LCD A Will Eternal

I'm picky, matter of taste. What's your thought about "celestial necromancer" then?

 

My first thought upon hearing Hei Dawu talk about the Terrestrial, Celestial, Earthly, and Heavenly ranks was it's a reference to Man, Stars, Earth, and Heaven. None of your ideas preserve that relation.

 

The Terrestrial/Celestial and Earthly/Heavenly duality could be replace by something else, then there will be no need to keep terrestrial. We're talking about a ranking strata for necromancers. Celestial and heavenly are the furthest I could think of when it comes to necromancers.

 

In Chinese culture (gleaned from other stories), the Earth and Heaven are always at the top. And this is translation, not localization. The reference matters.

 

They are use as duality terms, like yin and yang and can be replace for something more fitting for necromancers rankings. It's like creating a ranking for the underworld and using holly and divine for it. It's an aberration.

 

No, they are not duality terms. They are cultural. It's not that simple.

 

You don't seem to understand the duality in chinese culture. Heaven and earth, there's no heaven without earth and no earth without heaven. Chinese coins reference this duality, a round coin (heaven) which encompass a square (earth). Yin and yang (taijitu symbol), young and old, man and the divine, etc.

 

That depends on context. You're twisting this particular context to something replaceable, when it's not.

 

If there was only one example, then it would be hard to tell, but there's two: Terrestrial/Celestial (man/divine) and Earthly/Heavenly (Earth/Heaven), those are common duality in chinese novels. Like Good vs Evil, which in wuxia are often represented by putting the orthodox sects against the evil sects (heterodox).

 

You're picking and choosing. They're not split. They're one group. Man, Earth, Heaven

 

They are not split but are inspired from chinese duality and used to differentiate the ranking strata. Terrestrial < Celestial < Earthly < Heavenly. Among these four, the only term fitting the necromancer class is "Earthly".

 

Enough. You're picking and choosing to fit your proposed renaming. You made your point, I made mine. Let's agree to disagree.

 

I hope you know you can walk out of a discussion at any given time if you feel you have nothing else to add. No one is forcing you. And yes, let's agree to disagree, I already state it long before, it's a matter of taste.

 

Terrestrial, Celestial, and Heavenly don't fit with the term 'necromancer'. This is because it usually refers to someone who raises the dead to create zombies and whatnot. However, this is a translation and thus it is not the same 'necromancer' we know. As such, the Terrestrial, Celestial, and Heavenly terms fit the meaning of the original Chinese version. As such, I think that if anything should be changed, it should be the term 'necromancer'. So, anybody got any ideas for a English equivalent of a being that deals with souls and enslavement? I nominate Enchanter. Enchanters are normally associated with charm/mind spells and it would fit nicely with the fact that the 'necromancers' are vital to spirit enchantments. Plus, Celestial Enchanter, Terrestrial Enchanter, Earthly Enchanter, and Heavenly Enchanter has a ring to it.

 

The necromancers are controlling millions of dead spirits, so it feels on point to me. Skeletons are more traditional, but ghouls still fit

 

Yeah, I actually prefer necromancers. I got chills when they first appeared during battle. The only more terrifying being to face in battle would be a lich, which is basically a necromancer king.

 

I think it's a similar situation we have with "mo" which are often translated into demons or devils because there's no real equivalent in western culture and the closest are these two. But I believe the use of necromancer kind of belong here because it draw similarities with the western concept. In the novel, the necromancers control souls which comes from the Underworld River.

I look into it and enchanter seems to be a good alternative because of the art of "spirit enhancement" they do in the novel like you said. Also an enchanter is a mob control type of class in fantasy, and in A Will Eternal the necromancers do control a large group of vengeful souls. The necromancers in the novel also provide "soul medicine and soul vitality", where in western fantasy an enchanter provide a wide array of spell (including the Clarity aka 'crack' due to many caster class players becoming 'hooked' on the increased mana regeneration that this spell provides and constantly seek enchanters to cast it on them, often offering generous amounts of in-game currency. Source -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EverQuest#Crowd_control_/_utility)

 

Is he at nascent yet?

 

Nope, another comment here said he will be, if I remember correctly,

Spoiler

in about two months

 

Why does Bai Xiaochun say he has to go for the heaven Dao nascent soul? I’m withholding chapters until he reaches nascent soul but I’m curious as to why