Benign or White Necromancy
A third and final category of necromancy embraces magic of a benign or
beneficial nature. White necromancy includes spells which restore and fortify the
living body or life force (such as delay death (WH), empathic wound transfer, bone growth, Spendelard’s chaser
(FOR), Nulathoe’s ninemen (FOR), and reincarnation) or derive their power from the caster’s own life force (such as spirit armor (TOM) or homunculus shield (TOM)) or can be used only to disable undead (such as hold undead and bind undead). Note, however, that spells that control undead are not considered white
necromancy!
Although white magic can be used to heal wounds and bone fractures, it is no
substitute for clerical healing. White necromancy derives its healing power from
a volunteer’s source of life energy (often the caster’s), as in empathic wound transfer. Clerical magic, in contrast, bestows healing through a combination of faith
and divine authority. Short of a wish (or for a brief duration, a limited wish), wizard spells cannot “create” new hit points—the Art usually shuttles life
force from a donor to recipient.
In contrast with black and gray necromancy, white magic has absolutely no
chance of attracting the attention of an evil god. No powers check is ever required
for casting a spell of white necromancy (except, perhaps, in Ravenloft).
Wizards of good alignment will thus employ white necromancy over those spells
with questionable moral implications. Of course, nothing prevents evil mages
from employing these spells as well, provided that doing so suits their own dark
purposes. During an emergency, when a wizard needs to heal allies (or him- or
herself) and no cleric is available, even the most dark-hearted necromancer will
resort to white magic.
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