ARCHLICH: The Covenant

By Derek Marcoux (sardonax@hotmail.com)

Prelude

He checked his watch again. Yes, the time was right. The planets were aligned just as the ancient scroll predicted. Adam knelt before his makeshift altar, adjusting the placement of the tools before him. "No time like the present."

He muttered. Picking up the scroll before him, he recited it. After carefully pronouncing the words, he grabbed the sacrificial dagger, and plunged it deep into his tight stomach! He cried out at first. Then, Biting down hard on his tongue, he grabbed the bloodied instrument, and began slicing his gut to the right and to the left, disemboweling himself. The pain was excruciating, shooting right up his spine, and numbing his chest and limbs. Something happened. The skin around his face started to tighten, then slowly, it spread down his chest and arms, covering his empty stomach, and stopping at his feet. Adam screamed as his eyes burst and eardrums exploded. No pain. The pain had gone.

Staggering, he picked himself up. Walking to the alter, almost gagging at the site, he reached down and scooped up his entrails, and tossed them into the brass brazer. Lighting it up with a match, the room soon smelled like a charnel house. Adam kicked on the A/C vent, and the smoke cleared. "Now what do I do?" He said shrugging. Taking a wet cloth, he started cleaning himself off.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The sound came from downstairs. A knock again, then, "It's the police. Someone reported screaming coming from your house! Are you alright? Ma'am? Sir? HELLOOOO!!!!"

"Shit," He whimpered, "What the fuck do I do!" Putting his clothes on with record speed, He glanced at the mirror, and wished he never did. He had no eyes, just empty sockets, charred dark black. "My eyes!" He groaned. "My fuckin' eyes! " He would've cried, right then and there... If he could.

Covenant of the ArchLich

If ArchLiches have a begining, It lies with this scroll. Made of human flesh, and written in black blood by an unknown author, this scroll always finds its path crossing with mortals -- mortals, with a thirst for knowledge. It'd have to be someone who would risk his very souls for knowledge. The desire is enough to garner the attention of the covenant. Once one such mortal comes into ownership of a scroll, he is very close to selling his soul. When the stars are right, and such and such, the soon to be undead must kill himself by disembowelment. That act alone assures everyone up there, and down below, that you alone,have condemned your soul. You are now an ArchLich. Welcome.

Strengths of the ArchLich

Hands: Do aggravated damaged, due to the unnatural cold inside them.

Enhanced eyesight: They can see in dark as good as they can see during the day.

Hearing: They can hear a whispered conversation at about a hundred yards away.

Immortality: But as they pass the centuries, their bodies still decompose, till they are nothing but a walking skeleton. The truly ancient ones have decomposed so much, that they permanently leave for the Deep Umbra.

No need for blood: ArchLich's have no blood flowing in their hollow veins. They cannot use vampiric blood in any way. But by the same token, vampires can't bloodbond them either.

Psi: This is the lifesblood of the ArchLiches, they may use it to power their mantras, or to boost up their mental attributes.(just like vampires use blood to boost their physical attributes) and to heal themselves (again like vampires).

Weaknesses

Aggravated damage: Fire, sunlight, supernatural claws/teeth, and gold. Treat gold like silver to werewolves, only the ArchLich heals wounds made from gold normally. They may not spend Psi to heal the damage. Only time.

Psi dependant: ArchLiches need this mystical/mental power to survive their undead state. The Lich must kiss the mouth of the chosen target. The rate of transfer is 3 Psi pts. per turn spent draining. The target suffers one health level, for every point of Psi drained. If brought to incapacitated, the target will die/torpor. If a vampire is chosen as the target, the Psi drained results in wasted blood. Blood without psi is dead matter having no life in it to sustain the leech. The blood is still in him, but it just takes up wasted space until the kindred vomits it up.

Frenzy: ArchLiches are sometimes prone to frenzy. Although they are further removed than vampires from the beast, it sometimes still plagues them. When they do frenzy, they must roll self-control difficulty: 7. They need three successes. If they fail this roll, they lose 1d10 psi points. This is due to the fact that Psi rests mainly in the brain, and if one frenzies, a bit of this Psi leaks out.

On the other hand, they still get all the benefits from the frenzy.

Character Generation

Attributes: 7/5/3

Abilities: 16/12/8

Background: 8

Willpower: +2 (Anyone who can rip out his stomach and burn his entrails, (to me) has got to have balls of steel!)

Virtues: 7

Humanity:-2 (By the same token, anyone trying a stunt like that is not to worried about their souls or their humanity)

Psi pool: 10 (for age 0-100), 20 (100-200), 30 (200-300), 40 (300-400), 50 (400+)

Mantras: 6 (can spend to buy vampiric disciplines, instead of spending them all on mantras).

Freebie points: 15 (7/5/2/3 for new ability)

Experience:

Trait	Cost
New Ability	3
Raise Ability	Current x 2
Raise Attribute	Current x 4
New Mantra	10
Raise Mantra	Current x 5
New Discipline	12
Raise Discipline	Current x 7

Vampiric disciplines that can be bought: Obfuscate, Dementation, Dominate, Presence, Obtenebration, Vicissitude.

Organization

ArchLich's congregate in groups called Rings. Each ring has one above them called a Sentry. It is his duty to represent all members of his ring. Most major cities have a Ring of Archliches among them. Each ring has one duty at time to carry out. Right now though, each ring has been given orders to find and record all they can about other denizens of this world. This has led some rings to form partnerships with cabals, circles, packs, motleys, and coteries. What is known, is that the one giving all the orders calls himself Sardonax (He he he). The amount of power that Sardonax displays, could put him on par with Caine.

Stereotypes

Kindred: We have much in common with our cousins, but they have been graced with very little loss of their humanity. There could be much learned from each other.
-- Adam Leroux, ArchLich Sentry

Strange indeed. I will need time to discover their means of cheating death. What did you say...a scroll? Very strange indeed.

-- Markus, Cappadocian elder

Garou: Broken records the whole lot of them. They keep saying that same saying over and over: "Die Wyrmspawn Die!!!!" I mean I resent that!

-- Vetrvunis, Archlich

"Die Wyrmspawn Die!!!!"

-- Garou in general

Mages: What power these mortal have. I wonder what the Ritual would do to one of them?

-- Taleth, ArchLich scribe

They are an abomination in the eyes of the One! It is our duty to destroy the whole lot of them!

-- Christopher, Disciple of the Celestial Chorus

Wraiths: Yes, we know the tragedy that has become of our dearly departed. We mourn for them. Their loss of life.

"No comment."

-- Hierarchy

Changelings: Yes, we have met the ones called Sluagh, living in the catacombs under every city. We have even begun to trade valuable information with them.

-- unknown ArchLich sentry

These things are even uglier than the nosferatu, but they do pay better.

-- Jacky, Sluagh

Mummy: I am only interested in their becomings, not their ignorant war.

-- Sardonax, the Deathlord

"ArchLiches? Sounds like Set's doing?"

-- Heru, first of the Reborn

Mantras

This is the legendary magick that ArchLiches have at their disposal. It is akin to Thaumaturgy, but revolves around Psi, instead of blood.

* Sense Psi: You possess the ability to perceive different levels of psi. You could tell how healthy a person is, how soon a vampire has fed, etc.

System: Per. + Occ. diff: 6

** Manipulate psi: You can drain the psi out of a creature. If used on a mortal he suffers +2 difficulty on all rolls with each use of this power. Also, this can be used on vampires too. The number of successes equals how many blood points were wasted.

System: Man. + Subt. difficulty: T's willpower succucces = psi points drained.

*** Psionisis: This ability allows the undead to focus an amount of psi into a form of kinetic energy. The damage is aggravated.

System: Dex. + Occ. difficulty: 7. Psi points spent = damage dice (up to 3 psi may be spent at one time.)

**** Phantasamagora: This potent magic allows the sorcerer to send a target to a nightmare realm, a realm where all his phobias come to life. Actually, it's all an illusion. Ha ha ha, umph, hee hee hee,n,nno? Not that either? O.K.

System: Int. + Subt. difficulty: T's willpower; need three successes. The target has one chance to disbelieve the illusion: roll willpower diff: 7, need three successes. The illusion lasts for 1 hr. and gives the person a temporary derangement. If the roll is botched, the illusion will last 1 day, and the derangement will be permanent!

***** Psiklops: This potent ability allows the ArchLich to seize the target's brain in some sort of psychic web. Once this web of energy cradles the brain, the subjects thoughts and memories are yours to know. Also, the pain is also excruciating.

System: Int. + Occ. difficulty: 8. Each success = two health levels of Agg. damage. Mortals cannot soak; supernaturals can.

This art enhances the sight of the ArchLich. While the ArchLich uses this power, glowing spheres appear inside the hollow sockets. Acting as eyes, they are usually green, but red, blue and yellow have been seen too.

* Sight of the Linguist: When this effect is on, whatever the sorcerer is reading is bathed in a soft light, the same color as the eyes. While the eyes are shedding this light, any form of writing is translated into the Archlich's main language.

System: Per. + Ling. difficulty: 7. Cost: 1 psi. 1 succ. = vague, 5 succ. = perfect.

** Sense the Halo: ArchLiches may now see the Halo that surrounds all things.

System: Per + Awareness, diff: 7. 1 succ. = 1 color, 3 succ. = colors and patterns, etc.

*** See Spirits: This art allows the sorcerer to see wraiths and spirits.

System: Per + Occ diff: gauntlet/shroud.

**** Clairvoyance: The sorcerer may now see everthing in a 100 yrd. radius.

System: Per + Alertness, diff:8. 3 succ. needed. Cost: 1 psi. Lasts one scene/indefinite in haven.

*****Horn of Charon: This powerful ability allows the ArchLich to travel to the shadowlands, for an indefinite time. The sorcerer may journey back to the lands of the quick any time he chooses.

System: Willpower diff: local shroud. Cost: 3 psi.

These flames come from a dark alien dimension called the NetherWorld. The ArchLich may throw these summoned flames up to Str. x 10 yrds. The damage is Aggravated.

System: Throw using Dex. + Occ. diff: 7. Targets hit suffer damage shown below, and suffer -2 on all rolls, as he is engulfed in darkness. The darkness lasts 2 turns.

Level	Damage	Cost (Psi)
*	1	1
**	2	1
***	3	2
****	4	2
*****	5	3

This power is identical to Potence.

This power is identical to Celerity.

This power is identical to Fortitude.

This uncommon art allowes the sorcerer to peek at his temple, which is always at the center of his haven. He may use this no matter how far away he is.

* See Altar: You may only see your altar & 20'rad. around it.

System: Per. + Streetwise diff: 5.

** Sense Altar: You may now see, hear and smell in a 30'radius.

System: Per. + Streetwise diff: 6.

*** Eyes of the Sentry: You may look anywhere inside your haven.

System: Per. + Streetwise, diff: 6. Cost: 1 psi

**** Eyes of the Guardian: At this level, you may see any part of your haven, inside and out.

System: Per. + Streetwise, diff: 7. Cost: 2 psi.

***** Rite of Recall: This brief incantation will immediately whisk you back to your haven, in case of intruders. You will appear at any spot you wish. Once you use this rite, you may not use it to go back to where you were. Sorry!!

System: Wit. + Survival, diff: 8. Cost: 3 psi

This mantra allows the ArchLich different powers in regards to movement.

* Feet of the Insect: You may walk across squeeky floorboards and such without making a sound.

System: dex. + stealth, diff: 6.

** Steps of the Savior: You may now walk on water and other liquid surfaces.

System: Dex. + Occult, diff: 7. Cost: 1 psi. Lasts 1 scene.

*** Feet of the Spider: You may now walk on walls, ceilings, under bridges, etc. For you, gravity is always under your feet.

System: 2 psi; lasts one scene.

**** Wings of the Gargoyle: The ArchLich, by spending some psi, may grow large bat wings. Flight is running speed x 3. These last as long as the Sorcerer wishes.

System: 3 psi; may shed wings at no cost.

***** Mist of Aeolus: The sorcerer may assume a mist form (similar to protean level 5).

System: 3 psi.