the right circumstances, and may be usable at DM discretion during staff-run events.	N/A	Passive

Trivia

• Where the runic heart goes between a Revenant's destruction and its mysterious return is another secret to have died with Wiktoria. Some scholars of such dark arts claim it to traverse the Middle realm, possessing a piece of the Dreadbinder’s soul and thus being alive in its own right, but this remains a most tenuous conjecture.
• Over the centuries, a few isolated communities and families have founded internal traditions around Dreadbinding. To these rare few, it is not a dishonourable art, but a matter of great import. Revenants are created with the bones of ancestors sealed in ceremonial armour, forever protecting their descendants.
• The runic heart lacks the controlled, measured storage of the tech-foci that later developed from the Viridisians’ arts. Its thirst for vitae can never be slaked, and every Dreadbinder can feel it siphoning from them. Some ease their burden with sacrifices, letting it drink of the offering. Others bear it alone.
• Wights who practice the craft often see their body as just another puppet, modifying and adjusting it as they please. This has led to an especially grisly reputation.

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Accreditation
Writers Bimberi Processors Vegemiite, TheHegemonCaller	Last Editor Bimberi on 03/27/2026.

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