By Jaa7526395@aol.com (12 September 1995)
A long time ago there was a mistake. A young Scottish Celt's family was wiped out by a rival clan in the fifth century. The only survivor, he sought through his grandfather's library (a once powerful Verbena) to find a spell to get revenge for his family's death. Being awakened himself, but not knowing what he was doing he, cast a powerful life/entropy rote.
Nothing happened.
At night fall he found himself surrounded by Verbena druids who accused him of the crime of casting necromantic spells. He broke from the circle and ran, knowing his fate as the stag horns grew from his head. The Wild Hunt had been called and he soon died.
He awoke to find he was in a court of the fae. He learned through that dark spell he cast that he had become one of the Kith but was horribly different from the rest. They banished him from the British Isles never to be seen again.
Some how mages through the ages certain mages found the dark ritual and used it on them selves so they would have eternal lives. They research the saga of their sire and have grown to hate those who banished him.
These are the creatures of Fae legends but unfortunately these myths are true. It is said by these tales that certain mages near their death sacrifice several changelings to create freeholds then use a special life/entropy rote to change their avatars into that of a changeling's. Upon creation the lich is taken to Scotland to learn of the first lich which came from the highlands. Then, after their tutoring, they're sent off to gain power and reak havoc.
This practice has been going on since the fifth century. The first lich is seen as a godlike being among the others. It was the first to achieve eternal life. Fortunately, the first lich has never been seen since 1123 AD so most of the practices of this mythical being are just speculation.
Liches are powerful creatures who wield magick and cantrips. They love to kill and cause pain. They are known to enslave Kith and let them do their dirty work at their freeholds.
Appearance: Lichs appear as classic reanimated skeletons, their bones bleached white with age. They wear typical Scotish dress (Tunics, Kilts, etc.)
Seemings: Grumps only: These are spiteful creatures. They hated the humans and kith who betrayed them. They constantly search for magick and power. They are known to completely over run freeholds single handedly and love to make other kith their slaves. They are power mongers of the first degree. They love to horde treasure, glamour and slaves.
Lifestyle: They usually live in castles made in freeholds pouring through magical texts. They have no mortal life because they can't take any human form.
Birthrights:
Magick: Liches can use magick like mages and can use voulgar magick with out the penalties of paradox. They start off with ten spheres (use other approprate mage traits that go along with it)
Paradox Blind: By their very nature Liches defy reality so paradox has no effect on them allowing them to use vulgar magick.
Strong Belief: Since Liches are powerful mages in their original life they gain eight points in willpower and glamour.
Frailties:
Touch of Death: Because they have died once Liches receive several penalties because of it. First of all, a lich's appearance is absolutely repulsive so they don't have an appearance trait and receive plus two to most social difficulties (except things like intimidation). Also, all Liches start off as Grumps. Also when away from their freeholds for more than two hours they get horrible arthritis and two to all physical difficulties.
Quote: "So, you come looking for power. I'll give you power but not in the form you expected."
Lich Revision suggestions: (Submitted by Abe Dashiell) You know, this isn't a bad idea overall. However, their immunity to paradox ABSOLUTELY has to go. Quite the opposite, it should plague them worse than any other mage. They should be prisoners in their Freehold chantries, unable to leave for extended period of times because of the destructive effects Banality and Paradox has on them.
Here's a couple of suggestions:
Give them all the powers of a changeling except the ability to use Cantrips. If they've got access to Magick, they don't need fae magic. However, for a lich, Glamour equals Quintessence, so they will never be at loss for energy. You might even let them enter Oathbonds and then be able to pool their Glamour/Quintessence with other Changelings. Though, if they are hanging out in Freeholds all the time, I doubt they'd really need the extra juice too often.
As for the frailties, rather than giving them physical problems (They're skeletons after all, they really can't get arthritis) hit them hard with Banality and Paradox. Say, after the first two hours, give them a point of temporary banality and a point of paradox. If they don't reach a node/freehold/caern but quick, start blitzing them with more Banality and Paradox. When they reach a permanent banality of 10, they crumble into dust -- of course, they'll be lucky if they get that far before being annihilated by a Paradox Backlash.