Necromancy question...

[BigMrE]

Here's an odd question (but I'm planning on it for my next DFRPG session), does the necromancer(s) who are controlling the re-animated corpses have to be the one(s) supplying "the drum beat", or could it be a mortal accomplice?

[THE_ANGRY_GAMER]

It can be an accomplice: remember in DB, Butters provided the drumbeat for Sue when Harry was technically the 'Necromancer'. Corpsetaker uses Li Xian, Grevane uses the subwoofer - it actually seems to be the norm for an accomplice to provide the drumbeat.

[Arcane]

Assuming you could keep it from being hexed, would a drum machine do?

[BigMrE]

It can be an accomplice: remember in DB, Butters provided the drumbeat for Sue when Harry was technically the 'Necromancer'. Corpsetaker uses Li Xian, Grevane uses the subwoofer - it actually seems to be the norm for an accomplice to provide the drumbeat.

***Beats own head against wall***

And to think, I'm even listening to Dead Beat right now, and didn't even notice that...and they say the 3rd times the charm...

Thank you for your response (even though I now feel like a total idiot, but that's not your fault!).

[Sanctaphrax]

I think a drum machine could work.

(In fact, I vaguely recall something in YS about using rap CDs.)

I'd prefer a real drummer, though, because a machine is hexable and not capable of Performance maneuvers.

[Locnil]

I read a fan fic once tht had the zombies beating the drums themselves (With the necromancer beating them first to get things rolling). Do you think that could work?

[GryMor]

I read a fan fic once tht had the zombies beating the drums themselves (With the necromancer beating them first to get things rolling). Do you think that could work?

If you have some way of delaying the beat, yes, otherwise I expect their timing to go off relatively quickly as there is no 'prompt'. May I suggest a mechanical crank operated drum with a pair of alternating drop hammers?

[Chrono]

I imagine a machine drum beat or a zombie self-drumming is usually too easy to dispell if necromancers are fighting each other. But then again, if any low sound beat works, then maybe thinking outside the box wins the battle.

[Taran]

I once had a factory where, in the basement, the sound from the machinery on the floor above made a rhythmic thumping noise.  The necromancer used that as his drum.  It took a while for the PC's to figure it out and it was super hard to hex.  Of course, it only worked in the basement  and you couldn't take your zombies out of that lower level but it was basically a trap for the PC's so it didn't matter.

[Ricky]

I read a fan fic once tht had the zombies beating the drums themselves (With the necromancer beating them first to get things rolling). Do you think that could work?

I just got this image in my head of a bunch of zombies in polka suites like Butters that automatically have a drum beat as they marched into battle.