Liches are undead spellcasters who have gone to great lengths to artificially extend their lives. By binding their soul to an object known as a phylactery, they remain nearly immortal so long as it survives. While a lich's physical form may be destroyed, unless it's phylactery meets a similar fate, the lich will be able to create a new body.
Shards of Orn version 4.0 Information
Negative Effects:
- Body -2
- Critted by Prime
- Vulnerable to Weakness
Beneficial Abilities and Effects:
- Dispel
- Magic "3 Hits"
- Blight Attunement
- Luck 3
- Arcane Evacuation
Becoming a Lich
For several reasons, the process of becoming a lich is one of the least documented in Orn: the ritual itself is indisputably within the realm of the dark arts, the reagents required are exotic, and in most cases unique, and the ritual is inherently dangerous. Many wizards spend their lives studying lichdom from an academic interest, few pursue it wholeheartedly; fewer still uncover the secrets of the ritual. Even then, after a lifetime of dedicated study, perilous acquisition, and precise preparations, there is no known way to completely ensure its success.
There are three reagents required to even attempt the ritual for lichdom. The first, and only well known, is a black fruit. However, abundance of knowledge is not ease of access - many practitioners of the dark arts would readily kill for a single black fruit, most not even to attempt lichdom, but for use as an incredibly potent necromantic reagent. While even the smallest trace of black fruit has been known to lead to the death and reanimation of an entire village, its preparation as a reagent for lichdom precludes its use for anything else; it must be whole, intact, and unspoiled.
The second reagent is an object of the utmost craftmanship, the would be lich's phylactery. Many who pursue lichdom will descend into poverty, parting with all they can possibly do without, in order to create their phylactery. What connection exists between a phylactery and the success of the ritual is a topic of debate among scholars, however it's importance is agreed upon. Once the phylactery is created, the caster must write their true name in their own blood and seal it within. While most think of fiends and other powerful beings from outside the mortal realm when they think of true names, all creatures have a true name. Much like a true name may be used to summon and command a specific fiend, it may be used to bind the caster's soul to the phylactery.
The final reagent is the least documented and most difficult of all, because it is never the same. The final reagent required for lichdom is an object which uniquely resonates with the caster's own soul. While there are ways to divine insight as to this object, there are few that guarantee success; the objects are as varied as the stars in the aether. The few verified accounts known to scholars have indicated objects as abundant as "eggs" (specifically the eggs of the Inuhōō of Vostour), "a lock of hair" (from a red headed second-born son), to "a dragon's eye" (specifically the dragon Aigaerun, Lord of the Black, who lived within the Shadelands during the Age of Wonders).
Costuming for Lich Characters
Liches must carry an obviously ornate or valuable item on their person, representing their phylactery. A phylactery may take many forms, but is always of the highest craftmanship.
The Phylactery
In preparation for lichdom, a player must procure a Trinket to serve as their phylactery. In addition to the normal cost of the Trinket, the player must expend an amount of Gold equal to their Resurrection cost to ensure the phylactery is of the utmost craftmanship (see "Fate" for more details).
If a lich dies, they may choose to sacrifice the phylactery, destroying it in the process, in order to Resurrect themselves. This works like the Resurrect narrative ability except the ritual is instantaneous, cannot be interrupted, and costs nothing (aside from the loss of the phylactery). A lich loses access to Phylactery and Master of Fate until they replace their phylactery.
If a lich is subject to Competitive Fate, the competitor may attempt to damage the phylactery. They must name the object they believe to be the phylactery; if correct, the phylactery loses all properties for the remainder of the event. If damaged again, destroy the phylactery. A damaged phylactery may not be used to Resurrect the lich.