TEXT: The following is a transcript of a briefing given by a senior paladin of Scaetha to subordi-
  nates about to enter the Withered Lands for the first time. It must be stressed that accurate 
  information regarding liches is virtually unknown, and thus much of the information must 
  be taken as supposition based on the few recorded encounters betwixt mortal and undead 
  prince. This information should be given to player character clerics of Scaetha, as well as 
  members of the Deathdealer company.
  on the nature and power of liches
  We walk in the shadows that others may walk in the light!
  Hail and well met, comrades in faith. As well you know from your training, the Withered 
  Lands are a cesspit of evil, a damned realm inhabited by our greatest enemies—the liches. 
  Many brothers and sisters died to gather the information you are about to learn, so heed 
  it well and remember their sacrifice.
  The name “liche,” given these undead long ago when our cult was formed, is by itself 
  meaningless, at least in terms of describing our foes. It stems from the Auld Saxa word 
  lik, which merely means corpse. The modern Anari word lych holds a similar meaning. As 
  many of you know, the entrance to a walled graveyard or burial place through which the 
  corpse is carried is traditionally known as the lychgate. Given that our cult would not name 
  such a place after an undead, is thus follows that the epitaph was assigned based purely on 
  the liche’s physical appearance and unholy nature.
  Exactly how a liche is created remains a mystery. Many legends speak of only the Li-
  che-Priest having the power to transform his most trusted followers into these deadly 
  creatures. Others tell of complex rituals which allow one to tether one’s soul to one’s body 
  for eternity, though such knowledge must be very rare, hard to decipher, or fraught with 
  peril, for liches remain the rarest of our enemies. What is clear is that the status of liche is 
  only inferred upon devoted servants of Hela, though whether they were all formerly clerics 
  is as yet undetermined.
  While there is some physical similarity between a liche and a zombie, the magnitude 
  of evil separating them is a vast gulf. A zombie is naught but animated flesh, given false 
  semblance of life by possession of a minor spirit drawn from Hela’s cursed realm after its 
  liberation from the Abyss. The spirit of a liche, by comparison, has never entered Hela’s 
  realm, nor was it freed from the Abyss. Instead, it is the soul the creature possessed in 
  mortal life. That liches are without question the most evil of Hela’s creations is testament 
  to the wickedness of the individuals in life.
  If the Liche-Priest was the king of the undead, then liches fill a position similar to 
  princes. Do not think of them as powerful undead clerics—they are much more than 
  free
  PAUL “WIGGY” WADE-WILLIAMS
  • F R E E  MAT E R I A L •
  Author & Layout: Paul Wade-Williams
  of liches
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  that, and to underestimate their might and cunning is to 
  invite death.
  unlike other undead, a liche is not a vessel for necro-
  mantic energy, but a conduit. Whereas clerics must pray 
  to receive a minute portion of their deity’s energy, liches 
  are surrounded by a shroud of necromantic energy 
  drawn straight from Hela’s lifeless realm. It is this perma-
  nent blessing that bestows them their greatest powers. 
  Though Hela lost her position as goddess of death for 
  her treacherous act, this power is magnified in places 
  associated with death.
  Though the paladins among you may be strong in 
  arms, they must, do not seek to engage a liche in per-
  sonal combat if it can be avoided. Not only have they 
  had centuries to perfect the fighting arts, but the very air 
  around them is anathema to life. close proximity is often 
  fatal for mortals.
  Although often skilled swordsmen, many liches prefer 
  to fight bare-handed. Do not mistake this was lack of skill 
  or weakness, for it is among their most potent weapons. 
  The touch of a liche is of described as deathly cold, but 
  this is a misnomer. A corpse may feel cold to the living, 
  but it is no colder than a rock or piece of metal. The chill 
  that will shiver your soul and wither your flesh is not one 
  of low temperature, but the raw power of Hela’s realm 
  siphoning the life from your flesh. Many who die from 
  this death touch will have their bones reanimated as an 
  undead within moments. Such creatures may resemble 
  your former comrade, and may appear as they did in life 
  but seconds earlier. Some of these fell creations retain 
  the power of speech. They will plead for mercy or at-
  tempt to fool you into thinking they were but stunned 
  and have now recovered. Do not hold back from striking 
  them down—their spirit, that which made them your 
  friends and comrades, now rests with Scaetha, and what 
  faces you is flesh inhabited by darkness. 
  The appearance of a liche is terrifying, yet it is not 
  its physical looks along that quail the hearts of mortals 
  and weaken their resolve. Many are broken by the scant 
  knowledge they possess regarding liches, becoming fear-
  ful that death at its hands will result in their flesh be used 
  as home to an unholy spirit. While no man should en-
  dure such a fate, be mindful that the flesh is but a shell, 
  and that physical death is nothing to be feared for those 
  who have kept to the faith.
  unlike their mindless servants, liches are not immune 
  to fear. As true sentient beings, they fear for their survival 
  in the same way as you or I. This is not to say their will 
  flee at the first sign of danger, for their spirits are strong, 
  but it is a weakness you can, and should, exploit.
  Some of our kin have argued that as princes of the un-
  dead, lesser minions obey a liche’s commands without 
  question out of respect and fear. This is a fallacy. While 
  many liche are capable military commanders, lesser un-
  dead appear charged within proximity to a liche because 
  they are bolstered by its necromantic energy.
  This necromantic energy flows both ways, though. 
  fallen undead may be reanimated by the presence of a 
  liche, for the conduit draws unholy spirits to their side. 
  Thus, while one may destroy a liche’s bodyguards and 
  minions, do not tarry long, for they will rise again to 
  defend their master. We among all others are blessed, 
  though, for our miracles destroy the link between flesh 
  and spirit, sending the fell soul back to its mistress, and 
  preventing the corpse from rising again. be strong in the 
  faith and put your faith in Scaetha, for your miracles are 
  your most potent weapons.
  With regards its minions, no liche will be without a 
  sizeable bodyguard. Although over five centuries old, li-
  ches are religious fanatics and desire nothing more than 
  to serve Hela in the mortal realm for eternity. To that end, 
  they surround themselves with countless skeletons and 
  zombies, not to mention more lethal servants. Whereas a 
  mortal general may quail at ending his troops to certain 
  death, a liche will sacrifice its followers without hesita-
  tion to safeguard its own continued existence.
  A liche also has the ability to purposefully destroy a 
  lesser undead in order to strengthen its own being. This 
  destroys not only the physical body, but also the dark 
  spirit. The unholy essence is drawn into the liche, allow-
  ing it to heal wounds. While a liche is not hampered by 
  physical injury, it does have physical limitations in the 
  amount of harm it can endure before destruction. 
  Destroying a liche is not an easy task, and many have 
  rejoiced prematurely. While their flesh can be sundered 
  as easily as yours or mine, physical death does not guar-
  antee the spirit will be claimed by Scaetha’s heralds. 
  unique among the undead, liches have the power to 
  transfer their souls to animated undead within close 
  proximity. Do not think that destroying a liche’s visible 
  minions is enough to thwart this! These creatures have 
  lived for centuries and have planned for such eventu-
  alities. Within their lairs they will conceal a plethora of 
  mindless undead in hidden places. Should their flesh die, 
  they can transfer their spirit to one of these concealed 
  minions, renewing their existence and likely fooling you 
  into believing they have been destroyed. Though you 
  may think the battle over, be thorough—tear down every 
  wall in your search for hiding places, lest your victory be 
  proven false.
  for all the power at their disposal, liches remain cow-
  ards. They will not endanger their existence unless they 
  are very confident of victory, especially against a servant 
  of Scaetha. Most will hide in their lairs, protected by 
  minions and traps, guiding their forces as a general com-
  mands his troops. To meet a liche in open battle is not to 
  be celebrated, for odds are it has shaped the battlefield 
  to its advantage long before your arrival.
  Let it be known that the abilities of which you have 
  learned today are those known to commonly exist. Every 
  liche has possessed at least one or two unique abilities, 
  and the Dark Triumvirate are more akin to celestial be-
  ings in their terrible and unholy might. They are the 
  ultimate evil, and they are foe beyond comprehension, 
  but you have all sworn oaths to take battle to them and 
  to strike them down. Many of you will fall to their fell 
  necromancy, but remember, while your flesh may die, 
  you spirit will endure. Praise be to Scaetha!
  hellfrost halloween special 2
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Triple Ace Games/Hellfrost/Free Downloads/Of Liches.pdf