Death Magic as a Power

Sometimes your dark mage is a necromancer, and sometimes he just likes playing around with death. In either case, he needs the power of death magic. This is perhaps the most combat oriented power imaginable -- the only thing you cause with it is death.

Many of the principles of death magic are found in pyromancy as a power. In particular, the notes about alternate attacks and alternate abilities are useful. Its also worth considering having the parries from one effect the other. Its also corrupting. I can't give you a full rundown on the rules but suggestions are found in necromancy as a power.

All abilities use multiplicative modifiers, which I recommend when using powers extensively.

The Power:

Death magic follows the rules of other magic powers in a given campaign, and receives a -10% for that. In particular, healing magic works quite well against it, and esoteric medicine may only work against it. Its also corrupting, for another -20%. Its total power modifier is given here as -30%.

In some settings, death magic can be included with necromancy to form a single power. This is doable, but it should be remembered that the abilities have different flavors, and are related thematically, not really mechanically.  Make your decision and then stick with it.

Rule of 16 and Extra Effort

This power makes extensive use of malediction -- which relies on a quick contest between the attacker and the target. When using this, be sure to make use of the rule of 16 (Basic, pg 349). Its critical in giving high powered opponents a fair chance. Its particularly important if you don't want PC's with access to death magic to walk all over the opposition. There is a perk called the rule of 17. This perk is appropriate for the very best of death mages in a setting, not the rank and file. Or perhaps its a secret technique hoarded by those who know it.

Optionally, Death Mages can expend extra effort to 'beef up' their maledictions. They may spend 1 FP or ER to give a +1 to a malediction (but only a +1). This +1 ignores the rule of 16. The target may spend a point of FP to get his own +1 to the opposed check. This rule generally favors death mages and other wizards.

Abilities:

Abilities will be formatted as below:
Ability Name (Controlling skill): build of ability [cost] 
Description of ability

Afflictions

Some times a death mage wishes to kill. Sometime a death mage wishes to save their foe for more lingering punishment. All of these attacks are either delivered by touch or are maledictions. This is intentional. These abilities are the most mystic of death magic, and cannot be packaged up and thrown at a random foe. The designation Acolyte specifies that these abilities are for novices.

Dropping down to Malediction 1 is possible but actually does very little to effect the ability's cost. Extending the duration on paralysis and agony is often desirable. This should usually be done using a power stunt (Based on Thaumatology, of course). These abilities should not be used with malediction 3, even with power stunts.

Several of the attacks require skin contact. Clothing will protect. Most of the time those abilities are best used through subterfuge -- which is not to deny their power. The battlefield abilities are much more practical, but they still have the problem of range.

Kill (Death Malediction): Affliction( Malediction 2 +150%,  Heart Attack +300%, death magic-30%) [39]
The most direct attack possible, Kill attempts to simply end a life. Recovery relies on mystical help, not mundane: esoteric medicine or the healing advantage are good candidates -- though occultism at a nasty penalty (-6?) might suffice if you have a generous GM. Death mages aspire to this act as the pinnacle of their art. How common they succeed varies by setting, but the ability is frightening in every case.
Paralysis (Death Malediction): Affliction ( Malediction 2 +150%, Paralysis+150%,death magic-30%) [28]
Agony (Death Malediction): Affliction ( Malediction 2 +150%, agony +100%, variable +5%,death magic-30%) [25]
A classic of any Dark Lord, the effect of agony is as powerful socially as it is in combat. The variable enhancement allows moderate, severe, or terrible pain to be selected instead of agony.
Acolytes' Agony (Handle Death): Affliction (Melee C -30%, Contact Agent-30%, variable +5%, agony +100%, death magic -30%) [4]
See Agony. 
Acolytes' Paralysis (Handle Death):  Affliction (Melee C -30%, Contact Agent-30%, paralysis +150%, death magic -30%) [5]
Acolytes' Kill (Handle Death): Affliction (Melee C -30%, Contact Agent-30%, Heart Attack +300%, death magic -30%) [8]
Not nearly as potent as killing with a thought, killing with a touch to the skin is a basic skill for any who wishes to call himself a master of death.
Battlefield Agony (Handle Death): Affliction (Melee C -30%,  variable +5%, agony +100%, death magic -30%) [8]
See Agony. 
Battlefield  Paralysis (Handle Death):  Affliction (Melee C -30%,  paralysis +150%, death magic -30%) [10]
Battlefield  Kill (Handle Death): Affliction (Melee C -30%,  Heart Attack +300%, death magic -30%) [16]

Innate Attacks

Rip Life  (Death Malediction): 2d toxic ( Malediction 2 +150%, death magic-30%) [14]
For those death mages without the raw power to rip a soul out of its body whole sale. This ability is often raised in power for [7] per additional die. There is little point in raising in past 5d, as Death Malediction is pretty much better at that point. GM's should allow players who wish to put these points directly towards kill to do so, as long as they buy rip life as an alternative ability at the level they previously had it.
Death Bolt (Projectile): 3d tox( death magic-30%) [9]
Death Cloud (Projectile): 1d tox (Area Effect 16 yards +200%, 10 sec full exposure -20%, Contact Agent +150% , Persistent +40%, 5 minute duration +60%, Death magic -30%) [11] 
Handle Death (Handle Death) 3d tox ( melee 1-4 -15%,  not parried by physical weapons +25%, multi-attack +10%, death magic -30%) [11]
This is the death mages ability to work with manifested death. It is most notable for its ability to stop incoming magical attacks. Handle Death can even interfere with attacks an the mage's grimy soul. While the attack doesn't provide the mage with an active defense, the extreme range means he can attack while constantly retreating, and the situation cuts both ways: melee fighters can't block the incoming attacks. This ability is usually only changed by adjusting damage up or down. If adjusted to 2d or less, blocking attacks based on  15 points or more fails on a 2 in 6 chance, unless blocking only part of the attack.
Hanging Death (Handle Death) 5d tox (Contact Agent -30%, No signature+10%, Melee C -30%, Resistible HT-2 -20%, Delay(trigger) +50% Death magic -30%) [8]
Death touch is caused by the mage touching a victim and leaving some of his deadly power behind. Triggering the attack is caused by an act of will: the mage rolls vs Thaumatology (Death Magic) at the standard range penalty. A failure has no effect. A success triggers the death touch. The HT roll is rolled at the time of triggering, not at the time of touching. This ability is normally used as part of cloak and dagger exchanges, rather than on the battlefield

Energy Drain

Actually using the energy they take from other is a skill that many, but not all death mages learn. While leeching generally requires a grapple attack, Many death mages rely on paralysis or agony instead, disabling their foes before taking their life away. Energy Drain should be considered an alternate ability, not an alternate attack.

This list is partial, and mentioned mostly because in many settings, this is an appropriate power. While it can be tempting to go hog-wild with all of the possible combinations of leech, remember that leech is actually a pretty simple ability. Most of them look like taking the energy of someone else and giving it to yourself. Stealing Youth is included because that looks quite different.

In G:Powers, Steal youth is a much more powerful trait. Here, its presented as being equivalent to half of stealing HP? Why? because many campaigns don't have aging as a meaningful trait. In many cases, its just fluff. And when it isn't, it best appears as 'immunity to aging'. Which this trait costs more than. This trait lets you kill someone in a new and creative way, as well as granting immunity to aging if you do some specific things. So Steal Youth is only +50% and steal youth only is -50%.

Steal Youth (Grappling Skill) Leech (Contact Agent -30%, Death Magic -30%, Steal Youth only*  -50%) [5]
Steal Energy (Grappling Skill) Leech (Heals ER only -20%, Contact Agent -30%, Death Magic -30%,) [5]
Complete Life Drain (Grappling Skill) Leech (Heals ER+60%, Steals Youth* +50%, Rapid healing +25%, Contact Agent -30%, Death Magic -30%)[38]

Skills:

Death Malediction IQ/H
Death Malediction attacks the life of a target directly, with only a tangential connection to the physical world. The most powerful death magic generally involves this skill. Attacks by death malediction can be resisted with will or Thaumatology (Death magic), or it stopped cold by defenses capable of blocking magic (such as handle death). A failed active defense gives a -2 to the opposed roll, as the target was paying more attention to physically blocking the attack than to mentally blocking it.
Projectile DX/E
The full name is Innate Attack (Projectile).  
Handle Death DX/E
Handle Death is properly an alternative version of brawling. Its used to control the powers of death at close range. It is also used to deliver touch attacks that do not require a grapple.
Thaumatology (Death Magic) IQ/H
a specialty of Thaumatology, Its can be used to pull off power stunts. Its also used as a general 'theory' skill about death magic.

Wrap Up

Death Magic notably didn't cover spirit summoning or becoming a Lich. That's intentional. This essentially a combat system, and many of the fluffier aspects have been intentionally left out. This is not to say that they can't be part of the death magic power, but to say I'm not as comfortable dictating a solid build. At least not here. More will come!

I should mention the role that Battle for Wesnoth had in inspiring this power. Its a fairly simple setting as far as powers and races go, yet manages to achieve a 'less is more' feel by using them again and again.

This power was pretty much made to duel with Pyromancy, and is quite similar in how it is laid out, but flavored for darker, more 'villainous' characters. I hope you enjoy using this power!