Appearance of a lich [Archive] - Wizards Community

Appearance of a lich [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
FunkyMonkey5588
08-28-06, 11:07 PM The lich is described as being very gaunt and nearly skeletal. Would a newly created lich have this appearance, or does this happen as they slowly wear down over many years?
Melpomene
08-28-06, 11:10 PM What they don't tell you in the MM about lich creation is how much blood you lose right away. Everywhere.

It's a lot.
Seraphine_Harmonium
08-28-06, 11:24 PM What they don't tell you in the MM about lich creation is how much blood you lose right away. Everywhere.

It's a lot.
You sound like you know from experience.
I would say you would appear gaunt from the start, but your skin would not tighten, dry, and crack right away. You'd still have a good deal of muscle tissue at first, so I'd say you wouldn't apppear skeletal for at least a few months (how ever long it takes your metabolically challenged body to decompose).
obrysii
08-29-06, 12:36 AM If you cast the spell that keeps corpses from decaying, I'd say you look as you did when you were living.

Most Liches stop caring, however.
Insane Pixie
08-29-06, 12:54 AM Seeing as the lich drains his life force into the phylactery, I'd say that as he does this, he gets more and more undead-looking. It makes sense.
runestar
08-29-06, 09:27 AM You could consider looking at the picture of Aumvor in Champions of Ruin. He sure looks very fat for a lich(kinda like a corpse bloated after being drowned). Turns out the artist wasn't satisfied with drawing *another* lich that looked like some aneroxic supermodel...;)
Blaze_the_Dragon
08-29-06, 10:13 AM I usually make the cosmetic effects almost instantaniously....It's hard to look pretty when you have negative energy running through your veins instead of blood...
Draegun Fury
08-29-06, 03:30 PM I've always treated it as a long slow process.
That way, a centuries old Lich is basically a skeleton, whereas a "newborn" is basically normal looking.

Kind if like a Jedi slowly giving into the dark side, his body slowly getting corrupt.

It's cosmetic, so do as you like.

Cheers.
syrinth
08-29-06, 03:42 PM Personally I just rule that the body stays as it was when alive except it doesn't actually heal itself. Stab a lich and his stab wound will remain but his body is still the same as before. Then again, I'm special. :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
FunkyMonkey5588 08-28-06, 11:07 PM	The lich is described as being very gaunt and nearly skeletal. Would a newly created lich have this appearance, or does this happen as they slowly wear down over many years?
Melpomene 08-28-06, 11:10 PM	What they don't tell you in the MM about lich creation is how much blood you lose right away. Everywhere. It's a lot.
Seraphine_Harmonium 08-28-06, 11:24 PM	What they don't tell you in the MM about lich creation is how much blood you lose right away. Everywhere. It's a lot. You sound like you know from experience. I would say you would appear gaunt from the start, but your skin would not tighten, dry, and crack right away. You'd still have a good deal of muscle tissue at first, so I'd say you wouldn't apppear skeletal for at least a few months (how ever long it takes your metabolically challenged body to decompose).
obrysii 08-29-06, 12:36 AM	If you cast the spell that keeps corpses from decaying, I'd say you look as you did when you were living. Most Liches stop caring, however.
Insane Pixie 08-29-06, 12:54 AM	Seeing as the lich drains his life force into the phylactery, I'd say that as he does this, he gets more and more undead-looking. It makes sense.
runestar 08-29-06, 09:27 AM	You could consider looking at the picture of Aumvor in Champions of Ruin. He sure looks very fat for a lich(kinda like a corpse bloated after being drowned). Turns out the artist wasn't satisfied with drawing another lich that looked like some aneroxic supermodel...;)
Blaze_the_Dragon 08-29-06, 10:13 AM	I usually make the cosmetic effects almost instantaniously....It's hard to look pretty when you have negative energy running through your veins instead of blood...
Draegun Fury 08-29-06, 03:30 PM	I've always treated it as a long slow process. That way, a centuries old Lich is basically a skeleton, whereas a "newborn" is basically normal looking. Kind if like a Jedi slowly giving into the dark side, his body slowly getting corrupt. It's cosmetic, so do as you like. Cheers.
syrinth 08-29-06, 03:42 PM	Personally I just rule that the body stays as it was when alive except it doesn't actually heal itself. Stab a lich and his stab wound will remain but his body is still the same as before. Then again, I'm special. :D