School of the Soulkeeper

While the school of Necromancy explores the cosmic forces of life, death, and undeath, the School of the Soulkeeper moulds those forces into new life. Soulkeepers are on a dark path learning to treat the spiritual and physical planes as one. Wizards on the Path of the Soulkeeper control more powerful, or more numerous undead servants, and shape the essence of the souls around them, living or dead, into powerful spells.

While not inherently evil, the Path of the Soulkeeper is a grim path that is frowned upon by all but black magicians. At your DMs discretion you may be treated as a monster and your minions feared, revered, or even hunted.

Necromancy Savant

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a Necromancy spell into your spellbook is halved.

Grim Powers

At 2nd level, your grim powers start to form a pool of energy (Grim Power ). Your Grim Power pool is equal to your Wizard level. It can be used cast a necromancy spell without consuming a spell slot as listed below.

1st - 2

2nd - 5

3rd - 10

Rite of Flesh

At 6th level you may perform the Rite of Flesh upon any corpse at the cost of: the corpse, one hour of your time, and a reduction of your maximum Grim Power equal to twice the corpses CR while the corpse is enthralled. Minions gained this way have their initial stats and do not have a time limit (the ritual does not need to be recast) however they may not rest to regain HP or expended spell slots. Undead are stiffened by onset decay and as such are reduced to half of their dexterity, but can still move at their original speed. Additionally: their charisma, intelligence, and wisdom cannot exceed their masters.

The Rite of Flesh is a grim ritual passed on to Soulkeepers from spirits beyond the wall of death or passed down to an apprentice once their mind is strong enough. Surrounding a corpse in the proper sigils can thin the veil enough to allow a spirit that has made a pact with a Soulkeeper through. The corpse becomes the souls new vessel as it is once again given flesh, the conditions, of course, are servitude to their necromantic master. This ritual may require brandings, engravings, or sigils to be placed upon the corpse and is generally a lengthy process in order to meet the conditions of the specific spirit being dealt with.

Rite of Possession

Starting at 10th level you can perform the Rite of Possession. The Rite of Possession takes one hour of time to perform and allows a spirit to enter a living creature. The host creature must have an INT score of 8 or higher and be willing to undergo the ritual. Additionally upon reaching the 10th level, you allow a spirit from beyond the wall of death to enter, and augment your mind and body. Being a spiritual vessel for prolonged periods of time is a great burden, taking its toll on ones mind and body. It does come with benefits however, granting the vessel powers most mortals can only dream of.  Choose one of the Necromantic Burdens listed, you may not reverse this choice, you gain the associated Necromantic Boon. 

Make sure to talk this over with your DM as it may have certain implications for your character, additionally some burdens may not be allowed in your setting.

Cursed Ancestral Spirit

Your Necromantic Burden is the soul of a cursed ancestor. Carrying them means carrying their curse, however curses always come with a boon. Every time you attempt to rest you must pass a constitution save or the biting cold and incessant nibbling in your flesh makes you restless, failed saves on short rests make it so you don't rest. A failed save on a long rest turns it into a short rest. You can now summon a spiritual artifact in the shape of the artifact that your ancestor possessed. Add the spiritual artifact spell to your spellbook. You can cast spiritual artifact at any time at the cost of 2 Grim Power instead of a spell slot.

Dark Passenger

Your Necrotic Burden is a dark passenger, the kind that takes pleasure in the suffering of the living. They may be a criminal, murderer, warlord, or even the soul of a legendary monster, whatever they were, their burden is an extreme mental toil. Any time you take damage roll 1d6, you and your attacker both take this damage directly to your health. Twice a day, when you kill something you may heal 3d6 damage, but only if a fellow party member takes it in your stead.

Spirit Guide

You gain a spirit guide in the form of a spirit animal of your choice. It functions the same as a familiar but has cannot be damaged, it can be dispelled with a counterspell or dispel magic spell. You gain advantage on investigation checks and survival checks to track a target, but become weak to radiant damage.

Spirit of Vengeance

Your Necromantic Burden is to contain the burning rage of a revenant. Anger clouds your judgement but hardens your flesh and resolve. You are immune to being charmed and frightened, and your constitution is increased by 2 (up to a maximum of 20) but you cannot cast non melee-spell-attack spells on a target you can currently hit with some variety of melee attack. You are not required to move into melee range, this only applies when you're already in a position in which you can make a melee attack.

You also take on your revenant's Target of Vengeance (decided by your DM). You always know which direction your target is and seeing your target causes you to fly into a vengeful anger. In combat with your target you must spend your movement moving towards them unless doing so will harm you directly. If it is possible to attack your target you must.

Grim Sacrifice

Life and death can be exchanged with equivalence, starting at 14th level you can sacrifice a Grim Minion to cast a supercharged spell. Your minions final act before their pact is finished is as a conduit, consuming the rest of their life force and refunding the maximum Grim Power they were animated by. As a reaction when a Grim Minion that you can see dies you can cast a spell equal to their half their CR (rounded up) using their corpse to fuel all spell slot and material requirements.