Positive Energy Lich
Scuminus Dregg
Big Bad enemy was a lich of some ungodly level, ancient as you get. My
mage (witch) was the second highest level person left in the world, on our
side (17th -- everyone of 18th or higher had been sucked into the Wand of
Orcus), so he was pretty much one of the big guns. Trouble was, the good
guys -- and he in particular -- still needed to somewhat even the odds.
Now, this fellow was rather devoted to the ideals of Lathander; life,
rebirth, renewal, all of that. Lichdom was out of the question. He also
kind of specialized in magics involving the positive quasi-elemental and
positive material planes.
Well, I'd wondered for years, if the Negative Material -- the plane of
*anti-life* -- can keep you existing perpetually, why the hell shouldn't
the plane of *Life* be able to? So, here is what I've come up with:
POSITIVE ENERGY LICH
I'm not putting in stats here: extrapolate from the regular undead lich.
The positive energy lich is sustained by the Positive Material Plane in
much the same way as an undead lich is by the Negative Material Plane.
Due to the nature of the plane of Life, however, there are fundamental
differences.
ABILTIES RETAINED
The following abilities are shared by the udead and positive energy lich:
- Immune to age, disease, poison, energy drain and death magic.
- Resurrection within 24 hours of death.
ABILITIES NOT GAINED
The following abilities of the undead lich are NOT gained by the
positive energy lich:
- Immunity to cold (but see below) and polymorph
- Immunity to Enchantment/Charm and Illusion/Phantasm (as these
come from the lich's undead status)
- Cold/paralyzing touch (but see below)
- +1 weapon needed to hit
OTHER ABILITIES GAINED
The following abilities are gained by the positive energy lich instead
of the above:
- Immune to harmful effects of Positive energy (such as Nystul's
Lightburst or the Positive Material Plane)
- Half damage from cold or energy attacks, 1/4 if saving throw is
made (if save applies); does not apply to lich touch (see below).
- Immune to paralyzation from cold, undead attacks (including
liches, ghouls and the like).
- Touch can burn *or* heal for 1d8 hit points. Undead can only be
harmed, never healed.
- Regenerate 3 hp/round.
- Can be controlled by Good-aligned priests as Special undead, but
cannot be turned or controlled by anyone else.
Furthermore, there are a few strctly role-playing advantages: first, of
course, the "meta-life" lich does not decay; all life signs are present,
including heartbeat and body temperature; in fact, these are somewhat
enhanced; average body temperateure is usually one or two degrees higher
thasn normal, etc. (note that breathing, eating, etc. are possible, but
not necessary; their life force is more than adequately maintiained by
positive energy itself).
Second, the positive energy lich remains fertile. In fact, the problem is
that this being is *too* fertile: the lich's gametes tend to overpower
those of the other parent. If all other tests for conception (whatever
you use) are successful, the other parent must then succeed at a half-Con
check on 1d20, or conception fails. If conception does occur, the
offspring strongly favor the lich parent, and are +1 on all attributes
(except Comeliness, if you use it; the Plane of Life doesn't do
bridgework) when it grows up.
HABITAT/SOCIETY
Those who would go to the bother of becoming a positive energy lich
(which should, I figure, be a bit harder to find the formula for than
regular liches, which are rare enough) are usually not those who would
use eternity to simply sit around a lab and research; they are generally
people who want to go on living semi-normal lives. Even if this is not
the case before the transformation, it generally will be afterward; the
positive energy lich lives in a sort of contant high, always feeling
invigorated (sleep is unnecessary, and they're immune to normal and
magical sleep, forgot to mention that; one probably *could* get a few
hours' sleep if it wanted, and *really* did a lot of strenuous excercise
for several hours beforehand. Obviously, sleep is not required for spell
memorization; they do whatever liches do).
Positive energy liches often maintain a rather active lifestyle, even
taking part in social affairs -- though they often move on after their
loved ones and acquaintances in an area grow old and die; they lose
their attachment to the place. Some, however,. may oversee, for example a
dynasty or other large family body, keeping track of the family tree to
help pass eternity.
So, I figure that, comparing individuals of equal age, a positive lich
would be of hiugher level -- having gotten oput and done more -- but an
undead one would have researched more in the way of spells and magic items.
PE liches are treated as having +1 Charisma when dealing with preists
or worshippers of Life/Rebirth deities, or that sort, and -1 Charisma
when dealing with Necromancers, priests of Death deities, etc. Modifiers
are doubled for Upper-planar beings and Lower-planar/undead beings,
respectively. The positive energy lich looks the same as in life, save a
bit healthier, and with an odd gleam to the eyes that, upon close
examination, are revealed to actually be pinpoints of white light
floating in the back of the eyes, behing the pupil.
Loss of attribute, particularly Constitution, is regained naturally at
the rate of one point per year.
I figure this is fairly even, perhaps a *little* bit on the PE lich's
side.
Things I can't figure out yet: what's to be used as, or in place of, a
phylactery? I don't l;ike just making this a phylactery like any old
lich, but I can't very well say no phylactery of any kind is necessary;
they need some kind of limitation. I thought of hasving them grow out of
trees, but that's too damn silly...
Any comments appreciated.
- Scuminus Dregg
--
"Don't answer the riddle; kill the sphinx."
"That which does not kill me had better be able to run away damn fast."
Scuminus Dregg
that shares the basic mode of reproduction; this could explain the
various half-humanoid creatures such as centaurs, harpies, etc. (You'd
get a little bored with your own species after a few millenia, don't you
think?
- Scuminus Dregg
--
David Lopez (GD 1999)
whole range of PE "anti-undead" ("superliving?") creatures, just as there is
a range of undead.
As for the phylactery, why not have it BE a tree, one of the very
slow-growing, very-long-lived kinds? Or perhaps even a special kind not
naturally occurring, and not used for anything else?
One question arises though... if an undead lich becomes one for
the sake of having eternity to acquire magical power, why does a PE lich
(or other) become so? To champion good causes? Or perhaps merely to
counteract evil liches? And what's the advantage to becoming a PE lich
as opposed to some sort of semi-godly spiritual being able to affect
things on the Prime Material plane?
Scuminus Dregg
: Hey! This is a really neat idea. It seems to me that you could have a
I kinda like "meta-life" or "meta-living".
: just as there is a range of undead.
I considered, then rejected the idea of making metalife versions of
regular undead. The lich I feel could be done because the main point of it
was just to grant semi-immortality, which I felt could be accomplished at
least as easily by the Positive Plane, but what would be the point of a
positive version of, say a vampire? What would it do, *grant* you levels?)
: As for the phylactery, why not have it BE a tree, one of the very
: slow-growing, very-long-lived kinds? Or perhaps even a special kind not
: naturally occurring, and not used for anything else?
That's a little dangerous; too easy to get it killed in a forest fire or
the like, no way tpo make it portable, besides it will die eventually;
effectively, you have the lifespan of a tree; just a little better than
an elf's. Now a Tree of Life (Dark Sun) would make sense, but there's
still the inability to hide or transport it, and that's a little
dangerous for something that houses your soul.
: One question arises though... if an undead lich becomes one for
: the sake of having eternity to acquire magical power, why does a PE lich
: (or other) become so? To champion good causes? Or perhaps merely to
: counteract evil liches?
Well, maybe for the same reason. Lots of folks want to live forever, they
just don't want to do it as a nasty old undead skeletal thing. The
championing of good causes is a valid one, of course (that's what my mage
was planning on). Note also that they needn't be good; good folks are
just more likely, I guess, to care about not being undead and thus go
through the trouble of figuring out how to do this.
: And what's the advantage to becoming a PE lich
: as opposed to some sort of semi-godly spiritual being able to affect
: things on the Prime Material plane?
Umm...the same as becoming a regular lich, I guess...a mage can
accomplish it. How would you go about becoming a semi-godly spiritual
being?
I mean, hey, I had to be *born* with it... ;)
BTW: As to lich versions of non-magic using classes; they're called Shades.
- Scuminus Dregg
--
David Lopez (GD 1999)
> positive version of, say a vampire? What would it do, *grant* you levels?)
Umm, yeah, possible problem there with the vampire. But what about, say,
skeletons and zombies? Make 'em glow so no one can see the bones, and
have 'em lie about serving up cocktails or something. Could be useful.
[snip phylactery = tree debate:]
How about the Positive Material equivalent of a tree? Or does the
phyactery have to exist on the same plane?
> : And what's the advantage to becoming a PE lich
> : as opposed to some sort of semi-godly spiritual being able to affect
> : things on the Prime Material plane?
>
> Umm...the same as becoming a regular lich, I guess...a mage can
> accomplish it. How would you go about becoming a semi-godly spiritual
> being?
>
I think it would have to be granted by a more-than-semi-godly being.
Maybe for PE lich-priests. Gives the advantege of doign away with that
whole phyalctery thingie, "that's such a drag, ya know..."
Robert Schulz
: Things I can't figure out yet: what's to be used as, or in place of, a
: phylactery? I don't l;ike just making this a phylactery like any old
: lich, but I can't very well say no phylactery of any kind is necessary;
: they need some kind of limitation. I thought of hasving them grow out of
: trees, but that's too damn silly...
Hmmm, how about something like an ever-burning lamp or something of that
nature? Or a large gem that glows with the light of positive energy?
Robert Schulz
: One question arises though... if an undead lich becomes one for
: the sake of having eternity to acquire magical power, why does a PE lich
: (or other) become so? To champion good causes? Or perhaps merely to
: counteract evil liches? And what's the advantage to becoming a PE lich
: as opposed to some sort of semi-godly spiritual being able to affect
: things on the Prime Material plane?
Well, in the world I play in, semi-godly spiritual beings aren't allowed
to directly affect things on the Prime Material plane. Seems the gods
and their more powerful minions have this sort of US/Soviet cold war
detente thing going - if any of them act directly, the others will to,
and then BOOM!! So they have to act thru their proxies. I expect a PE
lich would be a pretty powerful proxy...
moo...@shrsys.hslc.org
As I read this, I couldn't help but think of two places you could
look for ideas. The first is the whole "Highlander" genre, the second is
Anne Rice's "The Mummy". Both feature living immortals.
In the mummy, the immortals were charged with life. This gave them
limitless endurance and positively ravenous appetites for all kinds of
hunger. They didn't need to eat, or drink, or do anything like that, but
they liked to so much they did prodigously. This had little effect, because
as sson as they were done they were hungry again. It is interesting that
they were liek the reverse of Vampires with respect to sunlight. Sunlight
invigorated and healed them, without it, they went into a death-like
topor.
oh, they use a potion tom make themselfes immortal too. The "Potion
of life" could raise dead things, no matter how long dead or even if they were
not intact. Immortal food could not be digested.
I think you should note that since positive material liches are "out
more", doing stufff, they might be higher in level than their counterparts,
but they will have researched less, and are less likely to have unique flashy
spells of their own.
In the phylachery - I think, if becimomeing a - lich is performed
by taking your soul and putting it into something unliving, a + lich must
be the opposite, binding the soul tightly to the +lich's body, so
tightly it *can't* leave.
Mike M
Scuminus Dregg
: In the mummy, the immortals were charged with life. This gave them
: limitless endurance and positively ravenous appetites for all kinds of
: hunger. They didn't need to eat, or drink, or do anything like that, but
: they liked to so much they did prodigously. This had little effect, because
: as sson as they were done they were hungry again. It is interesting that
: they were liek the reverse of Vampires with respect to sunlight. Sunlight
: invigorated and healed them, without it, they went into a death-like
: topor.
Sounds pretty close. I'll have to pick that up.
: I think you should note that since positive material liches are "out
: more", doing stufff, they might be higher in level than their counterparts,
: but they will have researched less, and are less likely to have unique flashy
: spells of their own.
I did.
: In the phylachery - I think, if becimomeing a - lich is performed
: by taking your soul and putting it into something unliving, a + lich must
: be the opposite, binding the soul tightly to the +lich's body, so
: tightly it *can't* leave.
Kinda blows the whole immortality idea, doesn't it? In fact, it sounds
like some descriptions I've read of undead. Besides, my idea
wasn't to create an *opposite* of a lich, but a *compliment* to it; the
same basic effect, by different means. The Plane of Life should be
capable of forming a new body for the lost soul, IMO.
The glowing crystal someone mentioned, is okay, I guess, but I really
didn't want to take everything off the undead lich. Still, it's the best
I've heard, for my purposes.
Robert Schulz
: The glowing crystal someone mentioned, is okay, I guess, but I really
: didn't want to take everything off the undead lich. Still, it's the best
: I've heard, for my purposes.
Well, then, some other ideas...
Perhaps a space could be used... "As you enter the marble vault, you
feel the essence of life surround you. You feel lost and small as the
eyes of the great mage seem to watch you from all sides..."
Or perhaps the everburning flame - a small lamp that burns with the pure
white light of the PE plane.
Stephen Posivak
>
> David Lopez (GD 1999) (msl...@minerva.cis.yale.edu) wrote:
>
> : One question arises though... if an undead lich becomes one for
> : the sake of having eternity to acquire magical power, why does a PE lich
> : (or other) become so? To champion good causes? Or perhaps merely to
> : counteract evil liches? And what's the advantage to becoming a PE lich
> : as opposed to some sort of semi-godly spiritual being able to affect
> : things on the Prime Material plane?
I don't think that PE liches would necessarily be good. The mage or
cleric just tapped a differrent source of energy for the
transformation.
After all, mummies receive their power from the positive material
plane. It's just a differently charged form of energy.
-Steve P.
Robert Jonathan Chapman
Robert Schulz <acsrds@I_should_put_my_domain_in_etc_NNTP_INEWS_DOMAIN> wrote:
>Scuminus Dregg (scum...@panix.com) wrote:
>
>: The glowing crystal someone mentioned, is okay, I guess, but I really
>: didn't want to take everything off the undead lich. Still, it's the best
>: I've heard, for my purposes.
>
For a lich, the majic jar is a way for the soul to stay around
since the body is dead. For the positive energy lich, the body
isn't dead, it's super-infused with life. Maybe the PE lich
needs some device to maintain control on the flow of the incoming
life, otherwise he goes boom! This item would have to be in
close contact with the lich at all times or else big trouble.
Sounds like an interesting weakness.
Another idea - what if the PE lich is fine and healthy? This
direct link to the PE plane might overload even his normal device
control, and spill out, randomly animating nearby objects, or
bringing new creatures into existance via one of the
animal/monster summoning tables. Could be a pain in the ass, but
another good drawback to balance the cool powers.
R Jonathan Chapman | "The sea was angry that day, my friends. It was
thought at large | like an old man trying to return soup in a deli."
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"There is an art, or rather a knack to flying. The knack lies in
learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Most people fail
to miss the ground, and if they are really trying properly, the
likelihood is that they will fail to miss it fairly hard."
moo...@shrsys.hslc.org
Perhaps Positive energy liches connect their souls to other.
living things. A Pos. lich could connect his soul to fellow priests, his
apprentices, his family, and his followers. As long as one of them or
their descendants live, the lich is secure.
This also gives the lich something he is obligated to protect
and defend.
Mike M
Berg
: > positive version of, say a vampire? What would it do, *grant* you levels?)
: Umm, yeah, possible problem there with the vampire. But what about, say,
: skeletons and zombies? Make 'em glow so no one can see the bones, and
: have 'em lie about serving up cocktails or something. Could be useful.
: [snip phylactery = tree debate:]
: How about the Positive Material equivalent of a tree? Or does the
: phyactery have to exist on the same plane?
Actually, I once threw a positive-energy vampire into a campaign
I was running once. Basically, instead of an energy drain touch, it
acted like a restoration spell. I had it as an NPC pacifist, and the PCs
had to get it to a major showdown with the evil negative vampire villain.
Scuminus Dregg
- Sc. Dregg
The Dregg Hath Spoken:
>
>The only thing I like about lots of die rolls is the amusing critacals;
>successes or failures, I don't care. Hey, how 'bout a thread on loopiest
>*fumbles*? I've seen a few on this thread, but I think we've all seen
>enough to make a thread in its own right.
Well, you asked for it.
Fumble number one, Immortus, a fighter in a campaign I was in was fighting in a bar.
The player rolled a one, but the character fought with these long claw thingies (picture
a cestus with two long blades) The DM gets this funny expression "how do you drop
something like that?" And rules he imbeds it into the table, deep. (Rather then use the
next attack to pull it loose he lifts the table and uses it as a clup, on the end of the claws)
Fumble number two. Fighter misses with a scimitar +4, strikes wall. Sword fails save
vs. crushing blow, next attack, second scimitar +4 fumbles rolls save vs. crushing blow...
player cries.
The Livewire
morri...@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu
"And Remember Your Highness; The Sun never sets
on the British Empire because God doesn't trust
the British in the Dark" -Sliders
Scuminus Dregg
: Perhaps Positive energy liches connect their souls to other.
I like this, I LIKE this!
Of course, the character who had this in mind had already had his only
child's spirit annihalated, and his one true love (a rather urbane --
until that point -- pixie) became once again fully pixie and wandered
back to Faerie forever...bummer. So the family thing is out of the
question. But I'm sure I can do something with it...
Oh, another idea I just remembered from a Stephen Brust novel; flowing,
underground water, that's never seen sunlight, is a powerful necromantic
element, and powerful, sel;f-willed undead like vampires and liches would
try to live near it, because it gives them power. Free-flowing,
above-ground water is just the opposite, full of the power of life. Sound
cool?
Scuminus Dregg
Whoops! Heh-heh. Looks like Livewire's wasn't the only temperamental
machine. Sorry, wrong thread.
Austin Alexander Lange
moo...@shrsys.hslc.org writes:
>
> Perhaps Positive energy liches connect their souls to other.
> living things. A Pos. lich could connect his soul to fellow priests, his
> apprentices, his family, and his followers. As long as one of them or
> their descendants live, the lich is secure.
> This also gives the lich something he is obligated to protect
> and defend.
How about something like the tree in the Shanarra
(Shannara?) series (Elfstones)? A good lich would possibly put
it in a city or town and have it protected by the folks there,
and help them out some, while another evil +lich would
hide it somewhere and protect it by magical means. Maybe make
it immune to normal weapons and fire?
--Austin Lange
--aa...@virginia.edu
moo...@shrsys.hslc.org
The river thing reminds me how ancient egyptians thought the
Nile as the source of all life...
Mike M.
Robert Schulz
: moo...@shrsys.hslc.org wrote:
: : Perhaps Positive energy liches connect their souls to other.
: : living things. A Pos. lich could connect his soul to fellow priests, his
: : apprentices, his family, and his followers. As long as one of them or
: : their descendants live, the lich is secure.
: : This also gives the lich something he is obligated to protect
: : and defend.
: I like this, I LIKE this!
...Hmmm, so is this how "guardian angels" come into being? Certainly has
some interesting role-play potential, particularly if the PE lich found
him or herself needing to protect someone who has chosen a risky career
or a set of morals opposed to that of the PE lich. Or the last daughter
who doesn't want to get married or have children...
Tim Sackton
: Perhaps Positive energy liches connect their souls to other.
: living things. A Pos. lich could connect his soul to fellow priests, his
: apprentices, his family, and his followers. As long as one of them or
: their descendants live, the lich is secure.
: This also gives the lich something he is obligated to protect
: and defend.
: Mike M
Or not necessarilt just family, but maybe an inn, or a whole town. The
lich is then obligated to protect this location from harm. Here's a neat
idea: maybe high level druids could become PE liches, pledging to protect
a certain forest, to which they bind there soul.
--
__________________________________________________________________
|Tim Sackton | "When in doubt -- mumble, when in |
|tsac...@shore.net | trouble, delegate." |
|DM and Creator of Taelgar | -Murphy's Law #35 |
|____________________________|___________________________________|
Whose the more foolish....the fool or the fool who follows him?
Jeff Hildebrand
: Or not necessarilt just family, but maybe an inn, or a whole town. The
: idea: maybe high level druids could become PE liches, pledging to protect
: a certain forest, to which they bind there soul.
Isn't that what a Dryad is? Sure, she's bound to only one Oak, but then,
she has to keep the forest safe to protect her Oak...
moo...@shrsys.hslc.org
A Dryad isn't a creature with it's sould bount to an Oak. It is
one Oak's spirit that has gainedthe ability to have another physical
form.
Mike m
Jay Knioum
>
> A Dryad isn't a creature with it's sould bount to an Oak. It is
>one Oak's spirit that has gainedthe ability to have another physical
>form.
>
Hmmm. I've always interepreted (played) it that an oak/dryad
symbiosis consisted of two separate entities that depend upon each other.
When a dryad has a child (on my world), it takes the form of fruit that
grows from the tree. When the fruit falls, it takes the form of a little
girl (young dryad). This girl shares her "parent's" lifeforce until
maturity, then she seeks out her own tree to bond with.
Any other interpretations?
jk
Reg Stuart
: Tim Sackton (tsac...@shore.net) wrote:
: : Or not necessarilt just family, but maybe an inn, or a whole town. The
: : lich is then obligated to protect this location from harm. Here's a neat
: : idea: maybe high level druids could become PE liches, pledging to protect
: : a certain forest, to which they bind there soul.
energy is life energy. So you wouldn't actually be dead as such - you just
wouldn't need sustenance and eventually your body will fade away leaving a
spirit - living off its connection to the positive elemental plane.
: Isn't that what a Dryad is? Sure, she's bound to only one Oak, but then,
: she has to keep the forest safe to protect her Oak...
I could see druids becoming dryads eventually too... - perhaps from an oak
that grows over their grave or somthing like that.
_/~~~~~~~~~~~~\___/~~~~~~~~~~\___/~~~~~~~~~~\__/~~~~~~~~~~~~\_
_/~~~~~~\__/~~~\_/~~~\____/~~~\_/~~~\____/~~~\_/~~~~~~\__/~~~\_stuart@
_/~~~~~~\__/~~~\_/~~~\____/~~~\_/~~~\____/~~~\_/~~~~~~\__/~~~\_beastie.
_/~~~~~~\__/~~~\_/~~~\____/~~~\_/~~~\____/~~~\_/~~~~~~\__/~~~\_cs.und.
_/~~~~~~~~~~~~\___/~~~~~~~~~~\___/~~~~~~~~~~\__/~~~~~~~~~~~~\__ac.za
----------------------------------------------------------------
The Amorphous Mass
There's the Monstrous Manual's interpretation that a Dryad is the
spirit of an old oak tree...
That's the one I've always used (going back actually to the original
Monster Manual).
>
> jk
>
>
___________
Bushido, n.: the ancient art of keeping your | James Robinson
cool when a US President ralphs in your lap. | james-f-...@uiowa.edu
moo...@shrsys.hslc.org
The "Ecology of the Dryad" features the Dryad as the spirit of
an Oak tree too.
It said they reporduce with Satyrs. Male children are Satyrs,
female Dryads, the appropriant parent raises them. At about 12, Dryad
girls have to find their own special tree and join with it.
Mike M.
Jeff Hildebrand
: The "Ecology of the Dryad" features the Dryad as the spirit of
I prefer "The Forests of Forever" myth, where Dryads could mate with any
normal male species, and girls were Dryads and boys were whatever the
father was. Satyrs corresponded to Nymphs in classical mythology,
both brainless...;-)