Lich
From BelegarthWiki
Deathrisen who have dedicated their existence to the preservation of undead knowledge and survival. The only way to truly destroy a Lich is to destroy their Phylactery. Through years of studying the ancient tomes of the dead and drinking from the Chalice of Hod himself these deathrisen Scholars and archeologist keep their life force going by feeding shadows to their phylactral basin. These Deathrisen Spellcasters have become something far more powerful than the average deathrisen book keeper something not seen since the Age of Keepers. These Deathrisen have ascended to a state in which being slain by normal means will not cause their soul to return to the void. Not only doesn't it stop the process of Deathrisen's inevitable permanent decay, this state of Deathrisen ascension causes the soul to return to a Phylactery. The Body will then disappear into a cloud of bone dust and ash, but will slowly recover next to their Phylactery restored to their previous condition as if no fight had taken place.
In the days of old, it used to be that any monster or human could become a Lich through resurrection by The Dark Elders. But after the intervention of Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor that means of ascension has become nigh impossible. In the new Era it appears that only those who have already gone through the process of Deathrisen ascension are the only beings Hod will allow access to this ancient lineage. Due to this Elder Tsa'ath thought it necessary that the ancient tomes be copied and spread out so that Hod himself could choose new Liches of his own. The Original Tome remained on the hands of the Draugr who had discovered the fist it within the undead realm of the Sea of the Damned. the others were spread out across the remaining 8 undead realms currently in search of their rightful owners. Thus far only one other owner has been found. One more copy may have been recently been discovered but it's authenticity remains to be seen.
If you have heard the whisper of the Dark Elders, it's possible you too may have been chosen. However this is just the beginning of your quest. Liches are not born, they are made. Becoming a Lich is not a path for those seeking glory on the battlefield. Liches are Deathrisen scholars, here to preserve the history of our kind and expand our ever growing culture. The title of Lich does not grant you kingly rights Deathrisen. The Liches are our honored sages who will see to it that our history is never again that forgotten. For it is believed the spirits of the dead can only truly die when their legacy remains unspoken or unseen.
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Lore
In the early days of our history, Maug'Aarr'Uend and many other living beings like him seeked immortality by separating their souls from their body and housing it in casings known as phylactery. While most knowledge of how this was done had been lost after the destruction of the Temple of Thuul, many deathrisen followers of Hod have seeked to attain this knowledge for themselves in hopes of prolonging their existence and transcending beyond the state of the average Deathrisen. Over time various studies have proven that any deathrisen from the traditional Wight to the rare Flesh Golem can transcend to a Lich. So long as Hod has blessed them with the knowledge and power to separate the spirit from the body and bind it to a Phylactery.
The first findings of necromyc study were penned a millennia before the modern age. At that point in time it was merely a documentation of what was found in a simple alcove in one of the mountain ranges that make up The Matron's Maw. Within this alcove were the Halls of Crynnd. A sacred grounds where the tribes within the Maw would bury their dead. However the Halls also had a deep connection to the multiverse, as traversing their halls seemed to take you anywhere. For this reason it became the perfect place for the Dark Elders to begin their first Necromyc studies.
The first time anyone had actually decided to put these writings on paper it was a set of scrolls intended to be a written copy of the information discovered within the cavernous tunnels of the Halls of Crynnd. These scrolls are date back before the Undead War. Some even being written by the disembodied Hand of Tsulluun. However by the time Maug'Aarr'Uend and other remaining Dark Elders had passed the Scrolls onto their own students, the scrolls had tripled the content of what they had initially believed could be found within the Halls. Due to this, it's unknown how many of these scrolls actually survived the destruction of the Temple of Thuul.
Unfortunately at some point before the temples destruction some of these scrolls had begun falling into the hands of other followers of Hod outside the Hobben race. Sadly this meant that throughout the millennia some of these owners felt the need to change, remove or even replace information within the scrolls outright, likely considering preserving the information already permanently carved into The Halls redundant, outdated or simply ill fitting to their needs. This meant that by the time of Ackryrak’kel-Ashe-takesh's actual defeat and the destruction of the destruction of the Temple of Thuul most of what the original scrolls content had already been changed or lost to time. Among its text being the keys to Lichdom, ascension to a Deminoulogus state and an what was believed to be an in-depth description of what is required for Hod to eventually bring about the End Of Days. While many attempts have been made to salvage this lost knowledge, very few had yielded consistent results until a millennia later during The Age of Strident Shifts.
This process of the scrolls passing from owner to owner continued for centuries until for the first time it finally fell into the hands of Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor a simple Ba'al 'Krynn spellcaster seeking to prolong his own existence and possibly even become something more than a common Deathrisen servant hoping desperately to find the answers to Maug'Aarr'Uend's knowledge of the Phylacteral Basin construction before his otherwise inevitable return to the void. In the long time the scrolls were in his possession he didn't just add his own knowledge to them, he used his advanced skills to attach the scrolls to a magical binding. It had a leather cover made from a human face and was decorated with the bones of a demon. It was written in various types of blood and officially dubbed *TO BE DECIDED*. It had (at least for those who cannot read the Deathrisen alphabet) unintelligible symbols on the cover, and any pages added to the book would also be magically translated to these same symbols. The book was then sealed with an enchanted metal lock and key casing that could only be opened by other Deathrisen Necromancers specifically "chosen" by Hod in hopes that this newfound lineage of necromyc study would not end with him. Although he was unsuccessful at ascending to a Deminoulogus state like Maug'Aarr'Uend, the legacy of Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor would pave the way for future generations of Deathrisen. It's possible that he may have been the last living Ba'al 'Krynn before the eradication of their undead strain in the current day. His spirit is rumored to have only appeared once since then, possibly speaking through the book itself.
Throughout the centuries the book would continue transferring from owner to owner. Just like before, future owners would make their own additions to the books and they often did so without regard for its increasingly patchwork appearance, intending only to add whatever new findings their neckromyc studies yielded. However this time the magic bindings of the book would force its owners to preserve whatever history and knowledge was written before. In hopes that if the original findings within the Halls of Crynnd were to be rediscovered they would never be lost again.
The book doesn't just seem to have developed a mind of its own, so much as it seems to have a direct physical link with the Deathrisen race and Hod himself. The only being capable of removing information from the book is believed to be Hod himself. The symbiotic nature of Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor's spell causes any false information written within the book to be magically erased shortly after being penned. Another notable side effect of the spell being that because Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor's ultimate goal of finding a worthy successor and uniting his fellow deathrisen remained unfinished, It caused the book to periodically disappear and reappear in strange places throughout the remainder of history. The theory being that Hod himself had then been using it to bring about a golden age of Necromyc advancement by handing it from owner to owner until this ancient lineage should rise again.
During The Age of Plagues, the book would fall into the hands of the Necromyc Acolytes of Bhogg'Murr group of seafaring monsters hoping to use their combined races teachings of the afterlife and these ancient texts to find the secrets to undeath. They were successful and themselves created a new breed of Deathrisen known as the Draugr. This led to many similar necromyc studies spreading far across the land and seas. At some point it would also fall into the hands of a curious Alchemist attempting to test the necromyc effects of these same dark energies on cobbled together pieces of dead flesh, would rediscover a necromyc direction of alchemy that would result in the birth of what we now know as Flesh Golems. After which it's said that the book had fallen into the hands of Atlanean royalty, seeking to use its contents to reverse engineer a secret to immortality. Through unknown means after the destruction of Atlantis The Book had found itself adrift at sea and eventually washed up on the haunted shores of The Sea of the Damned.
Studies like this continued for centuries and because of this many of the pages within the book are made from different materials, penned by different authors and written in separate languages. The book had become a mix match of various writings reaching far beyond the compendium of the Hobben knowledge where it began. The book had become somewhat of a scientific journal rather than the writings of a long forgotten faith. This however worked to the favor of Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor's ultimate goal. For in time the book went from a mere broken down collection of random discoveries and began slowly turning into a cohesive and diverse look into the ever expanding compendium of necromyc history through the eons.
During the Age of Strident Shifts the book finally came into the possession of it's last owner an ambitious Draugr named Jak Calavera while on a voyage through the Sea of the Damned. The book was found on a haunted island said to be the same island where the the Necromyc Acolytes of Bhogg'Murr had discovered it centuries ago. Using it and the combined knowledge of the few remaining deathrisen scholars he knew, they had finally rediscovered Maug'Aarr'Uend's recipe for a potion that separates the spirit from the body, and directions on constructing a proper phylactery. However he knew that in order to truly follow in the footsteps of the great Demi-Liches before him, he had to expand his knowledge of undeath far beyond his own. He didn't want to be a Draugr in Liches robes. He knew it meant slowly but surely uniting his fellow deathrisen and rediscovering the lost knowledge of the Halls of Crynnd like the book's own creator intended.
it was at this point that The Dark Elder Gorgas-Dat'amar-Tsa'ath had gotten into contact with the Draugr in person and informed Jak that there were others seeking to bring about a new undead uprising. He then told the Draugr "All is as it should be. Time, our endless shoal. It is said that legends are not simply made but often have simple beginnings. The Halls of Crynnd are no different. For they were once but simple empty alcove on the face of a vast mountain range."
With that Tsa'ath had set the stage for a new lineage of Lichdom, this time housed exclusively among the members of the deathrisen race. Intending for a revolving council of 9 Liches to preserve the history and study of each Necromyc Direction and Undead Realm. Just as the Dark Elders before them. So it was decided that the book would be split into 9 perfect copies. One remaining on the hands of the Draugr the other 8 were spread out across the remaining undead realms currently in search of their rightful owners.
This far only one other owner has been found. An Atlanean survivor by the name of Geezer.
Lich Heirarchy
Necromancers
acolytes the Liches, all liches started off as humble Necromancers. These Liches in training lack a phylactry to preserve their mind and body from perishing in combat, but do have a growing understanding of the way of Hod. And have even been recognized by other Deathrisen and by Hod himself as a worthy new member of this ancient lost lineage.
Known Necromancers:
Vander Fenmarl
- Known as: Squire Vander Fenmarl
- Creator of:
- Original Race:
- Deathrisen Class:
- Risen By:
- Status: active
- Lore:
- Known as:
- Creator of:
- Original Race: Dwarf
- Deathrisen Class: Draugr
- Risen By:
- Status: Active
- Lore:
Liches
Deathrisen who have dedicated their existence to the preservation of undead knowledge and survival. The only way to truly destroy a Lich is to destroy their Phylactery. As their life force is derived from feeding shadows to a phylactry. Through years of studying the ancient tomes of the dead and drinking from the Chalice of Hod himself. These Deathrisen scholars and Spellcasters have become something not seen since the Age of Keepers. These Deathrisen have ascended to a state in which being slain by normal means will not cause their soul to return to the void. Not only doesn't it stop the process of Deathrisen's inevitable permanent decay, this state of Deathrisen ascension causes the soul to return to a Phylactery. The Body will then disappear into a cloud of bone dust and ash, but will slowly recover next to their Phylactery restored to their previous condition as if no fight had taken place.
Known Liches:
- Known as: The Lich King of Blackfish Bay, Dreadlord of The Black Tempest Armada, Captain of the Grey Ghost, Pirate Lord of the Dead.
- Creator of:
- Original Race: Tiefling
- Deathrisen Class: Draugr
- Risen By: Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor
- Status: Active
- Lore:
- Known as: The Lich Lord of Alchemy
- Creator of:
- Original Race: Atlantean
- Deathrisen Class:
- Risen By:
- Status: Active
- Lore:
Demi-Lich
An extremely rare varient of Deathrisen that has used powerful magic to exterminate the need for a phylactery or corporeal form. It is believed that in the new age if a Lich succeeds to pass his knowledge and memory onto a worthy successor and he has found his story becomes legend in the Deathrisen tomes they will be given the choice to stop feeding their Phylactery souls. If this path is chosen the body will wither away leaving only a skull. However this is not the end, as it is the prospect of all would be Liches to eventually ascend to the Demi-Lich state. A Demi-Lich is a being who no longer has no need for a phylactery. It is said that as long as they are remembered within the great teachings Hod their spirit will live on eternal. Sometimes arriving to impart wisdom or even aid in Battle amongst the Deathrisen legions. No new Demi-Liches have risen since the passing of Ackyrak'kel-Ash'etakesh, but just as this new generation of liches regrew from humble beginnings so too shall the next generation of Demi-Lich.
Known Demi-Liches:
Uuliik-Hothoom
- Known as: "The Floating Helm of Hattershoul" and "Collector of Thallos"
- Creator of:
- Original race: Unknown.
- Risen by: Dark Elder Khuur'Kresh
- Status:
- Lore: One of the first fervent, obsessive non Hobben followers of Hod.
Ta'ak-Glimdelisur (Rrantazx)
- Known as: "The Hidden False Daemon"
- Creator of:
- Original race: Aamyyra
- Risen by: Dark Elder Maug'Arr'Uend
- Status:
- Lore:
Ackyrak'kel-Ash'etakesh
- Known as: The Beyllym of Black Sands
- Creator of: The Alkathbann-Ack'hemm (The Skeleton Dunes)
- Original race: Dinn
- Risen by: Dark Elder Errtz'ii'Emmnant
- Status: Defeated
- Lore: First transcended from phelacteral to the Demi state 17 centuries before the Crux regions at the edge of the black desert were formed and the mortal wars known as the Crux Rebellion sent the survivors into his lair. The reliance on his mortal remains was made unnecessary after strong and devout attempts into deeper connections to the void. He attained a Deminoulogus status within the his lair, The Khoptyc Crypts located under the Skeleton Dunes. He then sought out two powerful relics. and acquired what would eventually be known as "The Hands of Etakesh". His expanded existence is Chronicled from the years of his second rising in 153.563 b.p.y. This chronicle is established well before the Undead War and was written by the disembodied Hand of Tsulluun itself. Remaining transcripts were later transcribed from the walls within the Halls of Crynnd but the Chronicle copies are savagely sought out and the public copies are largely incomplete.
Trials of the Lich King
The first and foremost step to becoming a Lich is being a Deathrisen. In the days of old, it used to be that any monster or human could become a Lich through resurrection by The Dark Elders and simply reading the knowledge within the Halls of Crynnd. But after their eventual destruction and the intervention of Dakar'keth'ull'kymn'hep'dthom'nyn'keth'kor that means of ascension has become nigh impossible. In the new Era it appears that only those who have already gone through the process of Deathrisen ascension are the only beings Hod will allow access to this ancient knowledge. Due to this Elder Tsa'ath thought it necessary that this knowledge be copied and spread out so that Hod himself could choose 9 new Liches of his own instead of this knowledge being limited to the hands of one owner every few centuries.
If you have heard the whisper of the Dark Elders, it's possible you might have been chosen. However this is just the beginning of your quest for everlasting life.
Before one can become Lich, one must first come to know and understand what it means to be a Lich. Liches are not born, they are made. Forget any preconceived notions you have about power over your fellow undead, becoming a Lich is not a path for those seeking fame and glory on the battlefield. Liches are first and foremost Deathrisen scholars, here to preserve the history of our kind and continue expanding our ever growing culture. Contrary to popular belief the title of Lich does not grant you kingly rights among the Deathrisen. You are an honored sage, not a celebrity. If you only seek the title of Lich for the high status, then I'm afraid you have already failed this first trial.
The Tomes of Knowledge
It is foretold that the only true means to Lichdom are found within these 9 ancient tomes and those destined to become a Lich will inevitably find one of the missing copies just as the other owners had found the original. The first book currently remains in the possession of the Draugr, who now patiently awaits the discovery and arrival of the other 8.
The first step in this trial is confirming that the tome you possess is a true copy. Hod himself will likely have already tested you on this by the time you've confirmed these suspicions with the Dark Elders or the other Liches. However if none of them have made contact with you by the time you've discovered this copy it's unlikely that it's genuine. So take heed not to stretch beyond your reach and fall to the abyss before we know your name.
After you've confirmed your copy is real. a prospective Lich must read and memorize every page of Necromyc study that exist within it. The necromancer in question will be tested by The Dark Elders and the existing Liches on their knowledge of Deathrisen history lore and Spellcraft. They will then be tested on their knowledge of their specific Necromyc school of study and their Undead Realm of study. The final test will be to present a worthy spell, legend, study or thesis of their own to add be to the tomes. If Hod finds their words righteous and true his words and name will be permanently etched into the writings of the book. With this test passed and with Hod's blessing, you will be allowed the power of Phylactery and shall be tasked with creating one yourself.
Creating the Phylactery
There in the dark corner of what was then his private rectory. Moving inside the darkness beside the deep well and upon a Grimm emblazoned bronze koracle....
a self seeking snake that seemed to...move on its own. Perpetually coiling and uncoiling around its own length... and the entirety of this living art, it also moved around the empty space within the centre of the small brazier. A space that seemed so empty.... it could be seen as the void itself." -Dark Elder Tsa'ath
Invented by Maug'Aarr'Uend Phylactery Basins are artifacts instrumental in the mastery of connection to specific zones within the Negative Plane allowing for a controlled method of shadow collection and the ability to house the spirit while still maintaining connection and control over the now separated body. The material used for the first constructions of these were bronze. And it is still the most widely used material for these tools. What might be interesting to some are the engravings that these were sometimes given. Most were inscribed (as they still are) the Necromyc circles and angles of the Dalamus and Engram or powerful inscriptions depicting animals, fantastic or otherwise.
The phylactery is the essential distinction between a Lich and a common Deathrisen. It is the spirit of a Lich's anchor to the Material Plane and must be kept separate and safe from harm in order to keep a Lich's Body and Soul linked to the Material Plane. A Phylactery must be made from an item of great importance to the soul meant to be contained.
In some cases this might be a source of great spiritual power related to the soul's own traditions. not uncommon for a phylactery to be a family heirloom, a Wedding Ring, a Childhood Toy or even something handcrafted by that soul. So long as the soul has a direct intimate connection with the object.
However phylacterys can't just be anything. They must be solid durable objects preferably made out of metal so as to be less easily destroyed. But primarily because they cannot be made of cloths furs, leathers wood flora or wood components such as paper or living matter such as flesh or bone.
And finally a Phylactery must be fed shadows or a Lich risk withering away. Meaning a Lich has to keep active in his spread of the ways of undeath or he risk fading away altogether. This can only be avoided after taking on a student and successfully finding an Heir to your Necromyc Direction and Realm. At which point you will be asked to once again for the final time put pen to paper in hopes Hod will approve of permanently cementing your place within the Deathrisen history by having added your own stories and findings on Necromyc study to the ever expanding compendium of Deathrisen knowledge.
The lich must then document the creation of that phylactery. You must write in full detail where it came from, why it's the item you chose. How it connects to undeath, your Necromyc realm and your studies. After creation, the phylactery's worth will be tested by the Dark Elders and the Liches. Hod will test the worth of your soul. If Hod finds that your Phylactery and your soul are in balance he shall Grant you a access to his Chalice
The Chalice of Power
"Time is our endless shoal. the void, our dark heart. The curse is a gift. They will descend to claim it, then arise to a Sea of Bones. This gift will unite all Deathrisen to true immortality. They will drink, they will die, and they will live again to serve the will of Hod."
After the your phylactery is completed you will be granted access to the Chalice of Hod. One of the only remaining artifacts salvaged from the ruins of the Temple of Thuul. The Chalice was foretold to be used in many a ritual by The Dark Elders and the early Liches such as Ackryrak’kel-Ashe-takesh himself.
Many have tried to drink from the Chalice, and although it did grant them great strength for just a few moments, without the proper alchemical knowledge anything consumed from the chalice would eventually cause this person's mind body and spirit to break down into nothing but a mere pile of ash. For this reason only those deemed worthy by Hod himself may drink from it.
The proper mixture is as follows:
- 2 Drops Arsenic
- 1 Drop Belladonna Juice
- 1 Quart Unicorn blood
- 1 Quart human blood.
- 1 Quart Morrikyn's Blood
- 1 intact Humanoid Heart killed by poison
- 7 freshly ground giant moth reproductive glands.
- 1 pint Giant Spider Venom.
- 1 pint of fresh Dragon's blood.
all of which must be mixed in that order under the light of a full moon and drank from the chalice before the next full moon
If this is done correctly the soul will exit the body and the body will wither to a lifeless pile of bone dust. The soul will enter the phylactery and eventually once the mind and soul have fully recovered within the safety of the phylactery the newly formed Lich will rise from the ashy remains. From this point on this process of death and resurrection will repeat itself every time a Liches body is destroyed.
This final ritual must be witnessed in person at an event by any at least one Dark Elder, Lich or Death Knight. any and all present deathrisen should be there to witness this ritual, and any other Monster's of peerage such as Witchdoctors, Headhunters, Khadine and Warmasters are welcome to officiate the ritual as well depending entirely on the agreed permission from all present Deathrisen. If no Liches, Death Knights or Dark Elders are present, permissions can be grated for witness to be replaced by one or more deathrisen so long as their witness is approved by the other Liches, Death Knights and Dark Elders and their trial is documented (recorded) for their review later. For this trial is not just a simple graduation. It is believed that without witnesses the Ritual itself is widely considered incomplete. For it is believed the spirits of the dead can only truly die when their legacy remains unspoken or unseen.
Garb Requirements:
- All Liches carry a copy of the Tome of Abhorrent Wisdoms. While it doesn't have to be on them at all times at an event, it is required to at least be accessable incase any new Deathrisen answer Hod's call and have inquiries
- Liches are known to carry around a staff. often covered with Deathrisen writings, gemstones, runes and the like.
- All Liches dress according to their Direction of Necromyc Study. Meaning a Flesh Golem might be carrying around alchemical tools where as a traditional Wight or Corpser may be dressed in Hobben Runes or Abyssal Sigils
- Liches often wear Rings, Talismans, Amulets, and or other enchanted or lucky dead things such as Shrunken heads, Dried Farie's Paws and other Bones in their garb.
- Like most magic casters, liches must wear a spell component pouch in order to spellcast. This pouch is marked with the Deathrisen Enneagram sigil.
- Liches must also wear a page from their Tome focusing on their primary Necromyc Direction. This is often worn on a belt flag.
Also See:
