Lich

Lich

Species	undead
No. Appearing	1
Behaviour	malevolent
Range	ruin
Size	6 ft. 1 in. tall
Weight	160 lbs.
Intelligence	18
Armour Class	0
Hit Dice	11+4
Action Points	5
Max. Stride	{{{stride}}}
THAC0	13
Hp/Die	d8
Attack Forms	touch
Damage	1–10
Special Attacks	fear, magic to hit, magic defenses, natural immunities, paralysation, possession, spellcasting

The lich, also "litch" or "lych", meaning a body or a corpse, is sometimes addressed as lichama, "the undead spirit using the body as a covering." The lich appears as a skeleton swathed in clothes that have rotted over time, with eyesockets that are black pools with glowing points of light, from which the undead soul looks outwards. They are often confused at first glance for a wight.

Due to its appearance and state of mind, a lich must usually retreat to some lost ruin, where it endeavours to surround itself with allies such as minor undead, criminals who fear the lich's power or other powerful evil beings willing to ally themselves. As the lich is a supra-genius, it realizes that having fodder to stand between it and its enemies allows it to best employ its magical attacks when needed. Though mad and dangerous, a lich is always guided by its self-interest; it will therefore engage with lesser beings in order to keep their support, until such time as it is needful to sacrifice these as fodder in moments of necessity. A lich expects to live for centuries; it does not care much about wealth, so it can afford to be generous; but it has no loyalty to any creature except itself.

Origin & Survival

The existence of a lich derives from the use of powerful and arcane magics, which allow a wizard of sufficient power to transfer their own mind into a magic jar, while yet retaining consciousness. From this place — and the jar is indeed well hidden, for once the wizard's consciousness is placed there, it cannot be moved again — the wizard is able to manipulate the body, and feel what the body feels, while remaining safe from harm; for if the body is killed, the wizard cannot be so long as the jar is not discovered and destroyed.

However, after the passing of a normal lifespan, the magic jarred entity loses all touch with humanity, becoming deranged and darkly malevolent. While it could exchange its mortal body for another, the new body must be brought into contact with the jarred entity. This is dangerous for the lich, and worse, demands a body that is strong enough to endure the lich's malignance, which can age a common young body to a corpse in a mere three years. Over time, then, while a lich may have exchanged bodies many times, it is usually in some state of being a cadaver, as it awaits its next victim.

If it should happen that anyone touches the jar, perhaps intending to destroy it, the lich will be able to drop its present form at once in order to possess this new at-hand victim. This process takes place in the same way as demonic possession. If the creature to be possessed makes save against paralysation, the lich cannot revert to the body it has just abandoned — which leaves the lich helpless, as it cannot cast spells without a body.

Naturally, the lich will take every step to put as many obstacles as possible between its jar and others. The physical presence of the lich, when encountered, may be thousands of miles from its true jarred consciousness; there is no limit as to where the body might go — except that it, too, must be preserved, or else the jar may wait for years, decades or centuries to be stumbled upon by a new victim, before the lich can live again.

Advantages

The lich's unnatural aura is terrifying. If, in the presence of these creatures, the lich chooses to throw off its hood and reveal its full madness and appearance, creatures that have less than 5 hit dice or levels will flee in fear. There is no saving throw for this. The fear will be all-consuming, so that those affected will take flight until they collapse. Afterwards, it will take 20-80 minutes for them to recover from this fear.

Creatures with less than 6 hit dice or levels will be unable to affect the lich with magical attacks. This includes monsters who possess these magics naturally. The lich's undead nature defends it against those who are unable to cast magic well enough.

Paralysation Spellcasting

Magic to hit; Immunities; armour class

See Bestiary