Lich, Occult

Description

Few creatures strike as much fear into people as the undead, a fewer still than the horrifying creature known as the lich. Life beyond death and twisted by dark desires and fell magick, the lich stands for all that is dark and evil.

In life few people are as feared by others as the witch, mistress of hidden and occult forces. The Occult Lich is one of these witches that has obtained lichdom.

Like the Arcane or Psionic Lich, the Occult Lich can appear as a withered corpse, a skeleton or as a normal human. The lich often appears clothed as she did when she died. There is no known way to tell the difference between an Occult Lich and any other type on appearances alone.

Combat

The Occult lich also will rarely engage in combat. She prefers to spend her time pondering and researching great occult secrets. This disinterest in combat is not due to the Lich’s fear of battle (if anything could cast fear into it) but rather a complete disregard as the living as anything else than a mere nuisance.

If prompted or if it’s lair is threatened the Occult Lich will fight. She will only attack once per round, but her attack is very effective. The hit or even the mere touch of this fell creature causes 1d12 points of damage. Plus each touch will drain 2 points of Strength.

The most dangerous aspect of the Occult Lich is her spell-casting abilities. She retains whatever knowledge of her spells and occult powers that she had in life. Typically at the 18th level of experience, but some are much higher. Added to this is the array of magical items that she might still have. In additon to this the Occult Lich can cause Fear 3 times per day as per the spell.

Destroying the Occult Lich is a difficult undertaking. They can only be effected by magical items of +2 or better. Priests can attempt to turn or destroy them as per a normal Lich, but any attack that does not destroy it’s talisman will ultimately fail. An Occult Lich talisman is similar to the Arcane Lich’s phylactery; it is where the life force of the lich resides. The talisman will always be very well protected and often by magic, a guardian familiar or guardian daemon.

The only way to truly destroy the lich is to destroy this talisman.

Habitat/Society

Occult Liches are very similar to their Arcane brothers with a couple of important distinctions. First only witches of at least 18th level can become an Occult Lich. Unlike the Arcane Lich, there is no set formula to become an Occult Lich. It is believed by many sages that the creation of the Occult Lich is a near accident. Several factors seem to have to come together. First the prospective Lich needs to have the Longevity occult power. Secondly, and perhaps most important, the witch needs to be investigating some occult secret or knowledge that she currently does not know. It is speculated by the same sages that if the lich were to discover the secret she would immediately fall into dust. Having an evil alignment in life may not be necessary to become an Occult Lich, but it is not likely that a good aligned witch would allow herself to become so twisted in her own desires.

Ecology

Occult Liches contribute nothing to the local ecology and they typically take nothing from it. The Occult Lich is even loath to animate any lesser undead or do anything that will distract her from her studies. A tale is told of haggard old woman who came to the great library in Glantri City who sat a read tome after tome for nearly a week. People were uncomfortable around her, but she bothered no one directly and made no demands on anyone. When it was noticed that she did not eat, drink or sleep the entire time she was there the word got out that she might be a supernatural creature. But before anyone could investigate further, she left as abruptly and as quietly as she came. The stack of her books remained. A quick inspection revealed them to be books on histories, magic and the nature of the multiverse. It was only suspected much later that she had been in fact an Occult Lich.

It is unknown if the Occult Lich can continue long enough in life to become a demi-lich. So few actual cases have been reported to make any guesses.

Also in this section of the source

Lilim (General)

Not all of the creatures that are known as Demons are Tanar’ri. Like the Prime Material, many races inhabit the Abyss. One of the most seductive and deadly are the Lilim. The Lilim (pl. Lilim) are descendents and servants of the Goddess Lilith, although some can a do serve other gods and lords. In particular the Goddess Hecate and the Demon Princes Graz’zt and Orcus. Regardless of who they are working for, all ‘lilim’ are Lilith’s children. In the Targum Yerushalmi, the priestly blessing of Numbers VI:26 becomes: “The Lord bless thee in all thy doings, and preserve thee from the Lilim!”

The overriding goal of all Lilim is the corruption of human souls and the trafficking of larvae. This puts them more at odds with the Night Hags of Hades more than with the Baatezu or Tanar’ri. The Lilim are not involved with the Blood War. The Lilim are not harassed by the Molydeus, but they do often fight with other demon types. Mostly the Tanar’ri and Lilim avoid each other.

The Lilim all have three basic forms. The first, and some sages argue their natural, is a spiritual form. This form exists only on the ethereal or astral plane. It cannot be physically attacked but it can be affected by holy word, dispel evil, exorcism, or, spirit wrack spells. They can only be detected in this form via magic. This is the form that most Lilim (but not Lilitu) must revert to during the sunlit hours. The second form is that of an extremely beautiful humanoid female. The Lilim uses it’s telepathy to construct a façade that their victim finds the most appealing. Anyone seeing this form must save vs. magic or never be able to disbelieve it. This is the form that most encounter the Lilim. The third form is their demonic form. This form is what is encountered while the creature is in the Abyss or if it has been discovered while on the Prime Material. This form varies by creature type, but typically it is some combination of woman and animal, usually with giant wings, claws and vampire like fangs.

Combat

All Lilim have the following spell like powers.

• Become ethereal
• Charm person
• Darkness, 15’ radius
• ESP
• Infravision
• Shape change
• Teleport without error

In addition all Lilim have a limited form of telepathy that allow them to communicate with any creature.

The most feared attack of the Lilim is their vampiric energy drain. This attack affects one (or more) of a person ability scores. When a score reaches 0 that person is dead and their soul belongs to the Lilim. The abilities drained are listed below,

Lilim	Ability	Amount
Alu-Fiend	Hit Points	1d8 points
Empusa	Charisma	1d6 points
Lamiae	Wisdom	1d6 points
Lilitu	Strength & Constitution	1d6 points each
Mormo	Strength	1d6 points
Shedim	Intelligence	1d4 points
Succubus	Constitution	1d4 points

The Lilim attacks only at night and only while the victim is sleeping. The Lilim manage this by engaging the victim in intimate relations. The victim is allowed a save vs. death to avoid the effects of one night’s feeding. A remove curse, dispel evil, or similar magic will protect a person from that particular Lilim. Victims can regain the lost scores via the priest spell restore or by resting one week per point lost.

The Lilim target only the strongest victims; i.e, characters with the highest ability scores. While they could gather the most souls by attacking the weakest, it is theorized that the Lilim get some sort of nourishment from the more powerful victims. They also favor attacking the good and the lawful.

The Lilim can gate in a number of other fiends as they need. This includes other Lilim and Tanar’ri. Each will be detailed in their own section. However they are not often willing to do this because it leaves the summoner in the debt of the summoned fiend.

Lilim are also affected by the following attack froms.

Attack	Damage
Acid	Full
Cold	Half
Electricity (lightning)	None
Fire (magical)	Half
Fire (non-magical)	None
Gas (poisonous, etc-)	None
Iron weapon	Full
Magic missile	Full
Poison	None
Silver weapon	Half

Habitat/Society

Unlike Tanar’ri, Lilim are usually fixed in their position; i.e. Succubi do not get promoted to Lilitu. However there can be a wide range of power within the sub-ranks of the Lilim.

The Goddess Lilith nominally controls the Lilim, but the real masters of the race are the Lilitu. Although no Lilim, including the Lilitu, will disobey a request or order from Lilith.

Many demonologists have spent countless hours debating the nature of the Lilim. Top of their list is the obviously sexual nature of these creatures. For example, how can Lilim produce Alu-fiends or half-demons. The most famous case of this happening is the grand wizard Merlin, who said to be the offspring of a great druidess and a succubus. Demonologists and sages have also debated the sexual act with the Lilim. One recorded encounter claimed that the Lilim, in this case an Empusa, was extremely beautiful but frigidly cold to the touch. In another recorded case a young man described it as “entering an icy cave”. Another claimed that after being intimate with a succubus that he could never again be with a human woman.

Ecology

The Lilim are a sub-race of Fiends. While they are obviously related to the Tanar’ri, there are plenty of differences. It is also speculated that the Lilim (and/or Lilith) are the progenitors of the various vampire types.

The story of Lilith disappeared from the Bible, but her daughters, the Lilim, haunted men for over a thousand years. The Lilim were thought responsible for nocturnal emissions and the Jews still made amulets to keep away the Lilim well into the Middle Ages. Greeks adopted the Lilim and called them, Lamiae, Empusae, or Daughters of Hecate. Christians also adopted them and called them harlots of hell or succubae.

Known Lilim

There are a few lilim that are well known. Most are Lilitu that mothered the other races of lilim, but others have made distinct names for themselves. Among them are

• Aldinach
• Ardat – demoness of the Alu-demons
• Barbelo -- unkonwn,
• Delepitore - demoness of the Mormo,
• Eisheth Zenunim - demoness of whores,
• Mazikeen - demoness of the Shedim,
• Naamah - demoness of seduction,
• Sonnielion - demoness of hate, Princess of the Empusa