[Mithlas]

Nethermancers were character classes in Earthdawn, and so yes, necromancy is possible in the SR universe.

Of course, with those two IPs being separate now, what was in earthdawn is no longer guaranteed to be a part of Shadowrun. I don't believe there's been anything in Shadowrun that touches on necromancy any closer than the use of ghost spirit testimony alluded to in Sixth World Almanac and the possession traditions already mentioned.

Personally I would lean towards the subtlety and conniving possession spirits - there's just so much interesting plot and conflict potential there, just trying to convert some of D&D's methods of "death is inconvenient, I ignore it and thereby reduce the importance of death" could end up sending things the wrong way. I'd leave that aside and stick with mentioned Shadowrun material.

[Grinder]

And as always, remember the mantra of the Sixth World, should you ever try to perform true necromancy.  "Everything has a price."

That's not the mantra of the Sixth World, is just a half-assed added tagline of Shadowrun, 5th Edition.

[Crimsondude]

Nethermancers were character classes in Earthdawn, and so yes, necromancy is possible in the SR universe.

Of course, with those two IPs being separate now, what was in earthdawn is no longer guaranteed to be a part of Shadowrun. I don't believe there's been anything in Shadowrun that touches on necromancy any closer than the use of ghost spirit testimony alluded to in Sixth World Almanac and the possession traditions already mentioned.

Personally I would lean towards the subtlety and conniving possession spirits - there's just so much interesting plot and conflict potential there, just trying to convert some of D&D's methods of "death is inconvenient, I ignore it and thereby reduce the importance of death" could end up sending things the wrong way. I'd leave that aside and stick with mentioned Shadowrun material.

I've never played D&D, so I wouldn't know nor do I care about that game's magic system. That said, I have no problem acknowledging whatever was possible or performed from earlier versions of Earthdawn. And given how hard that connection was played up in the mid to late 90s, I am virtually certain that there are references beyond ghost testimony.

[Demon_Bob]

In Shadows of North America it mentions that in New Orleans the voodoo houngans were in an after the C.A.S. put out an open bounty on magicians who animate the dead.
It does not mention if any actual dead were ever animated, about any living being put into a death like trance, or if it anyone high on drugs was doing a zombie shuffle,

[Crimsondude]

That originally comes from Year of the Comet. It was in response to panic about the shedim.

[RulezLawyerZ]

Long long ago, some gaming magazine did a whole article about Voodoo in Shadowrun (maybe back in the 2E days?) which included "voodoo zombies" (as opposed to "nuclear zombies" or "virus zombies" or what not). Basically a specialized summoning requiring a prepared vessel, which was eventually folded into the paradigm, more or less, with "possession" traditions.

That said, there is a long standing tradition of one-shot, basically unique "WTF?!" in Shadowrun fluff, things that can only come about with a liberal application of plotdevicium. Even in adventures, come to think of it. And of course, even if it's not actually possible, a little stage magic can convince your players that it is.

[Crimsondude]

It may have been the New Orleans setting info for a Katrina relief bundle DriveThruRPG did a decade ago. White Wolf also did a New Orleans or Voodoo article like 20 years ago. Both by Steve Kenson, as I recall.

He created the first Voodoo rules for SR in Awakenings, and wrote up New Orleans in Target: Smuggler Havens. Voodoo became the fifth magical tradition with its own ruleset (Hermetic, Shamans, Druids, Path of the Wheel, and then Voodoo; German Idol-worshipping was quasi-independent). Given how much different it was from Hermetics and Shamans, it deserved the lengthy fluff and rules chapters it got in Awakenings.

Thanks to SR4 and UMT, they're all pretty much the same. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[RulezLawyerZ]

White Wolf also did a New Orleans or Voodoo article like 20 years ago.

That's the one. I think I still have it around somewhere...

[Crimsondude]

The Voodoo rules would be the same as from Awakenings.

[RulezLawyerZ]

Thread Necromancy is easy enough. 

And again, but for a good reason. Street Magic mentions "the Path of the Dead" on p139; just a couple of paragraphs, but I think it's the most recent treatment of necromancy in Shadowrun. It is however, basically what ... Reaver? said in the second post in this thread.

[Mirikon]

The Path of the Dead is not resurrection. Necromancy can easily be debuffs and the like, as well as using either an Animate spell on some corpses, or having possession spirits using them as a vessel. And sure, they may say they're looking into 'spark of life' and such, but there's no actual bringing a person back from the dead.

[Reaver]

The Path of the Dead is not resurrection. Necromancy can easily be debuffs and the like, as well as using either an Animate spell on some corpses, or having possession spirits using them as a vessel. And sure, they may say they're looking into 'spark of life' and such, but there's no actual bringing a person back from the dead.

Well..... not the person that died anyway... (Ibn izia, remember?)

[Mirikon]

The Path of the Dead is not resurrection. Necromancy can easily be debuffs and the like, as well as using either an Animate spell on some corpses, or having possession spirits using them as a vessel. And sure, they may say they're looking into 'spark of life' and such, but there's no actual bringing a person back from the dead.

Well..... not the person that died anyway... (Ibn izia, remember?)

Yeah, that was a master Shedim. Shedim are a whole different bag of nasty, and part of the reason that anyone goes around calling themselves a 'necromancer' is usually going to find themselves in trouble.

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

"Ey!!  Eye iz not edding nobuddy!!"
"He said TROUBLE, Mungo."
"Bud I tought I was Trouble ..."
"... I got nothin'.  Guys, a little help, here??"

[Sendaz]

You know the rules..

you put the idea/word in Mungo's head, you have to put up with it until he changes his mind or gets distracted.