Flammifer
Well-Known Member
A fragment, perhaps student notes, on paper watermarked, ‘Necromancy Academy, Barad-Dur, Mordor’, recovered from the ruins, and translated after the war of the Ring, lists 3 ways to make a wraith.
“To make a wraith - start with a Target Mortal. Three known methods.
Warning, Danger!: Do not attempt these methods on Elves!
Warning: These methods do not work on Dwarves.
Note: Probably does not work with one of the Elven rings. Academy has been unable to verify. Does not work at all well with Dwarven rings (even when applied to Men, rather than Dwarves). If it had, the Nazgul Corps would number more than nine. Best use one of the Nine Rings, or the One. (Would experiments with lesser rings prove fruitful?)
This method, done with correct Ring, works invariably, if the Mortal manages to keep possession of the Ring for long enough. Process time varies, mainly dependent on how much the mortal wears Ring (as opposed to simply possesses it). Wraithification time for Men, normally less than 100 years.
Note: If wraithification Target is a Halfling, process time is likely to be greatly extended. At least in one case, 478 years of ring possession was not enough to complete the process.
The Ring of Power method confers instant physical transition into the wraith world. The Target, when wearing the Ring, is invisible to those in the normal world. But, although the Target can see things in wraith world, things in normal world are also still completely clear and visible. Spiritual transition into the wraith world takes much longer.
Advantages: Energy from the wraithifier is not a necessary ingredient in the process (though it may be required in order to achieve domination over the target, once wraithification has concluded).
Disadvantages: Lengthy process time. Extreme difficulty in finding a suitable and unused Ring.
Note: Design of ‘Morgul Blade Hilt’, and construction methods, is classified material. Apply to Academy for possible grant of further particulars.
If wraithifier is powerful enough to channel power through hilt and create a spirit blade, plunging spirit blade directly into heart of Target produces instant wraithification.
If heart missed (and repeated attempts not possible), great effort of will may enable a fraction of the spirit to remain in body of Target like a ‘shard’. Then, at some ongoing power drain from wraithifier, wraithification normally proceeds, with a process duration of days to weeks.
N.B., Wraithification by shard, proceeds in a different sequence than wraithification by ring. Shard works on spiritual first. Target’s perception of normal world fades, while wraith world grows clearer. Physical body of Target does not move into the wraith world / become invisible in normal world, until process nearly complete.
Advantages: Short cycle process duration.
Disadvantages: Requires wraithifier of considerable power. Considerable expenditure of that power. Considerable time and power invested in creation of Morgul Blade Hilt. Extremely close physical proximity to Target needed to initiate process.
Method legendarily involves sacrifice of Mortals in presence of Target, as key event in some form of ritual, probably accompanied by music or chanting.
Note: Further details have not been researched by the Academy. Possible thesis topic? Grant money?”
Now, student notes are hardly an authoritative source, and the difficulties of translation from the Black Speech into Westron (and thence into English) are well known. However, this fragment may give us some further insight into the poorly understood process of wraithification. Unfortunately, nothing has been found which might illuminate the Academy’s views on the purposes or the nature of wraiths, once created.
“To make a wraith - start with a Target Mortal. Three known methods.
Warning, Danger!: Do not attempt these methods on Elves!
Warning: These methods do not work on Dwarves.
- The Ring of Power Method:
Note: Probably does not work with one of the Elven rings. Academy has been unable to verify. Does not work at all well with Dwarven rings (even when applied to Men, rather than Dwarves). If it had, the Nazgul Corps would number more than nine. Best use one of the Nine Rings, or the One. (Would experiments with lesser rings prove fruitful?)
This method, done with correct Ring, works invariably, if the Mortal manages to keep possession of the Ring for long enough. Process time varies, mainly dependent on how much the mortal wears Ring (as opposed to simply possesses it). Wraithification time for Men, normally less than 100 years.
Note: If wraithification Target is a Halfling, process time is likely to be greatly extended. At least in one case, 478 years of ring possession was not enough to complete the process.
The Ring of Power method confers instant physical transition into the wraith world. The Target, when wearing the Ring, is invisible to those in the normal world. But, although the Target can see things in wraith world, things in normal world are also still completely clear and visible. Spiritual transition into the wraith world takes much longer.
Advantages: Energy from the wraithifier is not a necessary ingredient in the process (though it may be required in order to achieve domination over the target, once wraithification has concluded).
Disadvantages: Lengthy process time. Extreme difficulty in finding a suitable and unused Ring.
- The ‘Morgul Blade’ method:
Note: Design of ‘Morgul Blade Hilt’, and construction methods, is classified material. Apply to Academy for possible grant of further particulars.
If wraithifier is powerful enough to channel power through hilt and create a spirit blade, plunging spirit blade directly into heart of Target produces instant wraithification.
If heart missed (and repeated attempts not possible), great effort of will may enable a fraction of the spirit to remain in body of Target like a ‘shard’. Then, at some ongoing power drain from wraithifier, wraithification normally proceeds, with a process duration of days to weeks.
N.B., Wraithification by shard, proceeds in a different sequence than wraithification by ring. Shard works on spiritual first. Target’s perception of normal world fades, while wraith world grows clearer. Physical body of Target does not move into the wraith world / become invisible in normal world, until process nearly complete.
Advantages: Short cycle process duration.
Disadvantages: Requires wraithifier of considerable power. Considerable expenditure of that power. Considerable time and power invested in creation of Morgul Blade Hilt. Extremely close physical proximity to Target needed to initiate process.
- The Ritual Sacrifice Method:
Method legendarily involves sacrifice of Mortals in presence of Target, as key event in some form of ritual, probably accompanied by music or chanting.
Note: Further details have not been researched by the Academy. Possible thesis topic? Grant money?”
Now, student notes are hardly an authoritative source, and the difficulties of translation from the Black Speech into Westron (and thence into English) are well known. However, this fragment may give us some further insight into the poorly understood process of wraithification. Unfortunately, nothing has been found which might illuminate the Academy’s views on the purposes or the nature of wraiths, once created.