Lichdom

History

Lichdom is, generally, the transition from mortal spellcaster to immortal, undead spellcaster. Not all spellcasters are capable of becoming liches, however, and not all liches are always spellcasters as is the case for dracoliches. The only spellcasters capable of the apotheosis to lichdom are clerics, sorcerers, and wizards. As proven by the Realm Breaker, it is also possible for eldritch knights, fighters who augment their martial prowess with wizardly spellcasting, to become liches as well. The secrets to becoming a lich are well guarded. In order for one to become a lich, they may attempt to steal a lich's spellbook or notes or they may bargain with extraplanar deities. They may also experiment and perform their own tests to teach themselves through potentially fatal trial and error. 
Liches are quite varied. The standard lich is the most common, though other types exist. Alhoons are lichlike entities. An alhoon is a mindflayer who has achieved shared undeath with other mindflayer arcanists. They must come together and sacrifice creatures to extend their lifespans. Demiliches are an undesirable form of lich. If a lich neglects to extend their lifespan and consume souls, their body may begin to degrade until only a skull remains. Dracoliches are dragons who are turned into undead with phylacteries in order to regenerate their immortal forms after being slain. The boneclaws are also an undesirable form of lich as they are the result of failed attempts to become liches or from weak creatures attempting to become liches. The failed subject turns into an immortal undead, but with a sadistic mind and no true free will. They are bound to beings of intense hatred and rage.

Cultural Reception

Liches are generally loathed by all. This stems from the fact that they must consume souls to continue to fuel their existence as well as the fact that nearly every lich has, historically, been evil in nature.

Type

Magical

Origin

Magical

Rarity

Extremely Rare