Phylactery Questions

[IanFordam]

I found a recipe for Lichnee, also known as a potion of transformation, a highly poisonous mixture that had to be imbibed as part of an evil ritual to become a lich. This looks like a good scenario as adventurers try to find what goes on behind some disappearances or murders they realise that someone is trying to create this potion.

Recipe
The following ingredients had to be mixed together in this specific order under the light of a full moon:

• 2 drops of pure distillate of arsenic
  1 drop of pure distillate of belladona
  1 quart of blood from a human infant killed by wyvern venom
  1 quart of blood from a non-human humanoid killed by a phase spider
  1 quart of blood from an individual infected with vampirism
  1 simmered intact heart from a humanoid killed by a mixture of arsenic and belladona poisoning
  7 sets of ground-up reproductive glands from giant moths killed within a tenday
  1 pint or more of fresh phase spider venom (less than a month old),
  1 pint or more of fresh wyvern venom (less than two months old).

There existed alternative recipes that disputed certain details, such as what kinds of humanoids' blood to use, how old they had to be, and whether or not they were a virgin.

In addition, the soul of a sentient creature whose blood was used in the potion had to be sacrificed to the aspiring lich's phylactery.

Some versions of the lich transformation ritual further called for the potion to be enchanted with castings of animate dead, cone of cold, feign death, permanency, and wraithform.

Beware variations which conclude, And then season to taste...

[Baron Von Stanton]

Beware variations which conclude, And then season to taste...

How could it be any worse than internet copycat Arby's recipes?

[Jeremy16]

I found a recipe for Lichnee, also known as a potion of transformation, a highly poisonous mixture that had to be imbibed as part of an evil ritual to become a lich. This looks like a good scenario as adventurers try to find what goes on behind some disappearances or murders they realise that someone is trying to create this potion.

Recipe
The following ingredients had to be mixed together in this specific order under the light of a full moon:

• 2 drops of pure distillate of arsenic
  1 drop of pure distillate of belladona
  1 quart of blood from a human infant killed by wyvern venom
  1 quart of blood from a non-human humanoid killed by a phase spider
  1 quart of blood from an individual infected with vampirism
  1 simmered intact heart from a humanoid killed by a mixture of arsenic and belladona poisoning
  7 sets of ground-up reproductive glands from giant moths killed within a tenday
  1 pint or more of fresh phase spider venom (less than a month old),
  1 pint or more of fresh wyvern venom (less than two months old).

There existed alternative recipes that disputed certain details, such as what kinds of humanoids' blood to use, how old they had to be, and whether or not they were a virgin.

In addition, the soul of a sentient creature whose blood was used in the potion had to be sacrificed to the aspiring lich's phylactery.

Some versions of the lich transformation ritual further called for the potion to be enchanted with castings of animate dead, cone of cold, feign death, permanency, and wraithform.

This makes me appreciate the simplified, but no less gruesome, method that that J.K. Rowling used.

[alhoon]

Pseudolich!

New monster, created when a wizard fails to become a lich but does not "die" in the process...
Their crumbling bodies need negative energy to survive (meaning killing peasants regularly).
I am not sure if they should have a phylactery though, maybe they are trying only to survive, thus their pathetic undead existence has nothing to do with the thirst of knowledge normal liches have.

There is a monster like that - or more - that come to mind. Apparently they lose a lot of their memories and power and become like 5th lvl wizards or undead with a few magic powers.

[Mephisto of the FoS]

There is a monster like that - or more - that come to mind. Apparently they lose a lot of their memories and power and become like 5th lvl wizards or undead with a few magic powers.

How are they called? I know of spectral wizards but they are created by a spell.

[Baron Von Stanton]

"Arch-Shade" or "Arch-Shadow"
https://mojobob.com/roleplay/monstrousm ... hshad.html

[Mephisto of the FoS]

"Arch-Shade" or "Arch-Shadow"
https://mojobob.com/roleplay/monstrousm ... hshad.html

Interesting but still high level (18th lvl undead wizard), I was thinking something to be usead as an adversary for lower level parties. Something like a ghoul or wight that feeds on magical energy to continue its existence. Well anyway a conversion to 3e of the ach-shadow is appropriate so maybe I can create the weaker versions too.

[Baron Von Stanton]

Interesting but still high level (18th lvl undead wizard), I was thinking something to be usead as an adversary for lower level parties. Something like a ghoul or wight that feeds on magical energy to continue its existence. Well anyway a conversion to 3e of the ach-shadow is appropriate so maybe I can create the weaker versions too.

"Fallen Arch-Shade"?

[Mephisto of the FoS]

"Fallen Arch-Shade"?

I was thinking naming one of them pseudolich (as the idea came to me in this post) and I am trying to figure out names for other versions of monsters created failed lich rituals.

[alhoon]

How are they called? I know of spectral wizards but they are created by a spell.

I don't remember. They are corporeal. I also think the flaming skulls are another kind of failed lich.