Race:Lich

Lich Characteristics

A Lich has the body it did in life (in most cases), although it has been decayed by time yet sustained by permanent necrotic magics. Liches are powerful Eldritch Spellcasters, almost always wizards, but a few sorcerers have been known to exist. They are lethally intelligent, wholly evil, and unparalleled in their understanding of Spell usage and all things Eldritch. They are immortal as well and have used their stolen gifts to continue their studies of magic for personal gain. Their bodies have become gaunt and skeletal, their eyes rotted out with decay, replaced by glowing points of dark red light that speak of a being who walks between worlds. Liches believe that they have a right to their unnatural existence, and sneak to snuff out any creature that would prevent them from continuing their work.

Culture

Other than a twisted outlook on mortality, a Lich retains most of the cultural traits it had in life. While most of these creatures become recluses once they gain Lichdom, preferring to spend their time mastering magic, some actually do remain active with the outside world. Usually this means that they set up their lair not too far from civilization so that they can gather resources (gold, stone, books, chemicals, people) to assist in their magical experiments. Very few Liches retain any sense of kindness or goodly instincts once they have become undead, if they had any to begin with. The process of creating a Phylactery steals away the last of their humanity upon its completion. The Phylactery itself is an object of extraordinary value and craftsmanship inscribed with powerful Eldritch writings, designed to store the life force of the Lich so it may remain indefinitely in between life and death. If the Phylactery is destroyed, then the Lich will forever cease to exist. If only the body of the monster is slain, then it will simply reform again by the Phylactery several days later, remembering everything that had occurred previously. Because of this vulnerability, the Lich will usually seek to protect this device as elaborately as possible, even going as far as to store it on alternate planes of existence.

History

The first Lich in recorded history was a Master of the Grand Arcane, an ancient order of wizards who sought to understand the magic that binds the universe. Seeking to reach ever higher than his colleagues, the man discovered a link between necrotic energies and the flowing essence of magic that would allow an undead creature to retain its knowledge. Figuring out how to store the mind of the individual came next. He had almost completed his research when he was confronted by other members of the Grand Arcane and banished from the order. Having lost access to the grand library and devices contained there, he was unable to perfect his research, but was forced to make the leap himself as he neared the end of his life. To almost all observation, it would appear he had succeeded. However, he was unable to keep his morality, a much more indefinable quality that, over time, eventually assaulted his sanity as well. He eventually disappeared into a plane of existence that none had ever previously believed existed, leaving behind the secrets of his discovery. Unsurprisingly, this knowledge was found by another generation of Wizards. Soon, despite all caution, this knowledge was secretly spread throughout the world to only the most ambitious and unscrupulous of Eldritch Spellcasters.