Origin of liches question.

[Elemental]

So, I intend to have a lich as my head villain in an upcoming campaign, and I can't seem to find a lot of information on their origins in mythology (assuming they have one and weren't invented for D&D). Any information about myths from our world of liches or lich-like creatures would be helpful.

Thanks.

 

[Dragongrief]

I don't believe that there are any real world myths about lich-type beings. The fact that they are spellcasting undead would go more towards them being made up for D&D (or another RPG).

If there are any RW myths, they'd likely be from ancient Egypt, based on powerful Pharoes (sp?) rising from the dead. That's about the only time/place that stories about undead and magic seem to be common of.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Norse myth and Voodoo I think had some, mummies and vampires are more common myth but some of the legends could deal with lich. I think of them as someone that just does not want to let go, fear of the unknown or a way to get greater power.

In my game they were the cause of the end of the world and now live better lives for what they gave up.

 

[Arken]

I might be wrong but I think the lich is just an extrapolation from the norse/old germanic language in which 'lich' meant body or corpse. Perhaps a creature sprung from that...

 

[Nifft]

Can't find an entry for "lich", but check out the definition of "lych-gate":

a roofed gate in a churchyard under which a bier rests during the initial part of the burial service

and "phylactery":

1 : either of two small square leather boxes containing slips inscribed with scriptural passages and traditionally worn on the left arm and on the head by Jewish men during morning weekday prayers
2 : AMULET

-- N

 

[FrankTrollman]

According to the 1911 edition encyclopedia:

The word lich entered into composition constantly in old English, thus, lich-bell, the hand-bell rung before a corpse; lich-way, the path along which a corpse was carried to burial (this in some districts was supposed to establish a right-of-way); lich-owl, the screech-owl, because its cry was a portent of death; and lyke-wake, a night watch over a corpse.

"Lich" just means "corpse" - and is a name for undead for precisely the same reason as "skeleton" or "mummy" is. The word lich is itself archaic, and thus was considered to have an eldritch feel - and was used by Gygax to refer to undead which were themselves magical.

Dictionary.com has a pronounciation symbol for its vowel that I simply can't find anywhere: "[i^]". That doesn't match the "i" in "pitch", the "i" in "like" or the "e" in "leak". Since it is Old English - I think it is pronounced like "Leash" or "leak". That "i" is the same as the IPA "i" - which would be like the one in "shield" - said like an English double e.

-Frank

 

[Tonguez]

I recall a Sinbad movie (IIRC)in which the villain was a Scorcerer whose Heart was kept in a tower (seperate from his body of course) thus makibng him virtually immortal.

The idea always struck me as very 'Lich and Phylactery' like

Also do a google search on the Bhuddist mummies of Japan (LG Lich anyone?)

 

[Skade]

Or, Tolkien. Look to the Nazgul for some inspiration, and possibly the source of Gygax's creature.

 

[dave_o]

There's some female Norse goddess (Hel, maybe?) who was half-living, and half-dead. I've always seen the half-dead part refered to as her "lich" side.

 

[Henry]

According to the 1911 edition encyclopedia:
Dictionary.com has a pronounciation symbol for its vowel that I simply can't find anywhere: "[i^]". That doesn't match the "i" in "pitch", the "i" in "like" or the "e" in "leak". Since it is Old English - I think it is pronounced like "Leash" or "leak". That "i" is the same as the IPA "i" - which would be like the one in "shield" - said like an English double e.

Somehow I can see my players doing quite violent things to me if I used the following:
--------------------------
As you crack the seal of the ancient tomb, and descend the steps, the odor of death and decay, mixed with rare herbs and the faint scent of incense assaults you. Before you, a terrible and malignant leech lies on the burial bier."

"Leech? A freaking leech? who left that down here?"

"My character will cautiously approach it and use my sword to push its body off the bier. Then I'll search the bier, and if I find nothing, I'll wrap up the dead leech and stuff him in my backpack for show later."

LATER...

"Whaddaya mean, TIME STOP?!?!? A LEECH can't cast a damned TIME STOP!!!!"
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