Necromantic Gear

In the middle of a swamp, in Überwald, lies Dave, the Most Horrid and Foul Necromancer, whose classy looking gear would be the dream of every wizard (specially Midnighters or Shadows) if ir weren't for its tremendous weight, which makes it totally unpractical, bearing in mind the usual strength that wizards count on.

Nevertheless, as stated, his equipment is quite impressive. It consists of 5 magical pieces, or talismans: staff, boots, greaves, helmet and (gasp!) corslet.

>

look staff
This dark, black staff has been fashioned out of iron and has been heated until the surface is pitted and cracked. A large human skull with ram's horns has been fixed to its top as some sort of grisly knob. Along its length silvery runes race along its surface in a pattern undiscernible to the eye.
Octarine light pulses around it like an evil heartbeat.
It is in excellent condition.

>

look boots
This is a pair of sleek black leather boots that reach to knee height. They are laced in the front and are made of very thick leather. Along the front of them are a few plates of bone which appear fang-like in nature. Several silvery runes seem to flutter along the length of the bone.
Octarine light pulses around it like an evil heartbeat.
It has the hazy octarine sparkle of a magical talisman.
It is in excellent condition.

>

look greaves
This pair of greaves could only have been made by magic. They are constructed from bone and have series of serrated ridges that run along their length. The bone itself seems to flow around the wearer as if it is growing from their own flesh. Several runes seem to be moving along the greaves like living quicksilver.
Octarine light pulses around it like an evil heartbeat.
It has the hazy octarine sparkle of a magical talisman.
It is in excellent condition.

>
l helmet
This is a helmet that has been crafted by magic out of bone. It is a solid construction of bone that has a series of fang-like protrusions running in ridges up to the top. A iron band made to look almost like a crown wraps around the brow and ends underneath a pair of black ram's horns that curl down along the sides of the head. Runes flow along the length of the helmet and look as if they were made of quicksilver.
Octarine light pulses around it like an evil heartbeat.
It has the hazy octarine sparkle of a magical talisman.
It is in excellent condition.

>

l corslet
This is a ornate construction that could only have been made by magic. The armour is made out of a solid piece of worn ivory bone which wraps around its wearer to protect them fully. Interlocking bone plates flow down the arms and end in ornate gauntlets with a series of small fang-like spikes radiating upwards to the forearm. Many bone plates hang from the main breastplate and backplate forming tassets to protect the waist and thighs. The breast and back are both fully covered in a solid sheet of dark ivory bone. Spikes of various shape and size flow down the shoulders and the back like a porcupine. The spikes also flow down the front of the armour where they circle a dark black gem. A gorget reminiscent of a shoulder blade wraps rather uncomfortably around the neck and connects to the shoulder coverings. All along the thick ivory silvery runes seem to move up and down its length like living quicksilver.
Octarine light pulses around it like an evil heartbeat.
It has the hazy octarine sparkle of a magical talisman.
It is in excellent condition.

For practical reasons, the only thing of use might really be the staff, at least in a remote future when some of the incoveniences of these (like the fact that staff harnesses occupy a dexterity malus slot when worn with backpacks) are removed or (ha, ha!) the fabled staves with knobs reappear. It is a powerful polearm weapon, damn heavy and extremely cool for octograving. Nevertheless, the only use I can gather for it now (and for the rest of the gear) is as a showy outfit for one of the feasts/balls/parties that take place in the City...

Grisald's Reanimated Guardian

What's it called? Grisald's Reanimated Guardian (in short, GRG)

What does it do? One of the top level defensive spells, Grisald's Reanimated Guardian allows you to reanimate a corpse and turn it into an additional and creepy bodyguard: a skeleton warrior. The skeleton will protect you until it is killed (again...) or you lose mental control of it (something that tends to happen after some time. Sekiri mentions around 45 minutes at best).
As such, this spell looks extremely useful, being one more level of protection to the usual magical defenses (floating shield, trollskin, TPA...). Its main inconvenient is that the skeleton warrior sucks the experience you get (in the past, up to half of it. It is said that today, only around 10%). It is also quite a rotten fighter, and will only come to your aid when your shields are down or hits pass through them.
As to the skeleton's stength, it is variable, and dependant on the caster's skills. Per description, the warriors can be 'slightly fierce', 'fierce' and 'very fierce'. Even in the best of cases, its hitpoints won't surpass the 2000 range, so it will be good to shield it. Also, it will automatically equip (when resurrected) the weapons it has on it (which gives the possibility of depositing weapons and armour over the corpse, better then the original).

Where is it? As the Necromancer's top spell, it is only appropiate that it should lurk inside the Body Parts for the Advanced Student grimoire, at Unseen University.

What does it require? A corpse. A human one. It is destroyed in miscasts.

What skills do I need? Summoning, Binding, Animating, Healing

Has it worked? A correct output should read something like this:

You prepare to cast Grisald's Reanimated Guardian on the corpse of a xxx.
You kneel and summon life force from hidden places.
You make magical equivalents of the long-gone muscles and ligaments of the skeleton, binding them onto the bare bones.
You attempt to magically reanimate the dead bones.
You attempt to repair the worst damage to the body.
The skeleton groans, stirs and rises.
The skeleton warrior equips a military cape, a short sword scabbard, a long sword, a mail coif, a pair of metal clad boots, a mail skirt, a mail shirt and a large metal shield.
The skeleton warrior moves to defend you.
You mentally take control of the skeleton.

Notes: A 'look' at the skeleton warrior, should you be so bold, offers the following description:

A walking corpse. Bits look like they're about to fall off, or already have. It looks slightly out-of-touch with the world, and very fierce.
It is in good shape.

Help Information:

Skeleton Guard ----- Discworld spell help ----- Skeleton Guard

Grisald's Reanimated Guardian - Create a skeleton guardian.

Grisald's Reanimated Guardian is a first order defensive spell that reanimates a corpse to protect the caster.

Inspiration

High, aristocratic windows cast an air of arrogance over the silk upholstered walls of the hallway. The crystal candelabra mounted on the walls between the windows try vainly to outmatch the paned haughtiness. The polished ebony floorboards glow in proud contempt. Soothing tapestries of bold blue silk hang on either side of the spartan doorway in the north wall, giving this part of the hallway a very serious feel to it.

There are three obvious exits: north, east and west.
A Sung family guard and a pretty geisha are standing here.
>
draw brush
You draw the enamelled calligraphy brush from the red lacquer brush case into your left hand.
>
get book from pit
Su Su the Sung family peacock arrives from the west.
You get an open cheap flimsy chapbook from a pocket in Bottomless Pit.
>
rip page from book
You rip a page from the open cheap flimsy chapbook.
>
look su su

Strutting around in obvious grandeur is a beautiful specimen of a male peacock. The Sung family keeps Su Su, as he is called, in the best feed and the best care. The Lady Sung regards her pet with love and devotion and would be very disappointed if anything happened to him. The bird however, probably cares less. Su Su, while a beautiful bird, has that obvious look of birdy disdain.

He is in good shape.
He is standing.
> The pretty geisha flutters her eyelashes.

You exclaim in Agatean: nice birdie!
>
pat su
You pat Su Su the Sung family peacock on the head.
> A passenger junk drifts lazily across Pearl River outside the window.
The Sung family guard leaves west.
> Su Su the Sung family peacock makes soft clucking sounds.
write with brush on paper in agatean
You start writing on the sheet of cheap writing paper with the enamelled calligraphy brush.

You finish writing on the sheet of cheap writing paper.
>
sign paper with brush
You sign the sheet of cheap writing paper with the enamelled calligraphy brush.
>
read paper
You read the sheet of cheap writing paper:
Written in messy gleaming silver ink calligraphy in Agatean:
Drinking is good
but not in excess.
Procure moderation.
Written in cursive gleaming silver ink is the authentic and attested signature of Winswand in Agatean:
Master Winswand

> A Sung family guard arrives from the west.
A young geisha arrives from the north.

You say in Agatean: umm... quite a bad haiku. And doesn't match the syllables either...
>
shrug
You shrug.

Order Rings - The Last Order

Very appropiately, the last ring we talk about is the Last Order's one. I haven't been able to find my missing collection, but I was quite lucky in a brief visit to Sadel Noctus, and found him selling the Vortex Ring I need to post here.
So here it goes. Enjoy a brief look at what people-killing warlocks like to wear!

>look vortex ring

A steel ring, grey as the knife-blade, has been used as a base for this ominous design. Around it have been woven silver and gold wires, creating a lattice through which the enclosed steel can barely be made out. A flat disc of octiron has been fastened to the top of the ring, and a single star ruby protrudes from its centre. Spokes of diamond dust stretch from ruby to rim, and between each pair of spokes lies a bone-white letter.
Written in octarine fire: "Finis"
It appears to have something written on it.
It is in excellent condition.

>read vortex ring

You read the vortex ring:
The Last Order

Gryntard’s Feathery Reliever

What's it called? Gryntard’s Feathery Reliever (in short, GFR)

What does it do? As the name implies, the spell is a 'weight reliever'. It will make items you carry lighter and easier to carry, reducing your burden. As for the amount of weight, it seems to be dependant on skills, and at a maximum, would reduce the item to a quarter of its original heavyness.
This 'weight watcher' has interest as wizards tend to have problems with burdens (due to medium to low strength), but I personally would find it too much of a nuisance to continually keep reducing the weight of a weapon or armour I'm wearing.
The spell can be cast repeatedly, and that presumably makes the duration last longer. It is also important to note that it only reduces the weight of an item, not of the things that item may carry inside (so a cast on a backpack full of components isn't going to make much of a difference). For more information about the spell, take a look at Sekiri's site, who did some research on it long time ago.

Where is it? It flutters and floats in the Invoakatyons in thee Mysterie of Wynd grimoire, at the Unseen University Library, very near the entrance.

What does it require? A silver necklace and a feather (this last item is consumed, methinks. I'll have to check it tomorrow).

What skills do I need? Summoning, Air, Binding, Channeling

Has it worked? A correct output should be something like this:

You prepare to cast Gryntard's Feathery Reliever on xxx (heavy item).
You tickle xxx with the feather.
You call upon the powers of air.
You wrap the silver necklace quickly around the air spirit, chaining it to xxx.
You force the essence of the feather into xxx.
xxx seems a bit lighter than before.

Help Information:

Gryntard's Feathery Reliever - make an item lighter.

Gryntard's Feathery Reliever is a miscellaneous type spell that will reduce the weight of an item you are carrying.

Order Rings - The Circles

Strange... I can't seem to find the box in which I had all 8 order rings. I'll have to check in all my vaults for it, but I imagine it might have got lost somewhere...
Only two to go. Luckily, I have a deluded ring of my own order to check and describe here for you.

>look sectioned ring

This golden ring has a setting that has been divided into four equal sections. Each segment has been covered by a slice of highly polished precious stone, symbolising four elements of Discworld: ruby for fire, sapphire for water, diamond for air, and tiger's eye for earth. At the joining point of the four wedges, an inverted cone of octiron rises, topped by a flashing Ankh stone: the fifth element, surprise.
Etched in lines of glowing octarine: "Circulus Inruptus"
It appears to have something written on it.
It is in excellent condition.

>read ring

You read the sectioned ring:
The Ancient and Truly Original Sages of the Unbroken Circle

Sixth Leveller!

So... after having left Winswand in a meditative orb of crystal anti-matter to rest and reassure himself after some nasty encounters and sad spell-loss, I return to the Discworld to find out that I've actually climbed two steps upwards in the ladder of (order) being: Winswand is now a level six wizard!

Master Winswand of the Ancient and Truly Original Sages of the Unbroken Circle, the Sixth Level Wizard, Archmage of Ymitury, Sagely Lotus of House Sung, Wielder of Klangs

So... time to polish the arch-sceptre and buy the corresponding sash, I guess. Still much work to do, though. There are 5 disc spells to master yet (even though 2 of those 5 would require little effort), some more metal-disk floating to improve (I still have to resign myself with the large wooden pieces I buy in the Ramtops) and some more mindspace to create with special magic skills (which also, incidentally, would allow me to visit a certain very exclusive bar at the top of Unseen University). And we're talking about the magic branch alone...

Right now, I am going to do some pottery work at the State. Teapots have been mastered of late, and I am making very pretty pieces (the Sung vases go slower, albeit the progress is certainly perceptible...), but I have yet to expertly coat them with the best of kitsune fox patterns in two colours. Before going, I leave you the bronze plaque with our order's current order:

Senior Wizard:
Emilius

Seventh Level Wizards:
Copernicus
Elanor

Sixth Level Wizards:
Emilius
Gildor
Heritics
Winswand

Fifth Level Wizards:
Archimedes, Basai, Cilandros, Drake, Herk, Pazuzu, Pharm, Virith