I had a (I think) funny idea for a character concept: a young wizard adventurer from Geb whose parents raised them to someday complete their own conversion into "eternal life". Like so many kids, however, our subject has doubts about following in their parents' footsteps (both parents have since turned themselves into some kind of free-willed undead - probably liches?).
The only thing I haven't quite figured out yet is the mechanical details - if I go the Necromancer route, what kind of spell list would be good for someone who, frankly, isn't really into creating and commanding undead? Are there enough fear/cold/negative energy spells to make that work? If not, I was thinking that perhaps they were able to "fake" a specialization in necromancy while living at home, but actually studied something else. Any good specialization suggestions, in that case?
You can be a fine "White Necromancer" using only the fear and negative energy spells. You'll want to crank up your save DC and maybe take a few feats to help with firing rays, but you should do fine. Also, remember that you don't need to hyperspecialise. You only need to have one Necromancy spell a level to fill your specialty slot, and that is it. So don't feel restrained by your specialty.
Thank said, if you are looking at other schools, Divination is really great. Having to memorize one divination a level isn't awesome, but the school powers... oh, the school powers.
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I say go Illusion-- if this guy's been living a lie most of his life, it'd make perfect sense that he'd be all about magic that deceives people. Look for any Illusion spells you can find that might be useful for simulating the effects of Necromancy spells.
Now I'm just imagining this guy as your typical emo kid, only he dresses all in black and skulls because his parents picked out his clothes. This is too funny not to do.
Spectrekv, this topic is surprisingly well covered by non-Paizo stuff. Kobold Quarterly #19 has a White Necromancer class that's actually *good* (aligned and designed, IMO).
Zombie Sky Press has a Sacred Necromancer coming out in a while. One of the options for it sounds like it'd fit well.
Super Genius Game's Death Mage also would do the trick. The Reaper Mage and Shadow Mage would fit well. Plus, the author of this one is heartily recommended by SKR, for what that's worth.
Back to Paizo stuff:
The Life School for wizards would help out a bit, IMO. Just going through the first 4 levels of spells, you should be fine without having to animate dead.
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Illusion would probably be a good choice for a Gebbite non-necromancer. Many of the undead high society types of Geb like to think of themselves as sophisticated and cultured and all that, and someone able to glamour away the appearance of age or corruption of the flesh or create figment odors to mask the scent of decay or even generate false sensations of taste, touch, etc. to dazzle the senses of a ghoul or vampire who misses the strong taste of coffee or the subtle textures of wine, could be quite popular among that crowd.
The sensations of the living world would be recaptured for these dead hedonists, allowing them to experience pleasures that they otherwise would have to leave behind.
For undead who have cravings for blood and flesh, illusions that temporarily create the sensation of taste and texture, giving the impression of a full belly, might help a ghoul or vampire to push away the nagging endless hunger and focus on more cerebral or spiritual or political matters, and be a welcome reprieve from the downsides to their undead state.
Note that undead are immune to patterns and phantasms, so illusions of this sort would have to be figments, glamers or shadow magic.
Prestidigitation cantrips could perform just fine, for the weaker aspects, allowing a ghoul or vampire to consult with an apprentice to put off their hunger for an hour before an important meeting, so that they don't have to worry about the endless gnawing making them irritable and leading to a poor impression before an undead peer, perhaps one who doesn't suffer from such hungers (like a mummy or lich) and tends to find signs of hunger a 'mortal weakness' that reflects poorly on a peer.
Someone who remained in Geb and continued in this line of 'work' might end up developing or learning region-specific spells that create quasi-real meals out of shadow substance that stave off hunger (and end up being unhealthy for living creatures) and appear as whatever fantastic meal (including human flesh and blood) that the caster wishes, or long-lasting glamers that one can use on another to allow a ghoul matron to appear as she did in life for a few hours, long enough to attend a fancy diplomatic soiree with visitors from out of country.
As for the parents, a lich is kind of a big deal, let alone two of them. A parent earning a 'promotion' to ghoul would likely be much more commonplace, and lead to a child learning illusion magics to help dad or mom manage their hungers (also so as to help that parent not to flip out and eat their spouse and child, during a 'weak moment,' making it also a bit of a survival skill, when one is living with a parent or loved one prone to uncontrollable fits of eating people if not kept sated...) and recapture some of their mortal appearance.