Lich
The following are examples of possible level milestones for the Lich:
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• Discover ancient and dark arcane knowledge.
• Consume the soul of an exceptionally powerful spellcaster.
• Build a monument to your power to serve as a giant arcane focus.
• Create an army of undead.
• Kill a Seraph
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These are few events that staff will consider during the decision to progress your transformation.
The screams of souls torn from their bodies echo over the
electric crackling of forbidden magic. A skeletal form rapidly
stitches flesh and muscle to its frame, creating a seemingly
living man – a man from an age and kingdom long gone.
A man who has conquered death and risen again to enact
his insidious will from millennia ago. The screams stop and
are replaced with murmurs, as the corpses of the fallen arise
as undead.
An ancient figure slowly turns the pages of a decrepit
tome possessing forbidden cosmic knowledge. Tracing a
bony finger over the inscription, the figure turns its head,
revealing a gaunt, deathly face. “I do not receive company
often,” it rasps, slowly locking eyes with a broad-shouldered
warrior. The warrior makes no movement or gestures, save for his eyes, which dart rapidly around the room in search of an escape. “Oh, do not struggle. It will be over soon.” The deathly figure continues, raising itself up from a crouch. The very fabric of the room appears to warp and shudder with the figure’s power and authority.
A Lich is to the arcane what a king is to their Kingdom: undisputed, absolute power. Resting upon a throne of raw, world-rending spellcasting potential, a Lich comes as close to a God as any mortal could imagine. However, this aweinspiring power comes at a dear price. Immune to the effects of age but not time, a Lich is destined to exist without living for eternity. While this drives some Liches mad and others evil, it makes them all physically decrepit and feeble. Time itself takes their body from them until they are reduced to a skeletal head, passively watching the world pass them by.
​​Stage 1 Flaw - Phylactery
You have successfully torn your soul from your body and trapped it in a suitable object. The object must be a trinket or item no larger than 1 square foot in size. This item becomes your phylactery.
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Phylactery. A phylactery is an enchanted vessel containing a Lich’s soul. Additionally, a phylactery is a conduit for the Lich to feed on captured souls.
(Scripted Item under Development)
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Should your phylactery be broken you are -dead-
Should you be defeated but your phylactery remains intact, you must wait 7 days to return to roleplay as this character as it take time to recover and regenerate.
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Stage 2 Flaw - Untethered from Life​
Your life force is weaker than other creatures. When you would regain Hit Points, you regain half as many Hit Points as normal. A normal healer cannot help you. You must fine a spiritual Rift and draw from it.
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Stage 3 Flaw - Hideous Appearance
​Your appearance has grotesquely transformed. Your skin has become rotten and pale, while your figure has become gaunt and hunched, radiating a ghastly aura. You can suppress this form and present the appearance of the humanoid you once were, however this is taxing and requires concentration. Moments of stress are likely to reveal your true nature.
In the following situations your true form is revealed:
• Concentrating on a spell.
• Gaining the unconscious condition.
• Entering hallowed ground.
• Choosing to reveal yourself​​​​​​
Becoming an Lich
Across the Multiverse there are many ways to become a Lich, each determining the type of Lich the mortal becomes. However, within Etharis there is only one type of Lich, as there is only one known method of ascending to Lichdom: The Ritual of Dread. The process of this ritual is a well-guarded secret, entrusted to only a handful of mortals at any one time. The process of the ritual involves several despicable acts including murder, the brewing of a vile concoction, and even one’s own death. However, it is the process of tearing one’s soul from the body that is most despised, for this process involves the sacrifice of something truly dear to a mortal, and no substitute will be accepted. For some, it is the death of a cherished loved one. For others it is a family legacy. Regardless of the sacrifice, unless the Dreadscape spirits deem it worthy, Lichdom will not be granted.