Lich

Of all the creatures I have faced, the lich is the one who has left the deepest scar. And it escaped, to who knows where.

Liches are undead mages, who, through unspeakable rituals and necromantic magic, have extended their life beyond the natural. Delgon and I had tracked a number of supernatural occurrences to a hideaway deep in the wastes. There, beyond traps, minions, and demons, we found the lich. He had existed in this stone fortress for an untold amount of time. The corpses and body parts of various animals and sentient creatures of Atheles littered its laboratory, a ghastly sight and an indescribably horrible stench. Delgon and I had seen many incredible and impossible things in our years of hunting, but this leather-skinned corpse, its red eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence and utter hatred shook us to our core. We fought him for hours, and finally destroyed the unnatural thing… or so we thought.

But several months later, more occurrences of the supernatural occurred, and one night, in my sleep the lich appeared above my bed. He reached down, placing a cold hand on my chest and I felt my heart seize. As my vision faded to black, I heard his laughing voice gloatingly taunt “You shall slip to dust and worms while I still roam these lands…”

I woke to Delgon’s worried face, his healing magics having brought me back. Still to this day when I feel a pain in my chest I feel that cold grip and a deathly chill runs throughout my entire body. 

Where that cursed creature went we may never know, as his fortress was empty when we returned weeks later.

-Etahn

Lich Traits

Through necromantic rituals, the spellcaster binds their spirit to an Arcanima and transforms their living body into an intelligent undead corpse. Lichdom brings certain powers and abilities. 

Class: Monster
Type: Undead
CV: +3
SIZ: Unchanged
CON: —
HP: SIZ ×2, then ×3 for Boss tier
AV: +5
INT: +2
ACU: +2
SOC: +2
Mana: +30, up to any limits imposed by lichdom
Special: Withering Touch, Paralyzing Touch, Fear Aura, Spellcasting, Undead Traits, Immortal, Resistant
Weakness: Arcanima
Treasure: Rich

Lich Touch

A lich gains a melee Touch attack appropriate to its final CV. The attack deals 1d8 + CV Wither damage. When used against an undead creature, it instead restores the same amount of HP.

Paralyzing Touch

Any living creature struck by the lich’s melee attack must make a CON save or become Paralyzed for 24 hours.

Fear Aura

Living creatures entering within 60’ of the lich must make an ACU save or suffer Fear and a 1/1d6 Horror check. A creature that succeeds is immune to that lich’s Fear Aura for 24 hours.

Spellcasting

A lich retains the spells and magical abilities it possessed in life and gains +30 Mana.

Undead Traits

The lich loses its CON and becomes immune to disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, cold, electricity, Mage Bolt, and effects dependent upon living biological processes. Unlike most undead, a lich retains its INT and ACU because its spirit remains attached to its undead form. This distinction is explicitly called out in the current creature rules. 

Immortal

Every lich creates an Arcanima during its transformation. If the lich’s body is destroyed while the Arcanima remains intact, the lich reforms in 1d10 days.

The Arcanima must be destroyed before the lich can be permanently slain.

Resistant

All liches are Resistant.

Abravian Devolos, Lich of the Wastes

Blank Creature

CharacteristicsCV7 (Boss, Resistant)
StatScore%Speed60’
STR1260HP90
CON——Dmg Mod+1d4
SIZ1575AV12
INT20100ClassMonster
ACU1680TypeUndead
DEX1470Horror3/3d8+2
SOC1680TreasureRich
  • Attack: (2) Ritual Dagger 85% 1d4+7+dm + Paralyzing Touch; Withering Touch 85% 1d8+7 Wither
  • Skills: Dodge 85%, Grapple 75%, Hide 75%, Listen 80%, Spot 85%, Stealth 80%, Acrobatics 70%, Athletics 65%, Knowledge 90%, Persuade 80%, Spellcraft 90%
  • Special: Energy Burst, Energy Blast, Energy Wall, Call of the Elements, Paralyzing Touch, Fear Aura, Ravaging, Spellcasting, Spell Sight, Undead Traits, Dark Vision 90’, Immortal, Resistant
  • Weaknesses: Arcanima
  • Habitat: Wastes, ancient fortresses, hidden laboratories
  • Encounter: Solitary

Lich Touch

A lich gains a melee Touch attack appropriate to its final CV. The attack deals 1d8 + CV Wither damage. When used against an undead creature, it instead restores the same amount of HP.

Paralyzing Touch

Any living creature struck by the lich’s melee attack must make a CON save or become Paralyzed for 24 hours.

Fear Aura

Living creatures entering within 60’ of the lich must make an ACU save or suffer Fear and a 1/1d6 Horror check. A creature that succeeds is immune to that lich’s Fear Aura for 24 hours.

Undead Traits

The lich loses its CON and becomes immune to disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, cold, electricity, Mage Bolt, and effects dependent upon living biological processes. Unlike most undead, a lich retains its INT and ACU because its spirit remains attached to its undead form. This distinction is explicitly called out in the current creature rules. 

Immortal

Every lich creates an Arcanima during its transformation. If the lich’s body is destroyed while the Arcanima remains intact, the lich reforms in 1d10 days.

The Arcanima must be destroyed before the lich can be permanently slain.

Resistant

All liches are Resistant.

Talent Abilities

Energy Burst

As a Standard Action, Abravian launches an orb of fire, ice, acid, earth, or air at a target within 40’. Make a Spellcraft attack. On a success, the target takes 8d4+8 elemental damage.

Energy Blast

Three times per day, Abravian launches an orb of elemental energy at a point within 40’. The orb explodes in a 15’ radius, dealing 4d4 elemental damage. A successful DEX save reduces the damage by half.

If negative energy is chosen instead, undead within the area recover 4d4 HP rather than taking damage.

Energy Wall

Once per day, Abravian creates a 15’ × 15’ × 2’ wall of elemental energy. The wall lasts 2d4 rounds. A creature passing through it takes 6d4 elemental damage.

Call of the Elements

Once per day, Abravian summons a violent elemental storm centered on a point within 40’. All creatures within a 40’ radius take 8d6+8 elemental damage. A successful DEX save reduces the damage by half.

Instead of dealing damage, Abravian may cause the storm to overwhelm the minds and senses of those caught within it. Each creature in the area must succeed on an ACU save or be Stunned.

Magic

Mana: 91

Spells: Acid Bolt, Command, Dark, Dispel, Elemental Blast, Elemental Shield, Elemental Storm, Elemental Wall, Fear, Illusionary Image, Invulnerable Sphere, Mage Bolt, Non-Detection, Phantasmal Hands, Protection from Arrows, Push, Resist, See Magic, Transform, Vision, Ward, and Warding Armor