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[Poll] Lich

Who is the greatest lich in fiction or folklore? (choose up to 3)

  • Afgorkon (from Kothar the Barbarian)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Morda (from Taran Wanderer)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Zheng Zu (from Shang-Chi)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Quan Chi (from Mortal Kombat)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Shasarak the Wytch King (from Lone Wolf)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Deathlord Ixiataaga (from Lone Wolf)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Lady Osterneth (from Eberron)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Morghen Dythanus (from Accordlands)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Geth (from MtG New Phyrexia)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Sedris (from MtG Alara)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Dralnu (from MtG Dominaria)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Tormod (from MtG Dominaria)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Asta Syneri, Queen of the Syneri (from Accordlands)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Heurodis the Medusa (from Neverwinter Nights)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Vix'thra the Dracolich (from Neverwinter Nights)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Nemethis (from NWN The Prophet)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Roule Enron (from Rance Quest Magnum)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    90

Jason Liang

Arcane
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
8,337
Location
Crait
Remember when Liches were cool?

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ZengZu.jpg


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Jasede

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
24,793
Insert Title Here RPG Wokedex Codex Year of the Donut I'm very into cock and ball torture
Hmmm. I picked Vecna because everyone knows him (especially these days due to Critical Role, but even before that) and Sandro. I know nothing about Sandro but he looks so damn iconic.
 

Daemongar

Arcane
Joined
Nov 21, 2010
Messages
4,706
Location
Wisconsin
Codex Year of the Donut
"Seldom is the name of Vecna spoken except in hushed voice, and never within hearing range of strangers, for legends say that the phantom of this once supreme lich still roams the Material Plane. It is certain that when Vecna finally met his doom, one eye and one hand survived."

Gygax's creation of Vecna, Kas, and the legacy of the lich was phenomenal back in the day. An interesting character because of lack of knowledge - we only knew his legacy in the books, the artifacts left behind and the inspiration for dozens of modules. The absence of knowledge other than the cryptic description of the legacy of a incredibly powerful creature - a great inspiration of future nemesis in D&D games.
 

Jasede

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
24,793
Insert Title Here RPG Wokedex Codex Year of the Donut I'm very into cock and ball torture
Kingcomrade is a newfag. We complained about him back in the day because we didn't know future new posters would be way worse.
 

Jarmaro

Liturgist
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
1,466
Location
Lair of Despair

Quatach-Ichl​

From Mother of Learning book series.

Weirdly, he's not an option in the poll. Also, kinda dumb thread, should be in the off-topic section.
 

Fedora Master

Arcane
Patron
Edgy
Joined
Jun 28, 2017
Messages
27,819
Kangaxx is memorable but as a lich he's kind of a bitch. Who the fuck makes their lair in a sewer next to some beholders?

Vecna is a boss of course.

Also OP I think you forgot Szass Tam
 

BruceVC

Magister
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
7,698
Location
South Africa, Cape Town
Great poll, I could only vote for the liches I knew about and out of that list I voted Vecna, Kangaxx and Kulan Gath, why isnt Thulsa Doom in your list ? ( I love his appearance from the Conan comics, I still have that saga )
 

Kruyurk

Learned
Joined
Nov 16, 2021
Messages
321
Would The Limper from The Black Company (book series by Glen Cook) fit the definition of a lich ? He is an undead wizard trying to overcome the limitations of his decaying body, and he is pissed at the world. But he is himself a servant of an even more powerful wizard.

I looked at the definition of a lich on wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lich) and what it seems to boil down to is: sentient (as opposed to zombies) undead wizard, immortal or seeking immortality. Would you agree with such definition ? Would a lich be necessarily his own master or could he be at the service of another greater entity ?

In the afore-mentioned Black Company books, the great evil has several other ancient wizards that she controls. Wizards can live very long in this world, but are not all depicted as undeads. The Limper in particular is really a rotting corpse staying "alive" only through his magical power.

Are you a lich The Limper ?
 

Technomancer

Liturgist
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
1,417
Would The Limper from The Black Company (book series by Glen Cook) fit the definition of a lich ? He is an undead wizard trying to overcome the limitations of his decaying body, and he is pissed at the world. But he is himself a servant of an even more powerful wizard.
Why not? OP included Volendemort. Which is a clear plagiarism on the trope but he is a bit different. He is not really undead and instead of one, he has several phylacteries (which are not even named properly) none of which restore his physical body and simply prevent his permanent death. I guess at that time he technically exists as a ghost-like undead. He also has no specialization in necromancy. Same with the koshei which was a sorcerer and immortal with a hidden phylactery that granted him his invulnerability but he had no other lich properties. Witch King is even more of a stretch.
 
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